What when in setting up/breaking down

[bzac1954]

Originally Posted by Russellvh

2022 Wildcat 5th wheel. Only been out 2 times. actually, going pretty smooth. When it comes to the duties of setting up and breaking down what order is best? I can successfully unhitch, hook up the water, electricity, open the slides etc.

I have figured out you always do sewer last to prevent cross contamination but what order is the best routine for all the chores?

I level first using the pads then I stabilize with tire and x-chocks before the slides come out. Just my OCD I suppose!

[Lighting546]

Originally Posted by Russellvh

2022 Wildcat 5th wheel. Only been out 2 times. Actually going pretty smooth. When it comes to the duties of setting up and breaking down what order is best? I can successfully unhitch, hook up the water, electricity, open the slides etc.

I have figured out you always do sewer last to prevent cross contamination but what order is the best routine for all the chores?

I have a departure and an arrival checklist so that I do it the same way every time.

Once in the camping spot I put the landing gear down (I have a 5th wheel), unlock the hitch and slowly pull out until I can open the forward storage space, then pull out the shore power cable and hook it up, then check the surge protector readout, if everything is good to go I continue with the setup.

Before going back outside I turn the satellite dish on, and then the A/C, then I finish leveling it and then I hook up the sewer line, and the hose for the black tank flush, then I connect the fresh water hose and turn on the faucet.

Once all of that is done I go back inside and extend the slide and awning. Once all of that is done then it’s setting up the mat, the chairs and grill, I might also grab a beer while I’m doing the light stuff, but only if I’m not driving anywhere the rest of the day.

I also might have to take a break from setting everything up and take my dogs for a walk before continuing with the setup.

Once all that’s done it’s time to kick back and relax.
The reason I came up with these checklists is because of the 20 years I spent in the Navy as a submarine sailor. Checklists helped me to remember everything I needed on the boat for a deployment cycle. They don’t have grocery stores or a store that sells cigarettes on a submarine. Several years ago the Navy banned smoking on their submarines, I would have been having DT’s if I couldn’t smoke underway.

[jlynn721]

Originally Posted by Russellvh

2022 Wildcat 5th wheel. Only been out 2 times. Actually going pretty smooth. When it comes to the duties of setting up and breaking down what order is best? I can successfully unhitch, hook up the water, electricity, open the slides etc.

I have figured out you always do sewer last to prevent cross contamination but what order is the best routine for all the chores?

1) Check electric and water (no sense doing anything else if you have to move)
2). Level side to side.
3) Chock wheels
4) unhook
5) level front to back
6) plug in/hookup water
7) put slides out
8) switch frig from propane to electric
9) put stabilizers down (I do this last as I don’t always put them down if I’m alone or we are only staying one night)
Sometimes I skip 3, 4 & 5 if I don’t unhook for the one night.
10) all the other little things inside amd out

[Lighting546]

Originally Posted by Russellvh

2022 Wildcat 5th wheel. Only been out 2 times. Actually going pretty smooth. When it comes to the duties of setting up and breaking down what order is best? I can successfully unhitch, hook up the water, electricity, open the slides etc.

I have figured out you always do sewer last to prevent cross contamination but what order is the best routine for all the chores?

The way my Puma is setup I have to connect the second sewer hose for the galley grey tank and the water hoses for flushing the black tank and for fresh water before putting the slide out, unless I want to crawl under the slide to put the hoses on. In order to have a sewer hose connected to both connections I had to buy 40' of hose and a Y connector, the dump valves are in 2 different places. The dump valve for the galley grey water tank is under the slide out and the valves for the black tank and forward grey tank are just behind the doors for the propane tanks.

[DouglasReid]

Originally Posted by Russellvh

2022 Wildcat 5th wheel. Only been out 2 times. Actually going pretty smooth. When it comes to the duties of setting up and breaking down what order is best? I can successfully unhitch, hook up the water, electricity, open the slides etc.

I have figured out you always do sewer last to prevent cross contamination but what order is the best routine for all the chores?

I don't know there is one "Best" way to set up or pack up. I can tell you two or three things I find Very Important however.

1. level the camper before operating the slides. They will track better, go in and out easier and not get out of alignment.

2. Always lift your rear stabilizer before lifting the front of your camper with the landing gear. Leaving them down does not allow the axles to act as a fulcrum and you risk bending your frame

3. when you think you are done, walk around the camper/truck one last time. You will be amazed that sometimes you missed something. (DW and I do it together, she goes in one direction and I go in the opposite direction.)

[CHICKDOE]

Originally Posted by DouglasReid

3. when you think you are done, walk around the camper/truck one last time. You will be amazed that sometimes you missed something. (DW and I do it together, she goes in one direction and I go in the opposite direction.)

you know when thinking about all the things that need to be done before you leave this final walkaround is extremely important. i also make it a practice to do a complete walk around, both inside and outside. i'm checking for all the little things you don't really think about. things like:
internal doors secured
refrigerator doors restrained
windows closed
vents closed
antenna down
sink covers in place
clock off the wall
stairs stowed and latched
storage doors latched and closed
leveling legs up
door grab rails stored
shore power disconnected and inverter actually powering refrigerator

you just have to get a mental picture in your head of how everything should be before you take the final step and start to pull out. this will vary with each model rv and by what each person brings with them. but do that final walkaround. walk all the way around and look at everything from the tires on the ground to the top of the roof. walk way out into the road so you can see the roof from multiple angles. as was stated, it is amazing what you find during these walkarounds. for us a common one is a window left open.

we have also seen several instances where somebody forgot something. we have seen rv's leave a site with a storage door flopping wide open. we have seen a trailer going down the highway with the stairs and handrail still out.

we left one time with one of the refrigerator doors not secured. we discovered it when we got to the next site and found the watermelon had come out of the refrigerator and hit the floor (yes it was a mess).

[dedobias]

Originally Posted by bzac1954

I level first using the pads then I stabilize with tire and x-chocks before the slides come out. Just my OCD I suppose!

Xchocks are NOT chocks and can and do pop out on an incline. They are NOT a saftey device and do not adeqately CHOCK the wheels. The manufacturer clearly states this. Good chocks on BOTH sides are ABSOLUTELY required before unhitching.

[dedobias]

I think Titan hits it exactly. I'll add one thing. Make sure you can reach water and electrical and that stairs and slideouts won't be obstructed when opened. Level side to side. Chock both sides , NOT xchocks, they aren't chock and do pop out on an incline. After chocking, release the parking brake and put the truck in neutral then take your foot off the brake and let the trailer and truck roll onto and lock one side of the chocks. If you use xchocks do NOT put them on until after performing this step. Then set the parking brake and put it in park. Tighten the free side chocks. Now unhook the trailer, open the slides, verify side to side and level end to end. Then electric so you can start ac and make sure the power pedestal is ok. Then water and sewer.

[flosmith]

I haven’t read ALL the responses, but here’s our general order of events:
1. Back in, checking location for water & electric shore power as well as the door and awning, to be sure everything fits in the space.
2. Level side to side & chock wheels. It’s even a good idea to deploy awning at this point, just to be sure there are no obstacles.
3. Then we tend to divide & conquer. One of us unhitches & levels front to back while the other hooks up utilities. EMT system first, then turn the power back off to plug in trailer. Flip breaker one last time. Go inside & turn on A/C! Go back outside and finish utilities hookups. Assist hubs in unhitching if needed. If just one person is available, I suggest utilities first then unhitching & level front to back. That way, if hoses or cords are too short, you don’t have to re-hitch.
4. Propane is usually last. (We don’t hook up sewer till getting close to needing first dump)
5. Get a cold beverage and start camping!

[Chardagha]

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