A-Frame Campers & Levels

gsocamper · 08-02-2011, 09:13 AM

Hi all. New to the forum with a New Rockwood A128, but not new to camping. Any other a-frame owners out there that could share their info on levels for the a-frames? We have tried to decide where to place levels on ours, but everywhere we place a level, we come up different. We have tried the bumper, the tongue, the top, etc - even on the top - if you put it on the higher end we get a different reading from the low end. Any suggestions? Thanks.

hardsider · 08-02-2011, 03:55 PM

Don't beat yourselves up.... This isn't rocket science. I just camped 20 nights in our new A122 and we just used silicone to glue a two way level on the tongue. We used Lynx leveling blocks from Wmart on the low wheel. Since the tongue jack ensures you will be level fore to aft a small side to side tilt is hardly noticable. I think you should just pick a surface and use it... The advantage of the tongue is that you can see it while operating tongue jack.

We love our camper! Exciting in a heavy thunderstorm tho'.

gsocamper · 08-02-2011, 08:37 PM

I agree with you Hardsider. My concern was my a/c didn't drain much over the very hot weekend we just had. I am afraid it wasn't draining due to the camper not being level and that maybe it was just sitting in the pan? Mine didn't drain from the time we turned it on Friday afternoon until some time on Saturday (which is when I turned it off just to see). What kind of experience have you had with the drain on your a/c? The a/c did seem to work fine. Just being overly cautious as this was our first outing with it?

hardsider · 08-02-2011, 11:42 PM

I didn't monitor that very closely but did notice some water run from the drain hose as I was hooking up my trailer after camping. As I operated the tongue jack I did see some water drain as the level of the trailer changed. All I know is that on a three week camping trip we used the a/c frequently and never experienced any problem and I did see water under the trailer from the drain.

My only complaint about my unit is the limited storage space. I have a cap on my pick up so I have space...it is just so hard to get at stuff further forward in the bed. I am considering some sort of sliding tray for my pickup. Sleeping in the trailer was just great as long as there was no severe thunderstorms in the area.

toleworks · 08-03-2011, 03:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gsocamper

Hi all. New to the forum with a New Rockwood A128, but not new to camping. Any other a-frame owners out there that could share their info on levels for the a-frames? We have tried to decide where to place levels on ours, but everywhere we place a level, we come up different. We have tried the bumper, the tongue, the top, etc - even on the top - if you put it on the higher end we get a different reading from the low end. Any suggestions? Thanks.

What works for me anyway...open up the unit, place a small topedo level on the counter top near the door, put bal leveler under low side tire if its way off level (i use the stabilizers if its just a little off), turn the torpedo fore and aft and finish the job using tongue jack.

D-mo · 08-10-2011, 02:20 PM

i level with a BAL wheel level, and find my level with a medium length carpenters level across the back of the roof ... and on the rail where the RV and table thingy are supposed to hang ...
I have noted during our trip out to Virginia Beach that the heat exchanger was not draining really all that well also ... so what i did was just take a small piece of wood and push down the forward water exit port abit .... which allowed it to drain at a furious rate.
Temps were hitting 120 degrees with the humidity that week .. and that little unit performed like a champ.

not to highjack this thread .. but have any of you guys had finish problems with the fidge on your units ... my finish has completely rubbed off in on spot where a bag rubbed up against it ... im quite upset as upon close inspection .. the stainless steel is not true stainless ... but a "faux finish" make to look like it .... im am taking the issue up with my dealer and forest river ... as i think that they should know that the finish on the fridges are an issue ..

cheers .. dmo

a122
nissan frontier 4x4

rawlus · 08-22-2011, 09:16 PM

Use a bal tire leveler for side to side adj.
For checking level I use an iPhone app. Multilevel on the tongue.

ng2951 · 08-23-2011, 08:52 AM

BAL is a great leveler. Simple and it works well.

For leveling itself, I always carried a bullet level and picked a few points on the trailer to level against. After you level a few times you know exactly where to put the bubble.

I keep the level in the truck pocket...

LakeCumberlandCamper · 10-01-2011, 04:18 AM

I have found that the frame isn't perfectly straight from front to back or side to side, as I have had to level mine perfectly for the entire season's use at the same spot. Our site isn't even close to being level. I use a marked cup of water to check several spots inside the camper as we used the jackstands, blocks and then treated wood scraps to get it just right!

Jeep4Two · 10-04-2011, 11:42 AM

After getting our A126 home I used a standard carpenters level on the floor just I side the door to get the camper level. I had one low side so backed up on to a step stone paver and had my side to side perfect. Set the front to rear with the tongue jack and put the stabilizers down.
After returning fro the local ChinaMart I found that the front edge of the camper top was the perfect spot for the el cheapo Camco bubble levels. Added one tot the front and one on the passenger side down by the small storage door near the bottom edge.

I can see both levels when standing near the jack, and DW is getting good at helping out too.

So far out camping we have just used a set of Lynx Levelers to get the side to side and tongue jack to bring the bubbles to center. Been perfect for us so far, and was a cheap solution.

hardsider · 10-04-2011, 11:54 AM

I too have found the Lynx leveling "legos" plenty good. I thought about the BAL leveling system but usually one block level or two at the most works great. I back the trailer in position , check side to side level, place the blocks, and then pull forward the sort distance onto the blocks. I think it is faster than using the BAL but I speak from ignorance having never used that hardware. I know many here swear by it.

One thing I have found is that you should always put the roof and walls up BEFORE cranking down the stabilizer jacks. I tried it the other way and the frame must have deflected out of level just enough that the wall latches wouldn't all engage correctly. My suggestion, set up the unit before stabilizing.

D-mo · 10-04-2011, 02:35 PM

good point hardsider ... this stabilizer before popping up has caused me a few headscratches too ... and i do not crank mine down hard at all ...

d-mo

Jeep4Two · 10-04-2011, 05:00 PM

The only real issue I have with the bal leveler is the cost. I like the idea but at over $80 the lynx Levelers make better sense for me. Lynx Levelers require no tools and cost under $30 for a full set that should level you on any safe grade.

I saw a great write up somewhere on the net of a guy who made his own by cutting up some old stall mats (similar to a truck bed rubber mat). Of course if you had to buy the mat I think the cost comes out a bit high.

jjdcamper · 02-13-2013, 07:51 AM

I haven't leveled up my new Flagstaff Aframe yet but I did have a Flagstaff pop up, canvas sided type. I glued one small level on the back bumper for side to side and I opened the door and placed a 6" torpedo level on the floor for front to rear leveling, using the tongue jack. For side to side, I carry a 2" x 6" X 8" long piece of treated lumber and another one that is the same except I have two nailed together. I also carry a 1" X 6"" X 8"" block. That gives me the choice of 4 different adjustments. (I tried beveling both ends of both pieces but where I camp it is sandy and the blocks of wood would not stay still and would slide when the camper wheel would start up the bevel.) So, I just use my car's scissors jack, jack up the camper and place the appropriate size block under the lower tire. A bit of work but I couldn't figure out another way. (It's also a cheap way to level the camper.) I plan on using the same technique for my Aframe unless someone comes up with a better method. It also helps if you put a block of wood under the cars scissors jack for stability. The jacks foot alone might sink into the sand. Another thing you can try is digging a hole next to the high sided tire and back into the hole. I have always carried a small folding shovel, what us Army guys used to call an entrenching tool, to adjust the fire in the fire pit and clean the fire pit before I leave the campsite, and you can use that to dig the hole, saving the dirt under the camper to replace when I break camp. SAFETY TIP: When doing all this, I always have the opposite wheel well chocked. I pound the chock in tight with a rubber mallet when I'm either digging or jacking so the camper doesn't move. Leveling front to back can then be done using the camper jack, as we all know. For those of us that have a wheel on the bottom of the camper jack, I use a rubber cup that I bought at Walmart. I put down a 12" X 12" plate, put the rubber cup on top of the plate and lower the camper wheel onto the cup. And when I'm done leveling, I tightly chock the other wheel.
Jim

CCrane2299 · 02-13-2013, 02:33 PM

I used a 3 ft level in the center of the floor. Once it was level, I glued a circular level on the tongue, squishing it into the glue until it read level.

jjdcamper · 02-14-2013, 04:35 AM

CCrane:
That's a good tip. Of course, the longer the level, the more accurate the reading, and you only have to bring the long level with you once, or level it in your driveway. I use a circular level on my Coleman stove when I set it up on the picnic table. The stove must be perfectly level or all the liquids will always drain to one side, especially for frying.
Thanks,
Jim

rawlus · 02-14-2013, 10:59 AM

i just use a level app on the iphone, take measurements on the tongue in both directions. not looking for dead on balls accurate, just good enough to be comfortable and ensure proper working of everything. BAL and electric tongue jack make it all relatively easy and straightforward.

ttwest98 · 03-27-2013, 12:35 PM

been camping in popups for 40yrs, i m camping not expecting things to be perfect, use a 2ft level check a couple of place and its done, like the other guy said, its camping not rocket science

IndyRC · 04-04-2013, 12:40 PM

I use a smaller circular level in the fridge. When it's level there I call it a day.

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