Leveling your RV is a crucial step to ensure your comfort and the proper functioning of certain appliances like your refrigerator, which ideally should be level or close to level. Here’s a basic step-by-step guide for leveling your RV. Sleeping in an unlevel RV, especially with your head down, is just not fun.
- Check for Levelness: Before you start, have a carpenter’s level or a leveling app on your smartphone. Check both the side-to-side and front-to-back levelness of your RV.
- Level Side-to-Side: The first step in the leveling process is to level your RV side-to-side. This is typically done by driving the wheels onto leveling blocks or boards until the RV is level. Many motorhomes have automatic levelers, which simplifies the process, but still may need some manual tweaking.
- Secure the Wheels: Once your RV is level side-to-side, place wheel chocks around the tires to ensure that the RV doesn’t move while you’re adjusting the front-to-back level.
- Level Front-to-Back: Use the tongue jack, for a trailer, or the hydraulic jacks, for a motorhome, to adjust the front-to-back level. Extend or retract the jack until the RV is level.
- Double Check: After you’ve adjusted both the side-to-side and front-to-back level, double check with your level in multiple locations inside the RV.
- Stabilize: Once the RV is level, you can lower the RV’s stabilizing jacks according to the manufacturer’s instructions to minimize movement inside the RV.
Remember, it’s important to level your RV every time you move to a new campsite. Not only does this ensure your comfort, but it can also prevent damage to certain appliances that require level operation, like your refrigerator. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions for your specific RV model.