Leveling your Caravan on site

First off, reverse or maneuver the van onto the site, and then without unhitching, get a level. By simply using a spirit level, and by placing on the joint seam at the rear of the van, you can determine which wheel needs rising, and more or less by how much.

By means of a stepped leveling block that has at least three steps, and placed in front of the wheel on the side that requires rising, pull the van forward with the car (easier than pushing) onto the required raised section of the block. Check your level again.

Happy! Put the hand brake on! Unhitch as per normal. With the Jockey wheel winder, raise or lower the van as required, check your level, again use the seam joints on the outside of the van, (here you do not have to jump in and out of the van to have a look at the tiny, wee little spirit level blob on top of the refrigerator, and all one seems to do here, is jump in and out 100 times to try to get the bubble in the middle.) Easier outside!

Once happy that the caravan is level, lower the steadies, and you should find that the caravan is now level, steadied and all! If not - an extra turn of the jockey wheel or a corner steady will remedy the situation. Remember – the caravan steadies are just that – steadies! They are NOT designed to raise or level the caravan. By raising the caravan by means of the steadies, you will do damage to both the steadies and caravan chassis.

Yours in caravan & camping,CaravanParks.com – Southern Africa’s Caravan & Camping Tourism Network