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Old 10-10-2017, 11:12 AM   #11
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.They tell you to re-torque the wheels after 50 or 100 miles so consider that.
Don't just "consider"! Do it! Do it like your van depends on it.

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Old 10-10-2017, 11:49 AM   #12
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Congrats and have fun. Pack light and take all the advice above. I'd buy everything needed as needed and outfit the rest when you get home. The AAA card and availablilty of grocery, Camping World and Walmart will get you home. We always start making lists as soon as we get a new rig (too often) but have it mostly down to a science now since I keep the lists.

Keep us posted! Nothing as fun as a recovery mission.

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Old 10-10-2017, 12:29 PM   #13
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Thanks for all the tips! Given the recent headlines, we may also need to pack our asbestos pajamas, or maybe pick a different route home.

Hopefully, I'll have some pics or trip reports soon.
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Old 10-10-2017, 12:56 PM   #14
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I wouldn't go to Yosemite if I were you(which I know I'm not-but) Too much of a tourist trap. I would go straight east of where you are to Kings Canyon and(especially)Sequoia National Park. Giant Redwoods
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Old 10-10-2017, 02:09 PM   #15
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Fresno Dome is a couple of hours away. There is a campground (on the map at least) but we've always found dispersed camping. Scramble (or climb?) on a granite dome without the crowds.
https://goo.gl/maps/7Ny3wbKgFEu
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Old 10-11-2017, 09:31 AM   #16
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You didn't mention the actual process that SMB West goes through with a need vehicle. They cover a lot of information during the process. Some new owners video tape the process but that can make it more difficult to concentrate on what they are explaining unless one person tapes and the other person listens.


Try out each item yourself. It is easy to watch someone else pop the top, but two days later, you have forgotten to open a window first.
Drive it out in the street in front of the shop and put it in and out of 4WD, just so that you are comfortable with the shifting.

On our first trip (4 days after picking up our van), we were trying to fill the on-board water tank at a FS campground. Everything was hooked up but it just wasn't filling the tank. Out came the book and....whops...forgot to turn off the pump and open the valve first.


Fortunately, will internet access, you can always ask!
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Old 10-14-2017, 07:07 PM   #17
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This would be my advice as well. I was new to RV's when I picked mine up so I wish I would have filmed the walk through. I did bring a GoPro but was too busy watching to film anything.


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Old 11-06-2017, 03:23 PM   #18
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Follow-up

A quick follow-up for posterity, now that we're back... Everything's great, I'll post a real trip report with pics and first impressions later, but to wrap up this thread about what to bring...

I packed a below-minimum set of tools beyond my pocket knife, but they turned out to be redundant. The Sprinter's tire-change kit includes a couple screwdrivers.

For some reason, I thought SMB installed USB sockets up the wazoo, but the many 12V outlets throughout the van were all cigarette-lighter-shaped, so I wish I had brought a bunch of plug-in converters. There's one USB socket in front of the steering wheel powered from the starter battery, though.

We really should have bought leveling blocks at SMB, or had them delivered. At first, I didn't think we needed them (we tent-camped on slopes all the time, and it's not like we have any appliances that don't work on a slope), but I didn't anticipate the shower drain being above the shower pan, and trying to cook on non-flat countertops. Then, we could have bought them on the road, but after frustrating trips to WalMart and Autozone, we decided to soldier on without them.

My (bulky!) collection of fleece and polypro turned out to be completely unnecessary. Another habit from tent-camping, but since we wanted to test out all the systems, we regularly used the Espar diesel furnace to stay toasty at night.

Didn't bring a torque wrench. SMB insisted we didn't need a re-tightening, since we got the stock tires, nothing special.

It might have been useful to bring a funnel. We didn't really have any way to manually re-fill the water tank, but since we camped very conservatively in established campgrounds, we had frequent access to "city water" to top off with.

If not for the bulk, it would have been good to bring a sleeping pad. We bought a mat at Dick's on the road, since there's some slightly lumpy ridges sleeping width-wise on the unfolded dinette. The platform bed is smooth, but also benefits from a little extra padding, depending on your taste.

As for things we brought that came in handy, the pair of headlamps were crucial, not just for wandering around in the dark but for finding valves in the back of the cabinets! We brought the bare minimum of cookware, a pot, 2 bowls, not enough spoons, bought a stack of paper plates on the road. The tiny camp stove worked great, although I was always nervous that it would tip over, and of course we couldn't bring fuel on the plane and had to buy it at Dick's. Glad we brought several water bottles, one squirty bottle particularly handy for rinsing hard to reach spots in the portapotty.
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Old 11-06-2017, 05:28 PM   #19
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On with the education, a year from now you will be able to write the book on what to bring!

Here’s a labor saving tip regarding the PortaPotty: Pick up a box of the biodegradable paper liners. Once used, you’ll never travel without them!

Congratulations on picking up the new rig. Oh and by the way, what’s the often used saying around here? This thread is worthless without pictures! Let us see what your new van looks like!!!!
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Old 11-07-2017, 10:40 PM   #20
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Congratulations on picking up the new rig. Oh and by the way, what’s the often used saying around here? This thread is worthless without pictures! Let us see what your new van looks like!!!!
I got a few pics up at my trip report / first impressions thread, more to come.
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