RV Levelers Guide: Choosing The Right Camper Levelers
(Camp Addict does NOT accept payment from any company to review or endorse their products.)
If you own an RV, hopefully, you already know that you might need some type of RV levelers to level it when in use.
You don't?
Ok, well if you have an absorption refrigerator (most RVs come with this type), it has to be level.
We'll touch on the 'why's' it needs to be level in the below guide.
Most recreational trailers and smaller lightweight trailers don't come with hydraulic leveling jacks.
Therefore it is totally up to you to get your rig leveled by a manual means, such as using RV leveling blocks. (How to level an RV)
Sure, some spots are perfectly level, but just as often, you will need to level your rig wherever you have parked.
This is when you need some type of camper levelers.
Let's learn more about leveling and why you should level your rig!
Need some levelers pronto? Want to know what we consider to be the best RV levelers? Click the button below to read our reviews.
RV Levelers Guide
Getting your rig level when you are setting up camp is pretty important for reasons we will soon explain.
Great, but what type of RV levelers should you use?
In this guide, we will not only tell you why you should level your rig, but we will go over the different types of camper levelers so you have an idea of what's available.
Let's get to it!
Why Do You Need To Be Level?
First, it's not comfortable to be inside a rig that is not level.
Doors will fly open by themselves and you may have some stuff drop out of your refrigerator or cupboards when you open them.
A bigger hazard is that you might not be comfortable in bed with your head sitting lower than your legs, or at an angle.
You might even fall out of that bed.
Not a great plan!
Really, an un-level rig is an uncomfortable thing.
Levelers Were Definitely Used At This Extremely Unlevel Campsite
Your refrigerator is another even bigger reason to have your RV level.
Almost all RV refrigerators need to be level in order to work properly.
(Absorption refrigerators)
If they are not level and they are running, this can cause great damage to your refrigerator.
Great damage equals great cost.
We're pretty sure you don't want that!
Refrigerators are expensive to replace.
It's more than worth it to simply make sure you are level instead of risking breaking your expensive refrigerator.
Therefore, you need to have some type of leveling system to get level when you aren't.
Need some levelers pronto? Want to know what we consider to be the best RV levelers? Click the button below to read our reviews.
You might be surprised at how many campsites are not level.
You don't have to be in a state park to encounter this problem.
Any campsite can be just enough off that you need to take care of it.
Leveling is a pretty simple thing to take care of, but it's helpful to have a few things on hand.
1. Levels on the outside of your rig: You can buy these stick-on levels so that you can easily see from the outside whether your rig is level side-to-side or front-to-back. This eliminates the need to run inside to see a level that could be a counter-top level or whatnot. Who wants to waste time like that?
2. A shovel: Some individuals who only boondock prefer to simply use a shovel to dig out the right sized hole(s) to move their wheels into. This is a very simple system and requires no other parts or products. (Unless you end up parking on solid rock. Then you will still need a leveling system.) Still, it's a guess with hit-or-miss results. Not the best or easiest system in the world but it's likely the cheapest.
3. A leveling system: If you are not using the shovel 'system', or you are always on hard surfaces, you will need some type of leveling system. You can make your own or you can choose from a variety of different leveling systems that work very well. Systems come in the form of RV leveling blocks, RV leveling ramps or screw actuated scissor levelers (very lightweight RV use only).
Simple Bubble Level
You can purchase these Hopkins stick-on bubble levels for the side and front of your RV.
This way you can see how far from level your rig is when you pull into a spot.
They are an affordable way to quickly get an idea of how many levelers you need to use on what side to bring your RV to level.
We will go over the different types of levelers and their pros and cons below.
Also, we review which ones we think are the best for your needs.
It seems that many places we campers stay are not perfectly level.
Oh, what an easier world it would be if they all were!
However, this is not the case so you are going to have to deal with it in your RVing life.
Never fear though, it's not a difficult thing to do once you know-how.
Even if you have hydraulic leveling jacks, you still might need levels or pads at times.
Oh, sometimes they are called jack pads, stabilizer blocks or stabilizer pads.
Yes, some slopes are worse than others and need a little more 'jacking' up, even if you have the hydraulics.
It's just a good idea to carry some building blocks or wood with you no matter where you go.
Below is an example of an extreme leveling situation - Camp Addict Co-Founder Marshall JUST had to have that perfect view...
Marshall's Lynx Levelers In Action, For Leveling And For His Stabilizers. This Spot Was A Doozie!
There are a few different styles and types out there that you can get.
The type of rig and the weight of your rig will have something to do with which type you select.
If you have a small pull behind camper and only need to raise tires and don't need any hydraulic pads, any RV levelers should do the trick.
If you have dual or even triple axles, you might do better with the Andersen Camper Levelers, depending on how far apart your tires are.
Let's have a look at the ins and outs of each style of levelers.
Stabilizers Are Not For Leveling Your RV!
Bent Stabilizer. DO NOT Use These To Level Your RV!
How To Stabilize Your RV With Lynx Levelers
Andersen Camper Leveler
The Andersen Camper Leveler is a very well thought out product.
We named it the #1 leveler for good reason.
The simplicity and ease of use of this product excels in comparison to other RV leveling blocks.
Both Marshall and Kelly use these when possible, which is 95% of the time.
With an Andersen Camper Leveler, there are no guessing games.
You stick the wedges (RV leveling ramps) under your tire(s) on one side, start to pull forward and simply have your partner tell when to stop.
Place the chocks under the wedge(s) and you're done.
It's that simple.
With this system, there's no deciding how many RV leveling blocks to stack and not having room to stack them high enough in between tires that are somewhat closer together.
Nope.
You roll forward until you have reached the height you need, up to 4".
It doesn't get any easier than this.
Even using the shovel method requires guessing how deep to dig, with the possibility that you have to do it over.
Andersen takes the guesswork out of the chore.
Be aware that this product is only made to handle rigs up to 30,000 lbs and up to 32" tires.
They are so secure about their product that they are the only company that makes a leveling system that offers a lifetime warranty (product replacement) on these things.
This may help you to overcome the $40 or so price tag PER leveler.
Yes, they are expensive but it depends on what the convenience is worth to you.
Amanda Watson
Watsons Wander
For nearly five years we used a set of Lynx blocks for leveling our trailer.
Since we live and travel full-time that means we wasted a ridiculous amount of time and frustration playing the leveling block guessing game.
"Looks like it only needs one block."
"Nope, back up and try again, it needs two blocks."
Or, how about those times when two blocks are not enough but three are too many?
And don't even get me started on their tendency to skid around on hard surfaces (we had one shoot all the way across a parking lot while trying to get level at a casino RV parking spot).
This is why I love our Andersen Levelers.
No more guessing, no more slipping, no more frustration.
Now I simply place the two red ramps in front or behind the tires and signal my husband to drive up on them until the mounted ball level on the front of our rig shows that we have achieved a level trailer.
It really couldn't be any easier. So far we've had no problems with them slipping on hard surfaces, and the solid surface ramps definitely sink into soft dirt far less than the Lynx blocks.
Even after hearing other RVers sing the praises of Andersen Levelers we put off buying them because of the cost.
They are significantly more expensive than any brand of leveling blocks.
Now I wonder why we waited so long. In my opinion, the cost is more than justified by the ease of use and quality build of the product.
We've been using our Andersen Levelers for several month now and never plan to go back to those pesky blocks!
Building-Block Style RV Levelers
This is a very well-known type of stackable RV leveler.
The Lynx Levelers are probably the most popular RV leveling system on the market, much like the Oxygenics shower head is the king of RV shower heads.
RV leveling blocks hook together much like Lego's, so they don't slide when you drive onto them.
There are a few other companies, like Camco (read review), who make a very similar RV leveler.
These Leg-style levelers work pretty well but they aren't without their flaws.
First, sometimes when you try to drive onto them, if you have more than 2 leveling blocks stacked at a time, they tend to get pushed forward instead of your tires going on the top of the RV leveler.
If you have tires that are fairly close together, like Marshall's trailer has, you may not be able to get your trailer leveling blocks stacked any higher than a few levels without a lot of work.
(Both Kelly and Marshall each have Lynx Levelers as well. However, we mostly use the Andersen levelers.)
This is because there is no room to stack them in between the tires.
It requires a lot of back and forth, getting out of your rig and placing more levels as you go.
OR, you would need more than one set of levelers to build one long ramp in front of your tires that you then drive up on.
Of course, there are times when you COULD be so off-balance that only a ridiculous amount of building block style RV levelers would work.
Maybe you shouldn't park there.
Maybe you have no choice.
I (Camp Addict Co-Founder Kelly) once had to park in a very un-level driveway for a couple of months and needed to be level.
The solution?
We jacked it up and stuck boards as well as Lynx Levelers under the tires.
Don't Try This At Home, LOL! (Um, do as I say, not as I do?)
No, I don't necessarily recommend doing this, but that's how stacked my rig had to be to get level!
(Had to use a jack to get it on and off of this scary 'base'.)
Still, it worked, for months.
BAL Light Trailer Tire Leveler
This odd cat is a leveling system for lightweight, single-axle trailers only, such as a tent trailer. (Tent trailer weight.)
The BAL Light Trailer Tire Leveler consists of a v-shaped bar with a screw mechanism in between them that you spin to lift or 'open' the V, which in turn lifts the tire.
It will work on most 13" - 15" tires.
With this RV leveler, you don't have to try to figure out how many blocks to stack.
You simply drive onto the device, then tighten or untighten the screw to lift or drop your rig as much as you want.
This RV leveler might not work very well in soft areas because the small area of contact with the ground would allow it to sink.
It also seems a bit laborious as far as lifting and lowering the screw mechanism.
This RV leveler comes with a ratchet that you manually use to raise and lower your rig.
How much can the device lift a rig?
It's unclear.
Camping World says it can go 6.5".
We're not so sure about that.
This RV leveler is only rated to lift 1,700 lbs.
It's also heavier than the other RV leveler systems available.
This is a big negative when weight is a big issue for rigs and their tow vehicles.
How To Level A Travel Trailer Or Motorhome
Leveling With The LevelMatePro
It's a little harder when you don't have anyone to tell you when to stop pulling forward when you hit level if you are using the ramp style level.
Even when using blocks, if you set them up as a ramp, this will help.
There's a great solution out there.
It's called LevelMatePro.
It's a device that's installed in your rig, and connected to an app on your phone via Bluetooth.
It will show you when you are level right from the driver's seat.
This ends the hassle of getting in and out of your vehicle to check and see if you are level yet or not.
Simply install it, follow the directions to set it up and boom, you're set to check for level WHILE you are still in your vehicle!
Note: You SHOULD turn the device off when not in use, or the battery will die fairly quickly.
Kelly uses Level Mate Pro and loves it.
LevelMatePro System (Phone not included. But did you really think it would be?)
Conclusion
Typically, an RV needs to be level for the sake of the refrigerator staying healthy.
It's also nicer to live in a level environment than an un-level one.
Both Andersen levelers and Lynx Levelers have their places in the RV world for leveling.
We definitely lean towards the wedge style of leveler, but there are times when the block style levelers also come in handy for the most unlevel spots.
To make leveling even easier, there are devices with apps that allow you to see when you get level while sitting in the driver's seat.
Now you should have an idea of why you should level your rig when you set up camp, and what type of levelers are available.
Next step?
Check out the RV leveling block reviews to learn which ones we recommend.
Authors: Kelly Beasley & Marshall Wendler
Kelly Beasley
He-llllo. I'm the co-founder of Camp Addict, which my biz partner and I launched in 2017. I frigging love the RVing lifestyle but in December of 2020, I converted to part-time RV life. Heck, I lived in my travel trailer for over 5.5 years, STRICTLY boondocking for pretty much all of it. Boondocking is a GREAT way to live, but it's not easy. Anyway, I'm passionate about animals, can't stand campgrounds, I hardly ever cook, and I love a good dance party. Currently, I can be found plotting and scheming whether or not to start collecting farm animals (or plotting my next RV trip!) at my beautiful new 'ranch' named 'Hotel Kellyfornia', in Southern Arizona.
Marshall Wendler
Camp Addict co-founder Marshall Wendler brings his technical expertise to help explain RV products in an easy to understand fashion. Full-time RVing from April 2014 - December 2020 (now RVing about 50% of the time), Marshall loves sharing his knowledge of the RV lifestyle. Marshall spends the majority of his RVing life boondocking. He is the part of Camp Addict that knows 'all the things'. He's good at sharing his technical knowledge so you can benefit.
After 25 years of RV camping, last year we purchased Anderson Levelers! What a great idea! We’re in our mid-70s now-LOL!
We look forward to a few more years of RVing, hopefully with a newer, smaller, svelte rig with a few extra amenities!
Hi Beverly,
Oh noooooooo… LOL! I LOVE mine. They just make it so much easier than block levelers. Now I wonder if you wish you had got them a long time ago or not. Feel free to let us know!
And I am reaaaaaallllllly looking a lot at the smaller fiberglass trailers nowadays. Well, looking at getting a place, too. Full-time RVing isn’t what it used to be now that Covid has arrived. Grrr.
Oh well. I do love my Andersons when I need them! Here’s to many more years of RV life!