trailer tips

Towing Your Trailer

Towing a trailer takes some practice and proper preparation—and equipment.

Driving with a trailer is a lot less stressful if you are confident that all systems are good to go. It is best to establish a meticulous routine and then stick to it. While not every trailer is the same, certain steps are universal and it is good to have a checklist to refer to when getting ready to get on the road. Here’s one that should work for all mobidigs trailers:

▢ Secure everything inside the trailer

▢ Close and lock the door(s) and hatch

▢ Lower trailer tongue onto ball

(the latch must be up and the trailer tongue must be sufficiently raised)

▢ Press down latch and test tongue connection

(pull up on tongue and see if hitch moves with it)

▢ Attach safety chains

(crossing them)

▢ Connect and test the lights

(this can be difficult if you are alone, but you can back up to a garage or wall—this works better when it is not broad daylight—or you can ask a passerby to help)

▢ Inspect the trailer for any loose components (or coffee cups)

Of course, to accomplish all this, you have to have:

▢ A trailer hitch w/ 2” ball and rated for the trailer weight

mobidigs trailers weigh in at:

nomad - 800 lbs (loaded)

dyad - 1000 lbs (loaded)

nest - 1400 lbs (loaded)

“loaded” means a full cooler & propane tank, pots & pans, bedding & some books and other sundry things . . .

▢ A trailer wiring harness

and remember to have the bearings of your trailer wheels greased annually.

Planning Your Trip

Trailer camping is much like tent camping, but it’s not the same, and there are some special considerations for making a trailer camping trip really great.

Travel

Trailers can be towed on gravel roads, but it can be really stressful (on you and your trailer) if those roads are really rough and long. Logging roads can also be narrow, making turning around difficult in case you have to abandon your route and head back. Plan your route a little more carefully than you do when you are just driving your car to a campground or trailhead.

Campsites

Trailers are generally allowed on tent camp sites, and they fit just fine. This means you can camp in quieter, less trafficked campgrounds and still have some of the comforts of a recreational vehicle. Check to make sure the campsite you choose is back-in and does not have a separate “pull through” parking spot for vehicles--separated from the actual tent site by a barrier; it’s not so nice to have your cabin and kitchen “outside” the actual campsite.

Trailer Camping

Security

Trailers offer an extra level of security if you head out for the day (or even overnight). Because trailheads are notorious for smash and grab thefts, it is safer to leave the valuables you don’t need on your hike or other outings locked up in the trailer. People just don’t break into vehicles at campgrounds nearly as often and, unlike a tent, a trailer can be locked.

Storing your trailer

If leaving your trailer outside for extended periods of time, cover it with a tarp. A 10x20 foot tarp works best, but even a smaller tarp will work alright, as long as the trailer is covered edge to edge with a few inches overhanging the sides and the tarp extends past the galley hatch in back and the stargazer window in front.

One of the challenges of owning a camper trailer, especially in urban settings, is storage. If you live in Seattle, you might not have a garage, and you can't leave a trailer on the street. But there are ways to store a trailer and still have it conveniently available when you need it.

One idea is to rent space on the outskirts of the city, in the suburbs, or even in small towns in the region. If you know which way you most often go when you head out on a camping trip, you can choose a place along that path and pick up your trailer on the way out of town.

Battery Maintenance

mobidigs trailers come with GEL batteries ranging in capacity from 60 to 200 Watts, or, with an upgrade, lithium batteries. Care for these batteries may vary slightly, but there are a few fundamental principles to practice if you want you battery to last long and be safe and reliable on the road.

Keep the battery charged in the required range. Most batteries have a low discharge limit (around 10.5V) and a maximum charge limit (around 14.2V). A good charge controller will keep the battery from being overcharged and will signal if the battery is undercharged (usually warning you at around 11.5V). Charge controllers also have settings that work best for different uses and for when you store your trailer--read the manual for the charge controller to understand these options.

Long-term storage :(when you can't go camping for a while)

If you need to leave you trailer standing for longer periods of time (anything over a month), it is important to keep the battery charged (at least above the low discharge limit). Having a trickle charger is very useful if you keep the trailer under a tarp or in a garage--clearly preferable to leaving it exposed to the elements. A better charger can also repair over-discharged batteries if you should ever slip and let that happen. Just keep it plugged in all winter or top it off every month or so.

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