RV Slides BEFORE or AFTER Auto Level? It Depends!

Should you level your RV before putting slides out, or should the slides come out first? It is a common RV setup question, but the answer depends on the type of RV you have.

In this episode of Todd’s Two Minute Tech Tip Tuesday, Robert, Exterior Systems Instructor at the National RV Training Academy, explains why towable RVs and motorized RVs may require a different setup process.

Understanding that difference can help you properly support your RV and its slide systems when setting up at your campsite.

Should You Level Your RV Before Putting Slides Out?

For owners of travel trailers and fifth wheels, Robert recommends keeping the slides in while using the auto level system.

Before extending the slides, the RV should be made as stable as the manufacturer allows it to be. Robert explains that the weight of the slides should not be placed on an unstable rig.

That means the sequence for a towable RV is straightforward.

Keep the slides in, use auto level, and then extend the slides.

This allows the camper to get as straight as the leveling system tells it to before adding the shifting weight of the extended slide rooms.

Why RV Slide Systems Matter

Not every RV slide uses the same design.

RV owners may encounter above-floor, through-frame, and in-wall slide systems.

In-wall systems can include Schwintek, Slim Rack, and cable-driven systems. The weight of these slide rooms is supported by floor rollers.

Through frame slides can also be supported by floor rollers. In some cases, Robert explains that a Teflon bar may help guide the slide as it moves.

Understanding the type of slide system you have is important because the design and support of the slide can affect how the RV should be operated.

Learning more about RV slide out systems can also help RV owners better understand the components involved when their slide rooms are extended and retracted.

Travel Trailers and Fifth Wheels Should Be Leveled First

For a travel trailer or fifth wheel, Robert recommends using auto level while all of the slides are still retracted.

This remains true even when a slide contains heavy components such as a refrigerator, stove, or microwave.

Why?

Things shift during transportation. Nothing on an RV is perfectly straight.

Keeping everything retracted while using auto level allows the camper to reach its leveled position before the slides are extended.

Once the leveling process is complete, the slides can be run out.

For owners learning more about how these different components work together, RV Exterior Systems training provides hands on instruction involving slide systems, leveling systems, and other exterior RV components.

What About Motorized RVs?

Motorized RVs are different.

Motorized coaches commonly use systems such as Equalizer or Lippert leveling systems.

For the motorized RV procedure, put the vehicle in park, engage the parking brake, extend the slides, and then use auto level.

According to Robert, these motorized slide systems have greater support throughout the floor, which is why the procedure differs from the one he recommends for towable RVs.

This difference is why there is not one universal answer to whether you should level your RV before putting slides out.

The type of RV matters.

Can You Adjust the RV After Extending the Slides?

What if you level your travel trailer or fifth wheel, extend the slides, and then discover that the RV needs a small adjustment?

You can make that adjustment using the manual mode on the leveling touch pad.

Manual mode allows you to bring up or lower the side of the camper that needs adjustment.

However, there is an important distinction.

Do not start a new auto level cycle after all of the slides have been extended.

The slides are shifting components. Once they are extended, any necessary adjustments should be made using manual mode rather than restarting the automatic leveling process.

Slides First or Level First?

The answer depends on what you are driving or towing.

For towable RVs, including travel trailers and fifth wheels, keep the slides in and use auto-level first. Once the RV is leveled, extend the slides.

For motorized RVs, put the vehicle in park, engage the parking brake, extend the slides, and then use auto level.

The important lesson is to evaluate the type of RV and slide system you are working with rather than assuming every RV should be set up the same way.

Learn RV Exterior Systems at NRVTA

RV slides and leveling systems are just two examples of the systems RV technicians need to understand.

As NRVTA’s Exterior Systems Instructor, Robert Healy helps students develop practical knowledge of RV exterior components and how those systems operate.

Through RV Service Technician training, students can build hands-on skills that can help prepare them to troubleshoot, diagnose, and service RV systems professionally.

Whether you want to develop your technical knowledge or pursue opportunities in the RV service industry, NRVTA provides hands on training designed around the systems technicians encounter in the field.

Explore training opportunities at NRVTA.com.

RV Slides BEFORE or AFTER Auto Level? It Depends!