T & E Stables' New Camper!

[squonk 44,623]

We used to get campers towed in off of the NYS Thruway all the time. Awnings not secured and tearing the sides off. TV antenna's blown off and leaving an un-scheduled skylight. AC's torn off leaving a bigger un-scheduled skylight. The best was a 35 ft. Holiday Rambler travel trailer with all of the axles ripped out from underneath. We had to pick the back end with a forklift and used a tractor with a ball on the 3 pt, on the front to get it in the shop.

 

RV Tip of the day:

 

Whilst camping and yo have the awning out and it rains. When putting the awning back, don't stand underneath the arm being lowered first unless you need a bath! 

[ebinmaine 74,563]

5 minutes ago, squonk said:

When putting the awning back, don't stand underneath the arm being lowered first unless you need a bath! 

 

Free shower 🚿 

 

[lynnmor 8,085]

1 hour ago, squonk said:

 

RV Tip of the day:

 

Whilst camping and yo have the awning out and it rains. When putting the awning back, don't stand underneath the arm being lowered first unless you need a bath! 

 

Tip of the day, additional information.  If rain is expected, lower one side of the awning so a pool doesn't develop in the middle.  That pool can weight enough to cause damage to the trailer or the awning, or it might just give you a much needed shower.

[ebinmaine 74,563]

1 minute ago, lynnmor said:

 

Tip of the day, additional information.  If rain is expected, lower one side of the awning so a pool doesn't develop in the middle.  That pool can weight enough to cause damage to the trailer or the awning, or it might just give you a much needed shower.

 

We wouldn't even have the awning out in the rain unless it was supported in the middle. 

I've seen some interesting mechanisms used.  

Boards with rounded ends. Dinner plate on a stick. Spaghetti mop. 

 

Maybe I'll hire @Pullstart to stand under the awning with his hand holding it.  

 

 

 

[lynnmor 8,085]

1 hour ago, ebinmaine said:

 

We wouldn't even have the awning out in the rain unless it was supported in the middle. 

I've seen some interesting mechanisms used.  

Boards with rounded ends. Dinner plate on a stick. Spaghetti mop. 

 

Put the awning out, especially when it is raining, it ain't one of the junk power awnings with little support.

 

Oops, it may be a junk power awning, it wasn't mentioned on the link provided.

Edited September 24 by lynnmor

[c-series don 10,563]

Here’s another thing I just learned with our new camper. It has a slide topper, basically an awning for the slide out. This keeps debris off the top of it so when you retract it leaves sticks etc won’t get caught in the gasket. Apparently it also retains rain water. I found this out when I was raising up the stabilizer jack in the rear. I had my cordless drill in my hand and was bent over, as the jack went up the camper came down and the water dumped on my head and down my back! Immediately I thought “Well I will not do that again!” But I probably will forget and do it again! 

Edited September 24 by c-series don

[fourwheelhorseman 359]

On 9/22/2025 at 1:36 PM, ebinmaine said:

 

Maybe. The only Advantages it offers to us is the above mentioned noise reduction and also not having to open the tent back up to let it dry when we get home.

Comfort will be comparable. Warmth isn't an issue. Food storage probably won't change. It's unlikely we will use the fridge in this unit most of the time.

I like a smallish camper over tents any day. My experience with tent camping ( I done it for around 6-7 years many times a year) is that a tent collects moisture and my sleeping bag always got a little damp, now mind you that’s been 20 years ago or longer, possible that advances have been made by now. If you’re in bear country, then a camper will offer a little more protection for your food and anything else a bear would get into than a tent. My vote will always be for the camper!  😊 I’m interested to hear about your first excursion with it! 

[wh500special 2,338]

On 9/22/2025 at 9:10 AM, ebinmaine said:

 

We talked about picking up a much smaller version of the Westinghouse that we have at home.

 

I bought the Westinghouse 2550W inverter unit on clearance for $250 at Menards this summer to use in my parents’ barn.  It seems like a nice little unit. Price was too low to pass up.  It was a store return, but didn’t show any signs of usage. 
 

I don’t know that it’s noisier than the little Honda inverter I’ve had for several years, but it does sound different and “seems” louder to my ear.  Pretty quiet when in Econ mode and under half load.  I think if you aim the exhaust away from other campers it would be quite acceptable to use in a campground. 

 

I ran it in the full sun for several hours on a humid 100 F day this summer under a constant half load and it never seemed to get too hot, so that’s a win. The gas gauge is nice. And it has a convenience light on it too.

 

 I like it a lot.   I do like my EU3000i more as the Honda build quality is certainly more robust and more pleasing, but no complaints about this one yet. 
 

These little inexpensive inverter generators are a good value.  I don’t think there is much of a replacement part market for them, but that’s an acceptable trade off.   I view them as semi-disposable. 
 

Steve

[Retired Wrencher 6,061]

17 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

 

Funny you'd bring that up....

 

Yesterday Trina and I were sitting in the living room watching TV.

She looks over at me and says, "We gotta get your truck done. I can pull the camper. You can pull the trailer with the truck and bring six or seven tractors."

 

 

I said "NINE.   The trailer will hold 6. I'm gonna build the truck to carry 3."

 

 

 

 I don't think she realized how much space that is going to create.

Sounds like you have a plan Eric. But why would you need a truck if I may ask?

[ebinmaine 74,563]

8 hours ago, fourwheelhorseman said:

I like a smallish camper over tents any day. My experience with tent camping ( I done it for around 6-7 years many times a year) is that a tent collects moisture and my sleeping bag always got a little damp, now mind you that’s been 20 years ago or longer, possible that advances have been made by now.

 

We don't find this to be true anymore. That said, we treat every tent with spray silicone.

 

 

8 hours ago, fourwheelhorseman said:

If you’re in bear country, then a camper will offer a little more protection for your food and anything else a bear would get into than a tent.

 

This is also never a concern.

The camper will not change anything as far as protecting the food - or us from a bear after food. All it does is move the food from the car to the camper.

There should never be anything related to food or consumables or crumbs or leftovers or wrappers or trash  inside your tent. Nothing.

 

8 hours ago, fourwheelhorseman said:

 

My vote will always be for the camper!  😊 I’m interested to hear about your first excursion with it! 

 

 

We'll keep ya posted!

[ebinmaine 74,563]

5 minutes ago, Retired Wrencher said:

Sounds like you have a plan Eric. But why would you need a truck if I may ask?

 

Why would I not need a truck?

More Towing capacity. More cargo capacity.

 

And also the truck is part of the show circuit.

[Retired Wrencher 6,061]

I just thought you were going on light side that way you don’t have to bring two vehicles or am I missing the boat here?

Edited September 24 by Retired Wrencher

[ebinmaine 74,563]

14 minutes ago, Retired Wrencher said:

I just thought you were going on light side that way you don’t have to bring two vehicles or am I missing the boat here?

 

In the past that's been true. But now that have a camper we'll need a way to bring tractors. 

[Ed Kennell 43,101]

9 hours ago, fourwheelhorseman said:

I like a smallish camper over tents any day. My experience with tent camping ( I done it for around 6-7 years many times a year) is that a tent collects moisture and my sleeping bag always got a little damp

The canvas on my Coleman pop up did not leak, but when the windows were closed in cold weather, moisture from sleeping people would collect inside overnight.   I learned to always keep a window open near the sleepers.

[fourwheelhorseman 359]

7 hours ago, Ed Kennell said:

The canvas on my Coleman pop up did not leak, but when the windows were closed in cold weather, moisture from sleeping people would collect inside overnight.   I learned to always keep a window open near the sleepers.

Yep exactly the same experience I had in my expensive tent. Altho, leaving a window cracked or wide open didn’t seem to make any difference. If it there was a heavy dew my sleeping bag always felt damp. Never did figure that out as we went to a camper.. then sold that when we moved out in the country.

[squonk 44,623]

Camping at the Pocono Racetrack around 1982. It always rained but this year was sunny weather. Perfect I thought. Woke up in a tent with 2 other guys and there's a puddle on my sleeping bag. There was enough dew and condensation inside the tent to put out a small fire! 

[oliver2-44 10,977]

Nice rig @ebinmaine  

About 4 years ago we were starting to look at RV,s and decided to rent one for a trip to the coast. We rented a 17 ft similar rig, I don’t remember the brand. Thankfully we drove to the coast in my truck and picked the camper up about 30 miles from the coast. It was empty except for some basic dishes, pot, etc. Between 60-65 mph it would start swaying more and more. I stopped and realized it had very little weight on the ball hitch. The storage space was at the rear, so I moved some things from the truck to the inside of the camper. It didn’t help much. So the lesson is as you load it watch you hitch weight. Take a loaded test drive, move some weight around and test again. Find that hitch weight sweet spot. 

[ebinmaine 74,563]

5 hours ago, oliver2-44 said:

Take a loaded test drive, move some weight around and test again. Find that hitch weight sweet spot. 

 

Definitely an important reminder for anyone towing a trailer. 

 

We had a similar experience back in August when we used the big utility trailer for its maiden voyage. 

I had the tongue weight set according to common knowledge standards. 

Four tractors loaded. 

The rear two tractors were over the axles but back a hair too far for the Pilot's liking. 

It'd sway some around 62 - 65 ish. 

Turns out that the Pilot likes to be a little hitch heavy. We moved the two rear tractors forward a foot for the ride home and the journey was much better. 

[Retired Wrencher 6,061]

22 hours ago, ebinmaine said:

 

In the past that's been true. But now that have a camper we'll need a way to bring tractors. 

Do you have CB’s for both vehicles that way you can communicate?

[ebinmaine 74,563]

1 minute ago, Retired Wrencher said:

Do you have CB’s for both vehicles that way you can communicate?

 

We have little radios. Handheld. We've used them while wilderness camping.

[Retired Wrencher 6,061]

4 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

We have little radios. Handheld. We've used them while wilderness camping.

That will work. Also, My wife would like to know where you camp in a general location she used to live in Maine for a while. She used to work for a local radio station. I believe it was country and western? Name of a town nearby will do.

 

Edited September 25 by Retired Wrencher

[ebinmaine 74,563]

48 minutes ago, Retired Wrencher said:

That will work. Also, My wife would like to know where you camp in a general location she used to live in Maine for a while. She used to work for a local radio station. I believe it was country and western? Name of a town nearby will do.

 

 

We're often about 35 to 40 miles north,  northeast of Greenville. 

[Retired Wrencher 6,061]

2 minutes ago, ebinmaine said:

 

We're often about 35 to 40 miles north,  northeast of Greenville. 

Thank you for that information. I’ll let her know. I’m assuming this is on the New Hampshire side of the state.

[Ed Kennell 43,101]

8 hours ago, oliver2-44 said:

Between 60-65 mph it would start swaying more and more. I stopped and realized it had very little weight on the ball hitch. The storage space was at the rear, so I moved some things from the truck to the inside of the camper. It didn’t help much. So the lesson is as you load it watch you hitch weight.

I towed my heavy tandem axle 28' camper with an F-250 crew cab.  I had around 400 lbs on the hitch with the equalizer bars and it handled great including several trips to Florida at 65 mph.    Then one day I didn't bother connecting the equalizer bars or the brakes for the 3 mile trip to the inspection garage.

At around 40 mph it went into a violent fish tailing that nearly rolled the truck.   When I braked it got worse and I had to coast to a stop.

Be careful out there.    Bad things can happen.

 

[ebinmaine 74,563]

1 hour ago, Retired Wrencher said:

Thank you for that information. I’ll let her know. I’m assuming this is on the New Hampshire side of the state.

 

 

Where we go is pretty much dead center in the state of Maine