Things I learned the hard way

[Capt Steve]

Post some RV'ing mistakes you have made so other BOC brothers can avoid them.

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Getting ready to start a trip seems easier than packing up to return home. More time to think and plan. I once forgot to fold up the door entry steps and managed to hit a traffic cone, mangling the steps. Big thump followed by spectacular sparks behind the motorhome at night. Looked like a chase episode of 'Cops'.
Before our next trip we made a big checklist which sat on the dash in front of the steering wheel.

[brother hilljack]

Thanks for sharing, I'll try not to make any of those mistakes.

[catfisherman_eky3]

Thanks for the info

[TNYHWK1]

Two years ago my camper would trip the breakers at the campgrounds. But with a small amount of messing around with cords and plugs I made it work.
Well after I made it home pluged it in to the standard house plug in the garage, it would work just fine. I thought well it must have been the outlet at the campground. Next time out, the dog gone thing did it all over. Now i'm peeved! After a few choice words, and then a talk with the camp hosts. They then tested the outlets, and said it has to be your camper. I took the camper home pluged it in. It worked just fine. Thank You! Well after a long talk with a local electrician he pointed out my problem. The Campground uses GFIC (Ground falt interupter circut) breakers. I don't. With his wisdom we found the problem. Water Heater. the electric side of the heater grounded out, causing my ordeal. I had hot water because I was using the propane side. So after swaping the heating element I was good to go. :big_smile:

[Riprap]

This has not happened to me but I have seen it happen to other folks.
1 tv antenna left up and broken off
2 doors came open going down the road. make sure they are locked.
3 awning not locked in the up position, fell going down the road.
4 tires had a round apperance looking across the tread, rubber seperating from the carcus causing a blowout
5 sewer hose not stowed properly lost while driving down the road

always do a good walk around the last thing before driving off.:smile2:

[Tool958]

A friend and I were camping one time and took a trip away from camp for the day. I left the awning out and didn't think too much of it. Well, a storm came up while we were gone and it just poured. We got back to camp while it was still raining. We sat in the truck until about the time it quit. I happened to look over at the awning and saw that it was full of water on top. I hadn't tilted the awning to one side and it allowed it to fill up with water. I just about couldn't get the water out, it was so heavy to lift. Needless to say, it bent the roller pretty bad. We worked and pushed and finally got it bent back in shape enough to get it rolled up. It still wasn't fixed, but at least we got it rolled up. That was an expensive mistake replacing that roller. I always tilt them to the side and put them up when we are gone, now.