THE RIGHT WAY TO TAKE AN RV TRIP

New to RVs? Here’s what you need to know before you hit the road.

Equipment

The first step is stocking up on essentials, said Kelly Beasley, cofounder of Camp Addict, an RV education website.

Surprisingly, Beasley said, new and used RVs don’t come equipped with many necessary tools.

Beasley suggested that all new RV owners purchase a sewer hose, chocks (chocking involves securing the wheels when you’re at your destination so the rig doesn’t roll or move unexpectedly); a water hose (to connect your RV to a water supply at the campsite); a power cord (to connect your RV to a power supply at the campsite); refrigerator bars (to keep the contents of your fridge from spilling out); and more (she has a full list at campaddict.com/must-have-rv-accessories). While motor homes have a parking brake, trailers don’t – and Beasley recommends putting chocks on a motor home anyway in case the parking brake fails.

Backup cameras will also be helpful if it’s not a new vehicle, said Beasley, suggesting the Rear View Safety Wireless Backup Camera System, which typically cost between $200 and $600.

Maintenance

Maintaining your RV may feel like a second job at first, but it should become less daunting once you figure out what you’re doing.

“Maintenance on your RV is much like the maintenance on your personal vehicle, only supersized, ”said Cindy Baker, a travel adviser with InteleTravel, part of Ensemble Travel Group, a consortium of more than 700 independent travel advisers.

Before you venture out on any long trip, you’ll need to inspect your tires to make sure they have the correct amount of air to carry the weight of your load, Baker said.

Driving

You need to practice driving, especially going backward. There’s a learning curve when backing up a trailer, Beasley said. Because trailers have a hitch connection point, the back of the trailer will go in the opposite direction of the back of the vehicle when you back up. Nearly every campsite will require you to back in, so before you get on the road, find an empty parking lot to practice.

“Also, if you have a lot of RV behind your rear wheels, you have to watch out for tail swing,”Beasley said, when your back end swings out when you turn.

Before you head onto the road, you need to memorize the height and weight of your RV, which is essential knowledge for going under bridges. Some roads are completely inaccessible for RVs, so it helps to use a GPS navigator specifically for RVs. You can configure it for the length, height and weight of your vehicle, said Jer Goss, Atlanta-based chief executive of Goss RV, a luxury motor coach rental company.

Parking

When you’re ready to venture out, you’ll need to determine where you’ll park your RV.

Many RV adventurers choose to join membership-based clubs to save money on campground nightly fees as well as other camping services, Baker said.

For example, Escapees RV Club offers between a 15 and 50% discount at more than 800 commercial parks throughout the United States, Mexico and Canada for $39.95 annually.

Speed

When you hit the road, you’ll need to slow down. An RV is a large, heavy piece of machinery that can be dangerous if driven too quickly.

Plus, because RVs weigh between five and seven tons, driving is going to feel different from driving a 3,000-pound car. You’ll accelerate slowly and break even more slowly, said Diane Vukovic, owner of the blog Mom Goes Camping.

A common mistake for rookie RV owners is the“drive-off disaster,” said Paul Johnson of Minnesota-based North Outdoors, a website detailing outdoor activities.

This occurs when you drive away from the site without fully unhooking everything. The utilities need to be fully unhooked, and anything that could come loose while driving – such as the sewer hose – needs to be securely stowed. The windows and hatches should be shut.