The Gadgets We Use Every Place We Stop
We’ve been fulltime RVing for just over 4 months now. In that time, we’ve logged 7,600 miles and stayed at 30 different campsites. We move to a new destination every 4 days on average.
During that time, we’ve learned there are some items we wouldn’t do without simply because they make stopping and setting up so much easier and save us a lot of time. They also make living in an RV more comfortable and enjoyable. An RV that rocks and shakes is no fun to live in.
- Easy Levelers
- Leveling Blocks
- Bubble Levels
- Fifth Wheel King Pin Stabilizing Tripod
- Sewer Hose Support
The Andersen Camper Leveler is our go-to system for leveling our RV quickly and easily. These take the guess work out of trying to figure out how many blocks to use under each wheel. Just place the leveler under a wheel, drive up on it until the RV is level, then insert the included chock. These will lift from 0 to 4 inches (though in practice we only use them for up to a 3 inch lift). They don’t work in every situation, but we prefer them over the stackable leveling blocks if the ground is dry and relatively flat.
As a bonus, these will also work as a rapid jack system for super-quick tire changes on a dual-wheel or tandem axle RV. Just place one leveler under the undamaged tire and drive up. The flat tire will lift off the ground enough to change it. No special jack or jack stands needed.
When we need more than 3 inches of lift to level our RV, we use stackable leveling blocks. These are more convenient and safer than trying to use boards, they are light weight, and stack together so they don’t take up much space.
It is a lot easier to level your RV if you know how many inches you need to lift and which side needs lifting. Graduated Bubble Levels take the guesswork out of it. They mount to the front corner of the RV and indicate how many inches the RV needs to move up or down from front-to-back and side-to-side. Then you know exactly how many leveling blocks are needed and which side of the RV to place them.
Our 5th wheel used to wiggle and shake whenever we moved around. We could even feel the kids rolling over in bed at night. A King Pin Stabilizing Tripod solved the problem. It goes under the 5th wheel king pin and provides additional support to the front of the trailer. This prevents the 5th wheel from rocking or wiggling so it feels much more stable. No more feeling like we’re on the ocean!
We didn’t use a sewer hose support during the first month of our journey. Most places we stayed had decent hookups and the sewer drain was located in the right place. Then we started running into RV parks with oddly placed sewer hookups and sometimes our hose would be running uphill! This made it a real pain to drain the sewer. We now use a sewer hose support to make draining the stinky slinky an easier chore.
These five items are a must for RVers. They make RV setup quicker and easier so you can enjoy the time you have at each location.
What are your RV must haves? Leave us a comment below and we’ll spread the word!
