Early advice needed

[Larry Mac]

Brand new to RVing.

75 and 70 year olds. Never too late.
Ordering a Jayco Jayfeather Micro 199 mbs.

We have so many questions.

What should we be doing during the long wait for our soon to be ordered TT?

Is there a link to a check list of items we need for a TT? Start checking for best pricing on this check list? Amazon, Walmart???

I promise you this is the first of dozens of questions. Thanks ahead of time for your valued experience. Larry

[LuckyDuck]

Good question. There have been several threads on what items to buy for a new TT — sewer hoses, surge protectors, water filters, hoses, etc. You might want to spend some time with the search bar up above and look for them.

One thing you’ll want to do when the new purchase arrives is a PDI or pre-delivery inspection. Here’s a thread that offers lots of suggestions on what to have on your checklist:
https://www.jaycoowners.com/forums/f...ted-36094.html

There are plenty of helpful videos on YouTube about RV maintenance, winterizing, sanitizing water lines, towing etc. that will help you pass your time before your rig arrives — just a search term away!

[bucko]

Originally Posted by Larry Mac

Brand new to RVing.

...

Is there a link to a check list of items we need for a TT? Start checking for best pricing on this check list? Amazon, Walmart???

I promise you this is the first of dozens of questions. Thanks ahead of time for your valued experience. Larry

I wise camper friend told me when my wife and I bought our first camper: stay in it in the driveway of your home one night before you venture out to the first campsite. You will find out what you need by how many times you venture back in the house to get something.

[JmsNMar]

Hello, and congratulations. If you have a friend who is an experienced RVer, I would suggest you invite them to attend the delivery inspection with you folks. If you can get up on the roof, do it and check the seals and membrane top for cracks and sloppy seal work. Take a peek on the underside to check the axles and frame (symmetrical). Don't want to paint the sales folks as bad people, but as time passes after you drive it off the lot, their energy to be accommodating to you will appear to wane. You should get a "starter kit" from the dealership with dump hoses, hoses, and elbows and connectors. As bucko said, use it, use it, use it. Run the ac and heater; run the frig on both electric and propane; fill your fresh water tank and check for leaks; run the sinks and showers and check for leaks. Make sure shower drain doesn't leak into your living space. Make sure water heater works of both electric and propane. In my experience, folks who buy brand new RV's have more problems/growing pains, then folks who buy used ones. Usually, the original owner of the used ones already dealt with the growing pains for you. Congradulations, good luck, and Happy Trails...

[Randel J]

Find yourself 1 or more friends that already have trailers, 5er's, Class C or Class A motor homes and ask them what type of equipment and supplies they recommend. Learn as much as you can from their experiences because they will be a wealth of information. Even ask them for copies of the various check lists they use. Both Walmart and Amazon are good places to shop for RV supplies and equipment. Their prices are generally lower than RV stores (ie: Camping World, RV Country, etc).

Question: If you and your wife are new to RV camping, how is it you already have 155 posts on the Jayco forum?

[Larry Mac]

Started looking for an RV a few years ago, life happened and never got one.?

[Jagiven]

Congratulations!

1st thing you need is a notebook and a pencil, to write down everything you forgot. Second, after a night of driveway camping, camp somewhere close to home, and close to a Walmart!

3rd, backing up a trailer if you are not well practiced can cause a divorce. Never be in a hurry, if someone is driving down the lane behind you, don't worry about it. Get out, scope out the site, think about where you want the TT, and how you are going to get it there. If needed get out a couple times. Backing up is a bit like a game of Chess, you need to think, plan and start reacting three moves ahead. Don't yell at each other (seen this many times). After setting up, communicate what went well and what did not. For example, my DW had never given backing up directions to anyone before. She gave very small hand gestures of what she thought I needed to do. Problem was all her signals looked the same from my perspective in the driver's seat. Her hand were always in front of her chest, to turn left she would turn her left hand and point a finger to the left. At 40+ feet away it looks the same as stop. Now, she is ultra clear, to the point a 747 pilot in a cockpit flying overhead knows what she wants me to do. If she wants me to go left, her left arm is fully extended to the left. One of my rules, if I cannot see you in a mirror I stop! She and the kids know, if they cannot see me in the mirror I cannot see them. I do not want to drive over them if they trip and fall. Just take your time practice, and one last backing up tip, pull way way forwards before starting to back up.

Most of the items in our TT, is the older and excess stuff from the house. There is very little we have ever bought solely for the TT, except safety items, like wheel chocks, tire changing items (jack and lug wrench do not come with).

Lastly and the most important thing, go have some fun!

[JmsNMar]

Forgot what I think is a very important task to remember for any travel trailer. ALWAYS check and tighten down the lug nuts on your trailer wheels at the start and end of your trips. I would recommend buying a large torque wrench and proper sized socket, and keep it on the trailer specifically for this task. There will most likely be a "warning" sticker on the trailer, above the wheels, telling you to do this. It really sucks to be out in the middle of nowhere, and having a passing car pull up alongside you to motion that you lost a wheel. If that happens, you'll probably also have lost all the hub studs, which makes breaking out a spare tire, pointless. Not that, that's ever happened to me! Happy Trails...

[Larry Mac]

Thanks for that important tip. I will. But since I only have two, I’m sure I will notice if I lost one very quickly.