All the levellers I have seen (the triangle bits of plastic, even though I am sure it's more technical than that) or the suggestion to just use boards seems to presume there will be two people doing the levelling..
------------- Owner of Mabel the Mid Life Crisis Machine, on an adventure somewhere.
Get it on the pitch still attached to vehicle, then get out and look to see if it seems level or if raising or lowering the jockey wheel will get it level front to back.
Side to side when using a spirit level, and if it needs levelling get your triangle bits of plastic, more commonly know as levelling ramps, and pull the FC up it(them)get out and check the spirit level.
------------- XVI yes?
As well is two words!
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you arrive on your pitch placing it so the tow ball is facing forward like a caravan would be. reverse in. then get the level out to see which side needs lifting the most, then put the levelling ramp forward of the lowest side and then using your car pull the wheel up the ramp until the side is raised enough so the whole side across the axle is now level. place on the handbrake. put the steadies down once you have used the jockey wheel and got the front to rear level it is only then yoou remove the car from the front end.
basically its the same proceedure as when you are doing things with 2 people
I guess with a folding camper it's slightly more complicated than with a caravan, as you can hardly unfold it and put your spirit level on the floor as you would do with a caravan, then adjust the level by moving it up a ramp. I'm thinking you need an external surface when still fully packed up to use for your spirit level placement, BUT is there one that is in effect parallel with the floor to get good levelling?
I'd guess a Lock n Level airbag would lend itself rather nicely to the levelling task, because after determining roughly that levelling was necessary, you could place the bag under the appropriate wheel, unfold the camper without pegging canvas, access the floor to site your sprit level, then do fore-aft level with jockey wheel, then do side-side with L n L airbag. Once level, on with handbrake, down with steadies, and peg the canvas.
The Lock n Level was aimed squarely at the caravan and MH user, but unless someone more knowledgeable with Folding Camper experience can see reasons against, then would seem well suited to a FC too.
I suppose one of those wedge shaped wheel lifts that you screw up would also work, if it suited the wheel size of a FC. TBH, I used one and hated it on the caravan!
Both of the above can be done with the FC static after unhitching, and by a solo user.
I may question how much need there is to level a FC in many cases. Caravans and MHs it's often needed to get showers to drain properly, and the size of hard floored area is much larger anyway, FCs are relatively small floor area and no shower. Even a caravan/MH doesn't really need levelling on all but the hilliest of pitches, I've not actually used a levelling device for some years on my caravan, I used to use ramps, then a wedge shaped screw wheel lift, then currently a Lock n Level, which TBH was tried but has never yet been used in anger in past 4 years!
One of the reasons we switched from our Combi Camp to a Pennine Countryman last year was levelling. The units are a similar size and weight, but we now have a motor mover to get it up the levelling ramp! Also our long driveway and garden.
You are unlikely to be able to reverse it up the ramp as suggested above, because you will need to position it differently to a caravan on the pitch, so you will have to push it up the ramp manually if you don't have a mover. Movers are wonderful things.
We use a small spirit level on the A frame to judge the level. Then if necessary position a ramp by one wheel and push/drive/mover the unit up it until you are level side to side, chock the wheels, then use the jockey wheel to lift or lower the A frame until you are level from front to back.
It doesn't have to be perfect, but for comfort it should be roughly even, and if you have a gas fridge it does need to be reasonably level to work. I guess how far out you are comfortable with is a matter of trial and error.
We looked at the Lock 'n' Level, and it does look great, apart from the lock bit! It's designed for caravans using a wheel lock, and while it would level without the lock I don't know how stable it would be. I'd greatly appreciate an answer on that, because it looks a lot easier!
Quote: Originally posted by alisonme on 29/3/2025
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We looked at the Lock 'n' Level, and it does look great, apart from the lock bit! It's designed for caravans using a wheel lock, and while it would level without the lock I don't know how stable it would be. I'd greatly appreciate an answer on that, because it looks a lot easier!
I've only tried mine out as a test to familiarise myself with it before needing to use it properly (which is yet to happen!), it seemed more stable than I was expecting. One wheel (the opposite side) being on the ground stabilises the van quite well, and it's not especially 'bouncy' as the bag is not elastic like a balloon, just flexible to allow inflation, it doesn't seem to have any more 'bounce' than the caravan suspension has anyway. With the corner steadies down, it's the same as any other wheel raising method.
The 'Lock' aspect is slightly misleading in the name, there is no direct locking aspect to the bag itself! All it does is allow you to place the wheel on it with ease, with the approx 1 degree of rotation accuracy necessary to fit the Alko style lock through the aperture in the wheel, which is where the nightmare comes when trying to level with ramps. That's strictly a caravan thing, MHs just use it to raise a wheel, as would a FC.
I used a Milenco yellow levelling ramps kit on the caravan. I put the ramp in front of the wheel and pulled the van up it with the car. I put the handbrake on and unhitched. The hand brake didn't work backwards so the van flew back. The nearside wheel braked first slewing the van round through 90 degrees.
Those ramps went in the bin.
Previously I had levelled the van using planks of wood of varying lengths. I jacked the van up and put them under the wheel. Using different lengths with longest on ground then next longest etc allowed the van to be pulled down off it easily.
The planks provided a flat surface which allowed the car to be hitched or unhitched.
On the dandy, the handbrake works in reverse so simple. I've not needed to level the dandy as it can be swung round to align with the slope of the ground. It only needs levelling side to side as the jockey wheel and extending legs level front to back.
Quote: Originally posted by navver on 29/3/2025
I used a Milenco yellow levelling ramps kit on the caravan. I put the ramp in front of the wheel and pulled the van up it with the car. I put the handbrake on and unhitched. The hand brake didn't work backwards so the van flew back. The nearside wheel braked first slewing the van round through 90 degrees.
Those ramps went in the bin.
Snap ! Right down to the bin. I've managed years without them, but thought I was missing something by not using them and tried them, turns out I wasn't.
Quote: Originally posted by marg6 on 29/3/2025
using your car pull the wheel up the ramp until the side is raised enough so the whole side across the axle is now level. place on the handbrake. put the steadies down once you have used the jockey wheel and got the front to rear level it is only then yoou remove the car from the front end.
I don't follow. How can you use the jockey wheel to level front to rear before lifting it off the car ?
With our TT, I used a boat level on a back ledge to get side to side. On the caravan, I later went to an app called Level remote: with the iPhone on a flat surface, it would transmit to iPad in the car. Now in the campervan, I tend not to worry so much, unless it’s way out.
Quote: Originally posted by alisonme on 29/3/2025
.....
We looked at the Lock 'n' Level, and it does look great, apart from the lock bit! It's designed for caravans using a wheel lock, and while it would level without the lock I don't know how stable it would be. I'd greatly appreciate an answer on that, because it looks a lot easier!
I've only tried mine out as a test to familiarise myself with it before needing to use it properly (which is yet to happen!), it seemed more stable than I was expecting. One wheel (the opposite side) being on the ground stabilises the van quite well, and it's not especially 'bouncy' as the bag is not elastic like a balloon, just flexible to allow inflation, it doesn't seem to have any more 'bounce' than the caravan suspension has anyway. With the corner steadies down, it's the same as any other wheel raising method.
The 'Lock' aspect is slightly misleading in the name, there is no direct locking aspect to the bag itself! All it does is allow you to place the wheel on it with ease, with the approx 1 degree of rotation accuracy necessary to fit the Alko style lock through the aperture in the wheel, which is where the nightmare comes when trying to level with ramps. That's strictly a caravan thing, MHs just use it to raise a wheel, as would a FC.
Yes but presumably the wheel is locked so it won't turn? And a motorhome would be securely braked. Whilst the folding camper is braked I don't really trust the handbrake, the trailer can be moved with it on. We use a levelling ramp with a chock that slots onto it, so it isn't going anywhere. It might stay put on the lock'n'level, but there is clue in the name so I just don't know!
We've used LocknLevel with our caravan fro three years now ... it's a great piece of kit.
Previously had a Pullman ...
I see no reason why the LaL wouldn't work with an FC
On my Pathfinder, I've got one of those small triangle spirit levels just in front of the gas cabinet on the towbar side, and another just inside the door.
I normally do front to back once I've rolled the cover back. The towbar spirit level gets me in the ballpark, then I double check with the door open, or if I can, move stuff out of the way so I can look down at the floor without having to open the door.
The vast majority of sites I've visited have been level side-to-side, but when they're not, I've got a Milenco wind-up leveller that fits around one of the wheels.
I'll do this before unfolding, and then put the steadies down as soon as it's level before unfolding/setting up. I try to avoid opening the door for any length of time when the steadies aren't down, as it's a weak point for the frame distorting - I'm sure it's far more stable than I'm depicting, but better to be safe than sorry.
I've not been unlucky enough to have to raise the side opposite the door, but if I did it'd be a case of doing it incrementally, running around to the door side to check.
This has been an interesting thread. We have a MH & (stating the obvious), we have to level front to back as well as side to side, usually by a bit of fore n aft driving. I was sorry to hear about those ramps being binned! but we might need them at 2 front, or 2 side, or 2 rear wheels, or just one chock (or ideally none).
I looked up the Lock n Level system because I hadn’t heard about it before this thread & yes, it looks to take less cupboard space than plastic ramps, but as we’d need two, it’s significantly more expensive than 2 chocks. Maybe that’s why I’ve not seen them on a site yet. Look handy for you folks that need one side only.
Nope never seen a motorhome / camper van with LnL. Possibly much quicker with ramps.
------------- XVI yes?
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
Quote: Originally posted by blueexpo97 on 07/4/2025
Nope never seen a motorhome / camper van with LnL. Possibly much quicker with ramps.
TBF, I don't think I see much effort to level MHs/campers in general! Peeps often seem content to use them 'on the slope'! Friends with them don't seem to bother.
My thinking is, caravans tend to have much longer flat floor space, so you can get up a 'bit of a gallop' over the sloping distance - or at least it appears quite noticeable!
Caravans often have showers that need a reasonable degree of levelling to get good drainage, whereas MHs/Campers either don't have them, or they are so compact as to be near unusable, so owners use site facilities rather than onboard shower.
Caravans get pitched for the duration, so the levelling effort is worthwhile, whereas MHs/campers are often moved near daily, as only means of transport, so packing away, deploying and levelling every time is too much faff!
L n Ls are quite expensive compared with ramps, and a MH/camper would likely need two, also the USP of the L n L of ease of precisely aligning a wheel (or 2 on a twin axle) for Alko lock fitment is redundant, so it's JUST a lifting device.
Those of us with caravans, who've endured the nightmares of Alko locks combined with most other levelling devices, would (and do!) elevate L n Ls to near Sainthood, but to others without the Alko issue, it's 'just' another levelling method, and a relatively pricy one too!
After all that 'product promotion', after years of ownership, I'm yet to use it in anger, not been on a sloping pitch that simple jockey wheel fore-aft adjustment didn't deal with! Prior to acquiring it, always seemed to need to do side to side levelling with 'inferior' products! Sods Law etc.
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Topic: How do you level your FC if you are solo.
via mobile 29/3/2025 at 9:40am
- or at least it appears quite noticeable! 
