Towing Advice

Hey towing and hauling friends,

Here's my question that I'd love your feedback on. I'm pick up a new TT this weekend. It's a 2015 Forest River Palomino Solaire 213X leftover. We loved the space that it provided, sleeping room, small footprint and ultra-light weight.



That said, I have two questions. First, give me some driving advice.

Since I haven't towed before, I really want as much guidance as possible. No advice is too big or too small, I just want to be smart on the highway when I head out next weekend.

Second, what would you add to your current set-up or not include? And what gear (inside and out) would you consider essential? I want to show up for my first trip prepared but also ready for what I could encounter. I'm staying in a PA state park so I'm not terrified, but I am worried about things like backing it in and being sure that I have space for all of the extensions (fold-outs / bump-outs).

 

Paging @ColoradoTJ

Sway bar is on of the big things

 

I towed a camper for the first time last summer. I found a big parking lot and backed it in all kinds of different angles for practice. This really helped me understand a trailers movement off my truck. I drove at about 80 mph most the way. If you dont feel comfortable then slow down, no biggie. Oh make sure your trailer is within reach of all hookups before you level it off and block the wheels. I learned the hard way and had to reconnect the truck and pull it 5 ' forward lol.

 

My friend I been towing a camper for over five years.. There's no such thing as fully prepare on first trip.. All three campers we camped in the driveway or near by..just in case we needed something...there's gonna be a lot of walmart stops during your camping trips.. Please check your tires for air preasure and rotting this is major one

 

This is on my short list of mods. I may go without it for the first trip just so I can establish a baseline and then add afterward. However, from what I've read here it's a must add so I might just get it.

I was supposed to pick up the TT on Saturday which would have given me the remainder of the weekend to practice like you did. Now that I'm picking it up on Monday it cuts into that practice time but I should be able to log an hour or two. As for my speed, out of the gate slow and steady is going to be my motto. Finally, thanks for the suggestions on blocking the wheels and being close to the hookups. They're both things that I hadn't considered.

The first trip that I'm taking is to the Grand Canyon of PA (it's a real place) and quite frankly it's in the middle of nowhere. The closest town of any consequence is 25 miles away so I'm going to need to either really think through what I need or resign myself to do without. No big deal anyway, but I suspect that I'll be running to the store a bit more than I want over subsequent trips. And as for the tires, I checked them during our last walk around but I'll definitely recheck them before I take delivery. I'm glad you mentioned it.

@ColoradoTJ I've been reading the section pretty exhaustively. That's why I ended up buying and installing the P3 and ESP mounting kit instead of going with the dealer installed option. When I showed up at the dealership the sales dude was like: "you did this yourself? It almost looks factory" and I responded: "yeah, with a little help from my Tundras.com friends."

In terms of turning with the trailer is there anything that I need to be aware of? I mean I know that I'll have to exaggerate the turn to allow for the trailer, but is there anything else I need to be worried about?

Thanks to everyone for sharing your thoughts. Keep em coming.

 

Yes, you can squash your bumper by turning/ backing too tight.
If your towing a moderate distance, lube the ball. I don't do this on my dump trailer 'cause It doesn't travel more than 20 mi. usually. But on the TT, where I'm going several hundred mi. I do.
Check your connections and double check, and triple check. Basic hand tools may prove very handy. I just saw more than a half dozen TTs broken down on the side of the road while driving to and from Mojave last week.
Check the lug nuts frequently and be prepared to remove a tire.
I always carry a shovel...and seem to always find it useful.
Extra 30 amp fuses for the truck, in case you fry the fuse that protects the trailer wiring.

 

When backing up, put your hand at the bottom of the steering wheel and turn towards the side you want to turn.

 

I don't know how long your TT is, my reference point is. About 5 ft in front of the driver side front tire of the TT.. Wherever I put that point that's where the trailer will end or close to it..mine is 30ft long..

 

I've been camping for a long time. If you have the manual leveling/support jacks I would recommend getting a battery powered impact gun. It cuts down on the set up time a lot. Another thing would be to look at extended mirrors they are a life savor on seeing what is behind you and also backing up. Bring 2 garden hoses and a Y garden hose hookup you never know when you need a garden hose outside around your camper. Check to see if your propane tanks are full. the last thing I brought where a couple extension cords and Christmas lights for lighting outside.

 

One good tip is to buy a good weight distributing hitch set up. Don't cheap out here, I've used the cheap ones with thin bars and chains they are ok. I got a equal-i-zer with my new TT and it is amazing no messing around put bars on and go no noisy friction sway control either.

 

I have a TT that is 4500 lbs loaded. I just purchased it this year, so I have recently spent $$ mostly on Amazon.

Towing - a weight distribution hitch properly set up is a must. Get one that has integrated sway control. The ones with a separate sway control device work also, but you have to disconnect the sway device when you are backing up, so not as convenient. I have the one with separate sway because the place I bought the TT from sold me the entire set up installed for $200, so too good to pass up.

Towing - make sure you cross your safety chains.

Towing - make sure you connect your break-away switch and the rv battery should be hooked up when towing so it can activate the break away breaking in worst case scenarios.

Towing - a lock for the coupler is needed.

Towing - lock your doors and close your windows on the TT when you are towing.

Towing - double check everything before you leave, triple check just in case.

Towing - make sure your Tundra tires are aired properly, you may want to air up your tires a few PSI to support the towing.

Towing - take it easy when towing, 65 mph is max I tow at since TT tires are usually poorly made. You have to turn wide and give yourself plenty of time to slow down.

Towing - if you don't have towing mirrors, get some or get clip ons so you can safely change lanes

TT Brakes - make sure the brakes on the TT work and are properly adjusted (they are drum brakes and each will have the "star" adjustment from an access port on the back of the drums. Test the brakes and brake controller in an empty parking lot. Drive about 20 mph and manually apply the TT brakes via the brake controller, see if it slows down your truck without touching your truck's brakes. If it does not, increase the braking power on your brake controller. If it locks up the TT brakes, decrease.

TT Tires - make sure they are aired up to the maximum PSI indicated on the tires. Trailer tires need to be at their max pressure to carry the weight. Make sure they are not cracked or rotted. Don't forget about checking the spare.

TT Lights - check all brake, turn signal and running lights on TT before leaving.

TT Wheel bearings - make sure they are greased

TT - Lug nuts need to be checked (the Tundra bottle jack works great to lift the TT if you need to change a tire)

TT - make sure all the lights, frig, electrical, heat, water, etc work before leaving.

TT - if the RV was winterized you will need to de-winterize it to flush out RV Antifreeze from the lines and perhaps sanitize the water tank with and flush everything out before you leave.

TT - you need to test the plumbing system out and water heater before you leave. I just did mine today and found a leak in the shut off valve for the water heater. A big pain in the ass, I spent 2 hours just trying to disconnect the pex lines and I still have to replace that tomorrow.

Accessories - electrical cord, adaptors for 30 amp to 15 amp or 50 amp to 15/30 amp.

Accessories - safe drinking hose and extra hose for regular use

Accessories - water regulator to keep water pressure in check

Accessories - water filter and 90degree elbow to connect to water outlet on side of TT

Accessories - sewer hose and assorted connectors

Accessories - tire chocks, tire leveling blocks or wood boards (check out Andersen Levelers or BAL levelers for top of the line). ALWAYS chock the tires before disconnecting the TT from the Tundra.

Accessories - all the essential camping stuff

I have done some mods to my TT such as the bumper/gutter sewer hose storage and led awning lights with dimmer switch. There's probably more stuff I forgot, but just ask if you have any questions.

 

@16tunterd All solid advice and I'll definitely add all of these to my preflight checklist. I can definitely see where a shovel would come in handy (unruly guests, etc.) and wouldn't have thought to pack one. It's on the list now as are a decent toolkit. I didn't think to add that but it makes complete sense.

Have you found a good place to get fuses for the Tundra? I know it sounds like a rookie question but I picked some up at Auto Zone recently (Cooper Bussman) and they were much taller than stock. Is there a specific brand that you'd recommend?

@joonbug that's some good stuff there. Thinking it through, it's common sense but I didn't stop to think of the change in dynamics. Instead of counter steering at 10, 11, 12, 1, or 2, you're just steering in the direction you want to go.

@xj2202009 mine is 24' with 1.5' for the tongue so I guess that would be around 25 feet. Having a reference point does make sense since the trailer turns from the axels. I'll need to figure out my exact sweet spot is but this is another thing I'd have had to learn the hard way.

@pbryant44 appreciate the ideas. I do have manual support jacks so getting/bringing a battery powered impact gun would seem to save a lot of time and energy. I've added it to my growing shopping list. As for extended mirrors, I just added a set of Toyota towing mirrors tonight (very simple process) and I can see how they're a huge improvement over stock.

My TT has integrated LEDs in the awning so I'm good on outdoor lighting - at least for the moment - but the garden hose suggestion along with the Y is yet another thing that I'd have never thought of.

@Tundraplatinum thanks for the suggestion. This is one place where I actually had some prior info. I'll definitely be using a weight distributing hitch, but I do need to check into what the set-up I'm getting is. Your's sounds pretty sweet and convenient and that's exactly what I'm looking for, regardless of the cost.

 

Glock 19 with WML

 

When passing or being passed by a semi going the same direction it will pull you towards it. Don't freak out and jerk the steering wheel just steer away from it gently. This caught me by surprise the first time and still does if I'm not paying much attention and one sneaks up beside me.

 

PaRunnerd [OP] Sorry I don't have a brand. I just used what the local parts store had and it happened to be correct. Yep, the shovel works well for those "undesirable" guests lol.

 

On your first trip, you'll likely pack about 2x what you really need. Find a way to mark every item you use on that trip. When you get home, anything without a mark goes back in the garage. This, of course does not include safety equipment that you hopefully won't have to use. Conversely, keep a list of everything you wish you had brought along but didn't and add that to your packing list for the next trip.

If your trailer is heavy, pack it towards the rear to avoid adding to your tongue weight. Avoid throwing a bunch of heavy stuff in the truck as it reduces the safe hitch weight. If its heavy, put it in trailer (again, towards the rear).

Completely ignore whatever your dealer says about trailer weight. If you think you are anywhere close to your max capacities, have the fully loaded trailer weighed.

After your final night camping, drain your fresh water tank. There is no need to haul that heavy water around if you aren't gonna use it. For that matter, if you are always camping at facilities, don't carry fresh water at all.

Carry an emergency jump starter with you. If your batteries go dead, you won't be able to retract awnings and slide-outs, unless you want to do it manually.

Speaking of batteries. Always start your trip with a full charge. Don't expect your alternator to top them off because it probably won't.

Carry a small torpedo level with you. When you set-up, you'll want the head of your mattress level, or slightly inclined.

Make sure you have a water regulator with you. Many RV parks don't regulate their water pressure well, and you're gonna want to make sure there isn't too much pressure at the city-water connection.

Assuming yours is a 30 Amp power connection, carry a 50-30A adaptor, in case 50A is all the RV park offers. Of course if yours is a 50, you'll need to carry a 30-50A adaptor.

 

@gdiep Wow! Thanks for sharing all of this. It's almost something that I think should be pinned to the top of the towing section because there are so many great ideas here. I'd love to comment on each but that would be impractical so I just want to pick off a few questions that I have regarding accessories.

You mention a water regulator, filter and elbow. I'm guessing that these don't come with a TT standard, or if they do they aren't that great. Any suggestions on brands or where to look?

As far as tire chocks and leveling blocks this was something that I was researching today. I bought a bunch of stuff from Amazon including:

Camco 44573 Yellow Tri-Leveler -

$33 Camco Yellow Drive On Tri-Leveler, Raises Your RV Up by 3-7/8" Works on Any Tire , Has Built In Handle, Load Capacity of 3500 lbs, Durable Non Slip Surface (44573)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BUQOFO/ref=od_aui_detailpages00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Camco 44414 Wheel Chock - Pack of 2 - https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00K1C1WC2/ref=od_aui_detailpages01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Camco 44595 Stabilizer Jack Pad - 4 pack -

$22 Camco Camper/RV Stabilizing Jack Pads - Features Interlocking Design & Includes Handy Strap for RV Storage and Organization - Molded of Strong UV Stabilized Polypropylene - 4-Pack (44595)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000BUU5XQ/ref=od_aui_detailpages01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

and a bunch of these Camco 25523 Standard Levels -

$4 Camco Camper / RV Level - Features Front to Back / Side to Side RV Leveling - Easy Install w/ Screws or Adhesive Tape - 2-Pack (25523)

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000EDSSDE/ref=od_aui_detailpages01?ie=UTF8&psc=1

They don't seem to be as awesome as the Andersen or BAL levelers but they were highly recommended to me so I'm hopeful that if nothing else it's a good starting point.

To your point about testing stuff, I definitely need to learn the TT over the next few weeks so I can stay on top of stuff.

I can't thank you enough for the great advice and I'm sure many others are going to benefit as well.

 

Does your trailer have single or double axle? It's more difficult to level a trailer with double axles with the tri-leveler you bought. Think about it for a moment, you have to raise 2 wheels on a double axle. Andersen levelers are supposed to be really good for double axles. I just so happen to have 2 Bal Levelers so I am going to use them on my double axle - a lot of people say you can't, but I've seen rv shows where they do that. I would have bought the Andersen levelers if I hadn't already had the Bal levelers.

The 90 degree elbow attaches to the water supply connector on the side of the trailer just to allow the hose to hang down better. Get a brass one with low lead since this is your drinking supply. Camco is fine.

I attach my in line water filter directly to this elbow, then to my white water supply hose. Any water filter made for RV's will do. I don't trust the water supply at camp sites. You should run some water through the filter at home first to wash out any carbon residue just like the brita filters.

The water regulator is just a brass regulator that limits the water pressure. They are simple and cheap devices. I attach mine to the spigot supplying water, then to my white water supply hose. In case the water pressure is too high, it reduces it so as not to blow out the lines in the TT. The plumbing lines in a TT are crap...as I found out today.

The jack pads and wheel chocks you bought are good - you need at least 4 of each.

If you have double axles, you should get an x-chock. They fit between the wheels and really lock them from moving. This keeps the trailer from "wiggling" when you are walking around in it. It is an amazing difference, making the trailer feel much more stable.

I don't bother with the little level bubbles. I just bring a small torpedo level and place it on the floor of the TT when I first set up. When you first set up, get it level side to side first. Then it's really easy to level front to back using the tongue jack to raise or lower the front as needed. Do not use the stabilizer legs to level the camper, they are not strong enough. Once you have the TT leveled side to side and front to back, then lower the stabilizers onto the jack pads just until they touch and then a tad more.

 

PaRunnerd,

I just googled your trailer. Nice 3 bunk hybrid with a slide out. I have a 3 bunk hybrid minus slideout. Mine is about 4 feet shorter than yours and a little lighter.

You have dual axles. The leveling steps you purchased will be difficult to use. You will have to put one behind the back wheel to "back" the TT onto. How do you suppose you're going to put one behind the front wheel? I don't think you have enough room to fit one in between the 2 tires. Hopefully you do.

That is why so many people with double axles use wood boards or Andersen levelers.

Great looking TT though. Where are you guys going to camp?

 

I'm searching the web based on your suggestions right now. I'll probably return a few of the items that I picked up based on your feedback and pickup the Andersen's.

As for where I'll be camping. Next weekend I'll be at Hyner View State Park in PA (North Central) and I have plans to camp in the area again as well as Western PA, Ithaca, NY, and Lake Placid / Whiteface later this Spring. I'm a trail/ultra runner so I'm hoping that the TT should give me a solid place to stay without too much complication and also provide some of my running club an inexpensive place to sleep overnight.

 

Would you happen to have a P/N for these?

 

I think my most important equipment when I tow is my fastway e2 weight distribution/sway set up. Don't be in ahurry when towing,take your time. Leave lots of stopping distance in between you and the car in front of you. Happy towing

 

I camped in a State Park near Hershey PA last year. Wife and I took the kids to Hershey and explored Lancaster County. I have reservations at Bear Run State Park in PA in May.

Sampson State Park is pretty good, just north of Ithaca. A couple of good places near Ithaca. I've camped at Moreau Lake SP near Lake George and that has good running trails too. Good luck with everything.

 

I don't, sorry. I just got 'em at one of the auto chain stores, O'Reilly's I think.

 

I really appreciate the guidance. I grew up camping - tent - so this is an elaboration of that, but it's still uncharted territory for me. I'm OK with a lot of things in life, but being unprepared due to the lack of research is not one of those things. This post has been a master class in what I didn't know and I'm happy about that because I've been clued into some - a lot - of missing details and our community benefits from my dumbass questions and a lot of great responses.

Win-Win!

 

As far as PA, and since it's home, you'll find that the PA State Parks are pretty amazing. I'm guessing that you either stay at Bear Run State Park, Memorial Lake or Gifford Pinchot, all of which are close. Hershey is a great family spot and despite it being almost next door, we still visit the park regularly.

I'll definitely check out the other spots you suggested. I'm always open to a new experience.

Thanks again for the suggestions! My Amazon cart it pretty fully now ;-)

 

I guess it's a Mini Fuse and not one of those big black boxed type fuses?

 

Two things:
#1. when backing, point the bottom of the steering wheel in the direction you want the trailer to go.
#2. if you are considering airbags or weight distribution hitch watch this video link.

https://youtu.be/XBZu39pQ8Gg