Be kind I am a NEWBIE ! ! !

I give you license to have fun at my expense----3 questions with my second post.

Now don't laugh yet, here we go.

Our 1st TT, NorthTrail 21FBS---A manual 2 stepper to get in and out. Metal gainst metal and a sensitive angle to lock closed. I was caught by surprise with the lifting weight to break open and get the steps in motion. Sliding back in, the angle is sensitive to lock up. Using white grease and practice is making it a bit better--------Any thoughts ???????

Un-hooking at the campgrounds-----Do you have to disassemble sway, wt. dist etc. or disconnect the safety chains and electric plugs etc---Crank it up, drive away a bit, then Crank it down. PS; I hear some chuckling. That's's OK, I am far from thin skinned.

How effective is the power flush in the black tank or do I still use the flexible snake with the spinning head right down the shoot.

You can see my jargon is far from the RV techical lingo.
fossil

On the steps (I have two sets) I have just been using wd40 on all the hinge points and working them open and closed a couple of times. When DW complains, I do it again.

I always disconnect the power cable from the truck if we are going to connect to shore power even if we don't disconnect from the truck

If we are staying more than one night or need to use the truck for something then I remove the WD Hitch torsion bars and store them. If we are just overnighting then I try to leave every thing hooked up if I can get the trailer fairly level. Sometimes I have had to disconnect the torsion bars and raise the truck off the hitch ball to get level, but in this case I leave everything installed except electrical (ie, chains) and don't move the truck so I can just drop it back on the hitch hook up the torsion bars in the morning.

Whether you stay hooked up or not remember to lower your leveling jacks before opening your slider.

I can't say much for the flush, because that is all I have used for about a year and a half and it seems to do the job. I just don't like that fact that they put in on the wrong side of the trailer so I have to throw a hose under the trailer.

ImAfossil said:

Our 1st TT, NorthTrail 21FBS---A manual 2 stepper to get in and out. Metal gainst metal and a sensitive angle to lock closed. I was caught by surprise with the lifting weight to break open and get the steps in motion. Sliding back in, the angle is sensitive to lock up. Using white grease and practice is making it a bit better--------Any thoughts ???????

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The steps should loosen up with time and use. Careful with the grease that it doesn't hold dirt and cause more issues. As to the steps, always use the handle (labeled) to extend put away the steps. Short cutting and using other parts of the steps really hurts - and don't ask how I know, twice.

ImAfossil said:

Un-hooking at the campgrounds-----Do you have to disassemble sway, wt. dist etc. or disconnect the safety chains and electric plugs etc---Crank it up, drive away a bit, then Crank it down. PS; I hear some chuckling. That's's OK, I am far from thin skinned.

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Whatever works for you.
When I had my TT I undid the sway link chains first, then removed the bars and stored them in tubes I put under the trailer. Disconnect the electric and safety chains.
Then jacked the trailer and pulled away. Then set the level.

I use to remove the hitch from the truck too, didn't like that big thing sticking out with the "hit shin here" sign on it.
I had a blank 2" receiver about 24" long clamped to the trailer frame to hold the hitch when camped or stored.
I would also put a 5 gallon white bucket on the trailers hitch to keep from walking into that (with the grease all over it).

In the picture you can just see one of 2 fence posts and hinged caps I used to store the WD bars.

ImAfossil said:

How effective is the power flush in the black tank or do I still use the flexible snake with the spinning head right down the shoot.

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Only one way to tell. Try the trailer's flush a few times solo, then use the magic wand.
The real trick is to always have water in the holding tank and don't be real stingy with the flush water unless you have a dump access issue. Water is your friend here.

ImAfossil said:

PS; I hear some chuckling. That's's OK, I am far from thin skinned.

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What - you think you are the first newbie - now that's funny

Some suggestions on the black tank flush. DONT EVER turn it on and walk away. If you do, you just might hear LOUD whining and screaming noises coming from inside the coach. It will be your DW watching the stool over flowing. Leave the tank valve closed until you think it is full and then drain it. When the stool burps its full. Get a clear plastic connector so you can see when the drain water is running clear. I usually fill and drain mine 3-4 times before it runs clear. BTW, buy and install a Valtura gate valve on your drain pipe. There are many on the forum that know why. Dont ask.....just do it. You will never want 5 gallons of sewer trout in your shoes...or worse on your flip-flops. DONT ASK.....see I said it anyway.

Bob&Patty said:

... You will never want 5 gallons of sewer trout in your shoes...or worse on your flip-flops. DONT ASK.....see I said it anyway.

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Come on, Bob, don't spoil the fun. He's gotta find out if the outside shower REALLY works. A little sewer trout roe between the toes won't kill him too much


The tank flush fitting on the tank is normally mounted on the opposite side from the gate valve so it sprays towards the drain, even on the 5'er's. But it's plumbed over to the UDC on the other side where all the hose and utility fittings are. It's possible you could extend and relocate the line for it to a more convenient location.

These will not fall off...http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/item/bumper-hatch-set-of-2/34416

This is something I've had questions about too - the black tank flush. On my TT it says (right by the black tank flush hookup) NEVER flush with tank valve closed. I want to flush with it closed (like Bob and Patty said in the previous post) but this has me scared. Rationally I tell myself it's unlikely that I will blow up the black tank with the water pressure supplied at our campground (and we have a pressure regulator), but the "Always read the owners' manual and follow all instructions" part of my personality is worried. The problem is, being at a seasonal site, our black tank is emptied twice weekly Mon/Thurs (if we sign up) by a "honey wagon" that pumps out the tank. We aren't usually present when this is done, and even if we are, I don't know how agreeable the honey wagon man will be to waiting while we flush the tank. I would like to flush the tank with 10 to 12 gallons with the tank closed when we first arrive, leaving the water in the tank and then add the chemicals and Calgon. My rationale is that this would clean off any left behind gunk from the last flushing, and provide a base of water and chemicals to start with, helping us fill the tank in less time and diluting everything. (We always try to fill the tank at least 3/4 before signing up for emptying.) I don't expect this to be completely effective, but I just want to know it's OK to flush with the tank closed (as long as I'm careful with the amount of water.) Does anyone in the "honey wagon" situation have a better method?

Your idea is fine to me I flush mine with the valve closed, I don't talk to anyone or walk away when doing so. Puting in a few gallons of water is the right thing to do.

I use the tank flush to put water in the tank on a regular basis. I do it when I'm dumping to put a little water in to help push a wad or to add water before using the toilet again. BUT, I control the volume with the inline water meter I put on my filtration system, so I don't overfill. I also NEVER walk away from the UDC when performing Sanitation Engineer duties. The tank is vented to the atmosphere, so blowing it up is not a problem. Overfilling it and pushing it out the toilet and into the rig is.

Lacking a water meter (they're not cheap), use the second hand on your watch. If you run the sprayer with the valve closed for about 4 minutes, and have a pressure regulator on the feed with a preset flow (gpm), you probably won't get more than 10 - 15 gallons of water into the tank.

Warnings such as mentioned are more of a CTA for the manufacturer since there are always individuals that will try to sue someone else for the mistakes they make. I wasn't born with a lot of money, but I did inherit common sense.

JohnDar said:

[I use the tank flush to put water in the tank on a regular basis. I do it when I'm dumping to put a little water in to help push a wad or to add water before using the toilet again. BUT, I control the volume with the inline water meter I put on my filtration system, so I don't overfill. I also NEVER walk away from the UDC when performing Sanitation Engineer duties. The tank is vented to the atmosphere, so blowing it up is not a problem. Overfilling it and pushing it out the toilet and into the rig is.

Lacking a water meter (they're not cheap), use the second hand on your watch. If you run the sprayer with the valve closed for about 4 minutes, and have a pressure regulator on the feed with a preset flow (gpm), you probably won't get more than 10 - 15 gallons of water into the tank.

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Thanks for the directions - now I know I'm on the right track. This will be so much handier if we are up just for the weekend - my current method of making sure the tank is full enough is to flush the toilet forever while shining a flashlight down through the toilet - not exactly high tech! We have a preset regulator on our water supply, but I think I will time how long it takes to fill a 5 gallon bucket first, then go from there just to double check.

Warnings such as mentioned are more of a CTA for the manufacturer since there are always individuals that will try to sue someone else for the mistakes they make. I wasn't born with a lot of money, but I did inherit common sense

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Does this mean I can also really use my hairdryer while sleeping, check the gas level in my golf cart with a match and perform dental work with a Dremel? Cool! (seriously - thanks everyone for your help!)

AnnR said:

Thanks for the directions - now I know I'm on the right track. This will be so much handier if we are up just for the weekend - my current method of making sure the tank is full enough is to flush the toilet forever while shining a flashlight down through the toilet - not exactly high tech! We have a preset regulator on our water supply, but I think I will time how long it takes to fill a 5 gallon bucket first, then go from there just to double check.
Does this mean I can also really use my hairdryer while sleeping, check the gas level in my golf cart with a match and perform dental work with a Dremel? Cool! (seriously - thanks everyone for your help!)

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Your pre-set regulator should be marked with it's maximum flow rate in gpm (gallons per minute), but timing to fill a bucket works, too. Your toilet drain must be different if you can see into the tank. Most have a 60-deg. elbow or two so you can't see down there. When I "recharge" the toilet tank, I usually end up with about 7 gallons of "fresh" water. I'll put 5 in via the flusher and another two gallons with my Calgon mix through the toilet. Unless you're boondocking and/or running off your water tank, don't scrimp on the water when flushing the toilet. Better to have to dump more often than risk building a Mayan temple on the bottom of the tank. Those can last for centuries.

Stunned, but stunned in a great way.

WOW !!! All of the replies were super---I know I am in the right Forums---As I learn navigation, it appears there are lots and lots of HEAVY HITTER Members.

Thanks again, fossil (aka John & Shirley)