Basic instructions for camper set up

Most important thing to remember - this thing is old!  You have to be gentle with it!  It will setup fine, you just cant be rough with it.  If you find you have to jam, force or move anything with more than a gentle push or move - please stop and check it!  Shamus has a wonderful habit of just reefing on anything that doesnt move immediately - this will result in something being broken or misalighned.  If it won't go- STOP and CHECK it!

Attaching the trailer:

1.  Pull out the pin on the trailer hitch's ball receiver and lift the lever up.  There is a small trigger underneath the latch, press this in and pull up.

2.  Use the correct ball hitch on the tow vehicle.  The trailer has to ride almost level along the road.  Use the "drop down" ball hitch if necessary.  Don't forget to reattach the pin on the towing vehicle's ball hitch once you have it in the back of your car.

3.  Raise the wheel on the trailer hitch so that it is just above where your vehicle's hitch ball will connect.  Make sure the wiring is out of the way.

4.  Back the vehicle up so that the tow vehicle's ball is under the ball receiver on the camper hitch.  Once in place, lower the hitch onto the ball by turning the camper hitch wheel counterclockwise.  Wiggle the camper hitch, or pull the vehicle forward ever so slightly to make sure the tow vehicle's ball seats into the camper hitch.  Once its in snug, click the ball receiver lever down and reattach the pin.

5.  Attach the wiring harness to the vehicle.  Make sure the wiring won't drag on the road.  Check to see that your lights are working correctly (turn signals, brakes,running)

6.  Attach the chains from the camper hitch to the tow vehicle.  Cross them under the hitch.  Put the S hook on from front to back.

7.  Raise the little wheel on the camper hitch all of the way up, so it doesn't drag while you drive.  Pull forward a little to make sure all is well.

8.  Make sure the yellow straps are connected from the eye bolts on the roof of the camper to the frame of the camper - or else the whole roof could come flying off while you are driving!

Leveling the camper:

Look for the sturdiest, levelest place on the campsite to set up the camper.  You will save yourself many headaches by doing this!  Also - do not unhook the camper from the tow vehicle until you have performed step 1 - leveling the camper from side to side.

1.  First level side to side. The camper door will not open and close correctly, nor will the roof of the camper raise smoothly and without incident if it is not level side to side.  Eyeball and see what side of the camper will be the "low" side.  Estimate how many blocks you will need to make it level.  You can also use the leveling bubble on the camper hitch to give you a clue.  If you need the leveling blocks, assemble them as necessary (like legos), and then move the camper forward or back just a bit.  Set the leveling blocks back into the space where the camper tire will go, and then slowly put the camper back up onto the leveling blocks.  If you go over too far, just pull forward and try again.  Make any adjustments as necessary - just make sure that the leveling bubble on the hitch is dead center for side to side.  You will curse all weekend (and possibly break the camper) if the camper is not level side to side.

Once you are perfectly level side to side, place wheel chocks on the "high" side wheel, to keep the camper from rolling away!

2.  Next, disconnect the camper from the tow vehicle (use the above instructions, in reverse order) and pull it away from the camper.

3.  Next level front to back.  Lower the stabilizer legs on the back of the camper.  Now use the little wheel on the camper hitch to level it from front to back.  Once you have it level, move out the sliding part of the stabilizer legs to touch the ground evenly.  If you are a little bit off (in between marks on the stabilizing legs) you can use a piece of wood to make up the difference.

Whew!

Raising the roof:
1.  Disconnect the yellow straps from the roof of the camper, and unlatch the latches holding down the roof.

2.  The crank is just inside the door of the camper.  Put it in, and sloooooly start raising the roof by turning the crank clockwise.  It will make some horrible noises, but as long as the roof is going up slowly and evenly, you are OK.  Keep slowly cranking up the roof until you see the red line appear on the roof support nearest the crank.  Don't go past the red line!!!!!!!

3.  Slide out the beds.  The supports are just inside the camper in the bed area - push the bed back into the camper slightly and you will see them down in there - take them out and attach them onto the camper (steel part hooks onto the frame, brown part goes down to the camper).  Now slide the bed out and move the bed support over just a bit so it latches on to the bed.  Repeat for the other side.

4. Open the camper door, go inside the camper and swing down the top portion of the door.  This is awkward and always results in swearing.  Anyways, bring down the door and set in in place on the camper frameand the bottom part of the door.  Once everything is lined up (and the canvas around the door is out of the way, you can make the door taught by pushing in the top of the door and setting the swing nuts.  Sometimes it helps to have someone on the outside push in slightly to make this happen.  Check to see that the door swings in and out smoothly and latches easily.

This is one of those areas where jamming or reefing on the door will result in bad news.  If it doesn't go easily, its not lined up correctly.  It can also mean the camper is not level and big problems will result.  The door installation is your best check to make sure you are on track for getting everything set up right.

5.  Go inside and move the cushions off of the table and onto one of the big beds.  If you are using electrical, lift up the seat board on the back side of the camper.  The electrical reel is there.  Take it out and put it on the table, and then push the end of the cord out of the port on the back side of the camper.  Run your cord from the power box to the camper, being very sure to make a drip loop before it enters the camper (IMPORTANT!)  Now you can put the seat down, set up the table and rearrange the seat cushions, etc.

6.  The poles to "pop up" the bed sides are located under the table.  The arm with the crutch goes in the middle of the outside arched piece at the end of the bed area.  The end with the buttons goes into a holder on the ceiling of the camper.


There is an awning, but it involves a great deal of frustration and anxiety in getting it up.  I would skip it if I were you.

Inside the camper you will find:
Under the table
- camp kitchen (directions are inside)
- swim noodles
- nylon folding chairs

Door side bench:
- bin of cooking utensils
- pots and pans
- buckets
- cleaning supplies
- pie maker
- hot dog cooker
- hot pot

Back side bench:
- bin of kitchen supplies
- bin of camping supplies
- 2 folding camp chairs
-  bin of dog supplies

cupboards
- towels
- propane
- hanging clothes storage bins
- bin of books and games
- fire extinguisher
- first aid kit and weather radio


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