Not unhooking for a night

[out_for_a_rip]

Does anyone ever not unhook their TT for a quick overnighter? We are planning a trip where we will stop for a quick night to break up the drive and I figured it would be convenient if we grabbed a pull through and didn't unhook. Can you level front to back at all while connected?

[jerryjay11]

GWolfe wrote:
For overnights I won't unhitch but will unplug the electric from the truck. My truck leaves the 12V charge line on all the time and I'm paranoid about draining my truck battery. Usually our quick overnight stops are at a WalMart or something similar where hook ups are not available.

I have a 2015 Silverado and the manual says the computer won't let the truck battery voltage drop below starting power. I would think your truck would be the same.

[drsteve]

rbpru wrote:
As and aside, since my WD hitch is adjusted so the truck and trailer are level my only worry is side to side.

I will make exceptions for a few spot I have had in KY where "slight grade" has a different meaning. 🙂

There is no level ground in Kentucky.

[falconbrother]

We used to do this all the time (no shore power) and never unplugged or unhooked and never had an issue. Honestly it never occurred to me that I ought to unplug the TT from the TV.

[rbpru]

As and aside, since my WD hitch is adjusted so the truck and trailer are level my only worry is side to side.

I will make exceptions for a few spot I have had in KY where "slight grade" has a different meaning. 🙂

[old_guy]

the only time I had to unhook during a over night was in vegas they only had a short pull through left and with my long long trailer I had to disconnect or block the street. and I have learned to disconnect the plug from the truck if you over night and use the furnace. You can't start your truck with a dead battery.

[PaulJ2]

Like many others we stop for the night, put down the tongue jack a little for stability as bed is in the front of TT. Never unplug as the chance of running down two trailer batteries as well as one in the truck overnight is almost zero. Plus- if you do plug into power you keep the trailer batteries charged up as well as the truck.

[GordonThree]

This forum is neat. Sometime one group responds en masse, other times it's a different group.

This question came up roughly a month ago and the stay hooked up crowd was in the minority. Page after page of folks swearing they would surely kill their truck and trailer if they didn't unhook for an overnight stop. Many claiming to do it "just for safety" or "extra insurance"

[Community Alumni]

Normally when we do an overnight stop it's in a parking lot and we don't disconnect anything. Most spots are level enough side to side. We drop the tongue jack to level front to back when necessary and we drop the stab jacks for the slides and a little stability.

If the spot is on an incline then we'll park with the trucks nose facing downhill. That way you can use the tongue jack to level off the trailer. Pointing the other way you'll have to disconnect so that you can lower the tongue. Wherever we stop we always take the extra few seconds to toss down some chocks on the trailer wheels and sometimes the truck. It's unlikely, but you could wake up to a very wild ride if something lets go on the truck.

[ppine]

Sure. We just find a level spot off the highway. Now I have a hybrid trailer so I usually don't fold down the forward bunk if the truck and trailer are still hooked up.

[Terryallan]

out_for_a_rip wrote:
Does anyone ever not unhook their TT for a quick overnighter? We are planning a trip where we will stop for a quick night to break up the drive and I figured it would be convenient if we grabbed a pull through and didn't unhook. Can you level front to back at all while connected?

Leave mine hooked up all the time before a trip. won't hurt a thing.

As for unplugging the 7 pin. depends on your TV. IF you have a Ford. No need to unplug from the TV. It only powers the Tt when the switch is on. so your battery is safe. some other brands send power all the time. You need to know what yours does.

[ScottG]

Yest another here that does not unhook. Even if dry camping, unless it's very cold, I am not going to use enough battery to cause any issues for the trucks system.

[MarkTwain]

3oaks wrote:
We hardly ever unhook for an overnight stop if the area is reasonably level. I do like to take a little weight off of the truck springs with the trail tongue jack if possible without throwing the trailer too much out of level front to rear. We don't find it necessary to unplug the trailer cord from our truck.

I do the same thing with my 5th. wheel. I lower the front jacks just enough to take some pressure off my 5th wheel hitch and still keep the trailer as level as possible.

[GWolfe]

For overnights I won't unhitch but will unplug the electric from the truck. My truck leaves the 12V charge line on all the time and I'm paranoid about draining my truck battery. Usually our quick overnight stops are at a WalMart or something similar where hook ups are not available.

[Oasisbob]

If you are level no worries.

[rbpru]

I am with this group that stops, parks and goes. The rig pulls level enough but we do carry a couple of 5 ft. 2x12 boards for side to side leveling.

We often stop early enough for supper and a campfire and leave after breakfast. We do not use the stabilizers but we do put out the slide. Some folks unhook the 7 pin, especially when using shore power. I have never found it made a difference.

We do the same when we are camping without electricity but that was a rarity until we went out West. It can be a long distance between towns out their.