How far off Level?

[gypsmjim]

Just got thru the first Winter with the new Jayco 195RB. Had her perfectly level last fall. Meticulously jacked up the tires and put just the right amount of pads beneath each one. We are on a permanent (forever) site.

At the end of February it was heaved considerably, but still level. Right now the ground under the sunny side has thawed, but the other side is still elevated some. Once the weather stays warm I'll fix it again if needed. In the meantime, what to do?

We plan to have the first campout in a week, and I am concerned about fridge operation and such. Its off ~1/2 a bubble, leaning toward the left side (the side the fridge is on, HW tank and sewer drains. Am I good to go?

[hoppers4]

Quote from Norcold fridge documentation. Guess it's time to get out the calculator.

If you have a gas absorption refrigerator, normal leveling of the vehicle is sufficient. The refrigerator is made to operate within 3 degrees off level side-to-side and 6 degrees off level front-to-back (looking at the front of the refrigerator).

Personally I wouldn't concern myself with half a bubble. You're off level in the 6 degree allowable direction.

[Tunce the traveler]

Place your level 6" in the freezer on the bottom to get its true reading, do not use the floor for leveling your TT.

[RedHorse1]

Just to stir the pot a bit: a quick calculation suggests that 6 deg would be roughly the thickness of 2 nickels over a 3' length or 1nickel for an 18" level.

[gypsmjim]

Originally Posted by RedHorse1

Just to stir the pot a bit: a quick calculation suggests that 6 deg would be roughly the thickness of 2 nickels over a 3' length or 1nickel for an 18" level.

Trig was 50 years ago, so I'm a bit rusty......LOL.

The sine of 6 degrees is 0.104, so a 3 foot span would have a rise on it of 3.74 inches. Two nickels is more like 0.2 inches.

Following that logic, for a 7' wide trailer at a 6 deg. lean, one wheel would have to be raised 8.74 inches to level the trailer.

If the 6 deg. requirement is right a trailer would have to be leaning quite a bit to discombobulate the fridge!

[RedHorse1]

Gyps, you are right! I had the trig right but units wrong. I come up with 3.76" in a 3' run.
Thanks for setting me straight!

[hoppers4]

Originally Posted by gypsmjim

Trig was 50 years ago, so I'm a bit rusty......LOL.

The sine of 6 degrees is 0.104, so a 3 foot span would have a rise on it of 3.74 inches. Two nickels is more like 0.2 inches.

Following that logic, for a 7' wide trailer at a 6 deg. lean, one wheel would have to be raised 8.74 inches to level the trailer.

If the 6 deg. requirement is right a trailer would have to be leaning quite a bit to discombobulate the fridge!

My math is way more than rusty. It's 50 years since I've visited those subjects so that's why I left it up to you. "Not to worry" sounds about right.

[Craiger]

In 15 years of RVing, I have only had one campsite so steep that I could not get the rig close to level. It was the only site available, so I stayed the night. The refrigerator did not work, so we left the next day. I did not do the math, but it was so steep we felt like we were running down a hill when we walked around inside the rig. A few inches does not matter, but unless you can feel the slope your refrigerator should work fine.

[WDW]

Jimmy Buffett has a song, math sucks. I just hit the button for the Big Foot levelers.

[Nate]

Originally Posted by Tunce the traveler

Place your level 6" in the freezer on the bottom to get its true reading, do not use the floor for leveling your TT.

I'm glad I saw this, because I was using the floor to level mine and I could swear the TT looked like it was high in the front by my eye but was reading true on the level. Of course, if your freezer is full of stuff...