For those who own a motorized RV, setting up a camp site is
a breeze. You bring what you need, you head to the camp sight, and you put the
RV in park. You usually won’t have to worry about the level of your RV. But what
if you have an RV trailer? Then the story’s a little different. Your trailer
should be level once you set up your camp site, giving you the same comfort and
enjoyment you would have with a motorized RV. Here’s a quick guide on how to
level your RV.
Why Level Your RV?
First things first: why do you even have to bother? When you
first began with your RV, you may have figured all you had to do was tow it to
a site and enjoy. The truth is, a camper RV is also a living space. It’s full
of drawers, sliders, appliances, even cabinets. That means that if your RV
isn’t level, everything inside the RV
is going to feel the impact. You wouldn’t expect to live and work in a house
that was off-kilter. There’s no reason you should have to do the same in an RV.
It’s not just a matter of comfort. It’s also about neutralizing a safety
hazard. That’s why it’s important to learn how to level your RV.
Leveling An RV
After you’ve gotten to the site, it’s time to start
levelling. Some RV experts recommend installing levels in the sides and front
of your RV so you can monitor its level with precision. Even if you don’t have
that, you’ll need an accurate way to measure the RV, one dimension at a time.
Once you have your RV stable and secure, you’ll work two
ways:
- Side-to-side.
Start by looking at the level from the front to get an idea of which side is
leaning. Before you use any jack, you can then back that side slightly up onto
tri-levelers behind the wheels. This gives you a slight bit of lift. Secure the
wheel with another chock to ensure there isn’t any rolling. - Front-to-back.
Using another level, examine how much the RV is tilting based on its front or
back ends, and adjust the front jack accordingly.
Tips For Using A Jack
If you’re using jacks to stabilize your RV, it’s important
to know what you’re getting into. While it’s tempting to simply jack up the RV
and get it in the air, we have a few tips you’ll want to follow first:
- Don’t lift the whole RV in the air. People tend
to ruin their front ends by leaving them completely off the ground. The truth
is, you’ll generally only need to lift the RV up a couple of inches to get the
leveling process started. - Keep in mind what RV jacks are designed for—to offer
some upward pressure, and that’s it. They’re not “master” products designed to
handle all the weight of any point of the RV at one time. Proceed with caution. - Stabilize the jacks by using large 2×10 boards
and make sure the RV is immobile.
Once you know how to level your RV, you’re ready to enjoy a
great experience. To help ensure you get to continue enjoying your RV for as
long as possible, be sure to stock up on the right RV products to keep it clean and
well-maintained!
