We recently bought a pop up camper (aka tent trailer) and thankfully it came with a BAL leveler. In this article I’ll go over how easy it is to level a pop up camper using the BAL tire leveler. I’m not an expert yet, but this device makes it simple.
This handy gadget easily answers the question we had…which was ‘how do you level a pop up camper?‘
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Remember safety first and ensure you have wheel chocks on your pop up camper to ensure it won’t roll while leveling it.
Want to SEE it in action?
Check out my video showing how to level a pop up camper using the BAL leveler
How to Level the Pop Up Camper Side to Side using the BAL leveler
Once the pop up camper is parked where you want it, and the wheels are chocked, you need to level it. You need to level it side to side, and front to back.
Our Palamino Colt pop up camper has a bubble level attached to the back just below the center red light. This is how we can tell if our tent trailer is level side-to-side.
Leveling the Pop Up Camper with the BAL Tire Leveler
And how we actually ensure the pop up camper is level side-to-side is we have a handy tool called the BAL Single Axle Light Trailer Tire Leveler. (Some folks online just call it the Bal leveler.)
We look at the bubble level at the back, determine what side needs to be raised, and then we put the BAL tire leveler under the tire that needs to be raised.
So under the LOW side because the device raises the tire and hence that side of the camper.
Make sure the opposite tire has the wheel chocks to prevent rolling.
For me, using this tool is easier than trying to back it up onto leveling blocks, especially in tight spaces (and especially since I can’t back up very well yet).
Here is a picture of the BAL tire leveler’s product box so you can get an idea of what it looks like.
You slide the BAL leveler around the tire that needs to be raised so that the sides are flush with the tire (like it is cradling the tire). Then you ensure the bottom end of the threaded rod is inside the metal circle on the bottom metal plate. (The picture below shows this.)
Then you use the included ratchet (or your own tools) to turn the threaded rod. When you screw the rod down (turning clockwise) it elevates the tire.
It is helpful to have someone standing at the back of the trailer keeping an eye on the bubble level to tell you when you stop.
Here are a couple more pictures showing how we level our pop up camper side to side using the BAL leveler.
The instructions right on the BAL leveler say you need to place it, “…so that edge of tire lifting plates are even with the outer sidewall of the tire.” (You can see in my picture above that I should have brought the tool toward the outer wall of the tire just slightly.)
And I don’t know if it is required, but once I raise the tire to the desired height, I stick a piece of wood under the tire… just in case.
The one complaint I have so far about the BAL Tire Leveler is that the included ratchet isn’t very good: it keeps clicking out of gear. Now we did get the Tire Leveler used, so I can’t 100% guarantee that the ratchet wrench we received originally came with the product…but if it did, it isn’t great.
But you can always use your own 3/4″ ratchet or wrench.
If you want to make leveling your pop up camper easier, I suggest you check out the BAL leveler.
Covering the Threaded Rod on the BAL Tire leveler
Here is a little pop up camper hack for you…
If you use the BAL tire leveler on the same side as your door you can slide a pool noodle over the threaded rod for some extra protection.
29 proven Pop Up Camper Accessories (I included the BAL leveler in that article.)
How to Level a Pop Up Camper Front to Back
Leveling the pop up camper front to back is even more straight-forward than side to side.
Our Palamino Colt pop up camper has a bubble level mounted to the side – close to the door on the passenger side. You can see it in the picture below just above the electrical outlet box.
How you level the pop up camper front to back is by using the tongue jack (aka hitch jack) to raise or lower the front of the camper’s frame until the camper is level.
Once again it is handy to have someone else telling you when you’ve adjusted it to level. Otherwise you just need to walk back and check the bubble level yourself after every few turns of the jack.
Stabilizing the Pop Up Camper
After the pop up camper (tent trailer) is level side to side and front to back it can be stabilized. Stabilizing it prevents rocking and swaying while you’re inside the camper.
At the back of our pop up camper are two camper stabilizer jacks that swivel up parallel to the bumper when driving, and flip down when you need them to stabilize the unit.
Since the pop up campers is still pretty new to us, we haven’t purchased any additional stabilizing products (yet?). I’m thinking about getting something to help stabilize the front of the camper to prevent side-to-side sway up there.
If you want some ideas on how to stabilize a travel trailer or other RV you can check out this article.
I hope this article has answered your questions on how to level a pop up camper. And if newbies like us can do it using the BAL leveler, then you can too.
NOTE: I noticed the BAL Tire Leveler didn’t have the best reviews on Home Depot’s website, but a few of the one stars had to do with packaging…the condition of the box, not the product itself.
Click here to see the BAL Leveler on Amazon.
Up Next:
29 proven Pop Up Camper Accessories
31 proven Pop up Camper Storage Ideas
How to keep mice out of your camper (helpful for pop up campers too)
Pop Up Camper outlets not working? Check this first…
19 Popular RV Accessories you’ll see around the campground
Plus, check out:
- 75 Clever RV Organization Accessories
- RV security and Safety –> 16 products and tips
Thank you,
Tim from LearnAlongWithMe.com
