Could someone explain how to level a caravan please so an idiot could do it ? Me an Oh always seem to find it really hard to do and quite often end up not getting it perfect. Which infuriates me cos it must be simple to do .
Pull up to pitch, reverse onto the pitch getting it in approximately the right place. Open caravan door put spirit level on worksurface by door looking at the level side to side. decide how much it needs raising and on which side. Put floorboard in front of wheel to be raised, pull the car onto board. recheck the spirit level. If it needs more push the van backwards off the board and put another length on top, repeat this process until the van is level, or as near as makes no difference. ( If I need more than 4 boards I look for a more level pitch.)
Now put on the caravan brake and chock the wheels, unhook the caravan, set the level to check the level front to back. then wind the jockey wheel up or down as required until the van is level. If for some reason a level can not be achieved either because the front will not go down far enough or alternatively will not go up high enough, get it as near as possible, wind a front steady down, then loosen the jockey wheel and wind it back into the casing if you need to raise it more and push the unit down until it touches the ground, relock the jockey wheeel, and then wind the jockey wheel until you have achieved a level.
Now I've written it down it looks hard but in fact it is very easy.
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Reverse the caravan onto the pitch then before unhitching, check that it is level side to side. Use a spirit level on the 'A' frame to do this.
If not, and the pitch appears to be level, you could try adjusting the position of the caravan slightly since one wheel could be in a slight dip in the ground. Otherwise, use a leveller or a piece of wood. Place this in front of the caravan wheel on the lowest side and tow the caravan up onto it until the spirit level shows level. It doesn't have to be spot on perfect but as close as possible. Chock the wheel if you have chocks and apply the caravan handbrake to prevent it running off the leveller or wood.
Once that is done, unhitch the caravan by winding down the jockey wheel until the hitch is clear of the towball. Make sure wires and breakaway cables are disconnected then drive the car away. Lower the hitch using the jockey wheel until the caravan is level front to back. Again, use a spirit level on the A frame. (You can buy spirit levels with two bubbles which show side to side and front to back levels at the same time... cost a couple of pounds at most)
You have now levelled the caravan side to side with the levellers and front to back with the jockey wheel. You can now lower the corner steadies and relax...job done.
I struggle with levelling also, because we usually unhitch and push it onto the pitch rather than reversing. Then if we find it isn't level side to side we have to try to push it onto the levelling blocks - and now we have a bigger heavier caravan (and no motor mover fitted yet! counting the days!) that can be quite tricky.
Take some good solid wooden blocks of different thicknesses too - to put under your steadies when you wind them down - on very uneven pitches you may need to raise the steadies beyond their normal range.
Mine is a very slight variant on the first two offers but basically the same.
I made a stepped levelling board that rises in 1" increments (quite a long board) that stores in the front locker - about 9" wide.
I reverse as far back as possible allowing to come forward on the board.
Set the level on the Kitchen unit (mines a center kitchen). Don't know if this is the ideal but it gives the best combination for me for both cooking and shower drainage. Certainly be interested to see where others place theirs.
Levelling board at the front of the lowest side/wheel
Draw the unit forward up the levelling board onto a step that gives you the level you are looking for.
Brake on. Chock wheel if required - Uncouple outfit - Spirit level through 90º then levelling front to back as mentioned. Wheel clamp usually goes on opposing side to levelling but isn't essential if your clamp will fit where the board is - mine does.
After a while you get used to how many steps are likely and how far down the board you will need to go once you have looked at the level in the first place.
Mine is quite a high board and has done all but one site, where I actually had to literally jack the van up and block the wheel ( what a task).
Whats already been said is right though:
"You can never have too many extra blocks with you" as many a time you may end up 'permanently' lending some out.
Set the level on the Kitchen unit (mines a center kitchen). Don't know if this is the ideal but it gives the best combination for me for both cooking and shower drainage. Certainly be interested to see where others place theirs.
I suppose it depends where you feel is the best place. Your suggestion of putting it on the kitchen unit is reasonable since that is the surface you need to be flat. I use the 'A' frame since I feel that if the chassis is level then the rest of the caravan has to be, and certainly in my old caravan I can't be sure that the unit tops are all level. They could be slightly warped after 23 years.
Also, if you place the spirit level inside, it means entering the caravan before the corner steadies have been positioned (probably not too much of a problem if it's still hitched) but also, it means running backwards and forwards from the hitch to inside the caravan to check the level. Far easier in my view to have the spirit level right next to the jockey wheel where you can immediately see the results.
One caravan I went to see (can't remember the make now) had a spirit level built into the front panel. Unfortunately the weather over the years had taken it's toll and you could hardly see the bubbles through the frosted glass but it seemed a good gimmick
Quote: Originally posted by Bob™57 on 19/7/2007
One caravan I went to see (can't remember the make now) had a spirit level built into the front panel. Unfortunately the weather over the years had taken it's toll and you could hardly see the bubbles through the frosted glass but it seemed a good gimmick
Yes, I have seen penty of these triangular shaped levels over time on the front panel too, but how level is the panel? Can't really be that good if they dropped the practise, but who knows. I reckon your better off anyway with a longer lever. The one I use and keep in the van is probably around the 18-20" mark.
I am unable to get to my chasis 'A' frame because of the plastic/fibreglass cover so wouldn't rely on using that cover because its too flexible. I would doubt its parallelism with the 'A' frame anyway.
I can reach onto the Kitchen unit without entering the van so its easiest for me. If I had and end kitchem I still think I would use it for my datum surface.
My manual actually goes for levelling the fridge, but in practise its level when I level the kitchen anyway.
Theoretically I suppose vans should have all surfaces parallel to the chasis i.e. fridge, cooker, shower base, work surfaces etc but I havn't done any checks to verify this.
For safety's sake if you cook with oil, I would go with levelling the pan supports on your cooker as a start.
Everybody will have their own preferences I suppose.
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Topic: Idiot guide to levelling caravan pls
