WHY USE CHOCKS?

Wheel chocks are an important part of achieving the stability you desire in your tent trailer, travel trailer, or fifth wheel trailer.

Unlike motor homes, trailers do not have a built-in parking brake. Therefore, trailers have no mechanism to control front to rear rocking movement. Stabilizing jacks, when extended, help put a damper on this movement, but most people prefer to eliminate it altogether. This is where wheel chocks come in to play.

 

WHY USE BAL DESIGNED AND PATENTED TRAILER CHOCKS?

To virtually eliminate the front to rear rocking movement in trailers of all kinds, BAL has designed and patented a line of wheels chocks to fit every trailer's needs.

Tent trailer owners should use the single-tire locking chock. One chock (model #: 28020), secured around one tire on your trailer, used in combination with BAL's tent trailer tire leveler (model #: 28050), used on your low side tire, will give you a sense of stability never before achievable. You should use a wrench to apply extra pressure against your tire after securing the wedges against your tire by hand. Make sure your stabilizers are BAL tent trailer jacks (model #'s: 23005, 23007, 23025, or 23026) or this stability won't be achieved.

Travel trailers and fifth wheel trailers should use either of BAL's dual or triple axle locking chocks. Model number 28000 sits on the ground between the tires, and will fit between most tandem trailer tires. Two metal wedges are extended by a screw mechanism, which applies opposing forces on the tires. A hand-operated wingnut is used to quickly extend or retract the metal wedges. A wrench may be used to apply extra force for added stability, or to retract the wedges for removal.

BAL's deluxe tire locking chock (model #: 28005) goes between the tires, but requires at least 2 ½" of clearance between the tires to fit. It is a mini scissors jack, that when activated with a ratchet wrench (supplied), applies opposing forces on the tires. Model number 28005 can apply more force against the tires than model number 28000. Also, a piece of wood placed under BAL model 28000 may produce better results when used on soft surfaces like grass, gravel, or dirt. One chock will eliminate most of your front to rear movement, and two chocks will add even more stability.

NOTE: BAL's chocks are designed for locking trailer tires when camping. They should be put in place after disconnecting from your tow vehicle and after putting down your stabilizing jacks. They should be removed prior to hooking up to your tow vehicle. Failure to do so may damage your chocks. To avoid undesired trailer movement when disconnecting or hooking up to your tow vehicle, a tire "wedge" should be firmly placed behind one, or preferably both rear trailer tires.

 

WHY USE A KING PIN JACK?

All fifth wheel trailers have front landing gear which support the front of the trailer. The landing gear is designed to lower, raise, and support the front of the trailer. Most landing gear has a certain amount of play between its telescopic landing gear leg and its housing. The amount of side to side sway will vary with different manufacturers' landing gear.

To eliminate the annoying side to side movement in the front of your fifth wheel trailer, you need a fifth wheel king pin jack.

There are two types of these jacks:

1.  BAL's Two-Leg Jacking Design
2.  A Tripod Non-Jacking Design

 

WHY USE A BAL KING PIN JACK?

There are numerous advantages with BAL's patented two leg king pin jack versus the various tripod models being sold.

First, BAL's jack design is much lighter than the tripod design. This means easier handling and less weight to lift.

Second, the BAL king pin is much more streamlined than the bulky tripod design. This means that the BAL king pin jack requires much less storage space than a tripod model.

Third, the BAL king pin jack is easier to set up and use. For the BAL king pin jack, you simply position the top of both legs against the trailer's king pin, attach a chain and then turn the jack screw for 10-20 seconds until the trailer is stable. With the tripod design, it must be opened up and positioned under the king pin. The trailer's landing gear must then be lowered down onto the tripod jack until the trailer is stable. If the trailer is not level because lowering the front end of the trailer will raise the rear end of the trailer, you must re-level the trailer. This means adjusting the tripod jack so that it will "stretch out" at a different point, hopefully, the point at which the trailer is level. This trial and error method is not required with the BAL design.

In summary, the BAL king pin jack is lighter, more streamlined and easier to use than tripod models.