We tent camped when we were kids but when good old dad bought a 15' travel trailer with an ice box, small bed for them and the kitchen table for us two kids back in the 50's I thought I had found heaven! Below are a few things learned as a new Travel Trailer owner that might be useful on your first trip out.
1. If running on 30 Amps do not run A/C and Micro Wave at same time, watch what you have running or the Circuit Breaker on the Pedestal or in the trailer will open.
2. Do not run the toilet fan when the toilet valve is open (flushing) you wind up drafting air down the Black tank vent and into the trailer, not good on the old nose!
3. Buy if you do not have a clear pipe for the Black Tank drain hose and when you dump attach to the trailers drain pipe, helps know when tanks are empty and if you have a Black tank flush when the Black tank is clean.
4. Getting weight checked at a scale is a very good idea. Keep weight down as best you can. Check height of wheel wells front and back of truck before attaching trailer and after, want front height to be same loaded, as when unloaded, this will show how well weight transfer hitch is working. If you have a good dealer they will set you up correctly. Any doubt asks questions on this Forum!
5. Check tire pressure on trailer each time you hit the road.
6. Check date on your tires, (DOT4512 example) tire made in week 45 of year 2012. Tires age out faster then they where out. Four to seven years say the experts.
7. Watch your speed, heavy trailers are hard on tires, and 55 to 60 MPH gives better mileage and a lot less heat in the tire.
8. Tire Minder is a good investment for safety.
9. Hand signals agreed upon before backing up and the person signaling should always be visible to the driver.
10. Small portable electric heaters work great and save LP gas when temperatures above freezing.
11. Sky lights, they can let in a lot of light in the morning as well as heat and cold, Camping World has a great push in cushion that just fills the skylight.
12. You can run Refrigerator on LP the night before loading so it is ready to go in the Morning if no 110V is available.
13. Wipe dishes and drain any cans into garbage bag, do not dump down drain, rots and can build up in Gray tanks.
14. Cougar remote control, if you turn on the floodlight you must turn off with the remote or it will stay on. The remote can turn on the flood light even if you have the power from your batteries turned off and are not attached to shore power!
15. Before taking off or putting on Spring Bars, run the jack up to help take weight off the bars. Always set both sides the same number of chain links. Lube the ball and Spring Bars as well as Sway Control with heavy bearing grease. Wipe off when put away hitch or when staying over night to keep from getting on your cloths.
16. Use bubble type level and put on freezer floor, if bubble stays at least half way in the center you are good, also do not want refrigerator to be un level for more then 1/2 hour, per Trailer Life video by Master Mechanic.
18. Heavy items store low in trailer, light items up high.
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2012 Cougar TT, 24RKSWE, 27'
2012 Tundra 4.6V8, 2wd, dbl cab
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