Advise re Solo Camping

[LarryandLiz]

Thanks for all these helpful replies. On previous threads I remember that unplugging was recommended BUT had forgotten. I have a check list on my electronic devices about which NW Cat Owner has reminded me, thanks. Jim’s advice to place a visual marker on the site is something I will try.

on staying hitched up. I anticipated doing so may raise a question but wanted to keep my post as clear as possible. I’m happy to provide my reasonings.

I am very unmecanical, have very limited spacial orientation and will be without my wife of 44 years who has been the one I rely on for all these deficiencies, I want to keep this solo camping experiemwnt as simple as possible. (When I worked for a living I tried to usewriting and people skills).

Furthermore, when unhitching it often takes two of us jumping on the truck bumper to release the hitch ball if we are on an uneven site. I’ve read some forum threads about using lubricant to help with this but haven’t done so yet.

Anyway, to quote Forrest Gump “one less thing.”

[currinh]

OK. If we're staying for one or two nights we many times don't unhook, if we don't plan to drive anywhere. The process is like this:


If alone just take your time backing, with lots of getting in and out. Time saved in not having to make fiberglass repairs makes up for a lot of in and out. But with time and patience it's not hard. Then when close:


Check side to side level. If out more than you like put down blocks (what we use) and back/pull onto them. Check side to side. Repeat. When happy:


Raise the tongue of the trailer with the jack. (If the tongue is too high, live with it or try another location/site). This works for a couple of inches. If you need more PUT CHOCKS ON TRAILER TIRES then disconnect and raise tongue. If you don't move the TV it'll come back down and connect easily. When happy:


Lower the stabilizers. Note that stabilizers aren't meant to raise the trailer, only use for stabilizing.


When leaving raise stabilizers first, then tongue jack.


Have heard the electrical cable to the TV should be disconnected. We do when we don't have shore power. I don't think it's a problem with shore power but have no proof of this.


Have fun.


Hugh

[KirkB]

When overnighting after a long drive (or wanting an early departure next morning), I usually just drive over a levelling board 1 1/4x 6 under a wheel on each side to raise the trailer enough to take weight off the tow vehicle (highlander) and then level the trailer with the jack. My highlander rear end squats a bit when loaded, so this helps ease any pressure in the suspension. I usually drop the stabilizers, too, but keep the ball in the coupler.

Most of these overnights seem to be on a 3 day dash to get south (or home coming north) on winter trips, in pull throughs at RV parks or in a free overnight parking space.

I disconnect the 7 pin connector when stopped, sometimes even at lunch, always before connecting to shore power. I think the Escape battery (with solar) charges the highlander when they are connected.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Fox hunt

i do unplug. i had an issue with my batteries once different rig (highlander/Escape 17) they were depleted (old going bad) and drained the battery of my car. i was told this would not happen because the wiring will not allow it. But i have two friends who also had this happen. So its easier just to unplug.

It won't happen if the tow vehicle wiring is designed to keep this from happening; however, in a Highlander this is custom wiring, so it could have been done in various ways. I think it would be easier to fix the wiring to work properly than unplugging every time and having a dead battery even once because I forgot.

Yes, I did the wiring in my Sienna and it does not have this problem.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Jim Bennett

When reversing into a camping spot, place a marker right beside where you want the tires to end up, easiest on the driver side but doable on the passenger side too. A colourful Lynx block works good.

... and when it gets dark, a flashlight lying on the ground works well, too.

[Brian B-P]

If the tow vehicle's springs can't handle the trailer load overnight, they are defective. Sure, routinely overloaded trucks eventually sag... but we're not endorsing overloading, right?

Springs are always substantially compressed. A little more is not a big deal. It is cycling to extremes that would be bad, and they're not cycling at all when parked. It's actually corrosion that usually kills springs, which has nothing to do with the load.

I've seen Car Talk stuff before, and it consistently leaves me with the impression that the writers are not very competent. They seem more interested in being amusing in a chatty way (which I just find annoying) than in conveying any information.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by McBride

Springs on cars are not meant to be loaded for long periods of time. That is not counting the weight of the vehicle itself.

This is the first time I have ever heard this, and have never seen any reference to it in any vehicle manual I have ever had.

Vehicles are designed to take weight all the time, up to the weight ratings specified. What about work trucks loaded all the time with tools, a truck camper on 24/7, or any vehicle with permanent loads. Heck, I have a work trailer of some kind hooked up to my truck just about all the time. I most certainly am not going to do something to lessen the weight on it, that would be insane.

[Chotch]

🤔I worked in a spring shop for 5 years, repaired, replaced or reinforced more springs than I care to remember. This included building leaf springs from raw spring stock. Time and the number of cycles a spring goes through is what wears or breaks them. Yeah if you leave them fully loaded all the time they will wear out sooner , like maybe in 19 years instead of 20.
And for Car Talk, I always thought it was good entertainment. MHO 😎

[LarryandLiz]

Originally Posted by LarryLogger

Hi Larry, Lawrence here! It was great running into you two recently at Ruckle Park. Don't blame your wife for packing it in, what with all the rain and cool weather we've been having.

Remember I said I thought you had a quotable quote and that someday I might use it back on you? You said, "Sometimes you just have to suffer a bit." So there you have it: leave the stabilizers up and see if you "suffer a bit."

Bon chance on your next trip. Maybe run into you again someday, but don't think it will be this fall.

Lawrence

Hi Lawrence. It was fun camping with you and Leslie up at Ruckle ! We’ll see you down the road

[Mike Lewis]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

I've seen Car Talk stuff before, and it consistently leaves me with the impression that the writers are not very competent.

The two brothers who were hosts of the Car Talk public radio show had engineering degrees from MIT.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by Mike Lewis

The two brothers who were hosts of the Car Talk public radio show had engineering degrees from MIT.

Too bad they don't know much about cars, or at least are not interested in conveying information. They may be perfectly capable of understanding the subject of their show, but it seems that they don't try. They could certainly make better use of that education (and review the ethics portion of it), and should perhaps develop some competence in communication.

[John in Santa Cruz]

lotta MIT grads ended up doing something else... "Woody Paul", the fiddle player for the singing cowboy band Riders in the Sky, has a degree in nuclear physics from MIT. if you'd seen Riders in the Sky, you'd never guess it

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6-NfialUBWA

[Mike Lewis]

Originally Posted by Brian B-P

Too bad they don't know much about cars, or at least are not interested in conveying information.

One of the brothers died and the radio show has been off the air for a few years. I don't know if the Car Talk website is kept current.

[John in Santa Cruz]

its entertainment, not practical advise.

[Brian B-P]

Originally Posted by John in Santa Cruz

its entertainment, not practical advise.

I agree. Unfortunately, it's entertainment pretending to be practical advice, which is bad for anyone who believes that it is anything other than entertainment.

[AnJ]

I had a class 1 driver with 45+ years experience teach me how to park the trailer by myself, which I sometimes have to do on the farm that has fairly tight quarters where the trailer is parked. He always stressed, "if you're not sure, or can't see, always get out and look" and said that in really tight spots downtown, he would have to get in and out of the truck several times in some instances. Time consuming, but better than a mistake.
Enjoy your solo camping adventure!

[casejh]

Originally Posted by AnJ

I had a class 1 driver with 45+ years experience teach me how to park the trailer by myself, which I sometimes have to do on the farm that has fairly tight quarters where the trailer is parked. He always stressed, "if you're not sure, or can't see, always get out and look" and said that in really tight spots downtown, he would have to get in and out of the truck several times in some instances. Time consuming, but better than a mistake.
Enjoy your solo camping adventure!

The GOAL method- get out and look.

[Loren & Cathy]

Originally Posted by casejh

The GOAL method- get out and look.

It’s a much quiteter method also. Where someone is guideing you, there is all of this arm waving and yelling. Loren

[covey]

Just a little 2 cents ... disconnect your tow vehicle power so after two or three days you don’t drain the veh battery and be unable to start when you want to leave. If you drain the trailer battery re-plug and run your veh to recharge the trailer and then disconnect again.

[Jean]

I travel alone all the time (well, not entirely, Jackson the Aussie-Border Collie, too) and I hook up and unhook up by myself......takes longer, but I do it. I'm usually in same spot for minimum 3 days.
Can't add anything on 4th Anderson thing.....I have that rare, very basic 13b! Still lovin' it.