Fifth wheels have many advantages over other types of RVs, but often fall short when it comes to stability. That’s because a fifth wheel tends to become top-heavy when landing legs are fully extended.
This can create a fifth wheel wobble when moving around inside the RV. If you’re parked on a sloped campsite, the wobble is even worse.
In the past, fifth wheel owners carried heavy stability tripods for this problem. Unfortunately those tripods don’t address the real issue: the source of instability is at the fifth wheel legs, not at the kingpin.
Now there’s a smaller, less bulky aftermarket add-on by Winfield RV Products that’s even better. The company recently exhibited their Fifth Wheel Landing Gear Cross Brace Stabilizer at the Quartzsite Sports Vacation and RV Show.
Stabilize the legs and reduce fifth wheel wobble
Winfield’s distributor Scott Thompson explained how the company’s flagship product works, then showed how easy it is to install it. The Fifth Wheel Landing Gear Cross Brace Stabilizer consists of two heavy gauge powder-coated steel tubes that expand and serve as a box truss between the fifth wheel landing gear legs.
With just a couple of wrenches anyone can permanently install the product in minutes on any fifth wheel trailer, with no drilling or alterations required. When used with a high quality wheel chock like Winfield’s one-of-a-kind Stabilizing Wheel Chocks, you can substantially reduce that annoying bounce you feel when you’re laying in bed and your camping buddy is walking around inside the rig.
Cross brace leg stabilizers are easy to install and use
When your fifth wheel is moving and your landing legs are retracted, the Cross Brace Stabilizers remain folded up and suspended between the legs during travel. Once you make it to your destination all you need to do is:
- Unhitch
- Level the fifth wheel
- Install the stabilizer pin clips
- Hand tighten each bar to add tension
- Place the included flag over landing gear switch. This will remind you to remove the pins before retracting legs upon departure.
- That’s it, you’re done!
iRV2 Forums member WildBill100 concurs that Winfield’s product does exactly what it claims to do:
I purchased a set of LANDING LEG CROSS BRACES from Winfield RV Products about 60 days ago and have been quite pleased with the ease of installation (less than one hour) , customer service and operation of the product….I would buy this product again as it works as advertised and the company was great to deal with.
Anyone who owns a fifth wheel will find that Winfield’s Front Cross Brace Stabilizers are a smart investment. For $199.00 your home on wheels will be more stable than ever, even when your landing legs are fully extended while parked on a steeply sloped campsite. Winfield offers 100% free shipping and handling to anyone in the contiguous US. All Winfield products come with a 1-year warranty against manufacturing defects.
Refer a customer and earn Winfield Rewards
The San Diego-based RV product manufacturer is a best-kept secret in the industry. But their referral rewards program is sure to get the word out about their products. Anytime you send at least three friends to Winfield RV Products and they buy their own Cross Brace Stabilizers, you can earn a referral bonus from the company.
Often called “The O.G. of full-time RVing,” Rene Agredano and her husband Jim Nelson hit the road in a fifth wheel trailer in 2007, after their dog Jerry lost a leg to terminal cancer. Sixteen years later they are still traveling and sharing their nomadic adventures at LiveWorkDream. As a self-employed wordsmith, Rene shares her expertise for many RV industry videos, publications such as the Escapees RV Club Magazine, and has authored numerous books, including the Essential RVing Guide to National Parks, and Income Anywhere, a guide to earning money on the road. She has been featured in global media outlets including the PBS documentary “NATURE: Why We Love Cats and Dogs,” The Guardian Sunday Edition, and the Dan Pink book Free Agent Nation.
I found it interesting how you mentioned how fifth wheels tend to be top heavy when its legs are fully extended. My wife and I have always wanted a trailer to go camping in but we have always been scared of it tipping over from a gust of wind and trapping us inside. I will keep this in mind as we search for used fifth wheels that come with stabilizer legs so we can camp happily!
It’s great to know that leg stabilizers can easily be installed on my own with minimal requirement for the tools needed. I’m planning to buy a fifth wheel RV later this year because I’ve always wanted to host a camping trip with my friends and unwind away from the bustle of the city. Perhaps buying a few extra accessories for the RV would make the ride a lot more comfortable when traversing undeveloped roads as we approach the woods.
question: Are these used in addition to the tripod stabilizer under the fifth wheel pin?