Pull into a campsite for the night, press a button, and feel the whole motorhome settle itself into perfect level while you stay in your seat. That is the promise of an automatic hydraulic leveling system, and once you have lived with one, the memory of crawling around in the dark, stacking leveling blocks under tires, feels like a different era entirely.
When RVers shop for automatic leveling, two names lead the field: Bigfoot and Equalizer Systems. Both make hydraulic leveling systems that raise, lower, and level your coach automatically, and both are trusted by motorhome owners and manufacturers alike. The right choice depends largely on your chassis and how your rig is built.
This is a significant upgrade, both in what it does for your camping and in the investment involved, so it deserves a careful look. A good leveling system does more than spare your back; it stabilizes the rig so it does not rock as you move around inside, helps your appliances and slide-outs operate correctly on level ground, and turns site setup from a chore into a button press.
In this guide, I will compare Bigfoot and Equalizer Systems head-to-head, explain how chassis compatibility drives the decision, and point you to specific systems for popular chassis, so you can choose the right automatic leveling for your coach.
Before comparing brands, it helps to appreciate what these systems actually deliver, because the benefits go well beyond convenience. An automatic hydraulic leveling system uses hydraulic jacks, controlled as a coordinated set, to raise, lower, and level the motorhome at the push of a button.
Level matters for more than comfort. Many RV refrigerators, particularly absorption models, work best on level ground, slide-outs extend and retract properly when the coach is level, and doors and drawers behave as they should. A rig that sits level simply functions better in countless small ways throughout your stay.
Then there is stability. A properly leveled and jacked rig does not rock and sway as you walk around inside, which transforms the feel of living in it, no longer the whole coach shifting every time someone crosses the floor. Add the elimination of manual blocks and the back-saving convenience of automatic operation, and it is easy to see why leveling systems are among the most beloved motorhome upgrades.
Consider too what leveling does for slide-outs specifically, since they are central to modern motorhome living. Slide-outs are heavy, and they extend and retract best when the coach is sitting level and stable; running them on an unlevel rig can stress the mechanisms and seals over time. An automatic leveling system that gets the coach square before you deploy the slides is quietly protecting some of the most expensive moving parts on your motorhome.
Here is the single most important thing to understand about choosing between Bigfoot and Equalizer Systems: the decision is driven heavily by your chassis. These systems are engineered for specific chassis types and configurations, and the right choice is largely the one that matches your particular coach.
Both brands offer systems tailored to different chassis, Mercedes, Ford, Sprinter, Class A diesel, and more, because the mounting, the jacks, and the integration differ from one chassis to the next. This means that rather than one brand being universally better, the practical question is usually which brand offers the system engineered for your specific rig.
So as we compare the two, keep your own chassis firmly in mind. The strengths of each brand matter, but they operate within the more fundamental requirement that the system actually fits and is designed for your coach. Let us look at the specific systems each offers for popular chassis.
This chassis-first reality is actually good news for the buyer, because it removes a lot of the second-guessing. Rather than agonizing over abstract brand loyalty, you can let your coach guide you: determine your exact chassis and model year, see which brand offers the system built for it, and the shortlist often writes itself. The most confident leveling purchases start not with a brand preference but with a clear answer to the question of what fits the rig.
Bigfoot is a well-established name in RV leveling, known for robust hydraulic systems. Here are two Bigfoot systems engineered for specific popular chassis, illustrating the brand's chassis-specific approach.
The Bigfoot AKC-MB2019 Central Pump Automatic Leveling System is engineered for 2019 and newer Mercedes Class C motorhomes. Built around a central pump driving the hydraulic jacks, it delivers automatic leveling tailored to that specific Mercedes chassis.
For owners of newer Mercedes-based Class C rigs, this chassis-specific engineering is exactly what you want: a system designed to mount and integrate correctly with your coach rather than adapted to fit. Bigfoot's reputation for robust hydraulic leveling, applied to the precise requirements of the 2019-and-newer Mercedes Class C, makes this a strong match for those motorhomes.
Buy Bigfoot AKC-MB2019 Leveling System for Mercedes Class C
The Bigfoot AKC-E3502 Central Pump Automatic Leveling System is built for the Ford E-350 chassis and includes a bolt-on bracket for installation. The Ford E-350 underpins a great many motorhomes, so a leveling system engineered specifically for it serves a large population of owners.
The bolt-on bracket reflects the chassis-specific design philosophy, hardware made to attach correctly to the E-350 rather than being improvised. For owners of Ford E-350-based coaches wanting Bigfoot's robust central-pump leveling, this system is the tailored answer for that widely used chassis.
Buy Bigfoot AKC-E3502 Leveling System for Ford E-350
Equalizer Systems is equally well regarded in the automatic leveling world, with its Smart-Level technology. Here are two Equalizer systems for specific chassis, showing the brand's own chassis-tailored lineup.
The EQ Systems 8757UPS Smart-Level Leveling System is designed for Class B+ and Class C motorhomes on the Mercedes Sprinter 3500 chassis. Equalizer's Smart-Level technology brings automatic leveling to these popular Sprinter-based rigs, engineered for that specific chassis.
With Sprinter-based motorhomes so popular, a Smart-Level system tailored to the Sprinter 3500 chassis is a natural fit for many owners. For those drawn to Equalizer's Smart-Level approach and running a Sprinter 3500-based Class B+ or C, the 8757UPS is the chassis-matched choice.
Buy EQ Systems 8757UPS Smart-Level System for Mercedes Sprinter
The EQ Systems 8135A Smart-Level 4-Point Leveling System is built for Class A diesel motorhomes, bringing Equalizer's Smart-Level technology to big diesel pushers with a four-point jack setup. Class A diesel coaches are large, heavy rigs where robust, coordinated four-point leveling really matters.
For owners of Class A diesel motorhomes, a four-point Smart-Level system designed for that application delivers the stable, automatic leveling these substantial coaches demand. The 8135A is Equalizer's answer for the Class A diesel crowd wanting Smart-Level leveling matched to their large rig.
Buy EQ Systems 8135A Smart-Level System for Class A Diesel
Both Bigfoot and Equalizer Systems deliver robust, automatic hydraulic leveling at the push of a button, and both offer lineups engineered for specific chassis. The fundamental function, raising, lowering, and leveling the coach automatically, is shared, as is the core benefit of a stable, level rig without manual blocks.
Bigfoot is known for its robust central-pump hydraulic systems and its chassis-specific engineering, as seen in the dedicated Mercedes Class C and Ford E-350 systems. Equalizer Systems is distinguished by its Smart-Level technology, applied across chassis from the Sprinter 3500 to Class A diesel coaches. Each brand has its adherents and its strengths.
But the decisive factor, more than any feature-by-feature contest, is which brand offers the system engineered for your specific chassis. Because these systems are so chassis-dependent, the practical comparison for any given owner often comes down to which brand makes the right system for their coach, rather than an abstract ranking of the two.
With both brands offering capable, chassis-specific automatic leveling, here is how to make the decision for your rig.
This is the deciding factor. Identify your exact chassis, Mercedes Class C, Ford E-350, Sprinter 3500, Class A diesel, and find which brand offers the system engineered for it. The right system is first and foremost the one designed for your specific coach.
Your chassis is matched by a Bigfoot system, like the Mercedes Class C AKC-MB2019 or the Ford E-350 AKC-E3502, and you value Bigfoot's robust central-pump hydraulic engineering. Bigfoot is a strong choice, as it offers a system tailored to your rig.
Your chassis is matched by an Equalizer system, like the Sprinter 3500 8757UPS or the Class A diesel 8135A, and you are drawn to its Smart-Level technology. Equalizer is the natural pick where its Smart-Level lineup fits your coach.
Larger Class A diesel coaches need robust multi-point systems built for their weight, while Class B+ and C rigs on van chassis use systems scaled to them. Ensure the system is designed for the size and type of your motorhome, not just the chassis name.
Hydraulic leveling systems involve mounting jacks and integrating hydraulics, and correct installation matters for both safety and performance. Factor professional installation into your decision and budget, whichever brand and system you choose for your chassis.
Automatic hydraulic leveling is a serious system, and thinking through installation and ownership is part of choosing well. These systems mount hydraulic jacks to the chassis and integrate a pump and controls, work that is well beyond a simple bolt-on accessory and that, for most owners, means professional installation. The system carries and stabilizes the entire weight of the coach, so correct installation is essential for both safety and reliable operation.
The chassis-specific nature of these systems actually helps here. Because a system like the Bigfoot AKC-E3502 comes with chassis-matched hardware, such as its bolt-on bracket, and Equalizer's systems are engineered for their target chassis, the installation is designed around your specific coach rather than improvised, which makes for a cleaner, more reliable result.
Over the long term, a quality leveling system from either brand becomes one of the most-used features on the rig, operated at virtually every stop. Hydraulic systems reward occasional attention, keeping the jacks clean, watching the fluid, and addressing any issue promptly, and treated well, they deliver years of effortless, push-button leveling. Factoring installation and basic upkeep into your decision ensures the system serves you reliably for the long haul.
It is worth dwelling on why these leveling systems are so tightly tied to chassis, because it is central to making the right choice. A motorhome's chassis determines the frame structure the jacks must mount to, the weight distribution the system must manage, and the space available for the hydraulics, all of which differ significantly from one chassis to the next.
This is why both Bigfoot and Equalizer produce distinct systems for different chassis rather than a single universal product. A system engineered for a Ford E-350 is designed around that frame and that weight, while one for a Class A diesel pusher is built for a far larger, heavier coach with different demands. Trying to fit a system to a chassis it was not designed for would compromise both safety and performance.
For you as the buyer, this turns what could be an agonizing brand debate into a more manageable question: which brand makes the system engineered for my exact chassis? Often, that narrows the field considerably, and sometimes it points clearly to one brand for your particular rig. Rather than seeing the chassis requirement as a limitation, view it as helpful guidance; it steers you toward the system that will actually work correctly on your coach, which is what matters most in the end.
The Bigfoot versus Equalizer Systems decision is, more than almost any other comparison in RVing, driven by your chassis. Both brands make robust, capable automatic hydraulic leveling systems: Bigfoot with its central-pump engineering, Equalizer with its Smart-Level technology, and both offer lineups tailored to specific coaches. The right choice is largely the one engineered for your particular rig.
If you run a Mercedes Class C or Ford E-350, Bigfoot's AKC-MB2019 and AKC-E3502 systems are purpose-built matches. If you have a Sprinter 3500-based Class B+ or C, or a Class A diesel, Equalizer's 8757UPS and 8135A Smart-Level systems are designed for those rigs. Start by identifying your chassis, and the field narrows quickly.
Match the system to your coach, plan for proper installation, and look forward to the moment you pull into a site, press a button, and let the rig level itself while you relax. After a long day of driving, that effortless, stable, perfectly level setup is one of the great luxuries of motorhome life, and either of these brands can deliver it for the right chassis.
A closing thought for anyone weighing the cost: automatic leveling is among the upgrades owners regret the least. It is used at every single stop, it protects appliances and slide-outs by keeping the rig level, and it spares you the nightly ritual of blocks, boards, and guesswork in the dark. Matched correctly to your chassis and installed properly, a system from either of these trusted brands earns its place in the rig many times over.
At RV Upgrades, we carry Bigfoot and Equalizer Systems automatic hydraulic leveling systems engineered for a range of chassis, plus the leveling gear your coach needs. Explore our collection and find the system matched to your rig. Let us help you turn campsite setup into a single button press!
I’m Bill Rowell, the founder of RVupgrades.com. In 2002, I launched the business to help fellow RV enthusiasts find unique and hard-to-find products. Over the years, it’s grown to offer more than 15,000 items, with a warehouse in Eastlake, Ohio. Having owned and repaired nearly every type of RV, I bring over two decades of hands-on experience to the table. For me, this isn’t just a business – it’s a passion and a way of life that I love sharing with the RV community.
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