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.

[TomG2]

MargaretB wrote:
Thanks for all that information. We appreciate your goodwill. To respond -

Yes, it's the chain that goes between the trailer and truck. Because of where it attaches to the truck, it's necessary to get under the bumper. That's the main issue. Ours have carabiner-type closures. We thread the brake wire into the chain before attaching it.

.

There are workarounds for just about everything. The end of the chain could be fitted with a large open ended hook to facilitate that part of the process, for instance.

[Gdetrailer]

MargaretB wrote:


...I posted another statement about selling the trailer, which someone saw fit to report without telling me why. Shortly thereafter, it was removed, again without a word to me - it just disappeared. Those kinds of treatment aren't conducive to encouraging people to post here. So I'm posting this reply because TomG2 was kind enough to encourage me to do so. I hope our experiences, both with the trailer and here, are helpful to others.

MargaretB, Don't remember who mentioned reporting your post.. Sadly, I think if you had rewritten it a bit differently leaving out some of the selling details it would not have been removed.

You had stated some very good reasons as to why you were moving on and that to me said all that was needed to be said. The other stuff looked a lot like a sales ad which is not allowed per the TOS of the forum..

I would have hoped that the Mods would have at least sent you a PM to explain but I understand they are busy keeping the forum tidy, sometimes they may not be able to send PMs to all that have bent the rules.. They get no pay and it is a thankless job..

Sad to see a fellow RVr call it quits, but everyone here some day must face the harsh reality that camping is not physically or mentally easy anymore.

While one chapter of your life has come to a close, another chapter is ready to be written.. Go and find another adventure that you and your better half can enjoy together!

[MargaretB]

TomG2 wrote:

Trackrig wrote:
.....snip....... If what you were referring to was the WD bars, then there's not much you can do about that.
Bill

There is something you can do about it. The Andersen No Sway hitch does not have the heavy bars for example, and many tow vehicle/trailer combinations do not require WD hitches at all. A F=150 and a Casita? A 2500HD and about any trailer up to 10,000 pounds. My point? Look at a smaller lighter trailer or a more capable tow vehicle before giving up the joy of travel trailering.

It's a joy to me, but a total schreck to my husband.

We have an F-150 and an UltraLite trailer, not a Casita. The sway bar is a piece of cake - I can have it installed in about 15 seconds. It's the WD bars that are a problem; the nature of my husband's injury is such that he can't handle heavy weights any more, and having to lift them while ensuring, blind, that they are inserted correctly is becoming very hard for him. There is no chance that he'll risk not using them.

So as much as all these suggestions are appreciated, the die is cast - the trailer goes. For the kind of travel we do, he's convinced that we can do it more easily in the car.

[MargaretB]

TomG2 wrote:
Another real labor saver is a backup camera on the tow vehicle. Out of the vehicle once to drop the hitch onto the ball and you are ready to tow.

The truck has a camera on it. And even with the jack light on and a piece of silver tape on the socket, it's never that easy! Once we got it perfect on the first try, but it usually takes a lot longer and several tries to get the ball and socket aligned. Then another ten to 15 minutes fiddling with the rest of the hitching stuff.

But we're still married, which is a miracle in itself.

[MargaretB]

Thanks for all that information. We appreciate your goodwill. To respond -

Yes, it's the chain that goes between the trailer and truck. Because of where it attaches to the truck, it's necessary to get under the bumper. That's the main issue. Ours have carabiner-type closures. We thread the brake wire into the chain before attaching it.

We use kneelers when we need them, like fiddling with tank connectors and so on, but for this, he has to get under the bumper on his back, so the kneeler isn't much use.

Our WD apparatus is in the form of bars with a curve at one end and a heavy chain at the other. They have to be lifted so the curved end fits into a receiver, then swung around and chained at the other end. Sorry if I mislabeled them as hitches.

These are all good ideas. Thanks for sharing them.

As for the post being removed, I was unaware that things can't be sold here. Seems silly, but OK. But my post was primarily to thank everyone for their help. After someone reported it without contacting me first, I edited it, but it was still removed, again without any notification to me. That's just rude and counter-productive. Unless the PTBs here assume that their members are deliberately trying to circumvent the rules, they could have either assumed that it was an innocent error or confirmed it by asking me. Neither of those things happened, which creates the impression that they don't trust their own members. How hard would it have been to let me know that I'd violated the rules?

Anyway, thanks for all the suggestions! As I said in my original post, people here have been very helpful to us.

[TomG2]

Another real labor saver is a backup camera on the tow vehicle. Out of the vehicle once to drop the hitch onto the ball and you are ready to tow.

[TomG2]

Trackrig wrote:
.....snip....... If what you were referring to was the WD bars, then there's not much you can do about that.
Bill

There is something you can do about it. The Andersen No Sway hitch does not have the heavy bars for example, and many tow vehicle/trailer combinations do not require WD hitches at all. A F=150 and a Casita? A 2500HD and about any trailer up to 10,000 pounds. My point? Look at a smaller lighter trailer or a more capable tow vehicle before giving up the joy of travel trailering.

[Trackrig]

MargaretB,

Here's a couple of ideas to make it easier.

1. Heavy chains? If you're referring to the safety chains between the trailer and truck, go to you local RV place and they can replace them with cables like they use to secure cars behind motor homes. They're a lot lighter.

2. I'm not sure what you mean by getting underneath the truck? I never have to get under mine.
2.A If you mean to hook up the safety chains, then replace them with cables (above).
2.B If the chains are using those "C" style clamps that you have to screw the ends close, buy the above cables with hooks that have the safety snaps on them - a lot easier to use.
2.C The trailer electrical cord can be inserted when kneeling - see #3.

3. For all of my kneeling, I use a very good kneeling pad like this.

Kneeling pad

There's lots of them out there that are cheaper, but in this case you really get what you pay for, your knees will thank you. I also have a much larger one for when I have to lay under the TT or DP and do repairs.

4. You talked about "manhandling heavy WD hitches" - why are you doing anything with it? Leave it installed in the truck - maybe take it off for the winter. And then, ask a neighbor for 5 minutes worth of help or pay one of the local kids $5. We always have a Rent-A-Kid in the neighborhood. If you're taking it off when you get to an RV park - don't. Yes some states have rules about leaving them on, but I'm not about to take mine off. If what you were referring to was the WD bars, then there's not much you can do about that.

5. The reason your for-sale post was deleted is because this forum doesn't allow for-sale posts - simple, it's in the forum rules.

Bill

[TomG2]

gbopp wrote:
Maybe djgarcia means safety is better than trying to 'convince' the insurance company you did something correctly. (even if you didn't) :B

Is that your suggestion for making a travel trailer easier and more fun for those who suffer with less physical ability?

GM will have to "convince" the insurance company since they are willing to put it in writing and back it up in such cases. They have a little more invested than us forum experts.

There are thousands of posts about WD hitches if that is an argument you want to follow.

[MargaretB]

Convenience, maybe?

[gbopp]

TomG2 wrote:

djgarcia wrote:

IMHO, personally I choose safety over convince:)

I have no idea what a "convince" is, but towing well within the limits of a tow vehicle is not a safety problem. It might be your problem, but the equipment will do what it is designed to do. Is a WD hitch "required" when towing a small U-Haul trailer with a F-350? Is that unsafe? The post was intended to help people make using a travel trailer easier and more fun. Not whether "everyone" needs a WD "All the time".

Maybe djgarcia means safety is better than trying to 'convince' the insurance company you did something correctly. (even if you didn't) :B

[TomG2]

djgarcia wrote:

IMHO, personally I choose safety over convince:)

I have no idea what a "convince" is, but towing well within the limits of a tow vehicle is not a safety problem. It might be your problem, but the equipment will do what it is designed to do. Is a WD hitch "required" when towing a small U-Haul trailer with a F-350? Is that unsafe? The post was intended to help people make using a travel trailer easier and more fun. Not whether "everyone" needs a WD "All the time".

[MarkTwain]

TomG2 wrote:
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.

IMHO, personally I choose safety over convince:)

[MargaretB]

We are selling it for several reasons. First, my husband is entirely non-mechanical and panics when anything goes wrong. Second, related to the first, we both massively appreciate all the help we've gotten from other RVers when that happens, but it's also an occasion for humiliation for him. Third, as a 75-year-old disabled vet, he's finding it increasingly difficult to crawl around under the truck hauling heavy chains, manhandling heavy WD hitches, etc.

We sold our Class A years ago because he wasn't comfortable with yet another vehicle, especially one that we bought used - he lived in fear of something going wrong. So the trailer seemed like an easy way to continue self-contained travel - a box on wheels, with no motor. It turns out to be a lot more complex to set up and use. The hitching process often takes a long time and is physically difficult for him. I can help but only so far, since my knees prevent me from crawling around under the truck.

We leased an F-150 to haul it, which it does very well. While we know that some people don't bother with WD hitches and sway control bars, we haven't tried that - knowing as little as we do about what's going on, we don't want to take any chances.

I posted another statement about selling the trailer, which someone saw fit to report without telling me why. Shortly thereafter, it was removed, again without a word to me - it just disappeared. Those kinds of treatment aren't conducive to encouraging people to post here. So I'm posting this reply because TomG2 was kind enough to encourage me to do so. I hope our experiences, both with the trailer and here, are helpful to others.

[Hannibal]

I'm with you there. I've always preferred a 3/4 ton pickup. I use WD only to be within the rating of the receiver. No sway control needed. With the electric tongue jack, hitching up is a breeze. I can understand though as the years go by how it could become too much physically. At 55+, I'm not nearly the athelite I use to be.