Essential Guide to Parking, Leveling, and Stabilizing Your RV at the Campsite
Arriving at your campsite should be a stress-free experience, but without proper preparation, it can quickly become overwhelming. In this guide, we’ll walk you through the essential steps for parking, leveling, and stabilizing your RV to ensure your trip starts off right.
Supplies and Tools You'll Need
Before you get started, gather the following tools:
- Wheel chocks
- Different lengths of 2x6 wood or leveling blocks
- Level
- Block for tongue jack
- Blocking for stabilizer jacks
- Screw gun with sockets for lowering and raising stabilizer jacks
- Stabilizer jack override handle
Choosing the Right Campsite
Campsites can vary from grass and gravel to concrete and asphalt. If you have a choice, opt for a site that is relatively level and free of obstacles.
Things to Look For:
- Hookups: Survey the area for sewer, water, and electrical hookups.
- Obstacles: Check for fire pits, trees, and other potential obstructions.
- Space for Extensions: Ensure you have enough room to fully extend slide-outs and awnings.
Many campsites offer “pull-through” sites, which are convenient and require no backing up. If you must back into a site, position yourself to back in from the left side. This allows you better visibility of the driver’s side. While backing in from the right is possible, it’s more challenging. Always use a spotter if available; if you’re alone, don’t hesitate to ask a fellow camper for help.
Leveling Your RV
Before disconnecting your camper from the tow vehicle, it’s crucial to level it to ensure proper operation of features like refrigerators and slide-outs.
Steps to Level Your RV:
- Check Level: Use a level to assess if the RV is level from side to side.
- Adjust as Needed: If the RV is not level, place suitable lengths of wood blocks under the tires on the side that needs raising. You may need to pull forward or back to position the blocks correctly.
- Recheck Level: After towing the RV onto the blocks, check the level again. Add more blocks if necessary.
- Chock the Wheels: Secure the RV by chocking the wheels so it cannot move.
Disconnecting the Tow Vehicle
Once your RV is level side to side, it’s time to lower the tongue jack (for travel trailers) or landing legs (for fifth wheels) and disconnect the tow vehicle. Depending on the conditions of your campsite, you may need to use blocking under the tongue jack or landing legs.
Achieving Front-to-Rear Level:
- Adjust the Tongue Jack or Landing Legs: Raise or lower them as needed to achieve level from front to rear. If your RV has an auto-leveling system, follow the manufacturer’s steps for that process.
Stabilizing Your RV
Stabilizer jacks vary in type and size depending on the RV, but they all serve the same purpose: to stabilize the front and rear of the RV while parked.
Important Notes:
- Do Not Lift: Stabilizer jacks are not designed to lift the RV; they only help reduce movement while you’re inside.
- Use Blocking: It’s advisable to place blocks under the stabilizers for added stability.
You’re now one step closer to enjoying a relaxing evening around the campfire! With these tips, you’ll set up your campsite like a pro, ensuring a smooth start to your adventure. Happy camping!
Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is deemed to be true and accurate at the time of publication. However, due to the evolving nature of our products and services, there may be changes or updates that occur after this article was published. We encourage users to verify the contents and consult with their dealer or Keystone RV for the most current information. If you have any questions or require further clarification, please do not hesitate to contact your dealer or reach out to Keystone RV directly.
