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What Is the Difference Between RV Leveling Jacks and RV Stabilizer Jacks?
Leveling Jacks
Leveling jacks are designed to do part of the heavy lifting with your RV or trailer by helping to do the work of getting your RV level. Leveling jacks are built to support the weight of your trailer, whether in its entirety or partially, and will raise your RV up at various points to make your RV level in all directions.
There are two types of RV leveling jacks: tongue jacks and body jacks.
While both are designed to assist you in making your RV level on uneven surfaces, each does so with different approaches. Let’s take a look at both of those types of leveling jacks.
Tongue Jacks
Tongue jacks are found primarily on travel trailers. They are used to raise your travel trailer up off of the hitch of your tow vehicle and then raise or lower the front end of your travel trailer to help bring it to a point of being level front to back. Tongue jacks on travel trailers can be either manual or electric, operated either by a crank handle, the push of a button, or the flip of a switch.
The load capacity will dictate that sometimes, but upgrading to an electric model such as the Lippert electric tongue jack is an upgrade that many RV owners choose to make leveling a faster and easier process for them. If you prefer the ease and simplicity of a manual crank tongue jack, there are options available for all sizes of trailers as well.
One benefit of the crank handle style is that you can raise and lower the tongue of the trailer precisely, even down to the tiniest adjustment, which may prove more challenging with an electric model.
An electric model, however, does require significantly less physical effort to use. This is a consideration to also weigh as you choose which is right for you.
Body Jacks
Body jacks are found on many types of RVs. 5th wheels have these body jacks in the front of the RV, almost always, which helps with front to back leveling of the RV.
Some RVs also come equipped with automatic leveling systems which are body jacks with either four jacks or six jacks that connect from the frame of the RV to the ground, allowing for the full weight of the RV to be distributed across the leveling jacks.
This allows for leveling both front to back as well as side to side of the RV utilizing the body jacks. Both travel trailers and 5th wheels can come equipped with an automatic leveling system.
An automatic leveling system allows the RVer to adjust the RV on uneven surfaces without the need to use alternative leveling products such as leveling blocks or wood to drive up on in order to help level the RV.
Stabilizer Jacks
Stabilizer jacks are similar to leveling jacks in that they help support the RV when parked by providing contact points between the frame and the ground. However, that is where their similarities end. The primary purpose of stabilizer jacks is to keep the RV steady and stable when parked.
They are not designed to bear the weight of the RV, but to simply keep the RV from moving, tilting, or rolling. They are often four jacks or six jacks that connect the RV to the ground with a significantly lower maximum weight capacity than leveling jacks which can support the weight of the RV.
The best RV stabilizer jacks are mounted to the frame of the RV and are operated either manually with a crank handle or automatically with the push of a button or the flip of a switch using either electric or hydraulic motors.
Often, these are scissor jacks or angle arm jacks which fold mostly flat against the frame when not in use and extend out like scissors or arms, respectively, when they are utilized.
What Are Auto-Leveling Jacks?
Auto-leveling jacks are an RV stabilizer system that are designed to not only stabilize the RV and level it, but is programed to automatically raise and lower the RV with the push of a button at each of its leveling jack points to effortlessly bring the RV into a level position.
This requires careful calibration of the auto-leveling system, which can be done at the factory or your RV dealer. Many RV owners find that fine-tuning this system themselves is valuable to do once they have installed any aftermarket accessories and made adjustments to their hitch and tow vehicle.
You always want to use stabilizing pads under these auto-leveling jacks to protect your equipment as well as the ground beneath your leveling jacks.
Since the full weight of the RV can be distributed between these four jacks or six steel jacks, the stabilizing pads help distribute that weight out and prevents the jacks from sinking into soft surfaces or soft ground.
Some stabilizing pads sit on the ground as either large plastic or rubber pads that get stowed away when traveling. Others are permanent installations on the auto-leveling jacks made of rubber, like the RV Snap Pad.
Can I Add Auto Leveling Jacks to My Travel Trailer?
If your travel trailer does not come standardly equipped with auto leveling jacks it is possible to add them to your trailer after market. A reputable dealer or mobile RV tech can do the installation for you with a simple kit and mounting hardware.
The EAZ Lift camper stabilizer system is an excellent option to consider for lightweight travel trailers with 13, 14 or 15 inch tires. Lippert also offers an aftermarket auto leveling jack system which is popular with many 5th wheel owners, including many of the largest 5th wheels on the road today.
These come with 4 or 6 point systems and can eliminate the need to use leveling blocks when adjusting the trailer’s level. Adding auto leveling jacks to your travel trailer is a time and labor intensive process.
Finding a reputable service center or RV tech who is knowledgeable and capable of installing this upgrade for you is equally important in the decision whether to upgrade. Some RVers may choose to DIY this project. If you do, you can order the auto leveling kits to have shipped to you to do so,
Do All RVs Have Stabilizers?
While stabilizers are necessary for the safety of your RV when parked, not all RVs come with stabilizers installed. Most larger trailers and fifth wheels will have installed stabilizer jacks, but some small trailers may only have portable scissor jacks, depending upon the load capacity of the trailer.
Motorhome stabilizers are also very common, but some RV owners may have removed the stabilizers on their motorhomes in order to improve clearance under their motorhome, requiring portable scissor jacks for those RVs as well.
This is less common, but it is important to inquire if an RV you are purchasing comes equipped with stabilizers or if this is something you will have to provide on your own for your RV.
For RVs that do not have integrated stabilizer systems, choosing stabilizers that work for your rig is very important. Weight load capacity, fit, and design are all factors to consider as well as the cost. Do you want to add an installed stabilizer system or use portable stabilizers that you will store when not in use?
When Do I Need RV Stabilizers?
Stabilizers are important for an RV any time that you park and utilizing the interior of your RV. For towable RVs, such as a travel trailer and 5th wheel, extending stabilizers under your RV before unhitching from your tow vehicle is imperative.
This prevents the RV from moving, either forward or backwards as well as falling onto your hitch or tow vehicle when unhitching. Camper stabilizers are also important to minimize some of the bounce when moving about in the RV.
They will not remove all of the bounce, but if you use multiple point RV stabilizer jacks this greatly minimizes that bounciness.
In addition to the four or six point jacks between the frame of the RV and the ground, you can also use a king pin tripod with a 5th wheel to add an additional point of contact to minimize movement of the RV.
With both travel trailers and 5th wheels, there is an additional RV stabilizer option which is simple to install and can add another level of stability to your trailer setup: the Valterra RV stabilizer.
The Valterra RV stabilizer is a portable, foldable stabilizer frame made of metal which can be placed either next to the stairs or at the bumper of the RV—or for best results, one in each location.
The legs extend to fit between the frame and the ground to provide additional points of connection to the ground which minimizes bounce, sway and movement of the RV.
For all RV types, whether towable trailers or motorhomes, you also need to use stabilizers whenever you extend any slides. While leveling the RV is important when extending and retracting slides, eliminating bounce when moving the slides is equally valuable to protect the integrity of your RV.
If the slide operates with a tooth gear design, extra movement because the RV is not stable can compromise that system, causing unnecessary strain on the gears. Using stabilizers can eliminate much of that risk.
Another simple layer of stabilization that all RV owners should utilize whenever parked is wheel chocks. These rubber, plastic, or wooden wedges that go in front and/or behind the tires of your RV to prevent rolling and minimize movement can add an additional layer of stability for your RV.
While wheel chocks alone will not stabilize your travel trailer, 5th wheel, or motorhome, they do add to the overall stability and provide an additional failsafe measure of protection for your rig.
How To Install RV Stabilizers?
While some stabilizers are designed to be portable and stored away when not in use, many RV stabilizers can be permanently mounted to the frame of your RV.
Before you begin, gather all of the required materials and mounting hardware that are included with or on the recommended supply list for your specific brand and model of RV stabilizers.
This might include mounting screws, bolts, nuts, a hex magnetic socket, or power drill or impact driver. For scissors jacks, you’ll choose either the four corners of the RV’s frame or three points on each side of the RV’s frame, equally distributed from front to back as points of attachment.
Using the mounting screws or bolts, attach each to the frame and then extend the stabilizers to the ground and ensure that each is securely attached and firmly holding the RV in place.
While these stabilizers are not holding the full weight capacity of the RV, they should be minimizing movement and helping prevent the RV from rolling from where it is parked.
The weight load capacity of each stabilizer leg will determine if a four point system or a six point system is required for your RV, however, the more points of connection with the ground, the more solid the stabilizer system will be.
If it fits your RV and your budget, opting for a six-point stabilizer system will lend itself to a significantly more solid and stable base for your RV.
RV Leveling Blocks
For the many RVs that are not equipped with auto leveling systems, leveling blocks are the most common method of bringing an RV to a point of being level when on uneven ground. There are several brands on the market including Camco and Lynx leveling blocks.
They are all designed similarly, with plastic interlocking blocks that you can securely build up in order to drive your RV up on. When adjusted to the degree of leveling that needs to take place in order to bring your RV to level, it provides a stable base to park on while leveling your RV from side to side.
There is a maximum weight capacity for these leveling blocks.
While that is rarely an issue for travel trailers, 5th wheels or toy haulers, larger rigs such as motorhomes or buses do need to compare the maximum weight capacity of the RV leveling blocks with that of their rig in order to ensure safe use of the leveling blocks.
Additionally, these leveling blocks work really well for one, two, or even three levels of blocks, but if you find that you need a greater number of levels in order to bring your RV to the point of being level, the stability of the stack of blocks will be compromised.
It is likely that you will need to seek an alternative solution, including adjusting the orientation or location when you are parking the RV.
The Types Of RV Stabilizers
Scissor Stabilizers
Scissor stabilizers are the most common stabilizers for RVs. These are sometimes portable and often frame-mounted, metal with powder coating to prevent oxidation and can be either manually adjusted with a crank handle or drill or automatically adjusted if connected to an electric or hydraulic system when permanently mounted to the RV.
These fold up and extend out much like scissors open and close, which is how they get the name. Scissors stabilizers do much of the heavy lifting work to keep the RV stable with their four jack or six jack systems.
These are also very affordable options for the RVer on a budget. For the stabilizers that will offer the most bang for your buck, consider adding scissor stabilizers to your RV stabilizer system.
Jack Stand Stabilizers
- 4 Pack RV Stack Jacks come with a colorful storage bag.
- RV stabilizer jacks are made of durable cast aluminum.
- Simply position each stack jack stand underneath your RV and spin the “T” shape handle to raise it.
Stand Jack Stabilizers
Stand jack stabilizers are a portable option that is great for smaller, lightweight travel trailers or utility trailers which might have limited storage space. These sets of two or four aluminum jack stands nest into one another for storage and are lightweight.
When in use, you place one stand jack under each corner of the RV’s frame, much like a scissors jack. The difference with a stand jack is that it is always manually adjusted with a single large bolt that screws up from the stand jack to connect with the frame of the RV.
The base of the stand jack is a square, creating a solid footprint on each corner of the trailer which helps stabilize it and minimize movement. For larger trailers, these can provide additional stabilization along the sides of the frame for RVs that already have a four point stabilization system, should the owner want to add more stabilization points.
Angle Arm Stabilizers
An angle arm stabilizer is an electric or hydraulic stabilizer that is permanently mounted to a travel trailer, 5th wheel, or motorhome. These come in pairs which are flush mounted to the frame of the RV, and extend down to make contact with the ground. The nature of the angles provides a firm base, which can significantly serve to stabilize the RV.
Most often found on travel trailers or 5th wheels which do not come equipped with auto leveling systems, these provide excellent stability for the back end of a 5th wheel which might have leveling jacks on the front end of the trailer or for the back as well as sometimes the front stabilization of travel trailers with a leveling jack on the tongue of the trailer.
A benefit of these angle arm stabilizers is that each side can be adjusted manually to provide the best angle for connection with the ground if parked on an uneven surface, such as when you need to park on leveling blocks to bring the RV to be level from side to side.
When not in use, these angle arm stabilizers raise up to be nearly flush with the frame, making the ground clearance for these stabilizers high and of minimal concern for RVs that have drop frames or who take their trailers off-road when every inch of ground clearance matters.
Universal RV Stabilizers
Universal RV stabilizers are an excellent option for providing additional stabilization for all RV types. There are several examples of such which work universally for travel trailers, 5th wheels, motorhomes, and even utility trailers.
One such example is the Valterra RV Stabilizer which is similar to a manual version of the angle arm stabilizers. The legs of this frame fold out to wedge under the bumper or frame of the RV on all trailer and small motorhome types to add stability and minimize movement.
These aluminum or steel jacks provide the option for additional stability when you need it and can store away easily for travel and when not in use.
Another universal stabilizer is called X-chocks. These stabilizers are shaped like an X and fit between the tires of the RV. You can use a special tool to adjust the chocks once they are between the tires to wedge the X-chocks between the tires.
These heavy duty steel chocks grip the tread of the RV’s tires, minimizing sway and back and forth movement. While these X-chocks are highly adjustable, they do not work for single-axle trailers or for trailers with very little space between the tires.
They are, however, very lightweight and store compactly, providing an extra layer of stability when needed.
Tripod Stabilizers for 5th Wheels
For 5th wheel owners, tripod stabilizers are a popular option to increase the stability of your trailer. After unhitching from your tow vehicle, the kingpin of your 5th wheel can provide that additional point of stability when a king pin tripod is used.
This is a larger stabilizer assembly made of steel beams which has a hitch cup assembly at the top that securely fits around the king pin hitch of the 5th wheel.
Once properly adjusted, the king pin tripod has three additional points on the ground attached to an additional connection point with the trailer to significantly increase the stability of the trailer.
While this is not intended to replace other lines of stability through the four or six point stabilizer jacks on the frame of the trailer, it can reduce movement and bounce in the trailer similar to many of the universal stabilizer jack options.
Cross Braces
- Adapts to most crank down leveling/stabilizing jacks
- Installation is a simple one time, bolt on application.
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