Keeping Things Level
Dealers can help RVers stay both comfortable and safe on the road with solutions to keep their RV level.
When people think of relaxing in their RV, they might consider things like cozy furniture, residential amenities and plenty of storage. But ensuring an RV has a stable foundation also plays a vital role in making an RV comfortable at the campsite. To learn more about what’s new for RV stabilization solutions, RV PRO spoke with Pedro De Velasco, head of marketing at RV SnapPad, and Raymond Padgett, vice president of sales and marketing at Ultra-Fab Products.
What’s new & innovative in stabilization & leveling solutions for RVs?
De Velasco: The biggest shift we’re seeing is a move away from one-size-fits-all solutions toward precision-fit stabilization. At RV SnapPad, we’ve engineered product-specific jack pads designed to match the exact footprint of each RV jack model, so RVers get maximum surface contact and load distribution every time. The days of stacking wood blocks or using flimsy generic pads are behind us. Innovation is also happening in the compounds themselves: high-density rubber that doesn’t compress, crack or slip in extreme temperatures, whether you’re in the Arizona desert or a Canadian winter.
What impact has the increased popularity of off-grid camping & full-time RVing had on RV stabilization & leveling products?
De Velasco: It’s been a massive driver. Off-grid campers aren’t in manicured campgrounds with concrete pads. They’re on soft ground, gravel, uneven terrain. That puts enormous demand on stabilization equipment. Full-timers especially can’t afford instability; an unlevel RV affects sleep, appliance performance (especially refrigerators) and long-term frame stress. We’ve seen a direct correlation between the boondocking boom and demand for purpose-built, heavy-duty jack pads. Customers are no longer casual weekend warriors. They need gear that performs every single day.
How can dealers explain to customers why it’s important to stabilize or level an RV? What are the risks if they don’t level their RV?
De Velasco: Start with safety: an unstabilized RV that rocks with movement creates real fall risk, especially for families with kids or older RVers. Then talk function. Refrigerators require level operation to avoid compressor damage. Slideouts put uneven stress on their mechanisms when the coach isn’t level. Doors and cabinets misalign. Dealers should frame it as protecting their customer’s investment. A $100,000-plus RV deserves a proper foundation every time it’s parked.
Padgett: Customers expect all the comforts of home. That includes walking around inside the RV without it feeling like a diving board.
What kind of maintenance is required for RV jacks & levelers?
De Velasco: Jacks themselves need periodic lubrication, inspection for corrosion and bolt/mount checks, especially after off-road travel. But what gets overlooked is the contact point: the jack foot. Bare metal or hard plastic feet dig into asphalt in summer heat, sink into soft ground and accumulate damage over time. A quality rubber pad on every jack foot reduces wear on the jack itself and eliminates the ground damage that can cause problems at campgrounds. It’s the simplest, lowest-cost maintenance upgrade an RVer can make.
Padgett: Greasing the gears is important. So is greasing the inner screw rod. Lack of grease on the screw rod is the No. 1 cause of failure. Ultra-Fab has a Zerk fitting that allows this, making the tongue jack last 5-10 times longer.
What else do our readers need know about leveling & stabilization solutions?
De Velasco: Fit matters more than people realize. A generic pad that’s slightly too small for your jack footprint creates a pressure point, not a platform. That’s why we built SnapPad around the concept of jack-specific fit: every pad is engineered for a specific jack model, so the load spreads evenly across the full surface. Also worth noting: permanent attachment matters. Pads that stay on the jack between uses mean you’re never setting up without them, never forgetting them at a campsite and never dealing with that moment where the jack comes down and the pad slides out of place. Once it’s on, you never think about it again. That’s the point.
Padgett: There are so many options. Tongue Jacks, tire locking chocks, scissor jacks, fifth wheel tripods, landing gear and [Ultra-Fab’s] PowerTwin II. Picking the one that is most valuable to your customer will keep them coming back for other products.
