Just Bought a Keystone Hideout 262BH Excited To Camp

[nwoodco1]

I pick it up just before thanksgiving. The specs are below. https://www.keystonerv.com/travel-tr...ravel-trailer/
I am considering adding heating tank pads as well as heat tape on the pipes, but beyond that no extras planned. What items do I need to get before I go on our first trip? I am looking at stabilizer jack pads, freshwater hoses/filters, sewage hoses, tank rinser, xlock style wheel stabilizers, and a ball lock for when it is detached from the truck. Any tips are appreciated!

[wiredgeorge]

Ya'll are from Galveston? Why the heating pads and heat tape? Also, you say you have that camper hooked to a car? That is a fairly heavy camper and not sure a car is ideal. Anyhow, welcome from the Hill Country!

[Sarge2]

Welcome from southeast Michigan... enjoy!

[nwoodco1]

Originally Posted by wiredgeorge

Ya'll are from Galveston? Why the heating pads and heat tape? Also, you say you have that camper hooked to a car? That is a fairly heavy camper and not sure a car is ideal. Anyhow, welcome from the Hill Country!

We will be camping year round, so sometimes it will be 20 degrees or so. You are right about not needing it down here. I am one of the few people who uses car regardless of truck or not, will update to truck! Got 800 tounge capacity and 7700 towing.

[Texas Steve]

Congrats on the new Hideout! If your going be be primarily camping in south / east Texas, you wont need the tank heater pads or the pipe wrap. You can winterize the unit by blowing all the water out of the lines when done for the year and add RV antifreeze to the p-traps and toilets.

As for items you will need, a good set of chocks (not just the x-chocks), adjustable water pressure regulator (at no more than 50 psi), RV toilet paper, good sewer hose (I like Rhino), and probably the most important thing is an EMS (Electrical Management System). I have a Progressive for 30amp, but Surgeguard makes them also. Make sure you get an EMS and not a surge suppressor. The EMS will protect all the electronics in the TT.

Happy Camping!

[Texas Steve]

Your TT is longer and heavier than mine. Your tongue weight will be around 980 pounds, so you will be over on your vehicle. That also does not take into occupants, and all the gear in the car. That weight will come off of your payload capacity as well. Depending on the number of people, dogs, gear that is loaded in the car, you may be over what a 1/2 ton truck could carry.

[Gary R.]

Hello and welcome!

Congrats on your purchase of a new Hideout!

Sounds like you have decided on some nice upgrades, too!

Take care!

[nwoodco1]

Originally Posted by Texas Steve

Your TT is longer and heavier than mine. Your tongue weight will be around 980 pounds, so you will be over on your vehicle. That also does not take into occupants, and all the gear in the car. That weight will come off of your payload capacity as well. Depending on the number of people, dogs, gear that is loaded in the car, you may be over what a 1/2 ton truck could carry.

I've done a good amount of math and am confident I will be okay, but I will do an actual load tests before I go on a trip to make sure I am not pushing it I don't mind getting a bigger vehicle if necessary.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by Texas Steve

Congrats on the new Hideout! If your going be be primarily camping in south / east Texas, you wont need the tank heater pads or the pipe wrap. You can winterize the unit by blowing all the water out of the lines when done for the year and add RV antifreeze to the p-traps and toilets.

As for items you will need, a good set of chocks (not just the x-chocks), adjustable water pressure regulator (at no more than 50 psi), RV toilet paper, good sewer hose (I like Rhino), and probably the most important thing is an EMS (Electrical Management System). I have a Progressive for 30amp, but Surgeguard makes them also. Make sure you get an EMS and not a surge suppressor. The EMS will protect all the electronics in the TT.

Happy Camping!

While it is a great idea to have a pressure regulator for your water line, none of the many campgrounds we have stayed in in south, central and the Hill Country have seen over 45 psi water pressure at the spigot.

[sourdough]

Originally Posted by nwoodco1

We will be camping year round, so sometimes it will be 20 degrees or so. You are right about not needing it down here. I am one of the few people who uses car regardless of truck or not, will update to truck! Got 800 tounge capacity and 7700 towing.

Exactly what kind of "car" are you going to tow with? Seen lots of them try pulling an RV but never seen a good situation with a "car" pulling a trailer that weighs in excess of 7500lbs. and 30' long.

Not only are you going to exceed the weight rating for your car hitch you will bump right up to the maximum of the towing capacity of your car - a very bad idea math or not. A car does not have the suspension, even sort of, to control that long and heavy of a load. Owned LOTS of them, some much bigger and beefier than what you can get today, and would not dream of towing a big trailer like that with them. Everything on the "car" is designed for comfort; soft riding, soft shocks, soft tires, soft springs, light weight anti sway bars not to mention axle and tranny gearing never meant to lug that much weight around without shelling out on the side of the road.

Since the trailer is purchased the only thing I can say in good conscience is go pick out a truck tomorrow for your, and your family's, well being.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by nwoodco1

We will be camping year round, so sometimes it will be 20 degrees or so. You are right about not needing it down here. I am one of the few people who uses car regardless of truck or not, will update to truck! Got 800 tounge capacity and 7700 towing.

I don't know what you plan on towing that with as you haven't shared that with us. I will make this observation. That trailer has a max weight of 7,545 lbs. Tongue weight is generally accepted as 13% of the trailer weight. So that would make a realistic tongue weight of 981 lbs. That doesn't include the weight of the hitch, say 120 lbs for a good weight distributing hitch. That tongue weight is now 1,101 lbs.

Payload on the mystery tow vehicle can only be found by looking at the sticker on the drivers door jamb. Whatever that number is, subtract the 1,101 lbs and then subtract the weight of the family and anything else you place inside that vehicle .

This weight will place you over the load capacity of most 1/2 ton trucks. At that weight and that length I'm not aware of any "car" or SUV capable of towing that. Don't want to rain on your parade, just making you aware that there's a potential safety issue.

[markcee]

Originally Posted by sourdough

Exactly what kind of "car" are you going to tow with? Seen lots of them try pulling an RV but never seen a good situation with a "car" pulling a trailer that weighs in excess of 7500lbs. and 30' long.

Not only are you going to exceed the weight rating for your car hitch you will bump right up to the maximum of the towing capacity of your car - a very bad idea math or not. A car does not have the suspension, even sort of, to control that long and heavy of a load. Owned LOTS of them, some much bigger and beefier than what you can get today, and would not dream of towing a big trailer like that with them. Everything on the "car" is designed for comfort; soft riding, soft shocks, soft tires, soft springs, light weight anti sway bars not to mention axle and tranny gearing never meant to lug that much weight around without shelling out on the side of the road.

Since the trailer is purchased the only thing I can say in good conscience is go pick out a truck tomorrow for your, and your family's, well being.

Totally agree....and pullin' up a chair!

[dutchmensport]

Congrats on your new purchase. When outfitting your new camper, you do not need to get items specialized or titled as RV, especially RV toilet paper. Whatever you use in your house is OK for your new camper, including the toilet paper. Just keep your black tank closed and dump when the tank is 3/4 full or more, and you'll be fine. Black tanks are holding tanks, not septic tanks, and anywhere you dump will either go into a city treatment center, just like people who live in a town, or a septic tank system, just like folks who live in the country and are not hooked to a city system.

Everything else in your camper, all your personal effects, don't need to be RV specific or special. Again, anything you use in your house, you can use in your camper. It all depends upon your own lifestyle, everything to the type of napkins you use (or don't use), to the ink-pin laying in a junk drawer.

However, when camping, you have all kinds of options, which does make getting housekeeping items a bit more challenging, and a bit more fun. So, when selecting a cooking pot, select the one that can be used on a gas burner stove, as well as an electric stove, as well as an open fire. If you can't find one for all 3 purposes, then make sure you have the right stuff for the right function: cooking over a fire, on the stove top, or a gas grill. Paper plate, Corel Ware, plastic plates, glass, grandma's china? It's your own personal preference.

Don't forget the simple things either, like tooth paste, a hair brush and comb, and your favorite under ware. Just because you are camping, you don't need to "rough" it!

We started sleeping in the bed of a pick-up truck, managed to buy a tent, later a pop-up, 3 different travel trailers, and finally a fifth wheel. When we started, we started pretty primitive, but we had fun. By the time we got to our 3rd travel trailer, we shifted gears and decided to slowly (as we could afford) to outfit the camper with the best and finest we could find at the time.

Sheets, blankets, pillows, even the mattress, pots, pans, silverware, dishes, everything slowly changed and actually became more elegant than things in our house. We turned our "camper" into our "love shack." We decked it out "romantic" as it's our vacation resort now.

So, when outfiting your camper, there are no rights or wrongs. The important thing is to have fun, enjoy, and build great memories. Just remember, just because it says "RV salt" on the package, does not make it any better than good old Morton Salt.

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by dutchmensport

Congrats on your new purchase. When outfitting your new camper, you do not need to get items specialized or titled as RV, especially RV toilet paper. Whatever you use in your house is OK for your new camper, including the toilet paper. Just keep your black tank closed and dump when the tank is 3/4 full or more, and you'll be fine. Black tanks are holding tanks, not septic tanks, and anywhere you dump will either go into a city treatment center, just like people who live in a town, or a septic tank system, just like folks who live in the country and are not hooked to a city system.

Everything else in your camper, all your personal effects, don't need to be RV specific or special. Again, anything you use in your house, you can use in your camper. It all depends upon your own lifestyle, everything to the type of napkins you use (or don't use), to the ink-pin laying in a junk drawer.

However, when camping, you have all kinds of options, which does make getting housekeeping items a bit more challenging, and a bit more fun. So, when selecting a cooking pot, select the one that can be used on a gas burner stove, as well as an electric stove, as well as an open fire. If you can't find one for all 3 purposes, then make sure you have the right stuff for the right function: cooking over a fire, on the stove top, or a gas grill. Paper plate, Corel Ware, plastic plates, glass, grandma's china? It's your own personal preference.

Don't forget the simple things either, like tooth paste, a hair brush and comb, and your favorite under ware. Just because you are camping, you don't need to "rough" it!

We started sleeping in the bed of a pick-up truck, managed to buy a tent, later a pop-up, 3 different travel trailers, and finally a fifth wheel. When we started, we started pretty primitive, but we had fun. By the time we got to our 3rd travel trailer, we shifted gears and decided to slowly (as we could afford) to outfit the camper with the best and finest we could find at the time.

Sheets, blankets, pillows, even the mattress, pots, pans, silverware, dishes, everything slowly changed and actually became more elegant than things in our house. We turned our "camper" into our "love shack." We decked it out "romantic" as it's our vacation resort now.

So, when outfiting your camper, there are no rights or wrongs. The important thing is to have fun, enjoy, and build great memories. Just remember, just because it says "RV salt" on the package, does not make it any better than good old Morton Salt.

Totally agree!
The biggest difference between rv specific & any brand you'd use in the house is if it says "rv" it WILL cost more.
I do recommend the adjustable water pressure regulator, the EMS (both of these should be mandatory), a water hose Y with shutoffs, good quality drinking water hose & a dedicated black tank flush hose if the rv is equipped.

[nwoodco1]

I have a 2006 LR3 with the heavy duty tow package. Th place I bought my trailer knew this and assured me it wasn't an issue and sonce I don't plan on having batteries I didn't think it was either, but apparently I will be upgrading which isn't the end of the world.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by nwoodco1

I have a 2006 LR3 with the heavy duty tow package. Th place I bought my trailer knew this and assured me it wasn't an issue and sonce I don't plan on having batteries I didn't think it was either, but apparently I will be upgrading which isn't the end of the world.

You probably just figured out your dealer will tell you anything to make a sale. You LR3 has a payload of about 1300 lbs and your camper's hitch weight is close to 1000 lbs. 300 lbs for occupants, hitch and stuff. Plus the 30 foot camper will wag around behind you due the size of your tow vehicle. Time to start looking for an adequate tow vehicle. Perhaps read through some of tow vehicle issues others have faced because they took the word of the experts at a dealership. An ethical RV dealership or at least one who knows about towing ability is a rare bird.

[flybouy]

Originally Posted by nwoodco1

I have a 2006 LR3 with the heavy duty tow package. Th place I bought my trailer knew this and assured me it wasn't an issue and sonce I don't plan on having batteries I didn't think it was either, but apparently I will be upgrading which isn't the end of the world.

Don't plan on having batteries? Are you talking no battery for the trailer? That won't work. The battery is required to operate the brakes in the event the trailer breaks away from the truck. The battery is also required to run the slides, jack, and all appliances that use 12 v dc. The converter only charges the battery, iot is not strong enough to power the slides or jacks.

Yes you need a larger truck to tow that safely.

[travelin texans]

Originally Posted by nwoodco1

I have a 2006 LR3 with the heavy duty tow package. Th place I bought my trailer knew this and assured me it wasn't an issue and sonce I don't plan on having batteries I didn't think it was either, but apparently I will be upgrading which isn't the end of the world.

The guy where you bought the rv that "assured" you "it was not an issue" is so full crap it was likely oozing out their ears. That rv is pushing the limits of a 1/2 ton pickup & your LR3 is even worse off as a tow vehicle.
Also YES you WILL need at least 1 battery if you plan to use the rv for something besides a storage shed.
This kind of salespeople should be strapped behind the wheel of some of the inappropriate tow vehicles with a more than inappropriate RVs they sell folks & forced to haul it from coast to coast & back, then see if their sales tactics may change.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by travelin texans

The guy where you bought the rv that "assured" you "it was not an issue" is so full crap it was likely oozing out their ears. That rv is pushing the limits of a 1/2 ton pickup & your LR3 is even worse off as a tow vehicle.
Also YES you WILL need at least 1 battery if you plan to use the rv for something besides a storage shed.
This kind of salespeople should be strapped behind the wheel of some of the inappropriate tow vehicles with a more than inappropriate RVs they sell folks & forced to haul it from coast to coast & back, then see if their sales tactics may change.

Wow... you got ur dander up this morning! It must be winter in Travelin Texan land bwhahahahaha I ain't disagreeing but if we start strapping lying salesmen into an inappropriate tv, who would be left to sell the darn things? You know, if I dyed my hair jet black and slicked it back and got me a pencil thin mustache I might be able to make a living as a liar.

[wiredgeorge]

Originally Posted by dutchmensport

Congrats on your new purchase. When outfitting your new camper, you do not need to get items specialized or titled as RV, especially RV toilet paper. Whatever you use in your house is OK for your new camper, including the toilet paper. Just keep your black tank closed and dump when the tank is 3/4 full or more, and you'll be fine. Black tanks are holding tanks, not septic tanks, and anywhere you dump will either go into a city treatment center, just like people who live in a town, or a septic tank system, just like folks who live in the country and are not hooked to a city system.

Gotta disagree about the toilet paper. I like the idea of thin paper that dissolves as I have experienced the dreaded poop stack and had to magic wand till it got blow down the slinky stinky. RV toilet paper, lots of water and some stink powder (can't remember what the stuff is called) every now and again makes the universe happy! A toilet brush is an item you forgot as well.