New to TT's and RVing. Is there a "Getting Started Guide"?

Welcome and be careful what you ask for on here. Someone might load you up with something like this, which by the way is the best "getting started primer" I've found:B

Welcome again and happy reading. Some of it is outdated but (90%) still good.

http://www.rv.net/forum/index.cfm/fuseaction/thread/tid/264829.cfm

You can go to some campgrounds and talk to the other campers. All are willing to share.

Welcome to RVing.... the best education you can get is reading the threads on this board. There are just so many different aspects of RVing that you really can't find all the information in just one place.

There are really two areas you have steep learning curves on if you're coming in knowing nothing. Moving the RV (towing, etc.) and using it once it's setup. Using it once it's setup is more straightforward and most of the information you stumble upon is helpful and correct.

Moving the RV (towing, etc.) is a whole other story. Mainly, because there are manufacturers trying to sell truck and manufacturers trying to sell RVs. Keep this in mind while shopping and take with a grain of salt ANYONE who stands to gain off your purchase tells you.

Without going into too much detail here, the two things to be weary of are advertised tow weights by truck manufacturers and the "dry weight" of a travel trailer. Both of these figures are for the most part meaningless. Or, at least you need to really do some research past just looking at these numbers.

For example, your tow vehicle with an 8K rating has a realistic ability to tow about a 4000-5000 dry weight TT. This is because a 4500lb "dry" travel trailer probably weighs closer to 5500-6000lbs with all your stuff in it (water, food, gear, etc.). Also, sometimes the dry weights manufacturers list don't even include things like batteries or propane tanks (I told you they are sneaky). Then comes the tow vehicle. That 8K rating dwindles quickly when you load it up with people, dogs, firewood, etc, etc. And, the biggie... the tongue weight of the travel trailer.

The first assignment I'd give you is to do a little research on here about the various weights and what they mean - GVWR, Dry weight, tongue weight and a few others I can't think of.

Main thing is educate yourself before you buy and don't be afraid to ask questions on here. You're off to a great start and have found a wealth of information from a (mostly) friendly group.

This would be about perfect for you but at 7700 lbs it's too heavy for your tow vehicle.

In all seriousness, you won't find a better source for general or specific info. or anything to do with RV-ing than RV forums.

There are some things on the forums you won't find elsewhere, like the ins and outs of weight distributing hitches (WDH) and how to set them up. Or payload capacity, towing capacity, dry weight vs loaded weight and things to watch for with ST tires.

I would suggest going to an RV show and seeing what travel trailers are like and the various features they have. If you have any questions afterwards, ask away on the forum.

Once you actually own a travel trailer, you will learn a lot of things very quickly. Plan a weekend camping trip close to home for your first camping experience in case you forgot something or missed getting a necessity.

BTW, there are lots of places on the internet for buying RV parts and accessories and shopping around on the internet can save you a ton of money in the end.

Once you start reading the forums, you'll find you can't stay away. We even ended up getting Verizon 4G Mifi so that we can access the internet wherever we camp. So much for camping and roughing it, lol. :B

welcome....Reading these RV forums has been a big help to me....and I have been doing this for 20 years