jayco 31f - first time owners - family of 8 - tips

[Carmichael8]

Hey,

our family just purchased a 2021 redhawk 31f with bunks. I have a family of 8 2 adults and 6 kids. Any tips and ideas to make our life easier would be greatly appreciated!!

thanks

[JFlightRisk]

Welcome to the Forum from Western New York State!

[Stavman]

Sell the kids....and run Away...lol

Have fun , learn all the ins and outs of your MH, and

HAVE MORE FUN!!

[K9Nardu]

Welcome from South Jersey. Enjoy this forum, use the search tools, it is a wealth of knowledge from experienced rv'ers who have been there-done that. Enjoy

[craigav]

Congratulations on your new RV.

My tip is to be sure to check the weather forecast prior to going out for a camping adventure so everyone can enjoy the outdoors. It can be a challenge to have a lot of people inside an RV for an extended rainy period. ~CA

[dvspl]

Bring lots of games so the family will have something to do during those inevitable rainy days.

[TwinDad]

Also have a 31F. The first thing I would do is replace the factory steering stabilizer with the Roadmaster, it’s makes a huge difference in the drivability.

We also quickly swapped out the vent in the bedroom with a Maxxair fan. The basic vent that came from the factory did nothing to help with airflow in the back.

[JimD]

When I got my new 2017 Greyhawk we went camping with myself, wife, son and daughter in-law, their 2 kids and one additional grandchild. I absolutely loved having much of my family with us.

We didn't have bunks so people were on the upper bunk, dinette, and fold out couch. The only pain was setting up and taking down their beds. Also, they had to store their clothes on the front driver's and passenger seats and floor.

We boondock mostly and if that is what you are planning, I would advise to keep an eye on your holding tanks. You may also need to carry additional water. If you have full hookups, you only need to watch the black tank as you do not want to leave that valve open all the time. Only drain that tank when it is at least 3/4 full otherwise you may end up with a poop pyramid.

If you will be camping with experienced people they will know the ins and outs of RVing. If not, you need to instill upon them not to stand in front of the fridge with the door open for any length of time. That would lead to the fridge having a hard time keeping cool.

Ah, I miss those early days with the new motor home. Now the rest of the family has 5th wheels so it is just me and my wife in our 32 footer. Actually it is quite nice having the space.

[Marshmellow]

Create a checklist and have assigned tasks (if old enough). They could be as simple as pushing a button to extend the awning or getting out recycle bin.
we use one for setup and another for tear down, getting older and sometimes forgetful... everything from levelers to awning to shore power connect, water
This will give each person a sense of accomplishment and make them feel part of the whole experience.

and most of all enjoy...................

[travelingjw]

Welcome to the forum. Always use a check list when arriving and departing from camp. With that many people distractions are assured. Safety first, and that includes checking off each child to assure they are in the vehicle.

[svoshop]

Just traded my 31F for a Seneca. I loved that thing.

If you have the 7.3 V8 do a little reading on the spark plug wires and make sure you have that covered. It appears to effect only early builds, but I’d cover my bases there.

Mike