How Level does the trailer have to be to open

I am going to load up my new trailer tomorrow. In order to do so I have to park it on a roadway as I live in a Condo. The road is on a slight hill. I am going to chock it up while I load but I don't want to mess up the mechanism that raises and lowers the trailer. So, the question is, if it is off level will I mess something up if I raise the roof.

Also, I am thinking of keeping it hooked up on the hitch overnight and through the afternoon of the next day so I can leave right after work on Friday without having to rehook. Will this be a problem?

Thanks for all the help.

I wouldn't think leaving it hooked to the hitch for an extended period would be any problem. As for the level I guess that would depend on how unlevel it is. 15 degrees probably not a problem. 45 degrees definite problem. If it's really bad, you may have to disconnect the hitch and use the tongue jack to raise or lower the front to as level as possible before raising.

Noelle,

I routinely park our trailer on the road in front of our house and lift the top to load it. The road has a pretty good slope and I have had no problems.

The issue with not having the trailer level is the refrigerator. RV absorption type refrigerators need to be level to work well. This is not an issue when traveling because the slope changes and the movement that occur as you drive. I recommend that you do not run the refrigerator while it is parked on the slope.

If you plan on leaving it overnight, I recommend that you unplug the electrical connection from the tow vehicle. This will keep the tow vehicle battery from draining. It should not be an issue with the refrigerator turned off, but it's better to be safe than sorry. Also, some have had problems with fuses blowing on the tow vehicle when the top is raised with the electrical plug connected. It's recommended that you unplug before raising or lowering the top.

Lastly, when you park the trailer on a hill it is recommended that you take the load off the tow vehicle's parking brake and transmission parking detent: park the rig, put the transmission in "Park", set the parking brake, go back and put chocks on the trailer wheels, release the parking brake and drive the tow vehicle forward or back (depending on the hill) a couple of inches, then gently drive in the opposite direction until the chocks stop the rig, put the parking brake on and the transmission in "Park." This way the chocks are holding the whole rig on the hill, while the transmission and parking brake act as the secondary way to hold it.

x2 what Raul said! When we are traveling, if camping at an "overnight stop", and I don't need the truck, I always leave it hooked to the trailer, but, as advised, with the electrical cord disconnected from the tow vehicle.

My only exception to this would be if I couldn't get the trailer comfortably level with the truck still connected. That's pretty rare though.

I usually don't put the stabilizing jacks down in the "overnight" camps either.

- Jack

level

Once I ran across instructions from the hitch manufacturer on how to adjust the hitch to the correct height so the trailer would be level while towing. So I took my truck to a level parking lot. Leveled the HI Lo and then adjusted the hitch to correct height for the tongue weight. While it's not perfectly level in all sites it is close. I too have left the trailer attached for overnights. I have also used the electrical tongue jack to tweak the level from front to back. Just have to remember to raise the jack before you finish your morning coffee and pull off. ha
God Bless
Papa

JoyNoelle said:

I am going to load up my new trailer tomorrow. In order to do so I have to park it on a roadway as I live in a Condo. The road is on a slight hill. I am going to chock it up while I load but I don't want to mess up the mechanism that raises and lowers the trailer. So, the question is, if it is off level will I mess something up if I raise the roof.

Also, I am thinking of keeping it hooked up on the hitch overnight and through the afternoon of the next day so I can leave right after work on Friday without having to rehook. Will this be a problem?

Thanks for all the help.

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Hi Joy,

Lots of good advice given so far! If you've never loaded a trailer before, be aware of the carrying capacity of your trailer. There should be a sticker somewhere inside that denotes it. Your gear should be distributed as evenly as possible. Stow heavy items low and over, or just in front of, the axle.

Recommend you get your trailer weighed once loaded and determine the actual hitch (tongue) weight.

I have a hill in front of our house also. We lift the top, load it, then lower it. It's enough of an incline that the door keeps swinging shut. I've worried about the stress on the top but it has not been a problem. I also don't see a problem with leaving it attached over night as long as you don't have to go anywhere with your tow vehicle. .