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Old 06-12-2003, 06:47 PM   #1
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Leveling a trialer

Have some questions about leveling a trailer. We use a 12" carpenter's level to level our 5th Wheel

A. Where is the best place to put the level

1. When leveling side to side? I get different readings if I put the level in the middle of the floor by the door or right next to the door or on top of the counter. Would it be good enough to level the front of the frame where the gas bottles are stored? The front steps don't seem to be very level to the frame, so I don't use them as a reference.

2. When leveling front to back? Have been using the center of the floor until I found out the floor is not really level. Have also tried the countertop by the stove. Simplest would be to use the metal trim around the belly of the trailer (avoiding rivets and caulking material).

I understand that I may be "guilding a lilly" getting so technical about this, that is just my nature. Sometimes I just want it perfect, not just "OK".

Thanks,
Dave
SOI 469



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Old 06-12-2003, 06:50 PM   #2
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Hi
I would level according to where fridge is located.



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Old 06-12-2003, 07:16 PM   #3
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Leveling

I use the belly band. Nothing in this old world is perfect and doesn't have to be. If you don't roll down the isle or out the door it's about right.

Ron



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Old 06-12-2003, 07:54 PM   #4
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Ron-

Thanks for that tip, that's a great idea!

I figure you more or less center the level on the side and then the rear or front?



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Old 06-12-2003, 08:09 PM   #5
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Leveling

I bought a package of 2 bubble levels in the RV section at Wal-Mart. The cost was less than $6. They have two way tape on the back of them. I glued one in the front center right above the belly band and the other beside the door above the belly band. That way you don't have to walk very far to see both when leveling.

Ron



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Old 06-12-2003, 08:14 PM   #6
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Dave;

The only thing that you really have to worry about when leveling the trailer is the refrigerator.

It can be damaged if you run it for long with the trailer too far out of level.

I use a circular bubble level and check four or five places on the floor of the refrigerator take an average and then adjust the levels on the outside of the trailer to match.

Casita uses the belly band as a reference to set the outside levels

:)



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Old 06-12-2003, 08:15 PM   #7
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I have one of those square levels with the bubble in the middle.
I have found on my Burro that if I put in on the flat part of the aframe hitch and center the bubble its pretty darn level inside all around. I don't know if it's just one of those lucky things or if it would work on all trailers.



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Old 06-12-2003, 09:17 PM   #8
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Dave D,

I’m with you. I understand what you mean. I went crazy trying to level my Casita. :chin The level was different every where I checked. The stove was one way. The floor was another. The refrigerator was different. The belly band was totally different. The bed was even more different.

So what is level? I decided I can’t change/fix everything, so I decided I needed to make sure the refrigerator was level. Everything else was sorta close & I didn’t roll out of bed.
:banana

I hope this helps.



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Old 06-12-2003, 10:15 PM   #9
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Gas absorbsant refrigerators that are in campers are sensitive to level orientation only side-to-side of the refrigerator. Since they are usually installed on a side wall of the camper, the camper should be leveled fore and aft. Side to side level doesn't matter.

The way to tell if the level is close enough is to open the back of the refrigerator and check that each of the zig-zag pipes slope upward somewhat. Most refrigerators can be quite a bit out of level before any damage will be done. But if things get grossly out of level such that the gasses cannot flow upward through the zig-zag pipes expensive damage can occur if you leave the propane heat going. I can vouch for that!!

So, buy some stick-on trailer levels. First level the trailer to the refrigerator. Then stick the stick-on levels on a convenient to see spot on the outside of the trailer. They will be very close to parallel with the belly band. If not, check the refrigerator level again.



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Old 06-12-2003, 10:21 PM   #10
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Yaah, the round bubble level in the fridge is my method as well.
Somewhere I saw a level you attach to the front of your fifth wheel which
you could see from the truck cab as you parked (sort of a ball in a tube?)
so you could check for level side to side.



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