How does a levelling installation differ between a towed caravan and a motorhome?
Same hardware, different installation: on a towed caravan chocks and noseweight decide; on a motorhome the exhaust and fuel tank constrain jack placement.
The hardware is the same - 4 jacks, a 12V DC supply, the same control unit - but the approach to installation differs. A towed caravan has no handbrake or gearbox of its own; chocks are compulsory and raising the front jacks changes the noseweight. On a motorhome typically only the rear wheels are locked in the parked position, chocks are still needed, and the mounting points can clash with the exhaust, the fuel tank and the drive train.
Installation on a towed caravan
Towed caravan (trailer): You will most often do the levelling after uncoupling from the tow car; that is the moment when the vehicle is at its lightest and least stable.
- Since the vehicle has no engine or gearbox of its own, parking safety depends entirely on the handbrake and the wheel chocks.
- Raising the front jacks during levelling changes the noseweight; before uncoupling, the jacks have to be retracted and the weight distribution checked.
- The supply is generally from the leisure battery; a 12V line independent of the tow car has to be planned.
- If the caravan is being levelled while uncoupled from the tow car, the division of work between the front steady and the levelling jacks has to be settled beforehand.
Installation on a motorhome
Motorhome: The vehicle is one piece and the underbody is full of driving equipment; what sets the constraints is not the chassis but the layout of that equipment.
- In the parked position typically only the rear wheels are locked; that alone is not enough, so use chocks.
- The jack mounting points can clash with the exhaust run, the fuel tank and the drive train; the layout has to be measured first.
- The distinction between the engine battery and the leisure battery has to be watched, and the system connected to the leisure battery.
- Since the weight of the vehicle itself is concentrated towards the front, the share falling on the front jacks differs from that on the rear ones; this has to be taken into account in the layout.
Comparison
| Subject | Towed caravan | Motorhome |
|---|---|---|
| Parking safety | Handbrake and chocks | Rear wheels locked and chocks |
| Supply source | Leisure battery, independent of the tow car | Leisure battery, separate from the starter battery |
| Mounting constraint | Chassis rails and tanks | Exhaust, fuel tank, drive train |
| Checked afterwards | Noseweight | Front-rear weight distribution |
| Before setting off | Retract the jacks, take the chocks away, couple the hitch | Retract the jacks, take the chocks away |
Frequent mistakes
- Connecting the system to the starter battery. Which battery it is connected to is a matter of both safety and running time.
- Putting the chocks in after levelling. The chocks go in before the jacks come down.
- Setting off without retracting the jacks. The Retract Jacks function on the KTS200 takes all the jacks to the safe position at one button; the checks before setting off are built on that.
- Running the cable close to the exhaust run. That is the most frequent routing mistake on a motorhome; the insulation hardens and cracks within months.
- Retracting the jacks on a towed caravan before the hitch is coupled. The moment the jacks come up the vehicle settles with its whole weight onto the drawbar; if the hitch is not coupled or the steady is not in place, the nose drops.
The rule that does not change on either type
Do not lift all the wheels off the ground. Jacks do not take the place of the parking brake and the vehicle can slide off the jacks; whether jacks take the place of chocks is explained under a separate heading. The chocks stay in place after the levelling is finished as well.
Before installation, settle which type of vehicle you have, measure the underbody and plan the supply line from the leisure battery. When setting off the order is this: retract the jacks, take the chocks away, check under the body by eye.
The full topic: RV automatic levelling guide