Stabilizer when storing

[Tragus52]

Have a 2019 Winnebago Minnie plus that is currently in storage. When it is in the lot I have just chocked the wheels and extend the tongue jack. Looking for advice on whether I should put down the stabilizers or not.

[backtrack15]

My storage lot is on a slope. To get the trailer close to level I have to extend the tongue jack quite a bit. I therefore put down the front stabilizers and tighten my BAL local-arms. It keeps me from worrying about that tongue jack if we have severe weather (high winds).

If I was on a level surface, I probably wouldn’t bother with the stabilizers.

[reeman]

Originally Posted by Tragus52

Have a 2019 Winnebago Minnie plus that is currently in storage. When it is in the lot I have just chocked the wheels and extend the tongue jack. Looking for advice on whether I should put down the stabilizers or not.

Most stabilizers are there just to reduce the rocking that happens with trailers on sprung or rubber sprung axles. However it is a really good idea to keep trailer tires from flat spotting as the temperature drops and the air pressure inside the tires drops even a little. The added bonus is that the springs will thank you for the rest especially if the trailer/axle capacity ratio is a little too close for comfort. As it is on quite a few models of travel trailers from most North American manufactures.

Also trailers designed with the appliances on one side and a slide out on the same side even have different loading weights from one side to the other. So extra support while parked is a very good idea IMO.

Our trailer has a weight difference on the slideout side of about 200 lbs with the slide in, so if you store with the slide out there will be even more weight put on the passenger side of the trailer and more wear put on the tire and axle on that side.

If your load carrying capacity of the tires in combination also has a lower safety margin then taking some of the load off the suspension and tires while in storage is a very good practice. Especially if the trailer is stored for long periods of time.

If the stabilizing layout was also designed for emergency tire changing then things might be different. I have never seen a travel trailer manual that recommended any more than using the stabilizers as a safety when jacking up the unit and instead using a jack stand under the axle or close to the axle at the strongest part of the trailer frame.

But a little constant weight on them might be OK if the screw mechanisms do not become compromised or the steel frames do not buckle at all under load.

[TraAL]

I do put the stabiizers down as a self comfort to aid in case on high winds here in colorado. Thats just me and I see others on my storage lot do the same