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Trying to level my motorhome

SHRED
Explorer
Explorer
Any geometrical math folks out there?

I have a sloping driveway I want to park a 27 foot RV on but have it level. Wheelbase is 149".

I used a 2 foot level, placed it on the driveway, lifted it to level, measured the gap and it was 1 1/8".

What is the height or ramps I need for the front tires as I will be backing in?
2021 27' Lazy Daze mid bath
13 REPLIES 13

WinMinnie02
Explorer
Explorer
For parking at home and depending on your situation, created large concrete ramp/platform to back up the vehicle to level it out. More complex but long term solution; bags of concrete, rebar, mix it yourself, wheelbarrow. For campsites used 2x6 different sizes to put under the tires if you must. Plastic ones are not very good.

bobndot
Explorer II
Explorer II
Most absorption fridges will work properly as long as they are within 2 degrees of level side to side and 4 degrees of level front to back.

looking at the fridge : New models of RV fridges are more forgiving, with proper operation within 3 degrees of level side to side and 6 degrees of level front to back.

If your rv is 22 feet long, it would have to be approx. 12-14" off level in order to be more than 3 degrees off level.

Even though I have a 4 way set of levels inside my MH, if I pull into a rest area for an hour to three, if its feels level im ok with it.
If my doors are not slamming closed and my sinks are draining, I have been fine with that degree of being level my entire rv life, never having to replace an rv fridge.

klutchdust
Explorer II
Explorer II
HHmm...I always used the add a board, check the level, add another board method. :B

wanderingaimles
Explorer
Explorer
By your measurement
1 1/8th inch rise per 2 feet of run
Just over 12' wheelbase which is slightly more than 6 times your levels length.
so six times your 1 1/8 inch equals,,,,, about 7 inches.

DrewE
Explorer II
Explorer II
Rather than placing the level on a 2x4, simply put the motorhome where you'd like to park it and put the level on the motorhome floor...and then do the math. There are a couple of advantages to this: first, you get the slope between the actual points where the tires are; and second, if you have any "built-in" slope to the motorhome due to the front or rear riding higher or lower, you take that into account.

(It also helps that you have your motorhome handy whenever you want to level it, while many people don't tend to carry 2x4s with them wherever they go.)

I made a simple little ruler-like measuring stick awhile ago that was calibrated in number of ramps--I used 2x10s of various lengths with beveled ends, stacked as needed--to get level, measuring up how high one end of the level needed to be raised from the motorhome floor. Once side of my ruler was calibrated for front-to-back leveling, the other for left-to-right. I don't really use it anymore because with practice I can now eyeball it based on the level's height without needing the scale, but it was quite handy at first.

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
And unless you’re living in it in your driveway, if the ramp height gets beyond practical height for you, there is no need to have it perfectly level to use or run the fridge.
Assuming fridge on a sidewall, you can operate it safely on a 4-6% slope
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Grit_dog
Navigator
Navigator
Check the slope of the RV floor where you intend to park it instead of the driveway. Either on the blocks or off. Takes the inconsistency of the driveway out of the equation.
2016 Ram 2500, MotorOps.ca EFIlive tuned, 5” turbo back, 6" lift on 37s
2017 Heartland Torque T29 - Sold.
Couple of Arctic Fox TCs - Sold

Wayfarer
Explorer
Explorer
Well this did not work. The formatting was lost.

1 1/8 = 1.125"
2ft = 24"

1.125 X
----- = -----
24 149

(1.125 * 149)
X = ------------ =6.98
24
2021 Tiffin Wayfarer 25RW

SHRED
Explorer
Explorer
Pangaea Ron wrote:
Is the driveway not a constant slope?

Try the level on a 8' or longer 2x4, and measure in several locations along the slope.


It looks consistent but I'll try that.
2021 27' Lazy Daze mid bath

Pangaea_Ron
Explorer
Explorer
Is the driveway not a constant slope?

Try the level on a 8' or longer 2x4, and measure in several locations along the slope.
2008 Itasca SunCruiser 35L
2014 Honda AWD CR-V EX-L

SHRED
Explorer
Explorer
Pangaea Ron wrote:
149 / 24 = 6.2
6.2 x 1.125 = 6.975 inches


Here's what's weird.
My current RV is shorter and my ramp lift is about 11 inches total to bottom of tire.

That still isn't quite enough for level.
2021 27' Lazy Daze mid bath

Pangaea_Ron
Explorer
Explorer
149 / 24 = 6.2
6.2 x 1.125 = 6.975 inches
2008 Itasca SunCruiser 35L
2014 Honda AWD CR-V EX-L

FordMastertech
Explorer
Explorer
SHRED wrote:
Any geometrical math folks out there?

I have a sloping driveway I want to park a 27 foot RV on but have it level. Wheelbase is 149".

I used a 2 foot level, placed it on the driveway, lifted it to level, measured the gap and it was 1 1/8".

What is the height or ramps I need for the front tires as I will be backing in?

Somewhere around 7 inches
Tim & Donna :W
04 Prowler 830Y lots of mods 5200 lbs Axles 16 inch LT E tires
00 Ford Excursion Limited 4x4 7.3 PSD Pullrite Prodigy Autometer Gauges Magnaflow Exhaust DP Tuner Chip Terminator Big Oil :C