RV Camping; Tips, tricks & repairs

[roopi]

Good news generator was delivered today in time for camping. Bad news I can't get if started. Tried with propane and no luck. Will try with gas in the morning but I don't think that's the issue.

[nzwasp]

Do any of you use an outdoor shower to wash off after the beach. We have one of those portable shower black bags that we put on top of the trailer and it heats up to 40 degrees in the sun. However due to a lack of privacy we have to hold towels up around our kids, I wondered if anyone had built a shower curtain type thing to use with their outdoor shower on their trailer (although I do see other trailers that have outdoor shower attachments have it coming out at waist height which doesnt seem useful). We sometimes use the indoor shower but it fills up the grey water super fast.

Oh and also for the campfire, our fire poker broke in half during this last trip, my wife wants to get one of those pokers with the hole through the middle, does anyone have any recommendations?

[killramos]

Buy the cheapest piece of cast iron you can find.

https://www.princessauto.com/en/36-i...t/PA0008259285

[Brent.ff]

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Do any of you use an outdoor shower to wash off after the beach. We have one of those portable shower black bags that we put on top of the trailer and it heats up to 40 degrees in the sun. However due to a lack of privacy we have to hold towels up around our kids, I wondered if anyone had built a shower curtain type thing to use with their outdoor shower on their trailer (although I do see other trailers that have outdoor shower attachments have it coming out at waist height which doesnt seem useful). We sometimes use the indoor shower but it fills up the grey water super fast.

Oh and also for the campfire, our fire poker broke in half during this last trip, my wife wants to get one of those pokers with the hole through the middle, does anyone have any recommendations?

My folks made this for their trailer. Everything but pvc from Amazon

[haggis88]

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My folks made this for their trailer. Everything but pvc from Amazon

brilliant.

I'm copying that!

[ThePenIsMightier]

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Buy the cheapest piece of cast iron you can find.

https://www.princessauto.com/en/36-i...t/PA0008259285

Your outdoor shower suggestions are poor.

[ExtraSlow]

Delivered my trailer to the purchaser today. Glad to have money and not a trailer for a while. The pre and post trip hassles were wearing me out, and this seed like a smart time to sell.

[2020]

It’s definitely a good time to cash out if you don’t absolutely need a trailer. Prices will fall in the next year or two.

[ExtraSlow]

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It’s definitely a good time to cash out if you don’t absolutely need a trailer. Prices will fall in the next year or two.

Plus I hated that trailer for a hundred small reasons. After four seasons it was time to say goodbye anyway.

[redline]

It is going to be smoky for the rest of summer camping is going to sux.

I find trailers have got a little fancier but not really different then my 15 yr old trailer that is still doing the job …

I would like a outdoor kitchen but not enough to spend money on.

[ExtraSlow]

Outdoor fridge is great, but if my next trailer doesn't have it, I'm buying a 12v cooler for the truck.

[sxtasy]

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Plus I hated that trailer for a hundred small reasons. After four seasons it was time to say goodbye anyway.

You had a Grand Design right? One of the better manufacturers...what did you dislike about the trailer? What would you buy next?

[ExtraSlow]

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You had a Grand Design right? One of the better manufacturers...what did you dislike about the trailer? What would you buy next?

Grand Design has a great reputation, but I had some quality issues. Interior panels popping off the wall first summer, interior sliding door not assembled right so fell off the track first trip and smashed a few things. Dinette was just bad geometry, nobody in my family could sit there comfortably, and the table was the kind you could take out and use outdoors as a picnic table, which is a stupid idea, and means the table needs to be collapsed and strapped down before you drive or it'll slide around and smash the cabinets. None of the drawers stay closed when driving either. Slide is that stupid schwintek style, which nobody should ever buy, for any reason, ever. It has been crooked since new, has needed constant attention and has been close to stranding us twice, plus needed a $1500 repair (new motor) this year. Can't get into the master bedroom when the slide is retracted, which is a layout (not quality) issue, but that's been super annoying. Don't like the "step-above" style stairs either.
Luckily my insurance company paid the bill for it when it was new, or I would be livid about a $38k trailer that was a constant headache from day 1. Woodys was never any help either, since it's always been a 4-6 week wait for service, so unless I want to leave it with them and rent something else, I need to pay out of pocket for repairs.

Don't know what I'd buy next. Nothing right now.

[ExtraSlow]

When I do buy again, I think I will be shopping the used market. We don't need too many fancy features. Furnace, fridge and some beds and we are good. I think there's some good value in the 10-20k range for family trailers that are 5-8 years old. Budget for brakes, batteries and tires and you are good.

[redline]

Maybe leaf springs as well… mine at 10 years broke …

Roof can become an issue on older trailers …

[sxtasy]

I wonder if those are typical problems or you just had some bad luck. AFAIK winnebago and Grand Design are the same manufacturer, luckily I've only had minor problems so far (shitty plumbing, which was a fairly easy fix). Quality control seems to be an industry wide issue and counting on the dealership is a total waste of time. Totally agree with budgeting for batteries and tires, hope you get back into a trailer soon as your posts have always been informative

[ExtraSlow]

I think in the 100k fifth wheels, and the 1-ton class travel trailers, you at least get heavier more durable construction. Half ton trailers are so light and flexible that it's hard to make anything last.
ODRV makes a few overbuilt ones, extra couple thousand pounds of weight, but should last.

[D'z Nutz]

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Do any of you use an outdoor shower to wash off after the beach. We have one of those portable shower black bags that we put on top of the trailer and it heats up to 40 degrees in the sun. However due to a lack of privacy we have to hold towels up around our kids, I wondered if anyone had built a shower curtain type thing to use with their outdoor shower on their trailer (although I do see other trailers that have outdoor shower attachments have it coming out at waist height which doesnt seem useful).

https://www.amazon.ca/Outdoor-Tent-f.../dp/B07DVVMK3F

Sometimes you can find those on facebook marketplace for like $10

[spike98]

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I think in the 100k fifth wheels, and the 1-ton class travel trailers, you at least get heavier more durable construction. Half ton trailers are so light and flexible that it's hard to make anything last.
ODRV makes a few overbuilt ones, extra couple thousand pounds of weight, but should last.

Disagree. I own one and it suffers from the same issues as the rest. The reality is that they are all not built with quality in mind and the environment they are used in is quite abusive. Its the older ones that are built well and not rushed out the door. My first trailer (a 79 travelaire) was a tank and built like a brick shit house.

[ExtraSlow]

Well, I have over the years learned some things about axles bearing and brakes and I think thats going to be a factor of I buy new.
Having a 7500lb trailer with 2x 3500lb axles is not a winning recipe even if you can make the math squeak by.

The slide construction too. There's maybe 6 common slide systems, and now 1/6 I'll never own again.(Schwintek aka lippert in-wall)