Unhook for quick overnight stop

TakingThe5th wrote:

Doss wrote:
We are finally getting ready for our maiden voyage.
Let's say we stop for a few hours to sleep at a rest stop, is there any point in unhooking the FW?

Please be prepared for many more goofy questions between now and mid December.

Here is your first goofy answer :-) If you do put your landing gear down for stability but do not unhook the FW - tape a note on the steering wheel (or tie a cloth, or whatever ...) to remind you not to drive off without retracting your landing gear. Might also be a good idea to remind yourself that you unplugged the cord and need to plug it back in - the contacts wear out quickly when you drag the cord down the street.

On Edit - OP, I didn't realize you already had two pages of advise but I'll leave my comment anyway to preserve the stellar humor content.

Stellar humor content noted and appreciated.

I appreciate all your guys' input. We may actually be able to pull this off.

Doss wrote:
We are finally getting ready for our maiden voyage.
Let's say we stop for a few hours to sleep at a rest stop, is there any point in unhooking the FW?

Please be prepared for many more goofy questions between now and mid December.

Here is your first goofy answer :-) If you do put your landing gear down for stability but do not unhook the FW - tape a note on the steering wheel (or tie a cloth, or whatever ...) to remind you not to drive off without retracting your landing gear. Might also be a good idea to remind yourself that you unplugged the cord and need to plug it back in - the contacts wear out quickly when you drag the cord down the street.

On Edit - OP, I didn't realize you already had two pages of advise but I'll leave my comment anyway to preserve the stellar humor content.

Old-Biscuit wrote:

John&Joey wrote:


If you're worried about the fridge being out of level then all I got to say is I would be more nervous about the rig rolling away because you found one extremely crappy parking lot to stay in, and a much better one is just a few miles down the road. Fridges came a long way since the 70's when it comes to lifespan.
.

Rig rolling away.....?????
Wheel chocks...first ON/Last OFF
Trailer should have chocks BEFORE unhooking trailer every time

RV absorption fridges have come along way........????
Only with the bells & whistles
The cooling unit tubing has gotten thinner therefore many cracked tubes/ruined cooling units on the newer fridges.
Lots of cooling unit replacements going on with modern rv fridges OR swapping out to residential fridges

Many, many older fridges are still out there running just fine because the tubing is more robust.

mike-uswest wrote:
I do unhook the cord, because my brakes on the trailer evidently check in about every minute, and it makes a very quiet click. I can only hear it if I am right by the brake on the trailer, but my wife can hear it and can't sleep.

Your 'charge/power' circuit on that 2003 Dodge is hot all the time so you should unplug your trailer cord BUT that your brake circuit should only be getting voltage thru your cord when you use the truck brakes or use the manual lever on brake controller (or via emergency break away switch which is thru trailer battery system only).

So you should not be hearing any 'click' at trailer brakes especially one that is repetitive. Power is ON or OFF. Magnets are energized or not. But that is only when brakes are applied.

You should investigate HOW that is happening.

I am SSSOOOOO Happy you're back OB. Thanks for everything.

dapperdan wrote:
When over fighting in a parking lot we drop the front jacks down just enough to take some of the load off the rear of the truck. I don't even unplug the RV from the truck, so far it hasn't had a negative effect on us.

Dan

I'm glad you pull into a parking lot for your fights rather than doing it while driving down the road. :D

If we are out of level enough that the fridge is a concern, I would be moving to a different spot. That said, propane fridges are pretty durable. Ours is original at 18yrs. Other than the temp setting button sticking occasionally, it just runs. My dad's 1978 model still works fine.

The only thing I would add is in the morning go thru as if you are hooking up and do everything. Way too easy to hop into the truck and forget to hook the power cord back up or worse, the landing gear is down. It's when we cut corners is usually when we make stupid mistakes.

John&Joey wrote:


If you're worried about the fridge being out of level then all I got to say is I would be more nervous about the rig rolling away because you found one extremely crappy parking lot to stay in, and a much better one is just a few miles down the road. Fridges came a long way since the 70's when it comes to lifespan.
.

Rig rolling away.....?????
Wheel chocks...first ON/Last OFF
Trailer should have chocks BEFORE unhooking trailer every time

RV absorption fridges have come along way........????
Only with the bells & whistles
The cooling unit tubing has gotten thinner therefore many cracked tubes/ruined cooling units on the newer fridges.
Lots of cooling unit replacements going on with modern rv fridges OR swapping out to residential fridges

Many, many older fridges are still out there running just fine because the tubing is more robust.

mike-uswest wrote:
I do unhook the cord, because my brakes on the trailer evidently check in about every minute, and it makes a very quiet click. I can only hear it if I am right by the brake on the trailer, but my wife can hear it and can't sleep.

Your 'charge/power' circuit on that 2003 Dodge is hot all the time so you should unplug your trailer cord BUT that your brake circuit should only be getting voltage thru your cord when you use the truck brakes or use the manual lever on brake controller (or via emergency break away switch which is thru trailer battery system only).

So you should not be hearing any 'click' at trailer brakes especially one that is repetitive. Power is ON or OFF. Magnets are energized or not. But that is only when brakes are applied.

You should investigate HOW that is happening.

I try to level with the front jacks if possible, and to stabilize. I do unhook the cord, because my brakes on the trailer evidently check in about every minute, and it makes a very quiet click. I can only hear it if I am right by the brake on the trailer, but my wife can hear it and can't sleep. Sometimes it is good to be near deaf. :)

Mike

I usually put the landing gear down just to stabilize the trailer. I don't unhook the umbilical cord nor do I unhook from the trailer.

I don't unhitch or unplug for a overnight stop. I do put out my rear stabilizers as I find this takes most of the wiggle out of the trailer when walking around. And I do put my slides out wherever we stay.

Just pulled my rig south which was about 1600 miles and took a week doing it. Spent a few nights in different campgrounds, one night in a hotel, Bass Pro Shop, and a Cracker Barrel. Never once did I unhook, plus I had a fridge full of food and running on gas.

I would think you have a greater chance of wrecking something if you keep hooking and unhooking. Every time you do that you run the risk of forgetting something.

If you're worried about the fridge being out of level then all I got to say is I would be more nervous about the rig rolling away because you found one extremely crappy parking lot to stay in, and a much better one is just a few miles down the road. Fridges came a long way since the 70's when it comes to lifespan.

I unplug the truck, I have a Chev and it's suppose to be able to be drawn down if left plugged in.

Same here we do not unhook. And with the Ford 250 do not disconnect the cord.
I will add that in most overnights like cracker barrel, Walmart or truck stops, you may want to check the area as I do not think they are expecting you to open the slides and "set up". We run the front jacks down to stabilize and lift a little and we will run the bedroom slide out so we have a little more room. We are really only sleeping and on the road again. If I do, I try to make sure I am in a location that no one will walk or drive into the slide. Would not be a good start to the day -
Safe travels!