Our Journey Begins - 2018 AI TB Lounge

[0557]

Originally Posted by c21bill

Here is a pic of my trailer which I had custom built to a narrower than standard width to more closely track behind the AI. If you are interested it is for sale. You can pm me for details.

What are you asking for the trailer? Feel free to PM

[wachuko]

Received a message that I find, as a newbie, provides some invaluable information as I embark on this journey... This forum is great!!!

I must share, in case anyone else new to this runs across this thread (I have removed the name of the person that provided the suggestions to protect the innocent ). There are a few recommendations that I have already covered in things I will get or modifications that I will make, but I left them listed anyway to provide the complete list that was provided.

Many of these would have never crossed my mind or are potential mistakes I would have made had this not been shared. So thank you again for sharing these with me!!

Here is the list:

• A small outdoor mat - We like the 6x8 foot one that advertises that the sand goes through it. You will need a few small tent stakes. This keeps the inside of the van cleaner.
• Backpacking lawn chairs, we like Helinox brand and they make a light weight table as well. Two of these and a table will fit in the storage area above the driver/passenger seats.
• Surge protector - hook it to the power pedestal and check for the green lights before plugging in the rig. I have had issues at several campgrounds.
• Turn on the campground faucet for about 30 seconds before hooking up (bugs!)
• Hook up pressure regulator, filter, and hose, then run the water again for a minute(the camco filters will spit out a little charcoal dust). Then go ahead and hook to the rig.
• You may what to buy a Y valve to put next to the campground faucet - This way you have a way to relieve the pressure in the line after shutting off the faucet – otherwise you get a shower when loosening the first connection
• Check to be sure your rig has room for the two extra batteries – I heard rumors of the 2017 and newer coming with a reserve air tank for the air suspension and I don’t know where the put it. I have the same McRider extra batteries mod on my 2016. Make sure you get his latest version of his document, it should have one extra fuse in it.
• Make sure you really check out the electrical system before starting mods unless you have the dealer do them. They will run from any future issue once you touch it.
• Careful with the rubber wheel chocks – Some of them stink of un/under cured rubber. You don’t realize it until you bring them inside. This goes for anything you buy, you will have to live with the smell inside the rig.
• When using the macerator hose – Always pull it all the way out. I know it doesn’t make sense but unless you rewind it back in all at once it can develop a sloppy wind and you will have difficulties getting it all wound up and you will start to damage the hose(been there, got the t-shirt…).
• When you are filling the fresh water tank – Don’t stand in front of it! When it gets full it doesn’t give you much warning and depending on water pressure you can get soaked before you can jump out of the way.
• Parking brake – After setting the parking brake and BEFORE swiveling the driver’s seat – push down on the parking brake handle(Don’t Release the parking brake), the handle will push down to it’s normal driving position(but the parking brake is still set). It needs to be in this position for the seat to be able to swivel. At first this will drive you nuts but you get used to it. Just get in the habit of pulling it back up and releasing the parking brake before you are ready to drive. You will find it is easier to go between the front and back if this handle is down.
• Parking brake – Use It! – Putting the van in park is not as secure as a normal car, the manual warns you to use the parking brake – treat it as a manual transmission type car.
• When the van is in drive it can roll backwards if you are on a hill and are at idle. It does not happen often but best to keep your foot on the brake.
• Front seat swivel; Stand outside the van, slide the seat all the way forward, reach behind the seat and pull the lever while turning the seat back towards the open door. The release handle stays stationary while the seat swivels. This was one of the hardest things to get used to but it becomes second nature. No one showed us this method so we struggled until we figured it out.
• YouTube videos – Last I looked there were a bunch of short videos that Airstream put out on YouTube that will help a lot.

On the Air suspension:

• To manually control air suspension the key must be in the run position(engine doesn’t have to be actually running) and the parking brake must be set.
• Total travel is about 3” up or 3” down
• As soon as you release the parking brake(not sure if the key has to be on) the suspension will adjust to its “highway height”
• The air suspension works great for leveling the rig front to back at a camp site. If the site is more than 3” out of level then use the blocks as if the air suspension was at “highway height” and then use the air suspension to fine tune once you get up on blocks.
• Be careful about piling up too many blocks in front of the passenger side rear tires as the engine exhaust pipe will be in the way
• You are pretty much limited to about 8” out of level with the combination of blocks and air suspension.

[Pahaska]

For filling the fresh water tank when hooked up to city water, I use the shower hose without the shower head attached. The hose is just the right length and fits nicely into the fresh water opening. It is easy to modulate the flow and shut off without leaving the rig.

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by wachuko

• ...
  
• When you are filling the fresh water tank – Don’t stand in front of it! When it gets full it doesn’t give you much warning and depending on water pressure you can get soaked before you can jump out of the way.
  ...

FWIW, I never fill the fresh water tank all the way up, to the point where this overflow occurs. In our 2007 Interstate, the tank will begin to flex and bulge when there's that much water in it. I can't help but think back to materials science class and wonder if repeated cycles of that would weaken the structure over time. Filling to the 3/4ths level prevents deformation and also saves on weight.

I don't know whether this behavior is also a characteristic of the newer tanks.

[Natuzzi]

Thank you Pahaska for the great information and you Wachuko for bringing it to our attention!

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by InterBlog

Filling to the 3/4ths level prevents deformation and also saves on weight.

Except that the tank has no interior baffles, so every time you start or stop while driving, and/or to a lesser degree every time you turn, the water inside sloshes, which also deforms the tank, just in a different direction. The closer to full or the closer to empty it is, the less effect this sloshing will have. And said sloshing is going to be much more frequent than the filling/emptying cycles.

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by wachuko

A small outdoor mat - We like the 6x8 foot one that advertises that the sand goes through it. You will need a few small tent stakes. This keeps the inside of the van cleaner.

A small mat on the driver's side, near the fresh water fill, municipal water hookup, and outdoor shower, can also prevent messes, since at many campgrounds the service side can be perpetually muddy (especially if you ever use your outdoor shower).

[wachuko]

Pahaska, InterBlog,

Thank you. Will keep both things in mind.

On another topic... trying to get everything ready for the first trip... was looking for a grill to buy and realized that I could use the one we have for the boat if we just get the base for it to place on a table... we have had this grill for over 20 years and still looks new...



With that base now I can use it on the portable table we just got as well... got a GCI folding outdoor compact camp table

I also got the adapter to connect to the AI tank. So I have the option to use the small bottles or just hook up to the AI.



Only concern now is amount of food and keeping it cool... I need to find out if an ARB cooler will fit in the back and still allow for the bed to come down...

For this trip our kids are coming. That means more food and drinks. I do not want to be going out to get ice, just want to relax and not move the AI when we get there... So really thinking about just buying the ARB cooler this week... just need to confirm that it will fit and still allow the bed to go down for sleeping.

ARB exterior dimensions are 17.1in (H) x 19.3in (W) x 32.3in (L) - ARB Elements Weatherproof Fridge Freezer 60L for Outdoor 63Qt.

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

A small mat on the driver's side, near the fresh water fill, municipal water hookup, and outdoor shower, can also prevent messes, since at many campgrounds the service side can be perpetually muddy (especially if you ever use your outdoor shower).

I will add a smaller one for that side. Thank you!

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by wachuko

I need to find out if an ARB cooler will fit in the back and still allow for the bed to come down...

If you don't mind my saying…

That's only an issue if you intend to keep the cooler inside the van 24/7. A cooler that can be locked closed (to keep out raccoons— if a bear wants it he can have it), and with the means to lock it to your hitch receiver (bicycle lock?) if it's worth stealing, can be stored outside when you're camping, especially if it's going to hold food that will be grilled outside. Besides, for cold-weather camping this time of year, the ice will last longer if the cooler is outside than if it's inside. Then as long as the cooler fits behind the seat in transit, it doesn't matter if you can still turn the seat into a bed.

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

If you don't mind my saying…

That's only an issue if you intend to keep the cooler inside the van 24/7. A cooler that can be locked closed (to keep out raccoons— if a bear wants it he can have it), and with the means to lock it to your hitch receiver (bicycle lock?) if it's worth stealing, can be stored outside when you're camping, especially if it's going to hold food that will be grilled outside. Besides, for cold-weather camping this time of year, the ice will last longer if the cooler is outside than if it's inside. Then as long as the cooler fits behind the seat in transit, it doesn't matter if you can still turn the seat into a bed.

I will never mind comments. So please, share away! The reason for this thread is to be able get feedback from folks that have more experience.

I am trying not to have anything on the hitch... all contained inside the AI. So taking an approach that I have seen in the Jeeps... I was thinking about a slide out base with the cooler on it.... when using the grill, open the door all the way to the side, slide cooler out for use during cooking (for easy reach to the food I need to grill), and put it all away when done.

Of course, being new to all this, I might be going about it the wrong way... and should wait until the AI is home so that I do not have to bother you all with questions that I can answer myself once the rig is here... I want to blame it all on the excitement...

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by wachuko

I am trying not to have anything on the hitch... all contained inside the AI.

That's not really what I meant. I'm not suggesting a hitch-mounted carrier.

I meant, store everything inside while in transit and the sofa/bed is a sofa. When you stop for the night— or for a week— move the cooler outside and lock it to one of the rings on your hitch receiver where you would normally attach safety chains. Or don't lock it to anything, if you don't think it will grow feet and walk away while it's unattended. Either way, if you move the cooler outside for the night, the cooler is out of the way when you want the sofa/bed to be a bed.

That way you're not limited in size to just a cooler that's shorter in height than the underside of the bed.

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

That's not really what I meant. I'm not suggesting a hitch-mounted carrier.

I meant, store everything inside while in transit and the sofa/bed is a sofa. When you stop for the night— or for a week— move the cooler outside and lock it to one of the rings on your hitch receiver where you would normally attach safety chains. Or don't lock it to anything, if you don't think it will grow feet and walk away while it's unattended. Either way, if you move the cooler outside for the night, the cooler is out of the way when you want the sofa/bed to be a bed.

That way you're not limited in size to just a cooler that's shorter in height than the underside of the bed.

Ahh. Understood now.

[wachuko]

Updating list (how I wish we could just update original post...)

1. Ordered - Instant Pot Duo Mini 3 Qt 7-in-1 Multi- Use Programmable Pressure Cooker
2. Ordered - Wheel Chocks - switched from the rubber ones. Glad I got the feedback on the smell of the rubber ones...
3. Ordered - TST 507 TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING SYSTEM WITH 06 CAP SENSORS AND NEW COLOR MONITOR (INCLUDES SIGNAL REPEATER)
4. Ordered - Duallys valvesDually 16'' Steel / Aluminum Valve Stem Extension Kit DL1SPAL - dealer did not have these. So order placed and I will drop them over for them to install before I take delivery on the 16. Should be here Friday and plan to drop them of Saturday at the dealer.
5. Ordered - Supplies - Thetford RV Toilet Seal Lube & Conditioner, Camco 40285 RV Green Disposable Dump Glove, and RID-X Septic Tank System Treatment
6. Ordered - Magma Products, A10-650 On-Shore Stand Mount
7. Ordered - Magma Products, A10-220 LPG Low Preasure Control Valve, Low Output, Type 3
8. Ordered - UCO Flatpack Portable Stainless Steel Grill and Fire Pit - okay, this, I just wanted to try it, lol.
9. Ordered - ARB 10000010 Orange Speedy Seal Tire Repair Kit
10. Ordered - Morvat Heavy Duty Brass Garden Hose Connector Tap Splitter (2 Way)
11. Ordered - SAND-AWAY Sand Proof Outdoor Beach Blanket 9 x 7 ft includes stakes
12. Ordered - Kinda Aluminium Mesh Portable Folding Camping Backpack Beach Chair with Carry Bag - ordered two of these for my kids... was not about to pay what the Helinox go for... yikes... maybe later if these turn out to be of poor quality. We have the two TB chairs that come with the AI... but those look like they take a lot of space. Will most likely have to get those out and replace with these as well for me and my wife...
13. Ordered - Glacier Ice Corian flip shelf Part number 602233-07 - Tommy Bahama edition does not come with the extended counter piece due to the under counter lights mounted. Had to be custom ordered in matching counter top color.
14. Ordered - Two additional battery trays (these come with strap downs). AGM CL24, End mount Part numbers: 454982 - This is to double the house battery capacity.
15. Ordered - Will be using two additional stock batteries for now (Part number for batteries: 511828 Battery, 12 Volt, Deep cycle, AGM Lifeline)
    ---
16. Arrived - Gourmia GK320 Travel Foldable Electric Kettle - Dual Voltage - Food Grade Silicone, Collapses for Easy & Convenient Storage, Boil Dry Protection, .5 Quart - Black
17. Arrived - Camco 22505 90 Degree Hose Elbow
18. Arrived - Teak Shower Mat for Airstream Interstate Lounge
19. Arrived - Collapsible ladder - needed one at home so figured I would buy one that would also work with the RV
20. Arrived - Now that we know we will be doing our first rally on Jan 4... noticed that the lot we got has only a 50 amp hook up. So got the needed adapter :
    Camco RV Dogbone Electrical Adapter With PowerGrip Handle, 50 Amp Male To 30 Amp Female, 18-Inch
21. Arrived - Telescoping pole (and a Squeegee and Window Scrubber) for cleaning windshield and to make sure there is clearance before driving through areas with limited height, because I want to keep all the stuff on top of the Interstate in one piece... ouch!
22. Arrived - Inline water filter for filling tanks - to keep all internals in great shape and avoid build ups...
23. Arrived - ARB ARB605 Blue Inflator with Gauge and Braided Hose - I have been meaning to get a new one from my garage. This will work just fine and I will modify it to take different tips so I can also use it for those hard to reach motorcycle wheels.
24. Arrived - Water pressure regulator for when hooking up at RV park facilities. Read somewhere that this prevents damage to the Interstate water lines when the pressure at the RV Park is higher than expected
25. Arrived - Surge protector/EMS - Progressive Industries EMS-PT30X Surge/EMS Protector with Cover - 30 Amp - to protect the electrical system in the Interstate when hooking up at a camp site
26. Arrived - Victron BlueSolar 100/30 MPPT Charge Controller - 30 Amps / 100 Volts
27. Arrived - Victron VE.Direct Bluetooth Dongle
28. Arrived - Blue Sea ML-ACR 7622 Automatic Charging Relay
    --- Pending ---
29. ARB CKMA12 Air Compressor High Output On-Board 12V Air Compressor - trying to decide if I go with this and do a under-hood install... or if I go with a portable unit like this one
30. 3M Clear (or Xpel) protection film for the front to protect headlights and windshield
31. 3M Crystalline film on windshield (clear) and side windows (legal tint) - to reduce heat inside while driving.
32. Leveling blocks/pads and the wheel chocks for these...
33. Windshield cover for when parked to reduce interior heat. Also looking at this thread for maybe doing something similar for the side glass/windows. Anything that will help lower the inside temperature of our Interstate in this hot Florida climate (I know, not as harsh as in Arizona and Texas, but still...)
34. Memory foam top for the bed or RV Superbag https://www.rvsuperbag.com/
35. Build two boards (that can fold away for storage) for additional sleeping space for my two kids
36. Gloves, hoses (separate hoses for water fills and for tank cleaning)
37. Sound deadening material to wrap generator and bring down the noise it makes - Thread on this
38. Longer term might turn into immediate purchase... ARB Fridge / Freezer (ARB Elements Weatherproof 63 Quart Fridge) for extending cooling storage capacity.

We need to rehearse and be ready for the rally... plan is to stay in it at home, in the front driveway, to see what we need and pack accordingly... we know we will not get it right the first time, but trying not to have to move the AI from the lot during the time we are there...

[InterBlog]

Originally Posted by wachuko

...

I am trying not to have anything on the hitch... all contained inside the AI. ..

Heh heh heh. We'll see how long you persist in that aspiration.


It is, of course, a personal choice, but I can't imagine not capitalizing on what the hitch offers in terms of expansion potential with zero loss of rig maneuverability or versatility. Especially if you are talking about a more expensive cooler, which it seems you might be -- the ARB is a cooled cooler, at least, many models appear to be.

You may have seen this photo below before on other threads - this is our hitch carrier, outfitted with a Yeti cooler and our gas can, with and without protective covers.

We recently cut another simple metal insert for the cooler space so that we can carry a pressure washer OR a bicycle OR a portable generator OR whatever else in that same location, instead of the Yeti cooler.

This is waaay too much flexibility to give up on general principle, IMO.

[Lily&Me]

I have a hitch hauler with fitted carry bag for mine, but only use it when I am traveling with the grandchildren...the same was true when Doug was alive and we traveled together.

Everything I need, including my bicycle, is carried inside, and I travel very comfortably for up to four months at a time.

The big difference is the additional length, which can be a factor when parking, and restricted access thru the rear doors.

It’s a matter of personal preference...keep it small, keep it simple, is my motto.

Maggie

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by Lily&Me

I have a hitch hauler with fitted carry bag for mine, but only use it when I am traveling with the grandchildren...the same was true when Doug was alive and we traveled together.

Everything I need, including my bicycle, is carried inside, and I travel very comfortably for up to four months at a time.

The big difference is the additional length, which can be a factor when parking, and restricted access thru the rear doors.

It’s a matter of personal preference...keep it small, keep it simple, is my motto.

Maggie

Maggie,

Part of all this we are doing is also to learn how to keep it small and simple... Right now I can't comprehend the challenges going from a house to using an RV... I will soon

Mara and I are having conversations on many simple stuff we take for granted... things like how we pack the seasoning or any perishable that we take, how do we make it easy to remove those and place them back in the house so that when we go out we always have fresh stuff in the RV... and it has to be easy to move in and out... just trowing stuff in a bag will not work. A proper system and storage strategy must be developed or adopt!

Dollar store damp thingys to keep the moisture inside the RV in check and avoid mold...

What clothes we take?... I mean, if someone comes knocking in the middle of the night we can't go out in underwear! So having decent pijamas (she has them and is used to using them... I don't!! )

Water management will be all new to us... And emptying the tanks, oh goodness, that will be a lot of fun...

The comment on the smells was an eye opener... common sense, but had not clicked on me until the suggestions on the type of rubber chocks... anything we bring to the inside will have an impact on the how the whole RV smells... So dirty clothes need a hermetically sealed bag!! Trash must be taken out frequently... wait, were is the trash can again in these?? Oh boy... so maybe we do need that tray in the back... for the trash and dirty laundry... oh, and the blue crabs and shrimp...

What do we do when we run out of movies to watch!!?, of goodness, we will have to talk to each other! We need to take with us things that we can have fun together with (board games, cards, dominoes, etc.). We both like to read, so the e-readers or books will be with us... She will take her knitting kit...

We also have to rethinking cooking... it is like anything inside has to be cold cuts, fruits??? and use the grill outside for making the breakfast and meals?? This one, being the Tommy Bahamas, there is no window to open in front of the stove. So any smell from the cooking goes straight to everything inside... So fish is out of the question unless it is done out side ...some 50 yards away

You are all veterans on these topics... we are slowly starting to understand what we have signed up for, hehehehehe

[Protagonist]

Originally Posted by wachuko

What clothes we take?... I mean, if someone comes knocking in the middle of the night we can't go out in underwear!

Sure you can! If you need to take in your awning due to a sudden storm in the middle of the night, you probably won't be the only one outside in just underwear, soaked to the skin and working faster than is really safe. And everyone else will be too busy to ogle you until it's all over and you're ready to scurry back in where it's warm and dry.

So having decent pijamas (she has them and is used to using them... I don't!! )

One thing that I've done for years is to pack hospital scrubs. They make excellent pajamas if worn by themselves or over just underwear, and are also good for casual lounging around the campsite inside or outside. They make good coveralls if worn over street clothes (which is what they were designed for) and easier to put on or take off over other clothes than one-piece jumpsuit-style coveralls. You can wear them in public without raising an eyebrow in most places except high-end restaurants. Long-lasting, easy to wash, don't need ironing because no one cares if they're wrinkled. Available in a variety of colors and styles to suit any preference.

[wachuko]

Originally Posted by Protagonist

Sure you can! If you need to take in your awning due to a sudden storm in the middle of the night, you probably won't be the only one outside in just underwear, soaked to the skin and working faster than is really safe. And everyone else will be too busy to ogle you until it's all over and you're ready to scurry back in where it's warm and dry.One thing that I've done for years is to pack hospital scrubs. They make excellent pajamas if worn by themselves or over just underwear, and are also good for casual lounging around the campsite inside or outside. They make good coveralls if worn over street clothes (which is what they were designed for) and easier to put on or take off over other clothes than one-piece jumpsuit-style coveralls. You can wear them in public without raising an eyebrow in most places except high-end restaurants. Long-lasting, easy to wash, don't need ironing because no one cares if they're wrinkled. Available in a variety of colors and styles to suit any preference.

I tried to resist... child in me won...

[InterBlog]

“how we pack the seasoning or any perishable that we take, how do we make it easy to remove those and place them back in the house so that when we go out we always have fresh stuff in the RV...”

-- I opted for an entirely separate set of seasonings in air-tight Nalgene bottles. They live in the van permanently now.


“and it has to be easy to move in and out... just trowing stuff in a bag will not work. ...”

-- Actually the best method I found is the big blue IKEA totes. Everything has an assigned place in our stick-and-brick house, but the movements from house to van and back again take place using the totes, into which everything is thrown.

“...Dollar store damp thingys to keep the moisture inside the RV in check and avoid mold... “

-- Drop in a bucket, literally and figuratively. There will be mornings when you will wipe many ounces of condensation off your window interiors. Keeping moisture in check is often more of a triage effort than anything that could be passively finessed. And when the rig is parked in storage, you’ll probably want continuous air movement through it (we do in the subtropics) to prevent mold.

“...The comment on the smells was an eye opener... anything we bring to the inside will have an impact on the how the whole RV smells...”

-- You could get a good-sized dog. That way, the essence of dog will overpower every other odor in the small space. Works for us.

“...wait, were is the trash can again in these??”

-- As counterintuitive as it sounds, someone on here recently suggested placing a soft-sided can in the wet bath. We found that there actually is room for it, and so this is what we do now. We hang two small metallic mesh baskets, one above the other, from the shower attachment near the faucet. I can no longer find that product online (it was a Container Store offering). This also helps with the aforesaid dog, who will tear into any trash can placed in the main part of the vehicle. Having it in the wet bath isolates it from her.

“...What do we do when we run out of movies to watch!!?, ...”

-- You could acquire a great deal of extra cellular hardware plus Netflix plus Apple TV. Each episode of Star Trek Voyager costs me about 350 MB on my 10 GB monthly Verizon air card ration. Very do-able. Even if you can get wifi in a remote location, the picture will be so degraded that amplified cellular is often preferable, if you can spare the megabytes.