First trip in our 2011 Roo 23ss

[JPin AZ]

We took it to Rocky Point Mexico for spring break. Towed nice but the Avalanche only got 9 mpg. First problem I left the slide out supports used while traveling on top of the slide when I opened it. When I went to close the slide to remove them nothing happened. I found a ground wire at the switch disconnected. When getting ready to hook up to go home I found a flat tire. Since our MX insurance was only good for a few more hours it was a rush to swap the spare and get hooked up. I just installed a Husky HB4500 tongue jack with the nice holder for the seven way. For the last 15 years when disconnecting a trailer I just hung the chains and electrical connector over the tongue. In my rush I over looked the connector and ended up towing it home 220 miles with no lights or trailer brakes. I am not sure if I feel more lucky or dumb. We love having the extra room over the old Bantam 19!

[hack522]

Originally Posted by JPin AZ

We took it to Rocky Point Mexico for spring break. Towed nice but the Avalanche only got 9 mpg. First problem I left the slide out supports used while traveling on top of the slide when I opened it. When I went to close the slide to remove them nothing happened. I found a ground wire at the switch disconnected. When getting ready to hook up to go home I found a flat tire. Since our MX insurance was only good for a few more hours it was a rush to swap the spare and get hooked up. I just installed a Husky HB4500 tongue jack with the nice holder for the seven way. For the last 15 years when disconnecting a trailer I just hung the chains and electrical connector over the tongue. In my rush I over looked the connector and ended up towing it home 220 miles with no lights or trailer brakes. I am not sure if I feel more lucky or dumb. We love having the extra room over the old Bantam 19!

Extremely lucky without the lights functioning. I'm confused though since you should have had the electric brakes warn you. Mine flashes like crazy until I put the vehicle in gear.

On the slide braces, I wrap a towel around one so it hangs out. That way I know to remove.

[MillMitch]

I towed mine up the street and onto cross street before I figured out I forgot to connect the electric. I'm confused about the brake controller - why would it flash when the trailer isn't connected? Does it flash every time you start the vehicle without the TT hooked up? I'll have to look for that on mine. I don't pay any attention to it unless I'm towing

[hack522]

MillMitch, yes mine is flashes even when not hooked up to the TT. First few times it really freaked me out. Now it's the norm.

[JPin AZ]

Originally Posted by hack522

Extremely lucky without the lights functioning. I'm confused though since you should have had the electric brakes warn you. Mine flashes like crazy until I put the vehicle in gear.

On the slide braces, I wrap a towel around one so it hangs out. That way I know to remove.

My brake controller does not flash. It does show progressive lights when working. I really did not need the brakes until I got off the freeway about two miles from home. Since it was only the second time I put the slide out, I thought leaving the braces on top of the slide was a good storage place. Wrong idea. Then to have the slide not come back in at that time really freaked me out.

[CHICKDOE]

part of my departure procedure is to go to the rear of the trailer and physically verify that the both turn signal lights are working! if alone you have to walk back and forth to the truck to flip the turn signal level in order to verify both sides are working. if the wife is with me one person stays in the truck and the other is at the rear of the trailer, we also verify that the brake lights come on. plus a final physical walk around the entire trailer looking for things like open windows, antennas / vents, doors / latches, steps in, keys left in locks, etc. this only takes a couple of minutes and should be standard!!!

[JPin AZ]

Originally Posted by CHICKDOE

part of my departure procedure is to go to the rear of the trailer and physically verify that the both turn signal lights are working! if alone you have to walk back and forth to the truck to flip the turn signal level in order to verify both sides are working. if the wife is with me one person stays in the truck and the other is at the rear of the trailer, we also verify that the brake lights come on. plus a final physical walk around the entire trailer looking for things like open windows, antennas / vents, doors / latches, steps in, keys left in locks, etc. this only takes a couple of minutes and should be standard!!!

LOL I also do all of this at least once. With everything else going on it did not happen

[CHICKDOE]

we all know what to do and we probably have a mental checklist. i had a problem once where i forgot something that was significant. i asked myself how i forgot it. it turns out i was talking to somebody at the time so i guess i wasn't concentrating on my mental checklist. so when hooking up or unhooking the first part of the mental checklist is 'STOP TALKING AND CONCENTRATE ON WHAT YOU ARE DOING'. this may be the most important step.

[njfishing]

Good to have a written checklist in your tow vehicle and give it a quick look before you depart. I keep mine above the visor.

[TexasBob]

Originally Posted by JPin AZ

We took it to Rocky Point Mexico for spring break. Towed nice but the Avalanche only got 9 mpg. First problem I left the slide out supports used while traveling on top of the slide when I opened it. When I went to close the slide to remove them nothing happened. I found a ground wire at the switch disconnected. When getting ready to hook up to go home I found a flat tire. Since our MX insurance was only good for a few more hours it was a rush to swap the spare and get hooked up. I just installed a Husky HB4500 tongue jack with the nice holder for the seven way. For the last 15 years when disconnecting a trailer I just hung the chains and electrical connector over the tongue. In my rush I over looked the connector and ended up towing it home 220 miles with no lights or trailer brakes. I am not sure if I feel more lucky or dumb. We love having the extra room over the old Bantam 19!

I make habit of never moving my trailer until I check the lights, then put it in drive start to a roll and manually use the trailer brakes to stop. Then you are ready to go.

We all make dumb mistakes. Twice in one month I tried to pull out with my Husky jack still down.

[njfishing]

Oh and 9 miles per gallon towing with a gas engine is about the best you can expect... Only way you can get better mileage is with a diesel.

[Chuck_S]

Yep, 9 mpg is about right. Takes the same power to overcome the air resistance regardless of who made the engine and the same power requires the same fuel.

Air resistance is exponential and is twice at 70 as it was at 50. Key to less fuel use is less speed.

Brake controller "flashing" is gonna be unique to whatever brake controller you're using. The integrated brake controller in my Ford spotted a burnt out tail light the first time I connected the new truck.

-- Chuck

[JPin AZ]

I only check MPG once after a 65mph haul into the wind. Pretty much third gear the whole time. If I went 55mph I would have been able to get into overdrive. I was happy to get 9 mpg, that's what I got pulling the old 1500# lighter trailer. FWIW the transmission is build to haul in any gear. I only use OD on flat ground.

[PamperCamper]

Yep we all make mistakes. Luckily you were able to get things closed up and back across. We always start the season off somewhere local just to make sure everything is working correctly after sitting in storage for a couple months. Granted in AZ the season really doesn't have do end unless you are up north. I have actually forgot to hook up the emergency brake cable. Granted I remembered less than a block away. How i forgot while hooking everything else up i have no idea. Our roo came with one of those fastway cables so I tend to clip it on itself so it's out of the way when unhooked. But when in a hurry you forget things.

[cincia]

We check the brake lights, running lights, and turn signals everytime after hooking up. Its the last thing we do before taking off and since you pull forward a little to check the lights its also a good time to take one last look around to see if you've remembered to pick up everything. This is good practice to get into as several times we saw that we had missed putting something away. Glad to hear you made it back safe without lights, etc.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by cincia

We check the brake lights, running lights, and turn signals everytime after hooking up. Its the last thing we do before taking off and since you pull forward a little to check the lights its also a good time to take one last look around to see if you've remembered to pick up everything. This is good practice to get into as several times we saw that we had missed putting something away. Glad to hear you made it back safe without lights, etc.

Yep, my career as a firefighter required us doing a walk-around and lights check every day and every time we moved the fire/EMS vehicles. This always included the lights.
The DW has the job whenever we are leaving. I have the walk-around duties.

[Chuck_S]

I do all the checks personally.

Had one (1) episode of "I thought you locked the hitch" and that was more than enough. My sailing buddy was towing my J/24 sailboat home behind his commercial van. Safety chains saved the day...

-- Chuck