I found a local shop that will make some safety stands like what JD Stevens has (see topic in the Tech section). The thread comes in three foot lengths, so the shop is proposing to make six stands for about $135. For maybe $25 more I could have eight. My first thought was to get the eight and put them all in when I'm parked for longer periods of time so that when the air goes down the coach will still be level. The disadvantage of that idea is having that much more to do when it comes time to go.
The second thought was to split the cost with someone on the forum.
What think ye?
David
Are you talking about the 2x2 box steel supports?
No, these are the adjustable ones that JD Stevens has. There is a picture of them on the second or third page of the topic.
I got the idea for my stands from some photos that Bill Willett posted. His excellent pictures are here: http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?action=media;sa=album;in=99 (http://www.foreforums.com/index.php?action=media;sa=album;in=99)
Understood same purpose different design.
I am looking at billet aluminum 2"x11" solid square lengths for $16 each.
David, Don't overthink or over engineer safety stands. Use 2x2 steel heavy wall tubing, or 3 inch heavy wall pipe or 4x4 Oak in eleven inch length. Cost will be minimal and money saved can be used for something that you will use every day. I have used my stands only a few times in four years. MIne are 2x2 steel tubing and If I remember right I have less than 20 bucks in them.
Gary B
2 X 2 inch SHS, Square Hollow Section, Minimum wall thickness 4 mm, About 1/4 inch thick,
Any thing less in wall thickness, It will crush the tube,
I made a pair of these for changing the air bags. Worked well but I am going to weld on a couple of lips so they don't rotate. I used the air gun from underneath a little bit at a time on each one.
I used the jack and kept the two safeties tight as the jack went up.
Pierce
Gary,
Seems an Oak 4x4 would be pretty stout. That certainly would be simple and cheap. Have you done that and also how did you arrive at 11 inches? If this is too simple for most, sorry.
Charles
Charles, I temporarily used oak blocks til I could make a metal set but after I made the metal ones I realized that I did not need any thing other than the oak. The oak I had was in the scrap heap so I can't really say that I "MADE" them. I really don't know where the 11 inches came from ( probably this forum ) and they fit with a little space at the top. Here is photo of mine.
Gary B
I pulled a 4x4" stick of pressure treated lumber out of the scrap pile and cut it to the length I needed with a hand saw I carry in my coach. Each time I stop somewhere I cut a new piece off the 4x4 that's the correct length for that particular parking position unless I already have one that's about the right length. I keep them and reuse them. They're not oak but they're definitely capable of holding the 10,000 pound load. They do have slight compression marks on the ends of them but they're not gonna cave in. Sometimes I use my low profile 20 ton hydraulic bottle jack when I don't have the correct length of 4x4 already cut and I'm too lazy to cut a new piece. Setting the airbags down on the blocks takes the stress off them in the campground. Of course if you can find a level campsite you can just set the airbags down without any blocks.