Aging RVers - Or "Help, I'm Down and I Can't Get Back Up"

[Ray and Steph]

Okay, let's just be upfront about this. We're not as young and nimble as we used to be. We love our TT, but the weight of the hitch stabilizer bars makes them difficult for me to lift and getting them seated and the chains attached to the hitch is beyond my capabilities. DH can do it, but it's not easy for him either. We also have problems when it comes to hooking up the sewer slinky. We get down on our knees just fine, but getting up again is a major undertaking due to arthritis in knees and lower back.
We don't want a different trailer. We're very happy with her; the problem is ours. Is there a different hitch we should consider? Are there permanent extensions that can be mounted to our dump outlets? It just seems to me that there must be adaptive devices or workarounds that other people with these challenges have developed. If there are not already products available I see a huge market in the years ahead because we're not the only ones this is happening to. Would love to hear your stories and suggestions, but don't need anyone telling us we just need to get in shape. (It's a lot more complicated than that.) Thanks in advance for sharing your ideas.

[SKnight]

For the weight distributing hitch, this unit from Andersen looks lightweight and easy to use. It's just chains, you hook onto the ball, use the jack to lift the back of the truck some, connect the chains and then let it down. I don't see where there's a lot of physical to it.

As for the sewer, not sure what to suggest there.

[Texbahrs]

I have an Andersen hitch and can confirm that it is pretty easy to hook up. I have a bad back and an artificial knee and kneeling is pretty difficult for me. I use a foam pad and, if need be, I just sit on it. Getting back up is not elegant but sometimes a cane helps.

As for hooking up to the sewer, I suggest you ask the CG manager or host to help. I'm sure most would be glad to assist - especially if you offer them a beer or other refreshment for their assistance.

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by Ray and Steph

Okay, let's just be upfront about this. We're not as young and nimble as we used to be.
<SNIP>
We also have problems when it comes to hooking up the sewer slinky. We get down on our knees just fine, but getting up again is a major undertaking due to arthritis in knees and lower back.
We don't want a different trailer. We're very happy with her; the problem is ours. <SNIP> Thanks in advance for sharing your ideas.

Hi Ray & Steph!
Anne & I hear you loud and clear! Dem bones are creaking a tad bit more these days

What Kind of Sewer system do you have at present? We have this one and it is pretty easy to hook up:

Amazon.com: Camco 39761 RhinoFLEX 15&#39; Sewer Hose Kit with Swivel Fitting: Automotive

We realize that you love your TT and may not want/can not trade in for something else, but your predicament is pretty much exactly why we moved from a TT to a 5er. The biggest reason was, as you said, the anti sway bars and the hitch. Unfortunately short of mechanical lifting devices there is nothing much you can do. The hitch is going to weigh a lot and will have to come off the truck, and those anti sway bars only work because they are a 3/4" square of solid steel that braces the trailer behind your TV.

When you move to a 5er (fifth wheel) the hitch changes dramatically from a TT (as does the weight distribution). Now, all you do to hook up is back up to the hitch and when it seats, close a latch and you are done. Raise the landing gear (push a switch), raise the rear stabilizers (push a switch), unplug and you are off!

The other thing we noticed when we moved to our 5er is that in the 7 years since purchasing our TT vast advances in user convenience had been made. Pretty much everything is now automatic (water heater, furnace, refer) and the sewer connections are much more ergonomic. They are @ 4" higher on the frame and much better located on our 5er than on the TT. To hook up I do not have to get on my knees anymore, just bend over. We have a 3 tube system (Gray/Black/Galley) and with the Camco Rhinoflex and aY adapter it all clicks together with bayonet mounts and the sewer is a done deal in under 5 min.

Just some thoughts for you to think about - sorry I really do not have any good solutions for the hitch (which I see as your #1 concern) and, frankly, simply because of the mechanics involved do not think there are any alternatives.

[R Whitlow]

Originally Posted by Ray and Steph

Okay, let's just be upfront about this. We're not as young and nimble as we used to be. We love our TT, but the weight of the hitch stabilizer bars makes them difficult for me to lift and getting them seated and the chains attached to the hitch is beyond my capabilities. DH can do it, but it's not easy for him either. We also have problems when it comes to hooking up the sewer slinky. We get down on our knees just fine, but getting up again is a major undertaking due to arthritis in knees and lower back.
We don't want a different trailer. We're very happy with her; the problem is ours. Is there a different hitch we should consider? Are there permanent extensions that can be mounted to our dump outlets? It just seems to me that there must be adaptive devices or workarounds that other people with these challenges have developed. If there are not already products available I see a huge market in the years ahead because we're not the only ones this is happening to. Would love to hear your stories and suggestions, but don't need anyone telling us we just need to get in shape. (It's a lot more complicated than that.) Thanks in advance for sharing your ideas.

Thoughts that come to mind are;
Have you considered a larger truck, I have pulled heavily weighted equipment trailers without weight or sway bars as long as the trailer weight is high enough maybe a 2500 to 4500.
As far as the sewer you can get a grinder pump this will reduce the hose to a water hose. Plumbing store can order a toll to open the caps without bending over, they are designed to reach into underground access holes.

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Forest River Forums mobile app

[fonzie]

You can consider a ProPride 3P, once it it's set up there is not bars to lift or to remove. Have a look at their website and videos, might be a solution.

Trailer Sway Control Hitch Guaranteed to Eliminate Trailer Sway - ProPride 3P

[Dovetail]

I added an extension to my galley tank. Just has a bayonet connection to the original and a valve all in one "plug and play". Much easier access.

[jwedell]

You can get one of there (sewer hose wrench) to help twist the sewer hose on and off.



It is pretty easy to modify the end of the sewer pipe to make it easy for you. Any repair shop or plumber can do it.

They also have electric valves that you just flip a switch to dump the tanks.

We're facing the same challenges you are and there are plenty of ways around it.

An Anderson hitch was recommended and you may want to check it out. Very light weight.

Happy Camping.

[OldCoot]

To ease the chore of hooking the chains, if you have a power tongue jack, hook up, latch the receiver and raise the tongue about 3" or 4", then hook the chains. Should be a lot easier. As for the sewer connections, I have no suggestions other than maybe try a strap device they have for opening glass jars which might work in this case. Worth a try at least.

Your complaints are exactly what mine were 2 yrs ago when we decided to trade trailers. I had decided no more tongue trailers and whatever TOWTA wanted in a 5er was fine as long as I could pull it with my 1/2T. No regrets whatsoever.

[Weezer]

Ray and Steph,

Seein' as how my mind is going the way of my body, IIRC you have the same V-Lite we had?

We traded up to a 5er (after 8 mos.) for the same reasons you're describing here. DH and I have the same identical neck injury (C5/C6, C6/C7), and while that lends itself to a high level of empathy between us, it made the whole WDH hook-up a witch. DH is one of those who feels that conceding means the pain wins. I cringed every time I watched him muscle that hitch onto the receiver, knowing I couldn't lift that. So, I staged all the other components for him...the WD arms, the cheater bar, etc.

We also loved our TT, literally. However, now that we have the 5er, we don't dread the hitch-up and now look forward to each trip!

I can't offer any advice on how to make it easier for you with your TT, just wanted to let ya know, you're not alone!

[RJHuser]

To move your hitch around, you could try this:

https://www.campingworld.com/shoppin...itchgrip/75569

I've got one ordered (Camping World) haven't received it yet, looks like it will work well.

Rick

[Ray and Steph]

Thank you all for your thoughts and suggestions. We are going to be looking at them to see what may improve our experience. We are currently using a Pro hitch and we basically leave it locked on the truck (GMC 2500HD 4X4) all the time. The torsion bars and chains are the major issue when hitching up. We'll take a look at the Anderson hitches and see if that might give us some relief.

We have the Rhino-flex sewer set up and it is easy to connect/disconnect once we're down on the ground. The problem is getting up off the ground. DH does use a short length of plywood to give himself some stability and something to push against to get back up. As long as we work with it while the slides are in we may be able to find a milk crate or a bucket that will let us get low enough to reach the connections while sitting rather than kneeling or prone.

Before we bought the V-Lite last year we did think about the Class trade-offs. DH didn't want to drive a self contained (A or C), wanted to have the truck as an alternate vehicle. He also didn't like the high profile of so many of the 5ers so that left us with TT. When we saw our WIKS we loved the floor plan; it's great for the two of us (and the Brittany). So here we are a year down the road trying to create the best possible experience.

Thanks for your help. Are we going to see any of you in Goshen? Bob's going to make an effort to get us in a wider space this year so we can get the slides on both sides out! We are excited.

[asquared]

While I am still young, I have a hip injury (femoral acetabullar impingement) that makes getting up difficult and painful. Luckily, I have a sister who is an occupational therapy assistant. (Her job is to help people relearn ways to do activities of daily living, such as getting up, ambulating or using devices to make things easier). Her suggestion for getting back up from sitting on the ground is to roll on my side and then push up. Sitting on something like a chair is probably a good idea for you. You may want to see if you can consult someone like an occupational therapist to get some ideas to help you.

For the hitch as others have said, the Anderson is lighter weight or you can get something like the propride. You can also ask for help at the campground. I know we are always glad to help people out (that way we can pay it forward for all the help we have received too). A thank you is all I ask... DH does like a beer though . Good luck to you and be careful.

[jwedell]

We had a Montana 5th wheel. It had a sewer boom like the picture below which stored the sewer hose. It was always connected so all we had to do was swing it out and put it in the sewer connection. If that helps i'm sure you can find someone to fabricate one for your trailer.

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by Ray and Steph

DH didn't want to drive a self contained (A or C), wanted to have the truck as an alternate vehicle. He also didn't like the high profile of so many of the 5ers so that left us with TT.

Thanks for your help. Are we going to see any of you in Goshen? Bob's going to make an effort to get us in a wider space this year so we can get the slides on both sides out! We are excited.

Couple of thoughts on your Comments Steph:

first off on a class A or C, remember you're going to be Dragging a dingy behind you and the dingy will be a lot easier drive than 150 or 250 class truck when you're touring around your campsite

As far as the high-profile I'm not sure – we are towing a 8289 WKS with a 150 class truck and our profile is not that High at all --as a matter fact we can zoom down the road at 70 miles an hour if we so choose with no swaying or side wind push at all :-)

Just some more thoughts

[Stg1]

I have some of the same health and age issues you have and the
dew is older and has limited strength. Along time ago , I started carrying a folding metal chair. I keep the hitch in the back of my truck. I place the chair even with the receiver I withdraw the hitch and place it on the chair, close the tailgate and slide the hitch into the receiver. I also use the chair to sit and hook up the sway bars. using the power tongue jack, I raise the hitch enough to attach the chains with out straining. I also use the chair to hook up the water, sewer, and satellite dish. as well as putting the leveling blocks down. The chair has been a life saver for me. Hope this helps.

[lswartz]

For your sewage, just ask your fellow campers on either side of you. If you are at the dump station, the camper just behind you in line will be more than glad to speed you through dumping so they can get out of there quickly.

[Mtelkman]

Originally Posted by jwedell

We had a Montana 5th wheel. It had a sewer boom like the picture below which stored the sewer hose. It was always connected so all we had to do was swing it out and put it in the sewer connection. If that helps i'm sure you can find someone to fabricate one for your trailer.

Attachment 48072

That right there is a fantastic idea and just another reason I love this forum. So many great ideas!

I don't have anything to add for the OP other than to say if I am at a campground/RV park and somebody asked me for assistance I would be more than happy to help. In addition, most RV parks out west here usually always ask us if we need any help. I have never said yes, but I imagine they have a handyman or somebody who would be able to offer assistance. Probably would only cost you a cold beer!