Help keep me out of trouble, I am scared

[jukenut]

Hello All,
Me and my family are new to RVing and I have a few questions that I hope some of you can help me with.

We just purchased a 5th wheel, 28ft Heartland Sundance XL. (pick it up saturday ). This is a question I should have asked before, but as it turned out we
went out last saturday to just look at RV's ,  about 4 hours later, we seen something we liked, and we felt the price on it was more than fair and went for it.
My first question is how is the quality of the Heartland in general. any thing I should be aware of ? I know their are dozens upon dozens of manufacturers,
just wanted to get an idea where they sit in the playing field. and out of curiosity who is considered to be the #1 RV manufacturer ?

On to more important questions, my biggest fear right now is going on to a road I don't belong on, especially one with low clearances, or ones where no trailers or trucks are allowed.
Is their any kind of special maps you can purchase just for Rv's or trucks, or a GPS system ( I saw some thing about a GPS system that you load onto a laptop, kind of cumbersome to mount on the dash though).
How do you plan a trip so you don't get your self onto a road you don't belong on. I am scared I will tear somethng off the roof or destroy the camper.

I read a post somewhere about chocks you put between the camper wheels that expand ( I will ask dealer on saturday about them), they sound pretty good, where can I find them ?

I think it would be helpful to know the total weight of truck and trailer, what is the best way to do this.

Alot of SUV and trucks today come with a backup alarm system, so as you are backing up, as the bumper gets close to an obeject, their is an audible beeping
sound in the vehicle that increases as you get close to the object. Is their anything like that available to put on the trailer, maybe something wireless ?

Before I started writing this I had a bunch of question, now of course I can't think of them

I live about 1hr NW of NYC, I would like to take trip down by the Jersey shore, Cape May with it, can anyone recommend a good camp site close to the beach ?

My plan right now after I check it out, is to take locally on some of the roads I know, and shopping plazas and practice a little backing up and turns, and generally take it slow.

Any tips.

Thank You All
Anthony

 

[nashvillecamper]

Anthony,

I'm not aware of a map or GPS system that shows hazards such as clearance, but some of the more experienced road warriors on this forum may prove me wrong.  I can tell you that in general you will be fine when out on the road because most are designed to accommodate 18 wheelers.  However, you will most certainly want to be carefull about entering areas you might otherwise enter when not pulling a trailer like; banks, drive throughs, tight residential streets, one lane roads with no outlet (ie: dead ends). I think you'll find that once you start pulling it won't take you long at all to figure out the dos and don'ts.  Practicing in a parking lot to start is a great idea and I encourage you to spend a good bit of time out there if you've never done it before.  The dealer may also be able to provide some tips.

You mentioned the wheel chocks as being a good idea --- and they most certainly are.  What caught my attention was that if you thought they were a good idea (and not a necessity as they really are), you may not be aware of other basics you'll require when camping.  You might ask your dealer for some assistance, or better yet an RV store like Camping World.  They can show you what you'll need in term of black tank chemicals, correct water hoses, electrical plug adapters, water pressure adapter, leveling blocks -- those are just a few things that come to mind.  I'm sure others on the forum can add to that list or point you in the direction of a list that may be posted here somewhere.

You and your family will most certainly enjoy the camper.  Just make sure you find out everything you'll need to make it a safe and enjoyable experience.

 

[nashvillecamper]

Found this checklist after posting my message above.  Hope it helps some:
http://www.rvforum.net/index.php?option=com_content&task=category&sectionid=3&id=15&Itemid=41

 

[Ned]

Get a copy of the Trucker's Atlas, available from most truck stops.  It shows all the highways that are on the trucking network so you can feel confident of no weight or height limitations if you stick to those yellow highlighted roads.  The atlas also contains tables by state of any height restrictions near those routes.

 

[Carl L]

Hello All,
Me and my family are new to RVing and I have a few questions that I hope some of you can help me with.

I know their are dozens upon dozens of manufacturers,
just wanted to get an idea where they sit in the playing field. and out of curiosity who is considered to be the #1 RV manufacturer ?

The guy who made your new trailer.  ;D

Really, trailers are just simple boxes mounted on dead axles with old fashioned leaf springs.  The boxes are filled with appliances all made by the same half dozen makers and which carry their own mfr warranties.  Really there is not too much to go wrong.  Trailers are made in two grades, vacation use and full-time use.  The latter are intended to take the wear and tear of full time use and are heavier in construction and weight.  My vacation grade trailer is a 1996 model which is still doing just fine.

How do you plan a trip so you don't get your self onto a road you don't belong on. I am scared I will tear somethng off the roof or destroy the camper.

General rule:  Do not go on anything without a line down the middle -- at least unless you can see all the way to the end.  Ned's book is good.  For the mountain county there is the invaluable Mountain Directory.  It can be bought online at www.mountaindirectory.com

I read a post somewhere about chocks you put between the camper wheels that expand ( I will ask dealer on saturday about them), they sound pretty good, where can I find them ?

Camping World for one place.  They sell online also.

I think it would be helpful to know the total weight of truck and trailer, what is the best way to do this.

Use a commercial scale.  We have instructions in our library.

Alot of SUV and trucks today come with a backup alarm system, so as you are backing up, as the bumper gets close to an obeject, their is an audible beeping
sound in the vehicle that increases as you get close to the object. Is their anything like that available to put on the trailer, maybe something wireless ?

The best such system is your passenger standing outside directing you how far to back and which way to move the rear end of the trailer.  Most of us use that and it works.

My plan right now after I check it out, is to take locally on some of the roads I know, and shopping plazas and practice a little backing up and turns, and generally take it slow.

Find yourself a large, empty parking lot to practice the backing.  Get used to using the mirrors and the outside person guiding you.  Hold the steering wheel at the bottom and push it in the direction that you want the rear of the trailer to go in.  Practice parking it between the lines of a empty parking place.

 

[edjunior]

In response to the Heartland question, my Dad has a Heartland (Big Horn) 5th wheel, and he is very happy with it.  He lives in it full-time.  It's had a few things that "need attention", but the dealer is always top notch doing any service on it.

I think everyone else answered your other concerns.  Try not to be scared, but more like "looking forward to the adventure"!  It will definitely take a little getting used to, but if you do what these guys say, and use that checklist, you will be fine.  Take your first trip to a fairly close local campground for your "maiden voyage".  That will give you a chance to get used to things, see how they work, why they work, and more importantly, things that don't work.

Good luck, and keep us posted.

 

[Jeannine]

How do you plan a trip so you don't get your self onto a road you don't belong on. I am scared I will tear somethng off the roof or destroy the camper.
.......

I read a post somewhere about chocks you put between the camper wheels that expand ( I will ask dealer on saturday about them), they sound pretty good, where can I find them ?

When you get on one of those roads you don't belong on (and it will happen), find a place to turn around.  You may have to pull into a side road or long driveway to do it.  Practice backing up in a straight line.  Dan has had to back up as much as a half mile to get off of an unannounced dead end.

We had the chocks that go between the wheels.  We threw them away and just use angled blocks of wood to chock the trailer tires.  The ones that go between the wheels are supposed to reduce the movement you feel when someone is moving around in the trailer, but we couldn't see any difference.

The Trucker's Atlas is good for route planning when you are on major roads.  However,  New York state has lots of railroad bridges with low clearances on roads not covered by the atlas.  Measure the height of your trailer and know how much clearance you need.  Watch for the warning signs--so far, we have always been able to turn around and avoid the low bridges.

Enjoy your new trailer!

Jeannine

 

[Alaskansnowbirds]

If its a new trailer and never had chemicals in the black tank....Don't use any! We haven't used any in over 10 years.

Be careful what toilet paper you use. We use Angle-soft.

 

[Ron]

Don has given excellent advice use NO CHEMICALS you will be happier.  Angel soft or scotts single ply but don't use RV TP.

 

[edjunior]

Wow, I just looked at the Heartland website, and they include a link on the "Floorplan" page to a little pdf "I can be towed by".  I sure hope you have a vehicle capable of pulling your new trailer, and weren't taken in by that page.  It is a very misleading page and they should really take it away.  It would almost lead one to believe that even your trailer could be towed by a Ford Sport Trac!  But they only do that for the ultra-light and mid-profile models.  Interesting....but very misleading.

 

[marine422]

  Anthony, You will find everyone on here very knowledgeable and helpful, I used to live in Westchester and then Dutchess Counties. We used to go to Ocean City Maryland , which is on the water but of course not in Jersey. We will be going this year two. It is right near the water with a lot of amenities . We used to go to Frontier Town. It is great if you have kids too. It is about a 7 hour drive . Also check out Strawberry Park in Ct. If I remember that was up near one of the Casino's which was only a couple of hours away. Also Lake George has some parks too.


Good luck.

 

[jukenut]

Thank You all for your response. Sorry for the typos.

I always try and think safe, the wheel chocks seemed like a really good idea, I happen to think of it when I was looking at trailers, seeing just 2 jacks, thinking to my self if I ever need to get under the trailer, I would feel a lot better hitched back up to the 5th wheel or  additional cribbing support (wood blocks) with the wheels block. And I thought it would  be a good idea to chock up the wheels camping to stablilize as well. I never really gave much thought untiI I started thinking what I would be doing. You see trailers in sales lots and storage facilities and I never see them chocked, so never thought of it.

Hey Carl thank you for making my trailer, I hope you had a couple of good days when you made my trailer.  If I get a problem can I call you ? ha ha. just kidding. My wife and I really liked it, especially that it didn't break the bank. We think we got a fair price for something we can have some fun with our 2 kids and be comfortable. I assume it is not a full time trailer. Also, is the trailer generator ready ? I don?t believe it comes with a generator, but wanted to know if it would be easy to put one in. I like that tip, ?do not go down anything without a line down the middle?, that is a good rule of thumb. ( Funny thing though , a couple of years ago my wife and I were out for a drive upstate NY a little bit, something dawned on her that she wanted to go see something somewhere. I knew it was east of where we were, so I took a double lined road heading that way, well, it went from a lined road, to no lines, to dirt, to a stream bed then over a wooded bridge. Never expected that, good thing it was just us 2 and no trailer.?

I wil be looking into all those atlases and map books etc, but has anyone ever used a Garmin nuvi 465T? I was checking out their website and it loosk like it is designed for truckers, capableof inputting height, weight, etc.

Yeah, the sales man tells me that the trailer is about 6K lbs, you could pull that trailer with a ? ton pickup. Well I knew better than that, and I wasn?t really worried because I have ? ton diesel.

Nice to meet a neighbor, marine422. Ocean City MD,. I have been their once or twice, what place do you go to their ?

 

[marine422]

  We have been to Frontier Town it has a lot of amenities, and close to the beach and boardwalk. Like I said check out Strawberry park in CT. also. Been there .

  What town are you from in N.Y. We have moved out about 4 years ago, too expensive now in NC, although I  wish I  could afford to move back.

 

[geodrake]

Good morning Anthony, and welcome!  You have now discovered how friendly and knowledgeable this group is.  We think it is the friendliest RV forum on the www.  It is a great place to find information, get answers to questions, and to make new friends.

We are glad to have you as one of us.

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

jukenut...
We used to live in Dutchess County for many years and then later lived in Mahopac (Putnam County) for about 18 months while on a job assignment in White Plains.

 

[jukenut]

I am in Middletown NY. North Carolina, we visited their about 2 years ago, Outer Banks, absolutley beautiful. It was really nice, looking forward to going back maybe later this summer. I don't know why you want to come back, taxes up here are a killer, I don't know where all the money goes to. Heck, we like to visit NYC too, but it is becoming more unaffordable, tolls to cross bridges, tunnel, restrictions  where to park, what street is open, I think you even get higher toll now if you go in during peak times. We went their to take the kids to a christmas show, it was about a $500 day. Tickets were something like $100 apiece, parking another $45 bucks.

 

[Carl L]

Also, is the trailer generator ready ? I don?t believe it comes with a generator, but wanted to know if it would be easy to put one in.

I doubt it.  The specs for the Sundance do not list a generator as an option.  However, that by no means precludes the use of a portable generator.  If you decide to get one, do not buy the usual contractors' set, get one designed for RV.  The RV sets are sound proofed and save you from a lot of hate from your neighbors in a campground.  However, you may not need one at all -- they are only of use in boondocking -- camping away from electrical service.  Even out here in the west, that is fairly easy to avoid, most commercial and a lot of public campgrounds have it.  Camp around for a bit and see what you think.

Yeah, the sales man tells me that the trailer is about 6K lbs, you could pull that trailer with a ? ton pickup.

What ever it takes to sell another unit. 

 

[marine422]

  We were in Westchester cty, Mount Vernon , then moved to Dutchess cty, Town of Poughkeepsie. It is a big difference on taxes but NY state is beautiful. How is Paul SR, and Jr. and Mike doing. Lol

  Lake George I am not sure where we went has some nice Campgrounds, and you will enjoy Strawberry Park. We will be in Frontier Town in August.. 

  Since I have been on here, I have found the best set of people who help anyone who uses this site ,and you will be surprised as you go out what you learn and pick up to share.

  Brett

 

[fixit5561]

Being an ex over the road driver, the best advice for the low overpasses is get the truckers atlas, there is also a section in the atlas that tells you exactly where the low overpasses are at on our  highway system, atleast most of them. (its always the 1 they forgot that you end up finding! LOL) But that map had lead me all around the US and Canada and it is a great tool to plan a road trip in detail with.

Brian

 

[LspTpr]

I had a heartland bighorn 3600RL for two years and loved it.  out of three 5th wheels that i owned it was the best and the heartland company was very accessable as well.  Heartland owners have their own website  http://www.heartlandowners.org/  which is fantastic and the company has a person that monitors it.  i had a problem that i asked others about on the site and the company rep sent me an email, then phone call and corrected my problem immediately.  it wasnt even a heartland problem but a product in the 5th wheel and they took it upon themselves to correct it.  The website is fantastic and so are the people but now i reminiscing.  got rid of the 5er due to a deal i couldn't pass on a motorhome.