shotgunner
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Joined 11 years ago
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Re: Securing kid's bike inside the trailer while rolling
We used to keep them inside, laying on the area where the lowered table is. Now, we have the Mount-n-Lock heavy-duty bumper. With it, I have a cargo tray, the spare tire and the bike rack on the back. It is a replacement to the standard 4" thin-walled, badly-welded square tube bumper than came with the rig. We went about 6,000 miles last summer with nary a problem. Kept the bikes (especially when wet and muddy) which made Mrs. Shotgunner very happy. :)457Views0likes0CommentsRe: Just joined the forum about to set off on cross-USA trip
Katrina, We've done two such trips. About 6,000 miles each, taking 3 to 4 weeks. A couple of thoughts from experience: 1. I don't remember if you said you had kids traveling. We had four each time, but they are great travelers. We would frequently do a 12-hour day to get to the next spot and they were happy as clams. If your crew can't take that type of travel day (or two), plan your stops accordingly. 2. We never planned out ahead too much. Because we had the kids, we wanted to stay in parks that had pools and such, so we generally used KOA or GoodSam Parks. We were able to decide a day or so before being someplace to make a reservation. If they were closed, we'd find something else. This allowed us to linger in places we liked. 3. You'll not see everything you plan to see. (see #2 above) 4. Plan some longer stays every few days of moving. This gives your family a chance to catch a breath and relax, without having to "do" or "see" anything. Just camp and have fun for a day now and then. 5. Driving here in the East is much different than out west. Lots more traffic and many more exits. Just take your time and plan ahead for where your map will take you. Doing such a trip is a fantastic way to experience the country. It is our family's fondest memories.488Views0likes0CommentsRe: Check Your Tires
We had it worse on our last big trip. Going over the LaVita pass in CO, about 1/4 mile from the top, towing the same TT with a Diesel Suburban and BAM! The engine blew. Had to get the truck and the camper towed back to Pueblo and bought the Ford Excursion that afternoon. Happy trails again! :) The Wilderness is a 2000 model, so yes, those were the original tires! (sorry, don't remember the brand)484Views0likes0CommentsRe: Check Your Tires
Francesca, It was the other tire on the same side of a dual-axle setup. It is a Wilderness 28'. So your idea that it may have been weakened by the other one going out is possible. The guy who changed the other ones at Wal-Mart said at least one of them was ready to go, so I'm kind of glad I could not simply change the second one and move on...it would have ended the same :)63Views0likes0CommentsCheck Your Tires
Last summer, we left for a four-week, 6,000 mile adventure out west. I had the TT inspected the week before we left and had some minor repairs made, so we were in good shape. The tires had plenty of tread and looked to be perfect. At the end of our second day, traveling about 10 hours that day, we had a blowout on one of the tires. Not great, but fixable. I was able to get to the next exit, which was only 100 yards up the highway and change the tire. You can guess what happened next. Two miles up the highway, the second tire blew out. I only carry one spare and it was used up now. AAA could not help, even though we have the RV coverage because there is no way to tow the unit with a blown tire. Had to call a roadside tire place (in the end, AAA made it right by paying us for the roadside call. Not the tire cost, of course, but the trip and repair charge). Once changed, we went to the next exit, which luckily had a campground and a super-walmart. We were able to get the other two changed out as well as a new spare, so were on our way, only losing a half-day in the process. What the roadside tire guy told me is that he sees this a lot. Our tires were high on tread, but were 14 years old! They had simply worn out from age sitting in the driveway. (most of our trips are local, so there is very little wear). So the lesson is: check the dates on your tires, not just the tread wear.3.6KViews0likes17CommentsRe: Sewer Hose Storage
Ours had a 4" square bumper, but we replaced it with a Mount-n-Lock heavy duty bumper for a couple of reasons. 1. We tried to use a bike rack on the rear bumper, but as many have experienced, the steel is so thin and the welds so poor that the bumper soon twists off. 2. I always had to take off the end of the sewer pipe to fit it in the bumper and wanted something big enough to store the hose with the end on it. 3. We could add multiple attachments to the back along with the bike rack. We keep a cargo tray and the spare tire. 4. It's nice looking, shiny aluminum instead of the drab painted black steel. We took a 6,000 mile trip last summer up through Montana, Alberta and Saskatchewan and nothing budged.292Views0likes0Comments
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