HOW TO LEVEL YOUR TRAVEL TRAILER
When you roll into the campground for your RV vacation, it’s easy to want to pull up to your site, unhitch your trailer, and get to relaxing. But smart campers know that it’s important to take a few steps as soon as you get to the site. One is to take some time to fully organize your site so that it will be safer and more organized. Another is to hook up all the necessary utilities and make sure you’re in full compliance with any parking permits or other site fees required by the camp managers. But before you do any of that, you’ll want to make sure you correctly level your travel trailer.
Leveling a travel trailer can actually be pretty quick and easy once you know the correct technique. Read on to learn the best way to level your travel trailer. If you’re still looking for the perfect RV, stop by Jubilee RV Centre in Kamloops, British Columbia. We proudly serve the areas of Vancouver, Kelowna, Prince George, and Vernon, British Columbia.
CHOOSE THE PERFECT LOCATION
Location is key when you want to level a travel trailer. Obviously, you’ll need to pick the right location so that you can connect the utilities and be clear of the road. But as much as possible, look for campsite spots that are already level. You’ll also want to make sure the ground is stable and not too soft or muddy, as these things can cause your trailer to sink out of level.
LEVEL FROM SIDE TO SIDE
To level your trailer from side to side, start by parking your trailer about a foot in front of the place where it will eventually rest. Take a level and measure the level of your RV chassis at the hitch. If it’s not level, raise one side of the level until the bubble sits in the middle of the glass tube. The amount you had to raise the trailer is going to be roughly how much you’ll need to raise that side with blocks. Put wood blocks or RV leveling blocks where the trailer will eventually sit and then back your trailer unto the blocks and recheck the level. If it’s still not level, add or subtract blocks until it is.
CHOCK AND UNHITCH
Once you’ve leveled the trailer from side to side, you’ll want to make sure it stays level. Start by using wheel chocks to lock the wheels in place. Place the blocks in front and behind each wheel so they can’t move. Then, unhitch the trailer. Unlatch the safety latch on top and then use the hitch jack to raise the hitch height until it comes to free the ball joint. Unhitch the wiring harness and safety chains and make sure nothing else connects the two vehicles.
LEVEL FROM FRONT TO BACK
Leveling from front to back should be the easy part. Simply crank the hitch jack up or down until the trailer is level from front to back. Once you find the level, measure the level from side to side again to make sure it’s still in good condition. You can also step inside and take the measurements on the countertops or the floor to make sure everything is in order.
STABILIZE
Once the trailer is completely level, you’ll need to stabilize it so it stays that way. Most travel trailers have stabilizing jacks on all four corners. Crank the jacks down until they touch the ground. Make sure to not apply too much pressure or you’ll throw off the level. These jacks are only made to stabilize the trailer, so don’t try to level them from the start or you could put too much pressure on them or on the chassis.
With the jacks deployed, your trailer should be ready to go! Stop by Jubilee RV Centre if you need more advice or if you’re wanting to buy your first travel trailer. We’re located in Kamloops, British Columbia, and we proudly serve the areas of Vancouver, Kelowna, Prince George, and Vernon, British Columbia.