One of the most overlooked aspects of a successful camping trip is ensuring your travel trailer is properly set up. You’ve found the perfect campsite, backed in, and are ready to relax—but if you don’t use your leveling jacks correctly, that relaxing evening can quickly become an annoying experience of swaying floors, creaking sounds, and even potential damage to your RV’s systems . This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about travel trailer leveling jacks, turning a confusing task into a simple part of your setup routine.
Key Takeaways
- Leveling vs. Stabilizing: These are two distinct jobs. Leveling makes the trailer flat for appliances to work correctly, while stabilizing stops the trailer from rocking and swaying. Your jacks are for stabilizing, not heavy lifting .
- The Right Order Matters: Always level your trailer side-to-side with blocks or ramps before you even unhitch. Then, use your tongue jack for front-to-back leveling and, finally, deploy your stabilizer jacks .
- Choosing the Right Jack: You’ll mostly choose between a manual tongue jack (budget-friendly and durable) and an electric one (convenient and easy to use). For stabilizers, scissor jacks are the standard and can be manual or powered .
- Safety First: Never use stabilizer jacks to lift the trailer off the ground or to level it side-to-side. This can cause serious damage to the jacks and the trailer’s frame .
What Are Travel Trailer Leveling Jacks? (And What They’re Not)
It might sound like splitting hairs, but there is a critical difference between a “leveling jack” and a “stabilizer jack” that too many RVers, especially beginners, get wrong.
Leveling is the process of making your travel trailer perfectly flat from side-to-side and front-to-back. This is crucial for your refrigerator to cool efficiently and for your comfort . Leveling is primarily done with:
- Leveling Blocks or Ramps: These are placed under the wheels on the low side for side-to-side leveling .
- The Tongue Jack: This is the jack at the front of your trailer (the “A-frame”). You use it to level your trailer front-to-back after you’ve unhitched from your tow vehicle .
Stabilizing, on the other hand, is the job of those four jacks you see at the corners of your travel trailer. These are stabilizer jacks (often scissor jacks). Their sole purpose is to eliminate the movement—the rocking and swaying—that happens when you walk around inside .
The Golden Rule: You must level the trailer first using blocks and the tongue jack. Only then do you lower the stabilizer jacks to touch the ground. They are meant for stabilization only and can be bent or broken if you try to use them to lift or level the trailer .
The Two Main Players: Tongue Jacks vs. Stabilizer Jacks
To make the right choice for your setup, it’s helpful to understand the two main categories of jacks you’ll be dealing with.
1. The Tongue Jack: The Master of Front-to-Back Leveling
This jack is mounted on the tongue (the “A-frame”) of your trailer. It’s the one you use to raise and lower the front of the trailer to connect and disconnect from your tow vehicle .
Manual Tongue Jacks: These feature a hand crank. They are durable, simple, and less expensive. The main downside is the physical effort required, especially on uneven ground .
Electric Tongue Jacks: These are gear-driven and operate at the push of a button. They are a massive convenience, saving your back and time. They run on your 12V RV battery. Most have a manual override if your battery dies .
When choosing, always ensure the jack is rated for your trailer’s tongue weight . To be safe, it’s better to have a jack with a higher capacity than one that is too weak.
2. Stabilizer Jacks: The Cornerstones of Comfort
These are the jacks you’ll place at the four corners (or near the wheels) of your travel trailer’s frame after you’re set up. They are often scissor jacks and are designed to stop that annoying side-to-side rocking .
Manual Scissor Jacks: The most common type for travel trailers. A crank handle is used to extend and retract them. Many people use a cordless drill with a socket adapter to speed up the process .
Electric Stabilizers: These are permanently mounted and deploy with a button. They are a high-end convenience, making setup incredibly fast. However, they are more expensive and have more parts that could potentially break .
Tripod Jacks: A portable and affordable option for extra support, mainly used under the front tongue of a fifth wheel to prevent chucking . They are typically not a primary stabilizer for a travel trailer.
The Essential Setup Process: A Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these steps in order for a rock-solid setup every time.
- Check and Level Side-to-Side: This is your first and most important step. Before you unhitch from your tow vehicle, use a level (a simple bubble level is fine, or you can use a Bluetooth leveling system) to check how unlevel your trailer is side-to-side .
- If you’re low on the driver’s side, use leveling blocks or a curved wedge (like from Andersen or Beech Lane) on the driver’s side tires. Drive onto them slowly until the level reads “good.”
- Chock the Wheels: Once your trailer is level side-to-side, place sturdy wheel chocks on both sides of your tires to prevent it from rolling . This is a non-negotiable safety step.
- Level Front-to-Back with the Tongue Jack: Now you can safely unhitch from your tow vehicle. Use your manual crank or press the button on your electric tongue jack to raise or lower the front of the trailer until the bubble level reads “good” front-to-back .
- Place Jack Pads: Before you deploy your stabilizer jacks, place a jack pad or a flat piece of wood (like a 2×8 board) under each jack. This provides a solid, level surface and prevents your jacks from sinking into soft ground or mud .
- Deploy the Stabilizer Jacks: Using your crank handle, socket driver, or electric button, lower each corner stabilizer jack until it just makes contact with the jack pad .
- Critical Tip: Don’t over-extend them! You only want them to touch the ground firmly. Using them to lift the trailer off its suspension will overload them and can cause damage .
- Final Check: Go back around to each jack and give it another small turn or two (for manual jacks) to ensure it’s snug. The goal is to remove any wiggle without lifting the trailer. If you’re staying for a few days, it’s a good idea to re-check them the next morning as they can settle .
Installation and Maintenance
How to Add Leveling Jacks
If your travel trailer didn’t come with stabilizer jacks, you can add them. You have two choices: bolt-on or weld-on.
- Bolt-on: This is the most beginner-friendly option. You’ll measure and mark the proper spots on the frame, drill holes, and bolt the mounting brackets into place .
- Weld-on: This provides a stronger, more permanent connection but requires welding skills or a professional .
Pro-Tip: The best place to mount stabilizers is near the center of the trailer, close to where the axles attach to the frame, rather than at the extreme corners .
Keeping Your Jacks in Top Shape
A little maintenance goes a long way. Here’s how to keep your jacks working smoothly:
- Lubricate: Keep the exposed rods on your tongue jack and electric stabilizers clean. Spray them with a silicone-based lubricant every three months (or more frequently if you’re in a salty environment) to prevent rust and keep them operating smoothly .
- Grease: Some manual scissor jacks have a zerk fitting (a small grease nipple). Give them a pump or two of grease annually to keep the gears happy .
- Clean: When you’re packing up camp, spray the jacks off with water to remove mud and grime, letting them dry before you hit the road.
- Don’t Overlook the Manual Override: If you have an electric jack, familiarize yourself with the manual override crank and keep it handy. If your battery dies, you’ll still be able to hitch up .
What You Should Avoid
- Don’t use stabilizers to level. This is the most common and costly mistake .
- Don’t forget to retract them before moving. Make absolutely certain all corner jacks are fully retracted before you raise the tongue jack to hitch up to your tow vehicle . If you don’t, you’ll be driving with your jacks down and will likely destroy them.
- Don’t use a high-impact drill on manual jacks. A cordless drill with a socket adapter is fine for speed, but an impact driver can strip the gears or damage the jacks. Use it gently or stick with the manual crank .
Conclusion
Mastering your travel trailer’s leveling and stabilization system is one of the most empowering skills you can learn as an RVer. It’s the foundation for a safe, comfortable, and stress-free camping trip. By understanding the clear difference between leveling and stabilizing, following the proper setup sequence, and performing routine maintenance, you’ll ensure your home on wheels is always solidly grounded and ready for adventure.