What mistakes have you made that might help others...?

[d3500ram]

There is another thread going about a member who shared with us his misfortune on his camper. In it, was a very informative discussion as to how best resolve the problem. But more subtle was the message for me to take some extra time when loading/ unloading my TC. I applaud that member for sharing. There were other members who were sharing their mistakes. And it got me thinking... can we post here what things you would like to take back (regarding TC's) that will help others by learning from mistakes.

I will read posts about putting gas in their diesel trucks on other forums. Every time I read problems like this it reminds me to take the extra time in order to not be "that guy." Whenever I read of others misfortune I vicariously learn through that person's mistakes.

I learned the hard way to make sure to pull the truck WAY OUT OF THE WAY once it is free from the camper. I once pulled out "just enough" and though it was enough space for the camper to be lowered. I recall kicking myself when upon lowering the camper did I realize the front portion of the overhead part (where it just starts to turn horizontal) had caught the rear part of the truck bed above the tail light. Jeez! only another 3" and it would have cleared just fine. Uhg! It dented the metal of the camper but did not puncture the skin. But now I make sure now that I pull the truck forward MORE than enough to insure room so it does not ever happen again.

Upon inspection pre-purchase of another past camper I noticed a clear outline of the end profile of a gutter. Yea, the kind on a house. When pointing it out to the owner they said yep, the TC was too close to the house when raising it (it was a pop-up TC.) I bought the camper and treated that dent as if I did it myself... The camper was in otherwise perfect condition except for this dent and it too was not punctured.

I have been lucky in my mistakes and no one was ever injured and these are very minor. What can you share (and perhaps laugh at) about your misfortunes that may help me and other to perhaps take away a learning lesson from your mishaps.

[bcbigfoot]

run100 wrote:
If you purchase a camper that comes with a brand new sewer hose, don't assume the clamp that holds the hose on the connector is fully tightened. If you make this mistake, the hose may pop off as soon as you pull the black tank valve.

Now, why would I mention such a thing??? Oh yes - the horror of horrors!

I'd laugh but it has happened to me twice. Hose clamp seems to loosen over time.

[campbug]

husband would like to get a dodge dually truck need to know what would be the best truck and truck camper to get ! want at least a slide out bathroom etc also we buy used trucks we would have to also sell our chevy duramax which is not a dually so couldn't use for a slide out , look forward to hearing want something could use year round and would be warm and very well built hate leaks and the sweating can that be avoided

[Mote]

skipro3 wrote:
City water and black tank clean out fittings are on the same side of the camper with a Lance. Don't get them mixed up and hook up water to the clean out fitting and walk away. Water came out the roof over flow. Wife didn't know what had happened when she flushed the toilet and a geyser hit her square in the face!! What a mess!!

Now that my friend, is funny :B

[Ski_Pro_3]

City water and black tank clean out fittings are on the same side of the camper with a Lance. Don't get them mixed up and hook up water to the clean out fitting and walk away. Water came out the roof over flow. Wife didn't know what had happened when she flushed the toilet and a geyser hit her square in the face!! What a mess!!

[K_Mac]

When stopping to fuel -up I need to remove my fastgun in order to open the fuel door,and have always put it and locking pin on bed rail. Well when the guy next to me deceided he just had to make that phone call right then and now,and he got back in his car to do so. He used his gas cap to hold the trigger on the nozzle. Well it didn't shut off, and the next guy in line starts blowing his horn for all he's worth and backs-up like a bat out of h*ll. I look down and see I'm 6'' from standing in his overflow,in my haste I jump in my truck and get the h*ll out of there. Next day I go to wash my truck and notice the fastgun is missing, well I got lucky because it and the pin both fell into my bed rather than on the ground. I now put them on the driver's floor when getting fuel.

[mlts22]

My biggest mistake was back in 2010 and not buying a F-350 in the first place.

[Capt_Eddie]

I bought a new Lance 825 camper from Princess craft. After attempting to use it on two trip, I realized how really stupid the layout was. And that there was not enough room for four people. I went back 3 months later to trade in the camper on a new Lance 1040. They offered me 1/2 of what I paid for it. When I bought the Lance 1040 somewhere else. The dealer did tell me that Half price is what they paid for it. I did sell it to a private party and lost $3000 in the deal. I was really just glad to get rid of that floor plan. So much for those salesman and women that say "We are only making a couple hundred dollars on the deal"

[rickeoni]

When you stop for lunch, close your camper door before you head to the picnic table, otherwise you might forget and have your wife ask about your intelligence after you pull over on the highway to close it.

Oh! a big thank you to the lady with the flapping arms in the Jetta!

[bens170]

Do not leave key in the entrance door on a lance 1161 TC. You're liable to put a couple of dents in the battery compartment door. I did that when we first picked up our TC. Owner/operator error or boo boo. Take your pick.

[stuckinthesand]

When demonstrating the door lock with the door open (not the dead bolt) make sure the keys are in your hand before you shut the door. Luckily this was at home with a spare key in the house. Watch the roof overhangs when backing into a friends driveway. Check to make sure the TV antenna is lowered before leaving the park and definitely before pulling into a gas station. Ditto, on the make sure dump valve is closed before removing the cap, and always make sure you have a hand or foot on the dump hose before wife opens the valve.
This thread makes me feel much better about my camper abilities.

[steve68steve]

seraphim wrote:
Oh yea:

When turning on the city water supply after hooking up, make sure the inside faucets are closed AND the sinks aren't covered, if they have 'lids'

OMG... what a mess!

[rabidcow]

Left for winter camping trip from home in the rain and forgot to winterize the locks on the camper. Arrived in Manning Park after dark at -20c and could not unlock the camper door. After about a half hour of burning my fingers with a bic lighter while trying to heat the key and lock, we got in and warmed up.
Jeff

[2BLAZERS]

Here is mine:

When the deadbolt gives you a little trouble on one camping trip,....FIX IT ASAP. Cause the next trip you end up calling a locksmith and drilling the whole lock out.

Background, on our July Glacier NP trip we came back to camp one night and the key to the deadbolt just turned and turned and turned, like 30 times but finally worked and unlocked. So that went on my ''should fix soon list'' and in the mean time let's not use the deadbolt.. So last week we're camping and riding ATVs in southern UTah all week and come back Thursday night and could not get into the camper. Some how the deadbolt was engaged and the key was just turning, tried it like 100 times before we gave up and called the locksmith. Three hours later we were in after he drilled the whole lock system out. Inside actual lock iteself the lock was broken.

[2Gordons]

Backed up one time without folding up the rear flip-up step... caught it on something an destroyed it.

I got distracted putting the awning legs down, and went to help a neighbor driving in some pegs to hold their awning down. Hours later, a gust of wind flipping my awning over the top of my camper reminded me that I had not completed this vital step.

If that branch looks like it's hanging low enough to maybe contact your AC cover... it probably is.

Don't hook your battery leads up backwards when installing your house battery. It blows fuses and circuit breakers all over the place.

If you have a pull-out battery disconnect switch in your battery box, make sure it's pushed in before you pull the battery out... They will snap off if you hit them just right.

[seraphim]

Oh yea:

When turning on the city water supply after hooking up, make sure the inside faucets are closed AND the sinks aren't covered, if they have 'lids'