Buying used Hawk - please help us pack for first trip!

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fireball

Senior Member
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Apr 9, 2016
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Location
central PA
Greetings all,

We are leaving our days of ground tent camping behind and are buying a used 2014 Hawk, meeting the seller in Nashville and taking the long way home on a short 4 day trip. My wife, our 8 month old son, and our 90# siberian husky will be along for the trip. I'd like to make sure my wife has a good of time as possible to ensure many future trips, so have a few questions for the Wise Collective:

1. Propane - I am guessing with two tanks I can use the 2nd tank that isn't hooked up to the camper to run our usual camp stove? Is this correct? I plan on bringing our usual camp cookware set, camp table and propane stove to do our cooking outside.

2. Bedding - for a 3-4 night first trip, should we try to do anything with the bedding or just bring our sleeping bags? Our son will sleep between us up top. The weather should be pretty decent so I am not too worried about temperature. It sounds like lots of folks use various egg crate mattress toppers or similar, not sure if we should try OEM first, or plan on getting a topper from the start.

3. 110V - is the 110V outlet in the Hawk just on when hooked to shore power? i.e. a converter would not be standard equipment? We have a converter in our Land Cruiser which we've previously used on camping outings and the only time it gets used is to grind our coffee beans in the morning. So I am really asking if we need to bring whole beans or pre-ground!

4. Tools - the camper is 2 years old and has been used 6 nights. Anything special I need to bring outside of my normal small tool kit?

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated - thanks!
 
One more important item.... we are aiming to swap the camper from his truck to my truck in the rest area parking lot. We obviously have the mechanical jacks and will bring along my Dewalt drill.... I'm hoping this goes smoothly. My Tundra was just into the local FWC dealer to have the install package, eye bolts and wiring installed. Anything else to consider for the first mounting?

I've done my reading and plan to be diligent about checking the tie downs multiple times during the first trip.
 
2 year old camper with only 6 nights in - that sounds like a winner.

The propane can be used to run your outside stove. We do that for time to time.

The mattress density has improved over the years and is much better. You won't know if it works for you until you try it out - but my 2015 grandby is great. I don't need a topper with it.

110 volt will only be active with shore power.

Hope that helps,

What an exciting journey!
 
Bring an extra battery or two for the drill.
I can go through more than one battery taking it off my camper dolly and putting it on the truck.
 
I have been on the road for a month now in my new to me 2013 Hawk. I had is only a few days before I had to depart, so little to no prep. I figured I woudl pick up what I needed on the way.

Beyopnd basics for eatoing/cooking, I bring a basic toolkit, same as for any vehicle, notghing special. We found the cushions much better then my older Grandy, found no need to add more foam. Since my trip was Seattle to Florida and soon back, it is in warmer climates and I just bring fleece blankets and a flannel lined comforter for colder nights. We do not bottom out in the cushions, and my son is over 220lbs.

The AC outlets only work when connected to shore power unless yours has an inverter, most do not. I bring a 400W inverter along, rarely need it, if ever over many years now. Hey are fairly inexpensive these days.

Make sure you have a 25-50ft Extension cord for shore power as some hookups or homes might be a fair distance. I have a danfoss compressor 12V fridge and can run for a couple days on my 2 70AH AGM batteries.

I bring a dual USB charger adapter to plug into one of the 12VDC sockets under the counter, handy for recharging your phones and such.

folding chairs for lounging around in more comfort then a typical picnic bench. Hitch step for easier access through the door.
 
Ask the current owner to charge the camper batteries before you get there.

If you do not have a bar-be-que tank to Coleman stove hose, get one. The two 10 lb tanks have the same connection as a gas grill.

Bring a couple of 2 1/2 gal water containers with fresh water to use rather than use the camper water until you have sanitized and flushed the camper fresh water tank. It could have 2yr old water in it.

Our 2014 Hawk mattress is very comfortable. We use a double sleeping bag.

Bring some Porta-Potti chemical if you plan to use it and also some rolls of Porta-Potti TP

Bring an ice chest for food just in case.

Bring a selection of the small flat blade fuses and a DMM if you have one.

Bring a 30 amp female to standard extension cord plug adapter, an extension cord, and a 30 amp male to standard extension cord socket adapter if you plan to stay in a campground with hookups to use the showers some night.

Bring a short hose like a washing machine hose for the sink drain and a Homer bucket or collapsible grey water bag

Bring a short stool suitable for you and/or your wife to step onto the tailgate.

Bring a small rug for the floor for your dog to sleep on and absorb any inclement weather foot prints.

Bring a good sense of humor for the inevitable night time surprises in a new sleeping arrangement several feet above the floor.

Have fun.
Paul
 
I know it sounds stupid but my wife and I are not smokers. Had one of those bic fire starters first trip off grid. It stopped working and had no matches :( I KNOW be prepared but it was a PIA in the mornings had to use outside stove for coffee as it has a starter ;)

Also if no extra batteries you will want vice grips for the lift jack attachment tool.
 
Things to also remember (consider). I know these are basic things you probably know but the "routine" part of it will come after a few trips.

Do not over clamp the roof to the camper. You should be able to pull and clamp it down with 1 or 2 fingers. Make sure the canvas is tucked into the camper before starting to clamp it down.

Lock the door of the camper and turn off the propane before driving away.

Be sure to bring a coffee maker (we use a jetboil and press as it's much faster than the stove).

Paper towels, handi wipes, etc.

I'd ask the previous owner about : when was the water tank flushed, propane tanks filled, etc. Make sure they show you how to light the furnace and test it along with the refrig, fans, etc. When I purchased my Eagle (used), the circuit board had gone bad.

I always find a volt meter to be valuable. You can test the battery, make sure it's getting a charge, etc. The monitor in the camper is only partially useful. Remember if you have a battery isolator, the camper battery won't charge when you are driving if it's voltage drops below some threshold. We "discovered" that on a long trip and wondered why the battery hadn't charged after 8+ hrs of driving.

Have fun. At first all the "things" seem to be numerous but then you find your routine and it'll be smooth. How do I get down from the bed? Did I turn this off? Is this on? :)
 
1. Make sure you clamp down the buckles after dropping the top.

2. Close all the skylights.

I learned both of these the hard way. The top of the camper only came up about six inches at 60 mph.

Steve
 
Make sure all clamps are open and clear before lifting the roof up. You can do a lot damage very quickly if one clamp is left on.
 
Awesome responses everyone, thanks so much!

Sounds like I should be doing the swap in a Lowe's parking lot with hopefully a nearby Target.

Does anyone know what plugs or cords come standard with the FWC if any? I'm sure the owner will pass along whatever he got. I'll bring an extra heavy duty extension cord and will look into the Rv style connect mentioned above. Most of the tent sites we've used at public campgrounds have a 110 outlet connection if anything so not sure if we'd need anything fancy or special.

I am building a 2x4 ladder for the Hawk to sit on to accommodate the taller bedside of my Tundra. Do I need any sort of rubber mat or can the camper sit directly on the lumber/plywood ?

Thanks again!


Sent from my iPhone using Wander The West
 
Billharr - quick links attach to the camper, right? Then the turnbuckle directly to the truck. I'm sure I'll need some since I'm building the platform to raise the camper.


Sent from my iPhone using Wander The West
 
Just checked with the seller - he will be including all the cords, adapters and RV hose he got from FWC when he bought the camper. One propane tank is at 90%, the other has never been touched. He's also leaving in a little trash can and some bags, a step stool and a little broom. Sounds like we'll be race ready!
 
If you have access to two power drills, bring them both. It's a lot easier to raise/lower the camper off/on if you do it front to back (or back to front I suppose), rather than one corner at a time!

Enjoy!
 
You never mentioned solar panel ....remember off grid you live by the DC amps you carry in the battery or batteries if you have two.. of your Hawk...ditto on advice to get the 400w inverter; we have a small Coleman Inverter that ground our coffee beans at 0530hrs this morning as we watched the sun rise over the Seven Devils/Wallowa Mts. from a 5,000' absl ridge in the middle of nowhere. Sweet!

Someone mention tailgate...we took the tailgate off our '05 Tundra AC before the '16 Hawk went in....very glad we did; much easier to enter/exit and a loss of a lot of weight.

Speaking of weight..once you decide that you will leave the camper on; take the jacks off...less weight and easier to navigate tight routes off road.

Review the manuals for the appliances you have...someone mentioned your furnace needed to be started..ours is self-starting, sparker....ditto with hot water heater, but you need water in it..both require propane and remember to turn on propane and let it sit for about 15mins before using the appliances including stove...our stove boils water faster than a JetBoil and is very nice to use...remember that sink will only drain if outside cap is removed [drain hose or not]..

We have a 2-way fridge no need to level it like a 3-way and it doesn't use propane...check yours. I concur on water tank perhaps being funky...remember when filling the water tank or hooking up at a campground that your system can only take, I believe, 45psi..we have a small regulator on our hose...tip: fill water tank then run pump with hot water tap in sink on to fill the hot water 6 gallon tank and then add another 6 gallons to your main water tank [our is 20 gal].

Check specs on your tires and pressure them up to near max for the load and for fewer punctures...

Check turnbuckles after a few miles of bouncing around and then at intervals until you are certain they have not loosened.

Open door before raising or lowering top..

Good luck and have fun!

Phil
 
Make sure the door is open when you try to lift or lower the top. The air has to be able to move. Many people have horror stories about bending things that shouldn't be bent. I felt mine before I forced it.
 
while mom is feeding the little one and the husky is busy guarding the campsite....read all the instructions, labels, tabs...test everything

and by all means.....have a wonderful time... :D....you'll figure it all out
 
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