All the little things...

[SheBop]

As I'm getting serious about purchasing a trailer, I am trying to think of the "extras" I will need soon after I get the trailer. Mostly, I don't want to blow my money on the down payment and the find a list of things that I can't afford... looking for help to add to the list. For my purposes, this isn't just a "must have" list but also things that are nice to have full timing. The less obvious things. Things I'm thinking of:


Lock for hitch

Tire covers

Items to ease leveling and blocking trailer

Holder for flush hose- I don't want that thing under my bed

Longer sewer hose?

Something to secure batteries from being stolen

Electric space heater


That gives an idea what I'm trying to think of. Would love input from other fulltimers.

[Caffeinated]

I don't think you need to worry about your batteries being stolen. Every rv in wherever you stay has batteries, and they are all a pain to get out. Thieves are lazy, or else they would work. As far as the hitch lock goes, you just need to make your trailer more hassle than the next guys. Most of the AS I see do not have a hitch lock. When you are home your tow rig can block access to the hitch.

Will you travel, or mostly stay put? I'd think about kitchen things for ease of cooking, cleaning up and everyday living. We use a bunch of clear plastic bins with lids to organize everything from sewer hose to cleaning items, to clothes.

Mike

[Foiled Again]

Using the cell. Too lazy to look an old thread, but basically 1. Let your usage teach you what to buy. 2. Use old junk from home or thrift stores initially. It makes changing your mind much easier. 3. Camping World is NOT your friend... they tempt you with all sorts of cute, expensive junk you'll never actually need. A couple of pink flamingos. Fine... but keep weight, space limitatioms firmly in mind.

Thimgs I use every day? Microfiber dishcloths... 4 colors - wash face,dishes, interior surfaces, exterior of trailer & truck. They cam be wrung far dryer than cotton, and dru too fast to mildew. Microfiber sheets... fast wicking moisture away, nicer when boondocking. Pour over coffee cone with paper filters. Less fuss than a French press, plus almost zero dedicated.space that most machines take.

The world.is.full of stores, so if you find you're missing something vital walmart has big parking. Lots.

[kb0zke]

When we were camping with the kids we ALWAYS left something we needed at home and had to go buy it. When we bought our Foretravel we parked it right outside the front door of our S&B. We started moving things into it as we thought about them. After a couple of weeks of that we started spending more of our time in the coach, fixing meals there and sleeping there. As Jo Ann used something for fixing a meal it went into the coach. Eventually we got almost everything we needed moved from the house to the coach.

There are several threads here about securing the trailer. Cheap answer: don't bother. There is a video of a "thief" stealing a LOCKED trailer in under a minute, and he even hooked up the lights! Since you are planning on full-timing I wouldn't worry about it. Thieves need a bit of time to case a trailer before stealing it, and you aren't going to be there long enough to let them get it figured out.

As for the rest of your list, if you know for sure what Airstream you are going to get you can start finding information on tire size, etc. and begin to shop for the best deals on what you need.

An Airstream has little exterior storage space, so much of what you want outside will have to ride in your truck. Suggestion: measure your truck bed, then go to Wal-Mart and look for clear storage containers that will fit the best in your truck. The "stinky slinky" may already have a built-in storage spot on the Airstream, but you will likely want to have another one or two for those times when you can't park in the perfect spot. Same with extra fresh water hoses and electric cords (and adapters).

Levelers are a personal choice. Some people like the Anderson levelers, some the Lynx levelers, and some use various sizes of wood. Each has advantages and disadvantages. Your choice.

As has been mentioned, batteries are a royal pain to change, so a thief is unlikely to target them in a campground.

Notice that the last sentence said "in a campground." Your coach is in the most danger when it is at the storage lot at home. Get away from there and on the road as soon as you can.

[twbucksr]

Not necessarily little, but important items are.....

Surge protector. The Progressive Industries EMS-PT30C was the first accessory I purchased for my 2015 22FB.

Brake controller for your TV if it is not equipped with one.

Air compressor to keep your AS tires properly inflated. I carry a small pancake style air compressor on trips.

Tire Pressure Monitor System (TPMS) for your trailer tires.







Sent from my iPad using Airstream Forums

[majorairhead]

My wife and I resisted the purchase of a bunch of stuff when starting out. I'm glad we did. We bought/buy what we think we need when the time arises. Hence, not a lot of stuff carrying around that is dead weight and not used.

some of the stuff we haul....in addition to clothes, cookware, utensils, food, etc :

2 folding chairs for outside, sometimes 4
2 folding tables for outside
outdoor mat for under awning
a grill and 20 lb propane tank for it
a couple citronella bucket candles
a toolbox with a bunch of tools in it
spare fuses, plus spare fuses for power jack
torque wrench, sockets, for wheels and hitch nuts etc
tub of grease
flashlights
wheel chocks and levelers
numerous pieces 2x8 10 inches long or so
some 1x boards too
air compressor and air pressure gauge
2 fresh water hoses
2 sewer hoses and all connectors
30 amp power cord plus an extension cord
50 to 30 amp connector
cable tv cord
surge protector (use it every time)
small folding step ladder (I find it easier to turn the awning locks by hand)
a couple clean gallon jugs for water, good for putting out campfires, etc
hand saw, hammer, crowbar, hatchet, knives

I'm sure a couple other things, but this is pretty much all I can recall sitting here @ my house OH, almost forgot.....Duct Tape!

[Alluminati]

Tire covers are for trailers in storage. The covers protect the tires from UV light. If you are full time, your tires will wear out faster than the sun can destroy them. But if your trailer sits unused for months in the sun, you may want covers for them.

[SheBop]

Originally Posted by Caffeinated

I don't think you need to worry about your batteries being stolen. Every rv in wherever you stay has batteries, and they are all a pain to get out. Thieves are lazy, or else they would work. As far as the hitch lock goes, you just need to make your trailer more hassle than the next guys. Most of the AS I see do not have a hitch lock. When you are home your tow rig can block access to the hitch.

Will you travel, or mostly stay put? I'd think about kitchen things for ease of cooking, cleaning up and everyday living. We use a bunch of clear plastic bins with lids to organize everything from sewer hose to cleaning items, to clothes.

Mike

Good to know about the batteries. There are a lot of tweekers in Oregon so I was just worried about anything that could be sold that isn't locked down. My uncle had mentioned the hitch lock because he was told by a dealer that AS are frequently stolen. i personally would not question seeing people hitching up a trailer and driving off... so I totally see how it could happen. Locks are reasonable in price, so I think heeaceof mind is worth it

[Spinonedad]

Start saving for a 100-125 watt foldable solar panel to keep batteries topped off with

Also
A small generator will come in handy in the future

[debbietaylor]

Originally Posted by SheBop

As I'm getting serious about purchasing a trailer, I am trying to think of the "extras" I will need soon after I get the trailer. Mostly, I don't want to blow my money on the down payment and the find a list of things that I can't afford... looking for help to add to the list. For my purposes, this isn't just a "must have" list but also things that are nice to have full timing. The less obvious things. Things I'm thinking of:


Lock for hitch

Tire covers

Items to ease leveling and blocking trailer

Holder for flush hose- I don't want that thing under my bed

Longer sewer hose?

Something to secure batteries from being stolen

Electric space heater


That gives an idea what I'm trying to think of. Would love input from other fulltimers.

Good sway bars to control sway are very important and a Prodigy remote control brake system.

[RudiOnTheRoad]

Looked at the lists above, but did not see water filter! Very important. Got mine on Amazon. And I kkep a water pressure gauge attached to it, just in case. Also, a tube of sealant like Di-Cor is good to have! I can tell you from experience, as I am sitting in a rain storm right now in Anza Borrego in my AS with a new roof leak that just sprung up last night. These rain storms can penetrate even the best sealed roof! I also carry an 8 ft. collapsible ladder that I got from Home Depot. Light and compact and enables me to get on the roof for just such problems, also to clean the solar panels and more easily lock and unlock the awning...

[jcanavera]

I carry a small very light two step aluminum ladder. Just tall enough to allow me to get to the awning locking wheels so that I can turn them by hand. Saves a lot of time rather than using the pole that comes with the trailer.

Jack

[eggman]

This may not be applicable for your situation, but when I full timed, I found I needed some sort of collapsible cart, wagon or something to tote propane tanks to refill tank in the rv park. I ended up using a cheap umbrella style baby stroller.

[greghoro]

Regarding longer sewer hose. A number of sewer hoses, especially the heavy duty ones, will not collapse enough to fit lengthwise in the storage tube Airstream provides. I had to trim the length a bit off the Rhino Flex hose so it will fit, maybe lost a foot off the fully extended length. I added a second storage tube to carry an extension hose, had to trim that hose too.

Consider purchasing an elbow adapter for your city water hose so it will hang down close to the trailer rather than stick out.

A water thief is another good thing to carry. Lets you connect a fresh water hose where the spigot is not threaded or the threads are boogered. Mainly used for filling your tank, not for city water hookup.

Replace all your hose gaskets with ones that have a screen.

5 gallon water jug for filtered water from a self service water machine at most large grocery stores. Better tasting than most campground water supplies. Jug can also be used to fill your tank after you realized you forgot to do so. Usually just after the stabilizers are down and the awning is out.


Greg

[cazual6]

Originally Posted by SheBop

As I'm getting serious about purchasing a trailer, I am trying to think of the "extras" I will need soon after I get the trailer. Mostly, I don't want to blow my money on the down payment and the find a list of things that I can't afford... looking for help to add to the list. For my purposes, this isn't just a "must have" list but also things that are nice to have full timing. The less obvious things. Things I'm thinking of:


Lock for hitch

Tire covers

Items to ease leveling and blocking trailer

Holder for flush hose- I don't want that thing under my bed

Longer sewer hose?

Something to secure batteries from being stolen

Electric space heater


That gives an idea what I'm trying to think of. Would love input from other fulltimers.

This is a list I started when I got mine. It has since grown. It will grown every time you camp.

This should get you some ideas.

http://www.airforums.com/forums/f48/...ed-144940.html

[Outdoors4me]

2 sewer hoses and all connectors


Majorairhead: I see you have the same length trailer and two sewer hoses. Where and how do you travel with the second one? What size is it?

Our tow vehicle is an SUV and I don't want the hose in there.