How to Level a Popup Camper

Understanding how to level a popup camper is straightforward with the correct tools and knowledge. Leveling your popup camper will keep you feeling secure and will also allow the camper to perform appropriately. Not having your camper level will also items to break or not fit r close correctly in major areas. In addition, not leveling your camper can prevent your door from securing and your AC unit from leaking, just to name a few.

Your number one option for leveling a popup camper may be your campsite. Campsites that have steep grades or that are not newly paved can create even more problems. It is always best to get a site that is graded or has a level concrete pad. This will ensure you are not fighting rocks, dips, tree ruts, and other natural occurrences when larger vehicles use the same site. The heaviness of larger RVs combined with water can create potholes, leaving the ground rough and spotty.      

However, each popup camper is different and may require a jack or leveler that is different from others. Some Popup campers have a smaller tire, or the tire is lower than the other, usually on the utility side. This will require you to purchase leveling tools to bring up the other tire.

Once you know more about your popup camper, we can move forward in leveling your camper properly. Whether this is your first PUP or a pro and wants to find better ways to improve the stability of the camper, come along as we follow this guide.

How to Level and Stabilize Your RV Using Stabilizer Jacks

First and foremost, Jacks are made to level your trailer either from side to side or front to back and are intended to add a little weight and height. Stabilizers are only used for stabilizing the camper once you have leveled it along with preventing it from moving around while you are inside. You should never use a stabilizer to level your camper. NEVER!

Why you ask, well because they aren’t made to withstand your campers’ full weight and can break. This can easily take down the front camper and bent your expensive equipment.

Furthermore, once you are finished with your Jacks and stabilizers, they are designed to either manual crank up, or with the use of electricity, lifted and put away for towing. NEVER leave your Jacks and stabilizers up while towing this can damage both the PUP trailer and towing vehicle. Not to mention breaking your equipment. It can be an expensive cost or total loss.

Tips for Leveling a Travel Trailer

These are some simple tips for leveling your PUP along with tools like Jacks, stabilizers, and blocks. Reading these tips will make the leveling process easier and more secure.

1. Start by choosing a leveled campsite with little to no grade. Preferably concrete or blacktop. If it is not available, look for ruts, or large holes that will create problems in leveling. Fill them in if possible.
2. Don’t skip the leveling portion or guesstimate. Always ensure your PUP camper is level and stabilized before opening the camper up completely. Using equipment like a bubble leveler, or your phone’s app to do this, keep the tools in your camper all the time for quick setup. It takes only minutes to do!
3. Use blocks or BAL leveler to level the camper from side to side. They are very easy to install and take down when complete.
4. Wonder why you have a problem? Leveling is crucial to keeping essential systems working appropriately, this may consist of items like your camper door latching or shutting properly, AC unit dripping or working properly, and your PUP’s refrigerator, just to name a few.
5. Wonder why something broke? Leveling your camper is in the owner’s manual and specifies that items may break off and will not function correctly if not properly leveled, this includes your cables cranks, and electricity. Not leveling correctly can create long-term damage and costly repairs.  
6. Make sure you are familiar with leveling your PUP in all conditions. This is good practice for those tricky situations and might save your marriage!
7. You don’t have to invest in expensive equipment. Using wooden blocks to level or help stabilize the camper works too!
8. Check your equipment often for breaks, bends, oiling, or repairs. Better now than at the campsite.
9. Purchase weight-appropriate jacks and stabilizers for your PUP, if not it could result in injury, death, or major damages.
10. Make insulation easier. The leveling process is different from one camper to another. But possibly the best jacks and stabilizers are the ones that have an effortless installation process. This means you should be able to install them quickly.
11. For heavier PUP camper using hydraulic lift systems are best and safer.
12. If the slope of your campsite is so steep that hydraulic, electric, or manual crank jacks can’t level it, then it is time to use leveling blocks.
13. Leveling blocks can also be used in combination with jacks and stabilizers, to prevent jacks from sinking into softer terrain.

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Types of Leveling Tools

Let’s look at what tools are necessary to level a popup camper if your campsite is not level or you are boondocking in the wild, face it, we know nothing is going to be level there.

Leveling involves the measurement of a vertical distance relative to a horizontal line of sight and levelers are the first tool you need to level a PUP camper. Levelers are instruments that come in a variety of types and sizes. After stabilizing your camper, it is best to sure that it is level. This can help you move the camper in either direction. Every now and then adding a bit of height to the lower tire can make an improvement!

Most trailers have a level attached to two sides of the trailer- one in the front or rear, and the other on one side of the trailer. We use two different types of levelers a construction leveler and a mounted leveler. This helps us know the various axes point of the campers. We also have used our phones to level out the camper. This would only be allowed in smartphones like Androids or Apples.

A BAL Leveler serves as a great leveler for you utility side wheel. It is time manageable, easy to install and store, in addition very safe and stable for most PUP campers. Once installed it can also serve has a chock for that tire. They come in different weight sizes and store effortlessly in the camper.

Jacks and Stabilizers

To stabilize and level your PUP, you may need a variety of jacks and/ or stabilizers. There are several different types available on the market but looking at what fits your campers’ weight and abilities is best. Most PUP campers have built-in stabilizers and jacks. If you are starting from scratch, then this is the place to be.

Trailer jacks, tongue jacks, or hitch jacks, whatever you choose to call them are vital in leveling your camper and are mounted on the tongue (front) of your trailer’s hitch. Trailer jacks can come in two styles, a manual (crank) or lift system (hydraulic, electric, or battery operated). Their main function includes connecting and separating the camper from the tow vehicle, leveling the camper from front to rear, and can come with different attachments like a wheel or flat base. With trailer jacks that contain a wheel for movement, which can be helpful in repositioning the trailer into place depending on the terrain and size of the wheel. Though they move up and down, it is recommended not to put too much weight on the front of the PUP trailer and follow the manufactures weight limits. There is a wide assortment of trailer jacks always look for the weight that the jack can handle which is provided by the manufacturer before purchasing a trailer jack.

A stabilizer jack can come in different styles from a tripod, scissor jacks, down jacks, steady fast, and universal and is vital in stabilizing your camper. A stabilizer jack is typically mounted under the camper and on the trailer itself. Most PUP campers have four stabilizers, 2 in the front and 2 in the back. Stabilizers can come in two styles, a manual (crank) or lift system (hydraulic, electric, or battery operated). Their main functions are only for stabilizing the camper from swaying back and forth, side to side when inside the camper, not to level. Though the camper could still move, there should not be as much movement when they are down. It is recommended not to put too much weight on them as they can break or bend. Most PUP campers come with stabilizers, but if not choose a stabilizer that works best with your physical abilities. For instance, some require you to reach under the camper and pull it down, while others require you to use a tool to crank it down. Purchasing additional stabilizers for each bunk end is beneficial and can help with distributing the weight load, in addition, follow the manufactures weight limits. There is a wide assortment of stabilizer jacks look for one that suits your PUP camper’s needs and your physical abilities.

Blocking up is a technical phrase for utilizing leveling blocks. Leveling blocks are just that blocks that allow you to rest your PUP camper wheels on unleveled or unfavorable terrain conditions. Leveling blocks can be made of plastic or wood and usually come in 1” increments. These can also be identified as jack pads, stabilizer pads, or stacker blocks. Leveling blocks also prevent the camper from rolling down steep terrain for instance while boondocking in rocky or muddy areas.

There are two main forms of leveling blocks, interlocking leveling blocks, and ramp leveling blocks. The two types provide very distinct functions. Interlocking leveling blocks are usually plastic blocks stacked together to create a required height. Ramp leveling blocks are used on inclined locations to offer additional leveling when originally parking the PUP and tow vehicle.

Though wheel chocks are not used to level, they do safeguard your camper from additional movement. Wheel chocks are best to use all the time including when parked.

All in all, disregarding leveling and stabilizing your PUP camper can create important items to not work properly, to be damaging, costly, and hazardous. Creating a leveled and stabilized camper will allow you to sleep better, and have a functional camper and necessities along with less rocking and movement. Just to name a few items for pros and cons.