New to all of this:lots of questions

[tafkas]

OK, here goes.  My wife and I just bought a 2004 Viking 2465ST (new, leftover).
We are going to pick it up on Saturday and primarily use it as a "base camp" at our club, with 4-5 weekend trips over the summer.  Neither one of us know anything about pop-ups and trailer camping but this one had what we wanted and the price is right.  Going to be towing it with a Tacoma 2.7L 4 banger so I doubt we'll be climbing any mountains anytime soon, but Jersey is flat and our trips will be short for now.  Had the trailer re wired for a 7 way round plug and had a hitch professionally installed with a brake controller so I should be good to go on towing.  Any advice you all have would be greatly appreciated, since I don't even know what questions to ask.  Speak slow and use small words.  And above all, Thanks.

[TheViking]

Not to be a buzzkill, but it sounds like you have way to much trailer for your truck.  2005 Toyota Tacoma's with the 4 banger are only rated for 3500#'s. I believe your trailer weighs 2300 #'s, and has a carrying capacity of 781 #'s, that brings the weight to almost 3100 #'s. That leaves 400 #'s for you, your family, and whatever you put in the bed of the truck.  My guess is you will overshoot the 3500# rating by quite a bit.  Research it, but I'd say you have some white knuckle driving ahead of you.

[dee106]

you are close to your weight, pack light! buy your food when you get there. food weighs a lot , bring enough for the day. also to save weight, travel with a half tank of gas, and stop more often. you might want to invest in installing a tranny temp gauge so you can watch your tanny temp. this will let you know if your over doing it. most of us put in a tranny cooler, as a safe guard .
 
 have you ever set up a pop up? their are some dos and don'ts for easy popping! like leveling it properly .
 
 what part of nj are you in?

[chasd60]

This was for my 2001 Viking Legend 2480ST

I wanted to post this for anybody that needs it before I forget how to do this. Don't have as many steps in the hybrid.

1. Back into lot and check for side to side level, adjust as required with blocks or BAL leveler and add wheel chocks
2. Unplug trailer/vehicle wiring.
3. Crank tongue jack to remove camper from hitch
4. Remove safety chains
5. Pull tow vehicle away
6. Adjust front/back level with tongue jack
7. Remove required items from front storage trunk (i.e. Screenroom, portapotty, roof crank, stabilizer crank.. etc)
8. Unsnap roof clips
9. Remove items from rear bumper storage compartment
10. Unzip awning bag if you are vertically challenged;)
11. Crank roof up until guide wire is taut
12. Install roof safety supports on opposite corners (don't forget these when lowering)
13. Lower stabilizers and snug (fine tune leveling by lowering the lowest side first and more snug)
14. Insert bunkend supports on tongue end
15. Pull strap on bunkend out until the bunkend stops
16. Insert two additional supports under bunkend
17. Pull tent material over end and attach bungie cords
18. Close zippers on this end and close tenting over support arms/zippers
19. Insert bunkend supports on opposite end
20. Pull strap on bunkend out until bunkend stops (adjust for teflon slide under bunkend)
21. Pull tent material over end and attach bungie cords
22. Close zippers on this end and close tenting over support arms/zippers
23. Enter camper and close bottom of door
24. Lower upper half of door from ceiling
25. Insert top door guides into the bottom door and snap clip (careful of fabric pinching on sides)
26. Press top of door in and close the clips (careful of fabric)
27. Twist clip to unhook upper door from doorframe
28. Attach tenting to door frame velcro from inside
29. Removes shepherd poles from under mattresses and place to hold tenting up on bunkends.
30. Organize interior (i.e. flip galley up insure drain is open and valves are closed, close water heater drain valves under u-shaped dinnette seat, place cushions, remove stove etc)
31. Exit camper
32. Attach exterior tenting to door frame, careful of alignment
33. Shut 12V supply off to refrigerator
34. Open gas valves
35. Connect 110V and water if hookups
36. Set refrigerator to either 110V or gas and use piezo if gas to light
37. Hookup any graywater container used
38. Open outside shower compartment and bleed air from both hot and cold sides
39. Light water heater after air is purged from system
40. Undo awning from bag and place awning arms, both support and tension, including the center tension bar
41. Install screen room if desired
42. Relax and have a glass of wine or a beer

 
Note that item 4 is to remove the safety chains after after item 3 lifting the tongue from the ball. The reason I did this was just in case the popup still wanted to take off, the chains would hold it back.

[OC Campers]

Take a video camera with you when they are showing you how to set it up.  There is a lot to learn when you have never done it before.

Jacqui

[The Tree Top Inn II]

OK, here goes. My wife and I just bought a 2004 Viking 2465ST (new, leftover).
We are going to pick it up on Saturday and primarily use it as a "base camp" at our club, with 4-5 weekend trips over the summer. Neither one of us know anything about pop-ups and trailer camping but this one had what we wanted and the price is right. Going to be towing it with a Tacoma 2.7L 4 banger so I doubt we'll be climbing any mountains anytime soon, but Jersey is flat and our trips will be short for now. Had the trailer re wired for a 7 way round plug and had a hitch professionally installed with a brake controller so I should be good to go on towing. Any advice you all have would be greatly appreciated, since I don't even know what questions to ask. Speak slow and use small words. And above all, Thanks.

Safety first!  Firstly, it's more important to avoid sway and to be able to stop safely.  
 
Speaking from three+ years of experience towing with a Tacoma in the mountains of N.E. Georgia and western N.C. (and across Georgia, the largest state east of the Mississippi), you'll do fine, just pack lightly.  Don't fill your water tank before the trip unless you must.  Mine holds 26 gallons of water not including the toilet fresh water.  You can really weigh yourself down with water.  
 
In addition to your trailer's brakes and computerized proportional brake controller like a Tekonsha Envoy or better, I recommend at least a friction sway control for safety, an automatic transmission cooler, and an oil cooler wouldn't hurt.  Your brakes are larger than most 4-cylinder trucks and you've got 6-lug nut wheels and a full ladder frame capable of a 5,000 lb. load even though your engine's only rated for 3,500 lbs.  
 
I use Hellwig Load Pro LP-15 helper springs that allow me to carry my load level--they do not add any additional cargo nor tow weight!  They are load levelers only.  A level load is a safer load.
 
Your Tacoma's 2.7L 4-cylinder has the torque of many 6-cylinder engines.  It's an engine raced on and off road by many.  Lots of aftermarket performance parts are available--including exhaust headers and superchargers!  Try LC Engineering, for example.  The ol' supercharger really helps at altitude.  See Custom Tacos.com for lots of gearhead info.  Your Tacoma is practically a cult vehicle.  Great offroad.  (However, forget about towing your new rig in the Rockies.  Get a V-8 or supercharged V-6.)
 
While you can get an expensive Toyota Racing Development (TRD) auto tranny cooler, I recommend the smallest size of Tekonsha Defender SR  (self-regulating) automatic transmission coolers--its as good and less expensive--maybe $60.  I'm not a real gearhead, and I installed it myself in one Saturday afternoon with basic handtools.  At least get a Cool Collar oil filter cooler--it's essentially a very large aluminum-finned heat sink, much like a heat sink on a transistor or other electronic device.  J.C. Whitney and similar companies have lots of aftermarket oil coolers and transmission coolers.
 
To boost horsepower and torque, you could replace your air filter with a K&N or similar and/or the entire K&N intake.  You can also replace the stock, belt-driven fan with two electric fans.  Little things like this mean a lot if you're climbing any grade, and electric fans are great at slow speeds like when offroad.
 
Hope this wasn't boring, but helpful.  Safety first.  Stay safe and have fun with the new rig.

[tafkas]

Thanks to everyone!  We're just going to use the PU as a base camp for now, maybe look at a larger truck later (what a shame!) if we do a lot of trailering.   Could somebody give me a laymans guide to how the 12v system works?  I'm going to be a goodly distance from any electric and am thinking about a generator or ? for the hot water and heater in the fall.  Not going to be running a lot of stuff, but we do want that shower at the end of the day.  Can I run it off the battery and just charge it up?  Would a generator be the way to go?

[dee106]

well when your ready for some lessons there are a couple of us that live near by! I would be happy to lend a hand.
 
 we camp in sussex county(branchville) mainly, but we normally visit in riveredge, brick, tomsriver, so we could meet up with you to show you the ropes!

[chasd60]

Thanks to everyone! We're just going to use the PU as a base camp for now, maybe look at a larger truck later (what a shame!) if we do a lot of trailering. Could somebody give me a laymans guide to how the 12v system works? I'm going to be a goodly distance from any electric and am thinking about a generator or ? for the hot water and heater in the fall. Not going to be running a lot of stuff, but we do want that shower at the end of the day. Can I run it off the battery and just charge it up? Would a generator be the way to go?

The water heater works with propane. The furnace is your biggest consumer of 12V electricity due to the run time. Mine uses 5A while the burner and blower are on. The water pump uses more power but isn't typically used as much. My water pump uses about 8A when it is running wide open.
 
A typical Group 24 battery has about 80AH of capacity. Of the 80AH, you should not use more than 64AH (80%).
 
With a furnace at 5A and operating for 4 hours/24hr period, you will use 20AH per night. That would use up your battery in about 3 nights and that would be without turning anything else in the camper on.
 
One option would be to upgrade to bigger and or more batteries. Some have gone with the Group 31 from Sam's Club, Group 27 from WalMart or even a pair of Trojan T105 6V golf cart batteries wired in series.
 
I chose a pair of Group 27's from Walmart due to convenience. I have
115AH X 2= 230AH X 80%= 184 usable AH.
 
I have gone with the solar power route for recharging but it can be just as expensive as one of the quieter 1000W Honda generators depending on how much capacity you need.
 
Make sure whichever battery you buy, it is strictly Deep Cycle. Do not buy a dual purpose marine deep cycle battery.

[tafkas]

OK, thanks again.  Now, here's another question:  We are going to be using this as a "base camp" this summer out at our archery club.  The nearest power sorce is about 200' away.  Can I plug in the inverter on a 200' drop cord just to keep the batteries charged up?  Any actual use would be off the battery pack but I would like to find an easy way to keep them charged without going generator/solar/taking them out etc.

[Steve-o-bud]

OK, thanks again. Now, here's another question: We are going to be using this as a "base camp" this summer out at our archery club. The nearest power sorce is about 200' away. Can I plug in the inverter on a 200' drop cord just to keep the batteries charged up? Any actual use would be off the battery pack but I would like to find an easy way to keep them charged without going generator/solar/taking them out etc.

Just use a heavy duty extension cord, and the 200' shouldn't be a problem. Get one that is 12 ga/rated for 20 amps. You won't be drawing a lot of current, as long as you aren't going to be running airconditioning, etc.
 
Good luck.