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Old 01-26-2023, 11:04 AM   #3
DutchmenSport
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Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: Anderson
Posts: 2,574
M.O.C. #22835
In my opinion, probably not.

As you travel you will want to keep checking on things. But being a new trailer with minimal travel, you'll be good to go for a while.

Repacking bearings? Once a year.

Inspecting roof? as often as you can, ever time you go up there. Check the roof for rips and tears if you have pulled through a wooded campground with low hanging branches over the road. I have in the past, knocked off those round covers on the air vent pipes.

It always a good thing to constantly monitor your trailer tires. If you have a tire monitoring system that is good. Otherwise, check your tire pressure often. A lot of folks (me included) check the tire pressure at the start of ever trip. Some check them every morning before a new day of travel. Personally, I check them at the start of every trip and every morning when traveling and we've sat overnight at a new (unknown and unfamiliar) location to me. I just like to make sure no one has fiddled with anything in the middle of the night, or kids playing pranks by letting air out. I'm a bit paranoid here. Nothing wrong with that.

Every time you exit the vehicle when in tow, always double check the trailer unbilical cord that is attached to the tow vehicle and always take a quick look at your fifth wheel hitch. In time, this will become so automatic, you'll not even realize you are doing it. If anything seems out of line, or out of the ordinary here, take the time to explore it. People are nasty and cruel and mean. It takes only 1 time for someone to pull the fifth wheel catch as as a very, very costly joke on you.

Also, when stopping, always do a walk around your camper before jumping back into the truck and look for anything out of the ordinary. Check the tires quickly, look up and make sure all the windows are still closed and nothing has popped open, check to make sure your license plate is still there (really!). Again, in time, this will become so routine to do, you'll not even realize you are doing in. You just do it.

Keep on eye on your propane usage. Check the tanks often, by simply lifting them up and feeling how heavy they are (unless you have a monitor on them). In time, you'll just instinctively know how much propane you are using. But until then, monitor them closely. You don't want both to run out at the same time if you are using the automatic switch over.

Do not depend on your black and grey tank sensors and lights to work correct. More than likely, since you've already used your camper a few time, they are not working right any more anyway. That is perfectly normal as we've all experienced that with the sensors. TP and "crud" attaches to the sensors and creates false readings. In time, you'll just automatically know when it's time to dump. The sound of the toilet flushing and the sound of the water hitting the bottom of the tank will tell you when it's time. Again, in time, you'll just know this. Meanwhile, push the toilet peddle and look down with a flashlight every time you flush. It will help you identify the sound with the water level. This works, and again.... in time, you'll just know "when" its time to dump.

Pull your awning in at night. Pull your awning in if you are not physically, right at the camper. Wind can pop-up any time and destroy your awning. So, at night, always pull it in. And when site seeing and away, always pull it in.

Again, these are things that you should be vigilant and watchful for when actually traveling. Until then, I personally think you are ready to go.

And oh, always have a good credit card available. Because sometimes, things DO happen on the road which will cost. Take some actual cash with you too. I know we live in a credit card / bank card / ATM card society now, but many places still take cash and some Mom and Pop stores still have problems with cards. Besides.... cash is needed if you use toll roads and do not have transponders. Our rule of thumb is to always have enough "cash" available to make sure we can purchase enough fuel to make it back home in the event our cards are ever lost, stolen or compromised by identity theft.

Those are my tips. Have a great trip!
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