Lamaze Method for the ToyHauler; the First Week Home

[FatDog]

Alright,
you've had the dream for months now,
you had the fun,
you've waited all this time,
you've weathered the storm,
the relatives and friends have come and gone during the exciting "arrival"...

but now you're home alone ...just the two of you...and this BIG ol' ToyHauler sitting out on the driveway

What do you do the first couple weeks????
( do you really want HER mom coming on over for a couple weeks, .....or maybe would you rather just have US give you the straight scoop??!! )

Dr.Lamaze FatDog says:
"First Week Helpful Hints":

- check every lug torque a lot the first couple trips (~95 pounds??, check you manual for your recommended torque, THEY COULD LOOSEN on their own when new)

- check your tire air pressure in the tires every trip. Often you are so excited from this birthing time, you forget this step. Don't.

- If you have a slide on your WW ToyHauler, don't travel down the road with the table in the UP position. It very much MIGHT come down. Repair time.

- Count on running the gen regularily on a monthly basis. Someone here has already suffered the trauma of gelled carb. (It really shouldn't be ANY problem here in SoCal to exercise the gen ie: AC.)

- Do NOT travel down the road with your ceiling vents in the OPEN position to "air out the trailer." That also could wiggle them into 'warp and repair time'.

- carry extra fuses

- and everyone's baby looks sooooo cute at the dealer, but look carefully this week while its on your driveway. I let a lot of silly little cosmetic stuff slide, i'm alright with that, but nothing structural.

Other Doctor's may have other advice.
good luck,
Dr.Fat

[FatDog]

Alright,
you've had the dream for months now,
you had the fun,
you've waited all this time,
you've weathered the storm,
the relatives and friends have come and gone during the exciting "arrival"...

but now you're home alone ...just the two of you...and this BIG ol' ToyHauler sitting out on the driveway

What do you do the first couple weeks????
( do you really want HER mom coming on over for a couple weeks, .....or maybe would you rather just have US give you the straight scoop??!! )

Dr.Lamaze FatDog says:
"First Week Helpful Hints":

- check every lug torque a lot the first couple trips (~95 pounds??, check you manual for your recommended torque, THEY COULD LOOSEN on their own when new)

- check your tire air pressure in the tires every trip. Often you are so excited from this birthing time, you forget this step. Don't.

- If you have a slide on your WW ToyHauler, don't travel down the road with the table in the UP position. It very much MIGHT come down. Repair time.

- Count on running the gen regularily on a monthly basis. Someone here has already suffered the trauma of gelled carb. (It really shouldn't be ANY problem here in SoCal to exercise the gen ie: AC.)

- Do NOT travel down the road with your ceiling vents in the OPEN position to "air out the trailer." That also could wiggle them into 'warp and repair time'.

- carry extra fuses

- and everyone's baby looks sooooo cute at the dealer, but look carefully this week while its on your driveway. I let a lot of silly little cosmetic stuff slide, i'm alright with that, but nothing structural.

Other Doctor's may have other advice.
good luck,
Dr.Fat

[Grizwald2]

LMAO Fatty you are just an obe won knobe of info. Thank you, I will print this off and use it. Especially the Mother in law part.

Griz

[Hoverbug]

LMAO also! Dr. Fat thats cool. Heres one to you for the weekend Dr. Fat

[Grizwald2]

This kind of stuff should be in a permanent sticky. The definitive guide for Toyhauler preparedness. The masters of disaster Vol I.

Griz

[Hoverbug]

Are we now going to make an appointment with Cordie to have a chat with the Dr.? Can I make an appointment now for questions I am going to have on hooking up a fiver?

[TH_NOOB]

Word!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Fat Dog you hit the nail on the head.. But here is one I need addressing:
Dear Fattie,
I have a "new" 3305 and I store it in Perris. It is real dusty there and the rig gets dirty in a hurry (or was that dirty Harry) anyway, I tried to wash the rig but the roof was a real bear to clean.
So my question is: Do you think the Steelers have a chance at the superbowl this year? No wait.. I'm flashing back to Sean's trailer and Richard Jeni.. What is the best method of cleaning the rig (roof especially - products to use) and should I invest in one of those Adco covers to help this awful mess from occurring in the first place..
Signed,
\Extreme Noob

[Grizwald2]

Great question Noob, Hello by the way. I was wondering if anybody covered their pricy investments Also, and what products to use for easy cleaning.

Griz

[FatDog]

Wow !!
A surprise stumper of a question from Clint !!!
Very good!!

Dear \Noobster,
Man's age old problem has of course been ... even though we know how to keep the running gear in good shape, should we put a cap on it up there on top???
Very good question.
I never have capped the top, even with those "breathable" covers that cost $1000+. (and I do in fact remember the Griz giving me a little poop at our camp for having admitted that i climb up there on top and scrub it, when in fact my tranny pan bolts were coming undone.)
"...a mans gotta have his priorities..." I recall him barking at me

(...and that richard jeni was infact hilarious, but we digress....)

i wish someone I knew would get one of those GOOD covers so I could check it out, I think they are an interesting product, I stored my trailers outside for years though and never sprung a leak. I scrub and then spray wax.

\Dr. Fatenheimer

[WWFan]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by TH_NOOB:

So my question is: Do you think the Steelers have a chance at the superbowl this year? No wait.. I'm flashing back to Sean's trailer and Richard Jeni.. What is the best method of cleaning the rig (roof especially - products to use) and should I invest in one of those Adco covers to help this awful mess from occurring in the first place..
Signed,
\Extreme Noob </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

\Bob!!! You've got a mind like a steel trap...wow...you musta really got into that RJ ...(he's my favorite!). Wait until you hear Craig Shoemaker (The LoveMaster!).

FD: You defintely hit the LMAO scale on THIS post! Geeeezz...some EXCELLENT points that we ALL can enjoy and adhere to!
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">- Do NOT travel down the road with your ceiling vents in the OPEN position to "air out the trailer." That also could wiggle them into 'warp and repair time'. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
That one I'll remember...I do it all the time! I just figgered with the doggie in the trailer and the 'other smells' that it was a good opportunity to aire out the TH...is it wrong to leave the windows open also?! (C'mon...Dr. LMFD!).

Oh geeeezzz...that's just too funy and educational at the same time..Quit IT already! My 'sides' are bleeding! (and I gotta poop!).

Sean

[FatDog]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">quote:
- Do NOT travel down the road with your ceiling vents in the OPEN position to "air out the trailer." That also could wiggle them into 'warp and repair time'.

That one I'll remember...I do it all the time! I just figgered with the doggie in the trailer and the 'other smells' that it was a good opportunity to aire out the TH...is it wrong to leave the windows open also?! (C'mon...Dr. LMFD!). </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

alright,
i'm going to have to go with a YES on a window open while packing a little doggie,
and a BIG NO on the open ceiling vents.
We are talking lateral movement as versus oscillation. Important stuff.

Now, Dr.LauraFatDog would have you all sing one stanza of "Stand By Your Dog" to prime your soul,
g'nite
Fat

[WWFan]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content"> alright,
i'm going to have to go with a YES on a window open while packing a little doggie,
and a BIG NO on the open ceiling vents.
We are talking lateral movement as versus oscillation. Important stuff. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Spoken like a true Dr/Rocket Scientist, except for the "important stuff" - that's just too simple for a person of your such statute!!

Sean

[melon]

Duelly Noted Fat Dog. Hey, did anyone tell you what to do if the motor in your slide goes out. I guess the SLC's have a hand crank but nobody could find on for our LE. Maybe they feel like it will work forever. By the way, thanks for the words of encouragement reguarding my career change. Today was my last day, feels strange not having to get up at 3:00am every morning anymore, oh except when I want to leave early to go riding

Rod

[FatDog]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Hey, did anyone tell you what to do if the motor in your slide goes out. I guess the SLC's have a hand crank but nobody could find on for our LE. Maybe they feel like it will work forever. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>
hey Rod, i looked for that handcrank, it does exist on the LE models, and i messed with it verrry briefly at my PDI. (well, i asked my PDI person about it, that was one of my written down questions, and she opened the slide out and pointed to the crank while standing outside the trailer, but i was too busy to go over there and get sweaty operating it.) I was kinda excited about the fact that i had AGAIN (!!!!) found that the breakers weren't labeled correctly, and i went over the slide crank a bit too quickly. It DOES exist though on the LE, and i will go re-find it. I recall that it was easy to get to.
(boy there is a fun thought, having to drive down the road with your slide OUT becasue its engine smoked a gear. Well that won't happen, becasue it is a crankable feature)

and Rod, BIG THUMBS UP on your new company (that you've been forming for a couple years)
the BEST on that whole thing buddy!!

First guy who finds that slide crank can write-it-up. I just made a mental note to check it out later this weekend.