Hello from Amarillo, TX!!

[m.hony]

I mostly camp on level pads. Tongue jack down is enough to keep the trailer from rolling away. The chicks are to keep the trailer from wiggling when we walk.
The order is different when parking on unlevel sites or at the house- chock before unhitching to keep,the trailer from trying to turn sideways putting pressure on the tongue jack.

[soldiermedic]

Welcome from San Antonio.

[m.hony]

The order is affected by which little storage compartment I come to first-
Jack foot, TV cable (if the park has cable) and under tire wheel chocks are in the first compartment under the dinette roadside.
Then water and sewer in the little compartment aft of the wheels roadsides.
Shore cord and water hose in back compartment under bed.
Sewer hose, stabilizer crank, awning rod in bumper.
Between the wheel chocks (x-chocks?) in little compartment aft of wheels curbside.
Steps.
Zip Dee chairs in their little cabinet.
Flamingos and blue pool noodle for awning arm behind the couch.
TV antenna up and program TV's
Back to the rear storage compartment under bed for fire starter and rake for kindling...
I try to go around the trailer one time counter clockwise and get everything one time around, but I end up going twice or three times around...
Rope lights and awning lights are also in little compartment under dinette.

[m.hony]

I forgot rug in rear compartment and step support in compartment under dinette...
And fishing poles in rear bumper...
And firewood and bikes in bed of pickup...

[m.hony]

And charcoal and lighter fluid in rear compartment and Bluetooth music from iPhone through the trailer's sound system...

[m.hony]

And eating a old cut sandwich and drinking a cold Dr. Pepper...

[HiHoAgRV]

Originally Posted by m.hony

I always stress the point to my wife that things have to be done in a certain order- not randomly-
1. tongue jack up
2. torsion bars off
3. tongue jack down
4. release coupler
5. tongue jack up
6. pull truck forward
7. tongue jack down to level
6. electricity
7. a/c on
8. water
9. water heater on
10. sewer
12. wheel chocks
13. stabilizers
14. awnings
15. chairs
16. campfire
electricity, water, and sewer before stabilizers so she can go ahead inside and start cleaning/straightening/whatever to get out of my way!

In addition to the mentioned wheel chocks, between items #5 and #6 add, 'remove safety chains'. If the chocks don't hold the 'Stream from rolling off, the chains will! (Ask me how I know this...)

[m.hony]

I usually undo safety chains at the same time as uncoupling and unplugging umbilical cord and taking off weight bars...
Please don't ever forget to unplug the umbilical cord...

[HiHoAgRV]

Originally Posted by m.hony

I usually undo safety chains at the same time as uncoupling and unplugging umbilical cord and taking off weight bars...
Please don't ever forget to unplug the umbilical cord...

I never thought too much about it until a few years ago in Florida - as I raised the hitch off of the ball, the chocks scooted and the entire trailer started rolling backwards towards the woods! The ONLY thing that stopped it was the safety chains that were still attached to the truck.

[Hittenstiehl]

M Honey and others, if this list is complete with your permission I would like to print it out to use as our beginner checklist. Thanks in advance. I will just leave of the part at the end about HER as I am the her of this pair. ;-)

What is the consensus on number of chalks. One side? Both sides? All 4 wheels for a total of 4? (We are dual axel).
Thanks regards,

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by Hittenstiehl

M Honey and others, if this list is complete with your permission I would like to print it out to use as our beginner checklist. Thanks in advance. I will just leave of the part at the end about HER as I am the her of this pair. ;-)

What is the consensus on number of chalks. One side? Both sides? All 4 wheels for a total of 4? (We are dual axel).
Thanks regards,

Wedge-style chocks, then chock two wheels, one on each side of the trailer. If the site has a slope, on the down-slope side of the tire. If the site is level, on both sides of the same tire. So a maximum of four chocks, minimum of two, regardless of the number of axles.

[Hittenstiehl]

Thx protag

[Foiled Again]

Not too long ago I saw an unfortunate man hanging onto the tongue of his trailer as it headed downhill. He was frozen in panic, then his 7 year old son came over and yanked the breakaway brake cable and saved dad and the SOB. Dad will probably never live that one down. If you are using the ground type of chock that is triangular and sits on the ground, get a super sturdy one. WalMart and a few other places sell a few lightweight ones that might hold a jet ski, but would crush to a pancake if you just pulled out with one in place (Hey I was a rookie once and didn't have a checklist - it's called learning by mistake). In point of fact you can probably drive over a solid OAK chock but you'll feel the thud as you hit the ground on the other side. Not using chocks when you're trying to hitch up with a Hensley... BAD IDEA.

I use chocks even on the most level of spots. And they always go down before I start the unhitching sequence. It's a matter of keeping the same order all the time for me. Just makes it simpler to NOT forget something simple... but messy when it's forgotten.

The above thread doesn't address an inside checklist. Why would that be important? A better question might be, "Why does the only package that falls out of the pantry HAVE to be a container of flour and how did its "sealed lid" come loose loose?

It isn't pretty to come inside and find that drawers have come open, or that you you actually were stupid enough to leave a 1/2 full teapot on the stove - and then there are the people who leave the steps down or the antenna up... or a single bottle of dish detergent ON the countertop.

As for stuff you stow on the floor, remember to check it for sliding - as much as for breakage of the furniture it HITS as for the fact that the object itself might break.

An inside checklist is probably something you'll need to customize for yourself - we all haul so much different cargo. One simple piece of advice though is to keep the heavy stuff, and the really messy stuff LOW and use really good storage containers for sugar, flour, coffee, etc. A burst 1 lb bag of flour could make you spend your whole camping trip cleaning the Airstream! A broken box of mothballs... not so much.

Paula

[DKB_SATX]

Originally Posted by Hittenstiehl

M Honey and others, if this list is complete with your permission I would like to print it out to use as our beginner checklist. Thanks in advance. I will just leave of the part at the end about HER as I am the her of this pair. ;-)

What is the consensus on number of chalks. One side? Both sides? All 4 wheels for a total of 4? (We are dual axel).
Thanks regards,

On a dual-axle trailer, I like X-chocks or one of the knock-offs (my own are knock-offs from Camping World.) That way you can chock both sides regardless of whether wheels are up on leveling blocks, etc. The X-style chocks inhibit motion in both directions, too.

[Hittenstiehl]

Thx Paula despite the variations I think I ' ll request some checklists. Maybe we'll get several and merge them.

[m.hony]

I don't mind anyone using my checklists, but- they may not be complete or someone else may have a better way-

[Hittenstiehl]

Yours is a complete or in progress for you and that's what counts. We don't have one at all yet so these are looking really good.

[whitsend]

But the best advice is join a group or unit that you can learn from! Give it time, You well gain comfort and confidence in your towing ability.Never rush, always take your time. Get out walk around and then think about how you are going to do it. When you rush, you make mistakes._________________________________________ _________

Probably the best advise you're going to get. Congratulations, and go enjoy.