Howdy,
I think I must have gotten caught up in the mind frame of NNC (was skimming through their website) when I posted this subject, you can excuse me if you need to!
Seriously though, I visited these forums about a year ago and quizzed people about purchasing a Niagara with a 2002 Honda Oddessy. I was given a lot of good advice and sorely wish I had saved it. In any case, we went to an RV show this weekend... and low and behold, the red carpet led me to a new 2002 Niagara! It whispered " buy me" and I felt like Alice in Wonderland! My resolve to be frugle disolved on the spot as dreams of weekend escapes beckoned me forward! The salesperson assured me that my vehicle would handle it... and before I knew it, I was out the door with a piece of paper in my hand making me the proud owner of my very first popup!
Okay... dreamy, glittery backdrop... disolves... it s the next day... we re supposed to pick up this monstrosity on Thursday... and I m wondering if I m going to have the strength to really set this thing up by myself... as the hubman is going to be mighty busy working to pay for this toy and will most likely always show up after the site has been set up by me and my two wiggly little ones. I was looking for some wisdom on the lifts you can buy. Are they really worth it? Do they really work?
I guess we re going to try to pick somewhere close by (silicon valley) to camp this weekend. I m not sure if I ll feel comfortable enough to run out and meet some of the NNCers at the rally on the 16th... it may even be too late... but I figure we ll be meeting you sooner or later!
That said... we re real nuclear with the dad, mom and two kids thing... girl(6) and boy(4) but we re a skip, hop and a jump from the usual fare. Look forward to getting to know y all!
duanefamily momma
duanefamilyduanefamily momma,
We d love to have you come to a rally. Or better yet, become a member (actually, maybe it s the same thing!).
But don t feel bad, I tried to make " last minute" reservations this morning for the Negative Bouyancy rally, but the full hookup sites are all booked up [:(]. I m sure you could get a dry camping spot, but Mrs. Sacto didn t want to, so we ll have to wait until the Olema Ranch rally. Let " Nick" know if you re interested in that one so he can reserve a few more spots. Hope to see you there!
duanefamily[font=" Comic Sans MS" ]Congratulations Duanefamily! I don t know anything about the Niagra but my 12 year old son does most of the set up of our popup. It s just the two of us and we have no trouble doing everything that needs to be done. Your biggest challenge will be keeping an eye on the youngsters while you set up. I would suggest that you bring along a detailed list of all the set up steps in case you get distracted and forget what you ve done and haven t done. My son and I have our routine pretty well down so it goes fairly quickly. The only thing that s really difficult to do my yourself is the awning. That definately takes the two of us. Don t sweat it though. You ll get it down in no time. Have fun and let us know how the maiden voyage goes.[/font]
duanefamilyDuaneFamily,
Welcome, it?s nice to have another family from Silicon Valley with a Niagara.
If you can make it Lake Chabot on the 16th, it would be really great.
Not only would you meet some great people, they will also be only too happy to help you with your Niagara, and share all the modifications, (deshintzing) they have done to their Popups. Nothing like visiting someone when they are camping to see how they are set up, and where they store everything.
Unfortunately, I?m out of the country that weekend, so we won?t be there, but I know my fellow NNC?s will make you feel very welcome.
Definitely pick somewhere close for your first trip, especially if it?s your first time towing, and just take it easy, no going over 55mph. If you can arrive before dark, all the better for getting set up.
Hoping to meet you at a future rally
duanefamilyWelcome! Your family will fit right in with the group! 6Quigs DD will not be so out-numbered by the boys now.
It would be great if you could stop by on Saturday, the 18th. to say hello, even if you can t camp that w/e. We could bombard you with tips and SPUT s (stupid PU trick s) to hopefully help you out.
Over time you will really be happy that you got a PU with a slide-out. We are!
Biggest tip I can give you for your maiden voyage is arrive early, be patient with each other, and even consider you and DH taking turns setting something up while the other keeps the kids busy and having fun. Nothing worse than getting frustrated and snapping at the kids (who are just being kids) because they are running around the site while you re trying to get the door unhooked from the ceiling, ha.
Hope to meet you soon! How about the Olema rally?
duanefamilyWelcome to the PU camping world. Yes you can do it by yourself with the help of your kids. Have them help you (busy work) so they stay out of trouble. I have been PU camping for over 7 years and do all of the work myself. DH has only spent one night in the camper. He isn t a camping person. Take notes on the setup and get a sway bar installed. Have a great time and don t rush. We were all new at one point. If you need help most camper I have met will help you.[:)]
duanefamilyCongratulations on the Niagara. That is our dream unit! Hope you have fun, and make your way to TN with it!
Larry
duanefamilyDuane Family Momma,
Oh most definitely swing by Chabot if you get a chance.
Those were some great suggestions for a maiden voyage. Stay close to home and take your time. And " No, it won t take you hours to set up EVERY TIME...but maybe the first time."
And read the owner s manual. Really helpful information.
And go to www.nick-neff-cough.org to get information on the Olema Rally. Always nice to have new people. You get 4 free kazoos for joining us. (somehow remarkably fitting) [:D]
gsm x2
gsm x2What a hearty welcome you ve given us! Thank you one and all!!!
I like the idea of keeping the kids occupied with busy work... that usually works well and I don t always remember to implement it because the kids are trying the same tactics on me in reverse!
I took your advice and contacted Nick about the Olema Ranch Rally. I will wait to hear from him. That s the weekend of my husband s birthday... in the old days (Pre Kids) we used to rent a cabin for a long weekend in the middle of nowhere and just eat, sleep and read. I d pre cook everything in advance and it was a blast. Hopefully, this will approximate those memories... or if nothing else... give us a blast of fresh air.
Wow... what a great idea... for us to stop by on the 18th... just to say hello... hopefully, we can... and the kazoo s... well that just about cinches it! [;)]
Your words of wisdom are mightily welcome and I look forward to getting to know y all better.
duanefamily momma
duanefamilyCongrads on your purchase. My DS always wants to help...but alas he s still a little small for the initial set up. He helps lug things from the truck, and put things away. I got the MotherShip at at one of them shows, and glad I did.
duanefamilyduannefamily:
Cough, wheez, sneeze...
Sorry for the weird noises, but those are the official greetings of members of the Nick-Neff-Coughs. First off, congratulations on your new PopUp trailer. It ll provide you with years of fun and quality time with your family. And we hope it ll compel you to join us on some of our road trips.
Well, you ve visited our NNC website and right now we already have four Rallies in the queue. It s always fun to come to those, first for the friendships and the activity that we collectively do (or you don t have to participate either, that s cool). But the other is to see how other people actually do things. It ll give you a world of ideas. From how they store clothes, dishes and food, to what kind of mats and tacky lights they ve acquired, and dozens of little deshnitzifications they ve done.
Here s some idiosyncracies with NNC members. GSM X2 hates dealing with ice, so he has a refrigerator. You won t find Sammyslave with a campstove, he has a 3-burner behemoth that s got enough power to feed a MASH unit. Red neff Barchetta brings enough auxiliary power for a film shoot. Sactocampers has more toys and gadgets that he brings along. G-whiz has Kazoos for everyone. I m actually normal and have no idiocyncracies whatsoever.
Whatever the case may be, we promise that you ll get the full use of your rig all year long. In fact, none of us winterizes. We tough it out during the cold harsh winters of California when the temperatures dip below 45 degrees and the grass is a little damp from the overnight rain. It s like that line from the Mommas and the Papas, " California Dreamin, on such a winter s day."
We re looking forward to your membership. You can find our forums, for the time being in Campground Reviews or the Campfire until they implement the Camping Clubs Forum. Here are the links and don t be shy to chime in:
http://www.popuptimes.com/members/tm.asp?m=1732&p=1&tmode=1
or
http://www.popuptimes.com/members/tm.asp?m=531&p=1&mpage=4&tmode=1
Welcome aboard to PUT and the crazy world of NNC.
Surfcal
duanefamily[color=3669999]Congrats on your new camper....itsn t it just grand!!!!
here is a suggestion which helped me when my kids where little. Give them OR create for them small chores for them to do...divvy them out sparingly cuz of attention span problems with young kids and give out when you have difficult things to do...like cranking or something...and have them do it in your line of sight....
for instances...unpaking stuff that stays outside...even if you have to go back later and put it all back....
[/color]
Jo AnnCongrats on the new camper! If your kids are anything like mine, they are going to have a blast! Their jobs are to lower the stabilizer jacks then to gather all the twigs on the campsite and kind of clean up the site if need be. It feels great when the kids talk about going home and they mean the camper!
Tammy[:)]
duanefamilyDuanefamily mamma...
Congrats! I don t know about the PU, but I set up my Hybrid routinely by myself.
Granted I don t have the wiggly ones...unless you count the K9s but I have faith that you can do it. Looking forward to meeting you!
duanefamilyDuanefamily momma,
A couple more tips if your dealer hasn t mentioned them:
1.) Sway control
2.) Weight distribution
Regarding #1: The big colemans with front storage trunk are prone to sway, which can be a scary experience, especially for someone new to towing. You will want a sway control device to minimize this effect.
Regarding #2: Since a fully loaded Niagara can have quite a bit of tongue weight when the front storage trunk is loaded, a weight-distribution hitch takes weight off the rear axle of your Odyssey and redistributes it to the front axle, which is where your drive wheels are located. It helps reduce rear axle sag and ensures that both your tow vehicle and trailer are a level combination. Kinda like this: - - rather than this: /.
Fortunately, both of these " issues" can be handled by a Reese mini 350 sway control/weight distribution hitch. It s designed specifically for Coleman popups. Many PopUPTimers have used it with considerable success and is something you may want to seriously consider before your first outing. I will let those who use the Reese mini 350 comment from this point forward since my trailer is a different brand, much lighter, and does not have the same handling characteristics.
Good luck, and don t hesitate to ask more questions if what I ve said has confused you. If you already have the mini 350, then this post is moot and you re good to go! [;)][:)] If you don t have it and won t have time to get it before your first trip, then definitely take 6Quigs advice and tow at 55 mph or less, depending on extent of sway, if any.
Here s a good look at it, from 6Quigs website:
http://the6quigleys.tripod.com/camping/id6.html
[:D].
duanefamilyRegarding those weight distribution devices, I think Civil_War_Buff has a used one that he s selling.
Surfcal
Surfcal
QuoteORIGINAL: Surfcal
Regarding those weight distribution devices, I think Civil_War_Buff has a used one that he s selling.
Surfcal
CWB has a NEW one that he is selling at a used item price!! Let me know if you are interested.
Now, allow me to say WELCOME to the fold!! I had a ball at the RV show on Saturday myself...I have never seen so many RV s under many tents!! I assume you bought it from Alpine, as they were the only one s sporting Colemans if I recall. I checked out the Monterey...what a neat looking P/Up.
Speaking of winterizing, while we were at the show, I kept noticing pink liquid in several of the sinks, and told Veronica, " look, somebody has been dumping Kool-Aid in a bunch of these sinks" , then after a while I thought wait...I have seen that stuff in catalogs and at Camping World....that there is winter anti-freeze!!!
duanefamily, you are now associated with some of the most fun people I have met in a long while. We are glad that you have joined us, and as long as you stay away from TMM, all will be just fine!![;)][;)][;)]Well, wait, surcal too, ok surcal, TMM and Red Neff Barchetta!! [&:][&:][:D]
See you at Olema!!!
Happy Campin <><
duanefamilyDuaneFamily Mom, welcome to a great source of information AND FUN!!
And I am SOOOO JEALOUS--you not only live in a super place for camping, but you will get to camp with SOME SUPER WONDERFUL PEOPLE! Just spend a day or two in their company and you will be well on your way to being a Popup Expert! If you have questions that group cannot answer, I will be totally AMAZED!
PS--You are SUPPOSED to lose control at an RV Show--that is their actual purpose in life.
Enjoy your great new camper and the wonderful world you are about to introduce your " wigglers" to! And come back and let us know all the details of the shake-down cruise![:)]
SactoCampers
Quoteand don t hesitate to ask more questions if what I ve said has confused you.
Yep, I m a tad confused... What s the difference between the Reese mini 350 and the hitch they most likely sold me... Which is just listed as a Hitch 5. Is there much difference in price? I m confused because I bought a class 3 hitch for my minivan previously... and they re selling me this Hitch 5 which is probably just what fits into my class 3 hitch... so... yeah... more detail would be nice.
Was that really anit freeze? I thought folks were being real rude and dumping fruit punch down the sinks.
When I first went to that show... I was completely flipped out. It was only my second show. The first cost about $2.00 and this was so much more. I felt like I was walking through some evangelical garage sale the way people were slapping papers in my hands... I got into that first section where the RV s were and thought we had been totally ripped off... cause I didn t see the door leading to the other sections! I was amazed to discover the actual amount of RV s at that show!
I did buy from Alpine. They threw in a scooter, seats and a screened in room which was kinda cool.
Are there any known homeschoolers in the group?
duanefamily momma
ps... the family is very psyched about Olema Ranch... we signed up today. Maybe we should have a live web cam recording our first attempts at parking... might as well archive it as I am quite sure the bunch of you wont let us forget it! [:D]
duanefamilyDuanefamiliy momma,
The Reese mini 350 is not a hitch, itself, it s more of an accessory. You probably have a Class III hitch reciever mounted on your Odyssey. That s the thing with the square hole. Then you have a drawbar with coupler ball that slides into that square hole. You take the trailer coupler (the tip of the trailer tongue), hitch it up to the Odyssey, and hook up the safety chains. Sound about right? Now enter the mini 350.
The mini 350 is a separate accessory that bolts to the tongue of the trailer. It has two bars that mount to two much smaller coupler balls that need to be welded to your drawbar (they make one prefabricated, too). Those bars are what redistribute the tongue weight from the rear of the Odyssey (i.e. tongue of the trailer) to the front of the Odyssey. They also help control sway. Most people are very happy with it, and CWB has a new one for sale!
That s about as simple as I can explain it. A picture is worth a thousand words, so I suggest clicking the link in my previous post so you can get a good feel for what it looks like. It s definitely something you can talk to the group about at one of the rallies or if you re able to stop by Lake Chabot this weekend. Unfortunately, I have no idea what Hitch 5 is/means. I would need more information to comment.
duanefamilyduanefamily momma : Welcome to the club! You bought yerself a wunnerful pop-up. It s gunna be cool meeting all the new faces at the rallies this year.
If at all possible, try to do a " driveway/backyard camp" . Plan the whole thing as if you were camping for real. This will help you solve some little problems before they grow into bigger problems, and iron out any wrinkles in your routine. And take the pop-up to a vacant parking lot and practice some basic moves: backing straight, backing to the left, backing to the right, how far to pull forward before turning, stuff like that. In no time you ll be backing figure eights around two selected spots on the pavement. (yes, you will... trust me. It took just under an hour to train my step-BIL when he bought our old Starcraft. When the hour was done, he really was backing figure eights around stuff and parking the trailer on a dime tossed on the ground.)
Again, welcome to PUT and NNC!
SactoCampers
QuoteORIGINAL: SactoCampers
The mini 350 is a separate accessory that bolts to the tongue of the trailer. It has two bars that mount to two much smaller coupler balls that need to be welded to your drawbar , and CWB has a new one for sale!
Actually CWB has a new mini-400 single bar weight distributing hitch for sale. I sent the mini-350 back when I learned that the 400 will allow for a traditional sway control to be used in conjunction. " I was told" it was a better set-up. Anyhow, I think that they have stopped manufacturing the 350, didn t they?
I realize that there for while I was changing hitches as often as Amy was hoping Neff would change his socks! [;)][;)][8D][&:]
" Are ya ready kids?....."
Happy Campin <><
duanefamilyOK, here is a question I need to ask of Sammyslave and I think Civil War Buff. Is Alpine where you bought your popups....most interested in Sammyslave s answer after seeing them at Bodega on their maiden voyage.
gsm x2
SactoCampers
Quoteor if you re able to stop by Lake Chabot this weekend.
I thought the get together at Lake Chabot was in two weeks... instead of one... am I wrong?
I think I m going to wait till I see how the whole thing feels when I pull it tomorrow and hopefully CWB will still have it when I come around to realizing I should purchase it.
I went to the dealer tonight and one Honda guy said I didn t need anything special if I was under 3500lbs with a single axle... the other guy said I not only had to buy the transmission cooler but also a power steering cooler. Each of these items is about $250. What gives? I saw the transmission cooler being sold online with the hitch... but nary a mention about the power steering cooler. Needless to say, I decided to wait a bit till I get a little more knowledgable.
And as far as the Hitch 5... the Alpine dealer said it was short for their standard hitch packet which includes a break controller, trickler charger, lights, ball mount and ball and sway control bar (some brand called draw tight).
thanks again!
duanefamily mamma
ab diverChabot s the weekend after this---January 17-19
gsm x2
ab diverduannefamily:
Between Sactocampers, CWB, Ab Diver, Sammyslave and Y-Guy, you should be in good hands. Of course you couldn t deduce that by the way they ve been carrying on in the Clarification thread, but I m sure they ll be stepping up to the plate soon to give you sound advice.
You might consider coming out to Lake Chabot to visit us, at least on Saturday morning and we ll all be there. We can give you tips and help and it ll give these folks a visual of your set-up. Even if you didn t stay overnight, there s lot of areas there where we can help you practice.
Surfcal
gsm x2
QuoteORIGINAL: gsm x2
OK, here is a question I need to ask of Sammyslave and I think Civil War Buff. Is Alpine where you bought your popups....most interested in Sammyslave s answer after seeing them at Bodega on their maiden voyage.
gsm x2
Scott,
It IS where I bought one of my Pop-Ups, that was why I asked Duanefamily if that is where he bought his. I didn t want to raise any undue concern, especially seeing as he just bought it. [&:]
Duanefamily, if you want any specifics please email me, and I will be glad to share my experiences with you.
As for anti-sway, please don t listen to what the dealer tells you on the subject, people here are product USERS, not sellers and as I always say..." No amount of sway is OK!" . And along that same line, a Draw-Tite anti-sway is a very fine product and should serve you well. Should you find that you have any interest in the Mini-400, that same sway bar can be used on it as well.
We (Veronica and I) won t be able to make Chabot, I am being " installed" as the President of my " other" club, the one that I got ALL the grief over at Del Valle on Saturday!! But we will be at Olema.
Happy Campin <><
duanefamilyDuanefamily momma,
Thanks for the clarification on the Hitch 5. Makes more sense now. It sounds like they included the sway control device, which is good. All you would really need at this point is the Reese weight distribution device that CWB has for sale. The sway control device you have and CWBs weight distribution device perform the exact same duties as the Reese mini-350 I mentioned previously, so you don t need the mini 350.
Most everyone here recommends at least the auxiliary transmission cooler. I know the Honda is rated for 3500 lbs without it, but if you want to ensure a longer transmission life, I would get an auxiliary cooler. This keeps the transmission fluid cool. When it gets too hot (which occurs from stop and go driving conditions, towinig in the mountains, excessive shifting), the fluid can overheat (i.e. break down) and cease to protect your transmission, which shortens its life. Transmission fluid should be pink. If after towing, you ever notice it is not pink, but more brown or black, get an auxiliary cooler immediately as what you have would be considered inadequate.
My minivan came with a tow package that came with an enormous transmission cooler (among other things). It covers almost the entire front of my radiator. You may want to look at the front of your radiator to see how large yours is. An auxiliary transmission cooler should cost <$150 installed by an independent transmission shop, not $250 as quoted. The cooler itself costs about $60-$70 and if you or your husband are mechanically inclined or have a friend who is, you can install it yourself.
I have not heard of Odyssey owners installing a heavier-duty power steering cooler. So I would pass on this one. Even my minivan with a pretty substantial towing package did not include a heavier duty power steering cooler.
It s good that you re waiting to get the information you need. We don t want you buying stuff you don t need, only the stuff you do. The Niagara is a BIG popup and puts considerable strain on your (or anyone s) minivan. Since your so close to your limit (or over) we want to make sure you have a safe combination that you feel comfortable towing while ensuring a nice long life for your minivan.
Hope this helps! Ab Diver is better at this kind of stuff than me, so hopefully he ll chime in.
ab diverDuannefamily,
Please take your rig to an independant hitch dealer and have them look at your setup. Here is what I have observed about Alpine s work.
When we pulled into Bodega Bay for the first Nick-Neff-Cough rally, a newbie, Sammyslave, was setting up behind us. This was just their second trip in their PU, so I assumed that it why they were having so much trouble. I was wrong.
They were having to jackup their popup while it was still attached to the car. The reason: Their hitch ball was about 6 inches off the ground (Coleman recommends an 18" hitch height.) All indications are that their dealer, Alpine, had installed the ball on the wrong side of their receiver, so instead of raising the ball up six inches, the receiver lowered the ball six inches. Sammyslave had experienced sway on the 101, was now having to jack up his hitch so he could lower the wheel, all because of an error at the dealer...the dealer where you bought your unit. This should have been caught before the unit rolled off the lot.
A few minutes later, Civil_War_Buff came by and gave stories on why he will never get his unit serviced by Alpine.
So please take you unit to an independant hitch dealer. Ask him about the transmission cooler. When we had ours installed, it was about $120--a good investment because a cool transmission is a happy transmission.
And speaking of transmissions, if you find that your transmission shifts from OVERDRIVE to DRIVE when you are driving, just put the gear in DRIVE...straight 1 to 1 gearing.
gsm x2
ab diverDuannefamily,
If you want to have someone check it out many of us in this area would recomend Eyers. They are on El Camino in Santa Clara, I believe close to Lawrence. Its a family run place and they take care of their customers.
ab diverEyers Hitch center in Santa Clara 248-4454. Did a good job for me after the outfit I purchased my PU XXXXXXX the pooch.
duanefamilyCongrats on your purchase. Not to be a party pooper but please be careful with the Odyssey and the Niagara. We looked at pop-ups last year before setting on a Bayside which I think is one step below the Niagara. We were told that the Odyssey would not be able to handle either model. If I recall correctly, the towing limit on the Odyssey is 3,500 pounds including passengers and gear and I think the Niagara weight is close to 3,500 by itself. Knowing how valuable and expensive the Odyssey s are, please make sure that you address this so that you don t burn out the car. We ended up buying a used Suburban to haul our Bayside. Salesman have been well known to tell you what you want to hear to make a sale