How to level your rig

[rodro123]

Follow this procedure: When pulling into a site, stop and take a look at the lay of the land. Try and park in an area that's already as close to level as possible. Consider rig leveling a "fine tuning" adjustment. With the rig placed where you want to park, check your outside levels, or better still, place a builder's level on the floor of the rig. Eyeball level both side-to-side and front-to-rear.

Start by adjusting side-to-side level. You'll need to lay leveling blocks on the ground in front of or behind the tire or tires that need to be raised. With blocks placed, roll the rig up onto the leveler. Having an assistant spotting you is a great help. Remember to; keep the tire footprint completely on the leveler. Never use a single 2x4 your tire will hang over the sides and cause tire failure.

Not high enough? You may have to add more blocks, but use your stack blocks or chunks of wood to form a gradual climb for the tires. Don't try and force the rig to climb from ground level up say, 2" or more--build a ramp. Once in place, check the level again. When side-to-side is correct, you can use the trailer's front hitch jack (or a fifth wheel's "landing gear") to adjust front-to-rear level. Or better yet I keep my floor jack in the back of my truck I just get it out jack up the side insert blocks and were level no moving the rig.

Never try to level the rig using stabilizers. These are an integral part of the rig--scissor jacks attached permanently to the trailer frame. These stabilizers come into play only AFTER the leveling blocks are placed. Stabilizer jacks aren't strong enough, nor secure enough for the actual process of leveling. Their purpose is too simply to keep the rig from bouncing as you walk about in it.

[FPM III]

Originally Posted by rodro123

...Try and park in an area that's already as close to level as possible...

This looks good "on paper". However, in actual practice, I find the positioning of the RV in the campsite will be dictated by the following:

• Obstacles that will intefere with the opening of the slideout(s), compartment doors, awning and positioning/operation of the stabilizer jacks (Huh? Yes! I can't count the number of times I've parked with the rear stabilizer jacks sitting over the concrete stop at the end of a campsite.)
• The utility hookups in relationship to where they have to connect to the RV and how much length you have to reach them
• Leaving sufficient room in front of the RV to park your TV or towed
• ensuring the ground outside your entrance door(s) isn't a depression that will fill with water when it rains

When the campsite is paved, I try to park the trailer as close as possible to the pavement's edge on the drivers' side. By doing this, you might still have some solid pavement underneath you when take that last step off the entrance stairs of your RV instead of stepping onto grass, gravel or dirt. It also provides a bit of a sidewalk and helps keep your shoes clean when walking to/from the RV during inclement weather. Sometimes, there's even enough pavement for our entire grass carpet to fit on it.

[Tanker42]

I cut a couple of 2 x 6's to park on to get a more side to side level. That works great and the tires don't hang over. They are 5 ft long so I can carry them in the back of the truck when not in use.

[altar1]

[QUOTE=rodro123;14653] <snip> Never use a single 2x4 your tire will hang over the sides and cause tire failure. <snip>

No, it won't. I have had my old MH tires half off a board many times. Tires are built better than that. It just isn't an issue.

Tom

[Terry]

I have some plastic step chocks (I think they are camco) that work great for small leveling. Much lighter than the old wood ones I made. if I remember right they were around $14.

I total agree on the spot layout. I got my camper all lined up a few days ago....didn't overhang the read..far to the left...all set...then realized my awning was right over the fire pit.....bad camp site design...but a few tweaks later and I as good....

[clutch]

I remember reading comments from a tire company. Try and park on the whole board if you are using one. Don't let your tires sit in the dirt. Keep them covered from the sun. Always run them at the max pressure on the sidewall. These were some of the tips to get the most from your tires. As already mentioned the site determines where you set the trailer. There is nothing like getting all set up and then realize that your water hose or sewer hose or electric cable is to short.

[David472]

[QUOTE=altar1;14705]

Originally Posted by rodro123

<snip> Never use a single 2x4 your tire will hang over the sides and cause tire failure. <snip>

No, it won't. I have had my old MH tires half off a board many times. Tires are built better than that. It just isn't an issue.

Tom

The thing to consider here is to avoid fracturing the belts within the tire. If the belts become damaged by being overstressed, the tire will fail prematurely. The failure will not happen right away, but Murphy says it will happen just when you don't want it to. I once hit a sewer cover with a 6 month old car tire (it was dark and I didn't see it). That one tire failed one year later, with only 15k miles on it. You may not damage the belts of the trailer tire by being half off the board......a person needs to ask themselves; are they willing to take the risk?

[altar1]

[QUOTE=David472;14789]

Originally Posted by altar1

The thing to consider here is to avoid fracturing the belts within the tire. If the belts become damaged by being overstressed, the tire will fail prematurely. The failure will not happen right away, but Murphy says it will happen just when you don't want it to. I once hit a sewer cover with a 6 month old car tire (it was dark and I didn't see it). That one tire failed one year later, with only 15k miles on it. You may not damage the belts of the trailer tire by being half off the board......a person needs to ask themselves; are they willing to take the risk?

There is no risk. Sitting for a few weeks half on a board doesn't put near the strain on the belts that rolling down the road does.

Tom