Newbie needing some guidance

[luvthatduck]

Hi! We brought home our 2014 Wildwood 27TDSS Today!!

We are super excited to pack all the essentials in her and get to camping!

So my question is this:
Do any of you have lists of items you require in your rigs?
I'm talking about the essentials for traveling maintenance or emergencies.
Tools, caulking, nuts bolts, fuses etc etc etc?

I would like to start to stocking up our needs so if anyone would like to share their packing lists that would be so helpful!! Thank you!!

[TeresaInCAL]

Yes, tools, hatchet, drill, drill bit set, etc. hazard triangle, extra fire extinguishers, AA & D size batteries, can opener, fuses, lighters, 2 bottle jacks.

UG, there is SO much...

[fonzie]

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...-tt-56549.html

[LittlePM]

Originally Posted by TeresaInCAL

Yes, tools, hatchet, drill, drill bit set, etc. hazard triangle, extra fire extinguishers, AA & D size batteries, can opener, fuses, lighters, 2 bottle jacks.

UG, there is SO much...

I have to tell you that I miss read your post. Keep in mind that it is still early, I read it ... 2 bottles of jack.... I'm sure that would make for a happy camper.

[Triguy]

Congrats on your new camper

Here are some thoughts that might give you a few ideas...

• Especially useful are manuals and assorted PDFs on my iPad and my copy of Harold Barre's Managing 12 Volts book (MUST READ).
• A Roadside Assistance policy and credit card
• A decent multimeter
• Fuses for those inevitable fixit jobs you will need to do while camping. Look at each slot and replicate them.
• A good surge protector.
• Variety of electrical adapters
• Extension cord (30 or 50amp to fit your trailer) for when your site demand more length than the trailers cord provides
• Flares
• Bottle jack and breaker bar
• 12volt air compressor
• A set of hand tools - slot, square tip, and Philips screwdrivers, a variety of wrenches (adjustable crescent if you don't know what sizes you might need), long nose pliers, leatherman
• A variety of sockets including a socket you can use to tighten your lugs in the first few hundred miles and cordless drill for the stabilizers (unless yours are powered).
• Sven saw
• Hammer
• Dicor LAP sealant
• Rescue tape and Gorilla tape or equivalent
• Water presure regulator and a Water bandit
• A good LED flashlight
• A competent first aid kit

[ddbck]

Great thread,thx!!! As said before, Bottle Jack.

[mark0224]

our first ever trip we forgot sugar for coffee, the great thing is most campers when they find out your new to it are more than willing to help. Am sure you will get there and find something missing and someone will jump in to help. Same thing goes for setting up if something seems out of place or you can't remember how they showed you to do it, ask someone will be glad to assist. Hope your first trip is fun.

[TeresaInCAL]

Originally Posted by LittlePM

I have to tell you that I miss read your post. Keep in mind that it is still early, I read it ... 2 bottles of jack.... I'm sure that would make for a happy camper.

No, that's 2 bottles of WINE...that's on a different list!

[SKnight]

Tools to change a tire. My case that's a long 1/2" ratchet, 13/16" socket, torque wrench. My truck has a bottle style jack that worked on the TT, I need to see if it'll work ok on this unit. That saves me the extra jack if it will.

Screwdriver set, test light, digital multimeter. I need to put some fuses together.

A good flashlight, I should get an emergency triangle set. If the trailer breaks and has to be left on the side of the road then you lose your hazard flashers.

Insect spray, both people and ground varieties.

There's more, I just can't pull it up right now.

[TURBS]

Number one item which has been mentioned twice is a good digital multimeter!


TURBS
Sabre owners united!

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by Triguy

Congrats on your new camper

Here are some thoughts that might give you a few ideas...

• <SNIP>

Everything Triguy said - absolutely! A couple more things I feel are absolutely essential:

You probably have a fresh water hose to hook to your RV - dealers usually give you one. If not, you need one that is for drinking water (NOT a garden hose ) The hose you need for your RV is usually white and designed to be hooked from the water spigot to the fresh water in cap on your RV

BEFORE you hook that water up, get a pressure regulator! Inexpensive ones are only $8 or so (with top of the line units @ $30) this device will SAVE you from high water pressure which could blow the lines/pipes out in your RV )

A good Surge protector for when you connect to camp power. This is another pricey addition but the alternative (fried RV wiring/circuits/appliances) are even worse! Search Amazon for RV Surge protectors - or search the forum - the prices run from @ $70 for a basic unit to @ $350 for a completely automatic line monitoring system (FYI, you will eventually get this one so if you can afford it now, just bite the bullet)

You will want chocks for your wheels and you might as well get the best out there because they not only keep you in place but minimize fron-rear rocking caused by wheel movement. The ones you want are BAL X-chocks and you can find them on Amazon.

The thing they did not tell you that you would need post sale.....I know!

Enjoy your new Rig and Welcome!

[simplyrwc]

Pick and choose. These are all good suggestions but you don't need it all for your first trip.

But the bottles of jack is a must.

[Batts-toy]

Never use your white fresh water hose for washing down or anything dealing with black or grey tank dumping take a separate garden hose for this.

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by Batts-toy

Never use your white fresh water hose for washing down or anything dealing with black or grey tank dumping take a separate garden hose for this.

X200!!!!

[rburns4147]

You can save a lot of money if you stay out of the RV stores. I love looking through Camping World stores and catalogs but most of your essentials can be purchased at Walmart and if not there, then there is always Amazon. Don't forget the housewares section to find paper towel holders, towel racks, laundry items and the like. You can find all kinds of storage tubs and totes and kitchen organizing items too.

For some things there are no "RV only" items so you can shop anywhere. For example, a couple of years ago when we had a travel trailer, the microwave went out. I checked with our dealer to see if they had one. Of course they did and it was almost $200. I asked them what was special about an RV microwave and they finally admitted that the only thing they could think of was the trim panel. There was no such thing as a "shake proof" microwave. I confirmed this by asking other dealers and checking on line. In the end I went to Walmart and found a microwave that fit the hole, took the trim panel off the old one, mounted it on the new one, and then mounted it in the hole. For about $60.00 I had a new microwave.

[SKnight]

Originally Posted by rburns4147

You can save a lot of money if you stay out of the RV stores. I love looking through Camping World stores and catalogs but most of your essentials can be purchased at Walmart and if not there, then there is always Amazon. Don't forget the housewares section to find paper towel holders, towel racks, laundry items and the like. You can find all kinds of storage tubs and totes and kitchen organizing items too.

For some things there are no "RV only" items so you can shop anywhere. For example, a couple of years ago when we had a travel trailer, the microwave went out. I checked with our dealer to see if they had one. Of course they did and it was almost $200. I asked them what was special about an RV microwave and they finally admitted that the only thing they could think of was the trim panel. There was no such thing as a "shake proof" microwave. I confirmed this by asking other dealers and checking on line. In the end I went to Walmart and found a microwave that fit the hole, took the trim panel off the old one, mounted it on the new one, and then mounted it in the hole. For about $60.00 I had a new microwave.

QFT! Shop the camping specialty stores. And, some of that stuff is truly camping specialized with regard to space savings or space.

But so much of it can be had in the regular housewares area, or, hate it that I do, Walmart. I don't mind paying a little more for something specialized, but when I can get an equally capable portable grill for $100 at Home Depot over the $300 "camping" grill that is similar cooking surface but packs down four inches shorter? Yeah, I'll suffer with that four inches and pocket my $200 in savings. 10'X20' outdoor mat for $149 or 9'X12' from Walmart for $49? Would I have paid $79 or maybe $100 for the 10X20? Sure. $149? Letting my southern out a bit, they've done bumped their heads.

There's things you want to get at the camping stores. Electrical adapters, surge protectors, etc. But propane accessories for example, you likely have a propane distributor near you that will sell to you with more knowledge and better pricing.

So shop around, the camping stores have neat stuff because they have searched out the cool stuff that appeals to us, but look around and see what you can find elsewhere.

[BamaBob]

Originally Posted by rburns4147

You can save a lot of money if you stay out of the RV stores. I love looking through Camping World stores and catalogs but most of your essentials can be purchased at Walmart and if not there, then there is always Amazon.

X2 what rburns says!

In fact, run, don't walk away from RV "speciality" stores (Camping World especially) They are great "candy Stores" but in my experience they are very overpticed (by as much as 150% at times

If you have a Amazon prime account, this is the best RV store in the world! Everything we have recommended can be purchased at Amazon, cheaper than most anywhere else and your prime account gives you free 2 day shipping (and YES they will happily ship to that RV camp you are at for the week ) If you don't have Amazon prime, consider getting it now (while it is $79 a year) not only do you get the free shipping but a great FREE movie & TV library that you can watch after a long day outdoors!

[SKnight]

To add, I am more than dedicated to supporting brick and mortar stores, and understand the reasons for them charging more for the same items you can find online, but I also know that 20-30% more is the max necessary to offset the overhead.

It's sad actually, I'd much rather handle something before I buy it. But at 50-70 or even 100%+ more than can be found online? Nope, sorry.

[simplyrwc]

What is QTF?

[SKnight]

Originally Posted by simplyrwc

What is QTF?

Quoted For Truth.