Here's one... When (or if) your trailer or toad blows a tire & starts to "WAG THE DOG" Don't panic & hit the brakes to slow down. This will allow the trailer to overcome the towing vehicle & send you off the road. Instead hit the manual brake controller & plant the throttle to straighten out the fishtailing load. Your natural instinct is to try & stop everything as soon as possible. Keep calm & get control of the unit & THEN stop the rig. I've had this very thing happen to me on the interstate. If I hadn't done it as I described all my worldly possessions would have been lost in a ditch & totaled my rig as well. Mishaps can & will happen & keeping calm is essential!
So just to recap since I'm a bit unclear --> If the rig starts to fishtail and wag the dog so to speak then instead of slamming my tow vehicle brakes I should press the manual brake controller and let the fishtailing stop while removing my foot off the throttle. Is that accurate? Thanks
@@mindseye4914 hubby:s prepping me for pulling our 5th wheel..he"s pulled many trailers...he"s saying you may have to actually speed up a bit to GET CONTROL as the fish tailing is correcting itself back behind truck because brakes were applied. Hope that helps! Safe travels! We've yet to take her out, just traded class a for more space!
David Cat thank you. I hope he is right. I will certainly keep this advice in mind. Oh and one more thing if any of you are in Michigan please do yourselves a favor and never ever ever go near a General RV dealership. They are the most fraudulent corrupt pieces of garbage to walk this earth. Anyway I digress thank you to you and your husband for the piece of advice.
Excellent! This is the best advice here. Once I forgot to remove the power cord and drove off. Immediately I heard a loud ripping noise as my fibergla$$ was getting damaged. Someone should invent a "break-away" power cord like we had in the military.
I don't have an RV but my buddy does and has had them for ever. He literally has a laminated check list like an airplane. And he has made these lists for each of the components/equipment on each one of his rigs that he's had over the years. He keeps them in three ring binder that stays in the trailer. He recently upgraded and sold his old one. You should have seen the look on the new owners face as my buddy was giving him the run down on how to operate things as he went over his check list with the guy. We joke amongst our friends ( how much it the trailer? ......the trailer is free.... how much is the folder? 30k). We get a lot of mileage with that one teasing him.
I'm a truck driver and learned this one fairly early on, and it applies to RV's as well. If you're crusing along and one vehicle tries to flag you down, be wary. If multiple people/vehicles try to flag you down, then you probably have a genuine problem. Nine times out of ten, one guy flagging you down is some sort of scam! Drive safe and keep er greasy side down!
Good advice. I follow the same little rule as a truck driver. 90 percent of the time if someone s honking while passing you it means somethings dragging or flapping or hanging off.
Yep, Just paid $1200 to have mine replaced because I went to bed one night and left it out. Not a wisp of wind when I went to bed but about 3 am, the wind blew it completely over the top of the camper and destroyed it.
Or tie it down with 2 ratchet straps and stakes with big washers that fit over the hook. I do this when we camp at a beach or storms are predicted. I've put a third one to the steps at the door since it likes up.
Willy Smith mentioned it in a comment about never leaving your awning out if the wind starts to pick up. Very true. But I learned the hard way once myself . .. . I don't EVER leave the RV unattended (for more than just a few minutes or so) with the awning out! Rain/wind storms can whip up in no time even when they aren't really in the forecast. I see people do this all of the time, and I have to assume many are experienced RVers. But I will never, ever, do it again. This includes overnight, even if there are clear skies and no rain in the forecast. Awning comes in at night.
This is so true. On one of our trips, I allowed a helper to connect our water line. A few minutes after turning on the water, I heard yelling and had a mess, so yes this is a true statement.
1) Driveway surf, your neighbors may think you’re nuts but living in it is the only way to find issues fast and take care of them while they’re still small. 2) Practice backing up in a huge parking lot, safe from hitting or damaging anything. 3) Adjust the break control “thinger” in the parking lot.
Never drive without your headlights/taillights on! Just because you have a larger rig, doesnt mean that people see you. Especially in the rain or mist.
I am a Retired truck driver and I have thought for years the manufacturers should make the lights come on with the wipers automatically! When you are in a big rig you would be surprised how little you can see through the spray and how much difference it makes for something so simple! Good day! Thanks for the good comment
@@dantolle1344 On my Honda pilot, after the wipers cycle 4 times, the full lighting comes on. On my current Explorer, they come on with the a full 5 cycles. However, you have to have purchased the upgrade options for that!!!
Great ideas! Make sure that you and your other family members are in on the checks also. Case scenario, I ended up having a kidney stone the morning we were supposed to pull out, all said and done after 4 hours in the ER. When we came back, my wife had to pack up everything to move to another spot for the day because I was still under the effects of the pain meds. Luckily she got help from the neighbors and the campground. Now she pays more attention to the setup and teardowns. It's written down on a laminated paper checklist now.
One simple thing my family does is a walk around by 2 people before taking off. 2 sets of eyes are better then one and might see something the other person missed. Also check your tires!!!!!! Not only pressure but condition. Happy travels all!
Great list. Got three One, use single ply toilet paper Two, check lug nuts they tend come loose easy Three, have a check list when setting up and tearing down
About getting fuel, don't get fuel if a tanker is delivering fuel at that time. Sediments get stirred up and can cause problems. Happened to me 700 miles from home and engine trouble started about an hour into the trip.
Caroline, nowadays that's mostly wives tales...all fuel pumps have inline fuel filters right in the pump and it's the last thing the fuel goes through before it enters your vehicle...also all loading racks pass fuel through industrial sized filters as it's loaded into the truck to be delivered...what is best to look for is what he said: look for busy station as that recycles fuel faster...also look at the drop sites and the gas station in general...if the lids are rusted over, then the store is not really careful with water contamination into the fuel, if the pumps are really slow then the fuel filters could be clogged and old and maybe the owner doesn't want to spend money on fixing it which could cause you, the consumer issues...just cuz it's a top 4 fuel brand it don't mean it's a safe station to use...lots of gas stations are independent and subject to owners greed...if for some reason you find yourself having to get fuel from station your gut tells you it's not the best then only get enough to get you to somewhere metropolitan or bigger city...also use HEET or Seafoam fuel additive to eliminate any possible water in your fuel...personally, I believe one shouldn't skimp on fuel quality while on vacation as repairs away from home are more costly (you know damn well the mechanic eint stupid and will cost+ you to fix shit in another state) so get premium fuel and add stabilizers to ensure your tow vehicle has all the help it needs to push or drag your rv up and down wherever you may desire...I have a dsl tow vehicle for my rv and I always change my fuel filters every other oil change...always change your oil and filter before vacation tow and really check your transmission fluids too...one other thing that I always do before I head for home from my vacation stay is to thoroughly check for stowaways...I've had squirrels and mice and cats and even a damn snake crawl into engine bay or burrow in rv...they can chew your wires, your vent liners and surprise the hell out of you scampering around in your vehicle at highway speeds..also for the black tank service, please go buy yourself some thick rubber gloves (any gas handling gloves are good enough). you don't want to be the guy using cloth gardening gloves trying to dump your sewer tank and having that shit splash and splatter all over your gloves...ya seen it and no I didn't help the guy but I did give him a new pair of thick rubber gloves to help himself (he learned a lesson) ...sry for the long winded paragraph
Tho shall ALWAYS insist your spouse/partner know how to do everything and driving knowledge of thy rig!!! Best to also teach all children to have parts in the operation of said rig! Have spouse and kids take to trip with just them , to fully understand the whole system! In our 21+ years of RV’ing I have seen too many times women STUCK because the husband had a broken hip etc and she was as unable drive it ‘home’. I took our 4 kids all over northern CA for 6 weeks with our 36’ TT & van after hubby flew home to SE NM for work. I and kids also drove it CA - se NM! The kids (14 - 4 y/o ) each had jobs and were great eyes & ears the whole time. (We also had a check list) The next few times we went out camping, I think Dad was a bit annoyed as I & the kids were doing everything 😉
I have a half tank rule. I know everyone wants to stop, break and do business. Great way to check out the RV, and look around. You never know what you are going to run into down the road.
My brother in law parked his Class A at our house and plugged into the 110v outlet in the garage. It blew the circuit breaker. No big deal, flipped the switch and back in business. However, we left at 0500 the next day for vacation with him. The people watching our house called a few days later and said the garage fridge was warm and all the food was lost. Turns out, we didn’t flip the breaker off to unplug the rig and the circuit tripped again. We didn’t notice before leaving. Moral of the story, flip the breaker off before plugging in or unplugging the rig.
Great list, thanks! I'd like to add: If there are multiple legal drivers in your group, make sure that as many as possible have some basic experience driving the rv and have practiced at least a little - in case the primary driver somehow cannot drive. For instance, there are 4 of us (wife and I, and 2 driving age children), and we took part of a day for everyone to parking lot practice with our toy hauler hooked up to get a feel for how it turns/stops/backs up, so that they can be a least a little prepared should I not be able to drive.
Get a tire pressure monitoring system for all of the tires, even the tow dolly and car tires if you're in a motor home. Turn it on well ahead of when you're leaving, and have a little compressor to fill up tires before you head out. Tires at the wrong pressure is a risk that is easily avoided, and the impact of losing a tire can be pretty huge.
That is a smart one. When I was parking in yellow stone, the temperature dropped to sub freezing zone. One morning the tire pressure dropped so dramatically, the yellow light came up on my panel. So, I filled it up with my air pump. 4 days later, I was in Arizona where temperature was over 90 degree. The ride was so bumpy, I had to check my tire pressure. Sure enough, it was well over the rated pressure. Fortunately enough, I didn't get a flat tire. Came back from the trip, I bought a set of TPMS.
@@dack9826 Be aware of the fact that the air pressure will go up when the tires heat up. Too much pressure is a bigger problem than low pressure. Most tires are rated by minimum and maximum pressure. If the tires are cold, only inflate to the minimum pressure reading.
🙄 Do not do this. Tire manufacturers know. Always fill your rv tires to max air rating when cold. Listening to the post above will no doubt leave you with a blow out for tires being under inflated.
1) don't leave your RV without turning the pedestal water off. If an internal line leaks or ruptures and you are not there... The result is very much bad. BONUS: don't run the exhaust fan in the bathroom when you flush.
The fan is pulling air out of your RV and when you flush the toilet often times the easiest path for the air is through the black tank vent when flushing pulling in the black tank smells into the bathroom.
And if not connected to "shore water" (boondocking), turn off your water pump. When we leave to go out hiking, etc., I turn everything off - water pump, hot water heater, all lights, close awning... just shut it off if it's not needed. It only takes a couple minutes time to save a potential disaster!
Your item about using the right sealant for the job hit a nerve with me... I had to replace a significant amount of caulk when I repaired delamination on both sides of my trailer. I spent considerable time reading the (online) labels of the caulk I intended to use. The Proflex RV caulk turned out to be unacceptable for the drip edge that secures the EPDM roof material. It says so, right on the label. To avoid any problems, I used Dicor Non-Sag caulk on the drip edge and Proflex RV for almost everything else. Dicor is rated for use against EPDM. I found the Dicor to be difficult to apply. Getting a reasonable bead laid down was the first problem and then getting the bead smoothed out (with my finger, wet or dry) was even worse. As an experiment, I used the Dicor on a vertical seam on one corner of the trailer and the Proflex RV on the same seam on the other corner of the trailer. The Dicor didn't hold as well as the Proflex RV did. Both seams were prepared carefully and had 7 days to cure. I thought that my problem might be old caulk that came from Camping World. The tubes were rather dusty on the shelf. However, the Dicor was manufactured less than a year ago. Look at the end of the tube to find the mfg date. I carry three tubes of caulk: Dicor Leveling Lap Sealant, Dicor Non-sag Lap Sealant and Proflex RV. Moral to the story: read the labels.
Great advice! Your channel has been there for us before we started our journey and 2 years later I'm still learning! Your beginner guide has been invaluable to our family thank you!
When i picked up my camper recently from having it checked out, They found 3 fuses blown in the truck. They asked me if I had ever left the power cord to the truck hooked up and then hooked up to shore power. I said I probably had and they told me it was likely what caused the fuses to blow. They said to always unhook the power cord from the truck before hooking up to shore power.
When we had hooked up leaving the park, I checked both running and blinkers. Left, then right then...they stopped blinking on the right drivers side. I had running light and left blinkers but not on the right side. I'll check the fuses in the truck to start...thanks. Oh, we HAVE left the rig plugged into the truck and hooked to shore power at the same time. It may be that's indeed, not the way to do it because like I said, they were working then just stopped as we did our walk around.
I meant, we checked the left blinkers and then the right side blinkers. When I did a second test, the drivers side ( right side) of the rig stopped blinking...my turn signal light stopped blinking on that side. I too could have a blown truck fuse.
Another tip. When you get a new RV. Whether you are a beginner or a pro. Learn how EVERYTHING works during the walk through. And make sure everything works. plug it in. Turn on everything electrical. Turn on the propane tanks. Check that the stove and the furnace works. Connect it to water. Fill the tanks. flush the toilet’s. run the faucets. empty the tanks. Do everything just like you would do at a campground. So that when you get to your first campground you won’t have any surprises that make your trip less than enjoyable.
On a motorhome do all as stated above and then check all the functions on the none RV or vehicle side. I found too late that the dash air from the chassis did not work, It was a long ride back only to be told oh thats a Ford problem, any Ford dealer will fix it for you. Only to find there were zero Ford dealers willing to look at it within 100 miles, and it turned out to be a RV manufacturing's problem.
Great advice! I bought a 5th wheel from Campers Inn in Merrimack, NH and our truck was not ready for demo day (covid) but they did a quick checklist and even though I didn't feel comfortable I went with it. Heck I just spent a ton of money with them why burn a customer right. Wrong turns out it had been in an accident and had stabilizer leg issues, batteries were wired incorrectly so first set up and use one melted, converter on power bank was shot, 1 gray tank Leaked and one black had so much solid hardened in it it would fill in a day. I will never not do a full set up and tear down again at purchase nor buy from Campers Inn anywhere!! Thanks again!!
If off grid without solar or a generator, always bring Jumper cables. that way, if your battery dies, you can get a quick boost to pull in the slide and awning if its powered.
Camper manufacturers buy the tires in very large quantities. They do not care about the quality as long as the tire is rated for the weight of the camper! Camper tires have been named China bombs for a reason! Make certain to have a 20 ton bottle jack and the correct size socket and 24" breaker bar to change your blown out tires. I blew 2 tires in the first year. (Tires were properly inflated) I've never seen sidewalls so thin on a tire. Upgrade to heavier tires immediately after purchase.
I don't have an RV but my buddy does and has had them for ever. He literally has a laminated check list like an airplane. And he has made these lists for each of the components/equipment on each one of his rigs that he's had over the years. He keeps them in three ring binder that stays in the trailer. He recently upgraded and sold his old one. You should have seen the look on the new owners face as my buddy was giving him the run down on how to operate things as he went over his check list with the guy. We joke amongst our friends ( how much it the trailer? ......the trailer is free.... how much is the folder? 30k). We get a lot of mileage with that one teasing him.
Please add that if you have installed a surge protector in your rv, instead of the external model, you can plug the rv in, the surge protector has a delay that checks the electricity and if all is ok, then everything comes on... great video.
Thanks so much for saying this, I almost went out and bought one I could plug in but thought that is what my surge protector is supposed to do for me. Many trailers now have them onboard so a handheld one shouldn't be necessary.
Tire pressures and Tire temperatures including the wheel bearing temps with an infrared temp gauge. Won’t know if you don’t get off your seat and on your feet.
If a station has a truck dumping fuel, wait at least 30 minutes after there done to get your fuel. It will store up gunk from the bottom of the tank, and it could get sucked into your vehicle, doesn't mean it will but it could.
Great topic. My two cents would be don’t assume buying a new rv is like buying a new car. There is zero quality control in the rv industry so inspect the unit like a “Where’s Waldo” book because you’re gonna find something wrong.
On the 15' to 25' travel trailers pay close attention to not only overload the trailer, but pay CLOSE attention to where the weight is. You need at least 10% tongue weight. If it is loaded so that it is tongue light, it can cause a catastrophic wreck. You will notice this at first by a swaying back and forth of the trailer. If you are towing up a hill, and are a little tongue light, when you start down the other side, the swaying will sometimes get severe. There is a video done with a model truck and trailer that will show how improperly distributed weight will cause problems. I had this happen to me. I was driving a Dodge duelie with a 10and 1/2' slide in camper in the bed. The camper weighed 1.5 tons empty. I was towing a 2 axle trailer with a car loaded on the trailer. I knew that the car should have been further forward, but because of the way that the trailer was built I could not do so. I had already towed it 200 miles. I came down a grade and let the speed go over 55MPH. The trailer started to sway very bad. Were it not for the fact that the truck weighed 7,000 pounds, it was a duelie, and had at least 2 tons of camper, water, food, etc, in the back, I would have wrecked it. As it was, I separated all 4 tires on the trailer.
As shown in this excellent video, a metal water pressure regulator will be more precise in adjusting the available water supply, it will be something you will take with you for use on your next RV. The primary attraction to the plastic regulators is it’s low price. The extra cost of a quality metal pressure regulator will pay for itself in accuracy, precision and longevity.
Make a list to check for when you are packing up and hitching your RV up. Always check the list before you leave. I have found that this really helps to avoid making mistakes.
Great list!! I will add I recommend using a preshure regulator all the time. I have seen the preshure look ok when first hooking up and have it go up later. I start looking for fuel at 1/2 tank or not later than 1/4. NEVER wait till you need fuel to fill up. That is always when you run into the places with no acess or outher problems. Here is a add on thing you should never do to your RV. Never leave the awning out if you are not there.
Water pressure can have sudden surges. If there is a long, straight run of pipe, someone running a lot of water can get all of the water in that pipe moving...fast (think: filling the fresh tank). That water does not want to stop all at once, so when they suddenly shut off the water, the pressure near that valve can spike to hundreds of psi, but then be back down to normal in 1/4 second. A rubber hose can absorb some of that shock, but it's still not something you want to expose your rig to. Always use a pressure regulator.
I would agree with looking for fuel early and often. We try to never let the tank get below halfway. If we hit a quarter tank we usually will act like the gas light came on and start finding fuel immediately. When you are towing a trailer, the gas tank just drops too fast. If you wait for the gas light, you can easily find yourself stranded. Also remember that if you have a big rig, not any old gas station will work for you. So when your fuel tank hits the halfway mark, start looking for a gas station. This allows you time to find a gas station that has easy access for your rig and is a brand you like or trust. It might take another 50-80 miles before you find that station, but that's why you start looking when you get below half. It means you can be picky about where you stop.
4 роки тому+9
Might I suggest checking tire air pressure? Or testing the trailer lights and brake controller? Way more important than a roof leak.
Ankle Donna also gives you more choice at where to fill. I just check gas buddy app when I m approaching half and fill before I get to a quarter but I also have a 100 gallon tank 😎
A lot of vehicles have the fuel pump submerged in the fuel to help keep it cool. But at some point, it can be as high as 1/4 tank, the pump starts to expose...and has less cooling going on. I've had several mechanics tell me to not let it go below half a tank.
We keep ours over 1/2 full for another reason. Our motorhome is parked next to our house and we use the generator sometimes as back up to our house losing power from dummy P.G.&E. in Kalifornia. An 80' power cord works great.
A lot of good info! U did a great job on the surge protector for the power, but water connection is just as important! HOWEVER, yes I used all caps for a reason! "DO NOT EVER" connect to a water supply without a regulator! Campground water supplies are a "manifold" type system, that's one section of pipe laid down the row, then tapped into for each site for RV connection! Regardless of what the normal pressure is, when someone opens the valve, like to flush out before u connect ur rig, when they turn the valve off there is a huge pressure surge in the entire system, all of a sudden ur campsite is a swamp or u feel ur foot getting wet while watching TV, or both! You kind of hinted at this but it needs to told, especially to new campers!
10-4, Left my steps down and didn't clear my gate and block fence, ouch! 400 dollars and 2 hours later were back on our way. Thankfully the RV dealer had a set of steps.
I'LL SHARE MY STORY. MY WIFE AND I WERE ON OUR FIRST MULTI WEEK TRIP. I DROVE A 02 F150 SUPERCREW 4X4. IT DID EVERYTHING I ASKED BUT IT WAS AT THE LIMIT WHEN I PUT OUR 25FQ WILDERNESS ON IT. I 70 IN EASTERN UTAH HEADING INTO SW COLORADO IS PLENTY STEEP AND PLENTY LONG. INSTEAD OF RIDING THE BRAKE PEDAL I TIGHTENED UP THE TRAILER BRAKES TO 70% FIGURING THAT WOULD CONTROL MY DOWN HILL SPEED. IT DID. FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES. THEN I REALIZED I HAD TO ADD GAS PEDAL TO SPEED UP GOING DOWN HILL. THAT WAS KIND OF STRANGE. HAVING TO PRESS ON THE GAS TO SPEED UP DOWN THE HILL. IMAGINE THAT. DRAGGING THE TRAILER BRAKES HEATED UP THE SHOES, INCREASING PRESSURE ON THE DRUMS AND SLOWING DOWN THE ENTIRE RIG. WOUND UP AT A EXIT FOR AN HOUR WAITING FOR THE BRAKES TO COOL AND REDUCE THE PRESSURE SO THE WHEELS COULD ROLL FREELY. THE LESSON LEARNED; DON'T TIGHTEN UP THE TRAILER BRAKES. STILL HAD FUN
I agree on the weather conditions. It started to snow, and we wanted to leave before it got bad. We left a little to late, and I ended up sliding about 200ft backwards down a hill towing a 33ft 5th wheel..lucked out and ended up being able to keep it somewhat straight. Got pulled up the hill by a Honda ridgeline of all things lol.
Jared, I'll just be darned! Probably hasn't been an hour, filled up with water at a house - their water hose, no pressure regulator. Then watched your video. Next Rule = NEVER do that before watching Jared's video! I AM a rookie, well, a year and a few days into RVing now. Was glad to see NOTHING on leaving your fixed tank propane valve open as you drive down the road. How much of a hassle would that be, to turn that off and on all the time! You are the greatest, Jared!
That's not going to hurt anything filling your fresh tank or rinsing your black tank. Just don't hook to your city water inlet without a pressure regulator on your faucets and toilets while they are not running water. Some city pressure is as high as 70 psi, 45 lbs is recommended.
Do not use Windex and other products designed for GLASS surfaces on LEXAN or plexiglass acrylic surfaces. They will chemically cloud and permanently damage the surfaces. Use dish soap water and a soft SQUEEGEE only. No rags! No paper towels! Paper towels also scratch permanently. Use rags and paper towels only to dry up the water on the edges after squeegeeing.
You can also use lemon pledge on plexiglass. I know it sounds wierd, but we used pledge on the Army Blackhawk helicopter's plexiglass windows to clean them without any issues.
We recently re did our House Bathrooms and the glasswork installer told us to never use windex or similar products on the glasswork as over time it will damage the glass. The foaming cleaners are so much more gentle.
We have always had a Cross (or 2) in our TT’s. Every RVer coming into our rig make a comment that it was something important they have not done (but will) in their’s! When we have friends get a new RV, I will always gift one to them.
you are so smart...thank you (I already do most of these things) don't forget to close the roof vents before going on the road , (if they don't have a cover)
One thing I discovered immediately was to not exceed the speed limit. Not only does it make it harder to stop in an emergency, but you'll burn through your fuel faster. If you want to keep your fuel costs low, stay within the speed limit.
My Dad, a RVr since 72, taught me to always drive a mile up the road...meaning, know what's going on, if possible, a mile away because, you may need to stop suddenly and this is also the SAFEST way to drive no matter the circumstances...you have plenty of slow down time, you can avoid 99% driving accidents like hitting something or say you get a flat or worse, have a tire blowout, you have 5,000 ft of "pull over somewhere NOW" room. Make a list of why you need to drive "a mile up the road." Think about it for 12hrs and make a list and always remember why. 1. Slow down room. In case if a flat, you can make a decision to stop quick. 2...Tire blowout. 3. Heavy rain or hail...you have 5,000 ft and some "change" to stop. 4. Careless drivers. 5. Motorcycles you may not see that have stopped or slowed down. 6. Drunk drivers. 7. If you know what's a mile up the road, you wont run over anyone. 8. Deer or other animals darting across roads that your unfamiliar with. What if you hit a deer and needed to pull over somewhere...you have a whole MILE to decide. Anyway, y'all get what I'm saying. Thanks! Think of as may reasons as you can think of. Best advice I ever got about driving and pulling a rig. My Dad was a U.S. Army Veteran. Thanks Dad...☝️
Great list. #7: Weigh weigh weigh. weigh your truck without trailer, weigh with trailer empty, weigh with trailer ready to camp. Weigh with and without weight distribution / sway control hooked up. You need to get a real feel about the effects of the weight your hauling with the safety equipment your using. Once you complete this process you will be and feel much safer on the road. # 9 : Do not take for granted the level of commitment your RV manufacturer has for your towing well being. You get basic tires, springs, and suspension products. If the tires are not Carlisle radial trail HD, Sailun, or Goodyear endurance, and are less than 5 yrs old you are taking a risk of tire failure. Tires are crucial to your safety. One blow out could carve a nice size hole into your RV floor and literally distort the aluminum framing in that area. Also crucial are the parts holding your suspension together. Ditch the parts that came with the RV and add a wet bolt and hd shackle kit. When you buy it and compare it with what you have, there is no comparison. Mono leaf springs on your trailer? Ditch those ASAP. Go to a reputable spring shop and armed with your size and weight capacity of the trailer and axles have them supply something more robust, but not stiff enough to shake the trailer to pieces. A multi leafed spring will be much safer. Search RV forums for any manufacturer for leaf spring failures, mods ore repairs and you will adopt better understanding of how under equipped you are. Check your tire pressure religiously. Be safe out there, you have precious cargo.
That's a very good list I like to add one more. Never turn your generator on while you're plugged into Shore power at the same time. I have a motorhome so I am very picky on where I put my fuel extremely picky even on my cars. So I definitely agree with you it's worth going to a good gas station.
Make sure you lower and secure the roof TV antennae before leaving. I hang my ignition key on the internal handle, as a reminder, so I don't drive off without doing it.
I couldn't find the video about cleaning windows, but I work for Lippert making RV windows. when there is something on the glass we used steel wool to clean it off so it does work without scratching unless you are really aggressive with it.
When I bought my travel trailer, the one thing I didn't do was check the tanks. They must have had a problem, because there were no shut offs for the black or grey tank.
Just a heads up on filling you diesel truck. If the tanker truck is filling there tanks....just move on to the next station. That tanker is mixing all the crud from the bottom of the tank and you don`t want that in your tank. Thanks, Bud Moy
RV Mistakes, when towing a 5th wheel, i haven't seen this one yet on any of the RV UA-cam videos , and i think it should be. Towing a 5th wheel do's and don'ts now i know someone that has done this 2 times, Short bed and long bed trucks, turning, backing up and the right hitch for each truck, now i don't have a 5th wheel camper but i know that there are 3 types of 5th wheel hitches, and your the best one to show this. Sounds like a good Video for you
After you hitch up, stop and recheck everything a few miles down the road. Had a hitch sway bar come loose and dragged it through who knows how much of NM. The pavement gound a good 1/2” worth of steel off it.
We love you....we are researching the full-Time RVing and want to thank you for all your topics that you cover regarding RVing. RVacation4Life appreciates you and your knowledge relating to the full-time RV life.
Yes, bad gas plagued my brother when he was traveling. Normally he bought 87 octane but switched to 89 that wasn't used much and played hell even after loading up on fuel additives to displace the water. I learned from that and buy 87 octane and add a separate octane booster when towing. Depending on what brand you buy (gumout), it does add mpg to your towing so that's a plus.
Fuel stops - if the fuel delivery truck is present, move on to the next fuel stop. This is especially true for diesel. Adding fuel to the underground storage tank stirs the existing fuel in the tank and any water or sediment that may be in the bottom of the storage tank. Until the water and sediment has settled, it can be pumped into your tank.
Don't know if it's a problem, but... We had heavy rains today, Saturday, and I noticed bubbling around the top color guage of the propane regulator. I went into town to get a new regulator but the RV stores were closed until Monday, so I went to Walmart. Walmart didn't have any regulators either, but a guy in the aisle said he had one. He does mobile RV repairs and had a two stage in his truck. Isn't this the opening scene of a horror movie? Its seems to be working out, but now I have a story about buying something from a guy in a Walmart parking lot...
Haven't made our first trip with the travel trailer yet but your videos have prepared me so well. Instead of trial and error i am making sure the errors don't happen. Thank you again for a great video.
Don't presume you know what your roof is made of. If it's not on your RV, or in the manuals (which are nearly useless anyway) ask the manufacturer. Not all roofs are EPDM, and each type has specific caulks/sealants. Using the wrong caulk/sealant could eat through the membrane. I spent over a decade in commercial roofing.
I don't use anything with the name Dicor on it. There are some far better UV resistant adhesive caulks out there. Do your research before you buy anything.
@@janeforever M1 structural adhesive caulk, Duralink adhesive caulk as a second choice. Not sure if either one of these would work on an EPDM (rubber roof). I use the M1 on the doors, windows, etc. I'm able to use it on my skylights and vents only because I have a 60 mil TPO roof.
Wow! Two videos in one week Jared. Love it! You definitely have some of the best videos out there for info. Thanks for what you do. Oh, and we're still waiting on that pumpkin spiced latte recipe. Hope it comes before the holiday season 🤞👍
Most of these I have seen before, probably for you. The fuel suggestion I had not thought about. Thanks for the advice. I have found all your videos wonderfully helpful.
We live in Wyoming and interstate 80 is often closed to light high profile vehicles because of blow over risk. We frequently see blown over trucks. Worse is the blown over travel trailer. They look like a bomb went off within when this happens. My advice: take that warning seriously about blow over risk! If you don’t, the wind could devastate your whole RV lifestyle. We love our RV and use it as often as possible but it’s always prudent to respect the weather. Wyomong WYDOT always wants to keep traffic moving, but also wants to keep you safe!
Always check your lug nuts on the RV and the tire pressure on the Truck and the RV before traveling. I also check the trucks oil level - rad fluid level. Just before "hitting the road , do a "walk around" making sure all jacks are up - all windows , doors, access doors are closed and locked -and the TV antenna is in a down position - all cables are disconnected.
If you buy a new truck for your fifthwheel camper..re check when you drop frontfeet..especually if truck is higher i droped mine to the very end .so when i lifted camper almost ended up dropping it on ground when i pulled out from under it
Excellent advice! Thank you for sharing. Even if you have been RVing for awhile these are still very helpful. Love the "Thou shall not do to your RV" comment!
Number 4 is overlooked. I had loaned my trailer out for a long weekend. They used 2 rolls of regular toilet paper. That sucked trying to get rid of it from the black tank. The tank wouldn't drain all the way, would register 1/3 full or 2/3 full right after I drained it. Only after I had seen the pile of dark water contents just below the threshold did I realize that we were clogged. After three attempts the plug finally came lose. With the help of the black tank flush and cycling the tank valve while filing did it finally come out. Also food for thought. My trailer has more then adequate tongue weight, but if it didnt and also pile of 40 gallons of dark water in the tank that sits behind the axles,... that could lead in a case, to that trailer sway from improper loading...
Thanks, I personally thought it could use a little more fall or redwoods feeling. Maybe I should just drive there for the next video to get some footage. What do you think.
Binge watching your vids has been unbelievably insightful. I have had a few hiccups and I knew right away what to look for and better yet how to fix it. Thank you very much!! You make me feel like I got this! Love reading the comments too, a world of information. Almost feel like I know what I’m doing ;) !!!
When you hook up to city water, smell and taste the water beforehand.. We got contaminated by water tainted by some form of industrial solvent. Took me all day flushing my system to get the smell out.
do not fill up when you see a delivery tank truck filling the storage tanks at the station -- cost us several fuel filters and a lot of lost time to get the dirt out
If you have a newer Ford use the trailer back up assist with your travel trailer. It takes 10 minutes to put the sticker on, do the measurements and program your truck, but makes backing into a spot or driveway a breeze.
Never fuel up at a station when there is a tanker truck delivering fuel. This stirs up sediment and water in the holding tanks and can lead to all kinds of issues. Ask me how I know 😊
If your truck is a diesel you can a a remote fuel filter of semi trucks the filter is larger and some has a valve on it to let water out. And you can set it up with its own pump to pump fuel out of the tank and threw the filter and back in the tank. Like a some sailboats do
Fueling up...gotta say, I stick to major brands. Yeah, I could save $$$’s. But chances of getting bad fuel are greatly reduced because BP, SHELL, PILOT, etc. have MUCH better quality control of their fuel from refinery to pump. The cut rate stations (or independents) don’t have that. They have no control over what product was in that delivery tanker before their fuel load came in. Prime example is of a regional chain that used to utilize contract carriers for fuel delivery. The station near my in-laws had multiple vehicles fill up, drive a few blocks and stall out. Turned out the tanker had just previously hauled hog manure slurry. It got in the fuel and destroyed the vehicles engines. So for me; I only look for stations that utilize a dedicated tanker. If not, I’m not taking a chance to save a few bucks...especially since going diesel😉.
Very helpful list of advices. Some of them I knew but some I just learn. Your videos are really helpful and encouraging. As I already know most of problems I can face when I got my RV.
Dont start up your refrigerator till you level up inside the freezer . Failure to do so can destory fridge . Have personally lost 2 refrigerators, learned the hard way
One of the most important things that I see happen all the time is many people put their rig, and lives, in jeopardy by driving faster than their trailer tires are rated for!! Trailer tires are NOT rated to be driven over 60 - 65 MPH. There are tires that you can buy that are rated for higher speeds, which also are more expensive, however, you're not going to have them on your tow trailer (TT/5th wheel) when you buy it. The question then becomes: can you drive faster, which many more powerful pickups do? The answer is, you CAN, because you can do anything you want to do! Of course that is until the laws of probability catch up with you and you have to pay for your error in judgment. Then in hindsight, you'll regret it, maybe in even more ways than one, that you didn't drive slower. It'll sure save you some grief, and maybe tears, to think about it. Remember, all it takes is once. "So you have to ask yourself, do you feel lucky? Well do you?"
Never move your RV, even if it's a few feet, with the slideout out . It could damage the rods.
Here's one... When (or if) your trailer or toad blows a tire & starts to "WAG THE DOG" Don't panic & hit the brakes to slow down. This will allow the trailer to overcome the towing vehicle & send you off the road. Instead hit the manual brake controller & plant the throttle to straighten out the fishtailing load. Your natural instinct is to try & stop everything as soon as possible. Keep calm & get control of the unit & THEN stop the rig. I've had this very thing happen to me on the interstate. If I hadn't done it as I described all my worldly possessions would have been lost in a ditch & totaled my rig as well. Mishaps can & will happen & keeping calm is essential!
So just to recap since I'm a bit unclear --> If the rig starts to fishtail and wag the dog so to speak then instead of slamming my tow vehicle brakes I should press the manual brake controller and let the fishtailing stop while removing my foot off the throttle. Is that accurate? Thanks
@@mindseye4914 hubby:s prepping me for pulling our 5th wheel..he"s pulled many trailers...he"s saying you may have to actually speed up a bit to GET CONTROL as the fish tailing is correcting itself back behind truck because brakes were applied. Hope that helps! Safe travels! We've yet to take her out, just traded class a for more space!
David Cat thank you. I hope he is right. I will certainly keep this advice in mind. Oh and one more thing if any of you are in Michigan please do yourselves a favor and never ever ever go near a General RV dealership. They are the most fraudulent corrupt pieces of garbage to walk this earth. Anyway I digress thank you to you and your husband for the piece of advice.
That is an excellent list! Here's one more. Don't start the drive without first doing a complete walkaround.
Bruce H - Twice! LOL
Excellent advice!
Excellent! This is the best advice here. Once I forgot to remove the power cord and drove off. Immediately I heard a loud ripping noise as my fibergla$$ was getting damaged. Someone should invent a "break-away" power cord like we had in the military.
RVguy - Or self ejecting like we have in the fire service.
I don't have an RV but my buddy does and has had them for ever. He literally has a laminated check list like an airplane. And he has made these lists for each of the components/equipment on each one of his rigs that he's had over the years. He keeps them in three ring binder that stays in the trailer. He recently upgraded and sold his old one. You should have seen the look on the new owners face as my buddy was giving him the run down on how to operate things as he went over his check list with the guy. We joke amongst our friends ( how much it the trailer? ......the trailer is free.... how much is the folder? 30k). We get a lot of mileage with that one teasing him.
I'm a truck driver and learned this one fairly early on, and it applies to RV's as well. If you're crusing along and one vehicle tries to flag you down, be wary. If multiple people/vehicles try to flag you down, then you probably have a genuine problem. Nine times out of ten, one guy flagging you down is some sort of scam!
Drive safe and keep er greasy side down!
If someone honks at you while traveling with your RV pull over and look at your rig! I didn’t and I was dragging my 7 way plug down the highway.😳
Good advice. I follow the same little rule as a truck driver. 90 percent of the time if someone s honking while passing you it means somethings dragging or flapping or hanging off.
If the wind starts to pick up, roll up your awnings. Don't wait~!
Yes! Excellent advice!
Yep, Just paid $1200 to have mine replaced because I went to bed one night and left it out. Not a wisp of wind when I went to bed but about 3 am, the wind blew it completely over the top of the camper and destroyed it.
So what’s the proper way to tie down your RV
I guess to add to that...never leave your awnings/canopies down over night
Or tie it down with 2 ratchet straps and stakes with big washers that fit over the hook. I do this when we camp at a beach or storms are predicted. I've put a third one to the steps at the door since it likes up.
Willy Smith mentioned it in a comment about never leaving your awning out if the wind starts to pick up. Very true. But I learned the hard way once myself . .. . I don't EVER leave the RV unattended (for more than just a few minutes or so) with the awning out! Rain/wind storms can whip up in no time even when they aren't really in the forecast. I see people do this all of the time, and I have to assume many are experienced RVers. But I will never, ever, do it again. This includes overnight, even if there are clear skies and no rain in the forecast. Awning comes in at night.
Don't accept help from anyone when setting up or tearing down! It's too easy to be distracted from all of the things that need to be done.
This is so true. On one of our trips, I allowed a helper to connect our water line. A few minutes after turning on the water, I heard yelling and had a mess, so yes this is a true statement.
Or at the dump station to hurry you! "Back off, Barbie!"
1) Driveway surf, your neighbors may think you’re nuts but living in it is the only way to find issues fast and take care of them while they’re still small. 2) Practice backing up in a huge parking lot, safe from hitting or damaging anything. 3) Adjust the break control “thinger” in the parking lot.
or retrofit to disk brakes and never have to play with the "thinger" again!
Never drive without your headlights/taillights on! Just because you have a larger rig, doesnt mean that people see you. Especially in the rain or mist.
I am a Retired truck driver and I have thought for years the manufacturers should make the lights come on with the wipers automatically! When you are in a big rig you would be surprised how little you can see through the spray and how much difference it makes for something so simple! Good day! Thanks for the good comment
this is a good one for everyone, I wish everyone would drive with their park (running) lights on, its so much easier to see when the lights are on.
@@dantolle1344 On my Honda pilot, after the wipers cycle 4 times, the full lighting comes on. On my current Explorer, they come on with the a full 5 cycles. However, you have to have purchased the upgrade options for that!!!
@@darylwark2832 I believe if you're driving, it should be headlights--parking lights are for being parked. Headlights don't use any more gas.
Great ideas! Make sure that you and your other family members are in on the checks also. Case scenario, I ended up having a kidney stone the morning we were supposed to pull out, all said and done after 4 hours in the ER. When we came back, my wife had to pack up everything to move to another spot for the day because I was still under the effects of the pain meds. Luckily she got help from the neighbors and the campground. Now she pays more attention to the setup and teardowns. It's written down on a laminated paper checklist now.
I want to be that one guy sitting around the camp fire that has no black tank story to tell. Lol
You and me both! 😁
@@AllAboutRVs Thanks! Going out to close the Black tank now.
One simple thing my family does is a walk around by 2 people before taking off. 2 sets of eyes are better then one and might see something the other person missed. Also check your tires!!!!!! Not only pressure but condition. Happy travels all!
Great list. Got three
One, use single ply toilet paper
Two, check lug nuts they tend come loose easy
Three, have a check list when setting up and tearing down
Do not rush would be one I have to say because when you rush it will always come back to get you
Oh that is so true!
About getting fuel, don't get fuel if a tanker is delivering fuel at that time. Sediments get stirred up and can cause problems. Happened to me 700 miles from home and engine trouble started about an hour into the trip.
That’s a good one!
Caroline Beck very very true!!!
Caroline, nowadays that's mostly wives tales...all fuel pumps have inline fuel filters right in the pump and it's the last thing the fuel goes through before it enters your vehicle...also all loading racks pass fuel through industrial sized filters as it's loaded into the truck to be delivered...what is best to look for is what he said: look for busy station as that recycles fuel faster...also look at the drop sites and the gas station in general...if the lids are rusted over, then the store is not really careful with water contamination into the fuel, if the pumps are really slow then the fuel filters could be clogged and old and maybe the owner doesn't want to spend money on fixing it which could cause you, the consumer issues...just cuz it's a top 4 fuel brand it don't mean it's a safe station to use...lots of gas stations are independent and subject to owners greed...if for some reason you find yourself having to get fuel from station your gut tells you it's not the best then only get enough to get you to somewhere metropolitan or bigger city...also use HEET or Seafoam fuel additive to eliminate any possible water in your fuel...personally, I believe one shouldn't skimp on fuel quality while on vacation as repairs away from home are more costly (you know damn well the mechanic eint stupid and will cost+ you to fix shit in another state) so get premium fuel and add stabilizers to ensure your tow vehicle has all the help it needs to push or drag your rv up and down wherever you may desire...I have a dsl tow vehicle for my rv and I always change my fuel filters every other oil change...always change your oil and filter before vacation tow and really check your transmission fluids too...one other thing that I always do before I head for home from my vacation stay is to thoroughly check for stowaways...I've had squirrels and mice and cats and even a damn snake crawl into engine bay or burrow in rv...they can chew your wires, your vent liners and surprise the hell out of you scampering around in your vehicle at highway speeds..also for the black tank service, please go buy yourself some thick rubber gloves (any gas handling gloves are good enough). you don't want to be the guy using cloth gardening gloves trying to dump your sewer tank and having that shit splash and splatter all over your gloves...ya seen it and no I didn't help the guy but I did give him a new pair of thick rubber gloves to help himself (he learned a lesson) ...sry for the long winded paragraph
Not true modern pumps should have filters as well as your vehicle
I also recommend using Seafoam on a regular basis to help eliminate any issues with "bad fuel"....Works like a charm. :)
Tho shall ALWAYS insist your spouse/partner know how to do everything and driving knowledge of thy rig!!!
Best to also teach all children to have parts in the operation of said rig!
Have spouse and kids take to trip with just them , to fully understand the whole system!
In our 21+ years of RV’ing I have seen too many times women STUCK because the husband had a broken hip etc and she was as unable drive it ‘home’.
I took our 4 kids all over northern CA for 6 weeks with our 36’ TT & van after hubby flew home to SE NM for work. I and kids also drove it CA - se NM!
The kids (14 - 4 y/o ) each had jobs and were great eyes & ears the whole time. (We also had a check list)
The next few times we went out camping, I think Dad was a bit annoyed as I & the kids were doing everything 😉
I have a half tank rule. I know everyone wants to stop, break and do business.
Great way to check out the RV, and look around.
You never know what you are going to run into down the road.
Great video of never do list. Do not plug or unplug your RV without making sure the breaker is off. It can arc and damage the plug or cause a surge.
Excellent advice!
Could you explain a little further?
My brother in law parked his Class A at our house and plugged into the 110v outlet in the garage. It blew the circuit breaker. No big deal, flipped the switch and back in business.
However, we left at 0500 the next day for vacation with him. The people watching our house called a few days later and said the garage fridge was warm and all the food was lost.
Turns out, we didn’t flip the breaker off to unplug the rig and the circuit tripped again. We didn’t notice before leaving.
Moral of the story, flip the breaker off before plugging in or unplugging the rig.
Neighbor used to do that. After he blew out his third $1000 washing machine, he added a breaker to his shore power inlet.
Great list, thanks! I'd like to add: If there are multiple legal drivers in your group, make sure that as many as possible have some basic experience driving the rv and have practiced at least a little - in case the primary driver somehow cannot drive. For instance, there are 4 of us (wife and I, and 2 driving age children), and we took part of a day for everyone to parking lot practice with our toy hauler hooked up to get a feel for how it turns/stops/backs up, so that they can be a least a little prepared should I not be able to drive.
Fantastic idea
Get a tire pressure monitoring system for all of the tires, even the tow dolly and car tires if you're in a motor home. Turn it on well ahead of when you're leaving, and have a little compressor to fill up tires before you head out. Tires at the wrong pressure is a risk that is easily avoided, and the impact of losing a tire can be pretty huge.
That is a smart one. When I was parking in yellow stone, the temperature dropped to sub freezing zone. One morning the tire pressure dropped so dramatically, the yellow light came up on my panel. So, I filled it up with my air pump. 4 days later, I was in Arizona where temperature was over 90 degree. The ride was so bumpy, I had to check my tire pressure. Sure enough, it was well over the rated pressure. Fortunately enough, I didn't get a flat tire. Came back from the trip, I bought a set of TPMS.
@@dack9826 Be aware of the fact that the air pressure will go up when the tires heat up. Too much pressure is a bigger problem than low pressure. Most tires are rated by minimum and maximum pressure. If the tires are cold, only inflate to the minimum pressure reading.
🙄 Do not do this. Tire manufacturers know. Always fill your rv tires to max air rating when cold. Listening to the post above will no doubt leave you with a blow out for tires being under inflated.
1) don't leave your RV without turning the pedestal water off. If an internal line leaks or ruptures and you are not there... The result is very much bad.
BONUS: don't run the exhaust fan in the bathroom when you flush.
Definitely 🤣
That’s a good one about the exhaust fan.
RV Pastor Kevin Why do I not want to run the vent fan in the bathroom when I flush the toilet?
The fan is pulling air out of your RV and when you flush the toilet often times the easiest path for the air is through the black tank vent when flushing pulling in the black tank smells into the bathroom.
And if not connected to "shore water" (boondocking), turn off your water pump. When we leave to go out hiking, etc., I turn everything off - water pump, hot water heater, all lights, close awning... just shut it off if it's not needed. It only takes a couple minutes time to save a potential disaster!
Your item about using the right sealant for the job hit a nerve with me...
I had to replace a significant amount of caulk when I repaired delamination on both sides of my trailer. I spent considerable time reading the (online) labels of the caulk I intended to use. The Proflex RV caulk turned out to be unacceptable for the drip edge that secures the EPDM roof material. It says so, right on the label. To avoid any problems, I used Dicor Non-Sag caulk on the drip edge and Proflex RV for almost everything else. Dicor is rated for use against EPDM.
I found the Dicor to be difficult to apply. Getting a reasonable bead laid down was the first problem and then getting the bead smoothed out (with my finger, wet or dry) was even worse.
As an experiment, I used the Dicor on a vertical seam on one corner of the trailer and the Proflex RV on the same seam on the other corner of the trailer. The Dicor didn't hold as well as the Proflex RV did. Both seams were prepared carefully and had 7 days to cure. I thought that my problem might be old caulk that came from Camping World. The tubes were rather dusty on the shelf. However, the Dicor was manufactured less than a year ago. Look at the end of the tube to find the mfg date.
I carry three tubes of caulk: Dicor Leveling Lap Sealant, Dicor Non-sag Lap Sealant and Proflex RV.
Moral to the story: read the labels.
Thank you so much for this. I have been FT for the past 2 years and need to use Dicor, etc
Great advice! Your channel has been there for us before we started our journey and 2 years later I'm still learning! Your beginner guide has been invaluable to our family thank you!
That’s very kind thank you, glad it has helped
When i picked up my camper recently from having it checked out, They found 3 fuses blown in the truck. They asked me if I had ever left the power cord to the truck hooked up and then hooked up to shore power. I said I probably had and they told me it was likely what caused the fuses to blow. They said to always unhook the power cord from the truck before hooking up to shore power.
We’ve never heard of this. If we’re just staying one night, we have always plugged in and have never removed truck plug. Maybe we’ve just been lucky.
When we had hooked up leaving the park, I checked both running and blinkers.
Left, then right then...they stopped blinking on the right drivers side.
I had running light and left blinkers but not on the right side.
I'll check the fuses in the truck to start...thanks.
Oh, we HAVE left the rig plugged into the truck and hooked to shore power at the same time.
It may be that's indeed, not the way to do it because like I said, they were working then just stopped as we did our walk around.
I meant, we checked the left blinkers and then the right side blinkers.
When I did a second test, the drivers side ( right side) of the rig stopped blinking...my turn signal light stopped blinking on that side.
I too could have a blown truck fuse.
Another tip. When you get a new RV. Whether you are a beginner or a pro. Learn how EVERYTHING works during the walk through. And make sure everything works. plug it in. Turn on everything electrical. Turn on the propane tanks. Check that the stove and the furnace works. Connect it to water. Fill the tanks. flush the toilet’s. run the faucets. empty the tanks. Do everything just like you would do at a campground. So that when you get to your first campground you won’t have any surprises that make your trip less than enjoyable.
Great advice!
On a motorhome do all as stated above and then check all the functions on the none RV or vehicle side. I found too late that the dash air from the chassis did not work, It was a long ride back only to be told oh thats a Ford problem, any Ford dealer will fix it for you. Only to find there were zero Ford dealers willing to look at it within 100 miles, and it turned out to be a RV manufacturing's problem.
Chris Hayes - They try to say things that get them out of work/responsibility don’t they? Thanks for additional information!
Great advice! I bought a 5th wheel from Campers Inn in Merrimack, NH and our truck was not ready for demo day (covid) but they did a quick checklist and even though I didn't feel comfortable I went with it. Heck I just spent a ton of money with them why burn a customer right. Wrong turns out it had been in an accident and had stabilizer leg issues, batteries were wired incorrectly so first set up and use one melted, converter on power bank was shot, 1 gray tank Leaked and one black had so much solid hardened in it it would fill in a day. I will never not do a full set up and tear down again at purchase nor buy from Campers Inn anywhere!! Thanks again!!
I always turn water off at facet if we are going to be gone from the rV park for a while....
That’s a good idea
This is important! I have seen it 3 times in parks from flooding to a hose rupture the shot water into an open window and on to the bed.
If off grid without solar or a generator, always bring Jumper cables. that way, if your battery dies, you can get a quick boost to pull in the slide and awning if its powered.
Camper manufacturers buy the tires in very large quantities. They do not care about the quality as long as the tire is rated for the weight of the camper! Camper tires have been named China bombs for a reason!
Make certain to have a 20 ton bottle jack and the correct size socket and 24" breaker bar to change your blown out tires. I blew 2 tires in the first year. (Tires were properly inflated) I've never seen sidewalls so thin on a tire.
Upgrade to heavier tires immediately after purchase.
Demanded Goodyear endurance tires when I purchased my new fifth wheel, dealer didn’t even flinch!
Pretend you’re flying an airliner - checklists for EVERYTHING!
I don't have an RV but my buddy does and has had them for ever. He literally has a laminated check list like an airplane. And he has made these lists for each of the components/equipment on each one of his rigs that he's had over the years. He keeps them in three ring binder that stays in the trailer. He recently upgraded and sold his old one. You should have seen the look on the new owners face as my buddy was giving him the run down on how to operate things as he went over his check list with the guy. We joke amongst our friends ( how much it the trailer? ......the trailer is free.... how much is the folder? 30k). We get a lot of mileage with that one teasing him.
That’s awesome!
I bet he’s great with first time campers too. I will need someone like that when we go our first time.
Please add that if you have installed a surge protector in your rv, instead of the external model, you can plug the rv in, the surge protector has a delay that checks the electricity and if all is ok, then everything comes on... great video.
Thanks so much for saying this, I almost went out and bought one I could plug in but thought that is what my surge protector is supposed to do for me. Many trailers now have them onboard so a handheld one shouldn't be necessary.
Tire pressures and Tire temperatures including the wheel bearing temps with an infrared temp gauge. Won’t know if you don’t get off your seat and on your feet.
If a station has a truck dumping fuel, wait at least 30 minutes after there done to get your fuel. It will store up gunk from the bottom of the tank, and it could get sucked into your vehicle, doesn't mean it will but it could.
Great topic. My two cents would be don’t assume buying a new rv is like buying a new car. There is zero quality control in the rv industry so inspect the unit like a “Where’s Waldo” book because you’re gonna find something wrong.
On the 15' to 25' travel trailers pay close attention to not only overload the trailer, but pay CLOSE attention to where the weight is. You need at least 10% tongue weight. If it is loaded so that it is tongue light, it can cause a catastrophic wreck. You will notice this at first by a swaying back and forth of the trailer. If you are towing up a hill, and are a little tongue light, when you start down the other side, the swaying will sometimes get severe. There is a video done with a model truck and trailer that will show how improperly distributed weight will cause problems.
I had this happen to me. I was driving a Dodge duelie with a 10and 1/2' slide in camper in the bed. The camper weighed 1.5 tons empty. I was towing a 2 axle trailer with a car loaded on the trailer. I knew that the car should have been further forward, but because of the way that the trailer was built I could not do so. I had already towed it 200 miles. I came down a grade and let the speed go over 55MPH. The trailer started to sway very bad. Were it not for the fact that the truck weighed 7,000 pounds, it was a duelie, and had at least 2 tons of camper, water, food, etc, in the back, I would have wrecked it. As it was, I separated all 4 tires on the trailer.
Another one is Don't keep the original universal door/bin locks that came with your RV/MotorHome.
Everyone has the same key.
As shown in this excellent video, a metal water pressure regulator will be more precise in adjusting the available water supply, it will be something you will take with you for use on your next RV. The primary attraction to the plastic regulators is it’s low price. The extra cost of a quality metal pressure regulator will pay for itself in accuracy, precision and longevity.
True!
Make a list to check for when you are packing up and hitching your RV up. Always check the list before you leave. I have found that this really helps to avoid making mistakes.
We did a checklist also for the 1st walk around. Then do 1 more walk around...just in case. That's saved our bacon a couple of times.
Yes, great advice!
What would the checklist look like?
@@newcince there's lots of videos to watch...we've gome from class a to 5th wheel...gonma re watch and make list for hubby!
Great list!! I will add I recommend using a preshure regulator all the time. I have seen the preshure look ok when first hooking up and have it go up later. I start looking for fuel at 1/2 tank or not later than 1/4. NEVER wait till you need fuel to fill up. That is always when you run into the places with no acess or outher problems.
Here is a add on thing you should never do to your RV. Never leave the awning out if you are not there.
Yes, you just never know if the wind is going to pick up!
Water pressure can have sudden surges. If there is a long, straight run of pipe, someone running a lot of water can get all of the water in that pipe moving...fast (think: filling the fresh tank). That water does not want to stop all at once, so when they suddenly shut off the water, the pressure near that valve can spike to hundreds of psi, but then be back down to normal in 1/4 second. A rubber hose can absorb some of that shock, but it's still not something you want to expose your rig to. Always use a pressure regulator.
I would agree with looking for fuel early and often. We try to never let the tank get below halfway. If we hit a quarter tank we usually will act like the gas light came on and start finding fuel immediately. When you are towing a trailer, the gas tank just drops too fast. If you wait for the gas light, you can easily find yourself stranded. Also remember that if you have a big rig, not any old gas station will work for you.
So when your fuel tank hits the halfway mark, start looking for a gas station. This allows you time to find a gas station that has easy access for your rig and is a brand you like or trust. It might take another 50-80 miles before you find that station, but that's why you start looking when you get below half. It means you can be picky about where you stop.
Might I suggest checking tire air pressure? Or testing the trailer lights and brake controller? Way more important than a roof leak.
Been on my checklists for decades!
Whenever the gas gauge approaches the 1/2 full mark, I fill the tank. That can avoid a lot of headaches.
Ankle Donna also gives you more choice at where to fill. I just check gas buddy app when I m approaching half and fill before I get to a quarter but I also have a 100 gallon tank 😎
Great advice!
A lot of vehicles have the fuel pump submerged in the fuel to help keep it cool. But at some point, it can be as high as 1/4 tank, the pump starts to expose...and has less cooling going on. I've had several mechanics tell me to not let it go below half a tank.
We keep ours over 1/2 full for another reason. Our motorhome is parked next to our house and we use the generator sometimes as back up to our house losing power from dummy P.G.&E. in Kalifornia. An 80' power cord works great.
That is actually really good idea. Definitely helps avoid problems.
Finally, a none-showman, just FACTS
Create a checklist! Great piece of mind knowing you have covered everything. Especially when new to RV’ing or just bought a new RV.
Very true!
A lot of good info! U did a great job on the surge protector for the power, but water connection is just as important!
HOWEVER, yes I used all caps for a reason! "DO NOT EVER" connect to a water supply without a regulator! Campground water supplies are a "manifold" type system, that's one section of pipe laid down the row, then tapped into for each site for RV connection! Regardless of what the normal pressure is, when someone opens the valve, like to flush out before u connect ur rig, when they turn the valve off there is a huge pressure surge in the entire system, all of a sudden ur campsite is a swamp or u feel ur foot getting wet while watching TV, or both!
You kind of hinted at this but it needs to told, especially to new campers!
Jared thank you for all your advice.
You have saved this newbie from some costly mistakes. 👍🏻
Never leave without doing a final walk around
Good one!
10-4, Left my steps down and didn't clear my gate and block fence, ouch! 400 dollars and 2 hours later were back on our way. Thankfully the RV dealer had a set of steps.
And look underneath! Ran over a 5 gal pail once. Busted up some plumbing piping...
I'LL SHARE MY STORY. MY WIFE AND I WERE ON OUR FIRST MULTI WEEK TRIP. I DROVE A 02 F150 SUPERCREW 4X4. IT DID EVERYTHING I ASKED BUT IT WAS AT THE LIMIT WHEN I PUT OUR 25FQ WILDERNESS ON IT. I 70 IN EASTERN UTAH HEADING INTO SW COLORADO IS PLENTY STEEP AND PLENTY LONG. INSTEAD OF RIDING THE BRAKE PEDAL I TIGHTENED UP THE TRAILER BRAKES TO 70% FIGURING THAT WOULD CONTROL MY DOWN HILL SPEED. IT DID. FOR ABOUT 15 MINUTES. THEN I REALIZED I HAD TO ADD GAS PEDAL TO SPEED UP GOING DOWN HILL. THAT WAS KIND OF STRANGE. HAVING TO PRESS ON THE GAS TO SPEED UP DOWN THE HILL. IMAGINE THAT. DRAGGING THE TRAILER BRAKES HEATED UP THE SHOES, INCREASING PRESSURE ON THE DRUMS AND SLOWING DOWN THE ENTIRE RIG. WOUND UP AT A EXIT FOR AN HOUR WAITING FOR THE BRAKES TO COOL AND REDUCE THE PRESSURE SO THE WHEELS COULD ROLL FREELY. THE LESSON LEARNED; DON'T TIGHTEN UP THE TRAILER BRAKES. STILL HAD FUN
Why you would tow with an F150 is the real question. HD trucks have engine/transmission brake, just for those situations
I agree on the weather conditions. It started to snow, and we wanted to leave before it got bad. We left a little to late, and I ended up sliding about 200ft backwards down a hill towing a 33ft 5th wheel..lucked out and ended up being able to keep it somewhat straight. Got pulled up the hill by a Honda ridgeline of all things lol.
Oh wow, glad to hear you were safe!
@@AllAboutRVs scariest time I have ever had in a vehicle...and the luckiest I think. ( money wise )
Jared, I'll just be darned! Probably hasn't been an hour, filled up with water at a house - their water hose, no pressure regulator. Then watched your video. Next Rule = NEVER do that before watching Jared's video! I AM a rookie, well, a year and a few days into RVing now.
Was glad to see NOTHING on leaving your fixed tank propane valve open as you drive down the road. How much of a hassle would that be, to turn that off and on all the time! You are the greatest, Jared!
That's not going to hurt anything filling your fresh tank or rinsing your black tank. Just don't hook to your city water inlet without a pressure regulator on your faucets and toilets while they are not running water. Some city pressure is as high as 70 psi, 45 lbs is recommended.
@@tumbleweedking5668 Thank you! ~ Rookie
Do not use Windex and other products designed for GLASS surfaces on LEXAN or plexiglass acrylic surfaces.
They will chemically cloud and permanently damage the surfaces.
Use dish soap water and a soft SQUEEGEE only. No rags! No paper towels! Paper towels also scratch permanently.
Use rags and paper towels only to dry up the water on the edges after squeegeeing.
You can also use lemon pledge on plexiglass. I know it sounds wierd, but we used pledge on the Army Blackhawk helicopter's plexiglass windows to clean them without any issues.
Nice one, I never would have thought of that.
We recently re did our House Bathrooms and the glasswork installer told us to never use windex or similar products on the glasswork as over time it will damage the glass. The foaming cleaners are so much more gentle.
Say a prayer before you take off. I don't have the RV yet, but I imagine I'll be doing a lot of that when driving that fifth wheel around!
That’s a great one! We do that every time we hit the road.
I also pray for the trailers when I see them pulled over. It has been us a few times.
We have always had a Cross (or 2) in our TT’s. Every RVer coming into our rig make a comment that it was something important they have not done (but will) in their’s!
When we have friends get a new RV, I will always gift one to them.
you are so smart...thank you (I already do most of these things) don't forget to close the roof vents before going on the road , (if they don't have a cover)
Good one! And thank you!
One thing I discovered immediately was to not exceed the speed limit. Not only does it make it harder to stop in an emergency, but you'll burn through your fuel faster. If you want to keep your fuel costs low, stay within the speed limit.
Yes, going too fast can be very dangerous. Many RV tires especially towable RVs have speed ratings as low as 65mph.
My Dad, a RVr since 72, taught me to always drive a mile up the road...meaning, know what's going on, if possible, a mile away because, you may need to stop suddenly and this is also the SAFEST way to drive no matter the circumstances...you have plenty of slow down time, you can avoid 99% driving accidents like hitting something or say you get a flat or worse, have a tire blowout, you have 5,000 ft of "pull over somewhere NOW" room.
Make a list of why you need to drive "a mile up the road."
Think about it for 12hrs and make a list and always remember why.
1. Slow down room.
In case if a flat, you can make a decision to stop quick.
2...Tire blowout.
3. Heavy rain or hail...you have 5,000 ft and some "change" to stop.
4. Careless drivers.
5. Motorcycles you may not see that have stopped or slowed down.
6. Drunk drivers.
7. If you know what's a mile up the road, you wont run over anyone.
8. Deer or other animals darting across roads that your unfamiliar with.
What if you hit a deer and needed to pull over somewhere...you have a whole MILE to decide.
Anyway, y'all get what I'm saying.
Thanks!
Think of as may reasons as you can think of.
Best advice I ever got about driving and pulling a rig.
My Dad was a U.S. Army Veteran.
Thanks Dad...☝️
We can always count on the best advice from you.... and delivered plain & simple!!! Thanks!!!!
Great list.
#7: Weigh weigh weigh. weigh your truck without trailer, weigh with trailer empty, weigh with trailer ready to camp. Weigh with and without weight distribution / sway control hooked up. You need to get a real feel about the effects of the weight your hauling with the safety equipment your using. Once you complete this process you will be and feel much safer on the road.
# 9 : Do not take for granted the level of commitment your RV manufacturer has for your towing well being. You get basic tires, springs, and suspension products. If the tires are not Carlisle radial trail HD, Sailun, or Goodyear endurance, and are less than 5 yrs old you are taking a risk of tire failure. Tires are crucial to your safety. One blow out could carve a nice size hole into your RV floor and literally distort the aluminum framing in that area.
Also crucial are the parts holding your suspension together. Ditch the parts that came with the RV and add a wet bolt and hd shackle kit. When you buy it and compare it with what you have, there is no comparison.
Mono leaf springs on your trailer? Ditch those ASAP. Go to a reputable spring shop and armed with your size and weight capacity of the trailer and axles have them supply something more robust, but not stiff enough to shake the trailer to pieces. A multi leafed spring will be much safer. Search RV forums for any manufacturer for leaf spring failures, mods ore repairs and you will adopt better understanding of how under equipped you are.
Check your tire pressure religiously.
Be safe out there, you have precious cargo.
Excellent info...gone from class a to 5th wheel. Much to considet! Thanks happy camping!
That's a very good list I like to add one more. Never turn your generator on while you're plugged into Shore power at the same time.
I have a motorhome so I am very picky on where I put my fuel extremely picky even on my cars.
So I definitely agree with you it's worth going to a good gas station.
Make sure you lower and secure the roof TV antennae before leaving. I hang my ignition key on the internal handle, as a reminder, so I don't drive off without doing it.
Yes, good advice!
I use a remove before flight lanyard. Short piece hooks on antennae crank, long piece hangs on steering wheel. Have to click back together when done.
Guilty!! Took mine off pulling out of my yard. It caught a big oak branch the first week we had it!!!
I couldn't find the video about cleaning windows, but I work for Lippert making RV windows. when there is something on the glass we used steel wool to clean it off so it does work without scratching unless you are really aggressive with it.
0000 steel wool is what you use for cleaning windows!!
Its super fine and it is AWESOME!!
Remember, " 4 zeros " are on the package.
0000 steel wool.
I use air to winterize moms camper. I dial the air compressor to 30 psi when doing itbecause that is approximately the water pressure
When I bought my travel trailer, the one thing I didn't do was check the tanks. They must have had a problem, because there were no shut offs for the black or grey tank.
Just a heads up on filling you diesel truck. If the tanker truck is filling there tanks....just move on to the next station. That tanker is mixing all the crud from the bottom of the tank and you don`t want that in your tank. Thanks, Bud Moy
RV Mistakes, when towing a 5th wheel, i haven't seen this one yet on any of the RV UA-cam videos , and i think it should be. Towing a 5th wheel do's and don'ts now i know someone that has done this 2 times, Short bed and long bed trucks, turning, backing up and the right hitch for each truck, now i don't have a 5th wheel camper but i know that there are 3 types of 5th wheel hitches, and your the best one to show this. Sounds like a good Video for you
After you hitch up, stop and recheck everything a few miles down the road. Had a hitch sway bar come loose and dragged it through who knows how much of NM. The pavement gound a good 1/2” worth of steel off it.
Oh wow!
Excellent idea
We love you....we are researching the full-Time RVing and want to thank you for all your topics that you cover regarding RVing. RVacation4Life appreciates you and your knowledge relating to the full-time RV life.
That’s very encouraging, thank you! I’m glad it’s helped.
Air pressure is huge make sure all tires are the same pressure before you leave
Yes, bad gas plagued my brother when he was traveling. Normally he bought 87 octane but switched to 89 that wasn't used much and played hell even after loading up on fuel additives to displace the water. I learned from that and buy 87 octane and add a separate octane booster when towing. Depending on what brand you buy (gumout), it does add mpg to your towing so that's a plus.
Fuel stops - if the fuel delivery truck is present, move on to the next fuel stop. This is especially true for diesel. Adding fuel to the underground storage tank stirs the existing fuel in the tank and any water or sediment that may be in the bottom of the storage tank. Until the water and sediment has settled, it can be pumped into your tank.
Don't know if it's a problem, but... We had heavy rains today, Saturday, and I noticed bubbling around the top color guage of the propane regulator. I went into town to get a new regulator but the RV stores were closed until Monday, so I went to Walmart. Walmart didn't have any regulators either, but a guy in the aisle said he had one. He does mobile RV repairs and had a two stage in his truck. Isn't this the opening scene of a horror movie? Its seems to be working out, but now I have a story about buying something from a guy in a Walmart parking lot...
That’s funny but glad you were able to find one
Had to laugh at that one!
Haven't made our first trip with the travel trailer yet but your videos have prepared me so well. Instead of trial and error i am making sure the errors don't happen. Thank you again for a great video.
Glad they are helping, thank you!
Don't presume you know what your roof is made of. If it's not on your RV, or in the manuals (which are nearly useless anyway) ask the manufacturer. Not all roofs are EPDM, and each type has specific caulks/sealants. Using the wrong caulk/sealant could eat through the membrane. I spent over a decade in commercial roofing.
Very good reminder
I don't use anything with the name Dicor on it. There are some far better UV resistant adhesive caulks out there. Do your research before you buy anything.
@@joewolters2399 Can you recommend a brand besides Dicor. That's all we find so we use it.
@@janeforever M1 structural adhesive caulk, Duralink adhesive caulk as a second choice. Not sure if either one of these would work on an EPDM (rubber roof). I use the M1 on the doors, windows, etc. I'm able to use it on my skylights and vents only because I have a 60 mil TPO roof.
Wow! Two videos in one week Jared. Love it! You definitely have some of the best videos out there for info. Thanks for what you do.
Oh, and we're still waiting on that pumpkin spiced latte recipe. Hope it comes before the holiday season 🤞👍
Thank you! A dozen pumpkins latter I’m still working on perfecting the “RVers Pumpkin Spice Latte”
@@AllAboutRVs Well, they say practice makes perfect and we're kinda coming to expect perfection from you lol. 👍
Most of these I have seen before, probably for you. The fuel suggestion I had not thought about. Thanks for the advice. I have found all your videos wonderfully helpful.
Thank you
Always check your frame and suspension we found cracks! Thanks Lippert!
As a newbie in my Class C I really appreciate this vid! Thanks!😍
Thanks
Pamela ENJOY!!!
We live in Wyoming and interstate 80 is often closed to light high profile vehicles because of blow over risk. We frequently see blown over trucks. Worse is the blown over travel trailer. They look like a bomb went off within when this happens. My advice: take that warning seriously about blow over risk! If you don’t, the wind could devastate your whole RV lifestyle. We love our RV and use it as often as possible but it’s always prudent to respect the weather. Wyomong WYDOT always wants to keep traffic moving, but also wants to keep you safe!
Great advice!
Always check your lug nuts on the RV and the tire pressure on the Truck and the RV before traveling. I also check the trucks oil level - rad fluid level. Just before "hitting the road , do a "walk around" making sure all jacks are up - all windows , doors, access doors are closed and locked -and the TV antenna is in a down position - all cables are disconnected.
Great List
I agree with the comment - before driving - do another walk around
If you buy a new truck for your fifthwheel camper..re check when you drop frontfeet..especually if truck is higher i droped mine to the very end .so when i lifted camper almost ended up dropping it on ground when i pulled out from under it
Excellent advice! Thank you for sharing. Even if you have been RVing for awhile these are still very helpful. Love the "Thou shall not do to your RV" comment!
Number 4 is overlooked. I had loaned my trailer out for a long weekend. They used 2 rolls of regular toilet paper. That sucked trying to get rid of it from the black tank. The tank wouldn't drain all the way, would register 1/3 full or 2/3 full right after I drained it. Only after I had seen the pile of dark water contents just below the threshold did I realize that we were clogged. After three attempts the plug finally came lose. With the help of the black tank flush and cycling the tank valve while filing did it finally come out.
Also food for thought. My trailer has more then adequate tongue weight, but if it didnt and also pile of 40 gallons of dark water in the tank that sits behind the axles,... that could lead in a case, to that trailer sway from improper loading...
I do a walk around outside as my wife does a walk thru inside, then we switch, we have caught things the other has missed.
Well done. Very nice. Loved the opening b-roll sequence!
Thanks, I personally thought it could use a little more fall or redwoods feeling. Maybe I should just drive there for the next video to get some footage. What do you think.
Binge watching your vids has been unbelievably insightful. I have had a few hiccups and I knew right away what to look for and better yet how to fix it. Thank you very much!! You make me feel like I got this! Love reading the comments too, a world of information. Almost feel like I know what I’m doing ;) !!!
Thank you that’s very encouraging!
When you hook up to city water, smell and taste the water beforehand.. We got contaminated by water tainted by some form of industrial solvent. Took me all day flushing my system to get the smell out.
Gene Swan I always connect a water purifying filter to the city water. I would never drink the water without it.
Love the fuel idea! Have not considered that as we are just heading down the west coast from Canada to Baja - Roam Free!
Make sure your breakaway switch is always functioning and connected properly. Plus when hooking to TV make sure it is attached to a secured location.
do not fill up when you see a delivery tank truck filling the storage tanks at the station -- cost us several fuel filters and a lot of lost time to get the dirt out
If you have a newer Ford use the trailer back up assist with your travel trailer. It takes 10 minutes to put the sticker on, do the measurements and program your truck, but makes backing into a spot or driveway a breeze.
always check to make sure your 5th wheel on your truck is latched first before it is pulled away,
Never fuel up at a station when there is a tanker truck delivering fuel. This stirs up sediment and water in the holding tanks and can lead to all kinds of issues. Ask me how I know 😊
If your truck is a diesel you can a a remote fuel filter of semi trucks the filter is larger and some has a valve on it to let water out. And you can set it up with its own pump to pump fuel out of the tank and threw the filter and back in the tank. Like a some sailboats do
Fueling up...gotta say, I stick to major brands. Yeah, I could save $$$’s. But chances of getting bad fuel are greatly reduced because BP, SHELL, PILOT, etc. have MUCH better quality control of their fuel from refinery to pump. The cut rate stations (or independents) don’t have that. They have no control over what product was in that delivery tanker before their fuel load came in. Prime example is of a regional chain that used to utilize contract carriers for fuel delivery. The station near my in-laws had multiple vehicles fill up, drive a few blocks and stall out. Turned out the tanker had just previously hauled hog manure slurry. It got in the fuel and destroyed the vehicles engines. So for me; I only look for stations that utilize a dedicated tanker. If not, I’m not taking a chance to save a few bucks...especially since going diesel😉.
And lock the electrical box over your surge protector.
Very helpful list of advices. Some of them I knew but some I just learn. Your videos are really helpful and encouraging. As I already know most of problems I can face when I got my RV.
Thank you!
Dont start up your refrigerator till you level up inside the freezer . Failure to do so can destory fridge . Have personally lost 2 refrigerators, learned the hard way
Next time consider replacing it with a Furrion 12VDC unit.
When at a park also leave your grey tanks closed. Odors can come up through your sinks
One of the most important things that I see happen all the time is many people put their rig, and lives, in jeopardy by driving faster than their trailer tires are rated for!! Trailer tires are NOT rated to be driven over 60 - 65 MPH. There are tires that you can buy that are rated for higher speeds, which also are more expensive, however, you're not going to have them on your tow trailer (TT/5th wheel) when you buy it. The question then becomes: can you drive faster, which many more powerful pickups do? The answer is, you CAN, because you can do anything you want to do! Of course that is until the laws of probability catch up with you and you have to pay for your error in judgment. Then in hindsight, you'll regret it, maybe in even more ways than one, that you didn't drive slower. It'll sure save you some grief, and maybe tears, to think about it. Remember, all it takes is once. "So you have to ask yourself, do you feel lucky? Well do you?"
We agree with all your suggestions! Thanks!