Buying my first Toy hauler any advice is appreciated


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My new toy hauler will be ready to be picked up Wednesday in Mesa Arizona.  Not a big one, only 12 feet, but I loaded it up.  50 gallon Fresh water, 50 gallon grey and 50 gallon black water tank.  60 lbs worth of propane.  On board propane generator, Air Conditioning, shower, toilet, 3 burner stove with oven, microwave, fridge, AM/FM/CD/DVD player wired for a television.  Sleeps 4 two in the pull down queen bed and 1 each on two fold down couches.

Never having owned a trailer before I am sure there are many must haves, to make set up easier.  Just don't know what they are.  I noticed Lucky Lundy uses a battery powered drill with a socket wrench to quickly set up his four leveler jacks, would have never thought of that.

Any ideas or suggestions are appreciated.  Thanks!

Doc

firestorm.jpg

firestorn inside.jpg

firestorm bed.jpg

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Doc, the powerdrill socket trick I do myself. Make sure to carry a can of good ol wd40 or equivalent to spray on the leveler screw threads. Makes it alot easier. They can get a little rusty from being outdoors. They do make electric levelers to have installed, if you want to spend more money. Also everything about trailers you have to be careful with. latches, handles, knobs, etc. It doesnt matter if you buy a $10,000 or $50; 000 trailer, everything falls apart easily.  Ive owned a couple good brands before and it was same story. Another thing that you wouldn't think of is the lug nuts on the wheels, they do come loose. Lol a friend of mine asked me once if I check the lugnuts and of course I said no. After checking them and retightening them, I went on a short trip and a couple had backed off some. also make sure everything inside is secure and not just sitting around or it will all be on the floor by time you get to your destination. some how I usually forget to put something away, and it falls off a table or something. good luck with your new toy hauler!

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Nice little trailer Doc !!B)

 I know you will be taking it offroad and I noticed the minimum ground clearance it has, if you intend to take it way offroad where you'll be going through big dips/washes, over big rocks and or very uneven ground, etc. you may want to consider a lift kit on the trailer.

If you haven't already considered a spare tire for it, do so, it may be a good idea to have 2.

I don't go in the desert with my trailer and I always have 2 spares when I go on trips.

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Dang Doc! Thats nicer then our RV :)

Can of fix a flat....and a small 12V air pump. And a spare as someone else suggested. Piece of indoor outdoor carpet so you dont track crap inside. 

Maybe a disco ball? :)
Nice set up.

GL To ya

Tom H. 

 

 

 

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Californiagold:  Thank you very much.  WD40 is just a god send for just about everything, but once again, would have never thought about it for the levelers.  Wheel lugs, that is really a serious thing, glad you brought it up.

Gold Seeker,  I did order it with a spare and spare carrier.  I may have to look into a lift kit.  Not sure how difficult that is with the electronic brakes, but you are right that is probably a must have.

Shep:  I figured when I had to beg you to let me use your toilet and shower, it was time to get my own.  You are always welcome.  Next time we are together I will cook you a steak.  It has a microwave after all!  JUST KIDDING, I'll break out the grill.

Oldies:  All great suggestions, I ordered the stripper pole but forgot the disco ball.

Grubbie:  I am never going to live that down am I?  You have to cut me some slack, I never hunted in Manzanita before.  I didn't know I would spend 75% of my day on my hands and knees crawling under that stuff.  I'm lucky my GPS was all I lost.  That stuff grabbed my hat right off my head, when I turned around to retrieve it, a branch snatched my glasses right off my face.  I think I lost a testicle up there too.

Painter:  $23,000 without tax.  Have to pay 8.15% up here in Vegas in sales tax before I can register it

Thank you to every one.

There are so many gadgets you don't know which ones are important or not.  Deodorizer for the toilet tank? Best way to clean it?  Some people have said put Calgon water Softener in the tank because it makes the water slippery and debris is less likely to cling to the walls of the tank.  Not sure if that is accurate or whether the information is worthwhile.  I do know that soft water makes you feel like you can't rinse the soap off. 

I intend to slime the tires, get a plug kit, and I have a really good 12v compressor.  It draws so many amps it has to be connected directly to the battery.

I am really intrigued by certain things.  Like how the heck does a refrigerator run on propane?

Doc

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Hey Doc

Sounds like everybody had some good suggestions. I see you met the ruthless manzanita bush. this is where I spend 95 percent of my detecting time. I wish I had a dollar for everytime the manzanita ripped my headphones clean off my head. I would be rich with dollars. I think manzanitas work in unison to keep people out. one gets you by the headphones,  while the other slaps your face and the next gouges your rib cage with a dead branch spear, and the last one castrates you. I have literaly turned around sometimes and smacked the hell out of them with my pick just to get even for the scratches and gouges. My partner she thinks im crazy and lost my mind. but I know those bushes hear me now after hitting them back. alot of good gold in them bushes. good luck with your new toy. and becareful of them  manzanitas. 

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Doc, as a tow truck driver in Payson that tows trailers all the time because of failures, I can offer a few more serious suggestions on towing trailers. 1st of all forget the lift kit. All they do on trailers is flip the axle and that just makes that type of trailer more top heavy and more likely to flip over. If you need more ground clearance go to a taller tire if possible instead. Might have to change tire and wheel sizes to accomplish this. 2nd get a proper sway bar setup and make sure you have the proper drop hitch so the trailer is level when towing loaded. Too tongue heavy or light makes trailers very unstable and we see more than I care to laying on their side because of improper load balance. Speaking of load balance, make sure it is equal front to rear and heavy stuff should be over the axles. Along the same subject of load, pay attention to GVWR of the trailer and your truck. Over loaded or even max loads are more susceptible to accidents, especially when load is unequal front to rear. More info concerning loads.......Depending on the truck and it's towing capability, it might be a good idea to install a larger external transmission cooler. Stock coolers in radiators don't cool well enough when towing in the desert. Along the same lines, service your transmission more often as it will work harder and fluid won't last as long. Wheel bearings are often overlooked and are probably the number one failure I see, especially with smaller trailers. Most have bearing buddies included these days but they don't really keep the bearings properly lubricated as the inner bearing grease usually fails and welds the bearing to the axle if not maintained properly. Most don't realize that because of the smaller tires on trailers that when you are going down the highway at 65, the trailer tires are doing more like the equivalent to 80. Of course driving on dirt roads also allows dust to contaminate grease over time and also is a cause of grease failure.

Better start a new paragraph here......Safety chains should be of sufficient size for the load and attached properly. Never twist chains because they are too long, and don't let them drag the highway either. Twisted links will just fail should your trailer ever come disconnected and dragged chains will also fail, not to mention throw sparks and can start brush fires along the highway. Safety chains should always be attached crossed under the tongue so as to make a cradle to catch the tongue should it ever disconnect. Trailer brake controllers need to be adjusted properly. Too much trailer brake will wear them out fast, and not enough will cause unnecessary wear to your trucks brakes. This adjustment is on the controller and will likely have to play with it some to achieve optimum setting depending on the particular load you are towing at the time. Tire pressures should be checked and maintained. Always check tire pressures and tire conditions each time before you hit the highway. Never try to get maximum tread life out of trailer tires. Replace tires at about 50% wear on trailers. Those trailer tires aren't built the same as vehicle tires and don't wear well or last as long.

I have to go get a car/elk accident now, so I'll try to add a few more tidbits later. This should give you a good starter list to work on anyway. Dennis

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Doc, I can't let Good memories go, that was fun, Since I can't detect anymore, that all I have. Grubstake

Just been buying up ammo for the coming war, Got 3000 rounds of 223, 1000 rounds of 38 and 2000 rounds of 49 cal. and 1000 rounds of 22 mag. . I can see it coming. and I'll be ready. Grubstake

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IMPDLN:  WOW, fantastic information.  Thank you.

I did enough research that I knew the importance of the the Anti-sway bar and the Load Distribution hitch, so I ordered those.

Strange enough I have always crossed the chains but I never knew why I did it I just always saw other people do it.

Thanks again!

Doc

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Crossing the chains-what a great idea!!!

my new-ish trailer is a little low also but it has torsion-bar suspension so no raising for me...

Of course, after i bought it I found out the 14 inch tire only come in one weight rating...live and learn.

Sleeping in a real bed after a hard day is simply wonderful...beats the hell out of the ground or the back of the truck...

good luck, Doc

fred

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Your welcome Doc. I know more about what not to do with trailers just because I see all the mistakes people make. After 23 years driving tow truck, I've recovered everything from john boats on Harbor Freight crap trailers to 40ft. 5th wheels scattered all over the highway. We haul a lot of smaller trailers with burnt up wheel bearings, snapped axles, and broken leaf springs. Most disconnects are because people don't pin the latch at the ball. You wouldn't believe some of the crap I've seen people do with trailers.

Be advised, sway bars do add stability, however they won't prevent a rollover if loaded wrong. The biggest mistake people make in this area is the wrong drop hitch and tongue angle too low. Sometimes drop hitches need to be flipped over and put the ball higher....and it is ok and safe to do this. Most people don't realize this.

Lots of newer units actually come with coiled cables instead of safety chains these days and they are actually better. If you have all terrain tires on your truck and are going to drive much off highway, you might want to add some diamond plate along the lower front of that unit if it doesn't already have it. Also bed liner paint on the tongue will help prevent the paint from being chipped off over time. Rocks just beat the crap out of everything in front over time.

If not already setup this way from the factory, they can be wired into you trucks charging system so it keeps the trailer batteries charged while driving, right through the 7 wire plug commonly used on most trailers these days. You should have your frig running on electricity while driving. Propane should always be turned off at the tank while driving. The systems have pretty good safety systems incorporated into them these days, but we still get occasional burned up trailers because people are running the propane while driving and a hose or valve fails creating a propane leak and inevitably a nice big fire. Solar panels are great for keeping the batteries full while out prospecting during daytime. You'll just have to do some research to see what unit is right for you application. They can go up on the roof or on the side or prop up on the ground, depending on how different units are designed.

You only have a single axle, but for guys with double axles I'll mention you should carry a chunk of 4x4 or 4x6 lumber and a bottle jack for flat tires. With a double axle system it is always easier to jack up the axle with the flat if you drive the still inflated tire up on a block of wood. This way you are only jacking up the axle, not the weight of the whole trailer.

Speaking of blocks of wood.....anybody towing a trailer should always have some with them. Many times a block of wood can be like duct tape when trailering. For things like wheel chocks, something to put under tongue jacks or stabilizer supports. They can also save your day should you snap a leaf spring out in the middle of nowhere. In the case of a broken leaf spring or shackle you can jack the trailer up and put a block between the axle and the frame, ratchet strap it and this can allow you to drive slowly to a safe spot you can get help. Otherwise the tire will just get torn up in the fender or fender well and do more damage.

Ok, that's enough for now. My eyes are getting tired, lol. I guess I should write a dang book, lol. Hope you guys find some of this helpful. Dennis

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Nice trailer. It should definitely serve it's purchase for ya Doc. 

Fred it is a good idea to disconnect all of the load leveling arms and the sway bar before going through dips and ditches if towing off road. I have seen all that stuff completely cave in and crush the tongue of a trailer.

As for WD-40 to lube the trailer stabilizer jacks. GREAT IDEA. But I have found that a dry lube works best for them being that WD-40 does attract dirt and dust. So I have had to spray them more often to help wash the dust away. A good graphite based dry lube works great in the desert. Just a little tip.

Dan

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Hey Doc, always put about 5 gallons of water into your black tank after dumping..along with the deodorizer.  Helps keep things clean in there when driving around empty (sometimes paper and such gets hung up when you empty your tank and can harden into a difficult situation).  You may need more or less.  It is helpful to have liquid in there so you don't end up with a pyramid under the throne ;).  Get a solar panel and/or extra battery.  LED lights.  

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