Video: How to level a motorhome

Published in Caravan Guard News, Motorhoming Top Tips, Videos on   - 14 Comments

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  1. mary says:

    We have levelling ramps which we keep in the m/h. We rarely use them as as long as the bubble is somewhere in one of the circles it isn’t a problem as long as we can cook safely, sleep in comfort, the water drains & the fridge works. If we do use then we have to leave the handbrake on which hampers the swivel seat. It has been suggested that you shouldn’t leave the vehicle in gear….. I would dispute this, it is good practice to leave a vehicle (any vehicle) in gear particularly if the vehicle is on a slope, in case the handbrake fails. Also I was taught to leave the handbrake OFF when leaving the vehicle for any length of time as it could stick, providing the vehicle is not on too much of a slope.

  2. Graham Shaw says:

    What do you suggest if you need to level from side to side and also from front to back as this is something I often find necessary?

    • Hi Graham,
      If you find that the motorhome is not level from front to back and also left to right, there are a couple of suggestions:
      You should be able to complete this with just 2 ramps, and placement of these ramps is the key to getting a level motorhome. Firstly, When you not level front to back and left to right, work out which of your four corners is the lowest. In this example, lets assume the motorhome is nose down and dipping to the right. That would mean the front right corner is the lowest point. Try to use just 1 ramp under that tyre.
      If however, you find you are now level front to back but still dipping to the right, then follow this trick:
      Start to level with that same single ramp under the front tyre. Stop halfway up the ramp and apply a 2nd ramp under the rear right, to bring the right hand side of the motorhome up. This may take some practice and some shuffling, but the combination of 2 ramps, and having each wheel at a slightly different position may be enough to get the motorhome level.
      Hope this helps?
      Liz

  3. Helen Bond says:

    Thank you for this article, which is very good for inexperienced campervanners and largely common sense. My problem is not in levelling, but how to remove the chocks when wanting to move off, especially if you are on your own. I found that the wheels dropped down onto them making them so tight that I had to reverse back up the ramps, judging it so as not to go over the top, then put the brakes on and hope the van does not move while you are removing the chocks. Does anyone have any suggestions?

  4. Barry Carter says:

    I’d give article 4 out of 5, would have given it 5 out of 5 if the following notes of caution had been added:

    If using ramp chocks separate from the ramps they can stick to the tyre resulting when rolling or driving off, the chock being taken up into wheel arch jamming against the body, damaging bodywork and inner wheel arch cover and in the worst case jamming the wheel solid against the bodywork. It happened to me so don’t let it happen to you.

    Also, for those with a hydraulic levelling system, make sure the hydraulic rams are fully retracted before driving off. I’ve come across a number of owners who’ve told me of bent rams resulting in embarrassment and travel delays whilst the damaged hydraulic cylinder is mechanically put into a safe position or removed

  5. Tony Harris says:

    Really good article people sometimes forget about the level of a motorhome especially how critical it can be for the fridge to work properly and water draining from sink units

  6. Nigel Jencitis says:

    Handy for me as first-time.

  7. Colinl says:

    Very useful. Need on on getting the TV tuned in properly

  8. richard braitwaite says:

    One of the sit es I go to is on slight incline meaning nearside of van when parked dips to nearside. What I do is place wheel chock offside score line on gravel. Then move chock say 4 inches forward of line. I then place nearside chock tight under nearside wheel so when I drive up I can see the distance. Check chock nearside and you should be at top level N/S and O/S I then have rear jacks that I can adjust to make front and rear level O ther sites only require front chocks as ground is level. Little harder but worth doing nothing worse than un-level van.

  9. Stephen R. Moore says:

    Helpful – Thanks

  10. Marti says:

    Great tips on how to, but it also reminded me that I need to get some ramps first.

  11. Peter Fisher says:

    Particularly on a longitudinal slope, put the ramp/s on the down hill side of the wheels then use gravity to help get onto the ramp/s. This has two advantages, 1, it gives the clutch an easier time and 2, should the handbrake fail or perhaps be accidentally released, the van will only roll to the end of the ramp.
    Leaving the van in gear I would be against, I have seen too many vans started in gear.


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