18 BIG RV Travel MISTAKES You Should Know (& How To AVOID Them!)
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- Опубліковано 22 лип 2024
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Complete RV Campsite Setup • COMPLETE RV CAMPSITE S...
Complete RV Campsite Breakdown • RV COMPLETE CAMPSITE B...
CHAPTERS/TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro
01:31 RV Crushes Truck! Not Doing A Tug Test Mistake!
04:21 Should You Travel With Propane On In Your RV? Big Mistake?
07:16 Your RVs Tail Swing Can Cause An Accident!
10:14 Biggest RV Tire Mistakes! Not Having a TPMS system.
12:15 You Need To Know The Height Of Your RV!
12:21 Best RV Trip Planner! RV Safe GPS Directions!
13:44 How To Find RV Campsites. Make Reservations Early!
15:11 Best RV Fuel Discount Program
16:11 Traveling Overweight In Your RV
17:01 Towing RV With Too Small Of Truck
18:06 Best RV Extended Warranty
19:19 Speeding!
21:05 Safety Check!
22:45 Don’t Drive Your RV At Night! A Recipe For A Big Mistake!
24:07 What Is An RV Shakedown Trip?
26:43 Don’t Drive Too Long!
27:08 Big RV Travel Mistake! Not Moving Over For Vehicles
27:52 Don’t Travel Angry!
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#rvliving #RVmistakes #RV
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CHAPTERS/TIMESTAMPS
00:00 Intro
01:31 RV Crushes Truck! Not Doing A Tug Test Mistake!
04:21 Should You Travel With Propane On In Your RV? Big Mistake?
07:16 Your RVs Tail Swing Can Cause An Accident!
10:14 Biggest RV Tire Mistakes! Not Having a TPMS system.
12:15 You Need To Know The Height Of Your RV!
12:21 Best RV Trip Planner! RV Safe GPS Directions!
13:44 How To Find RV Campsites. Make Reservations Early!
15:11 Best RV Fuel Discount Program
16:11 Traveling Overweight In Your RV
17:01 Towing RV With Too Small Of Truck
18:06 Best RV Extended Warranty
19:19 Speeding!
21:05 Safety Check!
22:45 Don’t Drive Your RV At Night! A Recipe For A Big Mistake!
24:07 What Is An RV Shakedown Trip?
26:43 Don’t Drive Too Long!
27:08 Big RV Travel Mistake! Not Moving Over For Vehicles
27:52 Don’t Travel Angry!
FREE PTSD TEST forms.gle/LFSg2TyK23ev7aT78 (track your score, 20+ is PTSD) 🌞 Cheri can help traumafreedom.square.site/ Questions? FAQ: traumafreedom.square.site/frequently-asked-questions or
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Thank you so much for using our links! Tom & Cheri’ :)
***** CONTACT US *****
Email: tomandcheri@enjoythejourney.life
Mail Bag:
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14870 Granada Avenue 1037
Apple Valley, MN 55124
Tom & Cheri, Full-time RV travelers sharing our adventures (and challenges), advice and more from the road. Inspiring others to do it now and live life on their terms, a life of freedom and adventure. 😍
Enjoy The Journey . Life, All Rights Reserved
Our channel is for entertainment purposes only. We are not RV or travel experts. We share our opinions and what has worked and not worked for us in the past. Before taking any action or making a purchase decision, you should do your own research.
Some of our links are affiliate links. We may make a small commission if you use our links which helps support our channel. Thank you!
#rvliving #RVmistakes #RV
You are great . telling us how to be safe while watching the camera and towing a huge rig . Thank you MR. SAFETY
How about not recording as your driving. You spend more time looking at the camera and not the road. Mirrors are those things mounted out side on each door. They are useful if your driving and especially pulling a trailer. Just trying to keep innocent drivers around your carelessness safe.
As a long haul truck driver I can tell you that you should never rely on a tug test alone. Get out and with a flash light make sure your 5th wheel jaws are fully locked around the shank and that there is no daylight between the 5th wheel and the trailer apron.
100%
I also push the 5th handle to make sure it's in. After my tug test
That tug test is ESSENTIAL, and every 5th-wheel RVer should know how to perform a proper tugjob.
Absolutely!...I'm also an OTR driver, and I learned early on not to go by tug test alone. ALWAYS...ALWAYS VISUALLY CHECK TO MAKE SURE THAT IT IS PROPERLY LOCKED.
We OTR and if we leave our tractor trailer for any reason- (go inside for bathroom, refreshments etc) ALWAYS check your pin before resuming! Sad to say, but there are those that will walk by and unpin your trailer for whatever twisted reason.
Here's a RV towing tip.. Keep your eyes on the road instead of looking at a camera. You can still talk without taking eyes off the road. 😁👍
1) Safety checks often!
2) When closing up our rig, I go in a circle around and TOUCH each item, door, and slide to be sure everything is properly closed.
3) we are NAVY… we call it a “Shake Down Cruise” at the beginning of our 8 month season .
4) CHECK LIST … and then we swap the list for a second set of eyes.
5) 3-3-3 Three hours driving, less than 300 miles, and three adult drinks after we are fully parked/set up.
6) lastly, the wife needs to know how to drive it, move it etc… in case of a medical issue or heaven for bid a death.
Your video is a good one Tom.
Any tips on getting the wife to try to learn? I have a better chance of getting my wife into bed with another woman than I do getting her to pull a trailer. I’m actually speaking from experience here… 😉
My biggest mistake was making a YT video about RV safety *while driving*. 🤣🤣
😂 I thought the same but I think he only talked on straightaways and saw him glance at mirrors a lot. I don’t think he talked at length to the camera as there were a lot of edits. I really appreciated the go-pro views - y’all see that huge boat pass right next to him?! I’d have been so scared. I think (as newbies) it’d be good for my husband and I to take turns following each other in a separate vehicle so we can see what it looks like from behind and to give each other that buffer from rear traffic. Ha, I just thought - why not stick “new driver” magnets to it while we’re learning?!
Yup if he ends up in a accident they will be sure to check the camera.
First Step Ministry here, my husband Lewis is a former truck driver and he says always check your Hubs for heat.If the hubs are hot, then that means the wheel bearings are going bad. If they get too hot, your tires can catch on fire or wheels can lock down. We travel in our motor home and checking EVERYTHING before, during and after is very important. We enjoyed your video. Thanks for sharing. Be safe and Happy Travels
Tom, we stopped at a rest stop upon entering Fl on I95. Just prior to getting back on the road, I went into the trailer to change into a cooler shirt, I had to move the bed slide out to access the clothes. Got back in the truck and left the rest stop. As I’m pulling back on to the highway, I noticed the bedroom slide was out about one foot into the next lane. Immediately pulled over on a busy highway and closed the slide. That was the last time I did that.
Wow! Thanks for sharing!
HOLY COW!! That's a oh my goodness moment for sure
My best suggestion is to make sure your spouse or significant other knows how to operate all systems. Typically, he does outside things and I do the inside final pre trip stuff.. But, at least once a month I do the outside things and he does the inside things, then we check each others work. It keeps our check lists accurate and us on our toes should there be a situation arise, the other is at least familiar with how to do things. Additionally he has helped me learn how to hook and tow the unit safely....for those "just in case" circumstances.
I feel like shaking the women who say " my husband does all that. I couldn't drive that thing." LEARN.
My husband andcI daydreamed about getting a conversion van and taking a couple of months to tralvel across the country. It never happened because first, self employed and second, eventually he passed away at 67. Ten years later, still struggling under a mortgage, not enough income to do repairs and barely making ends meet, I sold the house, "as is"
Bought a 29 foot motorhome and basically taught myself with help from UA-cam how to drive it. Still not fond of backing up in tight spots, learning more and more about maintaining everything inside and out. Oh yeah, I am 77, peparing to head from Arizona back to Maine after my third winter in AZ.
It takes a big man to admit his mistakes, thanks for sharing, 33 years as a over the road truck driver and I have made many mistakes, love your channel and content.
We ve camped for years and we learned to leave something's in the camper like pots and pans, toaster oven can goods and my wife also washes all our towels and linens when we get home and puts them back in the RV so it's in there for the next trip.
We always stop travelling around 3:00pm for HAPPY HOUR & always travel a little under the speed limit so we're relaxed at the end of the day!
Thx I have a new plan!
Once upon a time, you could be driving anywhere from El Paso to Key West and not have to stop for that Happy Hour.
Florida used to have drive through liquor stores.
I thiugh they just chucked booze in your trunk, so I was a bit shocked when my stepfather pulled up to the window, ordered a Cuba Libre and off we went.
I would add to the safety check by feeling the wheel hubs including on the tow vehicle to see if any of the wheel bearings are getting hot or if the breaks are sticking.
Thank you for your suggestion! Checking the wheel hubs and brakes for any issues is definitely an important safety measure when traveling in an RV. By the way, have you heard about the Segway Portable PowerStation Cube Series? It's a versatile power station that provides ample power for your devices and appliances during your RV trips. It has a massive capacity, fast recharging, and even features waterproof technology. It could be a great addition to your outdoor gear!
Great information! We’ve been RVing for 6 years and have made our share of goofs. Fortunately nothing terrible so far. We highly recommend checklists. And one checklist item is “propane OFF.” Not sure why on vs off would ever be a question. And for UA-camrs making RV videos, a tip from us: Avoid filming videos while driving! Your mind is surely on making great content and not on great driving!
Amen Bill.
We use a trucker app called Hammer that allowed us to input our rigs exact dimensions and routes us based upon our weight/height. My husband drives our car and preferred RV Life GPS app. He just couldnt figure out why my app was taking a longer route. Then he updated the specs and voila, he had the same route. I prefer Hammer because I select hazardous materials (Propane) just to be extra cautious. Then again our mantra really is "its the Journey" and we try to avoid all deadline traveling. If I am worried about arriving at a certain destination certain time, I'm more likely to ignore my own well-being (tired, hangry, cranky) and not be a happy camper upon arrival.
One thing I recommend if you're coming out of an area after boondocking where there's rocks. Before you get out on the pavement check your dually tires and make sure you don't have a a rock stuck between your tires that might fly out later. Also it can cause flat tire. Thank you for your video. Stay well and happy.
Tailswing: use 2 lanes !!
Shakedown: 1st in driveway, next a close campsite. After your first campsite setup and tare-down you know what tools to bring, you can get them from your home. Next a short drive and doing it again to practice.
Just watched your video again.
Add to your list:
Do not drive sick. Your mind is not focused, your drained, drowsy if you are on meds.
I did this and just south of Dallas rubbed a bollard at the diesel island against our kitchen slideout. 4 days of butt chewing from the wife and everyone learning about it.
Drive healthy = happy spouse + less to no damage.
So please follow this to a trip to jail for DUI via the effects of cold and sinus medicine. Troopers explained that even Sudafed (known for stimulant effects) changes people's perception and so therefore qualifies for 'influencing' the driver IF the field test shows impairment such as arguing with the trooper...If you have a cough medicine or antihistamine or Dr. prescribed meds with a warning label you can easily be arrested and charged...probably out of state if you're RVing so PLEASE don't drive impaired in any way.
Yes! I have learned as a pilot to never fly if you are not feeling up to yourself. It will make a difference.
@@daviddrake806-ALSO, NOTE THAT EVEN MOST MOUTHWASHES HAVE AS MUCH AS 25% ALCOHOL AS INGREDIENT- Better to use baking soda or lemon juice w\water to rinse your mouth out after meals, AND CHECK THE FOODS YOU EACH. Ingredients may affect how you drive CARRY SALTINE CRACKERS THAT CAN ABSORB THINGS YOU EAT OR DRINK!
IF YOU ARE SICK, DROWSY OR NOT SURE YOU SHOULD BE DRIVING- DO NOT DRIVE - STAY PUT ! 🙀
We OTR and if we leave our tractor trailer for any reason (bathroom, refreshments, Walmart, etc ) ALWAYS heck you pin before resuming. Sad to say there are those you will pull the pin as they walk by for whatever twisted reason.
Whats the pin?
The wife and I are new to pulling a travel trailer. After purchasing our camper, and before picking it up, I watched hundreds of videos. luckily it paid off. We're avoiding lots of mistakes. However, on our last trip, we made a minor mistake. We got to our campsite, and started setting up. Camper was unhooked, level, etc. We did not realize until we got to that part, there was no water hook-up. We needed to fill our tank at the park entrance! Needless to say, we had to re-hookup the camper, and drive it back to the entrance. When I went back and checked the reservation/campsite details, the wording was "Water Available". lol!Lesson learned. I checked the other reservations we have this year, and some of them say the same thing. I'll know now.
Thank you! I would have thought the same thing, water available at the site.
A large water bladder and small pump would have prevented the need to hook up the trailer.
@@libbyt5869just wait for it to rain.
Twice I've had a rear tire on a two axle TT blow out unnoticed and had to do some repaires to the wheel wells and more. It pays to monitor your tires constantly!! And do a walk around at every rest stop, refueling, and before every move from a park.
And speed is a huge issue with me. Rarely do I pull a trailer faster than 65mph.
I've been RVing for 40 plus years. I've always left the propane on for the refrigerator. RV propane pigtails are designed with a high flow valve in them to shut off the propane in the event of a major leak.
What about a small leak that will slowly fill the rv.
You both are the reason we began full tIme RVing and we have been loving it! You were the first You Tube show I ever watched! Love you both and thank you for all your lessons!! Jim & Vicki in Washington State…. Yuma in the winter.
As a rv traveller from overseas, here in the USA in our truck camper this is on the best videos of how to safe travel. An excellent video. Much appreciated. Thanks John
Always check to see if your fifth wheel Jaws are still locked after every stop. I had someone pull my release while we were inside eating onetime, had I not checked it, well it would have been bad. I now have a padlock where the safety pin used to be so that can't happen anymore. But I still check it everytime we stop.
As far as tail swing, I know people won't like it but you need to block both lanes so people won't try to pass. I did it all the time when I drove big rigs.
That's right!
They might prefer the delay over a collision. Passing on the right shoulder of the road is never a good idea.
Yup! I dropped my 5th wheel on my truck bed last year. Lesson learned. I leave the propane on while traveling so fridge stays cold. I also hooked my rear camera on trailer to the running lights so I can see what’s behind me even when traveling
19. Talking to a camera, or any other "Distracted Driving" activity, especially while towing...js
🤣👍
I was just saying that to my husband
I was thinking the same thing 😮
Indeed
Agree. Love their videos but man that makes me nervous. Pull over and take a break while filming. We want you safe and sound.
Appreciated your safety tips. I have made a few of them. I was very fortunate to have avoided a catastrophe while driving tired. I also has a tire blow out (cheap Chinese tires) and no TPS. I strongly agree about speed and driving distracted. Disaster is a blink of an eye away. Experience is very important as well. Familiarity with your equipment is very important. Mountains, weather, road conditions, and so many more. Tks
Getting a randy McNally motor carrier road atlas will help with planning a trip with height, also help if you lose cell phone coverage.
When you check your tires, if they are hot to the touch spray them down with water. That can keep a tire from blowing. Most truck stops have water hoses on the fuel islands.
Back in 2005 when we bought our 1st RV which was a bumper pull toy hauler, I removed safety chains, weight distribution bars and 7-way plug, then I started raising the tongue of camper. As I was day dreaming the wife started screaming as the trailer slowly rolled away. Thank goodness the ground had a slight rise and the camper came to a stop. After listening to her hollering why didn’t you grab on and help I learned the hard way about wheel chocks!
RV Mistake #19: Filming a UA-cam video while driving. 1-18 are all great tips & much appreciated. However, you comment so many times on driving safety and even in #18 you specifically call out the danger of being distracted (by an argument) while driving an RV. How do you see it being safe to drive while filming a UA-cam video but can point out all these other dangers. Please find a different time to film your UA-cam videos for your own sake and all the other cars on the road. Not being snarky-genuine concern.
Was thinking the same. I was muttering to myself “Eyes on the road!”
I couldn't believe how much he did that. Whatt a mennace.
We have a 5th wheel Reflection 311BHS. 1st trip out, we were leaving the campground and headed to the dump station. My husband didn't swing out far enough and went through shallow looking water only to find out it was much deeper than it appeared. Our camper almost flipped over on it's side. We had to have it towed out of the mud and lost our stabilizer pad.
It was a holiday and had a terrible time getting a tow truck. Finally got someone to help us. Thank God they came to help us!
I purchased RV Life Pro and used Trip wizard for my routes too. BE CAREFUL relying on this application. Twice now it has taken me in areas I should not have been. The worse was a trip from PA to our daughters in NJ. In a dark pouring rain in an unknown area, I went past a sign that said nothing over 30 ft. beyond this point. I was 53 feet long. If I had missed the sign, it would have been a disaster. I now use an RV 890 GPS. I hope this is better.
Excellent video!!! Especially the speeding when pulling a trailer. In CA its posted 55 mph when pulling trailers, but you see people driving 70 plus. Accident waiting to happen
Hi folks
#3 have Cheri be the pilot truck. When loads are turning the pilot truck always moves over to the right so nobody can pass on the right side!
Just a thought.
You folks put out GREAT videos!
Thanks for listening!
Pilot car for changing lanes in town, so nice
If you are mechanically inclined, you can get a 12/120v inverter with large enough watt capacity (plus a little extra) to run your fridge while going down the road. Hook it to the batteries (with fuse protection) and run 120v line to fridge compartment. Most fridges have a 120v plug there for when you are on shore power. Just pull plug and plug into your inverter lead. Then plug it back into regular RV plug when you get to camp site. It will run on 120v or gas , which ever is needed and not run your batteries down.
Get a laser temp gun from Harbor Freight (about 20.00) to check tire, hub and brake drums when stopped. With the tires and hubs you are looking for one that is higher temp than the others, indicating bearing getting hot or a tire getting ready to fail. Check the brakes for one cooler than the others to indicate not working or out of adjustment. I leave the center caps (not dust caps) off my rims to have access to wheel end to check bearing temp.
All fridge becomes a "ice chest" cooler for 24 hours if you don't open the door!!! Hurricane prep taught us this. You won't drive 24 hours non stop, so turn off the propane!!!
I watched RVing Videos for 6 months before buying mine. Still very good to have a Checklist. Love the Channel.
Great Advice! Like the tip on Tail Swing. I guess I have always tried to take the wide turn, but didn't think about how that could affect other drivers if it's a sharp turn. THANK YOU!!!
Thanks for this advice! I just bought my first RV (33' TT). I have taken in out once on a shakedown and I held it down to 60 MPH for that trip. It towed wonderfully behind my F350 SRW. I don't have a lot to share yet, but I can say that the first two items on my departure and arrival checklists are PMA (Positive Mental Attitude) and Slow Down...
I would add to the shake down trip to so one at the beginning of every camping season, especially if you're like me and your rv sits during the winter. Just to make sure all systems work before you head out for a long trip
Yes, always a local shakedown before hitting the road. I'm doing mine tomorrow. It's it boring? Yeah, a bit. But to get the time to check everything out, get some maintenance work done, and know we're more ready before going on our actual big vacation trip is worth it. Can't tell you how many little things are forgotten and handy to have on a big trip, like enough phone charger cords, less or more blankets, a bathrobe, and stuff you don't want to have to go shopping for once you are on the road like spare rv tp, tissues, spoons, and paper towels.
Great video! Here's my mistakes, that fortunately didn't end in damage. First, not closing the grab handle at the steps, next, not putting down the TV antenna. Luckily a neighboring camper, noticed that, as I was leaving.
It's always been my rule to never, EVER, get to a campground or camping area at night... I try to arrive at LEAST two hours before sunset... Good info in your video, Tom... Best wishes.
Great tip! Thanks Lee!
Your comment is really GREAT!!
What happens when you're within 1 hour of arriving to your destination (expected arrival time 4:00PM) and find out ALL ROADS are underwater due to 100 year FLOODING! The closest RV park is 3 hours away!! You are NOT allowed to even Boondock because the surrounding ground will not support the weight of the RV, the actual Driving time was 5 hours due to road closures.
You arrive at 9:00PM OOPS!
@@MrJake1851 Stuff can happen, but 99% of the time I arrive when I plan to. YMMV... Best wishes..
@@MrJake1851 But most people, myself included, plan ahead - call the campground and check conditions.. Log onto state travel sites that have actual road conditions, such as 'Safe Travel USA'. When we go to Sturgis, we leave here at 5 am so as to arrive at the campground around 4-4:30 their time (625 miles). All roads are checked ahead of time for road construction and/or detours so as to avoid unnecessary delays..
I do go 60. Anyone who wants to pass me, just go ahead.
Yes!
Thanks for sharing all your experiences it always helps moving forward to know what other people experience in order for you to have a good trip thanks Bill
After 43 years of commercial driving for a living I’ve had the pleasure of seeing more than enough on the road. You talked about driving angry,but the other side of the coin is being so happy your distracted you are a danger to yourself and others. I watched a young couple that was laughing and really enjoying their time together. They would speed up and slow down as they talked. This went on for a while, then while talking they missed a truck pulling off the shoulder back into traffic,and hit the pickup truck full speed as they drove into him. The truck had a load of firewood stacked in the back of his truck .with that much weight it was as if the car hit a wall and the reaction was bad to say the least….the girl was pinned and bleeding really bad. I held pressure on the main cut thought the open window,while waiting for help.l had the right lane blocked and people stoped and gave me some towels to use. Help came and she was cut out of the car and life flighted to a hospital. Driving is a very serious task! And having a heavy trailer behind you is a lot of responsibility. Driving is not to be taken lightly. You never know when it’s going to blowup in your face. Thank GOD I have not hurt anyone in all my years on the road. My wife and I travel in a Monaco coach now and take are time wherever we go. Be safe and we like your show and your pickup….lol. GOD BLESS
So sad. 😢
Did she live? What about the young man?
You made a good point - not to be so happy you’re oblivious. I’m currently teaching our daughter how to drive and she’s repeatedly told me that she’s amazed we’re even allowed to drive as she sees vehicles as “death machines.”
🎉
Lug Nut Torque..... Swapped out a slow leaking tire with my spare and used my impact wrench to tighten the lug nuts. About an hour down the road I saw my spare bouncing down the road in the rear view mirror. Was able to pull over into a large commercial driveway and retrieve the tire from a drainage pond on the side of the road where a passerby who owned a tire company helped us with a new wheel and a repair to the leaker and the hub/drum. The rim was totally destroyed and all the studs on the drum were torn completely off as well as the wheel wobbled off at speed. Turns out I had the impact wrench set wrong and had under tightened the lug nuts 60 instead of the 90 required. ALWAYS use a real torque wrench to tighten and double check those lug nuts!!!!
Great tips buddy. I’ve been watching your channel before I started RVing. Thank you for sharing all your knowledge. You are a great teacher. Great upload.
Awesome! Thank you!
Love watching your channel miss seeing beautiful Cheri as much. I keep her in my prayers for what she has gone through and was strong to share. Love you two be safe.
Twice I drove way too long. Both times not having enough time to get to a destination and another to get home. On our way to Alaska we only had three weeks coming from the Philly area I drove 952 miles in one day. Another driver took over the next day, I was the marathon driver. The other time almost 900 driving from Perry Ga to the Philly area to deliver a dog and home. When I was younger I always drove 8 to 10 hrs at a time with almost no stops. Now at 60 no more than 5 hrs and I still only stop minimumly.
in regards to Swing, dont forget about front swing or "Hinge Swing" especially when navigating campground roads, as you make turns, the front cap may get close or make contact with trees as you turn, this may be more of an issue with travel trailers than with 5ers, just something we have had to watch with our TT
On my first day pulling a 41 ft 5th wheel, I learned to always use the far right turning lane when making a left turn off an interstate freeway. The same lane the big trucks use making a left turn. I used the inside turn lane and ended up on the concrete median. I was lucky in that my jack stands had less than a inch clearance, otherwise I’m sure I would have damaged one.
Lesson learned? Watch how the trucks do it…
Good job on the video Tom lots of helpful hints , Is info there. Definitely better to have a little more truck than what you need. Also often you see people with not enough toe vehicle.
I too had a major hiccup while traveling in GA. We arrived after dark and couldn't locate our spot. In fact we passed it twice looking for it. There were no maps of the grounds so we are pretty much meandering thru . I came to a t in the road, knowing a left will take me back to the entrance so I turned right. The sites were packed not only with campers and their vehicles but lots of guests too. The road went downhill on a curve to the left. When I got to the bottom, it was a very tight turnaround with trees on the inside of the turn and cars on the outside preventing going forward. So....I had to back up the hill around curves and other cameras at night with a truck that was too small! With the help of 2 other Samaritan campers I managed to make it back to the t but I cooked the tranny fluid and the truck refused to go any further. A 3rd camper knew where our spot was and we were able to disconnect from my truck and hook up to his. The next morning I was able to drive the truck again and finally found a transmission shop that was booked out for the week. We ended up staying 10 days on should have been an oversight stay. Happy trails!!
The wife and I were on a long distance trip using our slide-in pop up truck camper. We stopped for lunch at a rest area that we made in the camper with the top up. When we got going again I could here this were clinking. I found when I put the top back down that I only latched it on one side on the camper. Luckily it didn't hurt it to much. This was also our first long trip with this camper.
Thanks so much! We’re newbies this year and quite nervous! Maybe that’s a good thing though - as it means we care to do it right!
Thank you for your words! So spot on!! Spot on!!
I just took head on a deep dip entering a gas station. Should have taken it at a slant. Next time I’ll skip the dips all together. I rammed my step into my 22” Lance TT and it had to be changed out. $650.00!
Saw your original tug test video. know that your pain was not in vain. I tug test every single time I hitch up. I thank you. my rv thanks you. my truck thanks you. my insurance agent thanks you.
I made the mistake of not chocking the trailer wheels before disconnecting from
the truck. Was on a slight grade (hardly noticeable). The trailer began to roll forward
only being stopped by the truck. Could have been much more serious if not noticed
if my leg had been between the truck and the hitch, or even if the grade was sloped
in the other direction, could have rolled away until it stopped by hitting something.
Lesson learned...Chocking trailer wheels is the first thing before disconnecting and
un-chocking the very last thing when leaving
Woah that's scary! I had no idea that chocks were the only safety feature in place when parked. Are there any RVs that have breaks that can be engaged or are the breaks only functional while driving?
Another very useful video Tom, Thanks!
If you are new to RVing, you need to work with your spouse or travel companion on backing assistance into camping spaces or RV storage areas. Most spotters start out using non-descript terms like "you have a ways to go" or you're a "tad too close" on the right side. My wife calls me on her cell phone just before we begin the backing process. I tell her which side of the RV is invisible to me as we progress. We refer to the sides as "driver side and passenger side". She also refers to distance measurements in # of feet remaining, rather than non-descript expressions. I move her from side to side as needed as I make directional corrections. I also asked my wife to watch me move the back of the trailer to both the driver side and passenger side in a wide open area. We did this so she could understand just how long it takes the trailer to respond to one of her prompts to move the back of the RV "X" number of feet to either the passenger side or driver side. Initially, she thought these movements would take place instantly, and she now understands that it takes several feet for these corrections to take place. The more you practice together, the better the communication prompts get. I have seen a lot of new RVers just wing it with their spotter, and this usually ends in frustration for each person!!!
The newer propane tanks have a check valve inside the neck that will prevent a rapid release of propane. Think about when you hook a new tank up to your BBQ grill. If you open the tank to fast it stops the gas flow. that's why you hear RV'ers not being able to light the stove. Someone will chime in and say something like turn off the gas unhook propane line then reconnect it and open the valve slowly. Enjoy and safe travels.
Goosh so so much information...im so glad i found your channel ..i need to share with wife...being newbies with not actually having it yet...im doing my home work..
I haven't started traveling yet, but when I do I'm taking a page from flight school and committing the breakdown/setup into a printed check list you can tick off items with a grease pen. You've given me a couple of items to add!
I'm curious why you would need a grease pen for a checklist. I had to look up what it was and just wondering what its use would be
@@lizziexkittyx8650 you laminate the checklist use a grease pen to check off the items and then when you get to the next place, you can just wipe the grease marks off and use the same laminated checklist. Grease pans never dry out.
@kevinm7731 I get that but what material are you needing a grease pen? I just don't see the need for it
Thanks for your video’s we are planning a long trip next spring and these video’s have helped to remind us.
Wow thanks for this awesome recap. New rv’re here. Man I thought I was the honer role scout camper. Bought my first fithwheel cougar 30rls. Says 1/2 ton but had a F250 diesel temporary until my 3500 gm Dudley arrived.
Now everything went right until I was waved down on the highway, SIR YOUR GENERATOR IS BOUNCING BACK THERE. Damn stop to see whats going on back there. Well it came loose.. remember things on the back hitch, bike rack or like I have a small platform rack with a gen strapped to it. THINGS BOUNCE X 2 back there.
Damaged done dent in brand new rv.. grr
Second.. I but the gen in the pick up bed. Always remember when turning the goose neck is large.. second damage, generator again and a bent side pick up bed.. not bad for the first trip. Sean
I live in Texas, we weekend camp, 2-4hr trips, we travel with the propane on, did it when I was a kid also, in 2 hours in this texas heat the fridge will go from 32 to 80 plus, but I do have gas stops on both tanks, only have one turned on while traveling. My next camper will hopefully have one of those 12v refrigerators.
Yep 2 of these got me on a recent trip. The tow capacity which should have been ok and the shake down trip. My RV trailer 3000lb dry. I decided to drive to LasVegas from Chicago for it's maiden voyage. Took my 2015 6cyl chevy traverse FWD with factory tow package because it should be able to tow up to 5000lbs. And my 4x4 1/2 ton Ram with the 5.7 L Hemi had a patch job on the engine that needed to be repaired properly. Did great until we were in the mountains in Southern Colorado in a snowstorm we didn’t expect in March. Got to about 200 yards from the top of the mountain and it decided it didn't want to do that anymore. Tires were slipping. A $500 tow and a 4 hour wait for the trailer and the Traverse made it on it's own power to the campground. And then a $60 tow out of the site to asphalt.
Shake down hit was a pleasant surprise. Dealer told me I had an electric hot water heater. I was already looking for replacement. We used the hot water heater for the first time and got an error. Googled the error and it was no fuel. Turns out it's propane. What I wanted to begin with. But frozen waste tanks weren't on my radar either.
My lesson learned, I was going to air up tires after I got turned around and more room but I had been sitting for a long time and rolling off the cement pad caused the tire to loose the bead and had a tire pop off the rim. I have a 38 ft Class A with large tires. Good thing I was 5 miles from a truck stop.
I love the way you talk slowly and pronounce words carefully so I can understand you. So many UA-cam vids are NOT comprehensible because they talk fast and don't use the mike properly. You did good!
Great video and fun to watch...good info. My biggest fear is winding up on a narrow road with a low overpass or bridge....GPS or app for rvs is a good way to go.....thanks
I see you travel with the kayaks on the back of your RV. In many western states they have boat inspection stations near the border and the kayaks qualify as boats. If you fail to stop and they see you go by they'll send an officer after you and make you go back. I didn't think my kayak counted but as I went into Utah they had a sign saying it included kayaks. When I went into Idaho and then Montana I again stopped at the boat inspection stations but they didn't have anything saying kayaks counted.
Been there done (MOST) of them. we really enjoyed weaving the viewer comments into the video. Gives it more context....and it tells, we are not alone! ;-) You now have another new subscriber.
Awesome tips. Can't tell you how many of these I haver made, maybe 15out of 18. I wish I had seen this 25 years ago when I started RV'ing.
There is a special fitting that comes with any corrugated propane hookup hose that automatically closes the line if there is a sudden unrestricted flow of gas. That is a relatively new thing so the people who say it's safe to travel with your tanks turned on are correct, but only if that special shut-off fitting is installed. That's easy to check. Go to a big-box and see what they look like then check your rig. Of course, local laws trump everything else and are slow to adjust to new equipment, etc. (BTW, another, unmentioned mistake might be "staring into your channel video camera while driving your rig and talking to viewers.") Extremely useful video this time...refreshes old-timers and teaches newbies.
Fortunately, my wife and I are only into our second year with our travel trailer. And we’ve worked diligently to check and double check everything. So this far, we haven’t made any costly or major mistakes.
However, I’m sure that one day we may end up complacent and so expect those costly mistakes to happen.
Great video of tail swing!!!
That is so helpful!
We bought a new Hartland Pioneer just before going on a trip to Maine from North Carolina. We got to Connecticut before we found out that the 120 volt electric did not work. The inverter was bad. It only worked on the battery & drained it every day. A shakedown trip is a must.
Good tips . Great video. Already made one mistake to big of camper too small truck. Like you was told by RV dealer truck was big enough only to find out later it was not. 😢
Tom I would add to make sure you put down your roof TV antenna. I know not everyone uses them with cable or satellite. But for newer RVer it a common mistake. They are also sometimes hard to see when you are doing a close to the RV check list checklist. We had a velcro tag we would put on the crank handle when it was up then took it off when we lowered it.
We learned to do the “tug test” directly from this channel and that very painful video, and tug test before every trip. My “oops” to share is after unhitching the pin, forgot to disconnect the 7pin coach whip from the truck .. and pulled away.
Ouch! Thanks for sharing Michael!
I did a crazy thing, I read the owners manual! Made a checklist from from that and using the same flow technique I used while in the military inspecting aircraft. Prior to my first trip I found the inner tire was flat. I can only imagine how ugly that could have been down the road.
What everyone gets wrong about sizing a truck Is that tow capacity almost never matters because you will max out the cargo capacity of the truck way before you hit the tow capacity limit, this is especially true of fifth wheels that put a lot of weight onto the truck. The combination of all the people and cargo in your truck plus the weight the RV puts on the truck has to be under the cargo capacity. My truck has a 22,000 pound tow capacity but we max out the cargo capacity with my family, cargo in the truck and the weight my 15,000 pound fifth wheel puts on the truck.
Thanks again, another great tip!
Couldn't agree more! Focus on the payload capacity of your truck and go the a Cat Scale to properly weigh your rig when you are fully loaded and on they way to the campground.
That is a great point that I never thought of. I have towed a trailer thousands of miles but mostly with a boat on it. I will have to check my cargo capacity for sure!
Go to a Cat Scale weigh and adjust your pin box or goose neck for optimum weight distribution, weigh again.
@@jeffcresswell1799 adjust the pin box for optimum weight distribution, what does that even mean? With a fifth wheel around 20% of the weight will be on your truck, you need the have the weight capacity to handle that.
With my previous fifth wheel, I painted the jaws white so I could easily check if they had come together. And you are right about that tail swing. We called ours Godzilla.
I completely understand the traveling with propane on, only if you have a gas/electric fridge if your trying to save the contents inside. But for my wife and I, propane off. We have the residential momentum and so there’s nothing to gain but much to loose leaving them on.
Thank you for this valuable information!
Really excellent content. 12 years into RVing I’m still learning! Your lost wheel issue brings a suggestion to mind. Whenever changing a tire or any service requiring wheel removal (brakes, wheel packs, etc.) you should have a serious conversation with the provider about not over-torquing the lug nuts which can crack the high strength steel. Ask them to hand tighten. If they won’t do that, demand them to make a note with the factory spec on the service order and speak with the actual technician. I learned this through a lost wheel at 65 MPH.
Great rv vidio!! Thank you so much, I've been driving a class A rv for over 30 years and your vidio was quite informative and gave me a few tips for safe rving some I haven't thought of. Thanks God Bless
Glad it was helpful!
Back before the advent of the newer, better insulated RV fridge/freeze, We had what was referred to as a 3-way fridge. In practice, you turned the propane off and disconnected your shore tie connection, and switched the fridge/ freezer to run on 12 volt DC Now of course that would not have happened, if we had disconnected the tow rig, but you know the drill, I was in a hurry! LOL.
We had no, equipment problems as far as a failure, but on one trip we e were held up for nearly 2 hours while we charged the batteries in our tow vehicle. It was just a good thing that we had a generator mounted at the rear of our RV, because both house batteries were also totally drained. And all because I failed to switch the fridge/freezer over to propane or 120 V AC. You can bet that I made that mistrake only once, but there are so many others near disasters one can make when towing their home behind them, and WE have made a lot of them. By the way, that is about the worst mistrake we have made in over 39,000 miles of towing over the past 28 years. We are not full-timers. But had we started when we were both healthy years ago, so we now contend ourselves by watching you all having a great time, AND I know that creating videos is not play time for any of you. Tom, I enjoy watching your adventures as well as your misadventures. You are both human, after all, like the rest of us.
RV Refrigerators are designed to operate within 5-10deg of level. If you are traveling a flat route (And your trailer is level with your tow vehicle) then you might be able to get away with traveling with Propane on. Otherwise, you should probably turn off the Propane.
Did they mention chatting to camera while driving down the road on this list?
After many years as a truck driver, I found that every time I stop I feel ever wheel bearing by putting my hand on the center depending on your center hub. After a while you will know by feel how hot it normally runs at highway speed. If it is warmer or hot it can pre warn you of wheel bearing failure, hopefully before the wheel comes off hub and all. In 30 years this has warned me 3 times, preventing a road service, or even a wheel assembly hitting a car or a pedestrian.
Thanks for sharing my black tank valve/sewer cap experience Tom. It was my first season camping and I'll call it a terrible newbie mistake. And hopefully it saves someone the expense of a brand new pair of Nike tennis shoes, lol. Nice job on this video and please keep them coming.
This didn’t make sense to me. What exactly happened?
@@CanAmLane my black tank valve was open (and we were using the restroom) but the cap was on. So when I took the cap off, the tank started draining.
We did both set up in the drive way cranked up all the Appliances and then we did a shake down to a RV park 10 minutes from the house found we had a bad water pump
We have been RV'ing for 40 years. We have stocked our 5th wheel with all the cooking, living and supply essentials we need. My wife only brings one pan from the house when we travel. So if she forgets it then it's no big deal. Newbies - make a list (put it in your phone) and check it more than twice before leaving.
Ive had my propane on for 40 years and liking it,especially the oven for having a roast beef ready for supper after driving a couple hours😊
Great video, deep trouble! Backing a trailer down hill,,, in gravel with a 2WD vehicle. If the brakes are not adjusted perfectly the trailer will drive and your just along for the ride! SCARY trip! Same mistake twice, 2-$250 wrecker bills. Worse yet my own driveway!😢
Good video Tom, thank you for sharing.
Glad you enjoyed it
Excellent video
Thank you
Tires are my big issue and I have a TPMS. You check and service your tires COLD, if I do this the tire temp and pressures are always HIGH when driving to include a blow out. Yes I know weight and pressures and settings in TPMS. I service with the compressor and check with a gauge and when tires are at temp, adjust down so TPMS reads 5 lbs over pressure. Sometimes I hate knowing pressure and temperature of the tires. At home in Las Vegas the street temperature can be well over 125 and that with tire pressure is well over both in readings.