Need some advice

atkingswat · 04-04-2011, 03:26 PM

I have a 3625rt cardinal that I just bought new. We are taking it out this friday. Its out first trip ever in a 5th wheel. My question is, how hard is it to set up? And im having nightmares about making sure I have all the hookups connected like I should. ANY help would be greatly appreciated!

atkingswat · 04-04-2011, 03:27 PM

I guess I have those first time butterflies! Lol

campnqueen · 04-04-2011, 05:33 PM

atkingswat.....
wwwweeeeelllllll...... cant speak about the fifth wheel...
but our trailer (Graywolf 19RR) is a piece of cake!

If my hubby can do it....so can you!
(my hubby wasn't really a rv'er...but i was)

Have fun and be careful...
Just so slow! driving and setting up!

cardinal4fun · 04-05-2011, 06:07 AM

First off relax and enjoy your new Cardinal!!!!

You can try almost everything in the comfort of your driveway.
Electric- you mostly have 50 amp service, if thats true make sure you have a 50-30 amp adapter. If the campground you are going to has 50 amp no need to worry.
Water- white hose 25' and a pressure regulator.
Sewer hose

The main thing is take your time and enjoy. If you need help most if not all people at campgrounds have been in the same spot as you one time or another. Ask and they will help.

check out the cardinal owners rv club www. cardinalrvclub.org

Traveler II · 04-05-2011, 01:44 PM

When we first got our Cardinal we got some great information from the Cardinal RV Club Forum-great helpful and positive people. If I recall we were able to download a check list from them that was helpful. We did some practice in a park lot, backing up and just seeing how it handled. When we got it home we practice what the dealer had told us to on hook and hook back up. The first time it took me an hour, I couldn't get it to unhook. But now we can unhook and set up in 15-20 minutes. Always make sure you have the wheels on the trailer chocked before you hook up or un hook.

To me backing up is the hardest, but we just take our time, get out and look and have not had a problem.

Take your time and enjoy, it's fun.

atkingswat · 04-05-2011, 02:55 PM

I would like to have that check list. Is it on the cardinal rv forum? I can say that so far everyone on this forum has been very helpfull. Looking forward to sharing alot of memories on here. Thanks alot

Traveler II · 04-05-2011, 08:42 PM

If you go to the www. cardinalrvclub.org and search "Check Lists for your RV'ing Safety" you will find seveal check list.

**Terier** · 04-05-2011, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by atkingswat

I have a 3625rt cardinal that I just bought new. We are taking it out this friday. Its out first trip ever in a 5th wheel. My question is, how hard is it to set up? And im having nightmares about making sure I have all the hookups connected like I should. ANY help would be greatly appreciated!

If you are camping at a campground feel free to get out and meet some of your campsite neighbors, maybe someone with a 5th wheel. Pick someone that you can either relate to or someone with a nice rig - everyone likes hearing what a great trailer they have. Most RVers are friendly and eager to help - especially with newbies.

On my first trip I was lucky to have my sister-in-law drop by and check things out. While she had a 5th wheel and I have a travel trailer much of the stuff is generally the same for hooking up. It was a very long time from delivery to first campout and worried that I had forgotten so much.

I didn't get much sleep on the first overnighter - I worried about the water hose too much. Around midnight I jumped out of bed when the cg water sprinkler came on and my trailer was right in the line of watering. I thought the hose came out and I was creating a flood. The noise of the water hitting the travel was so loud - scared the daylights out of me. Later replacing the washer took care of the dripping problem.

azwade · 04-05-2011, 10:17 PM

Make yourself a checklist. Absolutely necessary if you do not want to drive off with something still up or out or dragging. Chocks under wheels before hookup or dropping the trailer (first thing on list), check tire pressure frequently (tires cold), check to make sure antenna is down, awnings are in, slides are in, RV lights plugged in and checked, safety cord fastened, RV storage doors are secure, LP gas is on so that when the frig is switched to "auto" it will run on gas and RV windows secured. When you first fill the LP gas tanks run the stove to remove air otherwise the frig will not switch over right away. Make sure 5th wheel hitch is open before trying to couple with RV and that the locking mechanism is secure when attached. If while trying to drop the RV the 5th wheel hitch pull handle will not pull out, make sure there is no pressure on it (by backing or pulling ahead slightly or adjusting the front legs up or down. Take your time loading and unloading the RV - use the check list, pulling into strange RV parks and traveling in general. Get a set of two way hand held radios so someone can stand outside and warn you of problems without having to stay in your mirrors. Get a good GPS to help navigate. WATCH for low canopies at gas stations, etc. Other than that, have fun. Once you do it a few times and follow the check list, everything should go smoothly....

atkingswat · 04-08-2011, 09:28 PM

Well here we are in etheridge tenn. While trying to set up the camper, a bolt sheared off of the landing gear motor. Had to run to the nearest hardware store and pick up a few.

Got it put back together, but was unable to get camper leveled good, because of the camp site that we're on. It started off pretty aggravating but im trying to keep a positive attitude about it all.

I've got a good list of things for my salesman when I take it back for the 90 day recheck.

Big bird · 04-09-2011, 01:18 PM

I have the same FW. We have not had many problems. Mostly small stuff like screws coming out of the wall from the shades, which is an easy fix with a molly. I think we used too much muscle with them in the beginning. The base speaker for the surround sound in the rear cabinet where the TV retracts was not attached to anything, moved and blocked the TV from going all the way down. I was new to RV'g when we purchased the Cardinal and attaching the electrical cable connection on the FW was an issue for me. The TV cable connection in the docking station was a small issue and the sewer hose was fun too. The dealer forgot to move the switch on the hot water heater to the on position and it is under the flooring accessible from the basement. Learning how to use the refrigerator is interesting as well as the heating and air conditioning. Other RV'rs and the RV web sites like this one and the Cardinal RV Club have been very helpful with the nuances. I consider this all small stuff and have learned that buying an RV if vary different from buying a Mercedes. The most fun has been learning how to tow it!

atkingswat · 04-10-2011, 07:17 AM

I know what you mean bigbird. I've gotta try and use the dump station on our way out, and it will be the first time for that too. Im wondering what else is going to go wrong on this trip. Hopefully I can get it figured out and survive the dump station. They didn't cover that very well at the dealership.

jimh · 04-10-2011, 08:17 AM

if this is the first time u've plugged in, make sure the water heater has water in it before u turn it on. there is a switch on the water heater and a breaker to it. hopefully one of them is off. mine was all on when i got it and empty. the water heater element doesn't last long when tank is empty.
leveling is with shims under the tires. get it level side to side before u disconnect. then when u drop ur landing gear, they should find near level (i put boards under them for a little extra pad). then u extend the landing gear until it comes up off the hitch (if it tries to lift the truck, u may have to put the truck in gear and let it move abt a 1/2" to relieve the bind between the king pin and hitch...usually any movement is enough...don't want to move enough the move the trailer with landing gear down). this is when u make sure the two legs are rising together ie the pins set in the landing gear legs.
once u can see clearance between the flat part of the trailer and the hitch flat part, release the hitch, disconnect the cord between trailer and truck and drive off. level front to back. then go to ur check list.
i usually hook the water first and crack it open very slightly and bleed any air from the system first then the electricity. mainly because of the water heater.

Big bird · 04-10-2011, 12:30 PM

AT

I hope you purchased a hose for cleaning the black holding tank and the drain lines. This is not the same hose as you use for fresh water. In your docking station there is a hose connection. Attach the hose to this connection and to the available water source. Once you have emptied the three tanks run water for about 10 minutes. This will clean out the black holding tank and the drain lines. I run water through the flex hose to make sure that is clean as a last step. I always wear a pair of leather gloves. I store all clean out tools in a plastic storage box. I also put the flex hose in a garment bag. I keep soap in the docking station dispenser as well as rags to clean up and disinfectant for hands. I use the shower fixture in the docking station for personal clean up. A lot of people wear jump suits when doing a sewer clean out. My only consolation with this job is the guy with the $330,000 Allegro bus has to do it too.

atkingswat · 04-10-2011, 04:55 PM

Well I made through the dump station!!!!! It wasn't as bad as I thought it would be.

The only thing that gets me is, like the site we were on had a slope in it. I couldn't get the camper level front to back. Side to side was ok, but front to back was horrible. It felt like climbing mt. Everest!!!

How do you level front to back?

jimh · 04-10-2011, 07:28 PM

raise or lower the front jacks (landing gear). if u are getting to an extreme with the jacks extended and still not level, put the truck back under it so the hitch will support the trailer, then put blocks under the landing gear and take it back up. if the front has to go too low, i would look for another site or put shims under both wheels. actually, i would look for another site. the lower the front goes, the more blocks u will have to put under the rear stabilizers.

atkingswat · 04-10-2011, 07:49 PM

Im going to save this one so I don't forget that

mike06081969 · 04-10-2011, 08:27 PM

I'm learning the 5th wheel thing, too. We camped this weekend at Natchez Trace State Park and my wife insisted on a lake side campsite that required backing downhill into the campsite and unhitching from the truck with the truck and trailer at different angles. I've done this many times with a TT, but not a 5th wheel. It worked out pretty well. I think the main thing is just to get used to it.

atkingswat · 04-10-2011, 10:43 PM

Im just not use to having all this electrical gadgets, and sewer lines and stuff. After everything that has gone wrong this weekend, we have come to the conclusion, that we really enjoyed seeing all the Amish people.

We made some good friends, and planning on going back in two weeks. We are putting together a pretty good list for the dealership, so they can fix all the problems (hopefully). I think im going to invest in some leveling blocks before we go camping again!

Big bird · 04-11-2011, 11:39 AM

You might look into a tripod for the king pin or a stabilizer kit for the front jacks. They take out a lot of floor movement. I hope you have chocks. To balance the FW I have two levels; side to side and front and back. An RV acquaintance gave me two pieces of 2X6 the length of the width of my truck bed, and a tripod. When I get the FW in position at a camp site I check the side to side and if I am low on a side I pull forward lay a 2X6 on the low side of the tire track and back on to the 2X6. One usually balances me, but if I need two I do the procedure again and add the second piece of wood. I am told not to go three. The front to rear can be taken care of with the jacks and the rear stabilizer. Puts chocks tight against the tires, install the tripod and you should be level and have a firm floor.

Leave for Texas Wednesday.

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