Hello everyone....brand new RV owners here...excited for future travels and always seeking advice, wisdom and tips from those who have been there.
NN
30,000 foot question, so a few 30,000 foot answers.
1. See my profile (click the pic) and my signature at the bottom of my post. Do yourself a favor and do something similar. Note that I've included info about my rig, solar, batteries, tow vehicle, camping habits, and Starlink. All in the sig, so people know what I run and how and where I use it. RV life in the Rocky Mountains is a lot different than life in Gulf Shores, Alabama. When you ask a question, people will have the details needed to answer.
2. If you boondock or if you go to RV parks matters. For giggles, I'll assume you might want to boondock now and again. Nothing wrong with RV parks, but to me, camping means being off the grid.
As a boondocker, you'll probably need:
a) some solar
b) more battery - and the difference between lead-acid vs LiFePo4 (lithium iron phosphate) a.k.a. "lithium"
c) a generator as well as size/capacity vs convenience and weight
d) if you boondock for extended stays, a way to handle blackwater and fresh water without uprooting your rig...we stay weeks at a time in one place...with no hookups
e) perhaps advice on staying connected (e.g. my Starlink or Cell Boosters)
f) Chapter and verse on your (very likely) 12 volt compressor fridge...power consumption/management and its impact on your ability to boondock (this is a book in itself)
3. Next comes advice on maintenance...towing your home on wheels down the road tends to cause things to fall apart. Check your rig after every tow to look for loose screws (and screws on the floor) and other fasteners coming apart. The short recommendation is to lay in a small supply of STAINLESS screws, nylock nuts, and bolts in various sizes. Get single use Gorilla Glue. On screws that come out, follow directions and add gorilla glue to the threads of the original screw or an upsized screw and replace the screw. Gorilla glue is like LocTite on nuts and bolts. Gorilla glue is like spray foam insulation. It expands. WAIT UNTIL IT DRIES and scrape off excess. Do NOT attempt to wipe of wet gorilla glue...it makes a mess. Carry a decent set of tools, including a good cordless drill and spare battery, along with a 3/4" socket adapter for your stab jacks...assuming they aren't electric.
Search for and find the hand crank tools provided to manually operate your slide(s) and stab jacks. (perhaps under a mattress)
Get a long 3/8 socket adapter for your drill and a 3/8" socket to manually run the tongue jack, and possibly the awning.
Carry a decent shovel. I also carry a small pick/mattock. I use both often.
4. Bring a step ladder that allows you to comfortably reach the roof...not get on the roof, but reach the roof from anywhere around the rig.
5. Know that there are YouTube videos on how to fix pretty much anything on an RV. If you watch them, be sure to watch at least a couple, because, like medicine, some are done by quacks, and most are good. But many producers have different approaches and tidbits of wisdom.
6. Understand your tow vehicle (TV) capabilities, your weight distribution hitch (WDH), the difference between manufacturers' dry weights and a fully laden rig - gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR). Understand loading for the correct weight and BALANCE. Understand the importance of proper tire pressures, tire age, lug nut maintenance, and so on. Understand the critical importance of proper tongue weight.
7. Learn manual shifting on your TV. Learn about proper use of the trailer brake controller if/when the RV tail starts to wag the TV dog. Your life depends on it. Learn about conserving your brakes in the mountains.
8. If you want to keep your RV in showroom condition, practice maneuvers in a large parking lot using some traffic cones and other soft objects. Understand that when you turn left, the rear bumper of your rig moves right...quite a lot. Practice your backing. Get some inexpensive FRS radios so your partner can guide you without having to yell or stay in view. Practice your lingo back and forth, because your left might be her right. Work it out in advance. Backup cameras are nice and all, but they aren't smart and they have blind spots. Pick spots on your TV and RV to use as "gun sights" to aid your backing...and practice using them.
9. Never leave your electric awning out when you aren't there to reel it in. Even if you anchor it in some way, a few good wind gusts will destroy it...and may well damage your roof and siding.
I literally could write the equivalent of 50 to 100 pages on things you need to know. And this summary is what came to mind first....I have, for absolute certain, overlooked many crucial things you need to know. So the last tip is to use the search tool in the forum software to start asking questions. And do some random sampling of reading on topics that you'd like to explore. For certain, one thing will lead to another, and as you learn, you'll develop more questions.
Last comment: have reasonable expectations of your RV. Aside from a dishwasher and laundry (unless you're in a big 5th wheel or Class A motorhome), your RV has EVERYTHING, your home has, plus it can be towed down the road, plus it has self contained water and sewer and 12 volt power, and it can run off a small generator. Chances are you paid 10% of the cost of your home for your RV. Your home needs maintenance. Your RV will need maintenance...and repairs. It's a tiny, flimsy home on wheels, and you drag it all over hell and gone. Expect to have to fix things. If you start with that attitued rather than the attitude that you just bought a car from Toyota, you'll be much happier in the long run.
This is where I like to camp. There are no hookups in heaven. Welcome.