Leveling- Slide In or Out?
Hi Everyone, I've seen some videos on YouTube where some people level their trailer with the slide out while others say "no" do it with the slide in. I would think with the slide out you would have m...
Forum Discussion
When we first bought our trailer, we quickly learned that leveling first, then letting the stabilizers down, then the slide out, is guaranteed to leave the trailer leaning towards the slide side.
After some trial and error, some measurements, and some easy geometry, I came up with a way to get ahead of this. We actually level our trailer tilted to the opposite side of the slide. Then let the stabilizers down, then move the slide out and she settles to level.
I have a 4 foot level that I place across a specified portion of the v-tongue of the trailer. This level has a bolt with washers that is placed on the tongue surface opposite the slide to set the initial (and carefully calculated) tilt. I then use quarters to shim either side of this crooked level until it is "level".
From the geometry of the tongue and the wheel width, I have a table that calculates how much shim we need to put under the wheels based on the number of quarters it takes to reach modified "level". I carry 2 different thicknesses of plywood plus the normal 1" plastic blocks for extreme situations.
The key to this was the realization that the x-shaped electric stabilizers on front and back of the trailer actually pivot in the middle. If you level it to true level before you let the slide out, the only way it will stay that way is if you have jacks on all 4 corners.
I'm a mechanical engineer, I'm retired, and I'm OCD. This works for us, and I enjoyed figuring it out. Be gentle.
After some trial and error, some measurements, and some easy geometry, I came up with a way to get ahead of this. We actually level our trailer tilted to the opposite side of the slide. Then let the stabilizers down, then move the slide out and she settles to level.
I have a 4 foot level that I place across a specified portion of the v-tongue of the trailer. This level has a bolt with washers that is placed on the tongue surface opposite the slide to set the initial (and carefully calculated) tilt. I then use quarters to shim either side of this crooked level until it is "level".
From the geometry of the tongue and the wheel width, I have a table that calculates how much shim we need to put under the wheels based on the number of quarters it takes to reach modified "level". I carry 2 different thicknesses of plywood plus the normal 1" plastic blocks for extreme situations.
The key to this was the realization that the x-shaped electric stabilizers on front and back of the trailer actually pivot in the middle. If you level it to true level before you let the slide out, the only way it will stay that way is if you have jacks on all 4 corners.
I'm a mechanical engineer, I'm retired, and I'm OCD. This works for us, and I enjoyed figuring it out. Be gentle.
