RV Purchase/Renting Questions and other ramblings

[hondo]

Nov 6, 2023 18:04:34 GMT -5 smosey wales said:

I would not buy something just before your first use. Lots can go wrong and you start at an event with no experience. New or used, count on things not working right.

instead buy it months before you need it and enjoy tinkering and setting up, experimenting with equipment and packing, lots of driving practice, especially backing (the shorter the trailer, the harder it is). Go to a cvampground near your house for break-in (and the all important christening).

If this trailer is a-rocking, don't come a-knocking

[uʞɔo˥ewbn]

Nov 6, 2023 13:10:47 GMT -5 grumbly-one said:

My wife tells me I maybe need to slow my roll.

.....

And maybe between now and then I will come to my senses and realize I don't really mind tent camping, or that renting makes much more fiscal sense.

And yes I made this post just to try to talk myself into being less impulsive.

Thanks for all the very helpful information!

Take a breath. Always remember that there is plenty of room under Jonesville for both of us and your wife. Probably room for my new friends. We will have to block off some space for the "service rabbits" .
Just save your money and stake your claim!
Spaces are going fast! Contact uʞɔo˥ewbn_fest_space_realty

[The Other One]

Nov 7, 2023 10:32:17 GMT -5 uʞɔo˥ewbn said:

Nov 6, 2023 13:10:47 GMT -5 grumbly-one said:

My wife tells me I maybe need to slow my roll.

.....

And maybe between now and then I will come to my senses and realize I don't really mind tent camping, or that renting makes much more fiscal sense.

And yes I made this post just to try to talk myself into being less impulsive.

Thanks for all the very helpful information!

Take a breath. Always remember that there is plenty of room under Jonesville for both of us and your wife. Probably room for my new friends. We will have to block off some space for the "service rabbits" .
Just save your money and stake your claim!
Spaces are going fast! Contact uʞɔo˥ewbn _fest_space_realty

Bring it, we'd be glad to have ya...

[smosey wales]

did you get the black water tank leak fixed? Could affect those crawl space dwellers....

[grumbly-one]

Nov 7, 2023 14:03:48 GMT -5 smosey wales said:

did you get the black water tank leak fixed? Could affect those crawl space dwellers....

I hope not, mole people don't just fall from the sky! They need something to cause the mutations.

[grumbly-one]

I went to the dealership on Friday (I had the day off) and had a poor salesguy walk me through a ton of RV in the pouring/cold rain.

I think the only thing standing in my way now is the outstanding question of ... can I get it up my driveway.

I installed an inclinometer app on my phone, it says its a 10% incline at the transition from the sidewalk to the driveway. And the curb to sidewalk transition looks like nothing from this angle.

It doesn't look that bad does it? If it does end up bottoming out, would I be able to build a ramp with 2x10, to give it a smoother transition?

[smosey wales]

Maybe you can find someone with a similar sized trailer and try it out--look at the rear "bumper" height of the trailer and the car, distance from wheels to same, and distance from wheels to tow vehicle bumper. It's the bend that gets you.

And you'll also have to insure that you have a brake cancelling mechanism. On my boat trailer, there is a cancel when the reverse lights are on (which probably doesn't work) but more important, a pin. Mechanical wins over electronic, every time.

[The Other One]

Nov 14, 2023 15:06:17 GMT -5 grumbly-one said:

I went to the dealership on Friday (I had the day off) and had a poor salesguy walk me through a ton of RV in the pouring/cold rain.

I think the only thing standing in my way now is the outstanding question of ... can I get it up my driveway.

I installed an inclinometer app on my phone, it says its a 10% incline at the transition from the sidewalk to the driveway. And the curb to sidewalk transition looks like nothing from this angle.

It doesn't look that bad does it? If it does end up bottoming out, would I be able to build a ramp with 2x10, to give it a smoother transition?

What kind of trailer? Teardrop? Travel trailer? If it's a teardrop you'll be fine. If it's a travel trailer it's not the bumper you need to worry about, it's the metal skid bars and stabilizer jacks you have to worry about. Let us know what style first.

[grumbly-one]

This is the one I'm looking at, not the exact one but the same model.

It's 15 feet long, not sure how much of that is behind the wheels.

It does seem to hang out the back a ways, I'm sure the picture angles dont help.

[kuriti]

Nov 14, 2023 15:06:17 GMT -5 grumbly-one said:

I went to the dealership on Friday (I had the day off) and had a poor salesguy walk me through a ton of RV in the pouring/cold rain.

I think the only thing standing in my way now is the outstanding question of ... can I get it up my driveway.

I installed an inclinometer app on my phone, it says its a 10% incline at the transition from the sidewalk to the driveway. And the curb to sidewalk transition looks like nothing from this angle.

It doesn't look that bad does it? If it does end up bottoming out, would I be able to build a ramp with 2x10, to give it a smoother transition?

When I bought my Miata I was concerned about it bottoming out on my driveway. I took the measurements online for the wheel center and distance between the wheels and created a jig. I dragged it over my driveway and it didn't hang up. now there is a Miata in my driveway

[smosey wales]

cool design--does the back section pop up, too?

too me it seems the angle of concern is the bottom of the tire back to the bottom of the lowest part of the rear--bumper or tire. Triangulate that, Isosceles.

If it's just the tire bumping you can take it off for parking. And as TOO said, account for any hanging structure underneath.

[The Other One]

Nov 14, 2023 18:15:51 GMT -5 grumbly-one said:

This is the one I'm looking at, not the exact one but the same model.

It's 15 feet long, not sure how much of that is behind the wheels.

It does seem to hang out the back a ways, I'm sure the picture angles dont help.

I don't think you'll come anywhere near dragging the spare tire. I think you'll be fine. If you can provide Dimension "A", the center of the stabilizer jack to the rear of the camper, Dimension "B" the distance between the axle and the center of the jack, and dimension "C" the height of the jack to the ground I can give you a pretty good idea if there will be an interference. We already know the grade is 10%.

[grumbly-one]

Nov 14, 2023 19:01:35 GMT -5 kuriti said:

When I bought my Miata I was concerned about it bottoming out on my driveway. I took the measurements online for the wheel center and distance between the wheels and created a jig. I dragged it over my driveway and it didn't hang up. now there is a Miata in my driveway

Great idea. I found a picture of the model I'm looking at that was a straight side view.

Measured the pixels on the 14" wheel to determine pixels per inch. Measure the pixels on the 12' cabin length to double check the pixels per inch.

Measured the pixels from the bottom of the stabilizer to the ground and converted that to inches based on the 14" wheel measurement. (13.4" maybe dimension C from TOO's diagram)

Measured the pixels from the center of the wheel to where the rear stabilizer looked its lowest. (50.75" maybe dimension B from TOO's diagram)

I just happened to have half a curtain rod that almost equals the distance from the wheel to the stabilizer (50")

Took a carpenters square and the curtain rod out to the driveway. Stood the square on the ground, held the curtain rod at 13.4" using the square to keep it level.

Looks like I have plenty of clearance. 

(if my pixel/inch calculations are sane, which I'm kind of thinking its maybe close to the actual measurement?)

[grumbly-one]

Nov 15, 2023 7:22:06 GMT -5 smosey wales said:

cool design--does the back section pop up, too?

too me it seems the angle of concern is the bottom of the tire back to the bottom of the lowest part of the rear--bumper or tire. Triangulate that, Isosceles.

If it's just the tire bumping you can take it off for parking. And as TOO said, account for any hanging structure underneath.

The popups are optional, some have none, some have one, some have both front and back. And they come in soft canvas like material, or hard sided.

I'm trying to find the hard sided ones. But the one the dealership has already shipping to them has none, and I might be ok with that.

They will order one for me with exactly what I want but I think I wont be able to get as good a deal on an order vs already on the lot.

[grumbly-one]

Nov 15, 2023 10:27:11 GMT -5 The Other One said:

I don't think you'll come anywhere near dragging the spare tire. I think you'll be fine. If you can provide Dimension "A", the center of the stabilizer jack to the rear of the camper, Dimension "B" the distance between the axle and the center of the jack, and dimension "C" the height of the jack to the ground I can give you a pretty good idea if there will be an interference. We already know the grade is 10%.

OMG that is awesome thanks!

I don't think I can find dimension A from the pictures, that one will have to wait until I see one in person, or I send the salesdude out with a measuring tape to make sure my guesstimates were close.

[grumbly-one]

Well I did it. I'm an RV owner now (or I guess a trailer/camper owner, not RV)

I bought a 2024 Aliner Ranger 12.

It's like the ones in the picture above, but with no sections that pop out.

Once sitting in them I thought the popout parts weren't quite in the right place for my big head so they wouldn't be worth the extra $$$.

So mine is just going to have the main triangle.

It has AC, propane furnace with thermostat, water heater, 12V cooler/fridge, outside shower, stove, sink, sofa bed, dinette that converts to bed, dual propane tanks, etc.

They have to do a bunch of set up on it before I can bring it home, so I don't have any pictures yet. I'll get it on 12/2.

Now my head is spinning with all the random stuff I need to buy (the $3k TOO recommended setting aside, he wasnt joking!)

But the good thing is that it's black friday week, so if there was going to be a good time to buy this stuff, this is it.

This thread will probably turn into a what crap do I need to buy now.

The only thing I've bought so far is some wheel chocks, with the hill on my driveway I figured I need to get those before I get the trailer.

But I'm pondering the following:

suit case solar panels,
mattress toppers,
some kind of battery status monitor so I can see how much juice I have left,
battery tender for when I keep the battery in the house in the winter.
Some kind of levelling system (although I saw a picture on ths forum that someone made out of 2x10s, those looked within my carpentry skills)
Something to lock the trailer wheels and/or hitch.
Extension cord for the 30amp connector
Surge protector for the 30amp connector.
15>30 and 50>30 adapters?
Figure out someway to turn the flimsy almost see through curtains into blackout curtains ( I can't sew!)
camp toilet
storage tarp for when its in the driveway
mouse traps for when its in the driveway
hose?
water pressure regulator?
spare fuses
small toolbox with basic tools
small usb fan(s) that would run off the battery

Things I think I probably want but maybe I'm going to wait:

Dual Fuel Generator (no pickup bed to store smelly gas cans so I'm thinking propane even though its not as efficient, is this a bad idea?)
2nd battery or battery upgrade (going to wait until I see how the stock battery can handle a long festival weekend if I have the solar)

Thanks for all the help and advice!


(edits,constant edits, i've been adding stuff to the list all day, let me know if I forgot anything or dont really need something)

[slypknot]

Nov 19, 2023 10:57:08 GMT -5 grumbly-one said:

Well I did it. I'm an RV owner now (or I guess a trailer/camper owner, not RV)

I bought a 2024 Aliner Ranger 12.

It's like the ones in the picture above, but with no sections that pop out.

Once sitting in them I thought the popout parts weren't quite in the right place for my big head so they wouldn't be worth the extra $$$.

So mine is just going to have the main triangle.

It has AC, propane furnace with thermostat, water heater, 12V cooler/fridge, outside shower, stove, sink, sofa bed, dinette that converts to bed, dual propane tanks, etc.

Good for you.  

I like that you took the plunge.  You did the basics and went for it.  If it's not right you sell it and move on, maybe a little poorer, but a lot smarter.

It looks great and is compact.  What is the intended use - music festivals?  Anything else?

[grumbly-one]

Nov 19, 2023 14:34:44 GMT -5 slypknot said:

Good for you.  

I like that you took the plunge.  You did the basics and went for it.  If it's not right you sell it and move on, maybe a little poorer, but a lot smarter.

It looks great and is compact.  What is the intended use - music festivals?  Anything else?

Thanks.

Yea, its a 15' trailer with a 12' cabin.

Originally I was just thinking festivals, but I'm already looking at campgrounds and state parks.  Expect me to hit you RV guys up for all the secret spots.

[estprofinhumboldt]

Nov 19, 2023 15:14:28 GMT -5 grumbly-one said:

Nov 19, 2023 14:34:44 GMT -5 slypknot said:

Good for you.  

I like that you took the plunge.  You did the basics and went for it.  If it's not right you sell it and move on, maybe a little poorer, but a lot smarter.

It looks great and is compact.  What is the intended use - music festivals?  Anything else?

Thanks.

Yea, its a 15' trailer with a 12' cabin.

Originally I was just thinking festivals, but I'm already looking at campgrounds and state parks.  Expect me to hit you RV guys up for all the secret spots.

If you ever end up in Humboldt hit me up. I think it’s a must do and I’ve lived here for 42 years

[The Other One]

Nov 19, 2023 10:57:08 GMT -5 grumbly-one said:

Well I did it. I'm an RV owner now (or I guess a trailer/camper owner, not RV)

I bought a 2024 Aliner Ranger 12.

It's like the ones in the picture above, but with no sections that pop out.

Once sitting in them I thought the popout parts weren't quite in the right place for my big head so they wouldn't be worth the extra $$$.

So mine is just going to have the main triangle.

It has AC, propane furnace with thermostat, water heater, 12V cooler/fridge, outside shower, stove, sink, sofa bed, dinette that converts to bed, dual propane tanks, etc.

They have to do a bunch of set up on it before I can bring it home, so I don't have any pictures yet. I'll get it on 12/2.

Now my head is spinning with all the random stuff I need to buy (the $3k TOO recommended setting aside, he wasnt joking!)

But the good thing is that it's black friday week, so if there was going to be a good time to buy this stuff, this is it.

This thread will probably turn into a what crap do I need to buy now.

The only thing I've bought so far is some wheel chocks, with the hill on my driveway I figured I need to get those before I get the trailer.

But I'm pondering the following:

suit case solar panels,
mattress toppers,
some kind of battery status monitor so I can see how much juice I have left,
battery tender for when I keep the battery in the house in the winter.
Some kind of levelling system (although I saw a picture on ths forum that someone made out of 2x10s, those looked within my carpentry skills)
Something to lock the trailer wheels and/or hitch.
Extension cord for the 30amp connector
Surge protector for the 30amp connector.
15>30 and 50>30 adapters?
Figure out someway to turn the flimsy almost see through curtains into blackout curtains ( I can't sew!)
camp toilet
storage tarp for when its in the driveway
mouse traps for when its in the driveway
hose?
water pressure regulator?
spare fuses
small toolbox with basic tools
small usb fan(s) that would run off the battery

Things I think I probably want but maybe I'm going to wait:

Dual Fuel Generator (no pickup bed to store smelly gas cans so I'm thinking propane even though its not as efficient, is this a bad idea?)
2nd battery or battery upgrade (going to wait until I see how the stock battery can handle a long festival weekend if I have the solar)

Thanks for all the help and advice!


(edits,constant edits, i've been adding stuff to the list all day, let me know if I forgot anything or dont really need something)

Congratulations on your purchase, many great times ahead. Your list is missing the first and maybe the most important item you need...the hitch. I use a Progressive hitch and have been quite pleased with its performance.

[grumbly-one]

Nov 20, 2023 21:23:54 GMT -5 The Other One said:

Congratulations on your purchase, many great times ahead. Your list is missing the first and maybe the most important item you need...the hitch. I use a Progressive hitch and have been quite pleased with its performance.

I think I got a good deal on the purchase. But they did muddy the waters of the deal up a bit by 'helpfully' bundling a few things into the price at a 'discount'.

So I'm not actually sure at this point which actual hitch its going to be. Hopefully they wont take too much advantage of my lack of knowledge.


My wife is terrified of me or her driving a trailer, not sure why.

I explained to her that the high school kid up the street has been driving 2 years total and has no problem with driving a trailer for his landscaping business. If he can do that, she could do it too.

But when the sales guy was talking about safety and showing us a friction sway bar he got us on that one. So it's included in their 'helpful' bundle. I don't know what brand/which one it will actually be though. (he showed us, but I dont remember which it was since I had done no research on them)

I wasn't sure if it was needed for a fold down camper trailer, it wouldnt be catching the wind like a full RV.

But happy wife happy life. I still am pleased she didn't put up more of a fuss about this whole purchase.


Dumb question about dogbones and extension cords.

None of these items seem to have much in the way of protection from water/rain. Do these things not just short out when we get the torential downpours with wind?

[smosey wales]

Way to go!

Good list there; go crazy!

I'm familiar with the solar panels (Jackery brand) and they are expensive, and not the be all/do all that you may think; a little shade or cloud cover does them in. And the Jackery battery boxes are great, too--but pricey. Mine is 1000w and can run a kitchen refrigerator overnight. If you go with Jackery, watch for sales and buy direct, NEVER through Amazon, etc.

Look at solar water heaters. Doesn't have to be fancy; even a black bucket works. You may figure out how to feed it through your shower.

I don't recall seeing this from the picture but I think you want to have an attached/attachable awning at the door for a great number of reasons.

[smosey wales]

trailer driving:
going forward, it follows you and is narrower than your car; nothing to worry about.

Swing wide for sharp turns; just stay in the lane for high speed turns.

Backing: practice practice practice and never at a campground. Short trailers are very hard to back; they jack knife in an instant. Go to some empty parking lots and set up obstacles. Tell your helper to SHOUT and no hand signals.

50 years experience here.

[The Other One]

Nov 21, 2023 9:37:18 GMT -5 grumbly-one said:

Nov 20, 2023 21:23:54 GMT -5 The Other One said:

Congratulations on your purchase, many great times ahead. Your list is missing the first and maybe the most important item you need...the hitch. I use a Progressive hitch and have been quite pleased with its performance.

I think I got a good deal on the purchase. But they did muddy the waters of the deal up a bit by 'helpfully' bundling a few things into the price at a 'discount'.

So I'm not actually sure at this point which actual hitch its going to be. Hopefully they wont take too much advantage of my lack of knowledge.


My wife is terrified of me or her driving a trailer, not sure why.

I explained to her that the high school kid up the street has been driving 2 years total and has no problem with driving a trailer for his landscaping business. If he can do that, she could do it too.

But when the sales guy was talking about safety and showing us a friction sway bar he got us on that one. So it's included in their 'helpful' bundle. I don't know what brand/which one it will actually be though. (he showed us, but I dont remember which it was since I had done no research on them)

I wasn't sure if it was needed for a fold down camper trailer, it wouldnt be catching the wind like a full RV.

But happy wife happy life. I still am pleased she didn't put up more of a fuss about this whole purchase.


Dumb question about dogbones and extension cords.

None of these items seem to have much in the way of protection from water/rain. Do these things not just short out when we get the torential downpours with wind?

Dogbones and cords typically won't short. I've had mine in every type of weather there is and never had an issue.

You shouldn't have too much issue with sway but the hitch also serves as weight distribution. Your hitch may make some noise when you turn. That's fine, it's doing what it is supposed to. Do not grease the friction/sway bar. The friction is what makes the anti sway work. Grease reduces or eliminates the friction and in turn the effectiveness of the hitch. No need to grease the ball either.

Follow me for more helpful tips!

[suebhunny]

One of the things I like best about small camper life is this leveler:

Bal Leveler

Slip it under the tire, and crank it up until you are level.  No need to drive/back onto anything.  Piece of cake.  Especially if you get the right attachment for your cordless drill.