Our First TT, will it be a hobby nightmare?
We are 2 weeks away from buying our first TT and we are not sure if this will be a nightmare or everything we dream about? We have our own business and can work from the office or a cruise ship, so...
Forum Discussion
Relax. Deep breath. Camping is a great lifestyle and if it was TOO, TOO difficult, lots of folks would have bailed long ago. Fortunately, my DH can fix most anything. Equip yourself with a set of basic tools...screw drivers, pliers, wrench or two, a roll of duct tape and some sticky Velcro, etc. Most definitely have a torque wrench and if you're unsure how to use it, pay a visit to your handiest friend for some words of wisdom. Before you leave the driveway every time, you need to check the air in your tires per the noted pressure on the sidewalls and torque to the suggested ft lbs. Onh a longer trip, do this daily. You'll have a bundle of manuals - some helpful, others not so much but keep them anyway. Make it a priority to wash and wax your trailer yourself....this gives you the chance to inspect for bad spots in the caulking or any other areas that look suspicious. Clean and seal roof yearly or have it done. Check and repack wheel bearings yearly or have it done. Be diligent about these things and life will be good. The little 15 minute jobs that take a screwdriver to tighten something....do it now rather than letting it go and becoming a big problem.
Absolutely insist on a very thorough PDI - Pre Delivery Inspection from the dealer and don't leave until you feel comfortable. Check online for something possibly "PDI checklist" or similar and it should help you through it. If you can video, by all means do.
For the first night or two, most of us do what's called "Camp Driveway". Load up your new trailer as if you're headed 100 miles away, but stay home. Don't go back into the house for all those things you didn't know about or forgot. Make a list....you'll make lots of lists while learning. Use all of the facilities just like you were at a campground and it'll become second nature.
You'll be fine. We've all had a time or two when we wondered what we've gotten ourselves into, but the Pros outweigh the Cons considerably. Enjoy! Happy Camping!
Absolutely insist on a very thorough PDI - Pre Delivery Inspection from the dealer and don't leave until you feel comfortable. Check online for something possibly "PDI checklist" or similar and it should help you through it. If you can video, by all means do.
For the first night or two, most of us do what's called "Camp Driveway". Load up your new trailer as if you're headed 100 miles away, but stay home. Don't go back into the house for all those things you didn't know about or forgot. Make a list....you'll make lots of lists while learning. Use all of the facilities just like you were at a campground and it'll become second nature.
You'll be fine. We've all had a time or two when we wondered what we've gotten ourselves into, but the Pros outweigh the Cons considerably. Enjoy! Happy Camping!
