- This topic has 0 replies, 1 voice, and was last updated 5 years, 7 months ago by
CLOC-Admin.
CLOC-Admin.- Topic
CLOC-AdminI bought a pair off of a couple that went to a motor home, yeah really!
IM needing to get a new face plate for them, Hitchhiker axles are closer together
than Carriage. I’ve measured but in doubt the actual width. IM seeing 3’1/2″ way the tire is
being rounded I guess it’s hard to tell.So do you have roto chocks?Thanks every one..
Posted: 10:31 AM – Aug 29, 2013We had them on our old fiver and with our Carriage we had to get some new blocks, contacted Rotochok gave them our tire size and the space between the tires and they sent us replacements.
As you can see by the photo I have two sets of chocks. The reason is if I use the Rotochok when I use the Big Foot leveling system they get wedged in the tires. I use the yellow chocks to hook and unhook but the Roto’s in after we are level, reason that help stabilize the trailer.
Posted: 10:44 AM – Aug 29, 2013One more thing, I remove the Rotochoks before we hook up or move the cylinders on the Big Foot system. It might be our suspension (IS) the spacing between the tires moves a lot when we add or take weight off the tires and the Rotochoks get hung up. The first time I did it I had to take a hammer to remove them.Posted: 1:38 PM – Aug 29, 2013Thanks traveler.Posted: 3:49 PM – Aug 29, 2013Tumble Weed wrote:I bought a pair off of a couple that went to a motor home, yeah really!
IM needing to get a new face plate for them, Hitchhiker axles are closer together
than Carriage. I’ve measured but in doubt the actual width. IM seeing 3’1/2″ way the tire is
being rounded I guess it’s hard to tell.So do you have roto chocks?Thanks every one..
Like Traveler, we had have Rotochoks as well. I have used then on several rigs, and changed out the black chocks based on distance between the tires. I used them from time to time, particularly when all tires are on the ground and am parked on a hard surface like cement or asphalt. I put them on and take them off only when the 5th wheel is levelled.
Rick
Posted: 4:24 PM – Aug 29, 2013I’ve had Rotochoks for several years, use them every time I park. I put them on before I unhitch, and remove them after I’ve re-hitched. I personally have never had a problem with them getting stuck (I have IS), maybe I’m just luckyPosted: 5:07 PM – Aug 29, 2013I have the x-chock. I put them in sometimes after leveling and sometimes before depending upon the slope, but I always take them out after I am hooked back up (now, after I dropped the trailer once). I sometimes have a tussle getting them out, but I like the fact that the trailer is going nowhere until I am hooked. I dropped the coach because I knocked it off the blocks under the front jacks. Lesson learned.Posted: 7:07 PM – Aug 29, 2013I have Roto-Chocks and use them every time. 1st thing to go on before unhitching and the last thing off after I re-hitch.Posted: 9:24 AM – Aug 30, 2013So some times some of you don’t use chocks.
I’M guilty of not using them much, I had home made ones and after buying Cameo
they didn’t do as good. I was hoping roto would help stabilized also.Posted: 9:27 AM – Aug 30, 2013Tumble Weed wrote:So some times some of you don’t use chocks.
I’M guilty of not using them much, I had home made ones and after buying Cameo
they didn’t do as good. I was hoping roto would help stabilized also.I always use my X chocks. First thing on last thing off, never a problem.
ChipPosted: 12:07 PM – Aug 30, 2013I had sent a note to Rotochok about using their product with a leveling system this is the reply.
“Mr. St. Onge, We have been seeing this problem with leveling systems. When the levelers are put down it takes the weight off the tires resulting in suspension movement. Rotochok’s were designed to be used when the weight of the trailer is on the tires. You should install the Rotochok’s before you unhitch or hitch, then you may remove them when you start seeing the chock twisting in the tires. When your leveling system is down your weight is distributed across the system. Hope this helps.”
Rotochok
I alway use chocks, like Chip said first thing out last thing off, only I use the yellow chocks in the photo.
Posted: 4:07 PM – Aug 30, 2013Rotochocks are great for the unhook process even if you use the hand brake controller to hold the 5er steady. I have noticed many times depending upon how level the sit is, that the leveling process either increases or decreases the squeeze that the rotochoks put on the tires. I always tighten them up if they get loose in the process and ignore it if they get a bit tighter. It all goes back to where it started when you go to hook pack up again. this is why I do not loosen them if they get a bit tight in the leveling process.
Rotochocks do add some fore/aft stability when parked, as do scissor jacks at the rear with front trailing arms.
Posted: 5:50 PM – Aug 30, 2013Something that we’ve noticed also is when using wheel chocks between tires, and I’m sure this would apply to most all of them, is:
If you install them when the tires are still hot from traveling, you can go back an hour later after the tires have cooled, and they will need to be re-tightened.
Heat = expansion
Cool = retraction
Just throwing this out there.B.W.Posted: 12:07 PM – Sep 01, 2013Rotochoks for almost 8 years now. Always use them.Posted: 12:11 PM – Sep 01, 2013falconhunter wrote:
Tumble Weed wrote:So some times some of you don’t use chocks.
I’M guilty of not using them much, I had home made ones and after buying Cameo
they didn’t do as good. I was hoping roto would help stabilized also.I always use my X chocks. First thing on last thing off, never a problem.
ChipDITTO!
Posted: 1:26 PM – Sep 01, 2013drillking wrote:
falconhunter wrote:
Tumble Weed wrote:So some times some of you don’t use chocks.
I’M guilty of not using them much, I had home made ones and after buying Cameo
they didn’t do as good. I was hoping roto would help stabilized also.I always use my X chocks. First thing on last thing off, never a problem.
ChipDITTO!
Drillking your a man of few words… D
Posted: 5:52 PM – Sep 01, 2013Yep!Posted: 6:02 PM – Sep 01, 2013One can state ones thought through concurrence with someone’s answer if it is along the same vein, such as Tumbleweeds. I see no reason to expound on the subject as I tend to get windy! I teach and speak throughout my company so being a man of few words is not one of my short comings!Posted: 6:49 PM – Sep 01, 2013Yep. We use them.
Lillyputz
Posted: 9:27 PM – Sep 01, 2013Used to. Not Roto brand, but some we bought at Camping world, but changing tires they no longer fit. Now they just ride in our toolbox in the truck.I have one rotochock that I removed from trailer and put with car carrier trailer. Doesn’t have a use with Bigfoot. IMHO. Once Bigfoot jacks are down I don’t see that they help.Posted: 8:21 PM – Sep 02, 2013Jere&Laur wrote:I have one rotochock that I removed from trailer and put with car carrier trailer. Doesn’t have a use with Bigfoot. IMHO. Once Bigfoot jacks are down I don’t see that they help.the big thing that I have noticed is that I have quite a bit less trailer shake when we move around inside with the chocks installed. Just sayin’.
Posted: 11:23 AM – Sep 05, 2013notruffinit wrote:
Jere&Laur wrote:I have one rotochock that I removed from trailer and put with car carrier trailer. Doesn’t have a use with Bigfoot. IMHO. Once Bigfoot jacks are down I don’t see that they help.the big thing that I have noticed is that I have quite a bit less trailer shake when we move around inside with the chocks installed. Just sayin’.
notruffinit – when you say “trailer shake” are you referring to bounce?
We had Rotochoks with our last trailer (no automatic levelers) and we still had bounce. The Rotochoks don’t fit the Lifestyle so we have been using the plastic wheel chocks around the tires.
With the Lifestyle levelled by Bigfoot we have more bounce than we expected to have and we would like to get rid of the bounce. I agree with Jere&Laur that the Rotochoks probably won’t eliminate the bounce. I know its the tires/suspension that cause the bounce and we aren’t getting rid of them!
Is a system like “plug it right” the only way to eliminate bounce? Will a kingpin tripod help?
Thanks!
Posted: 12:43 PM – Sep 05, 2013Comoco wrote:Is a system like “plug it right” the only way to eliminate bounce? Will a kingpin tripod help?
Thanks!I’ve tried all three, the between the wheels chocks, the kingpin tripod, and the Plug it rights.
On my last trailer, a Newmar, the between the wheels chocks helped with back and forth movement, but didn’t help with bounce or side to side movement.
The kingpin tripod helped with both front and back, and side to side at the front, but did not do much at the back of the trailer.
I tried both together and still wasn’t satisfied, got too much wiggle at the rear.On the Cameo with the Bigfoots, I again tried all three.
The bigfoots actually made the biggest difference, cutting down the bounce, and significantly reducing the side to side.
I tried the between the wheels chocks and couldn’t really tell I had them fitted.
I tried the kingpin tripod and it helped a lot at the front, but nothing at the rear.
I then installed Plug it rights onto a pair of stab jacks at the rear and that helped a bunch.
Then I installed Plug it rights all round and am now completely satisfied.
I have stopped using the chocks and the kingpin tripod, and I couldn’t tell any difference.
I’m satisfied with the stab jacks at the rear, and the Plug it rights all round.Sheff
Posted: 1:55 PM – Sep 05, 2013Thanks Sheff! Do you have the Plug it Rights on the rear Bigfoot jacks or are they on a different set of stab jacks that you installed? And secondly, do the rear jacks run front to back or side to side?Posted: 4:41 PM – Sep 05, 2013I put them on a set of jacks installed right at the rear of the trailer. The Plug it rights are installed across the back.
Posted: 6:32 PM – Sep 05, 2013I’ve never heard of Plug Its. I am going to look into those. 62 and still live and learn!Posted: 9:58 PM – Sep 05, 2013Google PlugItRight and you will get the website of Dutch and Di – forum members. They sell the stabilizers, MaxBrake controllers – the best I’ve had – and a few other things vgrsat to work with. Things come fast and tey can answer questions tha come up.Posted: 7:03 AM – Sep 06, 2013Thanks for the picture Sheff!Posted: 1:50 PM – Sep 06, 2013Hey sheff are those crank jacks in back?
And did you also place plug right on all four big foot legs?
Posted: 5:02 PM – Sep 06, 2013Ah! you caught me in a falsehood, story to tell.
When I first started thinking about the steadying struts, I really liked the T-bar friction handles on the JT Strong Arms, rather than the plastic knobs on the Plug-it-Rights.
Anyway, I bought a pair of JT Strong Arms from a local RV dealer for the rear, but had to first install a set of jacks on the rear to put them on. I wanted them as far back as possible, and I wanted the arms across the back, since my movement at the rear of the trailer seemed to be side to side. I decided on a set of aluminum BAL stab jacks, crank jacks (what the heck do you call them?) and had them fitted first, then had two of the JT strong arms fitted on those. They worked so well, I decided to fit the set of four on the front also.I phoned JT Strong Arms and spoke to one of their Sales Managers (National Sales Manager, I think). He listened to my story and when I said I wanted to buy four more, he accused me of lying since, JT Strong arms only sell their arms in sets of six.
I said pardon? They are definitely yours, I chose them specifically. He reiterated I was lying, at which point I told him if I was lying, it must be because his competitors were putting the JT Strong Arm labels on their parts, because when I look at mine they say JT Strong Arms. He then started on a tirade against me, at which point I put the phone down. He must have been having a bad day!The next day I called Di at Plug-it-Right, and about 3 days later I had a set of four front struts to install. They took about 3 easy hours to install. By easy, I mean open the box, count the parts, have a coffee, explain to the neighbor what I was going to do, think about it some more, then do it.
That was two years ago. They all do work well, neither better than the other, but I still like the T-bar handles of the JT Strong arms better. Note the Plug-it-Rights ARE cheaper.If you are listening Di, you should think about after-market T-bar handles for yours.
So I have JT’s on the back and Plug-it-Rights on the front.
Sorry for the deception.
Sheff
Posted: 6:25 PM – Sep 06, 2013Di, great thought. I would buy a set of T-var handles from you. Since you sent me the set about two years ago the plastic knobs are the only short coming I’ve discovered. Oh, one other thing. If you forget to loosen a strut you WILL bend the tube. As I discovered!B.W.Gentry
Owner/Admin
2007 Carri-Lite XTRM5
Breckenridge, TX
- You must be logged in to reply to this topic.