Going to an empty parking lot to practice backing up is one of the most important things! It’s the same with new boaters lol. Majority of people know backing up trailers when you’re new can lead to arguments, frustration between others, and even your own spouse/SO. One thing that can help during it is all kids remain in the vehicle being quiet, all windows down, and being on the phone with a spotter outside using your vehicle’s Bluetooth, or CarPlay. Really helps not having to yell at each other with those long trailers, or vehicles with loud engines/exhausts. Also for the spotter you need to stand so that you can see the driver in the side mirrors. Can’t tell you how much it drives the driver crazy when the spotter can’t be seen, or goes right behind the trailer. Short wheelbase trailers are such a PITA to back up lol, especially if you don’t have a longer truck or suv than the trailer. I remember my dad always fighting our old double Sea-Doo trailer. Was older ones before they started making the newer nicer long tongue trailers. Combined with our Excursion’s shorter wheelbase it was fun.😂 Making a master list of all your camping gear is a much needed thing too. Prevents you from forgetting things. Having camping specific silverware, plates, cups, etc that you leave in the trailer helps a lot too.
lol...drove almost 400 miles once to campsite... set up camp and got up the next morning to find I didn't have my coffee grinder....break camp find the nearest Walmart 20 miles away....4 hrs later set-up camp again and finally have some coffee
Thanks Drew! We picked up our Bean a couple of weeks ago and one of the best things we brought was the right attitude. We accepted that we didn't know what we were doing, kept things simple, took our time, and had a blast in the Flaming Gorge area.
Right attitude. Love that! We made a few efforts this summer to camp at flaming gorge. Looked like a really unique area. Each time things came up and we camped near the area. That’s the beauty of a small camper trailer when things don’t go as planned it’s really easy to just set up a makeshift campsite.
Always check the tire pressure in the spare! I didn’t check mine last summer, because, well, it’s the spare; I never use it. I had a flat at a rest area,and of course, the spare was low, too. I also didn’t have my tire pump, because, well, why carry a tire pump when I have a spare? Fortunately my parents were 15 min behind me towing their trailer to the same campsite I was going to. My dad had his tire pump, and his spare was fully inflated, and I dined on humble pie that night.
This is great advice. Honestly it’s something I rarely think about as well. This summer I changed out a tire and put a tire plug in the original tire. I threw it up in my cargo box planning on repairing it at the next town. Well plans changed as Canada pushed me through quicker than I was hoping due to Covid restrictions. Thousands of miles later I reached my destination in the lower 48 and completely forgot about the tire. It wasn’t until two or three months later that I remembered the tire and went and checked on it. To my surprise the tire plug held up. But like you I could’ve easily had a humble pie moment there.
Even if the lock is pickable, I think it’s more about putting things in the way from a perspective their. If they see there’s more to do, it will put them off. Great video buddy
Another great video. Thankyou. One sad thing in this era of battery operated tools is that many of our lockable safeguards can simply be cut off by portable angle grinders. Then they simply hook the safety chains over their tow ball and drive off. That being said it is still definitely worth taking every precaution that we can to make it harder for thieves. Here in Australia most insurance companies will insure your van/trailer but once it's over 30 years old it is hard as most won't insure. Obviously each country is different.
It really is sad. Glad you shared this though. Here in the States there is a new trend where many campsites won't even allow trailers 30 years or older to stay the night. Quite awful. I get it, but still awful when you think of the beautiful restored Airstreams on the road and the fact that they can't stay.
@@PlayingwithSticks wow that's really sad. Quite often some of the older vans are built stronger than the newer ones, hence why they are still functioning well. Our old Viscount has aluminium frame so there will never be any rotting timber anywhere. Our van/trailer is 44 years old this year and we love it.
I'm finally building my square drop camper and I owe a lot of credit to you for getting me motivated. Love your content and appreciate the time and effort you put into it
Another great video, ….. again ……and thank you put putting us onto the Scoop video. I’m a first time owner of an off road teardrop in Australia and have loved watching your videos during my td research phase. Yes, you are right. The reversing / backing in fear is real. Thank you Drew.
Hi Cindy! Yes that backing up method is priceless. I use it for everything. Parking lots, my driveway, boondocking, etc. So simple, but if you aren't doing it, you will feel like a pro!
Adding to AAA and the like: basic often doesn't cover both units, vehicle and trailer. Here in BC my BCAA needs to be up-rated to BCAA Plus RV. Hate to need to get towed to town leaving my teardrop on the side of the road. As to locks, even locked if I can get to your safety chains and hook onto them I've got your trailer no matter what. Simple solution is to wrap the chains around the tongue and lock them tightly together.
We made a check list and believe or not it's smart to follow it - especially in the beginning. For example, #1 is chock the trailer tires before undoing the hitch!! The first time I skipped the checklist I just unhitched and watched the trailer roll backwards a foot going YIKES... fortunately it was a pretty level camp site. Checklist is good :)
Trailer Brake controller. If the trailer has brakes, a trailer brake controller is needed to use the brakes. There are 3 kinds: box in vehicle (most used by far), fastened to the trailer, and plugged into trailer wiring connector. The on-trailer and on-the-trailer-wiring-connector are smart phone adjusted, and make it easier to use the trailer on different vehicles since the brake controller can be moved around - more expensive - never seen one.
This summer we used our first on-trailer brake connector. I wish I could remember the brand right now....I believe it was from Tekonsha the prodigy version. It was such a blessing to have. My Jeep didn't have a brake controller, which was a no issue with this wireless setup. And like you said it allowed me all summer to swap vehicles when needed without losing the ability to control my trailer's brakes.
@@PlayingwithSticks Yeah! The idea of a trailer mounted brake controller is really cool - like the hydraulic trailer brakes built into the trailer hitch that UHaul used.
@@mikemead2315 I just learned about those a few days ago. Also saw a video of a newer trailer that said it was using old technology. On the tongue was an accordian-like black sleeve just behind the coupler. They said it was like a spring that non-electronically helped stop the trailer. Have you seen something like this before?
@@PlayingwithSticks Yes, I used a built-in trailer-tongue activated trailer-brake activator. When I rented a UHaul 6x12 enclosed trailer, it had a trailer-tongue mounted hydraulic trailer-brake activator. It seemed to work great, as it was over loaded at 5,000 lbs (probably excess amount of gold bullion bars), and I did not notice the trailer when stopping - I was very surprised. It not user adjustable, which is both good and bad: great there is no goofing around and universal, but it is not adjustable for differing loads for maximum stopping power. I liked it.
Great list guys! It’s really nice to see these tips and pointers put together this way. I usually tell people to camp outside their house for the first time🤣
Yeah! Camping at home also protects a bit from over packing by starting empty and bringing out exactly what is used instead of what "might be needed," .... which is usually 90% of everything I seem to bring.
As a kid, the camper was set up in the back yard and was used all summer. What's not to like - mom cooking, bathroom, tv, junk food and giggling in the camper and sleeping bags; sleeping bags always seemed magical to me ... still do.
That is a great suggestion. When we were remodeling our Shasta Compact by the time we finally got it on the road I think we had spent over 20 days in it! Haha.
thank you Drew... what perfect timing.. I should be getting my new teardrop about June and I soooo needed this video... I have been watching you and May for a while and I love all the ideas and confidence you've given me.. probably not for you guys I wouldn't be taking the plunge.. and being almost 70 years old only adds to the nerves, but you guys have shown me "I've got this"... the scoop method of parking really helped.... keep on with all your great videos and enjoy those kiddos... they are just too darned cute....happy camping
I’ve been sitting on this comment all morning. You have no idea how much this one means to us. So much comes down to preparation and attitude doesn’t it? There’s a story I tell in one of our videos about getting hypothermia. The ending of that story I’ve never shared online. Although I was in the middle of a 110 mile trek. I found on the map I was only about 5 to 6 miles from civilization if I veered off trail. After my scare I decided I was throwing in the towel. I made it all the way back to civilization, found a payphone, that probably dates how long ago this story was… and called my father and said come pick me up. All that time and preparation thrown out the window. My father had a golf tournament that day so I wasn’t able to get a hold of him. I hopped back on the trail to pick up my backpack that I left fairly close to the road. Along the way I ran into a solo traveler who was in her late 60s. She was doing the same trail I was all by herself. She shared a couple stories with me, encouraged me and I was ready to get back on the trail. I called my family, told them “false alarm”and that everything was okay. I thought if this lady did the AT trail,the IAT trail, and the PCT trail all on her own so can I. I will never forget that day. Sometimes it just takes seeing someone do it ahead of you to give you that confidence. And that has been the backbone of this channel. Hoping we can inspire others to enjoy this magical life we stumbled upon. We often think to ourselves if people can just see it in action, maybe that will speak more than words.
@@PlayingwithSticks thank you for that great response... and you are so right, seeing it in action has helped and inspired me so much more than you can imagine...and actually when my first daughter graduated high school I took her and my 14 yrs old daughter and we did the first 7 miles of the AT all by our little ol' selves and had a blast... took 3 days, pumped our own water, was really tough at times, but it taught us all that we can do whatever we put our minds to... with 35# backpks to boot.... I learned how to open a can of tuna with a screw driver as I forgot can opener....you just have to know that you have meant the world to all your faithful viewers... thanks again
@@PlayingwithSticks No. The police somewhere busted some people with some of their property, but not the trailer full of cool camping gear and gourmet cooking equipment. I might have bought a teardrop myself by now. But I've already had my car broken into when camping at a National Park campground on the Colorado River during the government shutdown while I was in the shower. And had all my camping gear stolen while camping at a Forest Service campground (with no host) near Lake Shasta when wildfires we're raging there. There's almost nothing you can do to prevent someone from making off with a teardrop. Maybe a welder could custom make something. But all the off the shelf stuff is easily defeated. But even then someone could lift the teardrop up onto a car towing dolly. It also depends a lot on where you are. Maybe a sticker with ☠️ and "steal this trailer and I will dedicate my life to find it...and YOU.
@@samshepperrd @Unoseth Dohi This is awful. Not only Dome Life's story, but your stories as well. Really sorry to hear that. Good for folks to hear on here.
Concur that your list is very useful for new campers picking up their teardrops soon. We absolutely called the manufacturer to ensure our vehicle and hitch receiver were compatible with the trailer before pickup. Thanks to ya'll, we also showed up with chocks and locks. Your library of videos prepared us well these last few years and helped build our standard operating procedures. I'll share that we had one lesson learned from pick up: Coordinate your insurance BEFORE you show up. I totally forgot due to the fog of excitement. We ended up spending an hour on the phone in the parking lot because I refused to start the 20 hour trek without insurance. Thanks again for the content!
This is so neat to hear Ronald. I really appreciate this feedback. Putting these videos together is fun, but it also can be quite a bit of work associated with it. So it is really rewarding to have a comment like this. I had to laugh when you said fog of excitement. When it comes to small camper trailers that one has plagued me many times. Just the idea of a small camper trailer instantly puts me in Lalaland. I often have to remind myself too calm down and use my head. Haha.
Oh and thanks for sharing the "scoop" method. While we prefer not to do parking lot camping so close to other rigs, this method would have been useful during our cross country drive back to Colorado. For example, we stopped at a hotel and I was that guy who took up 4 parking spaces. Of course, I took the spaces furthest away from the building beyond other vehicles. The scoop method would have allowed us to park a little closer. All good. I enjoyed a quiet night in the teardrop while the family had to sleep in the hotel room.
@@ronc5093 Glad it was helpful. As you know we don't camp at campgrounds often either, but we use the scoop multiple times a day boondocking, grocery shopping, etc. Once you start this method your ego gets big quickly. Haha. I went from the night before feeling unconfident to the next day feeling like I could tackle anything.
About backing up Gently instruct your copilot on the use of hand signals, what signals to give, what the signals should indicate, to not stop giving signals until its time to stop moving, and to make sure that they can see the mirror at all times. In good light its pretty easy to back a trailer up by yourself, even in a tight spot. At night on the other hand --- first time we got to a campsite at night I just assumed my copilot would automatically get out and start guiding me into the spot instead of sitting on the picnic table watching me go forward and backwards a couple times...there was much frustration
This is some great advice. Another thing that really helped us is two way radios. And then another tip I’ve never shared on the channel. I’ve learned over time that maybe over 50% of trailer owners don’t want you to help them back up. Meaning trailer owners you don’t know and you’re imposing your will on them by helping them back up at the campsite. At first I didn’t understand why they didn’t appreciate it. But it totally makes sense now. Who is going to trust someone they don’t know to help back in their expensive rig. Easiest solution here is to just ask them if they want the assistance instead of assuming and jumping behind their trailer.
I back 25’ vehicles into their very tight parking stalls for a living ( I work for a “brown”shipping company) and I’m still amazed at watching our semi-truck drivers park 25’, 45’ and 53’ trailers up to the docks. Our drivers say the short trailers are the hardest because the slightest move and your trailer can Jack-knife. Their advice is to plan your move, take it slow and constantly check your side mirrors. Whenever I’ve gotten in a bind or stuck, it’s because I wasn’t checking my side mirrors. Oh and ‘back up cameras ‘ are nice but DON’T rely on them. I can’t stress it enough, USE YOUR SIDE MIRRORS. I only use my backup camera to see how close I am to the dock. And don’t be afraid to start over if it looks like you’re too close to hitting something. So what if it take 10 try’s to get it into your spot. One’s pride isn’t worth damaging your trailer or something else.
After a weekend of hunting I’m seeing the value of a small camper. I have a massive 34’ bunkhouse. It’s wonderful. But I’d never take it off-road or anywhere remote. So after spending the weekend in a dusty nasty old cabin, I think I may get a small pop up, something for 2 grown men to share who don’t want to spoon.
I think for me there’s a bit of envy factor involved. There’s been times when I’m out camping and I see an off-road enthusiast or hunter just take off into places I would never go. And once you see that a few times you are like I have to find a camper that can allow me to do that. And I also find simple is King. It doesn’t take a whole lot to get out there just a bit of clearance, a bed, and a trailer narrow enough to fit between trees. I really like the idea of a pop-up because it does give you a lot of space. But when towing and storing they’re almost as small as a regular trailer.
And I totally get you on the spooning comment. There’s a video coming out in the future where I take my buddy out in the Bean Trailer. Him and I are backpacking partners so have shared small tents many times. But something about sharing a nice queen size bed in a trailer that felt like a hotel room was a bit awkward. Haha.
Tow-Ball size. I've towed so many trailers, I now have a collection of different ball sizes - with duplicates for some odd reason. Remember, hitch balls have different tow-weight ratings stamped on them. I think the lowest weight rating is like 2,000 lbs for 1 7/8" balls and 3,500 lbs for 2" balls, but go up to like 6,000 lbs.
I had a wheel bearing go out in the middle of nowhere. There was one service station in the tiny town nearby and they took cash only. No credit cards. They also took AAA. I won’t go into how I got out of that mess, but I’ve never been without AAA since then.
Road trip to pick up our Teardrop in just a few weeks. Two days there, and two days back. It will have been on order for 53 weeks when we do pick it up. It’s been a long year, that has ended up siphoning off our bank account. Insurance - Check! Locks - Check! Love the idea of Bolt, anything that cuts down on the number of keys in my pocket is great. Ordered several, hitch pin lock, pad locks, cable lock. Hitch alignment - Check ! Manufacturer actually sent that info to us right after our order, without us even having to ask. Ball size - Check, sort of. Not need in our case since it will have a Lock & Roll hitch system. Manufacturer did remind us that we would need the vehicle side portion of the system though. Bubble level - Check! Included on the Teardrop by the manufacturer. Chocks & leveling blocks - Check! Manufacturer even suggested a few at the same time they sent the hitch alignment measurement. Practice before hitting the road. - Doing what I can with my kayak trailer, and hopefully there will be an area to do that at the manufacturers shop. That includes “initialization” of the brake controller. Stay close to home for first trip. - Not possible, but our fist night will be at a KOA that is less than an hour from the manufacturers shop. This way we will be able to purchase any necessities that we forgot to bring, and head back to the manufacturers shop the next morning if we discover something that needs to be tweaked or fixed, or just didn’t pay attention during the walk through. Then it’s two days on the road home. I believe that most manufacturers are not allowed to turn the camper over to you with the propane tank(s), if equipped, filled. So don’t forget that you will have get the tank(s) purged and filled. Our manufacturer says that there is a place across the street from their shop to get that done. Thanks for making me feel like I’ve got everything covered.
The costs add up fast don't they! But, congratulations on your soon to be new trailer. Welcome to the club! Sounds like you are working with a good manufacturer. Out of curiosity who is it? If you can zero in that kayak trailer, the teardrop is going to be a breeze. 5 minutes later you will realize you just need to turn the steering wheel a bit more and you are good to go. Every time we change trailers in terms of size or number of axles we have to relearn how to reverse. It only takes about 10 minutes. But those first ten minutes can be ridiculously awkward. Almost embarrassing at times. Haha. Hence my love of an empty parking lot. That brake controller takes a little getting used to as well. When making adjustments I make sure to make hard stops on both gravel and pavement and at different speeds. One scary thing I have noticed is that if it is too forceful, and you are taking a fast sharp highway curve, initiating the brakes can introduce some jerky motions and sometimes even sway. I try to break before all corners when using a brake controller. Love the KOA idea. Sounds perfect. And great suggestion on the purging of tanks. I find it is hit or miss with Uhaul. Some will purge, some won't. Love this post by the way!
@@PlayingwithSticks Drew, you are already familiar with our Manufacturer. In fact you've pulled one. We are getting a Colorado Teardrop. The Canyonland Pinnacle. Looking forward to the second night in it. Will be at Black Mesa State Park in the Oklahoma panhandle, a blackout park, and on a New Moon to boot. Hope it's a nice clear night.
@@mikekruse4674 How cool is that. PWS Approved Trailer. Haha! Blackout park, that is new to me. Sounds like a great thing. May and I are not big fans of light pollution.
Thanks Drew. We really appreciate your videos and your family life. Stay awesome!. We will be empty nester soon and started tent camping and now looking for a teardrop. Really enjoy your details for newbies.
Oh...I never even thought about that. So true! And unfortunately I find many of the converters are not backward compatible. Meanning from 7 pin to 4 pin. I struggled with this a lot this summer before heading out from Alaska. I WISH I put this in the video. This probably stole more time from me time than anything I mentioned in the video.
I was always told that "Locks keep honest people honest" a crook will always find a way to steal what they want they just typically go after the easiest target first.
Flat tire in video - do an experiment and see if your vehicle lug wrench will fit the new trailer lug nuts and that the jack can lift the trailer tire off the ground. You might need to bring a different jack and wrench. I also throw in a scrap piece of plywood (like a sq foot or 1000 sq cm) to put under the jack in sandy areas. Rocks aren’t laying around everywhere (re FL)
This is a REALLY GOOD post. I wish I would have mentioned this. Another neat thing folks do in the overland industry is match their rims on the trailer and tow vehicle. Quite expensive, but it does mean one less spare to haul.
Thank you so much for sharing your experiences and knowledge! Heading out this weekend for our first teardrop trailer experience...nervous & excited all at once. As long-time tenters (and we'll continue to be backcountry canoers/campers as well), this feels like a big step. We purchased a 2015 Riverside Retro Jr 509 model and it will be fun to learn it, camp in it, and perhaps even make some changes to it over time. I'm going to watch the backing up video you recommended right now because the first time trying it really just made me want to jump back into my tent :)
I completely relate. After watching that video head to an empty church parking lot. And by the end of the day you are going to feel like a professional. Another tip that’s really helpful is to hold the bottom of the steering wheel. This way you’re not working in a mirrored image. If you want to turn the trailer to the right turn your hands to the right. If your hands are on top it’s the opposite of where you want the trailer to go. One listing for your mind to think about.
Hey Drew, another great video! Curious about what inflatable canoe you show in this video? Have you tried out any others? Or inflatable kayaks? I love camping near water and this would be a fun way to explore! Maybe you've talked about this in other videos and I missed it? Thanks!
Glad you enjoyed it Elizabeth. The inflatable is from Innova, which is a company out of the Czech Republic. Absolutely love it. I think I have a video about it here ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-YneGuXyfZMk.html Alaskans love their inflatables. We have tried practically every brand and model minus the lower end versions such as Sea Eagle. Which even they tend to get decent reviews from folks. I think the video explains it (I keep saying think because it has been so long since I watched it), why we love Innova is that it is designed for this lifestyle. Basically it is the lightest kayak manufacturer, but still built robust enough to handle barnacles, seal team six landings, etc. We find inflatables are usually either too heavy or not strong enough. Innova is the perfect balance. I think our 3 man version only weighs 30 some odd pounds. It is marketed under two brand names Innova and Gumotex.
I use an Aquaglide for camping. Great kayak, almost as good as a hard shell and very stable with high pressure, rigid floor. Bit expensive, but very good value.
Great videos thank you! I was able to insure my home built camper trailer in the state of Maine because I bought a utility trailer with a VIN to construct the camper on. In order to get insurance I needed to have a VIN. If I had built my own structural trailer I may not have been able to get insurance.
Hey buddy great channel! Your old man walked over to my place the other day to introduce himself. He told me about your channel. I met you last summer when you were in NE. Gave ya some 🍉. Best of luck on your adventures!
That is good information to share. I could see that though. We had Good Sam this summer. Not the greatest experience. We basically found that we were the tow companies least priority due to the negotiated rate between Good Sam and the company. Still glad I had it. But, it wasn't perfect.
The reviews (really, the bad reviews) bounce back and forth between Good Sam and AAA depending on location and type of call. There is such a non- correlation to either one that one of the recommendations by professional Class A/B/C RVers is to have both (so may not be applicable to small campers or boondockers). One issue is users have an overly high expectation to what road side assistance actually is especially when it comes to wait time, since we are waiting to be rescued by a fast well equipped Calvary. However, their compensation does not reflect that urgency or equipment especially if they are the only available provider within 100s of miles. Remember, these are subcontractors that get paid a couple bucks by the company to jump your car, change a flat, bring some gas, and maybe a tow. Waiting an hour or two is not uncommon. More equipment demanding calls like stuck recovery could easily take until the next day or more. I think the reason I get roadside assistance is a place to call to get referrals when I dont know the area. However, I have only used it once for a dead battery in a shopping center parking lot, and I waited for over an hour, so I don't know how useful/useless roadside assistance is camping out of state.
The lockpickinglawyer on his channel covers a ton of trailer type locks, how easy they are to disable or how hard they are. If you are really interested or concerned, check that out for different types of trailer protection and how good they are. Hi
@@PlayingwithSticks Thank you and yep, i read it. The Lockpick lawyer while demonstrating a part, talks about how trailer hitches are often damaged, so are designed to be easy to be replaced. He gives the suggestion of Spot Welding the bolts. The key idea here is not to make it impossible to be stolen because, if someone is truly intent, little will stop them... But instead, to slow them down even more, AND make them make more noise. Noise is the enemy of thieves, if they have to break out a dremel and cut the bolts free, that's going to take time. bolt cutters won't do it, and its going to make a lot of noise. This will attract attention. Be it out in the woods, or near a home, the sound of a dremel grinding and cutting away bolts, will draw attention. And while picking locks is possible few opportunistic criminals have that skill, or the equipment. Most will just have a hammer, screwdriver wrench or other basic things...
@@jenniferstewarts4851That has been our thought as well. Not the sound part. That is a really great point. But the time/nervousness factor. At some point they are going to get a bit antsy and hopefully move on.
@@PlayingwithSticks Yep, for criminals its all about opportunity, speed, noise. breaking a car window and stealing stuff from inside the car is quick and fast... if the window doesn't break on the first or 2nd hit they are quick to move on because of the time and noise. That or knock themselves out on the rebound... there's the funniest news clip of that one, robber tried to break a car window hit it with the hammer, but the window held hammer "recoil" bounced back and hit him in the head. car owner found him laying on the ground by the car and call an ambulance and the police.
You should post a video on RU-vid about your experiences. I bet a ton of people would benefit from it! I think towing fears sometimes can be a hurdle to entry for folks.
@@PlayingwithSticks considering how few views anything other than shooting or reloading gets on my channel? I doubt anyone would see it. Hauling a 53ft trailer with a 30ft Kenworth has Some coalition to a 20ft teardrop with a 20ft suv
@@PlayingwithSticks being able to afford decent video equipment goes hand in hand with getting views. No views, no need for cameras, however no decent camera and you won't get views... Your equipment seems excellent.
@@TheStraycat74 Yes, our current equipment is quite nice I must admit. It does help. But some of my favorite channels that have much higher subscribers than us shoot everything on their phones. If you want to see an example check out ru-vid.com This is Thailand content from an expat, so probably not something you will be interested in. But worth just checking out how he films and makes videos with such a simple camera.
We had to insure our trailer in order to get plates for it in Texas. Are there states where you don't need plates and insurance? I figure when you pay that much for something you want it insured. Love the videos. You were def an inspiration to get a teardrop trailer! It's one of the best investments we have made! Thanks!
That is a really good point. I said we have never insured our trailers because we haven't owned any over $2,300. Now the Bean we took out all last summer we definitely would want to get that insured. The last two sentences of yours made my day! That is what this channel is about. Finding other like minded people who would benefit from this really cool lifestyle we accidentally stumbled across.
Thanks guys! I have a feeling some spring fishing content will be popping up on your channel soon. Looks like you guys got a lot of ice fishing in this winter. East and I are definitely missing our fishing back home. We have had the chance to wet our lines here in Thailand quite often, but it just isn't the same.
Yes sir Drew we were able to get in plenty of ice fishing this winter and hopefully we’ll have lots of kayak fishing in the not too distant future here in NH if winter will just release us for good but lots of our ponds are still iced over. Remind me, how long are you guys going to be in Thailand ? I think I remember you telling us something about that maybe in a community tab but I can’t see those on my IPad which is how I watch most videos these days. Anyways I hope you guys are enjoying your time over there.
@@bucktalesoutdoors7566 The plan, which may be a bit optimistic is indefinitely. Well, at least until one of our parents need us back home. I say this, but it definitely has its ups and downs. The plan is to come back to the States for three months a year to adventure around and make content. At some point I would love to show you our Thai adventures. I have a really neat camping setup that I want to share one of these days.
I think I saw that you pull a runaway correct? Because of the axle placement on the runaway and much less weight in the rear compared to a typical teardrop the recommendations are a bit different. I would suggest searching out a video on RU-vid that talks about correctly weighing and balancing your trailer. Brian at DIY outdoor life has a video like this. This is something we talk about quite often in our videos. With a trailer as lightweight as your run away I feel 99% confident you’ll figure this out pretty easy. It’s much tougher when you’re towing a trailer that may be too heavy for your tow vehicle. Basically it comes down to moving around the weight in your trailer and taking measurements to ensure you’re in the safe zone. The simplest and safest way is to try to move as much weight as you can on top of the axle or just in front of it. If this doesn’t give you the tongue weight you desire then you start moving the weight back behind the axle, but you just need to be careful not to get too rear heavy. This is when you can introduce sway. I’ve never owned a runaway, my guess is it’s easy to overload the tongue without the full galley in the rear.
Great video! Actually just picked up our Valiant XTD out of his new Idaho shop last week. Had to drive it all the home to Tennessee. Still trying to figure out the backing up part haha. Any recommendations for theft prevention when using a lock n roll 360 hitch or is that already the best deterrent since it's an uncommon hitch?
Congrats on the trailer! Welcome to the club. Yes we like to say the articulating hitch is one of the best forms of prevention. Like Jordan said in our video it’s probably not very common that a thief is walking around with the counterpart
I had the RV dealership hide a GPS tracking device on my trailer. It was by no means cheap ($500). The sales person said she bought a cheap one ($27) off Amazon and it only let her know that her car was somewhere within a block to 1/2 mile radius. You want the police to know EXACTLY where your trailer is hiding. Do your research and ask lots of questions. And I hope you never have to “find” your trailer.
Great work Drew. Liberty Mutual covered our Teardrop, very reasonable addition to our policy. Do you advise having the trailer level when towing? We have a slight decline when pulling with our Tacoma. The trailer actually sits higher than the Tacoma’s hitch. Was curious if that effects gas mileage, or anything else? Keep up the great work. Oh yea, great tip. Keep the first trip simple! Great advice to start on high note.
I'd load the trailer and truck for camping. Set the trailer up nice and level, measure to the bottom of the tongue. Then set it on the truck and measure to the bottom of the tongue. See what the difference is. An inch either way is not terrible. The way you load your vehicle/trailer can cause that much variation so I wouldn't worry about that. 2 inches or more, I'd get another hitch.
Completely agree with David’s advice here. A properly built trailer is going to take into consideration drag. So yes a tilt upward or downward would have some potential gas mileage impact. But the one that’s most notable to us is clearance. We’ve quickly found,and I think we’ve mentioned this in a couple of videos, if we’re off even a half inch or inch in terms of a level trailer we have clearance issues. With a higher clearance trailer this isn’t very obvious, but with our home built teardrop it made the difference between dragging the tongue on the ground and not. You can watch our older videos our trailer looks pretty level, but in reality it was slightly off. When we actually 100% leveled the trailer we found we could go anywhere in Alaska and never touch ground. So yes, just some anecdotal observations. But what I thought was not a big deal three years ago I now think is a much bigger deal.
@@joshua.harazin I’m determined this year to pull in level and not have to unhitch just for this reason. Find myself on quick trips not wanting to deal with it.
Out of curiosity why wouldn't you want year round coverage in case of not only accident but theft, fire, falling trees? We also have a 2020 Casita which is financed so we are required to keep insurance on it, we have it insured with Good Sam and its $500 a year.
In this community there’s quite a few people who keep theirs garaged 8 to 9 months out of the year. I guess I was just asking the question for them in case any were reading this. Kind of like a classic car insurance or something similar.
