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matcartmill's avatar
matcartmill
Explorer
Jun 19, 2017

Bought an HTT, now what?

Back in September of 2016 my wife and rented a nice little Starcraft Launch 15 footer and drove from Kingston, ON to Halifax, NS and Cape Breton, NS. We had a blast so we decided this year that we were gonna buy one. So we did.

I purchased a 2011 Forest River Wolf Pup 17P Extra from a local dealer this afternoon (pick it up in 2 weeks :( )

I know the basics of how it all works, but what I don't know is:

Should I be doing anything proactively to ensure the roof doesn't leak?
Tips on prolonging the life of the appliances and water system?
How to store it for the winter / long periods of non-use.

etc.

If there are any tips you guys can give to a new HTT owner, I'd be very grateful.

Thanks a lot!

23 Replies

  • Since you've already used one I assume your tv (tow vehicle) is ready to tow your own. You have the brake controller and hitch ready? If not that's the first thing I'd do while you wait. Then get out and use it!

    Congrats!
  • First thing I do with every new tt is to put Eternabond tape on all the roof seams. It will be good for years and years.

    Make sure to keep the lower track of the pop outs clear of debris to allow water to drain. The only time my old htt leaked was when dirt built up in the corners and water could get over the sill.
  • Congrats on your new purchase, and I enjoy your excitement. We all had campers new to us, and I think the first day of ownership is the most exciting, and most bewildering at the same time.

    You asked if there are any tips. I can think of only one, and that is: Go camping!

    That may sound odd, but it really is the best way to find any area in the camper that may need some special attention. Things may not be broken or in disrepair, but they may need attention. You will only find those things by using the camper.

    You can always start by camping in your drive way to get familiar with everything, practice opening it up and taking it down, running all the appliances, and check out all the systems... water, drains, electrical.

    The one item you should inspect carefully is the roof, check for cracks in the caulking, and run a bead of RV caulking over any cracks. Other than that, the rest will unearth itself it time. Keep it clean, watch tires constantly for any abnormalities. You might even take several photos of them, so you can compare over time how they wear. Keep them inflated good, keep the battery charged. That's about all you can do. The rest will happen with self-discovery.

    I would use it the rest of this summer. Depending upon your travel plans, plan on getting the wheel bearing repacked sometime in the future, just so you have a new baseline of when it was done last.

    Good luck. And Happy Camping!