5er Checklist

Does anyone have a checklist that they would mind sharing for the things you do before you head out onto the road? Fist 5er and I want to make sure DH and I have all bases covered when we leave. Have had lots of TT's in the past but want to make sure we don't hit anything unexpected! Thanks in advance

Like any other trailer...make sure all the lites are working, check tire pressures including the spare, just sniff and kick everything. Make sure you have propane and safety stuff you might need just in case. One thing you need to know...never jack up the trailer by the axles if you have a flat tire. You could bend an axle. You should carry at least a 5 tn bottle jack...10 tn would be better and enough wood/cribbing to reach the frame. All this if you do not have Good Sam towing service. Remember your trailer height...make sure you have at least 13'6" clearance. Always do a "pull test" before you raise the landing gear when hooking up. A 5er falling on the truck bed really sucks. How you pack food and other stuff is up to you. We never remove anything from the BH except dirty clothes and left over food. It stays packed with everything we need except food and drinks, but that is just us. Good luck with your new toy and safe traveling. OBTW, what tires are on your Torque...hope they are not Towmax.

No, the tires are not Towmax. I am (try) to be very thorough and this site has been full of information. The first place we went when we left the dealers lot was to Goodyear and had the G614's put on. We were really lucky, I put the towmax on craigslist, two weeks went by with one phone call. The guy came and bought them for 300.00. YAY! We also did airbags-2012 Dodge 3500 (probably overkill) and the B&W sliding hitch (probably overkill as well). But we would rather put a few dollars out now to be safe than a lot of dollars later and sorry.

pgray said:

Does anyone have a checklist that they would mind sharing for the things you do before you head out onto the road? Fist 5er and I want to make sure DH and I have all bases covered when we leave. Have had lots of TT's in the past but want to make sure we don't hit anything unexpected! Thanks in advance

Click to expand...

Here's What I have, tuned to my Bighorn Rig and towing accessories, in 3 sections:

Trailer Inside Departure Prep

Bedroom
TPMS Transmitter “ON”
Closet doors latched
TV stowed in travel position
Rooftop antenna down
Solar panel on bed

Bathroom
Shredder in shower, shower latched
Sink basket on floor
Toilet lid down – Water switch “off”
Roof vent crank secured
Door closed

Kitchen
Counters cleared
Icemaker secured
Inductive cooktop secured
Appliances secured
Kitchen slide foam seal removed
Dishes cabinet blocked and knob locked
All cabinet knobs secured

Dining/Living Room
Align and cover table/chairs
Stow magazine table
Block couch drawer
Stow TV remotes
Stow Printer/Box
Computer/Hotspot to doorway
Stow electronics box
Put desk securing bar in place
Secure desk chair
Secure TV
Close and lock Audio/Visual cabinet
Secure Sunlamp, heater, rockers, TV tray

Outside Pre-Departure
Dump Sewer
Clean Slide Tops
Bring Slides in
Disconnect/Disassemble Satellite System
Shore Water hoses disconnected and stowed
Rear Stabilizers Up
TPMS setup - Tires/Suspension inspection
Hitch Up Truck
Landing Gear up, leveler blocks stowed
Inside main circuit breakers off
AC shore Electrical Cable disconnected and stowed

Pre-Departure Truck/Trailer (Last Checks)
Headlights on
Hitched and locked
Trailer Emergency brake lanyard in place
Hitch trailer pin catcher in place
Trailer umbilical electrical cable plugged in
Truck net tied up
Trailer umbilical rear view camera hooked up
Final rig walk around inspection (Tires, trailer lighting, stabilizers/landing gear up?, steps/door OK?, antenna down?)
TPMS monitor in place and working
Destination entered on GPS
Mirrors OK
All engine gauges reading normally
Transmission in “Tow Mode”
Pull out and do trailer brake test ASAP

RV Space Arrival Steps
Select space with South sky view for satellite
Pull into space checking for utilities, slides, roof, clearance/access
Take TPMS receiver off of truck window and turn off
Level trailer side-to-side
Check electrical pedestal for safety, spray connections, hook up cable, check trailer for electrical safety. Turn on main breakers inside trailer. Check EMS readings
Install wheel chocks/clamps
Put 4 (or more) leveling pads under each front landing gear foot pad. Lower landing gear and raise hitch plate off of hitch.
Untie truck cargo net. Disconnect main trailer electrical umbilical from truck. Move hitch catcher bar to open position. Remove emergency brake lanyard from hitch. Disconnect rear camera umbilical from truck. Position truck so that there is no pressure on hitch jaws. Pull handle to free hitch jaws. Pull truck away from trailer.
Stow umbilical cables and emergency brake lanyard on trailer hitch
Adjust landing gear to level trailer front/back
Lower rear stabilizers
Set up steps and step support
Put out slides. Install kitchen slide sealing gasket
Connect water supply
Set up satellite dish
Aim rooftop antenna. Do TV OTA channel search on both TV’s
Move boxes, chairs, appliances, etc. to set up for living

From these threads and experience I generated my final check list which is laminated and with a magnet, posted on the side of our microwave.
Last thing we do after hooking up and ready to roll is go thru the list, then close the door and go. A time or two the list reminded me to lower the antenna and lock the outside microwave vent tabs. Also, to check the site for outside items on the picnic table or trash. Point being, make your list and use it - helps us.

Exactly my thoughts, I'd like to make a list..love the idea of laminating it and check it twice..This will be our first season with a 5er and I am very excited. I just don't want to pull something crazy and not enjoy it like we should. Thanks to all, there is such a great wealth of info on here!

You might consider his and hers lists, too. Though we don't have a written list, DH and I each have stuff "I do" to get ready to go. If he starts trying to help by doing something I usually do, and vice versa, it messes up the process, so we try to stick to "our own". But we both will often ask, "did you remember to do XYZ?" Before leaving.


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TRAILER SET-UP[/FONT]

[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]generator altitude set[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]open stove vent[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]insert microwave plate[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]turn water pump and hot water on[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] TRAILER CLOSE-UP[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]close stove vent[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]close stove hood[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]shut off pilot light to oven[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]remove microwave plate[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]replace sink covers[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]insert refrigerator tension bars[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- close windows[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]hook blinds[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]turn water pump off[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]turn hot water off[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]turn heater off/air off[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]secure shower door[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]secure bathroom doors (2) and bedroom door (1)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]secure mirrored closet doors (2)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]secure bathroom fan cover[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]drop antenna[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]secure bedroom TV[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]secure living room TV[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]remove remotes (TVs/Radio)[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]secure living room table/poles[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]secure dinette drawers[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- secure garage table/poles[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]garage beds up[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]roof ladder in garage[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]secure arcadia door[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]secure garage doors[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]secure stabilizers [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]At RV lot[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot] [/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]open or close refrigerator doors[/FONT]
[FONT=&quot]- [/FONT][FONT=&quot]12V battery disconnect[/FONT]
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I like the idea of his and her lists as that is what we have done in the past with our other toyhaulers. Is the fifth wheel that much different? I do want to know everything that my hubby is doing though just in case he throws his back out or something..I want to know and feel confident that I am looking and checking the right things! Well our first few outings will be within a few hundred miles of home so that will be good practice for when we head south for the first time next year

I have an app on my phone called rv checklist that works pretty good (if you use this kind of thing)

Patty does the inside and I do the outside stuff. Works very well for us. No yelling about who did what. One thing for who ever does the inside stuff...with lots of slides...make sure that nothing is in the way of a slide closing. No drawers, a can of soup, anything that can cause damage. You have no idea how strong a hydrolic slide can be. I have seen doors ripped off, trim on slides ripped loose, etc,etc....dont ask how I know.

You mentioned going south. I have a very long list on my iPhone of items to take and thing to do before leaving home for an extended period. I can check them off and keep the list from year to year.

that would help. We have never left for an extended time like that (longer than a few weeks) I know we need to have the house winterized etc. I have switched everything to online bill pay in preparation but are there any other high notes that need hit?

So what about a checklist of things to take? We are taking a trip this March and it's been a while so I'm sure I missing stuff now.

travis_g said:

So what about a checklist of things to take? We are taking a trip this March and it's been a while so I'm sure I missing stuff now.

Click to expand...

Here's a link to a bunch of checklists, including essentials to take with you.

Wow..perfect...
thanks!

wdk450, what is this "kitchen slide foam seal" that you referred to in your post?

TxCowboy said:

wdk450, what is this "kitchen slide foam seal" that you referred to in your post?

Click to expand...

Last year I observed sunlight streaming in UNDERNEATH my kitchen slide, which would tell me that there is a serious air leak there affecting the heating and air conditioning. I went to WalMart and found an insulation kit for wall air conditioners made out of 2 inch square foam. I fashioned a seal to be stuffed under the front lip of the kitchen slide using contact cement to glue the foam pieces together. I couldn't get it all in 1 pic, so I took 2:

Now I understand. Thanks, Bill!