Newbie

[Eric & Tam]

Hi all! We just purchased a 1994 16ft Scamp (with bath/shower). Anxious to get out on the road. We have one month to prepare for a trek out to Idaho (from MN). We will have a chance to do one or two short trips ahead of time.

From those of you who are eggperienced, we are looking for recommendations on what we should have in the trailer. What should we be checking out to make sure it is up for the trip?

Thanks!

[Greg A]

Congratulations! We just returned from our first shakedown trip in a Scamp 13.

I'd recommend you check and/or repack the wheel bearings and do a thorough look at the tires prior to leaving.

I gutted ours and rebuilt, so not knowing your condition or what you have in it I guess I'd just go through all the wiring connections, soap test any propane connections, check battery, and go over all the rivets, etc with a good marine sealant.

Then enjoy your trip and welcome....

[Brian B-P]

The safety-related mechanical stuff (bearings, tires, coupler...) and propane plumbing should be checked in advance, but I think the most effective way to check everything else is just to do that short advance trip and try using everything.

The dump fitting on my sewer plumbing was actually mounted facing straight up, so it would have been impossible to use - you could walk right by it and not notice, and it didn't leak so I might not have noticed until dump time... but I sure would have founnd out when I tried to attach the hose! I actually spotted and fixed this before going anywhere, but it would have been bad to discover on a real trip.

The RV shop doing my initial inspection (which I needed for my insurance company) discovered the split fill hose on the water tank, not by looking at the trailer, but by pouring water in the fill port and seeing it on the floor of their shop instead of inside the tank. Not really tidy, but an effective way to find it!

[Kurt & Ann K.]

Eric and Tam,
Welcome and congratulations on your purchase!
Probably the most effective way to check things out (except for running gear) is to actually camp out in your driveway at home. 2 to 3 nights and 1 day should give you a pretty good feel for what you are going to need. Keep a running list for items you can't spare from the house. Fix your meals, do the clean up, and sleep there also. Use the bath/shower and get comfortable operating the plumbing systems.
As Greg and Brian have mentioned check the wheel bearings,etc. and propane, water and waste water systems. Discovering problems is much easier to correct while at home.
Your actual trips will be much less exasperating and a lot more pleasurable as a result.

Enjoy the adventure of exploring your rolling home away from home...before you actually "hit the road".
Kurt & Ann K.

[Kathy Kulchinski]

That sounds like an excellent idea, I think I will live in my "new" '79 Acorn this weekend to see what she needs.

Thanks for the tip.

[David & Leslie]

We add our "welcome" and our congratulations on finding a 'just-right-for-you" Egg. The 'driveway test campout' sounds like the best way to check out the trailer systems & environment. Wishing you safe journeys and many happy memories. Hope our travel paths will cross in future. L 'n D

[David & Leslie]

p.s. Where R-U in Minnesota? Are you near Backus? We'll be visiting the factory in the fall ... perhaps we can share a cuppa and talk EggVentures? Take care, LdB

[Anne H]

and, once you know that the trailer is 'road-worthy', you can start on the highly personal, 'what should I pack inside'.

There was a recent thread on tools that was very useful - you could do a search.

I think everyone has their own customized packing lists and camping-spot set-up and leaving checklists. I'm sure that there are threads on that too.

If you want to PM me, I can share mine just to get you started.

[Eric & Tam]

This board is a godsend!

Okay probably a ridiculous question, but is it advisable to use the "rv" type toilet paper or is the "same old same old" good enough?

[CharlynnT]

This board is a godsend!

Okay probably a ridiculous question, but is it advisable to use the "rv" type toilet paper or is the "same old same old" good enough?

Here's a question I can answer.

Buy the cheapest one-ply you can find, you want it to break down easily. We also have found a bio-degradable black-water treatment that is so non-toxic you could eat it. You want Enzymes, not Formaldehyde. ("Eco Ethic" is one brand name.)

And don't flush anything down that you did not eat first. Primary processing!

[Gina D.]

If you are going on a monumental trek, don't forget the tug!

If it is close to maintenance time, do it before you leave. It has to be done anyway, best to make sure you are in tip top condition and your service is "Fresh". Check brakes tires and those belts too.

All the things related to towing should be checked. Tighten the hitch, make sure all your wiring is up to snuff, drawbar and ball tightness, you get the idea.

I am about to set off to Oregon next month, and ahead of me are new brakes, tires, routine maintenance and a rear differential service. I take my cars to my mechanic for a complete safety check. The couple hundred it takes to have all of this seen to is much cheaper than breaking down on the road.

[Donna D.]

Okay probably a ridiculous question, but is it advisable to use the "rv" type toilet paper or is the "same old same old" good enough?

Valid question. Pre-hack we had quite a topic going where individuals were doing a "water test," to see what brands broke down the fastest...including some RV paper. Sigh, we lost that topic However, in the end...single ply Scott tissue was rated the "best." I did search and found one comment about Scott tissue HERE

Just make certain you have "some" water in the tank prior to first use....helps to prevent the dreaded poop pyramid!

[Eric & Tam]

Thanks for the TP tips!

Another Q: How much of, and what, do you pack into the vehicle while on the road as opposed to towing it in the trailer? E.g. clothing, toiletries, lawn chairs, mini grill, etc. We do have room in the vehicle.

Anybody into geocaching? We really enjoy it and the Scamping is going to be a great combo with it!

[steveh]

Congrats on your purchase! Excellent advice in trying it out before heading out. I called a local camp and they let me tow it out and hook everything up for a test at no charge. Like others, I found the cracked water inlet and bad converter among other things. I also was able to make sure I had the correct connectors for water (check for connector fit/leaks) and electricity.

From personal experience, I'd just go ahead and get the wheel bearings done. Mine looked ok, but I ended up doing them anyway - in parking lot - on New Year's Day - in the rain. Another thing I'd do is actually tow it on a short trip. You'll be able to tell whether it pulls true and if anything needs attention - like the window that refuses to stay closed or the fact that the battery LOOKED like it was secured...

I'd stow my outside gear in the tow vehicle (folding chairs, grills, tarps, etc.) and vice versa. The large Rubbermaid bins are handy and waterproof - if you put them in the back of a pick-up tape the lids shut.

I'll be checking out my Amerigo when I get back (deployed in Afghanistan right now) and hopefully heading to the PineKnot weekend. Good luck and enjoy!

Steve

[Frederick L. Simson]

Just make certain you have "some" water in the tank prior to first use....helps to prevent the dreaded poop pyramid!

I have become accustomed to dumping my black tank at the KOA near home just before putting the trailer "in storage". The KOA is about 15 miles away from my workplace, where I store the trailer. After I finish dumping, and close the valves, I go into the store and buy a 7 pound bag of icecubes, and put it down the toilet. The cubes clean the black tank while driving, and then leaves 7/8 of a gallon of water in the tank for the 1st use!
2 birds with 1 stone.

[Lisa M.]

I have become accustomed to dumping my black tank at the KOA near home just before putting the trailer "in storage". The KOA is about 15 miles away from my workplace, where I store the trailer. After I finish dumping, and close the valves, I go into the store and buy a 7 pound bag of icecubes, and put it down the toilet. The cubes clean the black tank while driving, and then leaves 7/8 of a gallon of water in the tank for the 1st use!
2 birds with 1 stone.

What an incredible thought! I don't have my egg yet, still looking, and I love reading all your ideas and storing them up for when I need them--hopefully soon! Sure do love this site!

[Brian B-P]

Another Q: How much of, and what, do you pack into the vehicle while on the road as opposed to towing it in the trailer? E.g. clothing, toiletries, lawn chairs, mini grill, etc. We do have room in the vehicle...

As I just mentioned in another topic, my philosophy is to put stuff where it will be used. If something might be needed in the tug when we take it somewhere away from the campsite, it should be stored there; if something is used only in the trailer, keeping it in there reduces the number of trips back and forth between trailer and tug in the campsite.

There is a lot of volume of space in even a small trailer compared to most tow vehicles, so I know there is a temptation to stack stuff in there. Having a bunch of stuff transported to the destination on the floor of the trailer makes the unpacking on arrival - and packing for departure - much more tedious. It also makes quickly popping into the trailer for a lunch stop or bathroom break much less practical.

The available towing and cargo capacity of the specific tug and trailer may lead to one location or the other being more desirable. For instance, if the trailer maxes out the tug's towing capacity or hitch weight rating, but there is still capacity to put load in the tug (presumably not right at the back), then stuff needs to go in the tug.

In the end, all clothes and similar personal items ride in our Boler, the camera gear and toolkit are in the van, and the barbecue is one of those trailer floor items, for instance.