For A Great Camping Trip, Follow These 3 Tips
Posted: January 26th, 2010 | Author: our-travel-reporter | Filed under: Camping Tips | Tags: 5th wheel trailer, 5th wheel travel trailer, camper, camper rental, camping, family camping, outdoor camping, travel trailer, used 5th wheel, used camper, used travel trailer | No Comments »When someone buys a travel trailer, especially for the first time, they cannot wait to go on their first excursion into the outdoors. The excitement builds as they make campground reservations and plan to spend time enjoying nature or relaxing in a hammock by the fire. A good RVer is prepared for whatever problems that may arise as problems always do. This article will share 3 simple things that if not taken into consideration will totally ruin any trip you take.
The obvious things are easy to preapre for when planning a trip in your camper trailer. Where you are going to camp, what you are going to eat etc. 3 items however, are often overlooked when planning a trip because of the anticipation of the trip.
#1: Check The Wheels and Tires
The wheels and tires are the biggest item forgotten about until one goes flat. Nothing will ruin your day quicker than being stuck on the side of the road with a flat tire or worse a flat spare. Check your tires before your trip. An indication of dry rot in your tires are hairline cracks in the sidewalls. All tires are affected by this eventually. Replace worn tires and make sure the tire pressure is up to manufacturer’s specs. This is so simple yet it is the biggest issue faced on the road because it is overlooked by so many people.
#2 Check Your Axles
Then make sure your axles are lubricated. This is easy to do especially since so many newer models have easy lube axles that don’t even require loosening of a lug nut. Lubricate your axles before each trip using a grease gun. Find a mechanic or an RV tech and have them do this if you don’t know how. It is so much cheaper to have that done before your trip than to try to replace burned bearings by the side of the road.
#3: Test The Batteries and Charging System
This is another area so often overlooked until there is a problem. Simply checking your batteries before you leave is the easiest way to avoid this issue. Your travel trailer comes with deep cycle marine batteries. That means that the battery can be totally drained of power and when recharged will come back to full strength. Automotive batteries when drained will never return to full strength.
Check your batteries before you leave to make sure they will take the proper charge. Also, get the power converter in your travel trailer checked to make sure it is working properly. Travel Trailers are wired for direct current (DC). They are designed to be operated by battery power. Your power converter will convert the direct current to alternating current (AC), or regular household electricity, that campgrounds are wired with. When plugged in to the shore power at the campsite it recharges your batteries. If your power converter isn’t working properly, you batteries will be drained quickly, the air conditioner will not work and you are in for a bad experience.
I know these such simple issues that anyone should know and do on a regular basis. The fact is that the overwhelming majority of mechanical issues people have on the road are the result of one of these three things. These are so simple to check and fix before you leave. Do not let simple issues like these ruin a great time with your family.
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