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Old 07-17-2010, 06:45 AM   #42
Mr. Adventure
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Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Williamsburg, VA
Posts: 668
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The weight distributing hitch is a good idea, in that it will make your tow vehicle ride better and stop safer when you are towing. You'll likely find that it's recommended in your Tahoe owner's manual where it talks about towing, also an important piece of reading material. Also, I don't remember if anyone posted this already for you, but you absolutely have to have a brake controller and proper wiring installed in your Tahoe. Lots of people like the Prodigy.

With a little practice, you can learn to back the trailer. Just have your spouse stand in a visible spot and provide encouragement to keep you out of the shrubbery. I'd at least try this awhile first because you'll find the unhitch and re-hitch to be a hassle, installing a hitch on the front than can support a 500# tongue may not be trivial, and you might be surprised by how little you'd be able to see through the windshield if you were hitched in front (you could check this part by pulling the Tahoe up close to the unhitched trailer).

I share some concerns about 30 amp draws on 15 amp circuits, but you just have to be sensible about what you are doing. Knowing that you can't run everything at once is the key, and my 15 amp outdoor circuit in the garage doesn't trip the breaker in my house if I do just a little load management. If you're blowing the breaker in the house, you need to take this as a need to find a better approach.

- Check to make sure the water heater 110v switch is off. You could do this by clicking the breaker off in the TM panel instead of that little hard-to-find switch in the outside water heater access, except that in my TM that breaker turns off the refrigerator too.

- My TM AC unit has a "low cool" setting which presumably draws less power, and I wouldn't run the AC on a 15 amp circuit longer than necessary. In other words, don't run it all day, just run it for the hour you're going to be working out there. In the winter, if I needed to be there for some reason, I just plug in a little space heater to take the chill off.

- I have a small circuit tester which is always plugged in in the TrailManor. The 2 green lights tell me that the 110 power source to the TM is connected and wired correctly (a power outlet that's wired backwards is really dangerous to RV people). It also functions as a night light when we're in the campground.

- Make yourself checklists for setting up and closing down (or there are some good ones people have posted in the forum). This will help you remember to not be all folded down and hitched before you notice the step is still out and the roof vents are open.

- Take it easy when you tow, especially at first.

Welcome to the forum!
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2005 TrailManor 3023
2003 Toyota Highlander 220hp V6 FWD
Reese 1000# round bar Weight Distributing Hitch
Prodigy brake controller.

"It's not how fast you can go, it's how fast you can stop an RV that counts."
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