Newbie

[Roadrunner]

Hello,

I am new to RVing and trying to get my feet wet. I spent several days on the computer researching manufacturers, makes, models, and floor plan. After a full day on the lot, we decided on the Big Country 3550 TSL. I have a few things to learn and practice before I take her on the road but, we are hoping to take our first weekend trip in March. If anyone has any advise on what I should focus on or look out for, please fire away.

I live in Virginia and look forward to seeing some of you on the road. I will be joining the Owners Club soon.

Safe travels,

Roadrunner

 

[davebennington]

Roadrunner,

Welcome to the Heartland family. Consider also joining the Virginia Heartland owners club, we are having a rally in April at Misty Mountain Campground. You would be welcome to attend and share a camping experience with the other Heartland owners.



Dave

 

[boatto5er]

Hi Roadrunner,

I just want to echo Dave's welcome and also invite you to join us for the Virginia Owner's Rally we're having Apr 3-5. You can check out the details on the forum under the clubs section. Also, feel free to drop me a PM or email.

Hope you enjoy the new rig. The best advice I can give is to expect a few minor problems - water lines that need tightening, screws that need tightening, etc. Take the unit out for a short shakedown trip closeby to home and test out all the systems - water, gas, electricity, TV hookups, light switches, outlets, etc. A few bugs may pop up, but don't let those upset you. These trailers are big, heavy machines and a few things are gonna work loose every now and then (especially if you're travelling over a lot of bumpy roads). Make sure you check your tire air pressure faithfully. Low air pressure can cause a multitude of issues.

Happy camping,

Gus Funderburg
Virginia Chapter Leader

 

[JohnDar]

Welcome to the forums. This is a great place to collect information. If you're truly a newbie to RV and pulling a trailer, I would suggest you practice (in a large empty lot) manuevering your rig, especially backing it. Anybody (almost) can pull one forward, but backing one up takes some practice. And a spotter. At the campsite for the first time is not the place to try to figure it out.

 

[Ray LeTourneau]

Roadrunner, Welcome to the Heartland Forum & Family. Being new to RVing and starting out with a large 5th wheel is a pretty bold undertaking. I think the average family starts out with a tent or pop-up and progresses from there learning along the way. How about towing? 5th wheels need room for turning so remember to go as wide as you can on corners until you get used to how much room you'll need for turning. Leveling. I use the little levels that stick to the sides and front of the rig and have graduated numbers telling you how many inches you need to add to either side to get level. Pull into your site and get lined up where you want to be and see how much, if any, you need to raise one side. Back up a little, add your boards and pull up on them and chock your wheels. You can level front to back after you unhook. remember to lower the landing legs using the motor several inches before dropping the pads. If you have friends or relatives that have been camping before you may want to get a group thing going so you have some help setting up. When you pick up your trailer, you should do a pre delivery inspection (PDI). Try to ask as much as you can during that PDI about the trailers systems and how they are used. Rent the movie RV and watch it before you go out the first time. Don't do what they do! Again, Welcome...

 

[Roadrunner]

Thank you all for the welcome and tips. I will definately take the advice, especially the shat down run and practice. I've pulled plenty of trailers, mostly boats and equipment trailers, but this is my first fifth wheel. Not sure what to expect but I will be putting plenty of time in at the Super Wal-Mart parking lot before heading to Misty Mountain Campground. I will be conducting a PDI with my dealer, McGeorge's RV Super Center, Asland VA., when I pick her up in two weeks.

I know that selecting the BC3550TSL as my first RV is bold but I have a large family of six and I learned my lesson with going small with my boat. It sits unused because she is to small to take the family out and at only 18.5' she is a fair weather boat. I'm selling it in the spring. Anyone interested??? I don't want the same to happen with my RV. I'll be taking my new rig out on several short runs around town and down the Hwy to learn as much as I can before heading to the campgrounds.

Gus, I will be contacting you soon regarding membership into the VA Chapter Owner's Club.

I look foward to meeting as many of you as possible. Look for me in April. I'll be the one still setting up while everyone else is already fipping burgers.

Shawn & Sherri
2009 Big Country 3550TSL
2000 F350 CC LB D/A

 

[boatto5er]

Don't worry - you won't be alone on taking awhile to get set up. We're going with satellite TV this year, so it'll probably take me two days to get that aligned and working.

If you have the manual awning, get a little practice on getting that rolled out and locked down. Next to dropping the trailer off the hitch (hope I never do that) there's nothing more embarassing than having the awning slam back up into the side of the trailer (now, I may have done that, but I'll never confess).

Look forward to your joining up with us!

Gus

 

[JohnDar]

Don't worry - you won't be alone on taking awhile to get set up. We're going with satellite TV this year, so it'll probably take me two days to get that aligned and working.

If you have the manual awning, get a little practice on getting that rolled out and locked down. Next to dropping the trailer off the hitch (hope I never do that) there's nothing more embarassing than having the awning slam back up into the side of the trailer (now, I may have done that, but I'll never confess).

Look forward to your joining up with us!

Gus

Speaking of awnings, if it starts to rain, keep an eye on it. If it's a hard, fast rain, get that thing rolled up pronto!! I got caught by a sudden cloudburst last summer with our TT, thinking I had the awning pitched right. Not right enough it appeared. Thing filled with water in less than 10 minutes and collapsed just as I tried to manuever the bulge to drain it. $1100 later, I learned the hard way. Fortunately, insurance covered all but the $100 deductible and I had a dealer near the campground come out and replace it.

 

[SmokeyBare]

Roadrunner,

Welcome to your new extended family of Heartland Owners !

If you have concern about your first trip out... driving... tight manauvering... backing up... or just wanting to really get a feel for how it tows.

I would suggest finding a large empty parking lot in your community. Empty school parking lots... community college lots... even some church lots might do. Being able to use the parking spaces as a guide... you can practice backing the RV into a pretend RV Site. Should the lot be large enough you can get use to making tight turns with out running over a curb... Learn what to use as a visual guide when heading to the dump station. Just over all practice will sure be a confidence builder on your first RV outing.

 

[leftyf]

Roadrunner,

Welcome to your new extended family of Heartland Owners !

If you have concern about your first trip out... driving... tight manauvering... backing up... or just wanting to really get a feel for how it tows.

I would suggest finding a large empty parking lot in your community. Empty school parking lots... community college lots... even some church lots might do. Being able to use the parking spaces as a guide... you can practice backing the RV into a pretend RV Site. Should the lot be large enough you can get use to making tight turns with out running over a curb... Learn what to use as a visual guide when heading to the dump station. Just over all practice will sure be a confidence builder on your first RV outing.

Where's the adventure in that? Hop in and drive...you'll learn quickly. Just whip madly from lane to lane..after all if they are behind you..they know what to do. It's like we said in the Army..."Just back up until you hear the Statement of Charges"!!

If I were you I'd listen to Smokey...he's giving you the straight goods.

 

[jmgratz]

Welcome to the heartland family. RVing is supposed to be fun and an adventure so get out there and have some fun and adventure. Don't be surprised when you pull into a campground that everyone who is out watches you back in and set up. I remember a time a group of us were betting on how long it took a newbie to put down his landing gear. LOL The biggest thing is if you are not sure about something ask...everyone of us has been in your boat and RVers are ready and willing to offer assistance to someone who might be unsure about something. Also we all want to see someone elses rig out of curosity. Again this forum is a wealth of information so search around it and ask if you dont know...you will get plenty of opnions. Hope to see you in Goshen at the National Rally in June. It is a blast and the Elkhart/Goshen area of the US is a very educational area with plenty to see for the family.

 

[Roadrunner]

Thanks again for the advice. I will definately be hitting the parking lots. I think it might be better to smash a few cones rather than brush a tree, miss the pad, or any other thing that might require and insurance adjuster.

Thanks again for all the advice. I'm sure I will have plenty of questions in the upcome weeks, months, years. So keep an eye out for me in other ports of the Forum.

Shawn and Sherri Haag
2009 BC3550TSL HOC# TBD

 

[TXBobcat]

Welcome Roadrunner
As you can see there is a lot of good information above.
One thing that I would suggest is to take a driving course like Dick Reed RV Driving School. http://www.rvschool.com/

Something else, when you go to the large parking lot to practice backing, one thing that helped me was the small orange cones that we used for training horses. If you can find a good tack store. These cones have about a 4" base and about 6" tall. Easy to carry because of their size.

BC