I found this in the slotted channel on the upper handle side of the door. Extending from the handle to the top of the door but not engaging with the lock mechanism.
They’re the exact same. I have the Westinghouse it’s been great love being able to plug my trailer right into it. One of the largest fuel tanks for the wattage too. I didn’t get the DF because i don’t think I’ll ever use propane
They appear to be identical in specs and construction, so I’d go with the one that costs less. My guess is that some company not named Westinghouse or Cummins actually makes both of these.
I ordered the Westinghouse from Amazon and it wouldn’t start no matter what I tried. They refunded it. Bought the onan (which is just onan Cummins in name) and it runs great. It’s super quiet and I love the remote start. It’s got a big fuel tank for a good run time. There’s also some YouTube videos comparing the two and I believe they showed the Westinghouse over volt protection to not work as well as the onan. It’s been awhile since I was researching these specifically.
I have the Cummins. I have used at 10 degrees Fahrenheit to plug in my travel trailer. Works great, other than need to keep the battery on a trickle charger when not using it
I found a soft spot on the roof, the shop said they found a tiny hole by the AC and the decking is wet underneath so the entire roof needs to be replaced.
Our trailer was around 25k new so yeah I’m having a hard time justifying paying for this.
For what it’s worth, I received a similar quote around $10K from Campers World. Those shop rates are ridiculous and I walked away. I found a guy who worked at a local repair facility and had it done for $1K. My issue was only the rear corner but CW priced it as the entire roof which was overkill.
If I got this TT inspected and it looked good, would this be a good buy? Or would I be better off buying a new Jayco, travel lite, grand design etc?
Looking to live in it full time for next decade.
I had a trailer I bought brand new, a 2017 Gulf Stream. I didn’t know what I was doing when I bought it. It was fine for a while (mostly because I didn’t notice stuff that was wrong), but eventually it had issues. Like the bone-dry black water tank effing fell off. The axle wasn’t straight so the tires wore unevenly. Etc. So I dumped it.
I bought a used Lance, older than this one. It’s a 1985 (the model number, not the year), I think. And I paid more than the one you’re looking at costs. And I’m totally happy with it. I think they’re much better built than a newer but cheap trailer. I think the construction quality of most trailers is really, really low.
We have an entry level 2013 Wildwood Xlite 221 RBXL, bought used in 2018 for $10K. 26 trips and a couple thousand $ later, we are selling the Xlite and buying and newer Lance – the difference in quality is truly astounding. Lance for the win, high quality lasts. We went and saw a new Lance on the lot – totally convinced.
Not a novice, but still have lots to learn. Our first camper, I resealed the roof yearly added more lap sealant if needed and such. We bought a 21 Keystone Springdale and I need to re seal the roof as it has been two years. Yes I know I'm late just been busy. It's an Alpha roof, and they say to use their product. I just want to make sure, as I'm not finding much information about it, that this is the correct product. I used Dicor before on the previous camper and they make it so easy to find a product. Alpha calls it a roof coating, but one page said you needed an adhesive before adding the coating. What are yall thoughts before I drop 90 on this product to cover the rood.
These aren’t the traditional lady bugs but the invasive Chinese lady beetles that were imported to kill aphids but then grew in stupid numbers in the US and actually bite us and kill lady bugs. You can tell because the spots are symmetrical and they come in varying colors.
Are you in the midwest and currently in staying or living in the rig?
This happened to us in 2022 in Missouri (we live full-time in ours). They came in through the slide seals because they’re looking for a tight space to winter over. Check your seals and windows but they still may come in via your AC vents, etc.
Once they’re in, the only thing you can really do is vacuum them up when you see them and stop the end of the vacuum with paper towel so they can’t get out. They will come out of the nooks and crannies for awhile. If you’re not living in the rig, they’ll probably die off if they can’t get out but you may find them clustered and dead in the tight corners and spaces. Ugh.
Was able to get them to knock $500 off the freight cost since I'd be driving 11hrs to go get it. Is this a good deal? It's my first camper purchase, so I really don't know what to ask about billing wise
The starter kit, administration fee and prep rv fee is the fluff stuff where the dealership’s trying to make their money.
A “starter kit” usually consists of a water hose and a sewer hose, maybe some chocks, that can all be had for less than $100, possibly even less than $50. So get details about what that kit actually provides, and make your own call if it’s worth it.
Same thing with the Administration fee, find out what that entails. There’s already a separate line item for the plate and title, so what are they charging you for?
And lastly, the “Prep RV” fee. That’s almost 2K right there, so really dig into that one. At some dealers that might be as simple as “wash the RV”. Or they might really be doing a bunch of stuff.
Overall, the charges are probably fine. Given the discount, they’re probably selling the trailer somewhere around cost, so they need to make some money somewhere. Just make sure they’re being honest about it.
I sell rvs… selling a customer a new 2022 now is probally about the meanest thing they could do to you…… thats straight lot rot, probally got to the dealership in 2021, height of covid coaches.
You mention driving 11hrs. Not sure the distance, but my diesel fuel has been a bit over 40 cents per mile while hauling, also consider trailer tires are only rated to 65 MPH so it may take longer to get back home. Driving it back home is good practice in driving with the trailer.
Make sure you have a backup camera. Mine was about an extra grand, installed. They also will have a store with all the essentials, all of which you can order online for probably 1/3 the price.
Also be prepared for everything to break and be warrantied out in the first year. I have needed to return to the dealer (which is out of town) several times. Not feasible if it’s that far away.
Also, consider the warranties they try to sell you, may or may not be needed.
It’s a 2022 model. It’s been sitting on their lot for two years. Floorplan has been completely paid out on this unit. The dealer is into this for the cost of their invoice plus whatever floorplan they paid (that they’re never going to get back).
No RV is ever”worth it”. They are all severely depreciating assets and they all require significant maintenance and repairs.
Doesn’t matter if it’s a small travel trailer or a 2 million dollar bus. Only the amount of dollars change.
That being said, only you can decide if the camping experiences and treasured memories are worth the price paid.
In my personal experience, we spent more than $700,000 (over a period of 15 years) from the time the first RV was purchased till the last one was sold. We lived in our motorhome full time for 10 of those years.
So….was it worth it? Absolutely. I wouldn’t trade that experience or those memories or friendships for anything.
What’s the interest rate, what’s the total interest charged on the loan? Am I blind or is it not mentioned at all? How many payments?
I don’t trust any place that just lists monthly payments without the other details. It’s a way to prey on people, “oh you can afford 300 a month? Cool here’s a vehicle” and people don’t realize it’s like 9 years of 300 payments at 14% yearly interest..
Camp close to home the first time so it is close if you forget something. Have fun and may the long time sun shine on you and your family on all of your rv adventures!
Glad to see someone finally making a decision wife I have been looking at different making models for what seems like forever. So many horror stories, but I guess you just gotta try.
On my last camping trip of the year some junk got stuck in the screen of this faucet and I can’t get it out. The tip doesn’t unscrew like household faucets and CLR and backwashing didn’t do the trick. Looking to replace it. Anyone know who makes it? It’s on a 2021 Coachmen Freedom Express.
FWIW, I’ve googled for hours and not been able to find it
It looks like the whole faucet gooseneck unscrews. There appears to be a grip at the base where the goosneck starts. You could try opening and rinsing it that way.
Aside from that you can get a residential faucet and swap with minimal hassle. Alternatively try googling nickel faucets for manufactured homes. They are often cheap, light, and have identical connectors.
We painted and it turned out great! Used Zinsser primer after scraping/ sanding some loose wallpaper then regular interior paint. I have read here that people feels it diminishes resale values, though. (Our trailer was basically a gut job anyway so paint was the least of the modifications we did!)
We sanded all the walls to give a bit of texture for the paint to stick too (hindsight it wasnt needed and a ton of work), we used Benjamin Moore Scuff-X primer (left it as primer cause we wanted the Base White color as our main color and used a different one for accent) after a year of living out of it, I worked remotely we climbed and hiked basically every day and are hard on stuff its still flawless, I tried to scratch it in a few spots and held up better then anything else did (nails and wood falling apart and needing fixed and even our floor was banged up) but the paint kept on keeping on, we wiped down the walls once a week cause white shows everything but the biggest suggestion I can give is… TAPE EVERYTHING and triple check before painting (we used a paint gun, 90% prep, 10% work)
That isn’t wallpaper so don’t try to take it off. You can paint it, but be aware that it is a lot of work, and it may hurt your resale value if the RV isn’t really old or extremely ugly already. Basically people get suspicious of covered up water damage when people paint the walls. If you think you might be selling in the next few years take lots of comprehensive pictures before you paint just in case buyers seem hesitant.
I am upgrading my CBE DS300 based system with a Renogy dual input DC/DC + MPPT charger controller and replacing my CBE CB510 AC charger with a 20A smart lithium charger.
I have studied the DS300 manual closely and have done a fair bit of googling and reading about integrating a DC/DC (B2B) charger to DS300 based systems, and think I have gleaned a sufficient understanding of how the DS300 works and what must be done to integrate the new components, but am still unsure about the ultimate correctness of my planned modifications of and connections to the DS300.
My goal is to remove entirely all charging related behavior from the DS300, both charging the leisure battery from the alternator or AC charger as well as trickle charging the starting battery from the AC charger. However, I want to retain as much of the existing stock behavior of the DS300, e.g. relating to step retraction, 3-way fridge control, display of starter battery voltage in the panel, etc.
My understanding is that if resistor R37 is removed, the parallel battery relay will be disabled and the starter battery and leisure battery bank will never be connected in parallel. In addition, if the AC charger signal “S” connection is never connected, the DS300 will never attempt to trickle charge the starter battery.
In order to ensure that the new charger controller will be able to accurately monitor the voltage of the starter battery without being affected by the DS300 in any way, I intend to install a 50A DC blocking diode, which should block all current from the DS300 towards the charger controller while still allowing the DS300 to sense and display the voltage of the starter battery.
In order to ensure that the DS300 does not attempt to charge the leisure battery from the alternator input, I will install an inline 1A blade fuse. If the parallel battery relay truly is reliably disabled, there should never be any significant current being pulled from the starter battery / alternator by the DS300 so the fuse should always remain entact.
The ignition signal connection will be left connected as it is now, so that the DS300 knows when the engine is running.
With the above modifications and connections, the DS300 functions affected by when the engine is started/running, e.g. controlling the step retraction, fridge switchover, etc. should continue to function as before.
Am I misunderstanding or missing something, such that the above configuration will not achieve my goals? Any suggestions how better to meet my goals?
I am also wondering whether it would be reasonable to install a high current blocking diode such as the following on the positive lead from the battery bank to the DS300 input, to block any attempt by the DS300 to charge the leisure battery bank from the alternator input:
Hi! We are a tent family (myself, my husband, and 3 boys) but are looking to upgrade to a pop up to get the extra space of a camper but still somewhat have the feel of tent camping. We are currently looking at a 2017 Coachman Clipper LS 128LS. Before we go any further with it, does anyone have any insight as to the good, bad, or ugly of this specific model of pop up? Photo is the exact one we are considering…. Thanks!
No feedback on that specific model, but for the money (and depending on what you tow with), I would suggest the Rockwood HW 277. A lot more room while maintaining the tent feel you’re going for.
We had a pop up for a year with 3 little kids. The benefit is having a place to sleep and stay warm comfortably, with ease.
Things I’d consider:
How much work is it to get them set up for sleep? Ours had a king (us), queen (shared), and fold down sofa (twin size). Still had the table for kids to use, so we didn’t have to set up or tear down every morning and evening.
Unless you get tarps/gizmos and insulation sheets, it’ll be just as bright, noisy, and cold as a tent.
Our fridge was near the back so we couldn’t access it when closed, so we never used it
What’s your tow capacity? I ask because we had a 2008 Rockwood that had a great setup for 5 and was ~2600. Had a toilet and shower as well.
Hey guys, this is a simple yet convenient deal. I have a few portable power stations. They seem to do pretty well but I’m frequently left with not enough juice from these small packs. I have a 100wh and a 300wh. Although I do use solar panels from time to time, I realized that the MPPT input accepts a wide range of voltage. I got a Milwaukee adaptor plate that came with a switch and a fuse holder, as well as an 8mm barrel connector. A 12ah M18 battery should, in theory, hold about 216WH. I have a fair amount of large Milwaukee batteries, so I charge these up before a trip.
When you clip a battery into the adaptor and plug it into a power station, it’ll start to charge at about 60w. Neat! Make sure you fuse it according to your wiring. I have 14awg so I put a 10a fuse in to be safe.
If you’re a boondocking weekend warrior or tent camper, this is a 5 minute project that can extend the life of your power banks for about 15-20 bucks.
I dropped off my RV (2015 Forest River Avenger) for winterization ($65/mo) and storage ($85/mo). I then received this estimate for “maintenance” which I was in no way prepared for. I just bought this RV in June. It had been stored outside in weather ranging from 30 F – 90 F with good amounts of direct sun. Is this expected maintenance? Is this fair pricing? Thank you in advance.
OP are you climbing your happy ass up there to do this? What is your time worth to drive to store and order the correct sealant, drive to the storage with ladder in tow, pull out RV so you can see, look for those spots, fumble around with sealant and rags and ladders, get the spots, clean up, put up RV, stow ladder and drive back home and clean yourself up…
Is it worth $200? That’s the only question you need to ask. Some people would pay a grand all day long to not do this and risk a fall and other shit, others wouldn’t pay more than $40 so they’d have to do it themselves because they’re very cheap (nothing wrong with that) so what’s your comfort level?
The price for touching up the sealant seems fair, depending on the average shop rates around you.
What doesn’t seem fair is some of the other stuff you mentioned. From your description, it doesn’t sound like you authorized this work to be performed, so they shouldn’t just be doing it and charging you.
And I really hope that $65/mo for winterization is a typo and you meant it as a single $65 fee. If they were charging you $65 per month for winterizing, then that WOULD be a rip-off. Even a single $65 is kind of a rip-off considering how easy it is to do yourself, but it would be in-line with their shop rate since you’re having them do it. 65 basically works out to 20 minutes at 2.90 a minute (about the same as their shop rate) and $6 for the antifreeze.
its the same on both sides, but this is the ‘busier’ of the two because of the wiring. anyways, the seller didn’t exactly disclose that missing chunk of rubber or w/e, but its sold as is/where is, so y’know. anyways, i’m not exactly into paying rv dealership prices, so how do i seal this properly? it let a fucking ton of dust in from the dirt roads on the way home. the bright square at the top of the pic is the interior of the trailer.
It’s hard to tell, but since you mentioned rubber seal, I’m assuming the seals on the slide could use a replacement. Steelrubber.com should have you covered.
I’ve searched the internet without finding any similar issues. I haven’t found anyone with this terrible buzzing.
The furnace kicks in, then IGNITES. The heat starts blowing… everything works. For about 30-60 seconds. Then it shuts off, and them it starts making the noise in the video.
I’m going to clean the sail switch, but the issues that causes don’t quite match up, so I don’t have high hopes.
I’ve seen this happen several times, and it was always the fuse in the fuse panel. Those “auto resetting” fuses are junk. If your furnace fuse is a large black one, replace it with a regular 15A fuse and give it another go.
Not sure about the buzzing, but we had a similar issue a couple of years ago where the furnace would light and run for less than a minute, then turn off.
In our case it was a hole in the burner, but in my research there is a thermal overload sensor that could be bad, or it could be the control board.
TL/DR: 1/2ton Yukon XL on way out. Need new TV preferably 3/4ton capacity that seats at least 6 if not 8. Good options at budget of $10k?
Looking to change my tow vehicle. My current 2012 Yukon XL (with towing package) had 258K miles and I feel is at the point the next time I need more than an oil change it will be costly and I’m not wanting to sink more into it. It’s also at its maximum for our trailer (6200lb-6400lb) when loaded with about 750lb on tounge. Scaled it an I’m within weight limits and payload. Just really close on rear axel limit.
Not changing trailer but kids are growing which adds to payload in truck. 2 adults, 4 kids and lab retriever in truck rest in trailer.
What else is there to tow with as I plan to spend till next spring looking for the right fit. And hopefully 10k as budget.
Options I see are
1) another standard 1/2ton Yukon XL/Suburban but I’m still at same limits. Feels like at times the tail tries to wag the dog so to speak. Would that improve with a 3/4ton
2) 3/4 ton suburban – but tend to be harder to find fleet vehicles and at budget price
3) Ford Excursion is 3/4 ton correct? But they are all 20yr old. How are they holding up?
4) any good full size van options? Ford E250/350? Chevy? Nissan? I don’t know much about vans yet. Looking as my wife isn’t opposed.
5) 3/4 crew cab truck but kid rides middle front seat and dog in kennel in bed. Not desirable
We have a Honda minivan as my wife’s daily with the kids. My Yukon xL has been our TV, my daily driver and family road trip vehicle (not with trailer to SD, Florida and UP MI from central WI). My daily commute is now 5 miles/12min in town with new job vs 25miles last 5 years I was doing in Yukon. It would be nice to long road trip (about once a year) in something larger and more comfortable than minivan but it can be done in Honda minivan.
It might not help with your drivability concerns, though it won’t make it worse, but it’s probably worth checking numbers on some newer 1/2 ton SUVs. You may gain a fair amount of head room on your max towing and payload compared to a 2012.
Edit: I missed the $10k budget. Unlikely you’ll find much newer than 2012 without more than 250k miles for that budget.
Limited research, but the Express 2500/3500 should be in the running. The 6.0L gas engine, from what I’ve seen, is highly regarded. In 2010 they put the 6 speed auto transmission in there and that should help with towing. Quick search seems to indicate you might be able to find one in the $10k price range.
In this market $10k is going to be a tough find for anything. Vans are likely to be less desirable so might be your best bet. I’d probably look at Chevrolet. From my limited knowledge it seems the drivetrain is the best given your options.
Older Excursions with the 7.3 PS are highly sought after and you’d likely not find one worth the cost. Maybe, but unlikely.
My initial gut says go for the 1 ton passenger van. Lots of interior space for people and cargo.
Yeah, looks good. I’d add a switch to disconnect the panels and another to disconnect the batteries altogether.
Also, do you not have an inverter? 400Ahrs is a massive amount of battery for a non-inverter setup. The DC things are typically pretty small loads so it would be hard to use a real amount of that energy. Especially considering you have 500W watts of solar.
We have a 21’ TT with 200Ahrs of capacity and 600w of solar. In a normal night we’ll use at most 20Ahrs. This is easily recharged within an hour of sunrise in full sun and even is a forest with spotty direct sun we’ll easily recover our daily usage.
Your wire gauges look light, but it depends on the length of the wire runs. For instance the 6mm from the panels to the controller I’d up to 10mm if the distance is more than 3m (total of the positive and negative lines). The 10mm it also depends, if the controller is right next to the battery it’s fine, if it’s across the RV need to check the distance.
Starting at the panels, 3 is really awkward as parallel isn’t a great choice but usually necessary with an odd number like that paired with that controller. I would try and fit 4 smaller panels and wire them in 2s2p. Get your voltage up so you can charge earlier and later in the day will make a big difference with some shade tolerance.
All that battery and no inverter is a huge waste. If you don’t want an inverter you may as well just throw one 200 watt panel on the roof and use one 100 ah lithium battery. The house DC load will not be very demanding.
We used to full time in a 25ft Sprinter chassis class c as well and we had 400 watts of solar (two 200 watt panels in series) and 200 ah of lithium batteries and a cheap 2000 watt CNBOU inverter and it powered everything for us including laptops and tv watching in the evening. Only needed the generator after a few cloudy days.
The best advice I can give is to get a Victron battery shunt and Victron charge controller. Knowing exactly how many watts you are harvesting and how much you use your battery in amps just by looking at your phone is a game changer.
As for the cabling, I have no idea what AWG translate to MM, but you will want a solar disconnect and if you add an inverter you’ll want a battery disconnect before that inverter. If you stick with that awkward parallel solar setup you shouldn’t need inline fuses for the panels due to the low voltages you will be using.
Guessing he went under something that had almost, but not quite, enough clearance. Enough to trash his A/C cover, but maybe not enough to trash the A/C under it.
While driving cross country, I think in Wyoming, I was trailing a 5th wheel driving in heavy winds. AC unit’s cover got completely ripped off by the wind. Was pretty terrifying as I was following directly behind….. luckily the wind was so strong it blew the damn thing directly perpendicular despite traveling at 70mph!!
Couldn’t believe it at the time. That was before I got into campers myself. Never driven in 60+mph winds before either.
What we are looking for probably don’t exist but we’re going to the RV expo at Camper World tomorrow to see.
We have a family of 5 with 3 kiddos (2 are teens). Wifey don’t want a pop-up so based on what I’ve seen, maybe nothing available for us. But I’m still hopeful that someone may have better suggestions.
Our totally body weight is about 700lbs including our dog. We usually pack lightweight.
All these acronyms are confusing the heck out of me.. so I’ve attached the sticker on our odyssey door for reference.
We want a lightweight trailer with hardship and bathroom that can be towed by our odyssey. Is that too much to ask? ????
I towed that exact trailer with a 2015 Odyssey for a year. The Odyssey towed it surprisingly well however it was asking an awful lot of our minivan. Anything happens while driving, someone cuts you off etc, I felt we would easily lose control. It’s not that it didn’t feel stable, I was just using our minivan for something it was never designed to do. Also, the owners manual specifically prohibited the use of a weight distribution hitch. So any sway and there was nothing back there to help you.
4600lbs curb weight + 700lbs people +126lbs full tank of gas + 100lbs aftermarket class 3 hitch + 300lbs tongue weight (on a 2500lb trailer) is dangerously close to your 6000lbs gvwr. Make sure everybody uses the bathroom first ????
The dinette converts to a bed at night. If your third kiddo is pretty small, you could maybe do this. And/or oust the teens to their own tent.
That sticker doesn’t tell us everything though. It indicates GVWR of 6019lbs but it doesn’t indicate how much your Odyssey weighs. To get the available payload (how much weigh you can load on the van), you need to subtract the actual van weight from the GWVR. That’s usually a separate sticker, or you can take the van to a scale.
Internet seems to suggest Odyssey curb weight is usually around 4500lbs, leaving ~1500 lbs of payload. That seems high to me (higher than a lot of half ton trucks nowadays) but maybe it’s possible. If your family is 700 lbs and your payload is really in the 1500 range, 800 lbs left over should be plenty for the hitch weight of a small trailer.
Personally even if I could get past payload — which is usually one of the biggest hurdles — I’d be worried about other things. I’m pretty sure you will need to look into adding a transmission cooler. And I don’t think the Odyssey’s design allows for a weight distribution hitch, so it may be a pretty miserable towing experience.
Man, for a minivan and a family of five, a pop-up is about it, IMO.
We loved our pop-up, for what it’s worth. And miss it. Simple. Low maintenance. Got rid of it because we do so much road trip camping. But if we did more local (mountain/beach in CA) camping in fair weather where we aren’t moving around as much, we would’ve kept it.
They can tow, but have lots of restrictions that change the tow weight. With the factory hitch and 2 people riding in the front seats it is 3500lbs if the towable has breaks. Adding each additional person drops the tow capacity by 150-200 lbs. That is assuming they all sit in the middle row. Putting someone in the third row drops the tow capacity 1000lbs. This means that you’d really need to put any luggage in the TT and not weigh down your trunk as well.
There are is a chart for the 2018-2020 here https://letstowthat.com/honda-odyssey-towing-capacities/ I believe the elite/touring units have the same 10 speed transmission that is in the 2023 so the tow weight adjustments should be pretty spot on.
We buy, fix, use, and sell motorhomes and I’ve been eyeing something towable for in between units, but the only thing that would fit the bill for a sizeable family is a pop-up, and even some of those are too heavy.
Still had some water in the grey 2 line when it froze up this week, still just waiting for the break next week to finish the skirting and add the winter doodads (new shorter sewer hose and extended valve handle)!
Hey folks! It’s been several years since I’ve had one but recently purchased a newer 2018 model this year and after I go on my Veterans Day camping trip I’m looking to winterize. Living out here in the PNW (Pacific Northwest) so we get a ton of rain and on top of it- snow.
I initially thought it was a no-brainer to get a cover for it. Now, not entirely sure. What about covering the wheels? What are your thoughts? Thanks!
I’ve never been a supporter of covers given how ill fitting they are, how difficult they are to use and how quickly they rip and tear. They have a tendency to rub on the finish if they don’t fit right. I do think covering your tires is a good idea. Amazon has tire covers for cheap.
Definitely cover wheels. As for the rest, grab popcorn and sit back and watch all the pro and con cover comments come in.
I’ve done both with my class A. Kept it uncovered last year, covered the year before. Live in upstate NY, plenty of cold and snow. I will say I do have a proper RV cover. It is vented with mesh panels on the sides, has soft lining, plenty of ties to make it form fitting and a waterproof cover.
If you get a cover you can use tennis balls to stick on places that will tear/wear through the cover. Even then if no wind protection it’ll rub through. I personally went cheap with a cover bc I knew it wouldn’t last long. But I have no overhead protection where I store so I figure better than nothing. 100% get tire covers though, as others have said.
Also in the pnw. Advice here was no fabric cover, because it will just hold in moisture and accelerate mold , etc. just maintain the roof and seals and it should be ok. getting it under a roof is beneficial.
Squirrels get under them. They are somewhat abrasive in steady wind. The general consensus at our camp ground is they are more trouble than they are worth. Many of the people that advised us against them have been at the campground 30+ years.
A nice RV cover (mine is soft inside and made of a tyvek material outside) can sure as heck help, but the quality and fitment of it matter for sure ($600> usually)
That is normal. It isn’t even 50% gone yet. They typically start wearing at the threads first. Very few actually break off. They are made from magnesium but there will be a steel rod down the centre. They are cheap so it isn’t going to break the bank off you decide to change it.
It won’t break off. But keep in mind the cheaper ones will disintegrate at a faster rate. You can find them as cheap as 10 bucks but you may want to get the 15-20 dollar rods as their a higher quality.
Anybody saying “swap it out” doesn’t know how these things work. This thing has probably 75% of its material left. Where I’m at, I get 4-5 seasons out of magnesium anodes.
My 2000 Jayco Eagle has the weather stripping pulling from the corners allowing water and air to get in while open. Is there a quick way to seal this up. Does not have to be pretty, and I may just spray foam it for a temporary seal.
Also please ignore the other weather stripping that is pulling off-its for another issue of the slide letting water in while it is closed. With age comes issues I suppose…
What else do you all do to store your RV for the winter outside of winterizing the water lines?
What do you do with your batteries?
Do you store it outside?
Etc.
Primary is the water lines / tanks, water heater. That includes a good 2 hour flush of the black tank at the last camp of the season. After that (in no particular order other than as they come to me):
remove all mouse attractants (food, blankets, etc…)
put out mouse deterrents
remove batteries (don’t forget the one in the smoke alarm. I’ve heard several rigs chirping in the storage lot in early spring). The main 12v goes on a battery maintainer in the garage.
depending on the lot, put the tires up on boards. (Not as necessary if you’ve got solid ground, but it makes it easier to pull out of soft gravel in the spring if they’ve been propped so they didn’t sink)
since ours is in a storage lot, I also try to remove theft attractants (like the bike rack) that would easy pickings for the metal scavengers.
close all the shades to avoid sun fading the furniture.
make sure the propane’s off.
I like to give it a good wash before the winter. Only actually gets done about 40% of the time.
I condition all the slide out seals before putting it away. I know others who wait for the spring for theirs
sometimes I lubricate the slide’s rack in the fall, sometimes not. Depends on how it’s held up for the season.
prop the fridge doors open (should be doing this every time it’s not running anyways, so not a specific winterizing thing)
There’s probably more I do, but I’m working off memory here…. This hits most of it though.
Make sure ALL food or food products is out. Last year we missed a thing of pistachio nuts and something got into them. Found shells everywhere. This year I am also putting out some mouse/rodent repellent that I got at an RV show.
Clean/get towels and sheets out.
Blow out airlines with compressor the run antifreeze into system and dump down the traps. I also dump a gallon into the toilet/black tank. Also keep a good amount in the toilet to keep the seals lubricated/wet.
Batteries: In the past I have stored it both covered and uncovered. If storing covered I remove all batteries. If leaving uncovered I only remove chassis battery. House batteries have a solar panel that keeps house batteries charged.
If uncovered I will go check on it once or twice a month, if not too cold start generator and run the AC on heat mode for a bit to put a load on the generator.
Hey fellow RVers. My wife and I have been full-time for four years in our 2007 Gulfstream Tour Master 43 footer. We love this thing.
We are debating going to Alaska next year and have heard a wide variety of stories about folks taking their rigs. Everything from rough, bone-shaking roads, cracked windshields,
etc. Some friends of ours are opting to buy a small travel trailer and tow it behind their truck instead of risking it with their larger motorhomes.
What do you think!? Should we or shouldn't we? Would love to hear your story. Good/not so good. Thanks in advance.
The shitty roads are for real! I hit a pot hole so hard I disconnected my battery to battery charger.
I saw plenty of class A rvs in Alaska it can be done.
You have to have a spare or two and know how to use it. Personally I feel you need to know your rig pretty well because help can be be a long way away.
How sad will you be when it gets hit by some rocks? Lots of gravel and broken black top to be thrown around by big rigs.
Also you may want a flat towed toad for ease. Some of the desirable camp grounds can be tight parking
Alaska here, the Alcan sucks from Destruction Bay YT to Tok AK. I’m talking frost heaves that make you feel like your going to be sea sick and giant axle eating potholes. Lots of people RV to Alaska and it can be done. Just drive slowly and carefully and be prepared to fix or deal with problems along the way. We broke two windows on our TT and bounced our coffee maker out of the cabinet (RIP my favorite Cuisinart k- cup machine). With that said it’s an amazing drive and I’d do it all over again.
I live in Alaska and have done the drive three times. You’ll be fine if you’re not in a rush. Just be mindful of frost heaves and pot holes. And as others have said be a bro and pull over for faster traffic.
We drove a 38-foot Fleetwood Bounder on a large loop route through Alaska in the summer of 2016. That included the Alcan and Cassier highways and so many miles of gravel roads and road construction. Yes, there were potholes and frost heaves. But there are bad roads everywhere and the drive is incredibly beautiful! Ended up with a chip in the windshield that was easily repaired.
As long as you are keeping it on the main highways, I think you’ll be fine! Do you research and pack your patience.
those black plastic corrugated covers typically come split like that so you can insert the wires. i it were me, i’d just put a couple more zip strips on it so it doesn’t blow off.
I have that on my trailer, truck, tv, and shop. It is a wire loom. It is designed to help keep the wires close together. For the trailer, it adds a layer of protection against water getting into the wire connections or wires getting chewed up as thenslide goes in and out. Where you see that exposed wire, you can add some tape, but a zip tie will last longer. The loom moves with the slide, so you cannot impede the looms movement. In other words, don’t slap 4 rolls of duct tape on it to make it stiff.
Just looking into what this is, it looks like a cable running into the bottom, and about 2” by 2” and 8” tall. Just looking for replacing the plastic cover. Thanks! Fleetwood 21’ discover 38N
This was pre-installed in the truck we bought for a 5th wheel, we just plugged the 5th wheel and the brakes dont work and the controller started doing this, went to check if i can see any problems and noticed that there is a orange cable that is not connected.
Could that be it ? Now i have fifth wheel that we have to drive home 360km on highway and i dont know if its safe, the lights will light up, the brakes wont work.
Yea I’d try to rewrire it. I had this same controller in my truck and it was junk tho. Would do weird things. They sell wire harness kits so you don’t have to mess with splicing wires and stuff
If the error goes away when you unplug the trailer the problem is probably with the trailer. Alternatively if that’s a Progressive rate controller it may need to be mounted level in the truck to work correctly. Some have a pendulum that needs to swing.
If there is no trailer brake connected, with a DC coil for the brake the controller will sense that and go into a fault state. It may be fine and working normally, you need to connect an actual brake to it to test it properly.
I don’t recommend that anyone else do it, but I towed a large 5th wheel for several years without having any brake controller. I knew my truck, I drive quite defensively, and always had plenty of tongue weight. I would look online for that controller, and see what wires are used for which function. The orange might not have a function in your truck.
The northernmost route there is I-40 from Memphis, TN to Flagstaff, AZ. That’s an easy, if tedious drive.
The middle route is US highway all the way across Texas, or very nearly, (it looks like Texarkana to Amarillo as US highway. Some of that will be four lane, some will be two lane, and none will be scenic in that part of the country.
The south route is a mix of US highway and interstate, but it goes through the largest, most desolate part of Texas, so I’d avoid it just out of desire to avoid boredom. There are also likely to be some fairly long stretches with limited stop.
In summary: unless I had a reason to choose one of the other routes, I’d go with the blue highlighted northern route. It is likely the fastest, and it will be nice interstate for the majority of the drive.
Planning to go from Atlanta GA to Sedona AZ, leaving in about a weeks time, and looking for advice regarding the best (fastest/easiest) route to take? We’re on a bit of a time crunch and hoping to do it in 2.5-3 days, so won’t be stopping around many places. Towing a 26ft Travel trailer if that has any weight on suggestions.
I’ve done this trip a few times. Pretty much every route you have there. Your northern route is one I like. Go through west Texas at night. There’s little to no light pollution so the stars are absolutely brilliant. The mountain regions In Arkansas and NM are beautiful too. The other routes are flat and boring for the most part.
I don’t have tons of advice but I’ve gone from FL to Sedona many times and usually gone through south/west Texas. I’ve never gone to the north through Oklahoma. I’ve heard the northern route is nice or nicer than going through a huge chunk of west Texas. I will say there are parts of west Texas with little to no options for camping. So if you’re trying to maximize your drive days and need the most options of places to stay I’d avoid as much of tx as possible. Enjoy Sedona! Have you been before? It’s great this time of year.
dont know the route but go to Sedona alot. Are you staying at the Rancho Sedona RV park when you get there? that is maybe my favorite RV park in AZ. right on the creek are the best spots.
I've seen many post on here questioning the need for water filters. To each their own but I wanted to show what 2 of the 3 filters I use looked like after 5 weeks between a state park, a KOA, and Thousand Trails. They almost always look like this when I change them. One is a 5 micron filter and one is a 1 micron filter. The third one I use is .5 micron and it tends to last a lot longer than the first two but still gets extremely dirty. Just my two cents for anyone deciding to purchase or not!
Note: I also use an OnTheGo water softener that I backflush and regenerate every couple weeks.
We have been fulltiming for the last 4 years, and IMO, anywhere that will let you hook up water should be filtered twice at a minimum.
It’s honestly such a disgrace that you can’t get decent clean water in the “so called” richest nation. It’s not even a state issue, over 7 different areas we visited (from east to west) had some messed up issues with thier groundwater.
More details that i couldn’t include with the photo.
I am towing a 2017 Scamp 16′ standard model – I haven’t weighed it but the manual says it weighs between 1900-2200lbs. Its a pretty base level model with out many add ons (no shower/toilet, no black water tank, no water heater) so I would expect the weights to be somewhat accurate.
I am towing with a 4 door Jeep Wrangler Sahara with a tow rating of 3500lbs and a tongue weight limit of 350 lbs.
By the numbers, I should be fine. But when I look at the setup, there is quite a bit of lifting of the front end of the Jeep (see photos).
I would suggest it. Your front end is a bit in the air and the nose of the trailer is a bit low.
As an added benefit, purchase one that has sway control built into it. Maybe something like the fastway E2 would suit your needs. I personally use one on my cargo conversion camper that I also haul two ATV’s in.
Pic from last weekend for attention.
I have tried several collapsible hoses for our trailer. I like the collapsible because it’s easier to manage and store. We rarely camp with hookups. Usually just filling the tank for boondocking. I have tried 2 versions of Aqua Joe and the Zero G hoses. All have eventually(and quickly) failed. Ruptured liners leaking through the jacket, the Zero G had a failure at the connection. Is there any good version of these type of hoses?
I purchased a Titan brand one that surprised me by holding up for over 3 years. I think they’re all pretty junky but 3 years with no leaks or failure points has been pretty good.
Do you have access to purchase a FITT Force Pro (flat) drinking water hose? If so, grab one! These things are pretty much bulletproof, when pressurized they are kink-free (literally, try to kink one by pulling its coils out straight, and it’ll foil your attempts every single time!), they collapse to flat when not pressurized, and in that latter state, they are incredibly flexible, allowing them to be coiled, or piled, or whatever you want.
If you really want a sexy setup, buy a handheld hose reel, wind the sucker up onto it in 10 seconds flat, toss it in the bay, and drive away.
I would also recommend adding quick disconnects to the ends if you can or some other food safe plastic end so that if it gets chewed up by use, you can swap the end and not scrap the hose.
One thing to note about the collapsible hoses. They are not meant to be closed for any period of time under pressure. Only to extend. If you leave it sit under pressure it will fail. No matter what brand you use.
Sucks, but on a trailer one has to keep up on those bearings or else this can happen. Thankfully, in a storage lot is WAY better than having it happen on an interstate an hour away from everywhere. Maybe still a pain in the rump, but could have been far, FAR worse.
Yup, the bearing has gone to another life. Change the other side and the grease seals while you’ve got your tools out. It’s a good thing it toppled at low speed, things get really messy at 60 m.p.h.
You are so lucky,,, this could have happened out in Moose Fart, Montana where there is nothing for 100 miles. That wheel should have been wobbling like crazy the last 100 miles.
Family outgrew our 20ft hybrid after 7 years. New to us 2022 Winnebago Minnie Winnie 31K! We are in love. Any advice on taking care of her appreciated.
How bad is it?? Renters are apparently “seasoned campers” for past 8 years. I got a phone call 3 hours into their 4 days trip. They insist they have no idea how this happened. Hit the button on the power awning and heard a snap. Lucky for me, they signed a contract… I’m just beside myself. How expensive is this gonna be, and what happened?! 2020 heartland prowler 300BH
Considering both head caps are missing, I’d hinge a bet they snagged. While wind, improper retraction, chin-ups on the awning drum or “on the road deployment” might tweak the struts, it won’t pop the motor head caps. Even if all the above happened at once.
Ask your renters to explain that and tell them a shrug is not an answer given by a responsible driver…..
I live in Canada. Generally our sites are so well tree’d you have trouble seeing your neighbor. This is better than a cement pad but is this typical for most campsites in the US?
Just back from a 4000km round trip from Kamloops, BC to Yellowstone/Grand Teton. Fortunate for some beautiful weather although the hailstorm driving over the pass into Yellowstone was eye widening!
Dang! You did all that towing with a Ford Maverick in the mountains? Am I seeing that right? How was the tow? I also have a sub2K pound camper always wonder if I could get away with a smaller truck.
Saw a lot of these big rigs in around Banff when I was there for a week this summer. Didn’t see a whole lot of people stopping by and asking questions. We did have a Storyteller Beast across from us in Dinosaur PP and I really wanted to check out the inside, but I left the elderly couple alone
Took our Jayco Hybrid down to Meeman Shelby Forest State Park (near Memphis) for the week. Park bath house was old and needed to be replaced, but other than that it's close enough to Memphis for day trips. Absolutely NO cell service in the park, and no wifi except up at the park office. Bring a book and mosquito spray if you go.
We bought a Jayco camper for mostly boondocking, works great for our family.
One issue I have is the converter (WFCO 8735-ad, known defect with auto detect) only charges lifepo4 (100ah) @ 6amps while plugged in our using the generator (champion 2500 watt inventory) or shore power and 8-10 amps while driving. If we're boondocking, it takes an estimated 8-12 hours to charge the battery, I don't want to listen to a generator that long and know the battery can accept a faster charge.
We have 200 watt solar panels which helps, the 12v only fridge works against our battery.
Recommendations or who can I talk with on how I can charge the battery faster? Is this best for a new power dynamic converter, send the WFCO converter in for repair or victron charger?
I run a Xantrex XC Pro 3000 that will dump 150 amps into my LifePo4 batteries if I let it. I hold it back to 100 amps per the battery’s OEM recommendations. Needless to say, the generator runtime is very, very low.
I connect my TT Lipo4 battery to a 20 amp battery charger powered by a small, 1000 watt, very quite generator when needing a charge. Works great for me.
For about $200 you can replace the converter module with a Progressive Dynamics 35a unit compatible with lithium batteries. It will put out a constant 35a at over 14v. If you’re not using other DC loads when charging, it should work out to re-charging about 35ah of battery per hour of generator / shore power. You’ll also need to make sure your battery wiring can handle 35a.
I had that same converter and the exact same problem. It’s total junk.
I called Battleborn to ask their opinion. They told me to talk to Randy at bestconverter.com. (apparently he’s a trusted vendor for them). He informed me that Progressive Dynamics makes a direct replacement power center for the WFCO 8735-AD. It’s called the PD4135KW2B. This unit has the same number of branch AC circuits and an additional DC circuit. It has a physical switch (novel concept) to change between Lithium and Lead Acid charging profile. It was only about $180.
The prospect of re-wiring my whole power center was a little daunting. But I just took it slow moving one circuit over at a time. In the end it wasn’t that hard. My old breakers were not compatible with the new panel, so I had to purchase those. But all in all the project cost was about $250 total (new panel and new breakers).
My old converter was charging at 13.6V and max amps I was getting to the battery was about 8. (took multiple days to charge and only to 80%)
My new converter charges up to 14.5 V and max amps I am getting to the battery is about 18. (now charges to 100% in about 5-6 hours).
The investment was minimal and I had to run no additional (or higher gauge) wires to the battery. I now have a reliable system that will charge fast enough off a a generator if we are boon docking.
homebrew a superior system with a victron inverter/charger combo
Shore power wire goes to the inverter/charger “in” connection, old shore power connection gets moved to the “out” of the inverter/charger, DC side of the inverter/charger is obviously connected to your batteries, and your DC side to your batteries.
hundreds of videos on how to do this on youtube
the shitty manufacturer converter goes bye bye
it’s more expensive than what some other people have mentioned – but it is more expandible with future solar, additional batteries, etc
Not sure if anyone has seen or done this before. My slide out had some timing issues after hitting a ridiculous bump in the road. Harbor Freight 6” fixed casters fit perfectly under the slide out. They support the weight while it’s slid in for travel. I fixed the timing issue and installed these. The slide out goes out a little smoother now too
Someone blasted this thing with mounds of sloppy silicone many years ago. I'm scraping it out. The roof and side are both filon. Should I just use proflex or something similar? Do the rest of the edges need sealed? I paid to have the roof sealed recently and this got neglected.
It’s to turn on the built in heaters in your lithium batteries. Lithium batteries have temp requirements for proper use and charge. This will keep them happy in lower temps
Keystone dealer here. I’d recognize that switch anywhere. It’s specifically for your Dragonfly lithium batteries that came with your coach. They were standard on all Keystone models in 2023. It’s an option in 2024, so you lucked out! Those things are pricy, but they’re great.
So that button doesn’t do exactly what you think. It’s not an on off for heating the batteries, rather it’s a an on off for the batteries’ smart sensor which can decide when to heat the batteries based on temps. Lithium batteries you may know can discharge just fine at sub-freezing temps, but do not take a charge at the same temps, hence the heat option.
If you camp seasonally, leave it alone. If you camp year round, leave it on during any time there’s a chance things will freeze. Again, all it does is tell your batteries they have permission to turn on automatically when they need to. Pretty smart design imo.
Simple, that’s the Whitney switch… or “WhitSwitch” is what they call it in the shop. Either, oooooh I wanna battery with somebody. Or, I wanna feel the heat with somebody. The last part is largely voluntary, it can be with or without somebody who loves you.
2023 Jayco Jayflight, had for about a year. Got to campsite yesterday and the trim had popped off around the rear door. See everyone talking about not taking it in to the dealer for warranty work for little trim stuff, just curious if this is to be expected over time or if I’m somehow over stressing the frame or something. I was planning on just taking a stapler gun to it.
The wall panel was probably cut just a hair too long and has been receiving more and more pressure as the rig has settled, and exacerbated by the shrinking/expanding of cold/hot temperature cycles. It happens and it’s not a big deal.
Typically the repair is to remove the trim along the floor line, pop the bottom of the panel loose, trim it to fit, then reassemble everything.
Those worthless 1/4″ staples can’t hold toilet tissue.
Use round head phillips screws in place of staples, a good 34″ long, if in fact there’s worthy material behind it. Insert slowly and gentle.
A little tan mastic adhesive dotted in will be permenant attachment between screws.
Cheers
As much as RV’s rock and roll during travel, it’s funny that more panels don’t pop like this. As the other poster said, it could be a hair too long and is being “pinched”. Pretty easy fix to maybe trim 1/8” off one and and re-attack with brad nails. Those little staples aren’t amazing.
We pull our horses with an F350, but next tow vehicle will probably be a MDT like an Freightliner M2 or a HD Class 7 truck unless the family retires from showing horses.
If you were to see how fast they assemble a TT , I’m surprised there isn’t more issues. Bets of luck with the dealership and warranty hopefully they’ll cover it.
My experience is they will cover it 100% but it mIght be at their place for 1 to 2 months before it is ready.
Make sure you go through the trailer and find everything you want fixed. Trim pieces test the cable connection at every spot and slide gaps and drawer squareness and and and….
So it goes in once. The dealers get paid for everything you fix and you usually only fix things covered. Hence they are motivated to get your warranty items approved.
You have a leak, since it’s pretty new they might cut you a break and replace the back cap, but when it comes to water damage due to improper sealant maintenance they’re usually going to deny the claim.
Gotta check your seals urgently as often as you can.
Our family of 5 usually don’t make sightseeing stops but this was well worth it for the experience. Filled up at pump #221 (TWO HUNDRED AND TWENTY ONE)!!! It it was super easy maneuvering around the parking and pumps even though it was super busy on a Friday.
You only have three grills? I’m not sure how you’ll survive. It also brings me great joy to imagine you set up in the middle of the local high-schools volley ball court.
I think they put something out on the State park web site that said they would be draining the lake to do maintenance on the dam.
I just remember this because last year we were planning our camping schedule for this year and we were thinking of going to Guernsey and someone in our camping group posted a link to the message saying the lake wouldn’t have any water in it.
Hi all. I have a question that might be really stupid but google isn’t being helpful so here I am. I have a 19 foot travel trailer. The fridge, stove and water heater run off of propane. My question is, if I wanted to boondock in the middle of nowhere, could I plug my trailers shore power (with the proper power converter) into this generator pictured? With no fridge or large appliances running, my thought is we could use our lights and charge our phones inside if needed for a few hours? And maybe run the coffee pot? Could this work for a few hours a day or am I totally missing something?
You can do that. You’ll probably need an adapter. It won’t be much different than plugging your RV into a standard household outlet. So as long as you can run off a 15A outlet like your home has a Jackery should work too.
Consider how long it would take to recharge that using solar, even if you don’t fully deplete the stored energy. It may not totally recharge to 100% in 8hrs of sunlight if I remember that model correctly. Maybe I’m thinking of a different one.
Otherwise, yeah. It’ll recharge phones and make a pot of coffee. It will not run your aircon tho.
I hate how they’re now calling batteries “generators”. That one comes with a few solar panels, but depending on your latitude and weather they can be grossly inadequate. It’s so overpriced,
If you plug it into your TT, a portion of that energy goes to the trailer’s circuitry and charging the battery in it. For example I know my camper draws 80 watts just plugged into shore power, with nothing inside it on.
That ad doesn’t clearly say peak wattage or amp-hours. If the “model 1000” means 1000w peak wattage, that excludes a lot of things: no to coffee maker, no kitchen appliances like microwave, no air conditioner. It could run a fan, but maybe not all day.
Didn’t your trailer come with a battery? The single cheapo lead acid battery in my TT lasts me 2-3 days, and that also includes TV & furnace fan. If you’re going to spend $1,300, put the money towards larger battery/batteries. Consider switching to lithium (LiPo4) , though you may have to upgrade your TT’s charger.
I added some USB quick charger outlets in my TT, which draw power from its 12v system. It’s an easy DIY upgrade that cost $20. I also found a standard RV light fixture with USB port on side, which I just swapped out for a light next to a bed. Amazon has a great selection of these things.
What battery is currently in your TT? Is it not holding a charge? If it’s super old, it may just need replaced.
My buddy bought a jackery to run his CPAP off grid. It did the job but the panels have failed to fully recharge it a couple times.
Do you not have 12v lights? My first trailer years ago was built in 1979 and even it had 12v lighting. Shouldn’t need “shore power” for lights. As others have said it’s cheap and relatively easy to add lights, phone chargers etc that run off your 12v system.
That only leaves your coffee pot. I have a decent solar charging, lithium battery and inverter setup that will run my electric coffee maker. Before I got that all setup though, I just used a Coleman drip coffee maker that sits in a gas burner.
I’d plug in the Keurig and charge the phones directly to it. There’s some conversion loss if you plug the trailer to it then use that to power the house outlets. I also bought rechargeable led lights for inside so I don’t have to rely on power from my van just for lighting.
I’ve been boondocking for years using the regular camper battery and a folding solar panel / charge controller connected directly to the battery.
Mine has a propane fridge too, so I’m mostly just using lights and the water pump. Nothing that uses AC power will work, so for coffee I usually just do a pour over with a kettle on the stove.
As long as you have some sun every day, it should work!
So the one I had got stolen. So I am looking for one that does two things.
1. Isn’t the plastic straw material. Looking for something a little thicker to keep thorns out (for my dog).
2. Folds up square easily for small storage.
One measurement is worth 50 expert opinions, and infinite number of towing forum opinions. Who cares what people think, put it on a scale and figure out if it’s right.
This doesn’t even look like it was made to be a toy hauler, these guys just cut a hole into their bedroom and converted it into a garage. I wonder if it goes all the way through to the front?
I have so many questions. Because those cars can be flat towed.. and I also have a coachmen so logically they gutted the bed and bathroom.. but why. I’d be so curious
We cooked outside in pouring rain because we had a bbq. Snow once too.
But it’s really because my husband doesn’t like food smell in the house. It’s weird. I love going to sleep smelling garlic and bacon. I have to shut the bedroom door when I cook.
Ps. Electric pellet grills are awesome. Plug that bad boy in and you can smoke everything. But use a pizza stone for pizza, they burn quickly on the bottom.
So psyched to be camping in late September in Michigan! This is a double celebration; first, our first wedding anniversary, second, our first camping trip in our first camper! Yee haw!
I told my daughter 'get anything you need for a camping trip this weekend into the camper'. What she HEARD was 'get all your squishmallows packed into your bunk'. ????
Someday, the Squish Mallows and fluffies will all disappear, replaced by boring, featureless pillows, because they “need to be adult” and “I’m too old for them”.
And the magic of the world will be a little less.
Screw that noise. Get your daughters more squishes. Get your wife more squishes. Get yourself something that makes you smile. (And it’s perfectly OK if that’s a squish.)
Life is too cruel and short. Enjoy what you can as long as you can. Don’t care what people who you don’t care about think.
Been to Idaho. Pretty state. When we went we camped for free, in a tent, on national forest land. That said, these prices seem high for state parks but are in line with what private campgrounds charge these days. Guess it is what it is. Wouldn’t stop me from going but I’d make sure there’s some specific reason to visit. Does come off as being kind of unwelcoming which maybe is what they are going for.
State residents pay taxes to support state recreation areas whether they use them or not. It makes sense residents pay less, but the pricing looks like someone looked at what private parks charge and upped the fees.
They announced this last year. The “nonresidents pay double” applies only to the five state parks most heavily used by non-residents; Farragut is one of them. They were going to do this with some other facilities, too (I forget what, exactly) but were told that since they get federal funds for them if they did this they’d get their funding cut off.
I’ve also heard that some other states (notably Oregon) were looking at special fees for Idaho residents. As in “if your state doesn’t screw Oregon residents then we won’t screw you, but if it does then we’ll reciprocate.”
Idaho resident here, living about 20 miles from this state park. To be able to even enter the park I have to pay $10 on my registration each year. But that’s not what these prices are about. I don’t want to get into politics here, but during the Covid shutdown Idaho was pretty much open. Our restaurants, shopping and all of our recreational areas. We stopped masking after a couple months, but our neighbor to the west was still in full lockdown for almost a year. There, you couldn’t even sit in a boat by yourself in the middle of one of their lakes without a mask, even if you were alone. It was pretty brutal.
So, long story short, Idaho was inundated with folks coming across the border with out of state license plates. It was only natural, north Idaho is 20 miles from Spokane and Spokane Valley with about 300,000+ residents. The Idaho residents started complaining, they couldn’t get parking at the parks, the boat launches, etc. Just my opinion but I think this pricing difference is the result.
In Europe I see 22-24 feet RV’s with a max weight(so files with stuff) of 1600kg/3600lbs, which would be perfect to tow with my SUV.
When I look for RV’s here, they are either much heavier or they are super tiny under 3600lbs. Am I missing something or are they just built differently?
If you’re looking for lightweight travel trailers in the US take a look at the Travel Lite Rove line, Safari Condo, Happier Camper and of course Scamp; all offer campers that can easily be towed by an SUV.
Most of the ones I saw in the UK (lived there 11 years) had no AC and had no real bathroom/shower, no slides…..very basic and the UK is flat as Kansas so anything could tow them.
I will take my US one over the UK ones any day of the week…..also needed a “endorsement” and test to tow any trailers too on your license.
Also limited speeds…..single lane was max of MPH and dual was 60…..it was agony being stuck behind caravans!
I live in New Zealand and our local manufacturers for TT (along with Aussie) are about 30%-50% heavier than UK imports (which there are plenty of)
Uk ones tend to be much narrower and built to stay at holiday parks (with facilities) toilets tend to be cassette style (no black tank) and grey tanks are tiny pull along things you also manually dump…..
Often UK imports don’t have AC but the Australian manufactured exact same model will and have a heavier and reinforced higher chassis with bigger wheels. (And three more solar panels and 3x more house battery capacity) and a washing machine/dryer combo which the UK one ommited for extra storage.
They also use a unique round 18 pin plug which was a nightmare to fit on our ute (about 3 auto electricians could install it in a city of 1.5m people)
And use a 50mm tow ball (as opposed to our 1 7/8th standard ball)
We traveled for a year full-time in our English 8m twin axle… it was 1600kg dry and it never exceeded 1850kg (our max tow is 2200kg) (gcw 4.5T requires a different class licence here)
The construction is mostly very lightweight particle board and it had a lot of flex especially in rough weather. But the storage is excellent and well thought out. Minimal house battery and we carried 2x 9kg tanks of lpg but it’s designed for the UK tank which is smaller… we had to relocate the jack and extra support and store them elsewhere. All the windows are double layer polycarbonate (no glass at all) and the shower box is a one piece blow moulded unit that has a seat over the wheel arch.
Ours was a 4 berth (back island bed) and it was brand new import and we paid $66k NZD in 2020… during our very last lockdown we sold it for $77k sight unseen to a buyer who paid for it to be transported to him during the lockdown. Crazy shit. So we used it for a year and got paid 11k for the privilege ????
Having visited Sweden this summer, they are mostly smaller as well. The designs and construction just seem better. Most are towed with station wagons too. It will just seemed better and more reasonable compared to the excessively large RV market here. So ya, European.
I found the source of many electrical problems on my wife's Casita…
This is actually the receptacle side of a 3' extension. The pigtail plug is just as bad. Replacement is dielectric greased inside and caulked outside. This is a So Cal trailer too.
It probably would’ve been fine but with the music, Camping, and ABC’s all loaded on top, it’s probably dangerous. Even if you put a weight distribution hitch on it and get airbags, it’s not gonna make it safe.
the size that is recommended is fine, if their is an upgrade kit i would recommend that of course, but as far as material ceramic are nice if you are an easy breaker, last a long time just a little squeaky but can absolutely take a hard stop when necessary just wears the material quick if they get hot. old fashion is just old and the manufacturers are just trying to justify keeping them for the appearance of choice
Myself (F31) and my wife (F33)
Have booked a Cruise America trip in the USA via Trailfinders
We are going in early April 2024 flying into vegas for 2 nights. For the next 7 nights we have our very own RV, planning to visit The Grand Canyon, Lake Powell, Monument Valley and some other national parks.
We have a C21 motorhome which sleeps 4 people, has a toilet/shower and is approximately 21feet in length
We have both travelled to the USA multiple times but have always opted for a hotel stay
We would love any input, recommendations and advice on the following please:
Where to camp – do we have to stay at an RV park every night or can we just pull in to a diner or roadside?
If we eat at a restaurant or diner, can we pitch up there for the night?
For two women, what do we need to be aware of from a safety point of view?
How long can the Rv maintain power without a hook up?
How long should we spend in certain locations during our week of RV-ing?
What is a Must for this trip?
What should we avoid?
Any advice greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance
Honestly, you are are going to the wrong location. If you have a week, you should go to Zion, Bryce, Capital Reef, and Moab, or some variation. These are probably the most bang for your buck in the US for rving. That is about 9 hours of driving.
Day One: Arrive in Vegas.
Day Two: If you new have been to Vegas, explore Vegas. You might pick up the RV a day early.
Day Three: Leave early for Zion. It’s about a three hour drive in an RV. If you can’t get in the park, there are some nice RV parks just outside. I would spend two nights here.
Day Four: At Zion.
Day Five: Drive to Bryce and spend the night there. We did a donkey/horse ride. It was cool but much like Grand Canyon, it’s sort of hard to enjoy as it’s a valley. So, you spend your time looking from vistas.
Day Six: Hit Capital Reef, or skip it, on your way to Moab. Spend two nights at Dead Horse Point State Park (or, a park closer to Moab). Dead Horse is very cool and the vista is amazing. Do at least a sunset there. I like hitting arches in the afternoon.
Day Seven: Another night in Moab area.
Day Eight and Nine: It sounds like you are not from the USA and I can understand why you would want to hit the Grand Canyon. The Grand Canyon is very cool but not a ton to day. I will sunrises and riding along the path. It will be a good long day of driving but you can hit Monument Valley along the way.
This would be an epic week. Lake Powell? The only reason I would stay there is to do the Antelope Caverns/Caves (?) that are around there.
As someone else has said, you will want to be in a park. The US is safe but you won’t sleep well in a parking lot and you won’t be comfortable. Like I said, you have the opportunity to hit some of the best parks in the US and a week is a perfect amount of time.
To answer your general questions about just pulling up to a place, in the US, there are few places that you can just pull up to and stay. I don’t think there will be a lot of these places in the area but Walmart and Cracker Barrel are known to allow it. Most places will not want you parking in their parking lot for the night. As for dispersed camping, there is probably a good amount in the area on Federal land. Your issue will be water and power. If you try and use your house batteries, you will be running your generator a good amount. There are a ton of RV parks that will have both water and power. It just makes it much more enjoyable. It’s all power, waste and water management. I suspect your grey/black tanks are pretty small. Depending on use (showers, toilet, etc.), you will fill them up sort of qucik.
If you want to stay in national parks (and you should) make your reservations now. April isn’t quite the high season at the Grand Canyon but I’d still get a reservation. It’s one of the more popular national parks and not one you can usually just show up at and hope to get a spot. There’s a free shuttle that runs around the south rim of the Grand Canyon so once you’re parked there you won’t have to move.
To follow your planned itinerary. Stop at Hoover dam for the view.
May need to make reservations for camping at Grand Canyon, check before you leave. See the south rim. When heading to Page go to Marble canton lees ferry, walk across the old bridge nice views may see California condor can camp here if late. Head to page, stop at Horseshoe bend for the sights stretch legs. At page you have lake Powell with camping, also visit the Antelope slot canyons east of town, need to go on a tour, can book in page or internet, it’s on the Navajo Nation with Navajo tour guide, there are three or four different ones, different parts of the canyons, research online, went to upper and lower both good, upper they drive from town, lower there is a parking lot.
Head across the reservation to monument valley, Navajo NM is a short stop if on the way. Monument Valley is a tribal park, so separate fee from National Parks.
From here it depends on time go north to Natural Bridges NM, then Bryce Canyon NP and Zion NP back to Vegas. This is 20 hours of driving, not on the same road twice, make sure you top off with fuel when able. There is camping at the National Parks and Monuments, may need reservations. Can camp most any place on National Forest or BLM, road side rest areas also. On Navajo Nation there isn’t much place to stay, Monument Valley I believe there is a campground.
If that’s too much, cut out Monument Valley, head North from Page to Zion/Bryce. If Monument Valley is bucket list, maybe Canyon de Chelly, Hubble trading post across the Hopi reservation, mostly vistas, not many stops.
Many of the stops so not take all day, mostly driving to get there.
For weather it will be variable, could see a little snow, but won’t stay around, could be warm or cold, cold nights, it will be windy some days.
You have lots of time to plan, the roads are not bad. Note if you tend to go to Zion the east entrance has height/size limits make sure motor home makes it.
If you are spending all that money to travel to one of the most scenic spots in the world, why would you can in some ugly diner parking lot or roadside parking area? geez, get a good campsite. Safer. Not as noiser. Cleaner. Or rethink the RV and just do motels.
But note that the campgrounds book up REALLY quickly. So go to recreation.gov and learn the opening days for reserving the dates you want.
If an RV has solar or a generator it can electrical devices quite a while without a hookup, but it depends on what power you use. Air conditioning? it will use a lot. Ditto for anything with a big power draw like say a blender. Be frugal with your power use. Be aware many campgrounds limit the number of hours you can use a generator, and the RV rentals often charge money for every fraction of an hour you use a generator.
I would concentrate on the Zion to Bryce, Escalante, Boulder, Torrey, Fruita, Hanksville, and Moab (Arches, Canyonlands) route. It is the most scenic route in that part of UT. Note that there are restrictions on UT rte 9 for RVs of a certain size.
For a short trip like yours, do yourself a favor and stay at proper RV parks every night, with hookups. You’ll be more comfortable. I don’t know if Cruise America RVs have generators, but relying on generators for power is unpleasant. You can’t always run them where you’re camping, even when you can it’s rude and annoying to others around you. You won’t have any power without either a generator or a hookup.
Very few non-campground places will let you park overnight. Cracker Barrel (low-end chain restaurant) and some stores (Walmart, Cabela’s, a couple others) will often–but not always–let you stay overnight, but you can’t set up a comfortable camp. You’re expected to stealthily park for the night and then leave in the morning.
Your list of places to visit sounds great, and there will be plenty of campgrounds you can stay at near all of them. I think that’s a decent set of close-by destinations for seven nights. I wouldn’t try to add much more, or you’ll spend too much time driving. The western US is deceptively-large. For example, Las Vegas to Lake Powell is about 7-8 hours of driving. If you’re more into the road trip than the destinations, you could maybe squeeze another park in, but I think you already have a good itinerary that allows for a couple two-night stays and a couple long days of driving.
I’m a large male, so maybe not the best person to advise on safety, but I don’t think you have anything to worry about. Our national/state parks are safe places. You’ll be traveling on busy highways most of the time, with plenty of safe places to stop, and someone (police or good samaritan) will come to your aid immediately if you break down. Use common sense, trust your gut, and make sure you have a working cellphone, and you’ll be fine.
Was looking at a forest river wildwoood used. Decently new – 2020. But owner hasn’t used it in about a year due to new kid.
The trailer has this thing separating from the roof (I don’t know it’s name) on the front of the trailer (on the side opposite to the awning ). Is this big damage ? He says not water leaks or water damage.
He is still under warranty – so will take it to the dealership to get their opinion. But what do y’all hunt ?
that opening definitely looks like an avenue for a good bit of water to get in. I don’t know how you would get in the wall to check it. It’d have to be a REAL good deal for me to move forward on it – but I would certainly seal that ASAP
So, I don’t know if I’m going to be explaining this well because I don’t know the technical names for the parts, but it looks similar to what happened on my Keystone Bullet. Along the front corner, there is a piece of aluminum channel that goes from the bottom of the trailer and wraps around to the top of the trailer. They bend it around the trailer and then secure it with screws as they go and cake it with sealant at the top.
The top part of mine started to spring back to its original straight shape, which caused the top edge of it to lift and rip the screws out of the roof. It looks like the factory just threw even more sealant over it and sent it out the door, still lifting an inch or 2. Not long after I got it, the sealant started to tear, exposing the problem. My solution was to put a few more screws into it to secure it back to the roof and remove some of the old sealant and reseal it. I caught it before it rained, and I haven’t noticed any leaks since I’ve done the repair. I wish I had taken pictures to show what I’m talking about.
Wait… First timers with enough truck to handle the rig? The weight police are panicking now with nothing to complain about. ???? Great looking TT. Enjoy!
I have a few questions are you paying this RV financed? f so how much are you paying per month? If you don’t mind me asking and
…also do you have space to park it in your home or do you have to pay like for a storage to have it if so, approximately how much are you paying per month to storage your RV thank you.
Sitting here by the campfire on a quick impromptu weekend getaway (our second trip with this camper), kids reading in their hammocks, smoking a cigar… And my wife starts showing me listings for bigger campers. Can of worms is what I opened! And while the responsible me says there's nothing wrong with ours, some of them look so nice & have all the features I want!
It’s the nice weekends where nothing goes wrong that make camping worth it. It’s those other weekends that make it a pain and make you question your life.
We had a 4500# 23 footer towed with an Avalanche. Then Hurricane Michael totaled the truck and the house. We replaced the totaled Avalanche with a Ram 1500. We had to live in the camper while we rebuilt, but after 6 weeks, I couldn’t do it. After a full day working, then working on the house in the evening, the two sitting areas were either the booth made with a piece of foam over plywood, or the “couch” made with a piece of foam over plywood. We traded the camper for a 10,000# 3 slide 30 footer. Lived in it full time for 6 months until the house was finished, then started taking monthly weekend trips. Quickly found out, while the Ram 1500 had the tow capacity, it was a white knuckle drive anytime the road wasn’t smooth and straight. Traded the 1500 for a 2500. Now, we’d like to downsize the camper but can’t find anything that has the luxuries we’ve become accustomed too.
I’m with you. It always happens that way. We bought our camper based on tow vehicle. Love the camper but quickly decided towing near max was not fun. Upgraded the tow vehicle to one that’s over twice the tow max of the old one. Now with a 3 month old camper I keep looking at the next one up in the same line that has everything that the one we got doesn’t have. Down the rabbit hole we go
Spending yet another weekend with the family, sipping a cup of coffee over the fire on a brisk Ohio September morning and watching the sunbeams fight their way through the morning fog thinking 'it just can't get any better then this, can it?'
I just bought this older camper and could hear a leak when I turned the ShurFlo pump on. I followed it and found these hoses cut spilling out water (Back arrow). The one on the left is my city water hose (White arrow) which only is connected to my toilet
The two hoses on the right are coming directly from my pump then parted off in three areas; main sink, shower and bathroom sink, which are all getting no pressure but I'm sure it's due to it being cut
I'm assuming these three need to all be connected ? If so, how ? And if they all get connected and I turn the city water on, will the water then go into it, in the opposite direction as it would when it is being pressurized from my pump? Sorry new to all of this
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