Staying hitched for the night - put stabilizers down?

[mike walling]

I'm new to RVin' but I HAVE made a few costly mistakes in my life. Doing the same pre-flight no matter where you camp seems paramount.

[Jack46]

I generally will lower the stabilizers and the jack. Agree wholeheartedly about a reminder to raise them the next morning - but that is another answer to a question!

[Rocinante]

Jack yes. Stabs no. We don’t mind how it feels with stabs up when we know we’re leaving the next morning.

[jcanavera]

I do, specifically for the fact that I have a slide out which requires stabilizer jacks down to prevent torquing.

Jack

[Native143]

Originally Posted by BAB

I simplify everything for a RON (remain overnight). I shut off the truck, set the parking brake, and that’s it. If I’ve got a pretty open view to the SW, I’ll push the button and let the antenna find DirecTV. (It’s always nice to see a familiar news program.) A lot of what we’ll do trailer-wise depends on distance to destination. We like to travel with full water and empty black/gray tanks so we can boondocks if the mood strikes us.

How do you get DirecTV without power?

[Native143]

If you have your tow vehicle and trailer set up correctly, why do you have to put down the jack to level it out?? Isn't it already?

[knowlts]

I usually do put the stabilizers down and take the weight off the car by brining the jack up. I carry an 18 volt drill with a bit that fits the stabilizers. I can zip them up and down in about 5 seconds. I always look under the trailer on departure to make sure we're all good to go.

[Rocinante]

Honestly, the only wrong answer is if you try to pull out in the morning without raising the stabs and/or jack that you lowered last night. Otherwise, it's all good.

[bartzstream2]

I have a 34 Classic with slideout, and only put down the left front stabilizer to support that corner to extend the slide. Works perfectly.

[Ditter]

When tired after long tow i get best leve if bed is good bounce not shuch a big deal if more than sleeping I relax hitch equalizer and lowe TT jack

[nduncan]

We just try to level as well as we can, no stabilizers or jack. The reason we are remaining overnight is because of time constraints. If we are groggy in the morning we don't need to remember a thing, just go forward and get safely on the road.

[OTRA15]

Flying solo ---> stabilizers up.

Co-pilot sleeping --> down.

[MandDinSpgTX]

Originally Posted by BAB

I simplify everything for a RON (remain overnight). I shut off the truck, set the parking brake, and that’s it. If I’ve got a pretty open view to the SW, I’ll push the button and let the antenna find DirecTV. (It’s always nice to see a familiar news program.) A lot of what we’ll do trailer-wise depends on distance to destination. We like to travel with full water and empty black/gray tanks so we can boondocks if the mood strikes us.

Agreed. Just pull over and enjoy having your mobile hotel room behind you with the comforts of home (your own bed). If you aren't staying, no big deal. Have done it many nights and it works fine. Lock out the steering wheel on the TV so nobody takes you for a ride (if staying somewhere where that could happen!)

[MandDinSpgTX]

Originally Posted by nduncan

We just try to level as well as we can, no stabilizers or jack. The reason we are remaining overnight is because of time constraints. If we are groggy in the morning we don't need to remember a thing, just go forward and get safely on the road.

Agreed, nothing would be worse than starting your tow all groggy and without that first cup of jolt, and hearing the scraping and bending of pretty metal because you forgot something. Another thing that is valuable is similar to what I saw a buddy do with his Prevost conversion......right after he ripped his 50 AMP power cord off when pulling away from a quick RV park stop and thought he was running his gen when he in fact had plugged in right before passing out from driver fatigue......he also flies a plane and has a checklist on his yoke, and now has one right on his steering wheel on a small tablet so he can run through it before departing. It works. We all get tired and absent minded once in a while. Happy travels.

[OTRA15]

Originally Posted by MandDinSpgTX

Agreed, nothing would be worse than starting your tow all groggy and without that first cup of jolt, and hearing the scraping and bending of pretty metal because you forgot something.
. . .

Plenty of steps have gone that route!

Don't ask how I know . . .

[Mollysdad]

Originally Posted by Native143

If you have your tow vehicle and trailer set up correctly, why do you have to put down the jack to level it out?? Isn't it already?

No.
Your campsite may not be level front to back.
Obviously, you can't lower the tongue hitched up, but you can raise it.
I carry a home made block, 12" x 12" x 5" that I place under the jack foot, then raise the trailer with the truck still attached.

[nduncan]

Here is my pulling-out checklist:

Close vents: 2 roof top & 1 stove hood
Disconnect shore power, turn on gas valve & switch refrigerator to gas mode for the road
Turn off: Hot water heater & water pump
Secure and latch: Cupboards, loose items, liquids & table
Wind down TV antenna
Check ice in refrigerator & coolers
Secure awning
Raise stabilizers
Stow chocks & blocks
Stow Dump hose, electric cable, TV cable & water hoses
Close storage lockers
Secure forward windshield
Attach sway & torsion bars
Secure breakaway chains
Lock receiver to truck & coupler to hitch
Connect 7-pin electrical plug to truck
Lock doors, Stow steps
Raise tongue jack
Check trailer lights: running, break & turn, (emergency blinkers)

[21Airstream]

We don’t lower the stabilizers or jack when we’re just stopping for a few hours but I do walk around the trailer & truck before leaving and during every stop. There’s too many things to go wrong (caught a trailer tire going flat that way one time, changed it in a Rest Area).

[StreaminGeo]

Originally Posted by nduncan

Here is my pulling-out checklist:

Close vents: 2 roof top & 1 stove hood
Disconnect shore power, turn on gas valve & switch refrigerator to gas mode for the road
Turn off: Hot water heater & water pump
Secure and latch: Cupboards, loose items, liquids & table
Wind down TV antenna
Check ice in refrigerator & coolers
Secure awning
Raise stabilizers
Stow chocks & blocks
Stow Dump hose, electric cable, TV cable & water hoses
Close storage lockers
Secure forward windshield
Attach sway & torsion bars
Secure breakaway chains
Lock receiver to truck & coupler to hitch
Connect 7-pin electrical plug to truck
Lock doors, Stow steps
Raise tongue jack
Check trailer lights: running, break & turn, (emergency blinkers)

Then check everything again before you pull out.

[nduncan]

Depends on how white your hair is!