Touring Caravanning

How to level a touring caravan and why you need to

A guide to how and why to level a touring caravan.

It’s great if you’re lucky enough to secure a level pitch at a camp site, but it’s not always possible and you may find yourself having to set up on uneven ground. Making sure your caravan is level is important not just for your comfort, after all no one wants to roll out of bed in the middle of the night, but for other reasons too.

Why do you need to level a caravan?

Apart from the comfort of sitting and sleeping in a caravan that has been levelled, you will find other aspects of your holiday will be improved. Three-way ‘absorption’ fridges need to be level in order to achieve cooling. The plumbing needs a level caravan; water from sinks and showers may not drain away correctly, leaving you with a wet caravan floor. Cupboard doors will also not open or close properly if the caravan is not level.

How to level a caravan

Once you have positioned your caravan on the pitch, making sure you have access to any facilities being provided where the pitch is fully serviced, you need to level the caravan axle from left to right. Place a spirit level on the floor of the caravan (not on uneven carpet or floor trims). Levelling ramps should be positioned in front of the wheels and the caravan pulled up on to them.

Once the caravan has been levelled across its axle, it needs to be levelled from front to back which is done with a caravan jockey wheel. Place the spirit level on the bottom of the door sill and adjust whichever side will move the bubble of the spirit level centred, adjusting the jockey wheels up or down to do so.

When you are happy that the caravan is level from left to right and back to front, each of the corner steadies need to be lowered to the ground to give the caravan stability and chocks applied. 

Caravan levelling equipment

Caravan levelling ramps, chocks and grip tracks

At BEC Ingoldmells we stock a range of levelling ramps and chocks to make levelling your touring caravan or motorhome right to left stress-free. There is a wide choice of ramp available from the small Kampa levelling ramp which is supplied in a pack of two, to the Milenco triple level ramps which feature a high grip upper tread surface and which pocket the wheel at every height. Ramps can slip, however, so positioning grip mats or tracks under them can help to avoid slippage or sinkage into soft ground. Chocks can be used to secure the wheels once the caravan is level.

Caravan jack pads

Jack pads are positioned underneath the wheels to level the caravan. The Kampa Dometic Lunar Stack Pads are supplied as a set of four. Each section measures 4.5cm and they can be stacked to achieve your required height. They can be used in conjunction with Kampa Dometic Lunar Pads and Kampa Pro Padslarge stabilising feet which are supplied in packs of four.

Spirit levels

Spirit levels are key to levelling your caravan. Touring caravans need to be levelled from left to right as well as from front to back, so the Maypole Caravan Spirit Level is recommended. This economy cross spirit level allows you to check both directions at the same time.

Jockey wheels and corner steady winders

Jockey wheels are used when levelling a caravan front to back, and are used alongside corner steady winders. At BEC Ingoldmells, we stock manual and drill operator corner steady winders and a selection of jockey wheels from recognised brands Draper and Maypole.

After you have levelled your caravan a few times, it will become easier as you find methods that suit you. Once you have mastered the art of levelling your caravan, you will sleep soundly every night!