Camping stuff to help a newbie

kjazz

Member
We will be picking up our new cyclone 3950 next week. We have never owned a RV and are totally clueless.:confused: What are some things we will need or want that the dealer doesn't provide or tell you? Our salesman says it will have everything we need to get started. But I know that has to be sales talk. Just thought I could get a jump on shopping around. Thanks
 

Rockerga

Full-time WANNABE
We will be picking up our new cyclone 3950 next week. We have never owned a RV and are totally clueless.:confused: What are some things we will need or want that the dealer doesn't provide or tell you? Our salesman says it will have everything we need to get started. But I know that has to be sales talk. Just thought I could get a jump on shopping around. Thanks

I love those dealers.... "EVERYTHING" is quite the relative word here!

What you really need is based upon your personal preferences and even with "neccessities" there are different versions which become part of those personal preferences....

I have attached a basic excel sheet I made in my beginnings and it has been a long time since I looked at it so do not take it as even complete.

Just trying to assist!
 

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  • 1 RV Utility Checklist & Loading Chart.xls
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wdk450

Well-known member
5th Wheel Stuff to Have

Must Have:
Wheel levelling blocks
Wheel chocks
Fresh water hose
Fresh water Pressure regulator
Sewer Hose
Tools
TV antenna cable (for park cable hookups)
Folding stool to access truck hitch (for short guys like me)
Small Bungee cords (To tie up cabinets during travel)




Nice to have:
Walkie talkies
Rubber gloves
30 Amp and 15 amp electrical connection adapters
Propane Gas tank guage
Outside lounge chairs
Outside area rug
External bubble levels near hitch.
Memory foam mattress topper ($150 on overstock.com)
Digital voltmeter (park power tests, etc.)
2nd TV (flatpanel LCD and mount - $450 up)
Filtered water pitcher (New water system usually has strong taste)
Combination stepladder/extention ladder ($75 at Lowe's)
Disinfectant hand cleaner
Duct tape/adhesives




Safety/Security
Tire pressure monitoring system ($500)
Electrical power protector ($70 - $400)
Burglar alarm
Rear/side view TV driving monitors ($1000 ?)
Cell Phone
WIFI equipped computer
Guiding GPS
 

Rockerga

Full-time WANNABE
We will be picking up our new cyclone 3950 next week. We have never owned a RV and are totally clueless.:confused: What are some things we will need or want that the dealer doesn't provide or tell you? Our salesman says it will have everything we need to get started. But I know that has to be sales talk. Just thought I could get a jump on shopping around. Thanks


ASK AND YE SHALL RECEIVE.... LOLNone
 

Uncle Rog

Well-known member
Start Close To Home.............

I would start off by loading what you think you might need from what you read and what common sense dictate's.
Camping chairs etc., kitchen wares, food, clothes, gear, whatever knocks you out.
If you start out in a concrete campground you will probably be close to a big box retailer or two. Make a list as you go and make a trip to supply anything you need.
Anyone on this forum could or would spend hours on what you absolutely "have to have" on board. I remember the time I blew a tire in the mojave and I sure wished I had a sawz-all to cut the tire carcass out of the axles, do I now have a cordless sawz-all, no.
One last thought anything you can get at an RV retailer you can usually get for about half some where else................
Oh yeah, check you lug nuts every 50 miles for the first 500............
 

cjbearden

Visitor
Some great lists already posted. If you are in a hard water area, consider getting a water softener. Also use a two or three-filter system for the water. Being in TX, seriously consider a dehumidifier.

Don't know what refrigerator you have, but the freezer may have a plastic smell for a while. Try using Arm & Hammer baking soda (fridge type) set inside the freezer and some for washing out the freezer. If you have an ice maker, wash the ice bucket thoroughly several times and let it air dry before placing back into the freezer.

May have already been mentioned previously, a product like Rescue Tape is good to have on hand. Do a search on "Rescue Tape" to learn the various uses for that.

Find out the proper torque for your lug nuts. During the initial trip, check the torque several times and adjust as necessary. If you don't get a tire pressure monitoring system right away, then visually check the tires every 1-2 hours. Feel of them to see if they are getting too hot and check the pressure.

Check tightness of all bolts you can access. Check the underbelly material to see if you need to add additional self-tapping screws and washers to hold up underbelly. Check water hose connections under sinks, in basement and at water heater to make sure all are tight. These will be items you need to put on your check-list to keep on doing throughout ownership as things do have a way of working loose while traveling.

Trust me, as you travel and read this forum, you will soon get into a routine of setting up and breaking down and doing maintenance checks while parked somewhere.

Check the screws in the ceiling fan. Many of us have had to use loc-tite to keep the screws from falling out during travel. If you ever walk into the coach after travel, open up the slides and see screws on the carpet under the fan, that's probably where they came from.

If you have any questions any time, post it or PM or email any forum member. Best wishes in your ownership and travels.

Carolyn and J.D.
 

TNT

Active Member
We have a cyclone also and for us the most imporatant thing we need are tow straps for the atv or straps and the tire chock for the motorcycle. Making sure the toys are secure is the first order of business.

Regardless - just have fun!
 

jmgratz

Original Owners Club Member
I would suggest your first camping use to be close to either your home or the dealer, preferably the dealer, then if something goes wrong (Murphy's law) you will have help close. If the dealer has the facilities spendl a night or two in their campground. Try to be close to a Lowes or Wal-Mart that way when you forget something (like a can opener) you can make a store run. Also make two lists. One listing everything you find wrong that will need to be repaired or adjusted and the other with everything you have forgotten or will need. Also get several clear plastic tubs to store things in. An a final suggestion. Never ever, never never ever, put slides in or out until you have checked their clearance and to see if anything has fallen or is open (cabinet doors etc) which will inhibit their operation. Now, LET'S GO GO GO RVING....
 

JohnDar

Prolifically Gabby Member
Nope, nope, nope. These guys have got it all wrong (except for the 12-pack). What you absolutely must have is a credit card with a high limit on it. Everytime you turn around you'll be finding some other gidget or doo-dad accessory you just gotta have. I thought I had everything I needed, but just went and ordered an Oxygenics shower head and some screw jacks. I read an article about a Banks SpeedBrake gizmo for my truck, and I could feel my wallet trying to sneak out of my pocket, the credit card singing it's Siren Song...."swipe me, swipe me..."

So, to summarize, what you really need is a money tree.
 

Bob&Patty

Founders of SoCal Chapter
Glasses,dishes silverware ....think plastic. The stuff you buy, get it for the coach. Leave it in there. Old coats,shirts,and pants that have been filling closets. A fairly cheap set of tools and some electrical repairing stuff. Throw away all the starter kit stuff the dealer gives you. Its all junk. Go to Wally-World and you can find lots of camping stuff and its cheaper than CW. Go to Home-Depot or Lowes and get a under counter water filter and hook it up to the fresh water hose from the CG ( I like the clear plastic ones). CW gets $80.00 for them, Lowes $38.00 and its the same. Well I could go on for hours, but you will figure it all out. Best of luck with the new coach and happy camping. Bob:D
 

TXBobcat

Fulltime
Now there has to be someone sober around here. Poor guy is getting stomped.

When I started I made lists of everything I could think of that I NEEDED.. After a time I had to unload some things and others I wish I had waited to get what I really wanted and was comfortable with.

Lets go through some ideas of what you will need and what you might want. Go through it as an what if story.

Your at home. Your going to go on a weekend across town. What do you need. As one said a step stool to reach the hitch in the bed of the truck. Your connected to the truck and ready to roll. Are all your tires properly inflated. Got a tire gage to check them? Down the road. You have a flat. Do you have a bottle jack, 6 ton or better, something to remove the lug nuts. Do you have something to set the jack on if the ground is soft or wet. Do you have the handle to drop your spare tire? Does your spare fit the hub? Is your spare inflated. Do you have a torque wrench to tighten the lugs. Do you have a proper socket to use with the torque wrench. Do you need a 3” extension to miss the tire and rim when tightening the lugs.

You arrive at the campground. You have a pull through. It is easier for now. You will need to practice backing because you will find the need some time. Go to a large shopping center parking lot and practice backing. Your at your campsite. Is the ground level enough so your trailer is level side to side. This is what you check first. If not what do you need to raise the low side to make it level side to side. Lengths of wood or Lego blocks. Your now level side to side. You need to put wheel blocks to keep the trailer from rolling once you disconnect. Don’t depend on your landing gears to keep it from rolling or sliding.

You want to drop the landing gear. Do you have or need something to keep the jack from sinking into the ground. Wooden blocks or something else. This will be needed for the rear jacks also. Now your level and your separated from the TV (you used the step stool again). Once your level you can now put out your slides.

You want to connect to the shore power, is it 50 amp or 30 amp. Do you need an adaptor from 50 to 30 amp. Do you need a surge protector. Highly suggested to keep from ruining the electronics and other electrical devices in the trailer but not required. You now have power.

Do you have a water hose that will reach the water faucet. It is normally a white hose made for fresh water and most are 25ft. Regular garden hoses will have a rubber taste. Do you have a water regulator. Your trailer can likely stand a water pressure of 60lbs. Many campgrounds have a water pressure as low as 30lbs and some go above 100. I saw one that was 110lbs.

The water regulator type is another subject. Do you have water filters. Some campgrounds have really hard or strong tasting water. It will make the taste better and keep your system cleaner, but not necessary right away.

Do you have a sewer hose. You will have to dump your black and gray tanks before you leave. You will need the connections from your sewer pipe to the campground sewer. I suggest you get a clear 45* adapter so you can tell what and how much is coming out of the sewer pipe into the hose. Do you have a long enough hose. 20 ft is usually enough but another 10ft will be useful sometime down the road. Do you have the connectors to go on the campground sewer pipe. It is required in most places.

You are now setup, have water, electric and sewer ready for use. Do they have cable TV, or do you have Satellite. You will need the coax cable to connect to the trailer.

As you can see you can go through a lot of scenario’s to see if you want or need any other thing. But on your first trip this will most likely be what you need. Don’t go out and buy a ton of stuff. Take it slow and find out what you need. Normally you will find a RV Parts, Wal-Mart, Lowes, Home Depot close by and get what you need. As you go on you will need cases to store your STUFF in and you can get a number of them from Wal-Mart. Go to campgrounds and walk around and see what others are using. Talk to them, they will love to tell you what they use.

As for tools you can take a lot or just find a good set of sockets, and general things that you would normally use around your house or truck. One thing to always remember. Everything you put in the trailer will add weight and it will grow quickly.

Read the forum. There is a lot of threads that you can find what you need. Do a search on a subject to see what you turn up with.

Good luck.
BC
 
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