Lessons learned about the importance of using setup and takedown checklist when RV traveling
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Imagine this: You're starting your weekend excursion and you've hooked up your tow vehicle to your RV, connected all the cables for turn signals and breaks. Hop in your tow vehicle and begin to drive off and the RV starts to rock back and forth and instantly realize that you have left all of the stabilizing jackets down and now a few have bent or broken off entirely.
Now, the example above is an extreme one, but this situation is easy to avoid.
Solution: Build a Setup/Takedown Checklist
Most seasoned RV and motorhome members know all of the tips and tricks to ensure they have completed all of the tasks necessary to successfully setup and takedown without encountering any issues that could cause damage to your RV, motorhome or tow vehicle.
Although each RV, motorhome or tow vehicle is different, there are a few basic items below in the example checklist that should help you avoid some of the pitfalls.
Departure Travel List (Beginning Your Adventure):
Ensure you have all of your doors, awnings and stairs closed and put away.
Ensure all slide-outs are in.
Best practice to always lock all of your doors and external storage spaces.
If you have flags attached to the outside of your rig that could cause problems when traveling, those should be taken down and stored appropriately.
Check to make sure all of the windows in your rig are closed and locked.
Close any skylights/vents and lock before travel.
If you have any cables such as power, water or waste hoses connected, you'll want to disconnect and secure them prior to travel.
Connect your tow vehicle to your rig (if appropriate).
Once your tow vehicle is connected (if appropriate), connect the appropriate cables to your tow vehicle such as the Breakaway cable
Trailer cord (for connecting your RV lists to your tow vehicle).
While connected to your tow vehicle (which should have the emergency brake engaged), lift your stabilizing jacks.
Once your stabilizing jacks are up and secured, remove and store your wheel chocks.
Walk the perimeter of your RV and validate that you have everyone secured, locked down, turned off, and disconnected where appropriate.
When you connect to your tow vehicle, it may have the ability to see your RV and you can check to see if you have additional options completed in your tow vehicle:
Extend the side mirrors (if appropriate)
Validate that all lights work on your tow vehicle.
Check your turn signals on your RV and standard running lights.
Before you leave (drive off), make sure your tow vehicle and RV are safely connected.
Arrival (Setup) List:
Once you are successfully at your destination and parked, you can start your setup list.
Put your wheel chocks in place (in front of behind tires as appropriate). This is critical for any RV, travel trailer or motorhome before you put down your stabilizing or leveling jacks or before you disconnect your tow vehicle. Not using your wheels chocks could cause severe damn to yourself or others if your rig moves unexpectedly.
Extend your stabilizing jackets before you attempt to disconnect your rig from your tow vehicle (where appropriate).
Disconnect your tow vehicle and check to ensure you have no cables connected to your tow vehicle from your rig (where appropriate).
We recommend that you stabilize and/or level your rig before you connect to any the external power.
Connect your external power, water and sewage hoses are necessary.
If you turned the power off in your rig, you should be able to turn this back on at this time.
If you have slide-outs, this is best time to extend them checking to ensure you will not hit any external items such as trees, picnic tables, water/power poles, etc.
Open your rig and start your camping adventure by checking to make sure your water is running and you have power inside and outside your rig.
The rest of the setup activities are based on your need.
Please note: The checklist above is an example (recommendations). Your checklist may be different depending on your rig. These are only suggestions. You should refer to your manufacturer's manuals and speak to your local RV technicians or possibly attend RV training to ensure you have the best checklist that works to ensure you have a safe and secured RV travel experience.
Lesson Learned: Checklists Are Important for Setup/Takedown Activities
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