New to RV'ing - feeling like I'm in over my head

[wildmandmc]

Here is a link to get manual.
https://forestriverinc.help/#/forest...#39;s%20Manual

[dizcom]

Originally Posted by kkb_rockwood

Hi everyone,

I purchased a 2022 Forest River Rockwood Mini Lite 2109S earlier this month. Then I hauled it from Texas to Rhode Island, where I live. I'm feeling like I may have made a huge mistake in buying this. I have no idea what I should be doing to maintain it and nothing came with it, manual-wise, to tell me. I had a quick run through at the dealer and I videotaped it, but I still feel that I am missing a lot. How am I supposed to take care of this thing?? When should I have the inverter on versus not on? I have no idea how to work the panel that tells the status of the solar panel. Where do I go here at home to empty the black water tank? Do I need to unhook the propane tanks when it's just sitting here at the house? What about the battery? How do I get the vent above the bed really locked down? I thought I screwed it shut, but it just turns and turns. And when driving, it got raised up again.

I had the trip from hell going from TX to RI. The backup camera does not connect most of the time. It will randomly show the view, but usually when I am driving, not when backing. The ride was super rough; lots of bouncing. The dealer did install stabilizer bars. And the truck really seemed to struggle - the RPMs were almost constantly revv'd. I only averaged about 7.5 MPG, where I usually get 17 MPG without the trailer. I am pulling it with a 2013 Chevrolet Silverado with 4WD and crew cab. It has about 75K miles on it.

I stopped at a nice park in Mississippi the first night. When I opened the door of the trailer, I found the retaining pin for the fridge / freezer had failed (the rubber cap from the top of the pin had come off and the pin was on the floor) and much of the contents had spilled to the floor. This included 7 half gallons of precious Blue Bell ice cream and fresh cut pineapple and watermelon. The floor was covered with melted Blue Bell ice cream and sticky fruit juice. Luckily I had a large sponge with me to clean up (while my 4 dogs waited in the truck with the AC running - it was 88° and muggy as hell). But, the ice cream got under the cabinets and the slide out. It also reached the carpet near the bed. No matter how much I wiped it, more oozed out from under the cabinets. I feel like the entire inside of the trailer needs to be removed in order to properly clean the floor and remove the sticky mess. But of course, I have no way to do that myself.

Please tell me there is a single resource where I can read everything I need to know. Otherwise, I'll be selling my new trailer.

Thanks, Kimber

If we can do this, you can do this. Most of what you're saying is normal. Take it easy your first couple of times out. Drive slower, take lots of breaks, check your rig from hitch to bumper and open the door to take a look around. Check your tire pressure. Your rig is designed to be light weight so a lot of it isn't as durable as things you have in your home. Treat it that way and you'll get many years of enjoyment out of it.



There's a lot to learn. Take your questions one at a time. Someone on here has already asked these things, so the search feature is your friend. If you still have questions, try to find the right forum and ask it there. You'll find lots of help and suggestions here.


The propane tanks don't need to be disconnected but they should be turned off when not in use. You can get an adapter to plug your rig in at home to keep the batteries topped off, but it won't run the AC. Any RV store and many campgrounds have them. You can also pull your rig over to a campground to empty the black tank and refill propane if you need it. There's a nice KOA in Mystic that's easy to get in and out that has a dump station, propane, and a small store with the adapter you need.


When you have it parked and plugged in at home, you have time to learn everything else. Take it slow. Before you know it, you'll be answering other people's questions like an old pro. Good luck.

[Fridge Defend]

Originally Posted by kkb_rockwood

2022 Forest River Rockwood Mini Lite 2109S earlier this month.

I found the retaining pin for the fridge / freezer had failed (the rubber cap from the top of the pin had come off and the pin was on the floor) and much of the contents had spilled to the floor. This included 7 half gallons of precious Blue Bell ice cream and fresh cut pineapple and watermelon. The floor was covered with melted Blue Bell ice cream and sticky fruit juice.

I feel like the entire inside of the trailer needs to be removed in order to properly clean the floor and remove the sticky mess. But of course, I have no way to do that myself.

Please tell me there is a single resource where I can read everything I need to know. Otherwise, I'll be selling my new trailer.

Thanks, Kimber

Welcome to iRV2, if there was a single place to gather information from folks that care about your safety and enjoyment of your new RV, it is here

Sorry to here of your experiences, I have opened the door to my RV more than once to find the contents of a drawer or the fridge on the floor. But, it has always been my fault for not latching stuff, or driving off road.

One issue you face is the newer RVs having residential appliances. I am assuming you have an all electric fridge? A majority of the all electric fridge were not designed for the rigors of travel. Residential appliances were not designed for the motion of an RV. They are modified to work in an RV, it sounds like your fridge door latch could not withstand the stress of "7 half gallons of precious Blue Bell ice cream and fresh cut pineapple and watermelon." shifting within the fridge when you went around a corner.

You are correct, if you do not get rid of the ice cream in the RV, you are going to attract insects and varmints. Mice are of particular concern, they cause a lot of damage in an RV. They chew through wiring, the are no fun at night when they come out of their hiding places to feast on your stuff.

Hope this is helpful, hope you get all the bugs worked out so you enjoy your new RV. It is a process learning and getting everything the way you want it

[wildmandmc]

RIP the 7 gone now forever blue bell's. I personally would of loved at least one of them. lol

[Piney2]

Originally Posted by kkb_rockwood

I have no idea if I have a "weight distribution and sway control hitch."
How do I know if the dealer set it up properly?
I have a V8.
I'll have someone look at my shocks.
I was driving the speed limit. Mostly 65 to 70 MPH.

Thanks!

Hi Kimber,


I'm sorry for the reason for needing the travel trailer. I know you are drinking from the fire hose right now but here is some more information that I hope you find helpful.



Please look at the following web link for an example (it's what I had for my prior travel trailer) of a load distribution / anti-sway hitch. See if yours looks like it.
https://www.campingworld.com/fastway...bution-hitches


In the trailer, in a pouch in one of the drawers or cabinets, you should find all the paperwork for your TT. If you bought it new, it should be there; bought used, then maybe not if old owner kept it.


Here is what I'd suggest for helping you get a good tutorial on your TT: find a private RV repair shop or mobile RV repair guy, call them up and be honest as to why you bought the trailer and that you are very confused and would like someone to come out and walk you though it and explain what everything is and how to use it.



Also, I would suggest, while TT is under warranty still, that you pay to have a certified RV inspector come out and go over the TT top to bottom...sort of like a home inspector when you are ready to buy a house. I invested 150 dollars for one when I moved from a TT to a Class C...it was money well spent. You can see if any are near you via this website.
https://nrvia.org/locate/


One of the most important areas to focus on, since you are traveling long distances, is maintaining your tires w/ correct air pressure. This is a frequent oversight and contributes to tire failure. A good Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) would be helpful to have. There are many brands out there; here is what I purchased --- just showing you an example but you can research and decide if/what you want.

https://www.tireminder.com/


Hope this helps a bit.

[John58]

Originally Posted by kkb_rockwood

Yes, I did jump into the purchase, but it was out of necessity. My mother passed away and I will need to make many trips between my home in RI and hers in TX to get the house cleaned out and sold. They were there 55 years and it's a large house, so there is a lot to do. I drove down there straight through, but at 60 yrs old, I just can't do it anymore. A trailer seemed the only option. I lucked out that they had a couple of smaller tow behinds to pick from. I bought it, they prepped it and I had to get back to RI.

1. Ok, I will do that.
2. That's great to know.
3. It is a 1500; V8.
4. Sway wasn't bad but bucking was.
5. I really think the manufacturers should be providing a manual - similar to what you get with a new vehicle, at minimum.
6. I have a house, but not sure what you mean by 'clean out'
7. Ok
8. It's in my driveway. I got the 'dirt daubber' screens ASAP and they are already installed.

Thanks again.

4. The sway can be controlled by adding new aftermarket front and rear sway bars, Hellwig and RoadMaster are just two that have the upgrade sway bars that will help greatly with the sway going down the road. Also check out Etrailer they have alot of products that may come in handy.
5. Use the links I provided and they will provide all the manuals for your coach. Some will help and others maybe not so much, I download all of them and have a file in the coach for future reference.
6. The "Clean Out" should in your yard somewhere, it is used to clean the sewer line out should it back up into the house. It's generally white has a square on top for a wrench and screws off. Great place to dump to tanks cause it goes directly into the municipal sewer system. You may need to call the city or sewer company to ensure you can dump your tanks. We have one city here that will not allow it thus people have to pay to dump their tanks. I just had one installed closer to our coach for a shorter run.
8 Insect screens are great I have them installed on our coach those pesky daubers are pain when they start building nests.

This forum and others out there are a great resource for information and help. Chances are your question as been answered before just use the search panel and read, read and red some more. There is a wealth of information out here. If all else fails you have the factory Forest River/Coachmen have great service departments not only for new owners but those who used or older coaches. If I need a part or information I just send an email. Always get a response may not be in a day ot two but I do get my answer so be patient.

[boiledowl]

One thought that comes to mind about the "feel" for towing is this. Have a seasoned driver with experience on towing something similar to your set up. Have them drive it in all conditions and then hopefully he can give you a fair unbiased review of what you may or may not need.

[kkb_rockwood]

Originally Posted by wildmandmc

Hello fellow clam digger. Originally from RI. Now in Fla.
a TT will usually give you bucking when towing. MPG is going to be always low #'s. Few things to always remember. If u have a Awning. when wind picks up bring it in. Save on repairs later on. If it has elec/propane hot water heater make sure water is turned on b4 switch is switched. Run hot water faucet first.
B4 November start learning about the winterizing process. B4 taking her out (rv) make sure all drawers / doors closed. Hope u don't plan on going back and forth tx to ri with trailer a lot of times. If u plan on bringing moms stuff back to RI rent a one way Uhaul in tx.
PS. Born in Prov. grew up in Cranston.
Abe

Hi Abe,
I was born & raised in Texas, but New England is "home" for me. It's too bloody hot in Texas! How do you stand it in FL?

I do plan on many trips back & forth, unfortunately. The trailer is for me & the dogs to sleep in during the "commute." No motels allow 4 large dogs in one room. Before I picked up mother's dog, I would just catch a couple of hours here & there in the truck. But now there isn't any extra room for me!

I won't be bringing much back, just some small things here & there.

[kkb_rockwood]

Originally Posted by boiledowl

One thought that comes to mind about the "feel" for towing is this. Have a seasoned driver with experience on towing something similar to your set up. Have them drive it in all conditions and then hopefully he can give you a fair unbiased review of what you may or may not need.

Thank you. If I come upon someone like that, I will have them drive it.

[kkb_rockwood]

Originally Posted by wildmandmc

Here is a link to get manual.
https://forestriverinc.help/#/forest...#39;s%20Manual

Thank you. Unfortunately, that is generic information not specific to the Rockwood.

[kkb_rockwood]

Originally Posted by dizcom

If we can do this, you can do this. Most of what you're saying is normal. Take it easy your first couple of times out. Drive slower, take lots of breaks, check your rig from hitch to bumper and open the door to take a look around. Check your tire pressure. Your rig is designed to be light weight so a lot of it isn't as durable as things you have in your home. Treat it that way and you'll get many years of enjoyment out of it.

There's a lot to learn. Take your questions one at a time. Someone on here has already asked these things, so the search feature is your friend. If you still have questions, try to find the right forum and ask it there. You'll find lots of help and suggestions here.

The propane tanks don't need to be disconnected but they should be turned off when not in use. You can get an adapter to plug your rig in at home to keep the batteries topped off, but it won't run the AC. Any RV store and many campgrounds have them. You can also pull your rig over to a campground to empty the black tank and refill propane if you need it. There's a nice KOA in Mystic that's easy to get in and out that has a dump station, propane, and a small store with the adapter you need.

When you have it parked and plugged in at home, you have time to learn everything else. Take it slow. Before you know it, you'll be answering other people's questions like an old pro. Good luck.

Thank you!

After the ice cream incident, I checked inside (and all around) every time I stopped. And I always have my Ryobi cordless inflator with me.

Luckily, this trailer came with a solar panel, so the batteries are staying charged. It also came with a bucket of goodies that included the adapter for plugging in at home. I sure wish it would run the AC though!

I'll check out the KOA in Mystic. I'm not far from the CT border, so it's a short trip.

[bigchick]

somebody already mentioned a deep breath. take a few. we were once where you are now. should i mention the watermelon that rolled out of our refrigerator?

don't look at this as a huge problem. it's not, it's just a collection of small individual unrelated problems. solve them one at a time! you eat an elephant one bite at a time!

if you have questions about a device go online and get the manual for it and read it.

put some time aside and read this forum, or another, every day. you'll see many of your questions being asked by others. you'll also realize that different people have different practices and viewpoints. use the ones that you are comfortable with.

learn all you can about towing and the hitch set-up. one thing you do not want to compromise is any safety related issue. some melted ice cream is really minor when compared to a safety issue when towing.

use the trailer. you'll learn a bunch each time you use it. go somewhere and stay on it for a few days so you have time to explore it and don't have to be worried about towing it each day.

again a deep breath and a positive attitude. we've all been there!

[Persistent]

I see lots of good advice above!

This is not the first time this has happened. I am sure you can eventually get through it.

Q: How do you eat an elephant?

Ans: One bite at a time.

The first thing as you have said is to get the ice cream and juice out of the RV. The smell will be unbearable for the rest of the RV's life.

Next is the documentation. A new Forest River trailer would come with a manual. It will probably be very general. It may be useful in that it includes maintenance that needs to be done.

Each appliance and device in your RV has its own individual manual. The water heater has a manual. The axles have a manual, etc.

Normally there is a stack of manuals for appliance that comes with the trailer. If they were not included, you may still be able to get the stack from the dealer.

For the most part each manufacture maintains a website where you can down load electronic copies. It is a big job to find them all, but one at a time as you need them is doable. Get make and model from each device. Make a list for future reference.

From your description I recommend the second thing that needs urgent attention is the weight distribution hitch. There should be a label on the device showing manufacture and model. Get the instructions and go through the setup instructions. You may need to buy some tools. You will need them some day anyway.

The bounding ride indicates the tow vehicle is bouncing off the travel limits. Raising the rear end using the weight distribution hitch is the first step. See manual set up instructions. This is sometimes called "porpoising".

If that is not enough, getting tongue weight is next. Search for "weighing a travel trailer". A local commercial truck scale is usually the best place to do the weighing. It may cost $20 for a weight. You may have to weigh two or three times. See search results for how to.

Your hitch will have a maximum tongue weight. The hitch may have come installed on your tow vehicle. Tow vehicle manufacture will have necessary towing weights or the weight specification sticker on the driver's door frame will provide weight specifications.

Lots to learn here. Ask questions in the "travel trailer" forum. Start a new thread for each subject matter. There is also a "appliances" forum. Don't obsess over which forum. Just post the question. Always include make and model of your trailer and the appliance you are asking about.

Remember, "One bite at a time".

I wish you good luck and happy trails ahead!

[kkb_rockwood]

Originally Posted by Piney2

Hi Kimber,


I'm sorry for the reason for needing the travel trailer. I know you are drinking from the fire hose right now but here is some more information that I hope you find helpful.

Please look at the following web link for an example (it's what I had for my prior travel trailer) of a load distribution / anti-sway hitch. See if yours looks like it.
https://www.campingworld.com/fastway...bution-hitches

In the trailer, in a pouch in one of the drawers or cabinets, you should find all the paperwork for your TT. If you bought it new, it should be there; bought used, then maybe not if old owner kept it.

Here is what I'd suggest for helping you get a good tutorial on your TT: find a private RV repair shop or mobile RV repair guy, call them up and be honest as to why you bought the trailer and that you are very confused and would like someone to come out and walk you though it and explain what everything is and how to use it.

Also, I would suggest, while TT is under warranty still, that you pay to have a certified RV inspector come out and go over the TT top to bottom...sort of like a home inspector when you are ready to buy a house. I invested 150 dollars for one when I moved from a TT to a Class C...it was money well spent. You can see if any are near you via this website.
https://nrvia.org/locate/

One of the most important areas to focus on, since you are traveling long distances, is maintaining your tires w/ correct air pressure. This is a frequent oversight and contributes to tire failure. A good Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) would be helpful to have. There are many brands out there; here is what I purchased --- just showing you an example but you can research and decide if/what you want.

https://www.tireminder.com/


Hope this helps a bit.

Thank you! I did buy it new and there are various papers that cover components of the rv, mainly appliances, but not the rv overall. The pouch also has a TPMS unit in it - display and everything. I have no idea why the dealer didn't install it! I keep my Ryobi tire inflator in the truck always and am pretty good about checking pressures.

Thanks again,
Kimber