When you’re camping with a travel trailer, you’ll need to set it up once you arrive at your destination. One of the key steps in this process is to properly level it. While it might not seem like a necessary step, it can certainly make you more comfortable because you won’t feel like everything is leaning to one side. For those who don’t have a rig with automatic leveling features, we have provided a helpful guide for leveling your travel trailer. If you need any assistance or if you’re still in the market for a new camper, get in touch with us at RVs and Boats For Less in Chubbuck, Idaho. Our friendly staff will be happy to chat with you and give you a full tour of our selection of travel trailers for sale.
Find the Right Location
Before you begin, you’ll want to find the right location that will make the process a bit easier. Look for an area that’s relatively flat. You should also try to find a spot that has a hard surface so you can avoid soft materials, like gravel or sand, which tend to shift under pressure. Keep in mind that you might be limited in what you can choose for yourself, but this extra precaution will make things less difficult for you.
Level from Side to Side
Leave your travel trailer attached to your tow vehicle and use a level to figure out just how much you’ll need to raise one side of the camper. Next, move the whole unit forward a bit and place leveling blocks or boards where the tires will rest when you lift the rig. Position your trailer slowly onto the boards. Then use the level again to make sure that you have adjusted enough. It will probably take a few shots when you’re starting out, but with practice, you’ll start to get it right the first time around.
Secure & Disconnect
Once you’re sure that the unit is leveled from side to side, you’ll want to secure it using blocks both in front and behind your wheels. After you’ve secured it, you can go ahead and disconnect your tow vehicle and pull it out of the way to finish the leveling process.
Level from Front to Back
The next step involves leveling the travel trailer from front to back. You’ll simply need to adjust the hitch using the jack until your level tells you that your trailer is completely leveled from this angle. Remember to lock your hitch when you’re done.
Stabilize
The last thing you’ll need to do is stabilize the trailer. After all, you don’t want to have gone through this entire process only to have your natural movement inside the rig throw it all off. Fortunately, your travel trailer has stabilizers at each corner of the vehicle for this very reason. These stabilizers act as jacks to keep everything in place. Most models also come with a tool that helps raise and lower the stabilizers if they don’t do so automatically. Make sure that the jack is pressed firmly into the ground without pushing it in, which can increase the risk of damage.
You might be tempted to use the jacks for the leveling process, but we don’t recommend this. First and foremost, stabilizers aren’t meant to adjust that type of weight. Rather, they are only built to support the rig. When you attempt to use the jacks for leveling, you could end up breaking them. Secondly, they’re not all that efficient. For example, adjusting one will throw the others off. Each little adjustment will require you to change all four at once.
We hope that these tips for leveling your travel trailer have been useful to you. If you have additional questions or need assistance with service or parts, visit RVs and Boats For Less in Chubbuck, ID. We proudly serve all those visiting us from Idaho Falls and Pocatello.
