How to Safely Jack up a Caravan

Whether you’ve just started financing a caravan or you’re an experienced explorer, it’s important to learn how to maintain your vehicle. From changing tyres to inspecting the undercarriage, you’ll need to learn how to jack up a caravan safely. 

Although this is a fairly standard procedure, incorrect jacking can be extremely dangerous. In this blog, we’ll talk you through the safety guidelines and equipment needed to safely jack up a caravan. 

How to jack up a caravan

Before we begin with step-by-step instructions, we need to give a brief overview of how to jack up a caravan. 

Jacking up a caravan involves placing a piece of equipment called a jack underneath your caravan and raising it until the wheels of the vehicle are off the ground. There are a number of ways to do this, but how do you do it safely?

To answer that, we need to dive into the right equipment to ensure a safe job. 

What tools do you need to jack up a caravan?

Before you even begin to consider doing any work that requires elevating your caravan, you need to ensure you have all the right tools and adequate knowledge and training on how to use them. 

Caravan-specific jack

A hydraulic jack or scissor jack is recommended to easily support your caravan’s weight. A car jack is not suitable for use with caravans as they are not designed to support heavy weights. Ensure the jack you choose is compatible with your caravan chassis. 

If you’re not sure how to tell which type of jack you should use, check the weight rating. Jacks should be sorted into weight categories by tonnes. The right jack will be able to hold more than one side of your caravan. For example, a 4-tonne jack can be used if your vehicle weighs less than this on one side. 

Axle Stands

Don’t ever use a jack alone to hold up your caravan. Always pair a jack with a jack stand. These are placed on either side of your jack to provide additional stability.

Wheel chocks

A wheel chock is a thick wedge that is placed against a wheel to prevent movement when your caravan is under maintenance. These will stop your vehicle from rolling whilst jacked up. You should use wheel chocks and also engage the brakes before jacking any vehicle.

Wrench and wheel brace

These are used to loosen and tighten lugs when you need to change a tyre.

Safety gear

Heavy-duty mechanic gloves and goggles should be worn when working on your caravan for protection. 

Remember that safety should be your number one priority, so it’s essential that you use all the correct tools when working on your vehicle. 

When do you need to jack up a caravan?

There are several reasons why you might need to jack up a caravan. The main reason for learning how to jack up a caravan is to change a wheel, but there are also other maintenance tasks where jacking is required.

If you service your own vehicle, you’ll need to use a jack to check the brakes and axles. You will also need to raise your van to conduct any inspections or repairs on the suspension or the underside.  

How to jack up your caravan safely – step by step

Before you even touch a caravan jack, you need to ensure you have all of the tools and safety gear mentioned above. Once you have everything at your disposal, you can begin the first steps.  

Step 1 – Park your caravan on flat, solid ground

Always ensure you are safely parked away from traffic and obstructions on a flat and even surface. This includes surfaces like concrete or tarmac. Avoid parking on soft surfaces like grass and sand because your caravan can sink or your jack can shift, and this is very dangerous. If you break down on a soft surface, ensure you have large wooden planks or metal boards you can place under the jack to help stabilise your vehicle.

If you do need to park your caravan on the road for repairs, there are several rules to be aware of, which you can learn more about in our dedicated blog.

Step 2 – Engage the handbrake and add wheel chocks

The second step before you begin any lifting is to ensure the handbrake is on and firmly in place. Then use your wheel chocks to stabilise the wheels opposite the ones you’re working on. 

If you need to change the back left wheel on your caravan, you’d place wheel chocks on the right side to stop your vehicle from rolling when lifted. 

Step 3 – Locate the jacking joint

Your caravan will have a jacking point specific to that brand or model. This is usually near the axle and should be clearly identifiable. Whilst every caravan differs, there should be some slots, designated holes or a reinforced area where the jack will sit on the underside of your van near the chassis rail. 

If you’re having trouble finding your jack point, consult your caravan’s manual or user guide, and this should help you find the correct spot. It’s uncommon for modern models to come without built-in jacking brackets, but if you want to make the process easier, you may want to have them installed.

Step 4 – Set up the jack and prep any ground support

Place your jack underneath the jacking point and test it to see if it is stable and doesn’t shift around. If you’ve found yourself in a situation where you need to change a tyre or conduct repairs on soft or uneven ground, ensure you have the previously mentioned ground supports ready. Place a wooden or metal plate under the jacking area to prevent sinking.

Give the jack another test using pressure to ensure stability. 

Step 5 – Slowly jack up your caravan

Once you’re sure everything is firmly in position, begin slowly and carefully raising your caravan, inspecting after every few pumps. Keep an eye out for any signs of tilting, leaning or creaking as the vehicle rises. Also, make sure your jack is still firmly in place and hasn’t moved. 

Should any of the above occur, stop immediately and inspect your caravan and jacking area thoroughly before continuing.  

Never leave your vehicle jacked for extended periods of time or without monitoring. 

Step 6 – Place jack stands under your raised caravan

When you’ve lifted your caravan to where it needs to be, secure it in place using jack stands. Place these under the chassis near the jack, and then proceed to slightly lower the jack. The weight of the caravan will then be transferred to these evenly distributed jack stands rather than resting on the jack itself.

Do not remove the jack stands or jack during this process, and never work under a caravan without them. 

Step 7 – Carry out your maintenance work

Whether you’re conducting a caravan MOT or simply changing a tyre, you can begin your work if you’re confident your vehicle is safely supported. Whilst on a jack, you’ll be able to check the brakes, inspect the wheel bearings and perform general cleaning. 

Whilst you can repair or clean the underside of your vehicle, we would not advise placing yourself completely under your caravan at any time. 

Step 8 – Gradually move your caravan back to the ground

When you’re finished carrying out your work, you can begin to lower your caravan to the ground again. Ensure no tools (or people) are underneath the vehicle. Raise the jack back up slightly to create enough room to remove the jack stands. Then, using the same slow pumping you used to elevate the caravan, begin lowering it down. 

Once your caravan is back on a flat surface and you’re certain it is stable, remove the jack and the wheel chocks. 

Is jacking a caravan dangerous? 

Lifting equipment and vehicle maintenance can cause serious accidents when the proper safety measures are not followed. The majority of fatal accidents are caused when vehicles are not chocked and jacks are incorrectly positioned. These accidents are such a serious concern that the UK government has released their own guidance on how to safely use lifting equipment. 

Improper caravan jacking can not only cause serious harm to you but also damage to your vehicle. If your caravan slips, it can cause damage to the chassis or frame of your van as it hits the ground. Should you be near the vehicle when it slips, you can sustain broken bones, crushed limbs and fatal injuries in serious cases. 

This is why it is imperative to learn how to safely jack up a caravan. With the proper knowledge and tools, these risks are entirely avoidable, and you can conduct repairs without any issue.

Final thoughts on safe caravan jacking

Jacking up a caravan safely is not a hard task, but the right tools, prep and attention are essential. Through the above steps, you should be able to not only protect yourself but also the value of your caravan. 

If you’re looking for further advice on caravan maintenance, we have a number of brilliant blogs for you to explore:

10 Top Tips for Towing a Caravan for the First Time

Best Caravan Makes & Models in 2025

How Much Is a Caravan?