New Leveling Solution

rotus8

rotus8

Ranger
Donating Member
I have added a couple of new gadgets to our trailer. Leveling is one of those chores that I find necessary almost everywhere we camp. I also don't like having one wheel up in the air when the spot is way out of whack. The first gadget is an interesting shaped wedge set:
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The idea is that you jam the small end of the big wedge under the lower wheel and drive a little until the trailer is level. Then you jam the smaller wedge in to hold the wheel and you are done. The advertising for this wedge says it can raise the wheel up to four inches, but in actual use I think much over three inches is inadvisable; if you need more than four inches, the old fashioned Lego blocks are still the best. I got mine from Amazon: Amazon.com: Andersen Camper Leveler 3604: Automotive

The other gadget I got allows checking the trailer level from inside the tow, and watching it while adjusting the wedge leveling block. The device is the Level Mate Pro Bluetooth, I got it from Amazon too: Amazon.com: LevelMatePRO - Bluetooth® Vehicle Leveling System: Automotive
What you get in the package is a fairly small box that is mounted on the trailer. I mounted it inside the left front outside storage cupboard in our 560.
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Two screws and done. Then you download the phone app; there are Android and Apple versions of the app. To set up, first you carefully level the trailer so the device can calibrate itself. Then the app connects to the level box using Bluetooth and you enter the distance between the trailer wheels, and the distance between the center line of the wheels and the tongue jack. With this information, the level can compute the amount of adjustment needed at the wheels and tongue jack.

When you get to your camping spot, you turn on the level (a small switch on the bottom) and start the app on your phone or ipad. The app tells you how much you need to add to the low wheel to level side to side.
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If you use Lego blocks, you can make a stack for the low wheel and drive onto it. If you use the curved wedge you can simply drive the tow a little bit until the app shows side to side level. At this point, you can unhitch and finish the front to back level with the tongue jack. Finally I use the leveling jacks to stabilize the trailer and tweak the final level, but its very easy because the level is close and both wheels are supported.

I was a little skeptical about the Bluetooth connection to the box inside the aluminum skinned trailer compartment, but it has no problem connecting, even from the driver's seat of my tow; I can watch the level on my dash mounted phone while adjusting the level. My other concern is the battery life in the level; it has only a coin battery. It has a battery management strategy which should help, but it also has a switch on the box which if switched off any time it is not being used should make the battery last a long time. When I get to the parking spot, I open the compartment and switch on the box; I leave the door open to remind me to switch it off again.
 
Two *very* cool gadgets - thanks for sharing.
I've used the lego blocks a lot. When I'd had some experience with them I could eyeball what would be needed. But, I think they're more to store than your wedges?
 
Storage of the wedges is similar to a pack of Legos or maybe a bit less, but at least for now I am keeping both - since the wedges only go up to 3 inches or so, the Legos are still needed for places we go.
 
Finally installed the LevelMate. Works perfectly with an Anderson leveler. Just back up until the app shows level and done. No more using the stabilizer jacks to level or jumping in and out of the truck to check the level. Awesome
 
If you have an Iphone and an Apple Watch the app “Clinometer” can be helpful. I place the iphone on the camper, activate the app on both the watch and phone, then go to the three leveling points and read the watch as I level.
 
Nice gear! I feel pretty lame with my leveling system. It's an angled 2 x 4 that I grabbed out of the shed and a bubble T-level on the tongue. Close enough!
 
I want one. I’ve got a class A I’m upgrading to an ultra 560... andI’ll miss two things...head/shower....and my auto leveling jacks....

It’s sad $20 worth of parts costs this much....but darned cool.
 
One Camp-Inn tip we teach in new customer orientation. Never level your camper with a bubble level on the tongue or steel frame of the camper. Because the Camp-Inns are a monocoque construction we use a rather flexible steel frame under it. This makes for a great off road camper as the frame can flex and twist under the camper but the camper body remains perfectly rigid at all times.

Because the tongue jack is off to one side once you disconnect the camper from the ball of the tow vehicle the frame twists away from the jack a bit. This is why some customers observe their jack appears to lean a bit to the side. If you place your bubble level on the tongue you will get a bad reading and end up with a camper that is off level.

For left and right leveling use the aluminum ledge directly behind the galley countertop to set the bubble level or smart phone with a carpenter app. Don't set the level on the countertop because it can give odd readings due to thermal expansion and such.

For front and back open a cabin door and set the level on the door frame.

Cary
 
In case any Android users find it helpful, the "GPS Status" app in the Google Play Store has a built-in level (along with a bunch of other useful information). There are plenty of other apps that do similar things, but I've really liked this one and keep coming back to it. It works superbly for levelling our 560.

If you're not a techie, here's how it works:
In the attached image, the tan-colored circle that is offset from the center of the compass circle moves around as the angle of your phone changes. When everything is level, the tan circle centers in the exact middle of the compass circle, and the Pitch/Roll numbers both go to "000" (degrees). The Pitch/Roll numbers in the image, U12 L04, mean that my phone was tilted toward the top by 12 degrees and to the left by 4 degrees. All of the other information isn't really necessary for levelling, but is great for navigation...it even shows which GPS satellites you're using.

Link:
https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.eclipsim.gpsstatus2&hl=en_US&gl=US
 

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Cary,

That makes a lot of sense, thanks for the info! I suppose I don't worry too much about being perfectly level. The only issues I've noticed when off-level is rainwater runoff and the oil in the cast iron skillet pooling to one side. I suppose drainage from A/C condensate would also be an issue, but that doesn't get used much.
 
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