People often refer to travel trailers as homes on wheels. It’s pretty accurate, given that many of them feature large bedrooms, comfy living areas, and fully equipped kitchens and bathrooms. Another characteristic that a home must have is being level. An uneven trailer is uncomfortable for those inside and can eventually lead to structural damage. Pipes, door frames, furniture, and even its chassis may be affected by keeping it uneven for prolonged periods.
Although you may park your travel trailer on uneven ground, you must always level an RV before starting your outdoor adventure. How level does a travel trailer need to be? You can be two or three inches off of level. However, more than that and your cabinets and doors may swing open on their own. Keep reading to learn how it may get unleveled and how to fix this issue.
Reasons Travel Trailers Get Unleveled
Some of the most common reasons a travel trailer may get unleveled are:
- You park it on uneven ground. Probably the most common reason your travel trailer isn’t level is the ground underneath it. Some areas may seem level, but you only notice the slight tilt after you park your trailer.
- The weight distribution is off. Another common reason is the interior weight not being evenly distributed. For instance, if you place heavy objects on the trailer’s left side, it will tilt toward that side.
- You have an issue with one of your suspensions. If one or more of your trailer’s suspensions is damaged, it may cause it to lose its evenness. This, as well as uneven weight distribution, can lead to safety issues, so it’s best to check before starting your journey.
- Some of your trailer’s tires are deflated: Similar to suspension issues, having one or more deflated tires will cause your trailer to tilt. It’s best to check their pressure before starting your trip.
How to Level a Travel Trailer With a Slide-Out
Levening a travel trailer can improve comfort and keep your trailer in good condition for longer. Consider following these steps to make sure yours is level, even with the slides out:
1. Make Sure the Only Reason Why It’s Uneven Is Because of the Ground It’s Parked On
This guide can teach you how to level a trailer on an uneven parking spot, so the first step is to make sure nothing else tilts it. Preparation begins at home, so before starting your journey, it’s important to make sure there are no other contributing factors. Load your trailer evenly, so there’s no extra weight on the left, right, front, or back. Then, check your tires and suspension systems before leaving to be absolutely sure your trailer is ready for the adventure ahead.
2. Find a Reasonably Even Campsite
It’s natural not to expect a camping site to be perfectly even, particularly if you enjoy camping in remote areas. However, you must still try to find the most even surface possible, as this will make things easier. When looking for such a place, it helps to park your travel trailer in a way that tilts it to the left or right. You can determine how severe the tilt is and its direction by using a bubble level. If you don’t have one, your phone may have an app for it.
3. Use Leveling Blocks To Adjust Its Level
Now that you’re parked in the most even location you could find, it’s time to level your travel trailer. Place your bubble level on the floor or kitchen countertop to determine if the trailer tilts to the left or right. If it’s tilted to the right, place your EV leveling blocks underneath the right wheels to even things out. If it’s tilted to the left, place blocks under the left wheels. Depending on your exact parking location, it may make sense to place the blocks in front or behind the wheels before rolling the trailer on top of them.
4. Chock the Tires and Unhitch the Travel Trailer
After evening the trailer, it’s time to stabilize it. You can do that with wheel chocks. Place them on both sides of your tires so your trailer won’t roll in any direction. When the trailer is level and its wheel chocks are firmly in place, you can unhitch it from your vehicle, extend your slide-outs, and start enjoying your trip.
Leveling a Fifth Wheel RV
A fifth-wheel RV connects to the pickup truck that carries it through a special hitch inside the truck’s bed. Leveling it is a somewhat similar process to leveling a travel trailer. You can follow these steps to level a fifth-wheel RV:
- Find an appropriate campsite. Similar to a regular travel trailer, the first step to achieve a level fifth-wheel trailer is finding a campsite that’s as even as possible.
- Level your RV from side to side. After finding the ideal parking spot, maneuver your truck to find a position that levels your RV from side to side.
- Raise your RV’s low side. Place leveling blocks in front of your RV’s back tires. Once they’re in place, you can slowly drive forward and get on top of them.
- Use leveling jacks to finish the job. Now that your RV is parked and stabilized, you can unhitch your pickup truck. After doing that, use fifth-wheel leveling jacks to level your RV. If you’re camping on a soft surface, consider placing blocks underneath your leveling jacks for extra stabilization.
Contact Us To Speak With Our Service Team
Here at Bretz RV & Marine, we want to make sure that each of our customers enjoys their travel trailers. If you have any questions regarding the optimal way to level yours, our service team is here at your disposal. We’ll use all our RV-related experience to help you make the most of your outdoor adventures. Contact us today by phone or via our website, or simply stop by any of our locations.
