Newbie Advice (Tow Hitch/Towing/Other Essentials)?

[Captain Hank]

You can also join the Wally Byam Airstream Club (http://wbcci.org/). Affiliate with a local Unit and you will find experienced Airstreamer's willing to help you answer your questions.
Plus you will have fine group of people to camp with.

[MelGoddard]

Originally Posted by Gneiss Guy

Get or make yourself a checklist to use when you are setting up camp and, especially, before departure. Put everything on the checklist and use it every time. When you are new to this stuff, there are so many things that need be done that it's easy to miss something critical.

CHECKLIST, CHECKLIST, CHECKLIST!
One to load the trailer, one BEFORE you move off, one to set up, one to break camp.
Get used to it; the dynamics of using the RV will tell you what you need to write down. Use them and you will generally stay out of trouble.
If it's good enough for Aviators, it's good enough for us.

Trailer Trash waiting for Spring.

[Naper]

We were all newbies once and all have stories to now laugh about. There is nothing that you can do that hasn't happened to others.
Best advice I can give is enjoy the adventure.

[Diocletian]

Originally Posted by AWCHIEF

If the new Jeep does not come with a factory installed brake control you will need one. It should be plug and play. Wiring harnesses/connection is located under the dash close to the steering wheel.

Thanks Michael. We just got our new Jeep today, and the dealer told us that Jeep does not make a trailer brake assist so we will need to get an after-market one. Do you have any suggestions? I was not even aware there was such a thing until I read your post - so thank you! :-)

[McDave]

When I bought my AS, the dealer also sold me and installed the weight distribution hitch and trailer brake controller. They have worked fine ever since. While there are no doubt other alternatives I could have considered, I didn't know any more than you did at the time, and so probably could not have made an intelligent choice. Also, getting everything from one place meant there was only one place I needed to go to get everything explained, repaired, and replaced if necessary, which thankfully it wasn't. Hopefully it also meant that the dealer, at least, thought it was all compatible with my new trailer.

[tvketchum]

More than once, we get out the smartphone, set the map to satellite, and look at the store, gas station, etc, in advance of arrival. This allows some advance planning for getting in, as well as an exit strategy.....


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Tom

[Caffeinated]

Originally Posted by tvketchum

More than once, we get out the smartphone, set the map to satellite, and look at the store, gas station, etc, in advance of arrival. This allows some advance planning for getting in, as well as an exit strategy.....


Sent from my iPhone using Airstream Forums

Tom

This. It's important to know how you and your trailer will exit a parking lot or fuel station before you pull in. With the base camp, you have more leeway than with a 30 footer, but still you'll want to know you can get out easily before pulling in.

Mike