What was your first SPUT?

[nmccarroll]

The battery strap SPUT reminds me of something that happened on our first trip. (The trip before the afore-mentioned bollard encounter)

We drove from Reno over the Sierras to Placerville, CA for the weekend. Highway all the way, but some of it is windy. The PUP towed like a brick. We felt every bump it hit. After we were setup at the cg, DH took a look under the trailer, and called me to peek at what he found; metal straps compressing the springs. Okay...

After we were home again we called the rv dealer where we bought the PUP to ask about these. We were sure they were shipping straps that should have been removed prior to sale, but as newbies didn't want to just run with that idea. The dealer told us that all the PUPs come that way, and the straps are there "to stiffen up the susupension." (It worked!) This is when we realized that the dealer knows nothing about PUPs. DH called Fleetwood customer service to double-check. They told him that the dealer is supposed to remove these shipping straps and gave nice clear instructions for the easiest way to remove them.

We did pass the info on to the dealer, but I'd bet that they're still selling PUPs with good stiff suspensions...

Nikki

[warwgn3]

2 SPUTS on the same trip....

Sput-1:  While on a 2,400 mile round trip excursion between Ottawa, ON and Janesville WI, I got lost (my pre-GPS days), made a wrong turn and had to turn around on a 2 Lane Black Top.  I tried to make a U-turn, but realized that I wasn't going to make it, as my TV's (at the time) turning circle sucked, and I was faced with the decision to put the TV into the ditch, or jack-knife the trailer.  I jack-knifed it, bent the A-frame hitch, and snapped the safety chains.   

I have since learned from that experience, and now whenever I get into a tight spot, I un-hitch the trailer, turn the TV and trailer around separately, and re-hitch before getting back under way.


Sput-2:  I was on my way home when I picked up the trailer from Bear Creek Canvas, and forgot to lock down the tongue latch onto the hitch.  It wasn't until I stopped for a break, that I realized I drove nearly 600 miles (10 hours) with the trailer completely un-secured (no chains, see Sput-1).  I must have loaded it really well, as the trailer stayed on the hitch, and never bounced.  Now I double check to make sure the latch is down, and I secure it with a pad lock.


Another sput I've done (not the same above trip) is forgetting to raise the tongue jack before driving off..  did it 3 times.

[pupateer]

I haven't been camping enough since having my own PUP to have a SPUT yet, but my dad has one. When I was a kid we went to Colorado every summer for vacation. We loved it! My dad has always been into camping, and has had at least one of every kind of camper you can think of. Well, one summer my dad hooked our new to us pop up to the old station wagon and we were off. Colorado here we come! Everything was going great, we made it to Colorado no problems... Once we got there however, it was another story. We headed up into the mountains, it's slow going up, and not so slow going down! Well, on one climb we start slowing, dad shifts to second... we are still slowing, foot to the floor, then to first... still slowing, his foot going to the floor so hard I thought he might put it through the firewall, then we crawl to a stop. Dad didn't put on the brakes! We just didn't have the muscle to make it up. We are on the road, mountain on one side, drop off to certain doom on the other. We had nowhere to back up or turn around. Dad puts on the emergency brake, puts it in park, and gets out of the car to warn others of our predicament. To make a long story short, after what seemed like hours, a kind gentleman in a truck stopped and graciously pulled us the rest of the way up the mountain. I have to thank my dad, in all of the years of camping with him I have learned a lot about camping from his mistakes!

[rossy2512]

Still new to this hobby and am learning that there are TONS of acronyms.  What is a SPUT?  Thanks, Rossy

[pupateer]

Stupid
Pop
Up
Trick!

[FireMedic]

My first SPUT was when I unhitched on a slight down slope without chocking first, and the tongue jumped up and slammed into the bumper.  Fortunately, it was not the other way around, and there was not any damage.  It does make one remember the importance of doing things in order though. 

My most recent SPUT could have turned out badly, but luckily it didn't.  I was taking the camper down after a good spring cleaning about a month ago.  I would get the top within about six inches of down, and the left side wouldn't go down any more.  Push, wiggle...no dice.  The only thing that came to mind was the sleeping bags on the bunks were folded over, so I raise up a couple more inches and pull them out.  Try again...no good.  Pop up again, reach in and try to figure it out.  Finally, I was able to overcome my pride and crank the top up again.  I had forgotten to fold down the wooden seat backs on the dinette, and the air conditioner was resting on it.  If I had gotten rambunctious I could have done some damage to the AC or the roof, so I'm glad I was able to figure it out.

[jwhite]

Another SPUT, hopefully this one wont cost me what i think it will.  Helped a friend go out and get his first PUP, camper in great shape and a good price.  After towing it home to his house, i showed him how to put it up and down, how to work all the appliances and then talked to him about the importance of disconnecting the batteries when not in use.  Ran back to my house to pick up a few things out of my camper to give to him to help start him out, then noticed my batteries were still hooked up.  Thinking this one is gonna cost me.....haven't used the pup since December. #%#$#%@^#.

[yooperguy]

Another SPUT, hopefully this one wont cost me what i think it will.  Helped a friend go out and get his first PUP, camper in great shape and a good price.  After towing it home to his house, i showed him how to put it up and down, how to work all the appliances and then talked to him about the importance of disconnecting the batteries when not in use.  Ran back to my house to pick up a few things out of my camper to give to him to help start him out, then noticed my batteries were still hooked up.  Thinking this one is gonna cost me.....haven't used the pup since December. #%#$#%@^#.

I've occasionally engaged in "continuing" my education as a graduate student of the school of hard knocks too.  Hope it isn't too bad.  But...  well...

[Tenttrailer]

I was in PA just before dusk after a long day drive, four kids running around.   Camped in a site with a lot of grade that keep getting stepper.   Remove the chains, safety brake cable, wiring and proceeded to jack it up the 6,000 lbs TT.  Once the tong cleared the ball, I had a trailer rolling and picking up speed.  Yes, I forgot to chock the wheels.

Looking around, no chocks or logs and its still rolling.  Some how I thought about the brakes and pulled the break-away  brake cable and it stopped.

[ependydad]

My first, well - I can't remember the first. I do know that I busted up my awning due to the weight of water from a down pour and a nicely leveled awning.

My most recent- though, was backing the pop-up to the spot and not taking notice to the tree that kept my bed from opening the whole way. Pop the top down, re-hook up and pull forward. Sigh.

[JungleJim]

Left the front jack wheel in the down position while pulling out of the driveway....what a noise and bounce it made!! I immediately knew what I did. Luckily nothing happened to the wheel and jack.

[ependydad]

Left the front jack wheel in the down position while pulling out of the driveway....what a noise and bounce it made!! I immediately knew what I did. Luckily nothing happened to the wheel and jack.

Oh! This might have been close to my first - fortunately, my wife saw it and stopped me before I got the truck in gear.

[dmyers7]

What fun...

I've done the plug not close enough to the outlet after already setting up trick.  On a forest river unit I had, you had to plug the A/C in externally and once the roof is up it becomes to late.  The icing on the cake:

I was at a campsite that did not have sewer hookup and so I brought my tag-along transfer tank for the occassion.  Well, when you go to pull the value to empty the onboard tank into the transfer tank, there is a lot of pressure and when you forget to open the cap to let the air out as the poo fills the transfer tank you hear a loud pressurizing sound, a thought flashing through your head that there is something wrong and this can't be good and then the hose between the PUP and transfer tank lets go and proceeds to dose you head to toe with poo and a nice smelling deoterizer.  Now you fumble for the valve to shut it off and then turn to realize your neighbor behind you is standing there wondering what in hells creation just happened.  So you do the only thing you can do, and that is to calmly finish the job. Scrape up all the stones and ground you can into a bag for disposal, rinse everything down, and head for a thorough shower.  This is one learning experience I will never forget and as a consequence no pooy diaper with ever ick me out again.  Remember to open the air purge vent when filling your transfer tank.

[94-D2]

Got a brand new 2001 Coleman Niagara in May of 01'. Got the new pup home, never really towed anything or had any experience with a camper.  But, I prided myself on my ability to understand and absorb new things.  And, I took special pride in my attention to detail.  So, I Took several days to familiarize myself with the workings of the trailer which included an outdoor shower.

  After loading our new tailer with our supplies for our maiden voyage, I smartly closed the trailer for transport.  Breaking a sweat in 90 degree weather and feverishly moving through my mental list of chores, I stepped back to admire my self proclaimed expertise in a fine job.   While patting myself on my back, I noticed a fair amount of water running from the left front corner of the pup just behind the front storage box.  Being concerned that the water heater was leaking for some reason, I opened the trunk and inspected it.  Finding no leaks, I looked further under the pup and followed the source.  Seeing that the steady drip was emitting from the area of the slide out, I wondered how water could be coming from a place with no tanks, sinks or storage of any kind.  Pondering this perplexing notion, I suddenly got a sick feeling in the pit of my stomach and vaguely recalled a specific warning from the service tech that walked us through our new $12,000 purchase.  He stated, "be sure not to place anything on top of the water supply lines to he outside shower in the slide out storage boxes".  Just then I realized that I loaded that exact box with storage items for our trip.  After pushing in the slide out, it promptly broke the water supply lines that slide with the unit as it moves in and out.  

I had to open the entire thing back up, still in the 90+ heat and temporarily bypass the shower.  Having done so and after about an hour of delay for our first trip, we were on our way.  Never forget.  Tahoe Valley CG. CA.  wonderful place.  Once there, after checking in and finding a prime spot with full hookups, right between dozens of full size 40' rear diesel pushers and 5ers, I smartly backed in our PUP with my Ram 2500 Cummins and leveled it.  Of course, the 20 minutes or rumbling from my Dodge as I backed in my 19' PUP  between all the smaller rigs around me, attracted the attention of several of my new neighbors who had emerged from their homes to watch the now intriguing spectacle.  After what was surely only a few extra minutes, and DW belting out direction that could have brought in fighter jets on the Ronald Reagan, we were snugly secure in our newly acquired space for the weekend.  

Being new to trailering, we all (DW, DD, DS AND I) all set off to our rehearsed list of tasks.  I immediately  began unhitching from the big Dodge so we could set up our blissful home and begin our what were to become cherished memories.  Upon cranking the PUP f'rom the tow ball, it promptly rolled from the rear of the TV to a near 90 degree angle in a clockwise fashion, pivoting on its axis.  Standing there in bewilderment and the chuckles from our attentive audience, I realized that one of us were not specifically issued the task of chalking the tires.  We all then spent a fair amount of time re-hitching and re-positioning our PUP, finally making it into a home.  

Some time after all of the set up, and a few well deserved frosty beverages, dinner time rolled around.  Following the lead of our fellow campers around us, we BBQ'ed dinner and began the clean up chores.  Thinking to myself how happy I was to have 6 gallons of hot water, minus an outdoor shower, to wash my BBQ utensils, I would light the pilot for the heater.  I took up my newly purchased official Coleman camp lighter.  Set the heater controls to pilot, pushed the button/trigger and....... nothin  After several attempts at lighting the pilot, I figured if I hold the lighter against the emitter like a pilot,  perhaps the heater would just light.  As I did so, the pilot element seemed to heat up, as it glowed.  So I turned the controller to "on".  I heard the ensuing hiss from the business end of the flame pod.  Nothing.  I withdrew the lighter and after a second or two, still no fire.  I ducked down low so I could see inside the burn chamber.  In the back, I could see the little blue flame of the pilot.  The hissing was still present and I wondered why the flame did not begin    I moved in a bit closer to see what I could and the next thing I knew, there is a huge ball of flame enveloping my upper body in what seemed like slow motion (I later realized the slow motion was actually tunnel vision inflicted by severe emotional trauma) ).  The flame rolled from the burn chamber and and grew larger as passed through me in a near "Towering Inferno" like experience.  I stood from my crouched position and began slapping my face, head and upper body like a mad man.  To the viewing public who missed the reason why, it must have seemed Ike I had some sort of psychiatric emergency.  To me however,  I was feverishly  assessing what was left to administer fist aid to.  Fortunately, the fireball was so fast, I only lost most of the detailed features on my face that separated me from a que ball; although at this point we had much more in common.  The positive note in this,  what could have been a tragedy, is that the water heater was burning quite well now and heating the water effectively.  Ironically enough, that same water heater dictated a decade long policy with me and continued to be my nemesis for the entire duration that I owned it.  To me, it was exactly like the furnace was to Ralphy's father in "A Christmas Story".  It would evoke a plethora of expletives and four letter words that would embarrass a truck driver. 

Te rest of the week end went off without any further calamities and actually became a pseudo tradition for us ( the trip to Tahoe valley campground, not the SPUTS).  I learned many things from our first trip and still look back upon it with fondness.  In spite of the errors I made, it became the template for doing things right.  To this day, one of my favorite things to do once we pull into camp is to watch who and what else comes in.  It does provide hours of entertainment and I actually learned many things from watching others.  I'm sure, a few people learned a great many things from my first time and each time we go, I learn something new.

Happy Campin'

J

[generalbeluga]

Well mine would be this morning as we were packing up to come home, after getting all the cushions put down and folding down the sink, I was getting ready to get out to fold down the stove and DH walks in and says we better pull down the bunk end supports LOL, so yep had to fold the sink back outta the way and move the cushions so I could reach the back bunk, oh well it's was our driveway run.

I did this once and learned that you can reach the inside bunk end canvas support by undoing the bungie on the outside of the bunk end and reaching up between the slider track and the canvas and carefully pushing the supports toward the middle.