Homemade RV Leveling Blocks: Staying Even Wherever You Go

Homemade RV Leveling Blocks: Staying Even Wherever You Go

There are loads of benefits of traveling around the country in a decked-out RV but there are also some downsides to deal with.

This portable way of living means you often park on uneven ground, so everything inside your RV is off-kilter and unstable, that is until you get your leveling blocks into play.

What are RV leveling blocks for? These simple blocks are placed underneath a wheel or wheels of your RV to try and even out the ground underneath.

They help bring stability to your RV when you’re on unstable or uneven ground and will prevent things from moving or rolling around inside of it.

This simple accessory has a lot of purpose for the average RV owner and they’re easy enough to make yourself.

With a set of these homemade RV leveling blocks on board, you’ll never have to worry about rolling out of bed unintentionally, and they couldn’t be easier to create.

Contents

What Is Leveling in an RV?

What Is Leveling in an RV?

An RV is a unique living arrangement in many ways but at its core, it’s a way to live comfortably while camping in a portable home.

One of the key components of being comfortable is being leveled, and it’s something people usually take for granted until they’re no longer living on even ground.

Leveling an RV is all about keeping it at a flat angle so that the camper doesn’t have any unusual strain or stress, isn’t leaning one way or another, and all of its interiors can operate normally.

When you pull up to a campsite it might be glaringly obvious that you’re on uneven ground or it could take some testing to conclude.

The best way to test if your RV is level is to have at least two bubble levels installed in the RV.

One of these can be running along the longitudinal axis and the other latitudinal, so you get a good idea of exactly where your camper might be uneven.

From there, you can figure out where the blocks need to be inserted, or if it’s extremely far off from being even, move to a new campsite altogether.

In some RV models, you might be lucky enough to have hydraulic or automatic leveling built into the vehicle.

With this function, the RV can automatically position itself so that the vehicle is once again level and will keep you in place until it’s turned off again.

Unfortunately, it’s not available in all models of campers, so knowing how to whip up a set of your own leveling blocks certainly helps.

Why Does a Level RV Matter?

Why Does a Level RV Matter?

Keeping your RV leveled is about more than just your comfort though, as it’s important for the wellbeing of your vehicle as well.

These are some of the other important reasons why you should always use leveling blocks if you’re unable to camp on even ground.

Minimizes stress on the RV

The frame and structure of your RV are built to withstand a lot on the road but when it’s parked it needs to have this stress reduced.

All areas of the RV are impacted on uneven ground including the plumbing, chassis, cupboards, and joints, so you can do a lot of damage and wear in just one uneven camping session.

Safety

Not only is there an added risk that your RV could topple if you park on uneven ground, but some of the contents can be unsafe as well.

The fridge especially poses a threat as it contains an ammonia and water solution that can leak out when not stored upright, and this can lead to fire from an increase of heat.

Tank readings

Without a level ground to park on, your RV will likely show inaccurate readings of your tank sensors.

This can impact all of the tanks on board including waste and fresh water, so it’s not something you want to mess with.

Slide-outs and accessories

The various slide-outs and compartments of your RV only work when it’s level.

If you try using these while sitting on uneven ground, you’ll be wearing them down, causing them damage, and leading to premature replacement.

How to Use RV Leveling Blocks

How to Use RV Leveling Blocks

Once you’ve established the levelness of the campsite you’re at, you can then get your blocks out to start rectifying it.

During this process, you’ll want to keep an eye on the bubble level to see that you’re making the right adjustments, and having a spotter can be a huge help.

If the level is off the front to back, the front or back wheels should be raised by driving them up onto the blocks.

If it’s the left to right that looks uneven, choose the left or right side wheels and drive these onto blocks to see if that helps.

Start with just a small amount at a time, and then drive further up onto the block if needed to get more height.

For un uneven ground that’s both left to right and front to back, you can try rectifying this by working just one corner or wheel at a time.

This will take some additional work and trial and error, but if it’s becoming too hard, it may be best to move elsewhere.

If just one set of leveling blocks isn’t working, and you can safely add another, considering doing this.

However, in most cases where it seems the ground is too uneven to fix with blocks, you should find another campsite that doesn’t require this much work to get right.

Making DIY Leveling Blocks

Making DIY Leveling Blocks

There’s no need to invest in a set of leveling blocks if you don’t already have some, as it’s one accessory you can make easily for yourself.

Follow this quick tutorial to create some reliable leveling blocks that you can use at any campsite where you need even ground.

Tools and Equipment

  • 2 x 8-foot pieces of timber (2×10)
  • Screws and screwdriver
  • Reciprocating saw
  • Measuring tape
  • Glue
  • Belt sander

The Step-by-Step Guide

  1. Measure the length between the center of the axles, and then the ground distance between the tires.
  2. Create a piece of timber that matches the measurements between the tires using your saw, and then bevel both ends of it.
  3. Create another piece the same size but only bevel one end of this piece.
  4. Find the center of the two shorter pieces and make a mark on the side of them.
  5. Put the short piece that has one beveled side on top of the longer board and make a mark where it lines up with the mark you made earlier on the short piece.
  6. Make another mark with the measurement you made between the center axles and place it on the piece of long board.
  7. Line up the second short piece of timber to this new mark you made on the longer piece.
  8. Match up the marks so the ones on the longer board are in line with the center marks on the smaller ones. Glue them together and screw them into place with everything aligned.

RV Stability Made Easy

Camping in an RV is all about doing it in comfort and style, but there’s nothing more uncomfortable than living in an uneven home.

With a set of homemade leveling blocks in your arsenal, you’ll guarantee this never happens and will always have somewhere stable and flat to call home.

Related Questions

An RV can be an uncomfortable place to live without a set of reliable leveling blocks in place, and they’re just another accessory that every camper should have to keep them comfortable.

If you’re new to the RV way of living and still have questions about what it takes, check out our answers to some common questions that other newcomers had about it as well.

How Do I Stop My RV From Rocking?

HOW DO I STOP MY RV FROM ROCKING?

If you’ve parked on unstable ground and aren’t able to stop the rocking with just leveling blocks, you can use a stabilizer to keep you steady.

These devices are connected at the four corners of the vehicle and work as a jack to prop up the RV and stop it from swaying while you’re in it.

How Do I Know If My Camper is Level?

Sometimes, it’s not always obvious that your camper isn’t parked on even ground, but you can test if it’s level using a simple bubble level.

These tradesman tools can show you what angle you’re sitting at by pulling it out while you’re inside a parked RV. If it’s off, let the level guide you towards the wheels that might need a block underneath them.

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