Just an idea. If you don’t have enough blocks to raise one side of your trailer couldn’t you dig a small trench on the high side. You would need a shovel. Good video.
Thanks for going through this comprehensive list of items that you carry with you, it justifies what I do. My better half has a hard time understanding why I bring some much gear with us and now since she has watch this video and sees that “Brad” does basically the same thing, it’s now okay. Thanks for helping a guy out. Safe travels!
Both of my blue Zero G hoses started leaking after just a few uses. I still use the black Zero G for washing and flushing. I ended up buying the coiled blue hoses from Air Gear. So far so good. The Blu Tech R2 filter is expensive but it is amazing. It makes the water taste better than the water at home.
We had similar issues when left pressurized for long periods which is why we don’t do that anymore. These are now 3 years old without issues. We love the hoses and filters from Air Gear. We are affiliate members of them and love the company. Will order their hose when ours gives out. Thanks for watching and your feedback
Wow! Great info-Thank you, Brad! And thank you for touching on tire pressure (again)😊 - the “third rail” of Airstream topics. You gave perfect advice. Also, we are following your lead and getting a safety vest and hazard lights. (The Marine glow-belt won’t do. 😊)
Thanks for this. Gave me a few ideas for spares I should have. My kit also has rivet gun and a few types of rivets. Also a cordless drill for stabilizers and other uses, and xchocks.
Let’s not forget spare rivets and a rivet gun. If you choose to run tire pressure at the higher end of the chart, you will get very good at replacing interior rivets.
Nice I like a water softener and expansion tank propane fire and my pit boss pellet grill are sum of my favorite things (but I’m not full time) yet thank you for the grate content 👍
Hi Brad. Like always excellent content, thank you for sharing. A maintenance related question - how or do you wash your solar panels and if so how often? Online there are so many conflicting videos on this topic. If you already have a video please provide the link as I didn’t see one and if there is no video are you able to provide me some feedback and/or at some point do a video on this? I appreciate your expertise, time and response.
Hi and thank you for watching, your feedback and this question! I go by the manufacturers recommendation that they be washed regularly with a soft cloth, mild soap and fresh water. The best method for cleaning your panels is to use a small amount of dish soap and warm water. Use a soft sponge, or cloth to avoid scratching or damaging the glass. A common household glass cleaner like Windex is also appropriate, but avoid other strong cleaning fluids that may leave streaks. You must also rinse them completely as soap residue can affect performance.
Hello Brad, thanks for sharing! I have just ordered an Airstream International 23 FB Twin! I have never towed... I have an F150 4X4 with the 3.5 ECOBOOST. My question for you is this; What would you use to couple to the trailer? I don't even have a hitch! I trust your opinion!!!!
Hello! Thank you for watching and your feedback. This would be best discussed over the phone as we can go over many aspects of the trailer and towing. If you would please reach out via the "contact us" link on our website, we can set up a time to call.
Hi Brad, great video. Great idea on the propane in a cold climate with that extension hose. I was wondering about your water filter system. You mentioned you filter it again once in the rig. What system do you use inside? We have a 23 ft FBT Globetrotter. I don't think much will fit under our sink but I would like to have better filtered water. I have looked at the Blutech but wow, they are expensive. Thanks again for all your content. PS the water pump spare is a smart idea as well!
Thank you very much for watching and for your feedback. We love the filtration system from BluTech system from AirGear (airgear.store/products/blu-tech-water-filtration-systems?sca_ref=1942974.FXZ8Kwgf0h) but agree that it is very expensive. We have used a number of things inside including Britta & Zero Water filter pitcher systems. We see many with a Berkey but they take up too much space for us. You would be hard pressed to add much to yours. You could also add this system to yours: amzn.to/3IpPyh4 You can see my friend Roger and how he installed it on his rig in this video: th-cam.com/video/sR1M4QIcV3M/w-d-xo.htmlsi=avqhzFqKkoIOpaGW
Where do you carry all those weights? Wow, that's a lot of extra weight! Thanks for sharing everything you carry, very thorough explanation. - Michelle
Brad, Unrelated question. I have a front compartment like yours on my 25' Globetrotter. Are you worried about front end separation? What hitch are you using? Thanks, Steve
Hi Steve. Thanks for watching and for your question. Ive talked about this in a number of videos. Most recently on this one:th-cam.com/video/HwGjjoyENo4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=YYvHX-E2otW2HJ0v It's titled RV Full-Time Lifestyle if that link doesn't work. But to answer your question, we have no weight distro hitch. I use a B&W adjustable ball hitch and thats it. This is not to say I dont agree with WD hitches, but with our current truck and this trailer, I dont need one as the truck can handle a trailer almost 3X what this one weighs. Please email us if you'd like to discuss more details or my thoughts.
Great stuff here Brad! Question: Do you keep a generator on board your truck? I thought I heard you say you do a fair amount of boon docking, but no mention of a generator. Thanks in advance for your response.
Hi Jamie. Thank you for watching and your question. No, we do not have a generator and have never had one. We do spend many nights at harvest host, dry camping of boondocking. Weather is always a factor, especially for our animals. This is why we added the big inverter and battery, so we could go long stretches and run the AC for very short period if necessary. A generator would have been much cheaper though. Nothing against them, just not something we like to carry. Hope this helps.
Brad, what are your thoughts on a water softener? My 4th or 5th trip last year my sprayer on my kitchen sink faucet was plugged with calcium or what have you and I was a bit worried the hard water from some of the camp ground locations would cause long term issues with my RV. I bought one at the end of the season and got to use it once before putting it in storage but wife really liked what it did for her hair. I always use a filter as well but that didn’t seam to keep the sprayer from clogging. And as always, thanks for your insights.
Hi Jeff, I think they are great! AirGear has this one: airgear.store/products/blu-tech-elite-portable-water-softener?sca_ref=1942974.FXZ8Kwgf0h And this filter: airgear.store/products/blu-tech-water-filtration-systems?sca_ref=1942974.FXZ8Kwgf0h Both of these are fantastic! I dont have them at the moment as they went with the previous trailer when I sold it but plan to get them again soon for this one. Otherwise, you can run some vinegar through your water system to clean out calcium deposits.
I am for the life of me trying to figure out how you level up a tandem axle w/ leveling blocks if you need to go up more then 3.5-4 inches. I'm going to get some Beechlanes for typical leveling, but do you need 4 or 5 bags of legos to make a platform high enough to get to 5 inches for a tandem? Alternately, I was considering perhaps putting the Beech Lanes on a Hosspad to get me some extra lift if required.
We use these (amzn.to/3vERe3f ) instead of the Beachlane. While those are wonderful, these give you anything from 1-3" We have camped in some VERY off grid locations in our 12 years of full-timing and have very rarely needed to go more than 3". We would just find a more flat spot if we did. Even then staying a few inches low on one side is not that much of an issue for a few nights. On the few occasions where that has happened, we use the 'lego' blocks like these (amzn.to/3IVHkgU)
We have camped in some VERY of-grid locations in our 12 years of full-time living. In that time, we have only needed more than 3". We use these (amzn.to/4a6fmuG) and they work great for anything from 1/2"-4" In the event we needed to go more than that we move to a more flat spot or use the 'lego' blocks like these (amzn.to/3xes9g8). Even if its a few inches off for a few days, its not a huge problem.
Hello and thanks for reaching out! We (and Airstream) use: Sikaflex 221 for all things underneath. amzn.to/4e50IG9 AdSeal for all things on the roof. It's not available on Amazon. You can get it at most RV dealers. Also Acryl-R is what goes between the panels. Also need to get from a dealer.
Hello Brad. Just traded in my 5th Wheel and got into a 27FBT. I see you didn’t mention a rivet gun/ set. What is your recommendation for replacing popped rivets. I will also be updating my solar components soon and worried about the weight and the front end separating. Thoughts?
Hello! Thanks for watching and an opportunity to assist. One of the best kits is on AirGear airgear.store/products/rivet-replacement-kit?sca_ref=1942974.FXZ8Kwgf0h It has everything you need for any replacement on your rig. What solar are you adding? Much of the front end separation issues come from WD hitches improperly set-up keeping it too rigid. I dont use a WD hitch anymore with the truck/trailer combo I have. Id be happy to chat with you about any of this. Please reach out via the contact us link on our site and we can set up a time to chat. thirteenadventures.com/contact-us
Brad, OK, you stumped me. At 25:59 you say that you use one of the Snap Pads under one tire to raise the AS 1/2" then one of them under each tire on that side to raise it 1". How can using two separate Snapads under each of the tires on one side that are each 1/2 result in raising the AS 1"? I could see that if you used two of the 1/2" Snapads under one tire, but . . ..
Hello! Thanks for watching and the question! Each SnapPad is 1" thick. We found that when we put one under one of the tires on a given side, it will raise that side of the rig only 1/2" and when we put one under each tire on that side, it raises it 1". This has something to do with the compression of the Dexter torsion axle and shock. Obviously this only works on a dual axle trailer.
Brad i like the way you broke it down in categories this helps, instead of lumping it all together. Safe travels brother
Thanks for watching and the feedback! Have a great day.
My wife said she’d like to see how everything fits in the truck bed and compartments. That’s where the magic happens! 😅
That video is coming! There is so much more we didn’t show!
Just an idea. If you don’t have enough blocks to raise one side of your trailer couldn’t you dig a small trench on the high side. You would need a shovel. Good video.
You sure could! It couldn’t be too deep as the holding tanks and dump valves could drag on the ground.
Thanks for going through this comprehensive list of items that you carry with you, it justifies what I do. My better half has a hard time understanding why I bring some much gear with us and now since she has watch this video and sees that “Brad” does basically the same thing, it’s now okay. Thanks for helping a guy out. Safe travels!
Hahahah! Love this. Thanks for following us along and making us a part of your adventure!
Both of my blue Zero G hoses started leaking after just a few uses. I still use the black Zero G for washing and flushing. I ended up buying the coiled blue hoses from Air Gear. So far so good. The Blu Tech R2 filter is expensive but it is amazing. It makes the water taste better than the water at home.
We had similar issues when left pressurized for long periods which is why we don’t do that anymore. These are now 3 years old without issues. We love the hoses and filters from Air Gear. We are affiliate members of them and love the company. Will order their hose when ours gives out. Thanks for watching and your feedback
Thank you, Brad - this was exactly what I was looking for. Impressive collection of items - a few I didn’t have but think they’ll come in handy.
Hi and thanks for watching and your feedback! There’s more to this story! Should have it out today! Stay tuned.
Wow! Great info-Thank you, Brad! And thank you for touching on tire pressure (again)😊 - the “third rail” of Airstream topics. You gave perfect advice. Also, we are following your lead and getting a safety vest and hazard lights. (The Marine glow-belt won’t do. 😊)
Thanks for the feedback! You are absolutely right...tire pressure and WD hitches are HOT topics! Thanks for watching and your feedback.
Thanks for this. Gave me a few ideas for spares I should have. My kit also has rivet gun and a few types of rivets. Also a cordless drill for stabilizers and other uses, and xchocks.
We have a rivet kit too. (I didn’t go over that box in detail). We use the one step chocks from Fastway and have an impact gun and cordless drill
Let’s not forget spare rivets and a rivet gun. If you choose to run tire pressure at the higher end of the chart, you will get very good at replacing interior rivets.
I have plenty of those...I cover this in part two of this video. Thanks for watching and your feedback!
Nice I like a water softener and expansion tank propane fire and my pit boss pellet grill are sum of my favorite things (but I’m not full time) yet thank you for the grate content 👍
We love those things but it would def take up room that we dont have. Thanks for watching and your feedback.
Hi Brad. Like always excellent content, thank you for sharing. A maintenance related question - how or do you wash your solar panels and if so how often? Online there are so many conflicting videos on this topic. If you already have a video please provide the link as I didn’t see one and if there is no video are you able to provide me some feedback and/or at some point do a video on this? I appreciate your expertise, time and response.
Hi and thank you for watching, your feedback and this question! I go by the manufacturers recommendation that they be washed regularly with a soft cloth, mild soap and fresh water. The best method for cleaning your panels is to use a small amount of dish soap and warm water. Use a soft sponge, or cloth to avoid scratching or damaging the glass. A common household glass cleaner like Windex is also appropriate, but avoid other strong cleaning fluids that may leave streaks. You must also rinse them completely as soap residue can affect performance.
@@ThirteenAdventures thank you Brad, I appreciate the feedback.
Hello Brad, thanks for sharing! I have just ordered an Airstream International 23 FB Twin! I have never towed... I have an F150 4X4 with the 3.5 ECOBOOST. My question for you is this; What would you use to couple to the trailer? I don't even have a hitch! I trust your opinion!!!!
Hello! Thank you for watching and your feedback. This would be best discussed over the phone as we can go over many aspects of the trailer and towing. If you would please reach out via the "contact us" link on our website, we can set up a time to call.
Hi Brad, great video. Great idea on the propane in a cold climate with that extension hose. I was wondering about your water filter system. You mentioned you filter it again once in the rig. What system do you use inside? We have a 23 ft FBT Globetrotter. I don't think much will fit under our sink but I would like to have better filtered water. I have looked at the Blutech but wow, they are expensive. Thanks again for all your content. PS the water pump spare is a smart idea as well!
Thank you very much for watching and for your feedback. We love the filtration system from BluTech system from AirGear (airgear.store/products/blu-tech-water-filtration-systems?sca_ref=1942974.FXZ8Kwgf0h) but agree that it is very expensive. We have used a number of things inside including Britta & Zero Water filter pitcher systems. We see many with a Berkey but they take up too much space for us. You would be hard pressed to add much to yours. You could also add this system to yours: amzn.to/3IpPyh4
You can see my friend Roger and how he installed it on his rig in this video: th-cam.com/video/sR1M4QIcV3M/w-d-xo.htmlsi=avqhzFqKkoIOpaGW
Where do you carry all those weights? Wow, that's a lot of extra weight! Thanks for sharing everything you carry, very thorough explanation. - Michelle
It all fits in the back of the truck! We have room to spare! Thanks for watching and your feedback
Brad, Unrelated question. I have a front compartment like yours on my 25' Globetrotter. Are you worried about front end separation? What hitch are you using? Thanks, Steve
Hi Steve. Thanks for watching and for your question. Ive talked about this in a number of videos. Most recently on this one:th-cam.com/video/HwGjjoyENo4/w-d-xo.htmlsi=YYvHX-E2otW2HJ0v
It's titled RV Full-Time Lifestyle if that link doesn't work. But to answer your question, we have no weight distro hitch. I use a B&W adjustable ball hitch and thats it. This is not to say I dont agree with WD hitches, but with our current truck and this trailer, I dont need one as the truck can handle a trailer almost 3X what this one weighs. Please email us if you'd like to discuss more details or my thoughts.
Great stuff here Brad! Question: Do you keep a generator on board your truck? I thought I heard you say you do a fair amount of boon docking, but no mention of a generator. Thanks in advance for your response.
Hi Jamie. Thank you for watching and your question. No, we do not have a generator and have never had one. We do spend many nights at harvest host, dry camping of boondocking. Weather is always a factor, especially for our animals. This is why we added the big inverter and battery, so we could go long stretches and run the AC for very short period if necessary. A generator would have been much cheaper though. Nothing against them, just not something we like to carry. Hope this helps.
@@ThirteenAdventures Super helpful!
Brad, what are your thoughts on a water softener? My 4th or 5th trip last year my sprayer on my kitchen sink faucet was plugged with calcium or what have you and I was a bit worried the hard water from some of the camp ground locations would cause long term issues with my RV. I bought one at the end of the season and got to use it once before putting it in storage but wife really liked what it did for her hair. I always use a filter as well but that didn’t seam to keep the sprayer from clogging. And as always, thanks for your insights.
Hi Jeff,
I think they are great!
AirGear has this one: airgear.store/products/blu-tech-elite-portable-water-softener?sca_ref=1942974.FXZ8Kwgf0h
And this filter: airgear.store/products/blu-tech-water-filtration-systems?sca_ref=1942974.FXZ8Kwgf0h
Both of these are fantastic! I dont have them at the moment as they went with the previous trailer when I sold it but plan to get them again soon for this one.
Otherwise, you can run some vinegar through your water system to clean out calcium deposits.
I am for the life of me trying to figure out how you level up a tandem axle w/ leveling blocks if you need to go up more then 3.5-4 inches. I'm going to get some Beechlanes for typical leveling, but do you need 4 or 5 bags of legos to make a platform high enough to get to 5 inches for a tandem? Alternately, I was considering perhaps putting the Beech Lanes on a Hosspad to get me some extra lift if required.
We use these (amzn.to/3vERe3f ) instead of the Beachlane. While those are wonderful, these give you anything from 1-3"
We have camped in some VERY off grid locations in our 12 years of full-timing and have very rarely needed to go more than 3". We would just find a more flat spot if we did. Even then staying a few inches low on one side is not that much of an issue for a few nights. On the few occasions where that has happened, we use the 'lego' blocks like these (amzn.to/3IVHkgU)
We have camped in some VERY of-grid locations in our 12 years of full-time living. In that time, we have only needed more than 3". We use these (amzn.to/4a6fmuG) and they work great for anything from 1/2"-4"
In the event we needed to go more than that we move to a more flat spot or use the 'lego' blocks like these (amzn.to/3xes9g8). Even if its a few inches off for a few days, its not a huge problem.
Nice video. Curious if you still use the Magic Creeper and what you think of that item?
I do! I dont use it often but its great to get under the rig to clean and inspect items.
What length collapsable ladder do you use for climbing on Airstream, and do you have one you recommend? I did not see that in your Amazon store
The ladder is on our page under "Airstream Essentials" but here is the link: amzn.to/3P5V6Rj
What sealant do you use underneath the airstream for openings between aluminum panels and other plastic or metal seams?
Hello and thanks for reaching out! We (and Airstream) use:
Sikaflex 221 for all things underneath. amzn.to/4e50IG9
AdSeal for all things on the roof. It's not available on Amazon. You can get it at most RV dealers. Also Acryl-R is what goes between the panels. Also need to get from a dealer.
Hello Brad. Just traded in my 5th Wheel and got into a 27FBT. I see you didn’t mention a rivet gun/ set. What is your recommendation for replacing popped rivets. I will also be updating my solar components soon and worried about the weight and the front end separating. Thoughts?
Hello! Thanks for watching and an opportunity to assist. One of the best kits is on AirGear
airgear.store/products/rivet-replacement-kit?sca_ref=1942974.FXZ8Kwgf0h
It has everything you need for any replacement on your rig. What solar are you adding? Much of the front end separation issues come from WD hitches improperly set-up keeping it too rigid. I dont use a WD hitch anymore with the truck/trailer combo I have. Id be happy to chat with you about any of this. Please reach out via the contact us link on our site and we can set up a time to chat. thirteenadventures.com/contact-us
Good evening. Thank you so much for the solid advice. I will be reaching out ASAP! Be well
Brad, OK, you stumped me. At 25:59 you say that you use one of the Snap Pads under one tire to raise the AS 1/2" then one of them under each tire on that side to raise it 1". How can using two separate Snapads under each of the tires on one side that are each 1/2 result in raising the AS 1"? I could see that if you used two of the 1/2" Snapads under one tire, but . . ..
Hello!
Thanks for watching and the question! Each SnapPad is 1" thick. We found that when we put one under one of the tires on a given side, it will raise that side of the rig only 1/2" and when we put one under each tire on that side, it raises it 1". This has something to do with the compression of the Dexter torsion axle and shock. Obviously this only works on a dual axle trailer.
@@ThirteenAdventures OK, got it. I misunderstood, thinking the SnapPad was 1/2". Thank you for the clarification.
Thank you for watching and the question!