Who owns a camper?

firewxman

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Hey all - my family and I have been saving up for a new camper for some time. Well, we’ve decided to take the plunge and get our first travel trailer. It’s a 2021 Jayco Jay Flight 154BH Baja edition. For those who own a travel trailer or camp regularly, what is one bit of advice you would give us? What about any gear you would suggest? Thank you all in advance.
 
My sister and her husband are super into theirs and even lived in it for 8 months while they were building a new home. Their biggest things at first were the septic drain hoses and plug adapters. After that it really came down to travel and see what you need. Do some small trips and you'll see what you need for your lifestyle.


As a former street officer, I would also add make sure you have a good lock for your hitch system. Trailers are big theft items, even if it's in a storage yard. Spend the money and get one that covers the whole ball or slot or whatever hookup you have. Pros at the trailer theft game can grab a 5th wheel pin or ball hitch with a tab lock pretty easy with a modified system.
 
Great advice!

Congrats !!!! :thumbsup:

......not campers ourselves, but to state the obvious, make sure to allow room to take your metal detector (as if I really needed to remind you :lol:)

Anyhow, I just did a search and there are a lot of helpful links, here are just a few of them:

https://www.takethemoutside.com/first-time-travel-trailer-tips/

https://blog.campingworld.com/rv-basics/first-time-travel-trailer-owner-tips/

https://camperreport.com/travel-trailer-camping-guide-beginners/

:drive:

Thanks Gary - I appreciate the links and you can be sure that I
will have my detector with me! Have a great day!
 
My sister and her husband are super into theirs and even lived in it for 8 months while they were building a new home. Their biggest things at first were the septic drain hoses and plug adapters. After that it really came down to travel and see what you need. Do some small trips and you'll see what you need for your lifestyle.


As a former street officer, I would also add make sure you have a good lock for your hitch system. Trailers are big theft items, even if it's in a storage yard. Spend the money and get one that covers the whole ball or slot or whatever hookup you have. Pros at the trailer theft game can grab a 5th wheel pin or ball hitch with a tab lock pretty easy with a modified system.

This is all great advice! Thank you! I did update the drain hoses and a few of the plug adapters but never thought about a good locking system for my hitch. I really appreciate your advice!
 
first aid kit, tool kit(dont forget things like extra hitch pins, tire repair kit, and such), camp chairs, lantern of some sort, wheel blocks and an assortment of boards for leveling trailer, container for potable water. i am sure i am forgetting a whole lot, i have a list around here somewhere.....
 
I'm making a list!

first aid kit, tool kit(dont forget things like extra hitch pins, tire repair kit, and such), camp chairs, lantern of some sort, wheel blocks and an assortment of boards for leveling trailer, container for potable water. i am sure i am forgetting a whole lot, i have a list around here somewhere.....

All excellent ideas, thank you!
 
All excellent ideas, thank you!

also go to a parking lot and practice backing that thing up into spaces. nothing sucks more than having to ask another camper to back it in for you:laughing: i have to help someone nearly every year when we go camping
 
We've been RVing since 1987, and had 4 different motorhomes during that time. Only difference is our's is not a towable, it's a self-contained bus style. Lot's of fun, good friends and many great memories.

One of the best things you can do, to get good at backing in to RV sites, is to buy some cone type markers in the dollar store or wherever, and go to a big empty parking lot, place the cones in what would define the space of an RV site, and practice.

When you get good at backing in from both a right side approach and a left side, make it more interesting and challenging by adding a few cones to represent a parked vehicle, across from your site. The add some a cone to represent a tree, pole or sign, opposite your site. Do this until you can do it 2nd nature, and you won't be that guy who asks other campers to move their car, truck or rv for you. And don't forget about tail swing when you are pulling out of a place while making a turn.

Good luck; have fun. Safe travels.
 
My wife bought a used 24-foot camper without telling me. That was a few years back. She had planned on towing it with her 4-banger Equinox. So, I had to go out and buy a used Z71 to tow it. In the meantime, a friend towed it to a big local campground and while leaving with it, he caught the awning (brand new) on the top of a stop sign, cutting a gouge all the way across the $1,200 fabric. The camper turned into one big money pit as the floor was rotten due to the skylights having holes in them. Electrical and mechanical problems on top of that. We finally sold it after two years, I took a good loss. It was still fun while it lasted.
 
How embarrassing

also go to a parking lot and practice backing that thing up into spaces. nothing sucks more than having to ask another camper to back it in for you:laughing: i have to help someone nearly every year when we go camping

That’s some of the best advice yet. Thank you!
 
We've been RVing since 1987, and had 4 different motorhomes during that time. Only difference is our's is not a towable, it's a self-contained bus style. Lot's of fun, good friends and many great memories.

One of the best things you can do, to get good at backing in to RV sites, is to buy some cone type markers in the dollar store or wherever, and go to a big empty parking lot, place the cones in what would define the space of an RV site, and practice.

When you get good at backing in from both a right side approach and a left side, make it more interesting and challenging by adding a few cones to represent a parked vehicle, across from your site. The add some a cone to represent a tree, pole or sign, opposite your site. Do this until you can do it 2nd nature, and you won't be that guy who asks other campers to move their car, truck or rv for you. And don't forget about tail swing when you are pulling out of a place while making a turn.

Good luck; have fun. Safe travels.

I really appreciate your advice and will practice earnestly.
 
My wife bought a used 24-foot camper without telling me. That was a few years back. She had planned on towing it with her 4-banger Equinox. So, I had to go out and buy a used Z71 to tow it. In the meantime, a friend towed it to a big local campground and while leaving with it, he caught the awning (brand new) on the top of a stop sign, cutting a gouge all the way across the $1,200 fabric. The camper turned into one big money pit as the floor was rotten due to the skylights having holes in them. Electrical and mechanical problems on top of that. We finally sold it after two years, I took a good loss. It was still fun while it lasted.

I’m hoping for better luck, but thank you for sharing your experience.
 
I’m hoping for better luck, but thank you for sharing your experience.

you will be ok, you bought new. just make sure to get some conditioner for the rubber seals and throw some on once a year, park out of direct sunlight or get wheel covers for tires, simple stuff like taking car of your car. Also not sure about hte newer ones but our older ones had grease fittings on the wheel bearings that you should also grease after so many miles. may be sealed bearings by now?
 
you will be ok, you bought new. just make sure to get some conditioner for the rubber seals and throw some on once a year, park out of direct sunlight or get wheel covers for tires, simple stuff like taking car of your car. Also not sure about hte newer ones but our older ones had grease fittings on the wheel bearings that you should also grease after so many miles. may be sealed bearings by now?

I appreciate all that. I will need to grease the bearings every 3-4K miles. I’m thinking of building a carport this summer, but not sure if I’d be able to complete the tasks. Again, thank you for the help.
 
I appreciate all that. I will need to grease the bearings every 3-4K miles. I’m thinking of building a carport this summer, but not sure if I’d be able to complete the tasks. Again, thank you for the help.

No problem, I'll post more if anything else pops into my head
 
Hey all - my family and I have been saving up for a new camper for some time. Well, we’ve decided to take the plunge and get our first travel trailer. It’s a 2021 Jayco Jay Flight 154BH Baja edition. For those who own a travel trailer or camp regularly, what is one bit of advice you would give us? What about any gear you would suggest? Thank you all in advance.

ALWAYS clean roof with a UV blocking cleaner and caulk roof joints with the correct BUTYL rubber only caulk. Keep the roof from leaking and most of the battle is won. All campers are built like $h!t. Have fun
 
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