# How do you judge your motorhome is level?



## peedee (May 10, 2005)

There is an old thread on this subject >here< but the title could be more specific so I thought it best to start another.

I don't like the "T" shaped indicators or the button indicators normally sold in accessory shops. In my post >here<  I show how I prefer to do it. It is easy to judge where to place the leveling blocks and it gives accurate results without leaving the drivers seat to continually check. Unfortunately I forgot to remove my simple levels when I sold the vehicle and am now in search of a cheap alternative for the replacement vehicle or any better ideas.

So what do you use to judge you are level?

peedee


----------



## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

I use the iLevel App on my iPhone - stick it on the kitchen top and hey presto!  Nev er fails


----------



## blondy (Aug 23, 2007)

Easy, lay your I pad on the work top with the level app,
Levels both ways and cheap. :lol:


----------



## lifestyle (Apr 27, 2008)

Tin of beans,if they roll it`s not level.Also the i phone.


----------



## peejay (May 10, 2005)

I use the 'T' shape indicators that you don't like :wink:










Pete


----------



## Pet12 (Oct 10, 2011)

Hi 
I just use and old spirit level on the floor, check both ways, usually works ok, I have heared of a saucer of water works fine but not while your going up the levelers lol , I always use the floor it's prob more level than the table. Pete


----------



## GerryD (Sep 20, 2007)

Pet12 said:


> Hi
> I just use and old spirit level on the floor, check both ways, usually works ok, I have heared of a saucer of water works fine but not while your going up the levelers lol , I always use the floor it's prob more level than the table. Pete


Yep, good old spirit level both ways on the floor suits me. Always reverse up ramps so can see the level whilst reversing.
Other point is to ensure that the foot end of the bed is always lower than the head end. Prevents Reflux.
Gerry


----------



## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Thanks, trouble with some ideas is you have to leave the driving seat to check. A solution which can be seen from the drivers seat is a must for me. I like Peejay's idea of the mount to place the "T" level on, I could be swayed with that one. I don't have an iPhone  so that could be an expensive solution when I don't really need one.

peedee


----------



## OllyHughes (May 19, 2009)

Glass of wine o the work top
Regards 
Olly


----------



## CliveMott (Mar 10, 2008)

I look and use my ears. Then the wife sees which way the fridge door swings if left half way open. Failing that I put the spirit level thingey on the table. Mostly I am about right.


----------



## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

peedee said:


> Thanks, trouble with some ideas is you have to leave the driving seat to check.


Mrs 1302 is always with me to do the checking


----------



## rowley (May 14, 2005)

I could use the spirit level on my Nokia N8, but I don't really worry about being level. If it looks reasonable that will do for me. 8)


----------



## IanA (Oct 30, 2010)

I couldn't believe that there wasn't a level surface on the dashboard, but my '03 Ducato doesn't have anywhere suitable. Can't use the floor - I'd step on the level.
We have a circular level with two rings - anywhere between them is OK, ouside that the fridge won't run on gas.


----------



## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Not an option for me Rowley, the wheelchair rolls where it shouldn't 
Its not good for fridge efficiency either.

peedee


----------



## MrsW (Feb 8, 2009)

We put a bit of water in the sink and watch where it goes. Easy, cheap and effective, and no problem as there are 2 of us!


----------



## Stanner (Aug 17, 2006)

MrsW said:


> We put a bit of water in the sink and watch where it goes. Easy, cheap and effective, and no problem as there are 2 of us!


Exactly - I thought that was what the sink was for :?


----------



## CliffyP (Dec 19, 2008)

If I roll out of bed its not level ( or to much vino). :wink: 

Bottle on worktop, if it rolls its not level :wink:


----------



## mikebeaches (Oct 18, 2008)

CliveMott said:


> I look and use my ears. Then the wife sees which way the fridge door swings if left half way open. Failing that I put the spirit level thingey on the table. Mostly I am about right.


Mainly guesstimate.

And more or less follow Clive's approach. Works for me.

Occasionally use a small spirit level after the event to assess how good or bad my judgement was.

When we used to have a caravan I'd to be very particular about getting it absolutely level, but for some reason now don't feel quite as precious about it in the MH? Perhaps it's just my age?


----------



## Pudsey_Bear (Sep 25, 2008)

*I did it my way*

or alternatively


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

peejay said:


> I use the 'T' shape indicators that you don't like :wink:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Same as Pete, but mine is set in a dollop of hard setting stuff (Plastic Padding I think) just by the quarter light on the driver's door.

Highly visible from the driving seat and so easy to use it isn't true.

Pity you don't like them Peedee. I can't think of a better or easier solution. :wink:

Dave


----------



## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

I dont bother checking the leveling ramps very often but when I do I use one of these as it tells you "beforehand" how many steps to go up to make it level.

http://www.milenco.com/products/levelling-ramps/super-level-indicator/

eg stop at site, read level both ways and determine say that I want two steps up on the left and one on the right. Then just do it. Quick and simple.

I had a T level once but found it inaccurate.


----------



## 1302 (Apr 4, 2006)

I did used to fill apint pot with cider on arrival and guage by how the drink st at the top of the pot  and then you drink it 

Looks a bit rough if youve arrived first thing in the morning


----------



## Zepp (May 14, 2009)

I know when I pull into pitch how level we will be and to be honest if the cooker lid stays up and the water drains we don’t care 

Paul


----------



## cabby (May 14, 2005)

I always have the missus put the t level on the tabel and back up and wait for the stop scream.
however i have a very good friend who used to work with cement, not sure what, however his gift is that he can look at a surface and place the vehicle spot on level. he proved it to me at the Roundhill site in the new forest, which is just a field. he just looked at the area and guided me where to stop and was spot on.

cabby


----------



## spykal (May 9, 2005)

cabby said:


> snip: he just looked at the area and guided me where to stop and was spot on.
> 
> cabby


He sounds like he's a level headed guy :roll:


----------



## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Dont bother. Dont even have the yellow blocky things. Might be something to do with sleeping on a boat for five years before we got the van and that moved a lot.

What I fail to understand though is why you often park somewhere pretty level and there is always a van who insists on using his blocks and ends up less level than he would have been without them. Whats all that about?

The only time its annoying is when your sloping backwards just enough so the toilet seat and lid decides to close on its own mid flow.


----------



## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Zebedee said:


> Pity you don't like them Peedee. I can't think of a better or easier solution. :wink:
> Dave


Like andrewball, I have always considered them to be not very accurate/sensitive. They are cheap enough though so in the absence of better ideas I might give one a try. I can always throw it away if I find it unsatisfactory. The main thing is it must be easily visible from the drivers seat.

peedee


----------



## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

peedee said:


> The main thing is it must be easily visible from the drivers seat. peedee


That's the key point for me too, and it's pretty easy to set the level in place with a lump of that hard-setting putty stuff.

They may not be laser-accurate, but I find mine plenty good enough to get us "_near enough_" level very quickly and easily, which is all we are bothered about.

Dave


----------



## colpot (Jun 9, 2008)

We use a 3 way spirit level which I keep in the storage beside me. I take it out put it on the top and once level put it back. Its great in the A class as the storage is next to me so I can see it.
In the coachbuilt I used to put it on the kitchen top and keep getting up to check it until level.
Having said that I only use levellers if Mrs Colpot says we are not very level. I usually try to get level buy manoevering around until Mrs C is happy. (Apologies to the C&CC site at Barnham on Saturday, those arent Crop Circles - it was me getting the best level view)


----------



## spykal (May 9, 2005)

Hi

For anyone wishing to fix a two bubble 3 way spirit level up in the cab :- it is far easier than you may have thought ... as mentioned earlier the level can be mounted on a blob of epoxy or even on some blue tack on the dash or on the drivers door armrest.

But the next bit is my smart ass :lol: tip: you do not have to have the van exactly level when you set up the spirit level in the cab, you can do it in a spare moment on the drive at home, without moving the van to get it level! .... all you have to do is take the spirit level to say the kitchen worktop and check the exact positions of the bubbles. Then return to the cab and fix the level somewhere handy with the blue tack making sure that the bubble positions are exactly as they were when it was on the work surface .... and that's it :wink: 

The next time you park up watch the level ...when the bubbles are centered the van is level.


Mike


----------



## Rosbotham (May 4, 2008)

Traditional spirit level for me.

Tried an app on my phone, wondered why I was off-level all weekend, then realised that when placed on a flat surface the curvature of the back of my phone meant it didn't actually lie level...

Like to get the van reasonably level, as there's only one drain hole in each of the sink & shower so otherwise am left with a puddle. And why, in this case, don't motorhome designers have the common sense to have the plughole in the _same_ corner in all the sinks/showertrays? If I can't get level so leave van on a slope oriented to allow shower to drain, it means the kitchen sink doesn't as its plughole will be up the slope. Vice versa obviously. My old van was the same. I mean it's not difficult...do these people ever live in the vans they churn out?


----------



## Mikemoss (Sep 5, 2005)

Ahh the wonderful Lambilevel - how I remember (and now miss) those wonderful gadgets from our caravanning days. I still have one, but really need two to do the job.

Instead, I found a little device on eBay which is basically a shaped block fits into the instrument cowl of the Ducato and has one of those circular bubble things on top. This shows me roughly how level I am as I move onto a pitch and is plenty accurate enough. I think I've only resorted to levelling blocks about three times in six years. 

Sorry I can't post a link to the supplier of this mircale device, as they seem to have disappeared. So I won't make everyone jealous by continuing to remark on how excellent and useful I've found it to be.

On another tack, has anyone else noticed how many of the more recent motorhomes seem to be naturally tail high? Presumably that means faffing about with levelling blocks every single time.


----------



## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

Peedee

I use a small round bulls eye type, its fixed in a position that I can see from the drivers seat, sometimes only moving a few feet will get the van level as you park, I had one once that lit up, very posh,

Loddy


----------



## DTPCHEMICALS (Jul 24, 2006)

I use the two way spirit level and Lady p.
I park on what looks like a level, Lady p alights with ramps which are kept in the Hab door way
I tell her where to put them :lol: 

Job done.

Dave p


----------



## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Mikemoss said:


> On another tack, has anyone else noticed how many of the more recent motorhomes seem to be naturally tail high? Presumably that means faffing about with levelling blocks every single time.


and I thought is was only the Mercedes chassis that did this. It does have its advantages too, park facing up the slope and you were level or it certainly helped to level up on the steeper slopes.

peedee

ps I'll add I have yet to come across a truely level pitch! |They are all sloped to some degree so they drain well.


----------



## xgx (Oct 14, 2005)

andrewball1000 said:


> ...
> http://www.milenco.com/products/levelling-ramps/super-level-indicator/
> 
> ...


 Thanks Andrew

Mine arrived today from here excellent service and negotiated price... if I'd 'phoned before 4pm (when Royal Mail collects) it would have been here the next day!!

all I need now is CCTV to tell me which level I'm on, on me quattros :roll:


----------



## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

[quote="xgx" Thanks Andrew Mine arrived today.. all I need now is CCTV to tell me which level I'm on, on me quattros :roll:[/quote]

Glad to pass on a tip. I only found out they existed long after I had my Milencos for some time. Very simple to use. Just make sure you stop on the top step.


----------



## nicholsong (May 26, 2009)

Glad to pass on a tip. I only found out they existed long after I had my Milencos for some time. Very simple to use. Just make sure you stop on the top step. [/quote]

Bought Milencos 2 years ago. First practice, fell off the top step! Haven't used them since. What a waste of money!

Geoff


----------



## philoaks (Sep 2, 2008)

Our Bolero is a bit tail high so usually have to use levelling blocks to correct that. As others have mentioned, we use an inch of water in the kitchen sink which works well.

One thing I always do though is to get SWMBO to watch me forward to the highest point on the block. If it looks too high once the water has settled down, then it's easy just to roll back down the ramp a little to correct it.


----------



## andrewball1000 (Oct 16, 2009)

nicholsong said:


> Bought Milencos 2 years ago. First practice, fell off the top step! Haven't used them since. What a waste of money!
> 
> Geoff


surely all ramps type levels have that ability?  My post was to do with the spirit level not the ramps.


----------



## xgx (Oct 14, 2005)

...none of them can beat the quattro for jamming under the arch 

doing a Flanagan? :lol:


----------



## Mrplodd (Mar 4, 2008)

I never bother THAT much about being level !!!

If it looks and feels level thats good enough for me, why complicate matters??? (and yes my fridge DOES work if its not perfectly level)


----------



## DJMotorhomer (Apr 15, 2010)

Hi

I have an app on my iPhone SPIRIT LEVEL

Place it on the floor and wait to hear a continuous tone...
HEY PRESTO LEVEL



:wink: 

Dave


----------



## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Ordered one of these today to try! Thanks for all the replies.

peedee


----------



## loddy (Feb 12, 2007)

I prefer this type Pete


----------



## rugbyken (Jan 16, 2006)

first couple of years i was quite paranoid about the level had the t bar etc gradually relaxed and because our bed was made up across the lounge just ensured my head was higher & not gonna roll out of bed,
the new van has a french style fixed bed front to back isn't a problem but to stop us rolling aroumd i just ensure slightly higher window side and use some packer's three length's of timber varying thickness from 1/2" to 1" to level it up have yet to use the levelling block's in 3,500 mls in new van


----------



## peejay (May 10, 2005)

peedee said:


> Ordered one of these today to try! Thanks for all the replies.
> 
> peedee


I'd send that one back Peedee, the bubbles are out.

Pete


----------

