Have you ever shouted from the bedroom to the bunk house for your kids to stop rolling around in their beds at night? Or maybe you’ve asked your spouse to walk more gently on the steps when entering the RV. If every time someone enters, exits, or moves inside your camper, you feel like you’re on a boat, you’re not alone. Learning to stabilize your camper to keep it from rocking is an important part of RVing.
Let’s take a look at a few tips so you can have a more enjoyable camping experience!
Why Is My Camper Rocking?
All RVs will have some type of movement. After all, they are on wheels and suspension. Plus, they have no foundation. Your camper won’t feel like a house firmly cemented in the ground.
If you’ve ever been camping, you know that RVs move around as you walk through them. You feel the camper move from side to side when the kids play or horse around. This is completely normal, but there are a few ways to reduce the movement.
Is It Hard to Stabilize a Camper?
There is nothing difficult about learning how to stabilize your camper. It just takes a bit of effort. Some of the accessories that can help keep it from rocking are more expensive than other options, but they’re worth it to minimize the movement. Some RVs come with stabilizing jacks and almost all other gadgets you’ll need to purchase.
When trying to stabilize your camper, it’s important to remember that you won’t remove all rocking. Especially if you have a long RV, you’ll still feel some movement when someone walks from the rear to the front of the unit. But using a few tools will significantly reduce wobbling and make you feel like your RV is more secure.
How Can I Keep My Camper From Rocking? 7 Easy Ways
Some RVers use all of these tools to stabilize their camper. Others use just a few. The more ways you secure your camper, the less movement there will be, but that also means having to store all of these things. Keep that in mind as you consider these suggestions.
1. Leveling Blocks
It’s essential to have leveling blocks when you camp. You’re going to arrive at some campsites and scratch your head, wondering how you’ll get the left side of your rig at the same height as your right side.
Leveling blocks are your answer. Driving up onto boards or blocks will help stabilize your camper from the moment you arrive.
Pro Tip: We found the 7 Best RV Leveling Blocks That Will Simplify Your Life. Which set will you buy?
2. X-Chocks
X-chocks are not wheel chocks. Instead, they’re another stabilizing tool to keep your camper from rocking.
- Provides added stabilization and prevents tire shifts by applying...
- As opposed to other chocks, the X-Chock works with the tires’...
- Fits even the tightest of applications retracting down to 1...
These braces are inserted between your tires after you’ve completed the leveling process. They help reduce the slight movement of the wheels as you move about inside the camper.
3. Fifth Wheel Tripod
If you have a fifth wheel, another great tool to keep your camper from rocking is a fifth wheel kingpin tripod. Like the X-chocks, a tripod is inserted underneath the kingpin after you’ve completed the leveling process.
- Function - Designed for 5th wheel trailers, RVs. Increase the...
- Heavy Duty - Maximum vertical load is 5000 pounds. The stabilizer...
- Easy Installation - Set up in a few minutes. Adjustable from 35"...
It sits underneath the front cap, securely holding that part of the RV in place to stabilize the unit. This is probably the largest gadget on the list but well worth it if you have space to store it when traveling.
4. X-Brace Hitch Mount Stabilizer
On the other end of your camper, you can use an X-brace hitch mount stabilizer. This goes underneath the rear bumper to help stabilize the back section of your RV.
- True HEAVEY DUTY 9k lbs# capacity, made by heavy 11ga steel....
- Includes 4 steel jacks, also include a 3/4" hex magnetic socket...
- Aslo include 16 pcs 3/8" mounting screws & matching 9/16" socket,...
With a tripod under the kingpin, an x-brace under the bumper, and x-chocks between your tires, you’ll feel a tremendous reduction of wobbling in your camper as the front, back, and sides are all stabilized.
5. RV Step Stabilizer
If you’re looking to reduce the movement of your RV steps, putting a stabilizer underneath the bottom step will help.
- Provides Stabilization: Stabilizes RV steps and helps keep the...
- Adjustable: Extends from 8 ½-inches to 14-inches to accommodate...
- Weight Rating: 1,000 lb.
When someone enters the camper, it almost always rocks as soon as their foot hits the bottom step. Placing an RV step stabilizer on the ground keeps the steps in place and reduces this movement as people go in and out of the camper.
Pro Tip: Upgrade your RV steps by switching your old ones out for one of these 8 Best RV Steps for Easy Camper Entry.
6. Slide Out Stabilizers
Similar in design to the RV step stabilizer are slide-out stabilizers. These accessories sit underneath slide-out rooms to provide additional support between the floor and the ground.
When the kids dive onto the couch or someone flops down in a reclining sofa, a slide-out stabilizer will reduce the movement of the slide-out and the entire camper.
However, you can potentially damage your slide-outs if these are not used properly by causing unexpected weight shifts. Stabilizing the RV frame instead of the bump-out is a much better method.
7. Stabilizing Jacks
Finally, stabilizing jacks may come standard on your camper. If not, they’re worth purchasing. Just make sure to pay attention to the weight rating so you purchase the correct option for your RV.
These jacks go underneath the frame of the camper to stabilize the unit. Once your RV is level, inserting or cranking these jacks will keep your camper from rocking.
What Is the Difference Between Stabilizing Jacks and Leveling Jacks?
It’s important to note that stabilizing jacks are not the same as leveling jacks. They have two very different purposes. All RVs come with leveling jacks. Some are electric, while others require manual cranking. When you arrive at a campsite and need to level your camper, you can use leveling blocks underneath your tires if there’s a huge difference from side to side. Once those are in place, the leveling jacks come down to further level your rig from side to side and from front to back. These jacks are built to hold the weight of the camper.
On the other hand, stabilizing jacks are not built to hold the camper’s weight alone. Instead, they provide a larger footprint for your RV, connecting it to the ground in multiple locations to reduce movement. They help lessen the strain on the bolts and frame as you walk around inside. You shouldn’t use these jacks to level your RV.
Take Time to Stabilize Your Camper
If you want to keep your camper from rocking, it’s time to get out the gadgets. These tools will help stabilize your camper. That way, as you enter and exit your RV and walk around inside it, you won’t feel like it’s wobbling around. There will still be some movement, but these accessories will help to reduce the rocking.
If you use all these tools, it may take 10 to 15 minutes to stabilize your unit at each campsite. It’s well worth the extra time and effort to feel more secure during your stay.
What stabilizing accessories do you use to keep your camper from rocking? Tell us your tips in the comments!
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Kevin
Friday 23rd of June 2023
what I do not understand is why no one has come out with a product to fix the stabilizing problem at its source. The X chock thing is in the right area but a complete failure in its execution. The movement of any kind of trailer is mostly going to come from 1 or 2 places. It depends on how the trailer is designed. If the trailer has a suspension (springs and possibly shocks) This is going to allow movement. stabilizer jacks will usually take a lot of the movement out from a suspension if the trailer has a suspension. I want to make a correction.. All trailers do have a suspension. it may not be what you think it is but they all have one. The tires are in fact a suspension. they absorb bumps in the road similar to what an airbag spring does. This is the spot where 90% of movement in a trailer comes from. Think about taking a balloon that is blown up and pushing down on it, then move your hand front to back left to right as well as up and down. The balloon really doesn't move a whole lot but your hand sure does. Fix the problem at it's source. How do you go about stopping that kind of movement. It's actually really easy to do. You will need 4 pieces of 2 x 6 lumber that is about 12" longer than the distance of both tires on one side. and also 4 2 x 4's the same length. You want to make a T from a 2 x 6 and a 2 x 4. The 2 x 4 you stand on it's edge. Use coated deck screws 1 every 2" or so to secure the 2 pieces together. You will need a 5/8" drill bit that is long enough to go through the center of the T so at least 5" long or 2.5" long if you think you can drill from either side and meet in the middle. This is the trick. you need to have the holes line up across 2 of the Tees. Next you need to get some 1/2" threaded rod. I suggest getting an 8' long piece. you will need 3 pieces on each side. you also need 1 1/2"x 1/2" fender washers a total of 12. and 12 1/2" SAE flat washers. You will also need 6 1/2" nuts. The idea here is one of the T's goes on the inside of the tires and the other goes on the outside. The rods go through the T's one at either end and the last between the tires. The rods have the washer and nuts put on. fender washers against the wood then the sae washers and then nuts. Using a breaker bar with a 19mm socket (which you should have to check wheel lugs) tighten up the 3 nuts on the outside. The inside may or may not spin the first time tightening them up. Just snap a set of vice grips on the inside nut and the handle will either hit the axel or the ground when tightening which will stop it from spinning so you can tighten it. The idea is to make the side walls of the tires rigid. The sidewalls of the tires flexing is where the bounce and movement in a trailer comes from. Eliminate that sidewall movement on the tires and you solve the problem. This is also possibly the best wheel chock money can buy.
Todd
Wednesday 2nd of August 2023
@Kevin, do you have a photo of this