This vidieo is presented by www.everything-about-rving.com. At the recent RV Show at the Los Angeles County Fairgrounds Bill Durkee from CustomRV Inc. in Anaheim California shows us how quickly and easily the TrailManor 2720 Travel Trailer can be setup for camping.
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.
Three years ago, my husband and I made the ever-important decision to purchase an RV. Once we made this decision, we had the overwhelming task of deciding what kind of RV to purchase. Luckily, we had several friends who already owned RVs helping us by offering their knowledgeable experience. However, we had a very difficult choice in spite of their advice and opinions since there are so many different styles of RVs from which to choose, and we became quite confused.
There are actually two types of RV categories. The first category I will address are Towables. Towable RVs are, just as the name indicates, those which you tow behind your vehicle. They include travel trailers and fifth wheels. Both of these types of RVs have their pros and cons.
Good points in selecting a towable RV include:
1. Interior is divided into actual, more private rooms; bedroom and bathroom are upstairs in a fifth wheel.
2. Easy to maneuver (back, turn, and park).
3. Your driving vehicle is always with you.
Disadvantages in selecting a towable RV are:
1. Can be difficult to level.
2. Very little basement storage area.
3. Traveling to and from destinations may cause damage to items that aren’t secured properly, and you have no way of knowing the damage occurred until you arrive at your destination.
The second category of RV type is the Motorhome. Motorhomes are all-in-one, drivable RVs. They consist of a cockpit area for the driver and passenger; a living/kitchen/dinette area; a bathroom and a bedroom area. These, too, have pros and cons to consider.
Pros of selecting a Motorhome:
1. Convenience of having everything at your fingertips while on the road. (Can also investigate noises and fix items that need securing during travel.)
2. Lots of basement storage
3. Easy leveling with automatic jacks.
Cons of a Motorhome:
1. Noisy ride.
2. Have to tow your extra vehicle, so can’t back up without unhooking tow vehicle.
3. Maneuverability can sometimes prove difficult.
After considering these RV choices, and weighing in on the pros and cons of each, we decided to select a Motorhome as our Recreational Vehicle. The main contributing factor in this decision was the fact that we didn’t already have a truck/heavy-duty vehicle in which to pull the Towable RV. Although it was a thought-provoking decision to make, we are pleased with our choice.
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