Making it easy

[TomG2]

Someone listed their trailer as being for sale recently and hinted at the reasons why. What have you done to make your travel trailer easier to use? My biggest was to purchase a HD pickup that did not require a weight distributing hitch. I am as lazy as the next person and always looking for ways to avoid work.

[beemerphile1]

MargaretB wrote:
...given the location of the place where the chains go, and our physical limitations, there's no way for us to reach it unless you get under the bumper. But thanks -

Okay, so change the location.

[Chuck_thehammer]

or have metal plates welded to bottom of hitch extending out/rearward... so No need to go under bumper.

most likely a weld shop can do it for 50 dollars.. or even some U-Haul shops.

as many here have told me.. weld shop to have major frame mods to trailer to install a bike rack

but in your case.. as simple quick change/fix.

best of Luck. not a so easy place to be for you.

[_1nobby]

darsben1 wrote:

I reported it.
Seven years a member and never read the rules there is no excuse for that.

Narc.

[TomG2]

MargaretB wrote:
Unfortunately, given the location of the place where the chains go, and our physical limitations, there's no way for us to reach it unless you get under the bumper. But thanks -

Very easy to permanently attach a short piece of chain to the receiver which could be connected to a chain reaching back to the trailer. I don't want to start another argument, but "safety" chains are not worth much.

[MargaretB]

beemerphile1 wrote:
A major philosophy that I have abided by in my life is to work smarter, not harder. It has paid great dividends.

If he has to be on his back under the truck to attach safety chains he is definitely doing it wrong. Step back, grab your favorite beverage, have a seat, and figure out an easy way to do it!

Working smarter allows you to accomplish more, in less time, and with less effort. When at a campground, watch how others accomplish the same task, does their method work better than yours? I am always looking for ideas I can steal from someone else to make my life easier.

Excellent advice. I used to teach Work Simplification and Streamlining, so I'm very familiar with the "work smarter, not harder" idea. Unfortunately, given the location of the place where the chains go, and our physical limitations, there's no way for us to reach it unless you get under the bumper. But thanks -

[beemerphile1]

A major philosophy that I have abided by in my life is to work smarter, not harder. It has paid great dividends.

If he has to be on his back under the truck to attach safety chains he is definitely doing it wrong. Step back, grab your favorite beverage, have a seat, and figure out an easy way to do it!

Working smarter allows you to accomplish more, in less time, and with less effort. When at a campground, watch how others accomplish the same task, does their method work better than yours? I am always looking for ideas I can steal from someone else to make my life easier.

[MargaretB]

We kept our leveling blocks right inside the door of the hatch, o top of the plastic bin that holds the tools. Last in, first out.

We keep a long electrical cord both in the garage and in the hatch, so we always have one handy.

Bought a second 100-map battery and alsos a 200-amp one because we don't have a generator. on a recent 3-day booncock, the two 100-amps kept us going easily with power to spare.

Switched out all the interior lights from incandescent to LED - see above.

Keep the level in the cabinet where the slide-out switch is, next to the kitchen counter we use it on.

[TomG2]

Switching out the 30 pound propane tanks for 20 pounders makes changing tanks a lot easier. Purchasing a clock that resets itself to the atomic clock means one does not have to keep resetting alarm clocks after moving. I am not a huge fan of electric awnings, but they are "easy". Can you tell that I am lazy?

[toedtoes]

trail-explorer wrote:
One thing I did to make things easier / faster is jettison the manual crank tongue jack and replace it with a power jack.

I also use an extension cord when hooking up to power instead of fighting the "pull the cord out of the little flapper hole / compartment" in the side of the rig, then trying to "stuff it all back in there" at pack up time.

I switched out my "stuff it all back in there" cord with a detachable one. I keep one at home ready to plug in as soon as pull in. I keep another in the RV so I have it on the road. So much easier.

[trail-explorer]

One thing I did to make things easier / faster is jettison the manual crank tongue jack and replace it with a power jack.

I also use an extension cord when hooking up to power instead of fighting the "pull the cord out of the little flapper hole / compartment" in the side of the rig, then trying to "stuff it all back in there" at pack up time.

[2012Coleman]

darsben1 wrote:


I reported it.
Seven years a member and never read the rules there is no excuse for that.

LOL! Your one to be lecturing about following rules darsben - I mean darsben1... :S

[IndyCamp]

darsben1 wrote:


I reported it.
Seven years a member and never read the rules there is no excuse for that.

Wow.

You are exactly the kind of person I hope is not my neighbor at a campground.

Campers are generally friendly people. If I see someone doing something wrong, I usually chat them up instead of running to the ranger/camp host. I also appreciate the same treatment if/when the roles are reversed.

Good grief.

[Wife_nHubby]

Find a campground you like, permanently park your trailer there, and travel from home to campground with your car. All issues related to trailering have been resolved. That is what we have done. 🙂

[Trackrig]

Take the next trip in just the truck or a car, make sure it's for a week or two. See if he enjoys

. Checking in and out every day
. Carrying the bags in and out every day
. Having to eat from restaurants all of the time
. Having to load and unload the vehicle for every trip instead of using the trailer already packed
. Forgetting to pack something
. What's he going to think if the vehicle breaks down?
. Getting a lousy hotel room with no view
. Not being able to sit outside and enjoy the sun or evening cool
. Gets tired or paying triple for a hotel room vs an RV spot
. ?

After a couple of car trips he may well want to go back to the trailer. Don't sell it yet.

Bill