Leveling your RV properly is one of those fundamental skills that separates comfortable camping from miserable camping. Beyond comfort, it's actually important for the health of your rig — an unlevel RV stresses the frame, can cause doors and drawers to bind, and most critically, can permanently damage the compressor in your refrigerator if it runs off-level for extended periods.
Side-to-Side First, Then Front-to-Back
Always level side-to-side before front-to-back. Use a bubble level or a leveling app on your phone placed on a flat interior surface. Drive onto leveling blocks under the low-side tires, checking as you go. Get within half a bubble of center before moving on.
Leveling Blocks
Interlocking plastic leveling blocks (such as Lynx Levelers or Camco FasTen) are the standard solution for most RVers. Stack them under the low-side tires in small increments — never try to gain more than 3–4 inches in one pass. Place a piece of plywood under the blocks on soft ground to prevent sinking.
Tongue Jack and Stabilizers (Travel Trailers)
Once side-to-side is correct, adjust front-to-back level using the tongue jack. Crank it until the unit reads level fore-and-aft. Then drop your stabilizer jacks — but remember, stabilizers stabilize, they don't level. Never use them to lift the trailer.
Automatic Leveling Systems (Motorhomes)
Many newer motorhomes have hydraulic auto-leveling systems. These work well on reasonably flat surfaces but have limits. Always chock your wheels before running auto-level, and be aware that the system may not fully compensate on a severely sloped site — in those cases, pre-position with blocks first.
Chock Your Wheels
Always chock all wheels before unhitching or running stabilizer jacks. Place chocks on both sides of at least two tires. This is a safety step, not optional.
Check Again After Setup
After you've set up your slide-outs, connected utilities, and settled in, re-check your level. The added weight of water in tanks and people moving around can shift things slightly. A quick re-check takes 30 seconds.
Leveling gets faster with practice — most experienced RVers can get a rig dialed in within 10 minutes on any site. If you're shopping for a new RV with easier leveling features, come see what we have at Colonia del Rey RV in Corpus Christi. We'll show you the options that fit your camping style.