How To Level A Caravan On Uneven Ground [Step-By-Step]

This article will show you how to level a caravan on uneven ground. We’ll cover:

A simple explanation.

Step-by-step.

Hints and tips.

And:

How NOT to make the same mistakes I did

Here we go:

How to level a caravan on uneven ground [a simple explanation]

While your car is still attached, the first thing to do is to get your caravan level side-to-side using levelling ramps. Chock the wheels, then un-hitch from your car. Then wind the jockey wheel to a height that gets your van level front-to-back. Lastly, wind down the stabiliser legs.

Here’s a more detailed explanation:

How to level a caravan on uneven ground [step-by-step]

1. Check your spirit level to see which side is higher, left or right
2. Put levelling ramps in front of the tyre(s) on the side that needs to be raised (downhill)
3. Drive onto the levelling ramps, checking to see if you’re level side-to-side as you go up each step
4. Make sure the caravan breaks are on (and put wheel chocks in on BOTH sides)
5. With chains still attached, use your jockey wheel to wind the caravan off the tow ball
6. Completely un-hitch, and move your car out of the way
7. Wind the jockey wheel up or down until the van is level front-to-back
8. Wind down the stabiliser legs to stabilise the caravan

Levelling a caravan: Hints and tips

Here’s a few things that might make levelling a caravan just that bit easier for you:

1. Start uphill of where you want your van to finish

You always want your levelling ramps to be downhill.

So start the levelling process a little higher…

…that way when you drive forward/reverse onto your ramps you’ll finish in the right spot.

2. Use a handheld UHF (or your mobile phone)

When we first started out we’d be “that family.”

You know the ones:

Yelling loud enough so the other person can hear from inside the car

Then we realised we could use our mobile phones on hands-free

[there’s even walkie-talkie apps]

Then our little boy Elliot got some handheld UHF walkie-talkies for his 5th birthday…

… they work perfectly with the dash-mounted UHF in our car

3. Stick a mini T-spirit level on your drawbar

You can pick these up for less than $5 from eBay:

A dollop of silicon to stick it on and you’re good to go.

Money well spent.

4. Consider getting an electronic levelling device

If you’re a serious traveller it’s tough to go past one of these caravanning gadgets:

The SavvyLevel has a receiver you stick inside your van and a phone app tells you when you’re level

They’re marketed as “a marriage saver when levelling at the end of a long day”

Caravan levelling mistakes to avoid

This is the blog post I wish I’d read before I started caravanning…

…because I’ve made EVERY ONE of these mistakes!

1. Buying the wrong levelling ramps

There’s a BIG difference between levelling ramps for a single-axle caravan and levelling ramps for a dual-axle caravan:

Dual-axle levelling ramps come apart so you can slip one between the wheels

2. Using your wind-down stabiliser legs as levelling devices

Stabiliser legs are for stabilising, not levelling…

they can bend and break

[That’s why they’re the last step, after the van has been levelled]

3. Not bothering to level the caravan on slightly uneven ground

When we first started travelling I took the “it’ll be right, mate” attitude to levelling

I quickly realised that if you don’t do it, even on slightly uneven ground, then:

The sink doesn’t drain properly

The fridge door would swing open

The caravan door would slam shut

[that last one’s a biggie when small children are around]

What do I need to level my caravan on uneven ground?

So if you didn’t have any of the things listed above, here’s a simple list:

1. Spirit level (or an electronic levelling device like a SavvyLevel)
2. Levelling ramps
3. Wheel chocks
4. Jockey wheel chock pad
5. Jockey wheel
6. Caravan stabiliser pads

Note:

You won’t always need the jockey wheel chock pad and caravan stabiliser pads…

…they’re for when you’re on soft ground

Summary

Levelling a caravan on uneven ground is actually a pretty quick and easy process:

As long as you have the right bits and pieces, and you communicate well with your partner.

If you’re travelling solo or solo-parenting, then an electronic levelling device like a SavvyLevel may be a sound investment.

If you don’t have any of the bits and pieces mentioned in this article then check out: Caravan Levelling Devices: 6 Items You Need To Level Your Van

Otherwise, comment below:

What’s your funniest story about having a caravan that wasn’t level?