6 Easy Install Stabilizer Mounts That Nomads Swear By

That gentle-but-annoying bounce every time someone walks to the fridge is a universal RV experience. It’s the subtle shake from a gust of wind that makes you feel like you’re still on the road, even when parked. A stable rig is the foundation of a comfortable home-on-wheels, and thankfully, achieving it doesn’t require a workshop or a professional mechanic.

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Stop the Shake: The Importance of RV Stabilizers

First, let’s clear up a common mistake. Stabilizers are not levelers. Your leveling system (whether it’s blocks under the tires or an auto-leveling system) sets the rig straight, but stabilizers are what stop the wiggles, bounces, and sways once you’re parked. They brace the frame against the ground, creating a solid foundation that absorbs movement.

Think of it like a table with wobbly legs. The tabletop might be perfectly level, but it’s useless if it jiggles every time you touch it. Stabilizers are the wedges you kick under the legs to make it solid. This isn’t just about comfort; that constant, subtle motion puts stress on your RV’s plumbing joints, cabinet screws, and window seals over time. A stable rig is a healthier rig.

Lippert Power Jacks: Push-Button Stability

For those who value speed and convenience above all, electric stabilizers are the answer. Lippert’s Power Jacks are a popular choice because they replace your existing manual jacks with a motorized system that extends and retracts with the push of a button. No more cranking in the dark or fumbling with a drill in the rain.

Installation is surprisingly straightforward for a powered upgrade. These systems are designed to bolt directly onto your RV’s frame, often using existing mounting points or requiring just a few new holes. The wiring is typically a simple two-wire hookup to your 12V house battery system. The biggest tradeoff is cost and a reliance on power. If your batteries are dead, you’re not deploying your jacks, but for frequent movers, the time and effort saved at every campsite is a massive quality-of-life improvement.

BAL C-Jacks: A Lightweight, Versatile Choice

If you’re pulling a smaller trailer or are meticulously counting every pound of payload, BAL C-Jacks are a fantastic option. Unlike bulky scissor jacks, C-jacks use a single, sturdy arm that pivots down from the frame. This design is inherently lighter and has a lower profile when retracted, giving you better ground clearance on the road.

Their simplicity is their strength. Deployment is incredibly fast—just a few turns with a hand crank or a cordless drill and they’re down. Installation is a breeze, as they bolt directly to the bottom of the RV frame with just a few bolts per jack. While they may not offer the same rock-solid, wide-stance stability of a heavy-duty scissor jack, they provide more than enough support for most small to mid-size trailers and are a significant upgrade from the flimsy, single-leg "stabilizers" found on many factory models.

Stromberg Carlson Scissor Jacks for Durability

When you need a no-nonsense, durable solution, you turn to a classic scissor jack. Stromberg Carlson makes some of the most trusted jacks in the industry, known for their heavy-gauge steel construction and robust, tooth-gear design that won’t slip under load. These are the workhorses you choose when you want to plant your rig and know it’s not going anywhere.

The "easy install" advantage comes from their universal mounting plates. They are designed with multiple hole patterns to fit a wide variety of I-beam and C-channel frames, making them an excellent replacement for old, worn-out jacks. You simply unbolt the old ones and bolt these in their place. Yes, you have to crank them manually, but that simple, reliable mechanism is what ensures they’ll work every time, in any condition, for years to come.

Eaz-Lift Scissor Jacks: Easy Crank-Down Support

Eaz-Lift offers another excellent take on the classic scissor jack, often hitting a sweet spot between performance and price. They are built tough, with a rust-resistant finish and a weight capacity that can handle even larger travel trailers and fifth wheels. Their stability comes from the wide, solid base they create when deployed, effectively minimizing side-to-side motion.

What makes these particularly easy to use is that they typically ship with a 3/4" socket adapter. This lets you use a cordless drill to raise and lower the jacks in seconds, giving you the speed of an electric system without the cost or wiring complexity. Installation is just as simple as other scissor jacks, with a bolt-on design that fits most standard RV frames. It’s the perfect middle ground for the RVer who wants a robust, manual system with a convenient, power-assisted option.

Camco Olympian Stack Jacks: Simple & Stackable

Sometimes the easiest installation is no installation at all. Camco’s aluminum stack jacks are a testament to simple, effective design. These are not permanently mounted to your rig; they are freestanding supports that you place under the frame and extend by turning the main screw. You can position them exactly where you need extra support—like under a bouncy slide-out or a flexible spot in the frame.

Because they aren’t bolted on, they are infinitely versatile. You can use them on a travel trailer one year and a truck camper the next. They are also lightweight and stack neatly for storage. The downside is obvious: you have to place and retrieve them every single time you set up or tear down camp. They also work best when placed on a solid block to prevent them from sinking into soft ground, but for targeted, easy-to-add stability, nothing beats their simplicity.

JT’s Strong Arm Stabilizers: Eliminate All Sway

This last one is a bit different. JT’s Strong Arm system isn’t a jack; it’s an add-on that makes your existing jacks exponentially better. The root cause of RV sway isn’t that the jacks are weak, but that they can still move slightly forward, backward, and side-to-side. The Strong Arm system solves this by creating triangles—the strongest shape in engineering.

The kit consists of telescoping steel tubes that bolt to your RV frame and clamp onto your stabilizer jacks. Once you’ve lowered your jacks, you simply tighten a T-handle on each Strong Arm, locking the jack in place and eliminating any possibility of movement. The installation is more involved than a simple jack swap, requiring you to bolt brackets to both the frame and the jacks, but it’s a very manageable DIY project. For full-timers or anyone who is highly sensitive to motion, this is the single biggest upgrade you can make for a truly rock-solid feel.

Match Your Stabilizer Mounts to Your Travel Style

The "best" stabilizer is the one that fits how you travel. There is no one-size-fits-all answer, so you have to be honest about your priorities. Are you a weekend warrior who moves every few days? The push-button convenience of Lippert Power Jacks or the drill-driven speed of Eaz-Lift Scissor Jacks will save you immense time and frustration.

Are you a full-timer who stays put for weeks or months at a time? Your priority is absolute stability. A set of heavy-duty Stromberg Carlson Scissor Jacks combined with JT’s Strong Arm system will make your rig feel like it’s on a concrete foundation. If you’re towing a small, lightweight trailer and watching your payload, the BAL C-Jacks offer great performance without the weight penalty. And if you’re on a tight budget or just need to fix a specific bouncy spot, a few Camco Stack Jacks are a cheap and effective solution.

Don’t just buy the most expensive or heavy-duty option. Think about your setup and teardown routine, your tolerance for a little jiggle, and how much effort you’re willing to put in at each campsite. The right choice is the one that makes your life on the road easier and more comfortable.

Ultimately, taming the shake in your rig is one of the most satisfying and simple upgrades you can make. A few hours and a few bolts can completely transform your living experience from feeling like you’re camping to feeling like you’re home. Choose the system that fits your nomad style, and enjoy the stillness.