Need better wheel chocks

[Toy4Rick]

Came home from a trip with our TT, chocked the wheels and started disconnecting... the hitch was firmly stuck to the ball, kept going until it finally released and that is when the trailer came forward about a foot and literally slid off the blocks I had under the power jack...

Scared the ever living you know what out of me, my wife, well let's just say she had a minor accident...

Lessons learned here
1. Plastic on asphalt slides and doesn't work for beans. Was using the plastic ones that came with the roll up wedge levelers. I need better wheel chocks.
2. Have since learned that if I use the parking brake, the hitch/ball can be locked up and getting them to release is not fun. I no longer set the emergency brake, just put it in park. This allows the tranny to move a bit with the trailer so things are not all bound up

My last 6-8 disconnects have been w/o drama, which I like

Be safe out there
Rick

 

[Ynot4me2]

I use the Fastway and like them. Never had any issues.
https://www.amazon.ca/Fastway-84-00...ocphy=9000745&hvtargid=pla-491871716559&psc=1

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[Hoopy Frood]

Dunno what trailer you've got, but the rubber wheel chocks from Harbor Freight work very well, and sturdy as can be. Roto-Choks are the best but they don't make them any more.

 

[FT4NOW]

+1 for the rubber ones from Harbor Freight, used them on my Momentum too, no issues.

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[huntindog]

When I need them I use my home made ones. 4x6 blocks of wood, 5/8 all thread connector nuts, regular nuts and washers. Painted black with oil based paint. Will work better and last longer than any store bought ones...Cheaper as well.... And...Yes I tried several of those, that did not cut the mustard, before making my own first set that I basically wore out over 28 years and 3 trailers. I had to modify them to fit each TT. When we got the Momentum, they looked puny under it, and the threads were pretty much shot... That is why the ones I just made used connecting nuts which have 150% more threads on the bussiness end to take the load better, than my old ones.

When camping I often dig holes for the high side tires, That is the best wheel chock possible... So long as gravity works, that trailer isn't going anywhere! And it is more stable and lower making wind less of a bother.

 

[Scott'n'Wendy]

Hmmmmm....I just use blocks of wood. Cheap and has never failed me.

 

[Capt Bob]

+2 on the HF rubber chocks. I keep them in the garage and use them on all the vehicles, the boat trailer and the RV.

 

[Toy4Rick]

As for truck and trailer...

2021 Chevy Silverado 2500 with 35" tires
2022 Imagine 2500RL

I will be going to rubber chocks before my next trip

I've been doing some research on why the receiver gets stuck to the ball and here is something I just noticed. BTW, the dealer installed the Blue Ox Track Pro...

With the trailer level, it's 25" to the top of the receiver
The top of the ball on the truck is 23.5"...

Based on everything I have seen so far, the top of the ball should be 25-26", not 23.5"

Could this be contributing to the receiver getting stuck on the ball when disconnecting?
What other affects could I be experiencing with this height mis-match besides the trailer riding nose down by a fair bit

Thanks all
Rick

 

[JCR GD]

+3 on the HF rubber chocks.

 

[pwalton]

I really like this chock I found through BAL back in 2016.



https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B001UGPEJA/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I bought it hoping it would help with the forward/back shifting while walking around inside my single axle trailer I had at the time. Did it help with the shifting? Don't really think so. But with this design I am not worried about a chock slipping away from a tire while walking around inside, which is its primary purpose! I do use it on my new dual axle trailer and has been working well.

 

[Toy4Rick]

Once we get parked and setup, I use BAL X-Chocks to stabilize the trailer, really like them. They however are not supposed to be installed until the trailer is disconnected, leveled and ready to go... the wheel chocks I really need to upgrade are the ones for initial use when disconnecting, the plastic just doesn't work.

Any thoughts on the ball being 2-3 inches too low?

Rick

 

[Rick B]

+4 for inexpensive harbor freight rubber chocks
we carry 4 with us.

 

[ggates]

+5 for the HF rubber chocks. I use 4 and added pull cords and handles. Makes it easy to get them out. I used to use a homemade center wheel lock on my old TT, but with the auto level on my Solitude, it didn't add any stability. So now just chocks.

 

[Dakota]

I bought the cheaper plastic ones and after thinking about it I decided to buy the heavier rubber ones. I figured if it tools and the plastic ones slide, I’ll could have damage to the rig, the truck or possibly hurt or kill someone. Not a risk for the sake of saving a couple bucks.

 

[BeerBrewer-MGRV]

We use the Hensley Ultimate Tire choke ($40) (https://hensleymfg.com/product/ultimate-tire-chock-one/) and the hard rubber ones from Harbor Freight. The metal ones are great. I place them between the tires and the using the wrench supplied with them, you crank them open. They completely stop the tires from moving in either direction. We use the rubber ones just for an added level of security.

 

[Toy4Rick]

Hey all,

I ended up getting heavy rubber chocks from Amazon, just a couple bucks more but delivered to my door

Also use X-chocks between the tires but they are not used to chock the tires during setup but to prevent movement during camping...

No more plastic chocks for me

Be safe out there
Rick

 

[BeerBrewer-MGRV]

I find that the X-Chocks do a much better job of stopping any movement of the trailer than any of the other chocks that we've used, including the heavy rubber chocks. Having said that, I also always place the rubber ones just incase.

 

[Brendwal]

Once we get parked and setup, I use BAL X-Chocks to stabilize the trailer, really like them. They however are not supposed to be installed until the trailer is disconnected, leveled and ready to go... the wheel chocks I really need to upgrade are the ones for initial use when disconnecting, the plastic just doesn't work.

Any thoughts on the ball being 2-3 inches too low?

Rick

It matters more of whether the trailer is level when hitched with WDH. Slightly nose down by an inch is much better than nose up. Level is ideal.
I have a lot of ball/hitch lockup when trying to raise the tongue off the truck ball as well. I find it loves to roll forward as well. I definitely upgraded my crappy cheaper chocks.

 

[ajg617]

+1 for the rubber ones from Harbor Freight, used them on my Momentum too, no issues.

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That's what I use and hard to imagine but the corner of one of them broke off last week. They are solid so I'm not sure other than I maybe got a defective one.

 

[Redapple63]

I use heavy rubber ones too, Mary a problem.
Use the heavy rubber ones first, then leveled, use the x-chocks.

Bill