How to level a hi-lo
 

I just bought a 2007 27 foot hi-lo camper. The back of the trailer is higher than the front when towing. How do you level it?

What are you towing with? If you are using a receiver hitch, you can purchase a ball mount/hitch bar with different height levels from 3 1/2" up to around 9". If you are using a ball on the step bumper, you can purchase a new ball with a longer shank that sits on top of the bumper. These are the simplest methods.

Bob

Thanks so much

Get a good Weight Distributing hitch. The instructions that come with it tell you how to level it. Without a WD hitch, you have too much weight on the rear axle of your tow vehicle (possibly overloading it) and not enough weight on the front axle, compromising steering. AND, when you need to stop, the weight transfer is increased to the rear axle, decreased on the front (where your most effective braking is) and your stopping distance is longer.

- Jack

Concur with Jack. A WD hitch is money well spent and peace of mind that you're towing safely. Besides your own safety, consider the other traffic. I've seen too many rigs ill equipped going down the road and tried to avoid them.

Leveling in campsite
 

What is the quickest,easiest way to level a Hi-Lo once in a campsite?:confused:

I have a "bullseye" level mounted in front of my jack on the tongue. The wife puts a level on the kitchen counter. Either way tells us whether we have to elevate a side with leveling blocks. Front to rear is controlled by the jack.

Bob

Instead of a bullseye, I glued two levels in a "T-pattern" on the tongue. (I adjusted them so they indicated "level" when the trailer WAS level (using a long level along the side and front of the trailer parked at home). But, same idea.

- Jack

Do you find that using the level on the tongue doesn't give the same reading as it does inside on the floor? I always use the inside check, but does it really matter. Either way is probably close enough.

I use a level on my tongue to get side to side reading, then I'll pull up on blocks for this leveling. Because I have a crown in my frame and the floor from someone jacking up the trailer in the wrong place (before I bought the trailer) to change a tire. I check the lower wall at the head board to check for level for front to back. Then I lower the stablizing jacks.

I put 2 levels in the camper on the floor in a T format and level it that way and also on the bathroom floor.

That may be, Rich. But, I made certain the trailer was absolutely level before I mounted the levels on the tongue. Then I shimmed them (using some very thin acrylic sheet) so that they agreed with the real condition before I glued them down (with silicone caulk).

I actually have larger levels on the outside bottom half too. One on the front right side for "fore-aft" leveling and one on the right side of the back for sideways leveling. These are very accurate, but I discovered after mounting them that I couldn't see them unless I raised the top. So, I was always playing with the side to side leveling with the top up. The tongue level makes things so much easier and quicker.

- Jack

Similiar to Paul..I just use one level, 24 inch type. Open the door, place it on the floor front to back, then use the tongue jack to level front to back. Then place it side to side, and use my crank down leveling jacks to level side to side. That works as long as you are close on the side to side to begin with.
If I am out side to side when pulling in, I do that first, then front to back. I always like a little pitch toward the fridge side, seems to help the gas fridge operation.

Rich, you're probably right in that its close enough.

I also have problems getting the same reading from tongue to floor. In fact I can't get the same reading from one patch of floor to the next in our 2704T!

I've ended up doing something similar to Jack's solution of leveling the trailer and the mounting the little levels on the tongue. My reference point for the 24" level is the top of the reefer cabinet, which is very close to the level point of the reefer itself. This is a hold over (in my mindset) from the yesteryears when having a level reefer was more critical than it is today.

Jim

It isn't rocket science. The main thing is to have the trailer reasonably level so as to not cause excessive stress on the lift system. Being within inch or so left to right and two inches front to back is fine. Agonizing over being level is not necessary. DO NOT try to level by using the stabilizer jacks.

Are you supposed to level the trailer with the top up or down does it matter? Also i keep reading about blocks to level what are you referring to? New to camping with a trailer and trying to learn as much as i can so i dont make a rookie mistake and cause costly damage. Also i know the stabilizers are only to keep the trailer from moving side to side. But how do i make sure its level from front to back. I have a leveler but wondering am i missing something? Ive never owned a camper or been around a camper so excited to experience this life at 56 y/o!

Hi, TM - welcome to the forum!

I don't think it matters too much if the trailer is leveled with the top up or down, but ideally, you want the trailer level during use, for comfort as well as proper refrigerator operation. Also, a level trailer reduces the strain on the guide blocks in the upper half that follow the tracks on the lower half during raising and lowering.

Leveling blocks are pieces of wood or commercially available plastic squares that are about 1" thick that can be stacked as needed to level the trailer from side to side. You pull the trailer up on to leveling blocks on the low side to do this. You can also put blocks under the tongue jack to raise the front of the trailer higher without extending the jack so much.

The trailer is leveled front to back using the tongue jack.

When you crank the stabilizers down to make firm contact with the ground, you'll find they can actually make fine adjustments in the level condition. But they should not be used to make large adjustments. With my "bubble levels" I don't worry about moving the bubble about half a bubble width.

Hope I'm making sense here. Don't forget to chock your wheels (both sides) to prevent any trailer movement if you are on ground that is not perfectly level (do it then too).

- Jack

I keep a three foot level at the ready in a handy cabinet. Here's my take on leveling.
We position the trailer where we want to. Place the level on the floor (top NOT raised yet!) from side to side to determine how many leveling blocks I need. My DSO places the blocks along side the tires, I back up (or forward), she whistles to stop, places the blocks in front (or back) of the tires and I pull on to them. Recheck the level. Chock the wheels. Unhook, use the level fore and aft and using the tongue jack, level the unit front to back. Using blocks at each corner, stabilize the trailer (don't jack up the unit!) very snug. NOW you can raise the top and continue set-up. Leveling block are readily available at wally world or amazon. I keep 10 blocks at the ready.
Tree

I do pretty much what tree does except I just use the tongue jack for fore-aft leveling. I then raise the top (my crank for stabilizer jacks is in the rear bumper compartment and only accessible with top up) crank down the jacks until they just touch- chock wheels and grab a beer.

Rick

I find most phone apps useless but i find myself using this one alot. the toolbox app for android phones. it has a nice level feature that I just set on the floor. no more carrying a 2' level. I'm sure they have something similar for iphone. just noticed it has a decibel meter also for those that run a generator.

What a clever app! I'll have to look for it.

- Jack

Ok- got that except the drive on part. So you level the trailer by driving up on the leveling blocks. How do you chock the tires if they wre on something.

That CAN be tricky! If you have a tandem axle trailer, they make expanding things that go between the wheels that will lock them in place. If you have that kind of trailer, invest in a pair. And, here's a link to a DIY version: Custom Made RV Wheel Chocks for Tandem Wheels The commercial ones operate in a similar fashion, and I think they're easier to use. They show a set of ones made of metal just below the DIY ones.

If you have a single axle trailer like mine, it's a bit more complicated. The leveling blocks I use also have a "wedge" shaped chock that fits into them. Since I've NEVER camped in a space that is perfectly level, the trailer would always want to move forward or backwards. I just put that wedge on the side of the blocks the trailer would move to. This is a link to the one I bought: Lock-N-Stop Chock - Prime Engineered Plastics Corp RKCW819008 - Chocks & Levelers - Camping World

Then, I attached a plate of aluminum to another wedge so that when I pull the wheel against it, the tire is standing on the plate. So, it can't push the chock away. I use this on the side where the wheel is on the ground.

Finally, I attached a "topper" that has a round indentation on one of my leveling blocks. It goes under the tongue jack. The indentation just fits the round foot of the jack, and keeps the tongue end from moving, forward/back or, side to side.

I'll try to take a picture of the last two things and post them tomorrow.

- Jack

Can't find the app, what's it called? I'd like to try it.
Tree

my iphone comes with a level built in. that said- I still prefer the longer carpenters level I carry just because it spans a greater distance and it is awfully easy to use.

Rick

Pictures of my Chocking Devices
 

OK, I took some pictures this morning. The thing I called a "topper" is actually a "Tongue Chock" and you can see it here: Tongue Chock - Prime Engineered Plastics Corp RKCW819006 - Chocks & Levelers - Camping World I bought it at Camping World. There are other styles available online, but I like this one.

As I think you can see, I bolted it onto one of the leveling blocks so that I can adjust its height to suit. The leveling blocks fit together like Leggos, and they don't slip apart.

The aluminum plate I bolted onto a wheel chock just helps it stay against the wheel once I pull the trailer wheel onto it. It's the one I use on the ground.

- Jack

Jfb, It was my understanding that those four jacks under the camper are not for leveling. Just for stabilizing any movement when you are walking around in the camper. You could do some damage by not using leveling blocks.

Jack next time you set up with the blocks and the dhocks will you shoot me a pic of the setup? Thanks TW

Oh, too bad! I just came back from a camping trip where I used both wheel chocks and some leveling blocks on one side as well as the tongue chock. If I'd known, I'd have taken pictures for you then.

I doubt I'll be doing any more camping till August, when we do a week at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon again.

At home, I have concrete chocks at the end of a slight incline to the rear. So, I don't use wheel chocks at all here and the tongue jack sits on a cinder block.

But, I see I haven't posted a picture of the chock that fits into the leveling blocks. I'll try to get a picture of that to you soon.

- Jack

I've had a level app on my Android phone and it wasn't very accurate when compared to my bubble level.

Just downloaded the Tool Box App. The level works great. Thank you for pointing out the App.:)

This is probably way late and a dollar short, but we just returned from another glorious stay at the North Rim of the Grand Canyon and here's pictures of all the chocks in use.

The first picture shows the curbside wheel using the chock that has the aluminum plate attached (which is under the wheel). The parking area tilts slightly toward the front of the trailer, so I don't need chocks in back of the wheels.

The second shows the streetside wheel which had to be lifted with three leveling blocks to level the trailer. The chock here is attached to the leveling blocks (kind of a Leggo fastening system) and it cannot "fall off" the leveling blocks. I simply built this up and then pulled the trailer up on to it.

The third shows the Tongue Chock in use. It's also anchored to a leveling block that can be stacked on others to minimize the needed extension of the tongue jack.

With both wheels chocked and the tongue chocked, the trailer is very secure, even on a badly out of level campsite.

I HAVE had the tongue jack slip off a rock in the past, when I used it to help level the trailer front to back. Happily, there was no damage and we were not in the trailer at the time (I was uncoupling the trailer from the truck). Had my foot been under the jack when it came down, I would have lost a foot). Be VERY CAREFUL when using anything but a Tongue Chock under the jack! (Unless the jack is on the ground.)

Note: On a perfectly level campsite, I DO have two more chocks I could apply so that each wheel would be chocked fore and aft, but I really think the Tongue Chock would take care of any possible movement.

- Jack