The kingpin stabilizer is not very effective; you need something that uses multiple points on the fifth wheel to prevent movement. Take a look at the MORryde X-Brace Stabilizers (morryde.com). The X-Brace has multiple connection points and provides good lateral support that takes the wiggle out of chassis movement. It will stop the side-to-side and front-to-back motion that makes your wife uncomfortable. Likely, installing just the front stabilizer will squelch the unwanted movement, but you can also opt for a rear-mounted system. If you are somewhat handy, you should be able to install the X-Brace system in a couple of hours.

My suggestion is to get a 12-volt DC USB port adapter that is made to mount permanently in a wall. Check out the Charging Station for RVs at etrailer.com. It has two USB ports and one 12-volt DC outlet and sells for $31.80. This will give you the ability to charge more than just cell phones. You should be able to locate a source of 12-volt DC power in or near the compartment, even if you have to tap into an overhead light fixture. There are also waterproof USB outlets available if you decide to locate a charging station on the outside sidewall.

My wife and I finally sprung for a new mattress for our trailer. I can’t believe that we slept on that old mattress for as many years as we did without developing a major back problem. But here is the issue: The mattress is so heavy the bed platform will not stay up; we can’t even lift it up without the help of a second person. The hydraulic shock, or whatever you call it, is virtually useless with that much weight on the platform. Does anyone make a kit that we could install to alleviate our problem?
— Jeff Bowman

Jeff, I can only imagine your pain sleeping on a horrible mattress. Fortunately, I do have a solution to alleviate your problem. A company that specializes in pneumatic struts, Hatchlift (hatchlift.com) offers a heavier-duty version that will take most of the effort out of lifting the platform. The company also offers a complete line of struts for compartment doors as well as RV Bedlift kits. Before ordering a kit that’s suitable for your particular bed platform, look carefully at all of the options and if you have any questions, send the company a message. These people are experts in this field and have been making struts for a long time.

Keep in mind that the Hatchlift kit may not match the existing brackets for your current gas struts. If that’s the case, you may have to shore up the existing brackets with a couple of bolts through the bed platform and the side of the wood frame where the lower brackets are mounted. This is not a major deal, but you’ll have to ask someone to help with the project. You can prop open the platform with a length of 2 x 4 if attempting this upgrade by yourself, but if it dislodges you can be seriously injured. That being the case, remove the mattress before attempting to install the new struts.

It’s certainly possible to replace the end on your 50-amp power cord. And, yes, it’s just going to happen again over a period of time, so my suggestion is to use a Marinco ParkPower 1RPC50RV locking collar male-to-female right-angle adapter, which can be found on amazon for around $80. This adapter has a right-angle connector that will remove much of the strain associated with plugging in to the sidewall. You can also improvise and find a method to limit the strain on the connector like I did by using a bungee cord that hooks on to the edge of the nearby slideout. 30-amp adapters are also available for those who do not have 50-amp service.