How “level” does my travel trailer/camper need to be?

[01soundman]

Being a bit (ok, a LOT) on the paranoid side, I’ve always been obsessed with getting the camper L-E-V-E-L-!-! Even for overnight stops along the way. It’s always been an ordeal… LevelMate Pro notwithstanding. (LOVE it but it feeds my obsession...)

Now that we have a 2025 Passport 2870RL, I’m concerned more than ever about trying not to turn the nice rectangular BAL slides into trapezoids by being “too far out of level” front-to-back. (Not so concerned about side-to-side since we have the Andersen Levelers.) My problem is there’s nowhere to look up what “too far out out of level” means… So here I am.

How far out of level (front-to-back) can my camper be and not do (even eventual) damage to the slides or the framed rectangular hole they ‘slide’ in and out of?

Lots of really smart guys here that have been at it way before we started in 2017. I trust y’all and look forward to responses.

 

[emugel]

I think you are over-thinking it. I am of the school that, most of the time, if it is reasonably level, it is level enough.
Josh the RV nerd has a youtube video addressing this. He also states the above and expressly says that front to back level isn't that important for slide operation - as long as it is just occasionally.

Your TT is about 28 feet long (without the A-frame). Think of it this way - - 12" x 28' = 336"
One percent of that is 3.36"
The plumbing rule - 1/4" per foot - for your TT would be 7"
So, if your Level Mate Pro says you are 1 or 2 inches out of level - .33% or .66% - no big deal - at least not for me. Front to back, most wouldn't even notice that - - and it's not even 1%. It would be more noticeable with the 8' side to side but probably not noticed by most. You might have a door that doesn't swing properly.

I, like you, try to level as close as I can when setting up for a campground stay. I also use the Level Mate Pro.

But when traveling from campground to campground and it's a multi-day drive, we parking lot camp - - Walmarts Cracker Barrels, Camping Worlds. I will drive around the lot, with the Level Mate on, and find a spot that says we are reasonably level, front to back - - I'm usually happy if we can find a spot within 1" - 3". Then I use the Andersen levelers to get as close as I can side to side. Target is 1/4" - 1/2". (I am more anal about side to side then I am front to back.) And then I am happy. I don't even unhook for the night; just enjoy a night's sleep, pull the levelers in the morning and continue on our way.

 

[Peto]

Let the demons fly and don't worry about it.
I have the beechlane level system and love it but a 1/2" off here or there does not bother me. My trailer settles by 1.5 inches to the driver side due to the weight of the slide when out. I just try to get close side to side. Front to back is easy, just push the button on the hitch jack.

 

[Randy23LT]

I use a bubble level and if I’m within a half a bubble I consider it level. If I’m parked for multiple days I’ll get it closer.

 

[NH_Bulldog]

I wouldn’t over think it.

I have never been too concerned with being spot-on level. When we had our Passport, we used the LevelMate and if necessary the Beech Lane leveling chocks. We had manual scissor stabilizers and that worked well enough. We never had any issues with the big slide and for almost 6 years of use, we put the slide part way out sitting in parking lots to get to the bath and kitchen at rest stops and never had any issues.

Now with our current auto level system, I gave up trying to get LevelMate and the Ground Control system to match each other every time. As long as my drink doesn’t slide off the table or my head isn’t pointing downhill while laying in bed, I am happy.

 

[flybouy]

In our camper (35') if it's s within an inch I'm good. Any further out of plumb and the bathroom door will drift open or closed when placed 90° to the door jamb. If front to back is out by much over an inch or so I can feel it walking thru and if it's nose low I cannot sleep.

 

[Peto]

Funny. I use my bathroom door as an indicator as well.

 

[jxnbbl]

In the first year we had a few different devices to determine "level" then I just bought two of those levels that I basically took silicone and stuck one on the front and one on the side (after we painstakingly used the other mechanisms) to get it dead on.

Since then that I all we use and I let my wife determine "level" and "good enough" which is determined in how long are we going to be sitting in that spot! Haven't heard a complaint yet.

 

[{Tpc}]

Don't overthink it. My go to is to ask the wife. Is it level? Does the front need to be up or down? All good now? And then go about the day. lol.

Even if I do it myself, all I have is 2 bubble levels one stuck to the side and one on the back. If they are close, good enough. Someone will tell me if I need to adjust.

 

[DutchmenSport]

Traditionally, in the past, if your camper has a gas absorption RV refrigerator, the rule of thumb was about 3-5 percent at an angle and your refrigerator was fine. With all electric residential refrigerators and now, 12 volt battery operated refrigerators, that percentage can vary widely.

About the slides.... I think a lot depends upon the slide mechanism too. (Schwentech, cable, rack 7 pinion).... Each one has it's own tolerance level

The next question about your camper? Where exactly "IS" level? On the tongue / hitch; in the middle of the floor; on the refrigerator shelf; the top of the door frame; a cabinet door; the actual frame of the trailer underneath?

No 2 spots in the camper are going to show "level" at the same time. So, pick your spot you deem most important for "level" and use that spot. (personally, I use the entry door frame as it should be straight to everything.

Bottom line: strive for perfection always, and you'll never have much to worry about if perfection isn't 100% achieved.

 

[Prawnstar]

speaking of level

I am set up on a paved site that appears to be fairly level however my auto level has all four tires in the air. Any suggestions?

 

[NH_Bulldog]

If you are on a level site and all 4 tires are in the air, there is a fault in your leveling system. I would first retract everything back to the point where you would be hitching up, then resetting the system. Once that is done, I would manually raise the front until it is slightly nose-high, then then hit auto level and see if it performs as normal.

 

[daywood]

Well, early on, I reconnected the truck a couple of times to change position on the ramps when I have decided it was not level enough. I’ve had my wife decide to take the dog for a walk because she’s had enough. The thing that bugs me, especially for a multi-night stay, is having to prop doors open in the trailer. Or having my lemons or limes roll off the counter when I’m making a drink as a peace offering for my wife.

But with stick-on levels and more experience, we’ve gotten pretty good at getting it where it needs to be before putting the slide out drops it a bit on that side. I’m also willing to call it close enough front to back if it means being able to leave the truck hooked up for a one-night stay in a pull-through site.

 

[JRTJH]

As for the trailer "dropping a bit when the slide goes out", many of us just set the trailer up so it's "slightly slide side high" when we level the trailer, then, when we extend the slide, that side "drops so the entire trailer is level"... For me, I set the trailer up so the slide side is 1" high, then when I extend the slide, it's "almost perfect"... That does vary at times, depending on how many cases of bottled water DW packs, what's loaded under the sofa in the slide or how "soft the ground is under the tires on the slide side".... But usually, it's close enough to not need any further "leveling attempts"....

 

[daywood]

Same. For me, it's half a bubble width on the level I have stuck on the front of the trailer. I get the trailer set up so it looks about half a bubble high on the slide side. Then I put out the slide and bingo bango bongo, bubble in the middle.

 

[flybouy]

I failed to mention this in my previous post. When we first used our unit I realized that level closed up did not equate to leven when both slides ( both on curb side and about 26' combined) are extended. We spent several hours leveling with a 4' bubble level, running out the slide, rechecking, rine and repeat until it was perfect. I then screwed on a bubble level on the side and the front at level.

A few years ago we checked the bubble levels for accuracy then installed the Level Mate Pro system. With it, I can back in to spot, Glance at my phone and adjust. By adjust I mean set the Anderson Levelers on the low side and either pull up or back up until level. This speeds up the process because I would not want my DW in-between truck and trailer while hitched.

 

[01soundman]

ALL of the posts/responses are why I LOVE this place! Thanks to all who contributed. I knew I could count on y'all.

 

[popsshopga]

I'm with y'all in "close". I usually like mine at 1/2 bubble tongue high. For just overnight, close is good - I don't stress out about it.