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Last Updated on August 23, 2024 by Paul Clayton
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6 RV Leveling Tips To Level Your RV Easily
Leveling an RV can be a pain, and it’s probably the only thing that made me cringe when we took off for RV weekend gateways. I couldn’t stand an unlevel RV, yet the leveling process was seemingly arduous.
But as it turns out, RV leveling isn’t difficult, and in the guide below, I’ll share some crucial leveling tips I’ve learned throughout my RVing.
Granted, these tips will get you within ½ an inch of level or even closer, but most of the time, you can be assured you’ll be dead on.
Read on!
Importance of Leveling your RV
Before I share the leveling tips, it’s prudent that we look at the importance of leveling your RV.
Sometimes, you may be tempted not to level your RV. After all, the process is seemingly time-consuming and draining.
However, you must level it first to get the most out of your RV. The general use of your RV becomes a pain if it’s not level.
Here’re a few reasons you need to level your RV:
- Avoid items slipping off
An obvious effect of not leveling your RV is items on your RV may start slipping off. Unsecured items such as utensils will get thrown all over if the RV sits at an angle.
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Make your stay comfortable
Sleeping or resting on the couch or bed also becomes challenging, especially if the slanting angle is too steep. The coach also feels bouncy and generally uncomfortable staying if the RV isn’t on the level.
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Refrigerator safety
Your RV should be on level ground if you need the refrigerator to function properly. If the absorption fluid doesn’t circulate as required, it may stall your fridge’s performance.
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Water tank sensors
If your RV is far out of angle, it may throw off some of the sensors, such as the water tank sensors. It means you’re likely to be misguided about your water intake. Depending on the RV’s inclination, it may show you’ve more or less water.
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Slide out Stability
Another critical effect of not having your RV on levels is it may present a challenge for stability with slide-outs. The slide-outs may not extend or retract properly at all.
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Minimize the stress of the RV structure
Finally, having your RV on level ground reduces stress on the crucial areas of your RV, such as the frame and chassis.
Remember, an RV is designed to stay level at all times. Any other position may cause damages and other long-term issues.
What to Level your RV With
There’re several methods to level your RV. In the section below, I’ll highlight some common ways of RV leveling.
Get Levelling Blocks
Leveling blocks are a great way to keep your RV level. As their name suggests, these leveling units are simply mini ramps of blocks for your RV tires to rest on.
Most leveling blocks are usually made of plastic and can stack up ad connect with other blocks to form a graduated series of flat surfaces for parking your RV on the level.
One of my favorite leveling blocks is the Tri-Lynx Levelers. They seem well made, and the best part is they’ve a versatile application and can be used to level your RV wheels, under the tongue jack, or even under the stabilizer jacks.
[amazon box=”B0028PJ10K” /]
Wireless Auto RV Levelling System
Using the leveling blocks is great, but sometimes the plastic “lego” levelers or wood blocks are too finicky.
Instead, I recommend you use the auto-leveling system if your RV has one. A wireless RV leveling system removes the hard work from the leveling task and does everything for you.
It tells you how far out of your level and adjusts everything to keep your RV in a level position.
What I like about the wireless RV leveling systems is they usually have a user manual that will guide you on achieving the perfect level on your RV.
[amazon box=”B01FGGSWPW” /]
Use a Level
When RVing, I always tag along with my 6′ level. I use it to check the magnitude of rise and fall from side to side where the RV wheels will rest. I then use 2 by 6 and 3 by 8 ply strips to get my RV to a perfect level.
Something else that helps with leveling my RV is the stick-on levels. Having a pair of these will make the leveling task much easier.
Position one on the front wall for side leveling. It should be easy for the spotter to see. The second one should be running front to back on your battery box. You should be able to see the latter, and it saves a lot of effort.
Using the stick-on levels to level your RV isn’t as accurate as the previous methods. But it doesn’t have to be; it only requires being level enough to run your RV refrigerator.
[amazon box=”B003D2AVMO” /]
Best Practices of RV Leveling
Here’re a few best practices to follow when leveling your RV. Follow the tips below to make your RV leveling process much easier and safer.
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Park to a flat surface as possible
Choose a more evenly flat surface when selecting the perfect location for parking your RV. A flat surface will generally make the leveling task much easier.
Unlike parking on a steep surface, you’ll require less effort and energy to level your RV on a flat surface.
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Park with the front end of your RV facing downward
You must always park with the front end of your RV facing downward. The simple reason is the rear RV wheels usually lock and chock the rig, so you must keep them grounded. Furthermore, lifting your RV when the front end faces the slope is much easier.
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You must always use jack pad
Jack pads are necessary to prevent your RV jack from unnecessarily digging into the ground surface. The pads also keep your jacks from damage, especially when placed on hard surfaces such as asphalt.
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Avoid parking on slick surfaces
Regardless of how flat or even the surfaces is, you must never park on slick, slippery surfaces. Parking on slick surfaces will likely cause your rig to slide out of balance and cause accidents.
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Chock the wheels
Chocking your RV trailer wheels is necessary to avoid unnecessary movement of the rig. Wheel chocks are to be placed on both wheels in the front and back to ensure your RV doesn’t shift position or move during leveling.
[amazon box=”B09YRSFP5P,B07RLRBPMT” /]
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Unhitch the travel trailer from the tow vehicle
If you’re leveling a travel trailer, you must unhitch the trailer from the tow vehicle.
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Follow the manufacturer’s recommendation
Finally, you must follow the manufacturer’s recommendations when leveling your RV. Most, if not all, RV comes with a user manual showing you how to handle your RV.
How to Level an RV FAQ
Q: Should I level my RV with Slides out?
A: I wouldn’t recommend leveling your RV with slides out. You must first secure the RV in place before you extend your slide out for maximum balance and safety considerations.
Q: How many leveling blocks should I use on my RV?
A: There’re no hard and fast rules on the number of blocks you should use to level your RV. But generally, smaller imbalances will require fewer blocks, while the significant imbalances will require more, typically two or three.
Wrap Up
Leveling your RV is key, especially for safety and comfort purposes. A leveled RV is also much easier and more convenient to use.
And the good thing is I’ve shared some tips and tricks to make the RV leveling much easier.