Learning how to set up your RV takes some time, but once you find your groove, it will get easier and easier. Having two young children, who basically do sprints in the camper plus flop around in their bunks, we needed something that would eliminate the rocking. We wanted to take the “rock” out of Rocky (our camper’s name) , so we found a few different products to stabilize our RV. We have learned over the years the importance of balancing and stabilizing your RV. Here is a list of stabilization products we love:
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- RV Leveling blocks
- X-Chocks
- Bumper Stabilizer
- BAL Lock-Arm Stabilizing Bar
RV Leveling Blocks
RV leveling blocks are interlocking blocks you stack to improve your camper’s stability. By placing a level on the front of the RV, you are able to determine if you need blocks under your tires (left or right) or just under the jacks. It is important to use these for two reasons. One, you do not want the jacks to be fully extended, and two, the leveling blocks help to protect the metal on the scissor jacks. You can compare it to balancing on a toothpick verse a 4×4. Placing RV leveling blocks under each jack will improve your camper’s stabilization and longevity.
X-Chocks
X-Chocks make a big difference with front to back movement. It sits between each set of tires on a dual axle camper and can be tightened with the included wrench. The X-Chocks prevent tire shifting by applying opposing force to the tires. They provide added stabilization, and helps to prevent the tires natural movement.
Bumper Stabilizer
The next product we bought was the bumper stabilizer. This goes under the bumper after the camper is level and only takes a few minutes to set up without any tools. It uses a ratchet strap to make a trapezoid that reduce bouncing and swaying. The one disadvantage would be the fact that it’s feet sit on the ground, so I feel obligated to wipe them off before putting them away. It’s not a huge hassle, just an extra step. I also put a piece of nonslip material between the bumper and stabilizer for better protection.
BAL Lock-Arm Stabilizing Bar
The final product is the BAL Lock-Arm Stabilizing Bar. This was a one time, 30 minute installation per set. Depending on where you feel your camper needs more stabilization, this product can be installed to minimize either front to back or side to side motion. I installed the front bars left to right and the rear bars front to back. What I like about these is that I do not have to wipe them off because they stay connected to the exterior. Plus, it uses the same size bolt as the scissor jacks, so within seconds I can let the jack/stabilizer down and tighten them both. I think long term, this be a quicker solution. During installation I would keep in mind the angle of the bolt to give easier access (facing out and up)for tightening.
I can honestly say our camper is STURDY! I would probably buy them in the above order as a step wise approach to see what suits your needs. I hope this helps take out some of the UN-wanted rocking (wink-wink)! For more product recommendations, click here. Please feel free to contact us with any questions or comments. Happy camping!
