New to TT and Rockwood, Newbie Questions

[Wpgrv]

We Just ordered our 2304S about 1 week ago and we are very excited.

I have a couple of questions I am sure some of you will have answers for.

1. Slide Awning.
Do i need to be concerned about high winds damaging the awning over the slide? Does it actually help with leaks vs. driving rain?

2. Antenna.
How is the digital reception? Should I just get a portable Sat rig?

3. Coffee Makers.
What is the preferred coffee making device? Tassimo, French Press, Traditional?

4. Hitch.
I have a 2008 F-150 with 145" wheel base and the the Triton 5.4L. My axle ratio is 3.73, I am sure I can tow 9000+ lbs. Do I need an equalizing Hitch?

Thanks for your time and answers!

[troyt]

Congrats on the new trailer!

1.Slide Awning.
Do i need to be concerned about high winds damaging the awning over the slide? Does it actually help with leaks vs. driving rain?

Answer: I close mine if it going to be windy or expect lots of rain. I believe the owner’s manual says not designed to withstand high winds and rain.

2. Antenna.
How is the digital reception? Should I just get a portable Sat rig?

Answer: Personal preference on the amount of channels you want. It would depend on the availability in your location. I don’t have a sat setup yet, but considering it.

3. Coffee Makers.
What is the preferred coffee making device? Tassimo, French Press, Traditional?

Answer: Traditional works for me. Personal preference.

4. Hitch.
I have a 2008 F-150 with 145" wheel base and the Triton 5.4L. My axle ratio is 3.73, I am sure I can tow 9000+ lbs. Do I need an equalizing Hitch?

Answer: Your TT is about 24’ long and GVWR 6,894 with a dry hitch weight of 678lbs. Defiantly on the equalizer hitch pulling with a ½ ton. You need to get some of the weight off the hitch. I'm sure others will comment with better details.


2304S - Ultra Lite Travel Trailers
Dry Hitch Weight 678 lbs. (308 kg)
Unloaded Vehicle Weight 4,688 lbs. (2,126 kg)
GVWR 6,594 lbs. (2,991 kg)
Cargo Carrying Capacity 1,833 lbs. (831 kg)
Exterior Length 23' 9" (7.2 m)
Exterior Height 9' 7" (2.9 m)
Exterior Width 96" (2.4 m)
Fresh Water Capacity 36 gal. (136 L)
Gray Water Capacity 37 gal. (140 L)
Black Water Capacity 37 gal. (140 L)
Awning Size 15' (4.6 m)

Of course this is just my opinion.

Happy camping.

[crasher]

Look for a sticker on you truck by the hitch or in the owner's manual. Typically it says the limit without a WD hitch setup is 500#. You are definately over this. Some kind of sway control is also a good idea.

[timarti]

See below for our 2304s setup. It tows well, but I did add the second friction bar after a few trips.

Have not had a problem with the slide awning in the wind. If you pulled it in you would be pulling in the slide, and then no murphy bed! The main awning we do pull in if it is windy. FYI, the fuse for the dinette slide is at the front of the trailer under the driver side A frame (30amp). It is an inline fuse. The manual crank for the slide fits in a spot up high on the frame under the steps. Ask me how I know this.

We are too far from civilization to get TV reception without satellite, but have not bothered. DVDs for us! We have an Aircard, so internet for entertainment on our I-pads.

We have a number of coffee making devices, a french press and a stovetop espresso maker and an electric kettle. We Use the french press and kettle if it is really hot and not wanting to light the stove. Storage is a bit limited for large appliances, so we stopped hauling along the coffeemaker with the pods.

FYI, if the propane suddenly stops working and you still have propane, check that the middle "dot" on the regulator shows green. If it is red, turn off the propane, remove both hoses from tanks and then re-install. Turn on gas to tanks. This should "reset" the regulator. This from and emergency call to our dealer on our last trip!

Enjoy you new rolling home, we love ours!

[jwuertz]

We have a 2304S and pull it with a 2002 Ford F150 with a 5.4. You will need a weight distribution hitch for this TT. The front of the truck is to light without the hitch which causes some loss of steering control.
We love our 2304S . The murphy bed and the super slide gives you lots of room inside the shorter camper. The large bath room is also very nice. We just completed our second season and have not had any problems with it.

[Wpgrv]

I appreciate the fast responses!

We wanted a compact trailer that had all the features/room of a larger trailer and the Murphy Bed system seemed like a no-brainer. I am curious though, does the Serta mattress make a difference? Is it comfortable?

The large open feel of the 2304S was refreshing after looking at so many trailers that were 2-4 feet longer and felt a lot more cramped. It is hard to believe it is so small. I love the large bathroom as well.

Being totally new to this, I secured a waterfront site before I even ordered the trailer! Our goal is to camp seasonally and take the trailer out a few times for short road trips. I think we made the right choice for just the two of us! (and 2 small dogs!)

Thanks for the feedback!

[jwuertz]

The Serta mattress is very comfortable, in my opinion. It is much improved over our previous hybred camper which had the much thiner foam matterss. We have not used the heater that is in the mattress since most of our camping trips were in warm weather. I also put a shelf in the kitchen cabinets which will double the storage space.

[Wpgrv]

I love the cabinets and kitchen layout. It will be hard not going overboard and filling them.
How is the counter extension? Is it flimsy or sturdy?

[timarti]

Counter extension is handy. I added a strap on the wall behind the bathroom door to hold the counter against the wall when not in use.

[commander]

Are u from winnipeg manitoba.Because i'm from north of the city.If u don't mind me asking where did u purchase ur trailer from.

[Wpgrv]

Holiday RV in Stienbach.

[commander]

Yes we got our 83306ss from there to.The best place to buy a travel trailer for sure.Congrat's on ur purchase,

[Wpgrv]

Thanks!

We shopped around a lot. We chose Holiday for price, service, attitude and friendly staff. They were also patient with our newbie indecision.
Out of the 7 dealerships we went to, only 3 stood out.

[commander]

We also made our decision on your quote.

[commander]

What campsites did u go to this year so far.Where was your best trip im manitoba.Wpgrv.

[Wpgrv]

We are brand new.
Haven't been out this year.

[mtmauz]

We had our awning out while we were in Laughlin for the day. While in a casino they had a freak wind storm that broke glass walls, car windows and cause several trees to blow over. We rushed home (we have dogs we were concerned about!) to find our awning torn apart. The metal arms were bent, the fabric no longer connected to our coach and damage to the side of the coach.

Best advice I can give: If you are not going to be IN or WITHIN VIEW of your coach then you need to roll up your awning.

[Jmjtx]

Sorry to hear about your awning fiasco! Sounds like good advice to all of us!