The Walk Thru

[bike_addict]

I'm a little nervous about the walk thru. Biggest thing is that I don't know what to expect. I was a little frustrated that the dealer wouldn't go ahead and give me the manuals when I bought it. They said they needed it for the make ready. I wanted to be able to go through the manual and be somewhat prepared for the walk thru. I wish I had checklist going into it that I can take notes on and make sure everything gets covered. What worries me is that they could skip something and being a total newbie, I might not even realize that a step was skipped.

Any advice from those that have bought a new one recently would be appreciated. What was the process? I was told over the phone that they'd have the trailer hooked up with everything running to show me everything but for me that's not what I want. I want to turn it all on and set it up.

I know videoing it is common advice and I'm planning on it.

And I know I'm probably over thinking it (typical flaw of mine) and having 2 weeks to over think it doesn't help.

[gtc6452]

ask questions, take your time. Do not let them rush you, if you do not understand something, ask questions.

[urnmor]

The walkthrough was very thorough however the best thing we did on ours was to video it. I have used that video many times in the last month.

[leopattie]

Also recommend taking a video... and/or taking lots and lots of notes! There is so much information to try and soak in, and we'd never even heard of most of the terms used so ask all the questions you need until YOU feel comfortable!

[Alumaholic]

Why? Because it's entirely likely that the technician doing the walk through has never spent a week on the open road in an Airstream. Even if he (or she) has, you'll be drinking from a firehose as you try to assimilate information that it will take months of direct experience to learn.

Focus on what is most important. Getting it off the dealer's lot and home safely. That means understanding the hitch and the trailer brake controller and making the inside ready for travel, (refer latched, shower door latched, pocket doors stowed and tied back, vents closed, television antenna lowered, television strapped down etc.)

Everything else will come with time.

We had a very good walk through with our new, used 2007. The technician was very earnest and thoughtful; but he really had less actual experience with Airstreams than I, and I had to completely readjust the hitch setup the next day to get the trailer level and the truck "squatting" correctly.

So, relax, and enjoy the walk through secure in the knowledge that after a few rallies you will soon be totally competent and confident.

[Sphere Guy]

As Alumaholic says, Take it all in, but the most important is getting it home for the 1st time. Go thru the hook-up, then do it again under their supervision.

Checklist -- Definetly make one your self and then get one from this site, that way you will "get in the mood" then verify what you have thought of. that way you get some learning before actually having to do it. Then adapt your check list to your TV & AS. Not all are the same.

During the walk thru, I found concentrating on the things that were new to me were more helpfull. I'm a newbie, but not incompetant, and I did alot of homework prior to the walk thru. If you can turn on a light at home, it's the same in a AS. But where the power came from was more of my concern.

Remember when getting started, check and then check again. Take a deep breath, don't forget to let it out.

Towing- open your TV door and get in, sooner or later your going to have to if you want to get your new AS home. Review check list, adjust mirrors, place vehicle into tow mode, remove parking brake. The hardest habit is looking into the rearview mirror. Nothing but Aluminum!

Start slow, relax the knuckles. Take a break soon. Check tires and hitch. Recheck torque as advised on wheels and hitch as directed. Research sway and learn to recognize it. Make turns much wider. Having a good Co-Pilot helps greatly for navigation and an extra set of eyes and ears.

Have a place all picked out for your arrival. If it's at mom and dads or inlaws to show it off or at home, visualize how you'll park it and then leave.

Gas stations are sometimes the trickiest to get out of. Remember, you're just not in a truck anymore, you have another 25+ ft of joy behind you. The outer bays are usually the easiest to manuver thru.

And most of all HAVE FUN! Pretty soon you'll have to open both your doors to get your smile in.

[meredith]

we bought ours used and when we went to go check it out the PO had it all set up and ready to go. So we were able to check everything out and it seemed to all check out. They told us all it's little secrets...all seem great. Then when we came back a week later to pick it up it was then ready to roll again and so we paid our money and headed home.
A month later we were ready to take it out on our first camping trip we were so confused. It took us a week to figure out how to plug it in, how to turn it on, turn the gas on...you name we could not do it. We felt like such fools. I wish we could have stood side by side with the PO's when they set it up for us. I had to call them and ask them questions, they laughed and I'm sure they shook thier heads and called us newbies behind our backs..but we made it.
The best thing the PO gave us was a check list that they had made for themselves for EVERYTIME they tow.
Here's it is...

List for Trailer and Car

Check List Inside
1. Turn electric refrigerator off
2. Light gas refrigerator
3. Put pin in refrigerator
4. Secure bathroom door
5. Make sure water pump switch if turned to off
6. Put TV and radio in safe place
7. Shut all windows and vents
8. Put grate clips on stove
9. Set thermostat on furnace to LOW
10. Put covers in sink
11. Close all curtains
12. Check water level at gauge, fill if necessary
13. Empty and flush holding tank
14. Lock door and set dead bolt

Check List Outside
15. Release water hose, electric cable and secure
16. Roll up and secure awning
17. Fold and secure lawn chairs
18. Remove jacks from under trailer
19. Hook trailer to car and connect wiring
20. Hook brake wire under deck lid
21. Lower front window guard
22. Hook rearview mirrors to car mirrors
23. Lower Radio aerial
24. Check clearance, brake, tail and back-up lights
25. Raise step at door and secure
26. Check tire pressure on all tires
27. After moving out 50 ft check area for goods
It's not perfect and I need to make some changes to it so it suits us but maybe it will help.
Happy Streaming
Meredith

[Redcobra]

The ZipDee awning on our 2005 Classic was the hardest thing to remember how to use correctly. The more we used it the better we got. I found out you can go to Youtube and watch a video on how to do it.

[Woosch]

I think the Airstream owners manual is terrible to begin with. You can download a copy from Airstream.com. My big thing is checking that the hitch is done correctly. Even to the point of being obsessive/compulsive about it. We almost took off with the post down once and you can bet there is a checklist in our hands EVERY time now.I like Merediths check list but I also like something exclusively for the hitch. You might buy "The Newbies Guide to Airstreaming" available through Airstream Life and I think there is a Kindle download available as well. It has a good checklist in it.
As to the walkthrough. Tape it. Look hard for things like dings and dents. Get on the ground and look under the unit. Also, get a ladder and look at the top of the unit.
Then, take a breath and enjoy your new stream.
Cheers

[Alumaholic]

Originally Posted by meredith

we bought ours used and when we went to go check it out the PO had it all set up and ready to go. So we were able to check everything out and it seemed to all check out. They told us all it's little secrets...all seem great. Then when we came back a week later to pick it up it was then ready to roll again and so we paid our money and headed home.
A month later we were ready to take it out on our first camping trip we were so confused. It took us a week to figure out how to plug it in, how to turn it on, turn the gas on...you name we could not do it. We felt like such fools. I wish we could have stood side by side with the PO's when they set it up for us. I had to call them and ask them questions, they laughed and I'm sure they shook thier heads and called us newbies behind our backs..but we made it.
The best thing the PO gave us was a check list that they had made for themselves for EVERYTIME they tow.
Here's it is...

List for Trailer and Car

Check List Inside
1. Turn electric refrigerator off
2. Light gas refrigerator
3. Put pin in refrigerator
4. Secure bathroom door
5. Make sure water pump switch if turned to off
6. Put TV and radio in safe place
7. Shut all windows and vents
8. Put grate clips on stove
9. Set thermostat on furnace to LOW
10. Put covers in sink
11. Close all curtains
12. Check water level at gauge, fill if necessary
13. Empty and flush holding tank
14. Lock door and set dead bolt

Check List Outside
15. Release water hose, electric cable and secure
16. Roll up and secure awning
17. Fold and secure lawn chairs
18. Remove jacks from under trailer
19. Hook trailer to car and connect wiring
20. Hook brake wire under deck lid
21. Lower front window guard
22. Hook rearview mirrors to car mirrors
23. Lower Radio aerial
24. Check clearance, brake, tail and back-up lights
25. Raise step at door and secure
26. Check tire pressure on all tires
27. After moving out 50 ft check area for goods
It's not perfect and I need to make some changes to it so it suits us but maybe it will help.
Happy Streaming
Meredith

Add to the inside checklist, "Turn 12-Volt Shut-Off On"
Note: Your 12-Volt Shut-Off must be "on" when you travel in order to provide electricity to the Break-Away switch for the trailer brakes.

[MrUKToad]

We did our walk through earlier this year and when we arrived at the dealer's, the trailer and the car were in the shop, hitched and powered up. However, our walk through guy, Ray, took us through closing everything up and switching everything off (with the exception of the awning, which he deployed then closed up again), which is a good way of making sure you know how to prepare for the road. But before we left the shop he had me unhitch and re-hitch the car more than once, so I knew what I needed to do. One of the things our dealer does is use non-technical, but real trailer people for the walk through. Ray had just come back from his winter in Florida and had spent many years trailering all over North America; he certainly knew his stuff.

Other posters have said, though, that the best way to get to know your trailer is to use it, even on your driveway, and that's good advice. We've spent the summer learning about our Airstream and I'm sure we will continue to do so over the next few summers.

So, don't fret too much on the hand over, just look forward to using the thing!

The only thing I had to go back on, by the way, was the awning. However, YouTube has some great videos on how to set them up so I watched a couple and then tried it for real; it's really quite easy when you know how!

[overlander63]

I've performed dozens of walk-throughs, and, being "the Airstream guy", I do most of them at our dealership. My first question of the new owner is if they have ever owned any kind of RV before. If they have, I give them a refresher course, noting the differences between what they had and their new Airstream. I take as long as it takes, sometimes the walk-through takes 2 hours. I've even given my cell phone number to some complete newbies, with instructions if they get stuck on something, I'll talk them down. I've only ever been called twice, both times for minor things they forgot from the walk-through. The lifeline seems to calm them down,, and they can focus on what we're doing, instead of worrying about it. A video camera is strongly recommended, and part of my walk-through is to demonstrate each appliance and feature, then have the customer repeat each task with me there to make sure they at least have done everything once. This is important, if you actually do something hands-on, you'lll retain it better than just watching. After setting up the trailer and tow vehicle,, we go for a test drive to make sure the rig works properly. I also give a quick tutorial on backing up and manuevering, as well as tips in hooking up.
If your trailer is brand-new, you will probably also get a copy of the Airstream Life Newbie's guide. There you will find a lot better, easier to understand, though generic info about your new trailer. Ther are spots to write down useful info, so you don't have to go hunting through manuals later.
So, take your time, the trailer is probably one of the most expensive and important purchases you'll make.

[meredith]

Originally Posted by Alumaholic

Add to the inside checklist, "Turn 12-Volt Shut-Off On"
Note: Your 12-Volt Shut-Off must be "on" when you travel in order to provide electricity to the Break-Away switch for the trailer brakes.

Thanks Ken,
I will add that to our list. I had no idea that it had to be on. Well wait...does it have to be for our 1965 Tradewind?
Meredith

[Aage]

How about staying over night in the dealer's lot, or at the least, in the nearest camping area? Then you can, at your leisure, run through a typical camping trip "in miniature".

Yes, you get to hitch it up with the dealer there, but unhitching it when you are camped would be nicer if you were still at the dealer's, wouldn't it?

Then, by using it for an evening, sleeping in it, getting up, washing, shaving, eating, cleaning things up, well, you will either feel more comfortable that he is nearbye, or even just a lot more at ease in your own mind about the whole experience.

Plus, I can guarantee that you will find a few little things (hopefully only little) that are what they call "deficiencies", and if you dealer is far away, wouldn't it be great to have him fix them before you leave...?

Just a suggestion.

[Alumaholic]

Originally Posted by Aage

How about staying over night in the dealer's lot, or at the least, in the nearest camping area? Then you can, at your leisure, run through a typical camping trip "in miniature".

We still do this when we have a new (different) Airstream. WHen we got our current Airstream last month, we "camped" in the FamCamp at Kirtland AFB for three nights, just 15 minutes from home!

[Bk Yd Safari]

A lot of good advise here, but just one other note, take several pictures of the hitch set-up. These will be helpful when hitching up.
happy trails

[Frank&Mike]

Attending a campout with other Airstream owners. They will be your best resource and the most helpful. And with your warranty in place, you will leave the campout with more information than you will ever obtain from the walk thru.

[jgerardi]

Ronnie
You are correct. you are over thinking it. The Newbies Guide to Airstreaming is a great resource and is basically a Good walk through in book form. Consider getting a copy before you pick up the unit. I would also suggest logging on to the forum for about 10 minutes a day. I pick up useful info almost every time. Don't worry... Be happy

[ROBERTSUNRUS]

Hi, our walk through was great, but you will never remember all of it. Since I have a mechanical back round and even worked on some RVs, but I never owned one, it was easy to do almost everything. It's basically a house on wheels and most things are similar to your house. The frame and wheels are similar to a car. The only real items of concern were: sewer hookups and procedure, awning set up, Hitch, and brake controller. We made a trip out of taking our trailer home. We spent about 10 days in our trailer on our way home.

[justretired]

You have been reading lots of great advice. The manual says to check the lug nuts after so many miles, unfortunately you don't have lug wrench. I didn't know this until I searched all over for it. You will also need a bottle jack or wheel ramp if you need to change a tire. Some type of wheel chuck to keep your trailer from rolling away after you disconnect it from the TV. It's all fun.