How to Level a Travel Trailer On a Permanent Site

Travel trailers need to be level for comfortable sleeping. Everything inside the trailer from water tanks to appliances only works efficiently when the trailer is level.

Leveling the travel trailer on a permanent site isn’t always easy. You need a level to establish the ground you’re planning to have the travel trailer reside permanently is perfectly flat. From here, you can choose from multiple trailer leveling solutions most suitable for your trailer. Read on to find out how to level a trailer on a permanent site.

How to level a travel trailer on a permanent site

You can level a travel trailer by using leveling blocks, stabilizing jacks, bricks, or even wood planks. All of these need to sustain the travel trailer in key areas such as the corners and the tongue jack.

Check the site with a level tool

The first step to take when it comes to a level trailer is to find the right permanent location and flat ground. Trailer camps are often places where thousands of trailers have been before which means ground might not exactly be level in the designated spots.

You need to check the site is level first. A level measuring the flatness of the soil in multiple locations in the designated spot is needed. You can place the level directly on the ground.

If the level indicates the ground isn’t level you need to level it yourself. If the ground is too high or too steep you can use a shovel to flatten it by removing the excess. If there are holes in the ground you need to fill them in with sand and rocks. It’s best to use weight to make sure the filler solution is properly compacted so that the trailer doesn’t sink in.

Use leveling blocks

Leveling blocks are the most practical product specifically made for travel trailers. Lightweight and easy to drive on, leveling blocks are also easy to transport.

The area where leveling blocks suffer the most is in durability. Typically made from plastic, leveling blocks aren’t particularly known for their durability compared to more rugged alternatives such as scissor leveling jacks.

However, leveling blocks are highly affordable when compared to scissor jacks. Most of them can be purchased in packs for a small price. However, even leveling blocks need to be laid on flat ground.

Use stabilizing jacks

Stabilizing jacks are the most durable solution to make a travel trailer level on a permanent site. These are known for their easy height adjustability and their rugged metal construction. Stabilizing jacks offer one of the ideal solutions for trailers that need to be level a long time, a solution that’s also easy to travel with.

The price is the main drawback of stabilizing jacks. Typically sold in pairs, these are more expensive than leveling blocks. Furthermore, they also require flat ground and possible wooden planks or solid objects to rest on as they can also sink in whenever it rains or under the heavy load of the trailer.

Use wood planks

Wood planks are an affordable option to make the trailer level for a long time. You simply drive over the wood planks until you find the right level. One of the difficult tasks with this solution is to find the right number of wooden planks needed under each wheel on uneven ground.

You need to drive on and off wooden planks multiple times whenever the ground isn’t perfectly level across all wheels. There’s no other way of adding or removing wooden planks once the wheels of the trailer rest on them.

Use bricks

Bricks are sometimes used for leveling a trailer. You can drive over bricks or stack them to create a foundation for the trailer. Tens of bricks are needed to level a trailer. However, they are generally stable and they provide a comfortable long-term solution.

To add bricks under the trailer you first need to park it to its permanent position. You then raise each end of the trailer with a car jack and add bricks finally lowering the trailer onto its final position.

Each side of the trailer is raised as much as it’s needed until perfectly level. For the best results, it’s recommended to use standard bricks as well as thinner bricks or other pieces of ceramics or flat rocks thinner in profile to achieve a perfectly level surface for the trailer.

Why level a travel trailer permanently

Leveling a trailer permanently has clear benefits. Apart from adding comfort through stability, a level and stable trailer ensure everything works normally inside.

• More comfortable sleeping

One of the first reasons to level a trailer is for comfortable sleeping. The more level a trailer is the more comfortable you sleep. A level trailer that doesn’t move around allows you to roll from one side to another without moving.

Comfortable sleeping isn’t possible when being inside an inclined trailer. A level might be needed to establish the perfect angle for the travel trailer.

• Better water draining in the sink

Water drainage is taken for granted. But whenever the trailer isn’t level water isn’t properly draining from the sink. When the tilt angle of the trailer is too steep water might not even drain from the sink.

• Better toilet flushing

Toilet flushing is even more problematic than the sink. The toilet might not flush correctly or completely whenever the trailer isn’t level.

• Proper access to the water tank

Water tanks are often based on gravitation to deliver water to the sink or to the toilet. However, water might only partially make its way to these if the trailer isn’t level.

• To have appliances working correctly

Appliances such as the refrigerator need a level ground for them to work properly. Freon inside the refrigerator might only cool a single part of the refrigerator whenever the trailer isn’t perfectly level.

Takeaway

A permanent trailer needs to be level for comfortable sleeping, walking, and for it to work properly. Water lines and appliances only work correctly when the trailer is level.

Simply parking the trailer on the ground isn’t enough to ensure a level surface. Not many grounds are properly level. Many grounds might even seem level but the trailer can sink in under the load or when the ground gets wet when it rains.

The average trailer weight is 5.200 pounds. This means there’s a considerable load the ground needs to support in just a few key areas which are typically the wheels.

A trailer can be leveled when you add leveling blocks or leveling jacks. These adjust the height of the trailer in various areas until it becomes completely level.

The role of these levelers is to ensure a perfectly flat trailer. But these also ensure the trailer doesn’t wobble whenever you walk inside or when you turn in your bed.

Trailers that aren’t level typically face issues with running water and even with enjoying a good night’s sleep or a simple meal on a flat table. Leveling the trailer permanently can also be based on bricks or pieces of wood.

While a bit more difficult to adjust, bricks and wood are among the permanent solutions that don’t rust (as scissor jacks) and that don’t deteriorate under constant UV light exposure (as leveling blocks do).

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