When choosing which Lippert Components (LCI) RV products I would like to install and review the JT’s Strong Arm stabilizers were high on the wishlist.
Disclaimer: Love Your RV! received this LCI product sample free of charge for the install and review.
I’m an early riser, and my lovely wife Anne isn’t. It’s always been a bone of contention. So, I’ve learned to move slowly around the shaky RV during the morning to limit its movement. Trailers are notorious for rocking around on the narrow front landing gear and rear jacks, especially when the wind whips up.
JT’s Strong Arm Jack Stabilizers solve this problem by creating a triangle between the jacks and the solid trailer frame. Once installed and tightened up any side to side and front to back movement is substantially dampened.
If you decide to do the installation yourself, expect to spend several hours. It’s not overly complicated, but there is quite the assortment of hardware to install and attach. You’ll need a decent power drill and some quality metal bits to bore mounting holes in the steel trailer frame.
I found the included paper manual hard to follow with low-quality pictures but did find this terrific in-depth instructional video on the LCI Store.
The install on my Keystone Cougar fifth wheel went well, and I got it done in an afternoon. For the front landing jacks, I drilled out holes in the middle of the front storage metal floor pan and on each side frame I-beam. Then drilled out larger holes on the jack legs for a pair of brass bushings and bolted all the hardware in place.
The rear stabilizers proved to be a little more tricky. My Cougar trailer has a slide-out bike rack and a rear-mounted freshwater tank. Due to this, there was no workable place to attach the stabilizer bars to the frame. I solved the problem by adding an angle iron cross member, as shown in the above LCI video.
JT’s Strong Arm Stabilizer Installation + Review Video
Pros:
- Excellent quality, long-lasting hardware
- Reduces movement and shaking inside the RV
- More stability when camped in high winds
- Stays attached to the RV (one time install)
- Easy to adjust bars with T-handles
- Transferable to new RV
Cons:
- Adds about 40 lbs to the rig weight
- More hardware to inspect and maintain
- Extra setup and breakdown time
- Paper instructions hard to follow and small pictures
- Lost a notch on the front landing gear height
Once everything was bolted in place and adjusted, we gave the JT’s Strong Arm system a test and are more than happy with the results. Any movement is significantly reduced! I’m looking forward to a much more solid RVing experience going forward.
Related Links:
- JT’s Strong Arms Support Page
- More of my LCI RV Product Upgrades
- Repairing Fresh Water Tank Bracket
- 10 Tips for RVing in Strong Winds
- Tips to Avoid Overloading the RV
