Best Place To Put Level

[Larkspeed]

I'm wondering what is the best place to put the a bubble level on a caravan.

I though to put it on the floor but it seems different places on the floor give different readings.

on the draw bar near the jockey wheel there seems to be a little patch painted in the shape of a bubble level:

Is this the best place to put it, tbh I never thought to ask the person I bought it from.

I do plan to buy a new bubble level as that one the lines have rubbed off.

[WispMan]

I use the work surface.

[Larkspeed]

there is no real work surface just two bits that fold out either side of the sink and stove

[Larkspeed]

there is an alloy strip that runs right across the front of the van above the gas locker and another that runs right down each side.

 

Can I assume that these two strips would be sufficient to put a spirit level on that get the level for side to side and front to back respectivley

[gmc15]

Think I would put it near the jockey wheel rather than on an alloy strip as that might flex and not give a true reading.

[Paul_B]

You need the fridge reasonably level and you need the shower and sink to drain, could you get them so they're ok, then try the level to see if its ok on the drawbar.

 

When I buy the caravan I check the fridge for level by putting the level inside on a shelf, then check the worktop and see if they match

[ericfield]

The best place to put the spirit level is where you can see it, while making the adjustment!

 

Never seen the point of jumping in and out of the van (especially when it's raining) to see if the kitchen sink is level. It's a simple matter of establishing the offset relationship between the sink (or other critical surface) and the place you want to position the level.

 

Get the caravan completely level at home, place the spirit level where you want to use it and either shim it to read level or record the bubble position for future reference. (I added new marks on the glass to get the bubble re-centred)

[Ich]

We put ours on the floor just inside the door on the basis that everything is built up on the floor. there is no guarantee that the floor is fully parallel to the chassis (OK it probably is) or that the plastic faring over the chassis near the towbar is correct.

Yes offset could be the way but as the front faring moves slightly it could alter

Edited July 12, 2014 by Ich

[Guest]

Mine is a T shaped twin level fixed on the window sill just inside the front window so I can see it when I'm levelling fore & aft and using the motor mover on ramps when doing it side to side. I levelled the van as best as I could on the drive and then shimmed the fixed level so it's correct. Worked for the last three vans

[DeadMeatUK]

I have mine on the A-frame, it's there so I can see while adjusting the jockey wheel. The down side is the A-frame flexes so isn't a true reading but it's close enough to keep your sausages from rolling to one side

[Larkspeed]

Unfortunatly as I already said my fan does not have window sills nor does it have a plastic cover over the draw bar.

 

And as I already stated placing it on the floor I get totaly different readings depending on where I place it so I cant be sure of which part of the floor is correct.

 

This is why I thought the steel plate bolted to the chassis right behind the hitch was the correct place since there is a spot that seems to be painted in the shape of a level.

 

lots of great suggestions but I don't have work surfaces that are fixed in place so they may not be level, I also don't have a shower so can't check that for flow.

 

I do have a sink and the water goes down it but I would suspect it would do that anyway.

 

I guess i'll just have to use that spot on the draw bar and hope for the best

Edited July 12, 2014 by Larkspeed

[Trevor Marron]

I bought two curved stick on levels from somewhere, each marking is one inch. You stick one on the front panel of the van and the other on the side at the front. Each step on my levelling ramps is two inches, so it makes it very easy to get it level left-to-right.

[phil s]

i use a 600mm stanley fat max level on the floor, i have tried on the work services both side of the caravan but both read differant, these small little 2 way levels are not accurate.

 

phil

[Littlemo]

I have a builders level it's about two foot long, I put it in the middle of the floor inside the door, level van and then put water in the sink and see if it drains away, if any water is left, readjust as necessary.

 

Works for me.

[JTQ]

We simply use the vertical vial of a 250 mm Stabila level on the van's acres of external side wall for cross axle and the horizontal vial on the rail for the awning skirt. If the van is twisted enough for these to be out by enough to be an issue then it is not safe to be on the road.

Saves all this entering the van faffing, pre addressing the Al-Ko Secure fitting.

[iansoady]

A few degrees either way won't make much difference. We have one of the 2-way ones as illustrated on the front fairing, stuck on with silicone. I calibrated it by ensuring the van was level with a builder's level on the floor inside.

[zen]

I get SWMBO lie on the front bunk bed, and if she falls off it's not level. but as a back up I put my level on the worktop beside basin

[Marks]

This has been discussed before, what I have done is take a variety of measurements inside the van, shower base, sink, worktops floor, and when I am happy the caravan is level, I have fixed my stick on level in the front windowsill so that it reads perfectly level, irrespective of what the windowsill is, so now when that reads level, I know the rest of the van follows suit.

[Guest]

So long as the bed is level enough not to feel as if it's sloping, and the fridge is approximately level, basically you've won!

 

The suggestion of leveling your van on the driveway, and then fixing a two way spirit level at a convenient location (packing it as necessary for a correct reading) appears to be the most practical.

 

Bear in mind though that the caravan chassis can be twisted slightly if the pressure on all four steadies is not equal, so recheck once the legs are down.

 

To answer the OP's question; the A-Frame will be fine for fixing the spirit level.

 

Quick checks:-

 

A very approximate check is to open the fridge door to 45º, and if it does not swing fully open, or closed, you probably 'aint far out

 

Another quick check is to place something cylindrical and smooth (baked bean tin?) on a flat surface such as a worktop or the floor, and if it does not roll away the 'van is level in that plane (repeat with the tin at 90º).

[Larkspeed]

Thanks for all the replies, I think i have it basically level now

[SamD]

I find that 'level' is different for every van! My current van has the sink plughole in one plane, the shower plughole in another (hate it when doesn't drain properly) and we sleep 'across' the van and prefer slight head up!

[Glen and Les]

We put the little spirit level on the floor (vinyl) just inside the door to get an approximation. Then I look at the van from outside and tell Les to alter it one way or the other - if it's good enough in my eyes then it's perfect! It is annoying though when the shower water won't drain away without some kicking about.

 

We have seen someone level their van end to end by using the Aquaroll fill up hose - he bent the hose and poured water in then held it up against a horizontal ridge on the van side, using the two water levels to check. This works as long as the mark you choose on the van is horizontal.

[Les Medes]

we use the floor, just inside the door, works a treat for us

 

Les

[Digger_07]

Me too,

[gooney1971]

I have to have mine slightly off level, so the water drains down the shower plug hole. .. The shower tray is level, and no fall to the plug hole. .. Annoying really. .. But works ok for us, and don't notice we are on the slant a bit.