RV How To: Setting up our Kodiak Travel Trailer to Use
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- Опубліковано 7 сер 2024
- I wanted to make this video to share how we get our Kodiak travel trailer setup at the campground and ready to use. From position, chocking, level, and hooking up the utilities.
Check out my Amazon store where you'll find most of the supplies we use for our camper!
www.amazon.com/shop/abom79
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I didn’t really think he was gonna pull out the stinky slinky but I was wrong. Lol nice and informative, thanks Adam
Wouldn’t be a Set Up video if I don’t show how to properly set it all up
I really expected a Starrett indicator to come into play somewhere. Good video.
"Lets just get that Slide-Out indicated"
I’ll have to surprise y’all
My wife came out and asked what I was watching. I told her I was watching a video on how to set up a trailer. We both started laughing. We started back in about 1996 or 7. First with a slide in camper, next a 26' single slide out trailer and then our 33' 3 slide 5th wheel. I never thought I could have made UA-cam videos. Very nice job. I am impressed with all the improvements on hoses, chords and leveling devices. All I had was my 3' level!! ENJOY
Well maybe you enjoyed it anyways. I still keep my 3’level in the cargo box in case the Level Mate won’t work, it the battery dies.
@@AbomAdventures Oh yes I did enjoy it. It brought back so many good memories and how much fun we had watching people set up. Especially watching them back into spots. "Go right, no, your other right".
Y'all have this RV thing down. Only thing you forgot is rewarding yourself with an ice cold beverage when done :) Excellent!
Oh we did, I just didn't film that one. LOL
@@AbomAdventures Hope one day I get the opportunity to buy y'all one :)
That was a perfect thing to show Adam for first timers and even others that might have missed some steps.
That was an excellent demonstration. I really like the accordion design sewer hose bridge. What a great idea. Thanks for allowing us to look over your shoulder.
You really should use a surge protector at the electrical box. Parks are known for power surges.
God it is great to have a Motorhome that self levels,
I'm not surprised that you have it figured out to the 1/2 inch, very nicely done, but it's all about getting a well graded camp site. Thanks again for taking us on your vacation.
Real! Maybe there’s some super fancy thing you can get to make something easier but this guy shows how’s it’s done! I’m about 2 years into travel trailer camping but just upgraded trailers to one with two grey water tanks… didn’t even think of getting a “Y” for the drain hoses! Thank you! Great video.
Thanks!👍🏻
Adam, That was a great lesson, almost seems like you know that some of us are thinking about taking the plunge. Thanks to Abby and you.
What a great video. You made your hook ups look so easy. Now more people will want to go rving now!
Great video. Discipline every time on a good procedure assures less surprises. Longer joy of the vacation.
Nice video Adam. Love your attention to detail when setting up, helps save money in the end not having to fix damage i guess. My parents have a travel trailer and they love it.
Hey guys you should get a surge protector. But I LOVE your channel!!
This video has some useful information. I learned something new. Thanks Y'all
Thanks guys. Boy You are living the dream! lots of great tips. Hoses... the dread hoses... yeah :)
Outstanding Video 👍👍👍👍👍 The only thing I do different and I would recommend is the very last thing that comes disconnected from the truck or the safety chains I have seen will chucks kick out and I’ve seen those X’ chucks bend as the trailer rolls back away from the truck.. So the very LAST thing to be unhooked
From the truck are the chains!
I run a rural water district and would suggest you flush the line for a few minutes before connecting your hoses. The water could have been standing for a period of time and very well contain no disinfection and lead and copper could have leached into the water over time. Don’t be too concerned if you get some ugly water at first it should clear up in a few seconds, within a minute at least. Your filter life and possibility your own will be extended.
Going to add, also flush out your water line, bugs or dirt are no fun to get into the RV system. I drain the hose as I roll it up and then screw the outlet into the filter inlet/pressure reducer/right angle to keep the line clean. Helps avoid skanky water the first time out for the season.
Thank you for the detailed set-up tutorial!
Thank you sir!! Great video. I just bought this same camper.
Great video. Everything was set up except a beer on the table. Thanks for the info.
Thank you very kindly for the video. Very great content
Adam,
Great instructional video. I'd suggest a good quality surge protector as well. Use it before you back in to the power pedestal. Plug it in to make sure the pedestal is working and has the correct voltage. Some campers have been very disappointed after getting there camper set up just to find out that there is no or inadequate power. I know they are kind of expensive but, they can save from having electrical issues. It gets even more expensive to replace a fridge or other electronics in the coach.
thank you for this vid help me understand the set up better
Can’t believe you aren’t using a surge protector to protect your electrical components. Any fluctuations could fry your refrigerator, microwave, tv or AC.
There may be one in the trailer....
Good review. A friend who never had an RV before decided he and the wife would get a class B/C RV so they went to the manufacture and picked up the rig to drive it home. Along the way they decided to spend a couple of days at an RV park and suddenly found out that not all of the necessary "hook ups" are provided with the rig. They had no water hose and other items. Lucky for them, fellow RV'rs nearby their space had spare equipment and gave them what they needed. I had to laugh when he told me the story as had I known they were stopping to camp I'd have told him to make deal with their sales person to equip the rig for RV park hook ups or make a stop right after leaving the factory at an RV supply store. They bought a Tiburon 26' that has a Mercedes Benz diesel chassis and they're getting about 15 MPG with it. My guess is it's under powered unless its flat terrain but I hear no complaints from them about that.
Always make plans ahead of time and be sure your gear is in good condition and functional. Any sign of trouble, replace them as you don't want problems with your utilities when you need them. Don't forget to keep the propane tank filled either.
Just getting back into RVing. Please add more RV stuff to your amazon store!
Great tutorial. To the point no bs👍🏻
Appreciate it!
Nice, basic, setup video. I can tell that you have done this a few times...the way you can zip through it pretty quickly.
Very helpful. Thanks!
Thanks Adam !!
When I was in the industrial equipment business I was taught that 40 psi was good for city water pressure. Up to 50 is OK. More than that needs a regulator. Watts U5B with a 80# spring set to 40 psi (right in the middle, the "sweet spot").
Would love to see some sort of dial indicator set up while the slide is moving. With blocks without blocks.
Nice and informative video...kudos! You probably know that the link was included in this month's Dutchmen RV digest newsletter. That being said, it might be worth noting for the newbies that the black hoses can be connected during setup, but campers should NOT open the valves until dumping out. Personally I wait to hook-up the black hose until I need to dump, so it's not in the way as I move about the campsite. Also, I am an advocate for tilting my awning one way or the other in case of rain. Wanna ask me why lol? The Carefree awning on my Aspen Trail has the ability to be pitched 3 notches on either side, and be retracted without damaging anything. Granted if a bad storm is in the forecast you should always retract your awning due to the risk of wind, but rain itself won't hurt anything as long as it's not "pooling" in the middle. I learned the hard way about leaving one out on another rig that was "level" after going to bed. My last comment is regarding the stabilizers. You mentioned that you just snug them after the slide out is extended, but you might want to elaborate on the fact that you should not use them to help level the rig and really crank on them. Another lesson learned the hard way. All in all, great video. Not trying to be critical here, just thinking about the struggles I had as a first time camper. This video will definitely help those who are new to hobby :)
You seem knowledgeable about setups I’ll ask a question. Is there dedicated hoses for black vs. gray water? Or can the same be used? They’re going to same pit but just don’t know the answer?
Thanks for asking. I use the same hose for both. As you said, it's all going to the same place, you just want to make sure you do them in the right order. Dumping Gray last will help clean out the hose after dumping Black. I go a step further and flush the hose using city water, after the last dump.
@@Misteracad how do you flush the black? Do you run a hose down the toilet?
@@Kevinw4040 no, we use a Y-fitting at the outlet outside and back flush with a standard garden hose at each dump. Usually this process is done 3-4X and strong water pressure is always a plus. The fitting is clear, which also helps you know what and when something is coming out. After the tank seems empty I turn on the hose for a few minutes, usually until there is more water coming out than going in. I then turn it off, let it drain, and repeat the process until the water comes out clear. Despite this routine our indoor gauge still registers higher than it should, but that's pretty typical from what I've read. Also, you should always add a few gallons of water w/ an enzyme additive to the tank via the toilet. If you have any ice left, you can also add that to the tank to help wash the sensor of any remnants during the trip home. The enzymes will help break down whatever is left in the tank so you don't have to worry about it again until the next trip.
First! First time ever! Wow, the excitement!
🎉 Congrats!
@jacktheripped i would say people that post first just to say first should pay each and every person that has lost 10 seconds of their life's because of that post a compensation of 50 euro i would say. i think that would stop people from doing that real quick don't you.
@@highkicker11 NO :-)
we keep the stinky slinky in a larger pvc clamped to the bumper. saves storage space.
That's a valid option too but I like the box I keep them in. I use the top of the bumper as a surface to clean dishes.
Nice!! Informative.... :-)
Nice setup 😁
Hey Steve! You watch these guys having fun too?
Thanks Steve! I hope you and the fam can get out and camp at some of those beautiful spots in Kentucky!
@@AbomAdventures One of these days we will. There are some great places around here😁.
@@leebarnhart831 Hello Lee. I enjoy seeing what Adam and Abby get into. 👍
Great video. How much time on average do you guys need from starting to park the trailer to cracking the beer open?
Y'all did great. I didn't see a GFI or surge suppressor in your hookup. If you have one, great. If you don't, you would do well to get one to protect yourself from bad shore power. I've seen a few people get bit with a surge, and replacing all your electronics and A/C is expensive.
It’s on my list but our camper is covered in our extended coverage insurance plan. I covered the basics of what people need to know about proper setup.
On your sewer connection, there is grey water and black water. Grey water is sinks and showers. Black water is toilet. On another RV website, he uses a light support under the slider just to take up the slack and reduce the stress on the slides. You don't want to lift it, just support it.
The only thing I would do different is, instead of readjusting the stabilizers that are on the non slide side, I would readjust the stabilizers on the side of the slide. This will raise the lower side of the unit and keep the trailer level. The stabilizers will not lift the unit off the ground, but they are stronger then you think. All in all your setup will be very helpful to first timers, nice video.
P.S. I watch your channel everyday, you should be an instructor, keep up the good work.
As I mentioned in the video, the slide cause the trailer to lean to that side about a 1/2". I like to level the passenger side 1/2" low, then it corrects itself. The way I showed it is the way I set it up every time. Also, you don't want to over torque the stabilizers.
Now you can have a beer.
But where does the Monarch lathe and shaper plug in?
That was really good. I don't own a travel trailer, but I do have a truck. I know you may not want to answer this but what are your thoughts on travel security. (CCTV, Dash Cams, Perimeter alarms, giant snarling terrier dog, and/or firearms?)
Any stories about some of the more unusual road warriors you have met?
"I have never one time touched that hose."
haha.
Please a place a surge protector on your trailer, we lost our trailer due to a fire.
@Abom79 how do you like the Dutchmen Kodiak? Have you owned other trailers? My wife and I had a trailer 20+ years ago and are thinking about buying a used Kodiak in the 2014-2018 year range. We really like the appointments like the kitchen island and wrap-around dinette, and there's a bunkhouse floorplan that we're really keyed-in on. I am curious about your experience with build quality, durability, maintenance. Any info is really appreciated.
Adam, Amy we would love to go camping with you folks.
We have a twin axle pop-up.
Eric
Abby
Oops...sorry.
Abby
no support for the slide ? thanks for the vid, next time we need to set up our trailer (as soon as we get one ) we'll hope your in the campground ! thanks
No slide support. Ours is flat bottom and you will damage the surface material if you don’t use the correct padding. Most are made to cradle the frame work.
@@AbomAdventures thanks
You used a drill, not an impact driver. I think the impacts are hard on the jacks. You always hear them at the campground, beating the crap out of the jacks. I was using a impact until the ball bearing on the jack blew apart. Now I use the hand tool.
Adam I think the trailer you have is not 26 foot long
I have searched for a kodiak 26 foot ultra lite and it does not come with the with the layout you guys have.
Its a 31 foot length without the curt cargo carrier so might be that you are not more like 32/33 foot from the hitch to the end of the curt .
But yeah it might be the inside is 26 foot.
It’s a 26’ travel trailer. The total length from bumper to tongue is not how you classify the size. It’s says 26’ right in the side, and in my manual. In fact, look up the Kodiak 261RBSL and you will see our model.
Weird seeing sewer hookups right at the site. The only places we've seen that in my area is the "Seasonal" people who literally setup for the summer. Otherwise, store it, and dump as you exit...yea, I've heard of people waiting 2 hours to dump before...
Storing it is for campsites that have no hookup, but the problem you run into is the tanks filling up fast. It only takes 2-3 days of showers to fill up the grey tank. You don’t want to break down your setup and do it all over again because of full tanks.
>>>> LOL
I KNOW TWO OTHER REASONS WHY THAT WILL NEVER BE LEVEL
Thank you very kindly for the video. Very great content
Thank you very kindly for the video. Very great content
Thank you very kindly for the video. Very great content