RV Stabilizers

• Manufacturer-  Valterra
• Model #- 020106
• Description- RV Stabilizer
• Price-  $51.72 on Amazon.com
• How acquired-  2 demo units donated by manufacturer
• Rating- 5 out of 5 stars

The package was simple to open and included 2 aluminum stabilizers and each had a nice vinyl carrying bag.  It's important that we tested with two stabilizers because to truly stabilize an RV you need to steady the rig in two directions -- front-to-back and side-to-side.  As suggested by other users of the product I installed one under the rear bumper (below left) and under the frame in front of the door (below right). Ideally I would have centered the stabilizer under my bumper but I have a receiver clamped there so I moved it over.

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When we first purchased our 5th wheel, the sway and vibration when we walked through the rig was awful.  One of our first after-market purchases was a king-pin tripod and that did improve the stability when parked, however, not enough.  For example, when we were in bed and one of us got up to use the bathroom or grab something from the kitchen, the one still in bed was usually awakened, not by the mattress, which had been replaced by memory foam, but by the sway and movement of the trailer.  Last fall, while camping in Pueblo, CO, a windstorm hit with 55 mph gusts at about 11 pm and we never did get any sleep that night.

I have to say, for the money, these stabilizers work very well.  Their unique design makes setup easy -- you simply get your rig leveled and supported like normal, then unfold and place the stabilizers where you want them, attach the ratchet strap and tighten.  This is probably a 2-minute operation unless you struggle with ratchet straps.  I have been using them at work for years so I didn't have this problem, but they are simple enough to master.

The improvement was immediately noticeable and continued to impress throughout the evening and overnight.  We are camping with friends this weekend prior to going full-time next month, so this was important to us.  As if to aid me in the product test, a significant windstorm hit us last night.  We felt some sway but the difference from the previous experience was remarkable.  We were able to sleep through the night with minimal movement of the rig.  

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​View and/or purchase the product here on Amazon
​Don't forget to buy at least two...

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The vertical arms of the unit are adjustable, allowing it to be used when the RV clearance (frame to ground) is from 14 to 28 inches.  I believe that installing one in front of the door also helps to eliminate movement from entering and exiting the rig.

The stabilization is not perfect, probably more like eliminating 80% of the annoying sway and wobble.  I'm sure I can spend several hundred dollars and install permanent sway bars and stabilization jacks to the chassis to be virtually motionless, but for a little more than a hundred dollars, no installation and about 5 minutes to set up or take down each time we are camped, this is a great solution.

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