We have bought a 2011 Bighorn 3670 (39'9") and are coming out of a 27' tt, Can I pack my everyday dishes or should I stick with the melmac type dishes? My dishes are from Longenberger and quit heavy, but a set I have gotten use to for the last several years. Thank you for any suggestions.
New to Full Timing What to pack and what not to pack
- Thread starter Copilot
- Start date
danemayer
Well-known member
Hi Copilot,
Congratulations on your Bighorn and welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum. You'll find lots of useful information here along with a lot of friendly people who are always ready to lend a hand and share what they've learned.
I think you'll want to consider a couple of things:
- Weight on the wheels and tires: it's never evenly distributed and it's not unusual for the rear Off-Door-Side (ODS) wheel to be running much closer to the weight limit than the others, especially if there's a large slideout on the ODS, with kitchen appliances. Our Landmark Rushmore, which has the rear entertainment center, and the large kitchen/living room slide on the ODS is very close to the weight limit on that wheel/tire, even though our overall weight is 15,000 vs GVWR of 16,200. I'd lighten our load on that wheel if I could.
- Towing capacity: you didn't mention what tow vehicle you've got. If you're near the tow capacity you might want to think twice.
- Payload: everything you put in the trailer adds to the vertical load on the back of the tow vehicle. Depending on what options you have, how you're loaded up, and what the tow vehicle payload is, you might want to save weight.
On the other hand, what's a few pounds between friends? If the trailer handles well while towing, enjoy life.
Congratulations on your Bighorn and welcome to the Heartland Owners Forum. You'll find lots of useful information here along with a lot of friendly people who are always ready to lend a hand and share what they've learned.
I think you'll want to consider a couple of things:
- Weight on the wheels and tires: it's never evenly distributed and it's not unusual for the rear Off-Door-Side (ODS) wheel to be running much closer to the weight limit than the others, especially if there's a large slideout on the ODS, with kitchen appliances. Our Landmark Rushmore, which has the rear entertainment center, and the large kitchen/living room slide on the ODS is very close to the weight limit on that wheel/tire, even though our overall weight is 15,000 vs GVWR of 16,200. I'd lighten our load on that wheel if I could.
- Towing capacity: you didn't mention what tow vehicle you've got. If you're near the tow capacity you might want to think twice.
- Payload: everything you put in the trailer adds to the vertical load on the back of the tow vehicle. Depending on what options you have, how you're loaded up, and what the tow vehicle payload is, you might want to save weight.
On the other hand, what's a few pounds between friends? If the trailer handles well while towing, enjoy life.
We do not full time, but we do put on a bunch of miles each year.
My wife has a complete set of 8 stoneware dishes, bowls, cups, blah blah blah.......and in five years have not broken a thing.
They all sit in the cabinet above the kitchen table. Just stacked in there and no padding.
So I think you will be alright.
Peace
Dave
My wife has a complete set of 8 stoneware dishes, bowls, cups, blah blah blah.......and in five years have not broken a thing.
They all sit in the cabinet above the kitchen table. Just stacked in there and no padding.
So I think you will be alright.
Peace
Dave
When we loaded up our rig, we kept track of the weights of everything we added, and it added up faster than I expected. I kept only two of the plates out of my set, because the lightweight ones I bought couldn't be used in the microwave. I did keep a few wineglasses though, some soup mugs and other favorites. 
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kowAlski631
Well-known member
We used Corell on our boat for many years and are now using a new set in our rig. I like them since it really takes a hard blow to break them. In fact, when we sold the boat, we left the set we'd had for well over 10 years in the galley at the request of the purchasers. Martha
back2nature
Well-known member
We have two sets of dishes. We have a set of melanine (like melmac) for outside and breakfast and lunches, but it doesn't do well in the microwave, it gets hot. Even the label on the back says not microwavable. A lot of them say that nowadays. And we have a set of Corelle for dinner. They are strong and very lightweight. I don't like cutting steak on melamine, plus we like real dinnerware for dinner. When shopping for Corelle I didn't like the choices available in the stores, so I just went to their own website. I purchased the pure white, in the square shape. Very elegant. Got salad bowls and desert bowls too. Love them.
At least with the 3670, you have a lot of cupboard space for dishes. I went to Walmart and got a couple of the 3-tiered wire dish racks for them and put them in the upper cupboard to the right side of the frig.
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At least with the 3670, you have a lot of cupboard space for dishes. I went to Walmart and got a couple of the 3-tiered wire dish racks for them and put them in the upper cupboard to the right side of the frig.
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back2nature
Well-known member
Also, for glasses, we have some nice polycarbonate from Williams-Sonoma for everyday drinking. They don't scratch as easy as regular plastic glasses. But we also have real glass wine glass stemware for wine, and some Waterford Old Fashion glasses for cocktails. The glass I pack away in those padded glass storage boxes and store in the overheard when we travel. When we make camp, I take out a couple.
I think when you spend a lot of time in the rv, especially when you're full-timing, you need some of the niceties like you had in a stick house.
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I think when you spend a lot of time in the rv, especially when you're full-timing, you need some of the niceties like you had in a stick house.
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Last edited:
Nabo
Southeast Region Director-Retired
We use the Corelle dinner set for 4 and Tervis glassware. Nathan like having real plates to eat on except for paper when we do sandwiches. So far in the 8 years of traveling nothing has happened. I also carry stainless steel pots and pans which are quiet heavy.
Good day Copilot, My wife and I just completed moving into our Big Country for fulltiming. Selling everything and keeping only what we thought we would need in order to keep the weight down. I have been keeping track of the weights of our rig because I don't want to overload our TV; so I have weight tickets from various times of ownership that really are surprising. In late September of 2011 when we picked up our BC and loaded it with basic dishes, pot & pans, glasses and other related stuff the coach weighted in at 10560 on the TV (23000 GCW). Now with all our stuff loaded and the basic stuff given away the coach weighted in at 11700 on the TV (24540 GCW).
So I'm nowhere near the GVWR of the BC with the 3000 lbs of pin weight I have measured but I am now over (by 1000) on my GCWR. So you have to watch what you pack and where you pack it but not as much as you think. Tools and such are still in front compartment, the Kitchenaid mixer and meatslicer are in cabinets along the bathroom bulkhead. Only the sewing machine and large potted plant ride in back.
So I'm nowhere near the GVWR of the BC with the 3000 lbs of pin weight I have measured but I am now over (by 1000) on my GCWR. So you have to watch what you pack and where you pack it but not as much as you think. Tools and such are still in front compartment, the Kitchenaid mixer and meatslicer are in cabinets along the bathroom bulkhead. Only the sewing machine and large potted plant ride in back.
Lance & Jo
Well-known member
Same for us but couldn't stand to leave old friends on the boat so broght them with us,same set since 94
kowAlski631
Well-known member
I know - hated to leave them, but had my eye on white square Correll with a black "swoosh", so that lessened the pain. These fit better into storage than the round ones did. The family we sold to have 2 cute kids who loved the lighthouses on the plates and they're the source of the decision to leave them behind. Hope to catch up & meet you on road someday.
Martha
Martha
The big issue with full timing is the weight of your rig. You will run out of weight before you run out of storage space!! However I agree with 'back2nature', this is now your home and you want to have nice things in it, just be smart about it. We enjoy the full time lifestyle and know you will also.
Currently in Kenai, AK
al
Currently in Kenai, AK
al
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