Just bought our first camper, looking for a few tips, pointers, help. (2008 Jayco 23B

[Tinkman]

Originally Posted by Rhizzlebop

Thanks for all the tips!
For anyone who has the 23B and knows about the front end U dinette, there appears to be a cavity of space behind the booth seat backs that is volume but not accessible. I saw a new 2019 a few weeks ago and they had holes cut in there to reach behind the cushion for more storage. This one isn't open. I'm wondering if I could safely cut holes in there to access that space? Doesn't seems accessible from the plywood seat bottoms, or the outside doors

I have an '05 23B, and I can tell you that mine is open behind the U dinette. There are 2 rectangular openings that give you access to what it essentially a long, narrow shelf that spans the width of the trailer.

[norty1]

L in

Originally Posted by curls

No, it's on the biggest moving piece. I'm guessing by the pics that yours is not adjustable. Check out the manufacturer website - maybe they have models shown on there and the technical specs sheets.
Mine is a CareFree awning, if I recall correctly.

If going to start on an eternabond project, I would get 25’ of 6” material for front/rear caps and 25 or 50’ of 4” material. It’s less $$$ and it served me well and left enough for a small patch or three down the road.

Wrong quote but I’m talking about roof seals.

[Hansoncarla]

Originally Posted by Tinkman

I have an '05 23B, and I can tell you that mine is open behind the U dinette. There are 2 rectangular openings that give you access to what it essentially a long, narrow shelf that spans the width of the trailer.

I have an '08' 23B and rebuilt the dinette cabinets to take advantage of area behind the front seat area. We use it to store all our towels. Wanted it to be something that was less weight as I have a lot of storage under that is pretty heavy and I want to keep the tongue weight down. I also wanted to beef up the structure of the seats.

I do think you should use it for a while before dumping a lot into it especially as you plan to upgrade in a few years.

[daveveen]

I made use of that storage area behind the dinette in my 23B by using a saber saw and cutting 2 openings/"doors" (8" x 18") which I use as access to the storage area. Then, using two thin pieces of wood slightly larger than the cutout openings, I use those as sliding access doors (used some trim molding as guide rails). Also, I needed to place some thin plywood (inserted through the outside storage doors) to makeshift a floor for the storage area. Using some 2" x 2" furring strips, I cut those to create the support for the floor. All is hidden by the cushions anyway but still looks nice though.

[Hollander Mutthaulers]

We are 50-year tent campers who have had a 16XRB for 2 years. It’s great to have a tent with a bathroom when you’re in your 70’s. : )

Buy what you want and what makes sense for your trailer but don’t over-do it. I have some useless stuff left over that everyone recommended but I’ll never use.

Make your rig for you and keep ideas in your head or on paper.

We run a fan and keep the bathroom vent and tent end open to avoid condensation. We camp from May to November and when it is cold or rainy or humid you may get condensation on the tent ceiling. Buy a good quality artificial chamois - they are fantastic. We have camped in snow and in mid-20s - a small electric catalytic heater helps along with high quality sleeping bags. Never had a use for extra insulation or window coverings.

We towed ours with a 4.2 I6 ’07 Trailblazer. It worked well but was inadequate power for strong head-winds and higher elevations. We now have a 5.3 V8 Tahoe and it feels really good - and 11,000’ is no problem.

Perhaps best investment I made was a pair of 215/75R14 Goodyear Endurance tires. They are a heavier weight class, greater speed, and are made in good old Alabama based on the Goodyear Wrangler design. It actually provides some confidence that they won’t blow out and take half the trailer with them.

While at home we leave the trailer plugged into the house 20A for the camping season. In winter the battery goes in the basement and is trickle charged with a new good quality charger.

Congratulations on your new trailer. We have found that fixing our trailer up and making it just right for us as been half the fun.