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Vanity--Just bought an RV Tailer. Now what?
5/1/2013 | Me

Posted on 05/01/2013 7:58:48 AM PDT by Vermont Lt

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To: basil

My wife came about her distate for camping when she was young. She’s the oldest of five kids, and every year her family went camping in northern Wisconsin during deer season. She had all her normal chores she would have at home (consisting mostly of taking care of her younger sibs) without the benefit of running water or electricity.

I, on the other hand, have a lot of good memories of camping trips. As a kid, my family would do some sort of camping vacation every summer (dad was a high school teacher) and we visited a lot of parks in the western U.S. I was well into my 30’s before it occurred to me that we did trips like that because it was what we could afford!

Our accomodations got better as time wore on. I can remember a dilapidated tent trailer my dad bought which no longer had its tent; Dad would just secure a tarp to the hoops to give us a little protection (very little, especially if it rained) from the elements. Then we got another tent trailer which DID have a tent, followed by a slide-in camper. My folks currently have a 32’ fifth-wheel trailer which they pull behind an F250 turbodiesel.


61 posted on 05/01/2013 8:54:19 AM PDT by ZirconEncrustedTweezers (Some people take there grammar way to seriously.)
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To: Disambiguator

I might get to the Dakotas and figure I hate it....so that sounds like a good destination.


62 posted on 05/01/2013 8:55:18 AM PDT by Vermont Lt (Does anybody really know what time it is? Does anybody really care?)
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To: Vermont Lt

I just traded my 29’ Cougar for a 32’ Sabre. A few things I would recommend:
1 - Hydraulic jack for changing tires. Unless you park it all the time you WILL have tire problems.
2 - Before you do any travelling swap the crappy load range D tires that came on it for load range E tires.
3 - Buy a couple of Copper Rockers from Camping World. They are inexpensive and really comfortable.
4 - Buy a ground cloth or carpet. Some are really expensive, but Camping World sells one that is very reasonable. They also sell the expensive ones.
5 - Buy a Hughes Autoformer. Expensive, but cheaper than replacing your AC unit.
6 - Good Sam road service...you WILL need it at some point.
7 - Level indicator you can see in your rear view mirror.
8 - Portable table. Walmart has a 48”x24” that folds in half.
9 - Water pressure regulator.
10 - Toilet wand for clearing clogged toilet. Attaches to the end of a hose.
11 - Toolkit. Put together a good toolkit to keep in the camper at all times.
12 - Portable step. If you camp on a site that is less than level it will help with that first step going up into the camper.
13 - Step stool for reaching high cabinets.
14 - Electric impact wrench for raising and lowering stabilizer jacks and changing tires. Be sure to keep the battery charged.
15 - Short bungie cords for securing cabinet doors while in motion.
16 - Camping World Euro Top mattress. If the mattress that came with the camper isn’t comfortable (and most aren’t), this is a mattress I can recommend from personal experience.

Probably lots more...that’s all I can think of at the moment.


63 posted on 05/01/2013 8:56:07 AM PDT by 6ppc (It's torch and pitchfork time)
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To: Vermont Lt

oh.. electric brake module for your truck if there isn’t one built in. very important.


64 posted on 05/01/2013 8:56:34 AM PDT by absolootezer0 (2x divorced tattooed pierced harley hatin meghan mccain luvin' REAL beer drinkin' smoker ..what?)
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To: Vermont Lt

After owning an RV I dread hotels; my bed, kitchen, floor and bathroom are clean in my 5th wheel, at hotels it’s a game of chance.

Our first was a 24 ft. bumper pull. You guys will have so much fun!

one other thing I didn’t mention, if you plan on using a bath house then a small tote bag and cheap flip flops are handy to have. Oh and don’t forget the marshmallows, graham crackers and chocolate bars (smores are yummy)


65 posted on 05/01/2013 8:57:02 AM PDT by NicNacPattyWac
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To: Vermont Lt

#1: Portable outdoor grill!!!!!


66 posted on 05/01/2013 9:04:08 AM PDT by Huskerfan44 (Huskerfan44)
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To: basil; JRandomFreeper

It is only camping when there isn’t a 2nd bathroom.


67 posted on 05/01/2013 9:04:28 AM PDT by reformedliberal
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To: Vermont Lt
2012 Silverado 1500, gross towning weight is about 9500 pounds, dry weight of the trailer is 5,300.

Theoretically the truck should handle it, but from my experience you really need 3/4 ton diesel for any serious travelling. At minimum you should install a transmission cooler and make sure you have a GOOD hitch. Mine is a fifth wheel and I don't know a lot about ball hitches, but you want one that has some kind of sway control.

68 posted on 05/01/2013 9:05:07 AM PDT by 6ppc (It's torch and pitchfork time)
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To: Vermont Lt
Mrs. BS Roberts and I just took delivery of our new 35 foot Flagstaff...all power everything. Flat screen TVs...the works.

The best advice I can give you after doing the seasonal site camping thing for the past 10 years is to keep your roof taken care of. If you have a special rubber type roof, wash it and coat it once per year with the appropriate material. Check all silicone seals at all joints like vents, pipes, antennae, etc. Look for cracks or gaps.

Then, look at the Southern sky from your new camper and if it is unobstructed...not so much as a tree branch...then call up DirecTV and get them to put in a dish for you. They have a 6 month on/6 month off package that is ideal for seasonal campers.

I know that's not why you go camping but it sure is nice to have HD TV when it's raining and a camp fire just isn't possible.

Good Luck!

69 posted on 05/01/2013 9:10:34 AM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts (For me, I plan to die standing as a free man rather than spend one second on my knees as a slave.)
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To: Vermont Lt

Outdoor Gas grill because you don’t want to cook indoors.


70 posted on 05/01/2013 9:14:51 AM PDT by AppyPappy (You never see a massacre at a gun show.)
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To: Bloody Sam Roberts

Smartphone that can be a hotspot and a computer work just as well. But I don’t watch network TV


71 posted on 05/01/2013 9:16:03 AM PDT by AppyPappy (You never see a massacre at a gun show.)
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To: basil
As a woman, anything that takes a kitchen along on a “vacation” is not something that interests me.

I thought my own wife posted that. Turns out she still doesn't have a FR account. I coulda swore.....

72 posted on 05/01/2013 9:27:59 AM PDT by Tenacious 1 ("The British are Coming (to confiscate weapons)" - Paul Revere (We know how that ended))
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To: Vermont Lt
Campingworld.com - the ultimate toy store for campers.

Your biggest headaches with be with hookups. Buy some gear to make these chores as easy/clean as possible. Extensions are often required. Spraying black water over your camp site or a dump site will RUIN your day.

Don't hook up to sewer & leave the valves open - it will not all trickle out. Let the black & gray tanks fill, then empty black, then gray. Otherwise, the black tank will not completely empty.

Leveling is a must. Those cheap lego-like blocks work fine.

Sometimes heaters work, sometimes they don't, especially gas heaters. RVs w/o heat = refrigerators. Bring a cheap but safe space heater & some extra blankets.

If the RV has fuses, bring some extra. Bring extra of anything that could end your trip. Refrigerators can be finicky & often blow fuses.

Be prepared to learn about electrical power. You can't run everything, all at once, on a 30 amp hookup. With the A/C running, you can't run the microwave & a hair drier w/o tripping a breaker. You'll have to learn what works together & what doesn't. It's a pain when the whole RV goes dark.

I suggest you camp several times before you hit the road. That, above all, will tell you what you need.

These are all things I learned mostly the hard way.

73 posted on 05/01/2013 9:33:43 AM PDT by Mister Da (The mark of a wise man is not what he knows, but what he knows he doesn't know!)
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To: Bloody Sam Roberts
but it sure is nice to have HD TV when it's raining and a camp fire just isn't possible.

I thought that was the time you are supposed to make tricycle motors.

/johnny

74 posted on 05/01/2013 9:35:12 AM PDT by JRandomFreeper (Gone Galt)
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To: Vermont Lt

Paint it cammo and stock it with preps.


75 posted on 05/01/2013 9:36:27 AM PDT by bgill (The problem is...no one is watching the Watch List!)
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To: Vermont Lt

Put a trailer hitch on the back of it so you can also tow your horse trailer. Put a hitch on the back of your horse trailer so you can also tow your boat trailer. Put a hitch on that so you can also pull the trailer for the four wheelers. Put a hitch on that so you can tow your Mini Cooper. Get a fancy navigation system so you only have to make left turns because making a right turn with that much behind you is grounds for the death penalty in most states. Have your wife buy some pet costumes so you can dress up any baby bears you find. Nothing makes a mama bear happier than listening to her little one yelling in glee about his/her new clothes. Buy a grenade launcher so you can fish from inside the camper. A good 40mm can send a lure clear across the lake. Keeps the neighbors quiet, too.


76 posted on 05/01/2013 9:46:45 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: basil

I’m with ya.

My idea of ‘roughing it’ is a ten year old Holiday Inn.


77 posted on 05/01/2013 9:47:29 AM PDT by Cowgirl of Justice
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To: Vermont Lt

Please, pretty please, stay out of the “hammer” lane from 3-6 PM, especially in and around central PA.


78 posted on 05/01/2013 9:52:17 AM PDT by WinMod70
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To: Vermont Lt

Always put a couple gallons of water in toilet after you dump the black water tank. This keeps the smell down. Also get dryer sheets and place them under wheel covers to help keep creepy crawlers out


79 posted on 05/01/2013 9:56:56 AM PDT by CONSERVE
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To: CONSERVE
Also get dryer sheets and place them under wheel covers to help keep creepy crawlers out

Wheel covers as in "hub caps" What specific location do you refer to?

80 posted on 05/01/2013 10:07:48 AM PDT by Bloody Sam Roberts (For me, I plan to die standing as a free man rather than spend one second on my knees as a slave.)
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