Michigan Dennis, offered to take a look at my rig and see what he could come up with for why it just won’t level, and show me what I have to do to manage the hot water procedure and care. I am having intermittent flashes of concern again that maybe my truck just isn’t designed to pull my Toy Hauler. There have been so many theories, opinions and suggestions my head is spinning. But Dennis is another hard core expert, and I’m grateful he is willing to take the time.
We look at the hitch. We double check the ratios and weights from every printed document we can find for the truck and the trailer. He asks me if I’m carrying water. “What? No, the trailer is hooked to the city water.”
He heard about my dumping situation.
“Well, let’s just check.” He urges.
So I don’t even know where that water comes out from. He did, and he opened the cap. We were in for quite a surprise. For the next 2 hours, my Toy Hauler drained what likely amounted to 900 pounds of water.
“Where did you buy this RV from? I can’t believe they sent you out carrying all this water!”
I was jolted right back to seething with frustration and anger about my entire purchase experience. Good thing that dealer is hours away.
By the time the water was completely drained, Michigan Dennis had to go, but he did help me with understanding the steps for turning the hot water on and the much needed care for winterizing. Buddy said he would help me winterize just before I leave, but Dennis raised some important points I took notes on for when we work on it.
“You should try taking it for a ride now. See how it handles without 90 gallons of water on the front end.”
Good point.
Maybe the day has come for me to buck up and get behind the wheel of my truck again and pull the Toy Hauler awhile. Ted offered to ride shot gun to give me moral support and suggestions for how to back. We really want to see how it rides now that it’s been “dumped” and emptied.
Ok. Let’s go today. I decide to set up the training session to begin with me completely hooking up as though I am alone, following the instructions that Bob gave me. Once again, it was somewhat of a cluster as things don’t always go exactly as planned. And I am finding out how “not strong” I really am. But with Teds help we got everything set up hooked up and locked on to pull out of the campground and down to the boat launch.
The ride was a little less solid this time. The metal on metal grinding noise was more noticeable, too. Maybe it was always there but because the windows are down, it was more obvious. I maintain that the noise should not have to be happening. No one else’s trailer makes all that horrid noise when they pull in.
We talk about the leveling, and get out and check how it looks now with all that water gone. Still not level. Better, but still not level. Obviously the RV is designed to hold weight in the back over the axels, so that’s where I need to focus on storing things, but it seems I will also have to empty the back of the truck.
Backing 28 feet of something 8 feet wide and 13 feet tall is not particularly easy. But I was determined, and Ted was patient, and I think we burned a half a tank of gas in the boat launch parking lot. Finally, I backed between the white lines perfectly one time. Kind of like dog training, it’s always good to end on a positive note, so we decided to head back to the campground after my one time backing success.
We get back to the campground. One thing I can see right now is, I don’t want to have to routinely pull in and out of my campsite to go to anywhere, like the dump station. Having the dog fence set up means if I am not an expert at parking my rig, I will have to assemble and disassemble the fence each time I leave. Several campers have portable waste containers they hook to their unit and then roll it over to the dump station periodically. If all I am using is the sink, this could be a perfect option for me. Then I would have no reason to move the Toy Hauler except to leave. Now to just find a “blue boy” that doesn’t cost an arm and a leg.
Ted asks if I would like him to pull in to my site or do I want to try. Ohhhh, go for it. I’ll do it next time. In seconds my trailer is perfectly lined up on the campsite with minimal need for messing around with the dog fence. I’m rather envious, but I know, I’ll get there eventually.
I am so lucky to have these folks in my life!
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