Motorhome essentials

[chopper602]

Hi,

Mrsthewife and I have finally decided on a motorhome (Nearly new TEC Rotec Lift 652) and although we've camped extensively throughout the UK and Europe, this is our first time with a home on wheels. What do you all consider essentials that I'll have to factor and chuck in ?

(Think it already has a sateillite dome on the roof, but absolutely no idea how this is setup!)

[chopper602]

GAjon said:

A cushion for the wife to sleep while your driving.

Oh, she has no trouble doing that without one !

[chopper602]

bananaman1 said:

Just back from our second trip away.....this time a satellite system is top of our list for a must have item....£ 99 from maplins :-)

I found our 'MaxView' system worked really well. Selected a satellite and it whirred away inside it's dome and then we had a list of TV stations - magic!

A few things I realised I'd forgotten on our overnighter last weekend, were a hammer (for awning tie-down pegs!) and some clothes pegs for the tea-towel.

[chopper602]

Tonsko said:

Pair of push bikes... & if you're feeling really flush, an A-frame trailer and a small runabout (car or bike) so that you don't have to move for trips out!

We've already got bikes, these will go in the garage (for some reason there is also a bike rack fitted to the back wall) for security.

Thinking for the future about a towbar. A-frames are frowned upon now aren't they? I've already got a 2CV as a lightweight runabout car, but would need a trailer . . .

[chopper602]

Vladimir said:

We made a decision not to take bikes despite being keen cyclist; I hate bike racks, didn't want to worry about them and ran to and from some shops when needed.

Thats one of the reasons we got a MH with a garage

[chopper602]

Super Slo Mo said:

A-Frames are fine provided you have the car you're towing modified so the brakes operate with the camper's brakes. There's a company in Stoke that does it, it's a few hundred quid IIRC.

Basically your limit for an unbraked trailer (which is what a car on an A-Frame is, without coupled brakes) is 750 KG's. There aren't many cars that weigh less than that these days.

I was thinking of towing a Citroen 2CV - about 600kgs - so would be fine with an unbraked A frame. But from reading on the 'net, it seems fine everywhere apart from Germany who don't like the idea at all. I wonder if a towing dolly (front wheels off the ground) would be any better?