Nowadays, RV campgrounds and parks are becoming more successful in attracting RVers who prefer to establish a permanent home base in an ideal area surrounded by attractions.
If you want to park your recreational vehicle at one of the RV campgrounds and parks for a short-term vacation or stay in one place indefinitely, it’s essential to know how to level a travel trailer on a permanent site.
At first, it may seem like a fairly simple task, but you will make a mistake if you leave out some details. In fact, even the slightest tilt can lead to annoying consequences, leading to a plain poor night’s sleep.
Whatever you plan to do with any available permanent campsite ideas, you should not ignore this article. Keep reading to see more!
Table of Contents
Step-by-step to Level a Travel Trailer on a Permanent Site
Things That You Need to Prepare
- RV Levels (the bubble type or the Bluetooth type)
- RV Chocks
- RV Blocks
- Stabilizer Jacks
- Several 2-inch Wood Plank Pieces (At least ten pieces)
Step 1: Prefer Your Site
First of all, you’ll need to find an area large enough for a permanent camper setup, especially with RVs equipped with a slide out. Besides, the ground should also be as flat as possible because your work will be more difficult than expected if done on uneven ground.
You will need to check that the soil at the site you have chosen is firm. If you find it soggy or soft, it’s wise to consider another area. Also, in case you are not in an area with a rainy season, we recommend picking rocky ground because even firm soil can turn into soft mud due to rain.
Step 2: Clear Your Area
Once you’ve chosen a perfect travel trailer permanent site, you’ll need to do a little work with your rustic campsite.
You should take some time to remove any tree branches, stray fallen sticks, logs, or debris. Even something like acorns can cause problems when leveling a travel trailer.
Step 3: Check Your Camper With RV Level
Chances are your camper on its own is not perfectly level. So it is essential to understand its characteristics as it will be beneficial when choosing the orientation of parking it nose-out or nose-in.
It is okay to ask for help from friends, family members, or nearby RV owners to move your vehicle out of your site to check the level. If you’re going to pick a site with other RVers nearby, ask them to move their vehicles for you to check the level accurately.
Then, you need to bring out your RV level to see if it is best to park the recreational vehicle back first or head first. This level will allow you to see which way the side is lower and which site is higher.
Step 4: Place the Leveling RV Blocks
These blocks may be pretty similar to lego blocks, which you can easily find in most retail hardware stores. They are sturdy enough to withstand the weight of your RV.
When these blocks are correctly assembled, you will have makeshift ramps for each vehicle’s tires. Put them at the front of the tires on the side that requires an adjustment.
If you want to park your 5th wheel camper somewhere for one summer, it is okay to go with some pressure-treated lumber. But if you intend to set up a travel trailer permanently, it is necessary to invest in proper leveling blocks.
In the long-term, woodblocks are prone to water absorption, leading to rot and splitting, which will alter the level of your RV and could be very hard to deal with later.
Step 5: Drive Your RV Onto the Blocks
Now, you will again get help from friends or nearby RVers to bring your vehicle onto the RV blocks. So ensure you and they are familiar with hand signals that they need to be conscious of your mirrors.
It is a slow process and requires finesse and dexterity. So if you are not a patient driver, it is best to leave the wheel to the most skilled driver who can smoothly get the job done on your behalf.
You want the tires to be perfectly, instead of partially, within the width of your leveling blocks. Otherwise, the steel belt ply of the tires may get damaged. Your tires might survive during your summer but will blow up when driving it home on a traffic-soaked day weekend.
Step 6: Firmly Place The Wheel Chocks
If you are just parking your RV at a base camp for a fall hunting trip or a seasonal area for the summer vacation, it is okay to use wood blocks to stop the wheels on both sides. But if you plan to stay in one spot for a long time, it’s essential to invest in high-quality wheel chocks that are available at most hardware stores.
For a small travel camper, using one chock per tire is alright. But we recommend utilizing at least two chocks per tire to have optimal stability.
Just bring out RV chocks and place them under the tires. You need to ensure they’re firmly in place, and moving them with your hand on both sides of the tires is not feasible.
Also, you can obtain locking chocks for additional safety if you are frequently going to be away from your camper. Beyond that, they will offer additional support to keep the RV’s wheels firmly in place.
Step 7: Slowly Lower The Tongue Jack
Lay down 2-inch wood plank pieces before lowering the tongue jack on your camper. In this way, the jack will have a solid footing, preventing the entire weight of the trailer from sinking into the ground.
Step 8: Use Any Stabilizing Jacks
Many RVers who park their vehicle seasonally or permanently will go with stabilizer jacks at the four corners of the vehicle. In addition, some campers are packed with these jacks as their manufacturers provide them as necessary accessories.
Stabilizing jack usually comes in 10 types, and each has its pros and cons. If you are interested in an inexpensive and straightforward solution, screw jacks or scissor jacks are your best bet. On the other hand, if you want something that can operate at a button press, you should go with electrical products.
Whatever your choice, you need to ensure these jacks can keep your RV stable. In some cases, your camper will constantly rock and sway without them, and you will end up with damaged bolts and nuts.
Step 9: Make Final Tweaks
After performing the above steps correctly, it is time to check the camper level both side to side and front to back. Ideally, the level’s bubble should stay in the center.
If not, drive your camper out and do minor tweaks to the levels, blocks, or jacks. After that, bring your vehicle back and repeat this process from step 5.
Why Should You Try to Have a Level Camper?
1. Sleep Better
If you’ve ever tried sleeping on a side bed, you know how uncomfortable it can be. Even a bed with a slight slope is enough to make you roll off the wedge every night. So a leveled RV will allow you to get a good sleep every night.
2. Easier to Cook
If you want your food to cook evenly, your pan or pot needs to be on a flat cooking surface. If you try to cook in a camper that isn’t leveled properly, your meat will end up slightly undercooked on one side and brown on the other.
3. Minimize Vertigo
A floor that features a significant slope can make you prone to vertigo and shivering and feel like your head is spinning. Walking inside your RV is also very difficult if it is not leveled properly.
4. Avoid Affecting Refrigerator Ability to Cool
It is true to say that the level of the camper will impact how well the fridge works. A poorly leveled RV will lead to your refrigerator, not cooling things as you expected. So you will lose your food quicker, and your fridge will get damaged over time.
5. Eliminates All RV Water Supplies Problems
If your rig is not correctly level, water will not drain properly, and your toilets will not flush properly. These problems will be more serious the larger the inclination. Over time, standing water will clog your drain pipes and cause rust if the parts are made from metal.
6. Get Rid of Doors Problem
The doors of the cupboards or the camper itself will also be affected if you don’t level your rid. They will open on their own or shut too tight if they are placed on an uneven surface.
7. Avoid Problems With the Waste And Water Storage Tank
The water tank indicator of your RV works by checking the water level at a certain point in the tank. This indicator will underestimate or overestimate the water supply if your tanks are inclined. The same goes for waste storage tanks.
Conclusion
By now, you should know how to level a travel trailer on a permanent site.
Avoid letting your camper sway and rock, especially if you plan to set up a travel trailer permanently. An unstable RV will make the occupants nauseous and causes severe damage to its chassis and other parts.
Please share this article if it was helpful to you. You can also leave a comment to let us know about your experiences with travel trailer RV deck ideas.
Thank you for stopping by!
Glen’s a camping addict since way back when, a time he could barely remember. He loves tools, equipment, gears, accessories, and doing repair on his RV. He’s a confessed DIYer, performing even the maintenance of his RV. Glen also loves dressing up his recreational vehicle to keep it in style.