leveling a travel trailer

[Donald Watts]

HELP ! I am looking for a solution,

I have a bad back, the Doctor has told me not to lift anything that weights more than 10 lbs.

I am looking for a way to leveling my Casita 17. without any lifting. I know the bigger rigs have electric leveling devices.

Does anyone know of a leveling system for a travel trailer.? I have an electric jack attached to the front of the trailer now.

[John in Santa Cruz]

i use a curved wedge leveler under the low side tire, drive up onto it til the trailer is level left-to-right, then unhitch and use the nose jack to level front-to-rear. these wedges are individually quite light. once the trailer is at the right height left-right, you then put a chock wedge under the 'thin' side of the wedge, as well as chock the other tire.

I hate the style of stabilizers that the Casitas come with, BAL stabilizers, which use a screw something like half a scissors jack, are much better, you can put them up/down with a battery powered electric drill and a 3/4" socket, instead of the supplied crank.

especially if you're camping solo, you don't actually *need* the stabilizers down... they are just so when one person is walking around the trailer, the other person doesn't feel as much bouncing.


re curved wedge levelers, the best known brand is Andersen, but I'm now boycotting them, and would likely get these if I was buying them now.
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Curved-.../dp/B06XPDKJN7

[k corbin]

Originally Posted by Donald Watts

HELP ! I am looking for a solution,

I have a bad back, the Doctor has told me not to lift anything that weights more than 10 lbs.

I am looking for a way to leveling my Casita 17. without any lifting. I know the bigger rigs have electric leveling devices.

Does anyone know of a leveling system for a travel trailer.? I have an electric jack attached to the front of the trailer now.

Do a search on LIPPERT Component company..... Ground
Control TT. That is an automatic leveling system designed for travel trailers. You will of course also need to find someone who can install it. There is a specific electric tounge jack that goes with this to create a coordinated leveling system. I have no experience with it but no doubt there is a YouTube video showing it in action. I will let you find your own links.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by k corbin

Do a search on LIPPERT Component company..... Ground
Control TT. That is an automatic leveling system designed for travel trailers. You will of course also need to find someone who can install it. There is a specific electric tounge jack that goes with this to create a coordinated leveling system. I have no experience with it but no doubt there is a YouTube video showing it in action. I will let you find your own links.

I'm not sure the Casita rear frame is strong enough to hold the whole weight of the trailer without reinforcement.

[Jon in AZ]

I was thinking that, too, John. But when I looked at KC's link, it appears to have motorhome-style vertical jacks near the axle(s) together with BAL-style stabilizers at the corners. Exactly as should be.

Could be wrong because I was just going by the pictures and not a detailed description of the whole system. But I was impressed.

Pretty pricey, no doubt, but if it makes the difference between staying at home and continuing to travel in spite of physical challenges, that's a good thing.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Jon in AZ

I was thinking that, too, John. But when I looked at KC's link, it appears to have motorhome-style vertical jacks near the axle(s) together with BAL-style stabilizers at the corners. Exactly as should be.

Could be wrong because I was just going by the pictures and not a detailed description of the whole system. But I was impressed.

Pretty pricey, no doubt, but if it makes the difference between staying at home and continuing to travel in spite of physical challenges, that's a good thing.

those look MUCH beefier than the BAL stabilizers, and again, I'm not sure you can safely lift the back of a casita by the rear of its frame. maybe if you installed just 2 of these near the jack points just behind the axles, and then used the nose jack for the 3rd point.

edit: OH, first look, I missed the vertical pistons... hmmm. i wonder if there's enough clearance under the Casita for that??

[k corbin]

There are other versions of trailer power leveling jacks from Lippert and other companies with similar products.

https://www.etrailer.com/search/Electric+Leveling+Jacks

If the frame needs reinforcing or some other modification then that becomes part of the installation. If one must have a powered assist for leveling then within reason a person will do what it takes to make it happen. Reinforcement of a frame is within reason since the installer is already going to be making modification to the frame to mount the leveling system. In the long run the frame will then be stronger which is not a terrible thing other than it adds extra weight.

[Jon in AZ]

John, I just saw your edit and removed my post.

[John in Michigan]

Always check the manual (or in the case of Casita, could even check with the manufacturer) before jacking the camper off the ground, i.e., more than 15% of the weight of the trailer. Generally I would only use a jack to lift 50% of the weight of the camper close to the axle, e.g., for changing tires. Jacking anywhere else under the frame runs the risk of twisting the frame. Using the tongue jack and corner jacks to stabilize the camper after it has been leveled left to right generally involves holding less than 15% of the weight of the camper.

It is very easy to bend or twist the frame of a Trillium, Boler, or Burro. Definitely beef up the frame if you wish to jack the entire camper off the ground from a corner or from the tongue! Edit: And yes most tongue jacks are easily capable of lifting the camper off the ground wheels and all, but of course if I tried this my camper's frame would simply fold up!

[John in Michigan]

Don, what are you doing now that requires lifting more than 10 pounds? I believe that with your current equipment, you shouldn't have to lift more than 10 pounds.

I previously "man-handled" the tongue and trailer to get it in position. I hurt my shoulder doing it and now I avoid doing this or get help.

Also, you can buy a powered device for moving the camper.

[charlsara]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

i use a curved wedge leveler under the low side tire, drive up onto it til the trailer is level left-to-right, then unhitch and use the nose jack to level front-to-rear. these wedges are individually quite light. once the trailer is at the right height left-right, you then put a chock wedge under the 'thin' side of the wedge, as well as chock the other tire.

I hate the style of stabilizers that the Casitas come with, BAL stabilizers, which use a screw something like half a scissors jack, are much better, you can put them up/down with a battery powered electric drill and a 3/4" socket, instead of the supplied crank.

especially if you're camping solo, you don't actually *need* the stabilizers down... they are just so when one person is walking around the trailer, the other person doesn't feel as much bouncing.


re curved wedge levelers, the best known brand is Andersen, but I'm now boycotting them, and would likely get these if I was buying them now.
https://www.amazon.com/Camco-Curved-.../dp/B06XPDKJN7

John, I have one of the Andersons. It works great. Should I be boycotting them?

[Glenn Baglo]

Boycott is up to you. If an exec/owner of a firm that sell recreational equipment defaces a national monument, do you buy stuff from that firm? It's Andersen, not Anderson. Story link below.


https://www.idahostatejournal.com/me...53287525d.html

[mary and bob]

Gelnn, do you know what the end result was, fine, jail time, or what?

[Glenn Baglo]

Originally Posted by mary and bob

Gelnn, do you know what the end result was, fine, jail time, or what?

I do not.

[rbryan]

Originally Posted by mary and bob

....do you know what the end result was, fine, jail time, or what?

He pled guilty recently and paid a fine and restitution.

https://www.justice.gov/usao-ut/pr/a...estitution-blm

The scratches on the arch have since been repaired. As part of his plea, he is not allowed to enter or use any BLM, Forest Service or NPS property for a year and a half. By all accounts he is owning up to it and is also raising money for the benefit of the National Park Service, etc. But of course it doesn't necessarily mean he's sorry vs sorry he was caught.

I purchased an Andersen hitch long before this happened. Would I buy one now? Not sure - but I have no intention of replacing the one I have.

[Steve L.]

Originally Posted by Donald Watts

HELP ! I am looking for a solution,

I have a bad back, the Doctor has told me not to lift anything that weights more than 10 lbs.

I am looking for a way to leveling my Casita 17. without any lifting. I know the bigger rigs have electric leveling devices.

….

I have the same note from my doctor but not for my back.

What lifting? Bending over yes, but no lifting.

[charlsara]

Thanks for the info Glenn. I believe in redemption. This guy has paid for his mistake. So I would buy another Andersen if I needed one.

[trainman]

DONALD, Leveling from side to side there should be no weight involved as the wheel levelers weight very little (plastic ones). I then unhitch and find out with the tongue where level front to rear is, then I drop the power tongue jack down just a little ( 1/2"-3/4" ), lower the rear factory stabilizers down as far as they will go, but don't jack them tight, I now raise the tongue jack back to where the trailer is level, this puts a little pressure on the stabilizers and all should be level. Do note that you only want a lot pressure on the stabilizer as they are not designed for a lot of weight. This system works well for me and I lift very little weight, no where close to 10 lbs. If your electric jack is starting to struggle, you are lifting too much weight, no need for that. You will figure where to set the stabilizers, it may take a time or two, but soon it will become apparent on what to do. Be sure to show your wife as she may have to help someday.

trainman

[Gringoglass]

Other than the relatively easy winding the stability jacks at the four corners of the trailer what would involve any effort and especially what would require lifting?
The four corner stabilization jacks are not for major levelling. Trailer frames are not strong enough. Driving the trailer onto however many 2x8 boards pilled up under one side will cure a badly levelled campsite.

[John in Santa Cruz]

Originally Posted by Gringoglass

Other than the relatively easy winding the stability jacks at the four corners of the trailer what would involve any effort and especially what would require lifting?
The four corner stabilization jacks are not for major levelling. Trailer frames are not strong enough. Driving the trailer onto however many 2x8 boards pilled up under one side will cure a badly levelled campsite.

otoh, a 4' long 2x8 exceeds his 10 lbs limit (standard softwood 2x8 is 2.65 lbs per foot).

I would use plastic "lego" leveling blocks, or one of the aforementioned curved wedges, they are much lighter.