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Luigi123 · 03-12-2017, 11:14 PM

Before driving away-- " always walk around one last time Look up look down and always walk around the entire TV and Airstream", I qurantee you will eventually have missed something, no how impatient you are on driving off-- just do it everytime.

chelli · 03-13-2017, 04:35 AM

Congratulations! Fabulous info one and all, with the exception of putting heavy items in overhead compartments. I'm learning too after only a year with my 16'. One of your questions was asking what size of socket to use for the levellers. Did you mean the stabilizers? If so, then I believe one is included. One thing I absolutely need is the collapsible stool; it folds flat for storage after assisting with various duties but makes a great end table at the campfire.

mimiandrews · 03-13-2017, 06:38 AM

Be patient, be careful. Once that's done, have fun!

Congratulations on the new trailer.

cabinetmaker · 03-13-2017, 07:49 AM

Congrats!! You picked our favorite model Airstream...what a great first choice!

Water...we never drink water from the trailer faucets. Never know what each campgrounds water system is like...and many are on well water. Even water in the trailer tank we avoid drinking...just as a safety precaution.

We take bottle water for drinking and coffee making...just a added precaution and little more peace of mind.

Have fun...you will make mistakes but don't be fooled every Airstreamer on this forum has.

Don't be afraid to ask a neighbor camper for help with something if needed. Everyone remembers their first trailer...and the learning curve!

Len n Jeanne · 03-13-2017, 05:08 PM

Just one more thing to first-timers to RVing, as well as Airstream.

If you get into some kind of pickle at a campground, don't be afraid to either ask for help, or accept it if it's offered. Most commonly this would be something like a tight right-angle back-in site at a state or national park or forest. (There are also many threads here on backing tips.) But it could be almost anything.

You may feel like an idiot momentarily, but you will make some other guy feel like a hero Good Samaritan. And that's a good thing.

Rich Jenkins · 03-13-2017, 06:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chelli

Congratulations! Fabulous info one and all, with the exception of putting heavy items in overhead compartments. I'm learning too after only a year with my 16'. One of your questions was asking what size of socket to use for the levellers. Did you mean the stabilizers? If so, then I believe one is included. One thing I absolutely need is the collapsible stool; it folds flat for storage after assisting with various duties but makes a great end table at the campfire.

It is, mine was a speed wrench type of tool. Yes, it worked, but:

If you buy the socket, and chuck it in a cordless drill, it makes the job go much much faster.

On topic: Welcome! Some great ideas here. I can think of one more: I use the "Clinometer" app on my smart phone to check level. It works pretty well.

chelseykate · 03-13-2017, 07:09 PM

I haven't read through everything posted but I want to and my two cents...I just picked up my new '17 27 foot international two days ago. Record the whole demo! It's a lot to take in. Don't over think it! Have fun. I left my first weekend thinking it was going to be a lot more difficult than it was. Like you I did plenty of research before. Also...talk to your neighbors at the campsite! Ours gave good advice regarding having enough waste in your black tank to let gravity push it down instead of emptying when there isn't much there.

rvb · 03-13-2017, 10:15 PM

The Airstream manuals in the 70's used to say drive 20', get out, go back and see what you left.

Another thing to check on the walk around is that all the lights are working.
We drove into a rally an hour and a half after dark to find we had no tail lights or running lights. A spade connector had come loose on the fuse block for the umbilical cord. We now always check turn signals, brake and tail lights!

chelli · 03-14-2017, 06:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Llando88

It is, mine was a speed wrench type of tool. Yes, it worked, but:

If you buy the socket, and chuck it in a cordless drill, it makes the job go much much faster.

On topic: Welcome! Some great ideas here. I can think of one more: I use the "Clinometer" app on my smart phone to check level. It works pretty well.

That makes sense. Thank you.

AirstreamCSH · 03-14-2017, 08:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wolfie321

I too am a newbie...Picking up my new trailer on Wednesday. As I am inexperienced with AS lifestyle, I wanted to say hello and look forward to reading and learning. The AS is a 27FB and the TV will be a 2012 GMC Yukon XL (4 wheel available) when needed. Anyone see any problems? Thanks, Scott

Thanks for all the great notes!

Scott
Please look on the drivers door frame for a yellow sticker saying something like "Combined weight of vehicle and contents should never exceed ..." followed by numbers in KG and LB. This will give you a payload figure. You deduct from that the tongue weight for your trailer, weight of passengers you will take and any cargo you will be carrying. The resulting number needs to be greater than zero.

Mattirs · 03-15-2017, 12:23 AM

Don't allow yourself to be rushed. The other day when we were leaving my wife was telling me to hurry we are behind schedule, but I needed to put some fresh water in the tank. In my rush first time I hooked it up to the black water tank flush, second time I hooked it up to the city water hook up. Third time was the charm when I walked round to the other side and dope slapped my self. I was so focused on other tasks that I didn't think through what I needed to do.

**Rocinante** · 03-15-2017, 12:32 AM

Checklists. Did I say checklists? Let me check the checklist.

Luigi123 · 03-15-2017, 01:27 AM

Look up , look down, walk around, before leaving -going and coming. Your mind is busy easy to forget something on the ground trailer or tow vehicle.

Len n Jeanne · 03-15-2017, 01:54 PM

Not to mention literally counting your number of stabilizers to make sure they're all up. I overlooked one in a shady spot once, and it dragged through our gravel parking pad. At least, by following the 20' rule and with the passenger outside to check for stuff, we caught it before getting on the pavement. Yes, the stabilizer was broken. We've seen other campers leaving a campsite doing this, also.

**Rocinante** · 03-15-2017, 02:15 PM

Speaking of look up, be sure to look up as you back into that perfect camping spot. Sometimes a branch will seem to rudely lower itself as you back into your spot, in hopes of scratching or denting your trailer from above.

Oh and the eaves of that nearby house can do the same when you back into a driveway.

rvb · 03-16-2017, 12:49 PM

I second looking up. Low limbs can break AC shrouds and look for broken, cracked or hanging limbs waiting to fall. We camped in a city park on a rally last year and moved when we noticed a large hole rotted at the base of a big overhanging limb. A big wind could have brought it down and we don't need a tree on top of our trailer. We put chairs in the drive while there, pointed it out to incoming arriving campers and left a note with the site number for the management.

VTSmitty · 03-17-2017, 08:11 AM

Compressor: We've used the Viair 70P for several years, works fine for us.

Checklists: I keep my abbreviated checklists for hookup/unhooking laminated to the front of the propane cover where I can see them while I do it. Some things you just don't want to mess up...

Walkie talkies are part of our requirements for backing in to spots, even the easy ones. For tight ones they can make the difference between impossible and possible.

And I second the previous poster's thoughts about haste: the times we've come closest to disaster have been when we've felt rushed. If you feel like the pressure's on, slow down.

Dan

AirstreamCSH · 03-17-2017, 10:32 AM

I found that the checklists were overwhelming and instead broke them down into tasks to be done by individuals. This translates into bags for each task so when you arrive and set-up, one person gets the ELECTRIC bag and the other gets the WATER bag. If there are more people than another gets the RV PARKING bag and so forth until someone gets two.

Each bag is equipped with everything needed. Of note, we went with Red ribbons similar to what is used by a pilot in performing an exterior check. These are in the STABILIZER bag. If you follow this process, it's hard to mess-up.

AirstreamCSH · 04-01-2017, 11:45 AM

Just spent the last couple of hours replacing the lugnuts.

Better to do this now then on the side of the road in the dark & rain. Dealing with the cheap covers over the cheap lugnuts is no fun and I doubt I'd be travelling with a 5lb lump hammer to drive on a deep 3/4" impact socket to get that one bad lugnut. Why Airstream cheaped out so badly on these is beyond me.

luforia · 04-03-2017, 09:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AirstreamCSH

Just spent the last couple of hours replacing the lugnuts.

Better to do this now then on the side of the road in the dark & rain. Dealing with the cheap covers over the cheap lugnuts is no fun and I doubt I'd be travelling with a 5lb lump hammer to drive on a deep 3/4" impact socket to get that one bad lugnut. Why Airstream cheaped out so badly on these is beyond me.

What did you replace them with and where did you get them? Thanks.