Starting to get scared

James · September 2020

Hi everyone.

I recently ordered a 2021 TAB 400 after selling a 2004 Roadtrek. That makes me a first-time trailer owner, and I'm a bit nervous about a few things. That said, I feel I will be able to get proficient at trailering and backing with a little experience. Check.

The thing that's starting to scare me more is the range of technical and mechanical challenges that folks are writing about on this forum. I had my Roadtrek for five years and handled lots of issues regarding refrigeration, plumbing, comfort, sleeping, etc., as well as plenty of engine work. But I had been hoping I wouldn't have to go through the maze of similar issues with a new TAB.

I realize that most of what folks write about is the result of things that go wrong. For example, if you search for the word "leaks" on this forum, you'll get an eyeful of different kinds of problems. The same applies for electrical issues. It's the nature of the beast.

In hope of easing my mind, I'd love to hear from people who aren't having problems with their new rigs. I'm old enough to know that "stuff happens," but still, it can be a bit overwhelming.

If you can pass along some reassuring stories, that would be most welcome.

James

PS I continue to be impressed with what I'm seeing about nuCamp customer service, so no worries there. That's actually quite a relief to an old guy like me.

tybladesmith · September 2020

James, we have had many happy miles with our 2018 320S BD. We have needed to learn about battery management while being off the grid. We have also needed to learn about winterizing the water system.
The Nautlius system streamlines the winterizing process after you learn the theory. Learning the "scoop" before backing is half the battle, visualizing the camper going in a straight line while backing to the intended parking spot is the second half. Check! You will love your new 400!

VictoriaP · September 2020

To be fair, all RVs are rolling earthquakes. The most perfectly built new rig can develop a problem ten miles off the dealer’s lot, and that can look like a factory issue. nüCamp’s RVs are better built than many, and they are generally proactive about fixing issues that have been brought to their attention. But every RV, regardless of manufacturer, is going to have things go wrong regularly.

And yes, it’s an online forum. You’re going to see a lot of problems brought up here by people seeking help. You’re also going to see a very high number of modifications here, because this place is absolutely stuffed full of tinkerers. The “problems” they are fixing may not be problems for you at all.

For what it’s worth, look around here and you’ll see a LOT of repeat owners who upsized (and even downsized) within nüCamp’s product line. You don’t often see that kind of owner loyalty in this industry, and for good reason, because many RV manufacturers nowadays build fairly shoddy products.

Personally, I went with nüCamp and with a new trailer rather than used for pretty much the same reasons you did, and I’ve mostly had a positive experience in doing so. Perfect? No. But not a single warranty issue, which means it was a pretty well-built trailer right off the line. I upgraded a few things, and am still fine tuning a few others, and of course, there are areas that *I* think could use improvement...that’s the nature of being human. 😁 But overall, I still recommend nüCamp as one of only two brands of trailer I think are worth the money.

Horigan · September 2020

James,

Count me as an example of having no issues with our 2019 T@B 400 since we got it and have had many happy miles learning and enjoying it. Just take time to read the manual and the unofficial resource guide (attached).

Rich

Sharon_is_SAM · September 2020

@james - you are getting a model that has been out for 4 years, so I would say many of the kinks have been resolved. I think that when you come to a forum like this, you need to appreciate that many members comment only when they have an issue and it may appear that problems are wide spread. Many times the issue is due to the learning curve. We hear about miswired solar panels/controller, the Air8 issue, misplumbed black tank rinse etc. The company acknowledges these shortcomings and provides warranty services, which does not make it any easier as it is an inconvenience to the owners. nuCamp has a warranty repair rate that is much lower than average. I think that you just need to learn as much as you can ahead of time and know that there are a lot of answers here on the forum. No RV manufacturer will be perfect and you can expect some things to go awry - these vehicles take a lot of abuse rolling down the road. Buyers continue to request features of increasing complexity and there is the human factor as well. So, no guarantees, but I think that the nuCamp products and customer service is impressive.

We have a 2017 CSS and aside from a recent short in a custom fan install, we have had 4 seasons of worry-free camping.

atlasb · September 2020

a lot of the issues you are seeing are repeat issues that have happened and there is a bit of learning curve. Many owners are new owners and sometimes it just takes time to learn systems. NU Camp has many new upscale systems and are always evolving to a even better product. For us, our 400 is the third NU Camp product and we glean information from the forum. Our 400 is our first with the Alde system and it took some time to gain experience with it. Once you understand how simple it is and how well it works you love it. You will also see as mentioned many Mods done by owners as the T@B's are great to make your own. Not everyone needs to do mods and just most often personal choices. The NU Camp line and company are hard to beat and we are proud to own them.

Bayliss · September 2020

@James, other than having to adjust the mixing valve on my Alde and re-securing the refrigerator door seal, I have had zero issues with my 320 S. I have been very happy with the quality of my trailer (the third trailer I have owned.) I have made modifications to suit my personal needs and tastes and have enjoyed doing that. I am impressed that nuCamp often incorporates (in new models) the modifications made by users of this forum. I have learned a great deal on this forum, and contribute when I can, which you likely will as well. Enjoy your new 400 when you receive it.

Homebodyatheart · September 2020

Congratulations on joining the Tab family! I have a 2017 320S that I love more each season. It's my first trailer, and my first time towing was out of the dealers lot to go home with her. I've had a great time getting to know other Tabbers, doing all sorts of mods, and have almost no issues. I finally had a part break, covered by my extended warranty (which in retrospect I probably didn't need...) I recently had the control valve on the Thetford toilet replaced as it sprung a leak. I've heard that's common, it's a toilet part, not something that NuCamp manufactures, and it's fixed. I also am on other RV groups and read about brand new trailers spending lots of the season in repair shops. I'm camping, and I'm happy with my purchase! Good luck, ask lots of questions because there is a learning curve to each system, and have fun!

webers3 · September 2020

@james Going on 3 years with the 320s and I am happy to report there were no major problems, ie requiring professional help or that prevented me from getting out there and enjoying camping, little annoyances here and there and small repairs but nothing major, I am sure you are already used to having owned RV before. Just completed 80 days living out of my 320s and was happy that all systems functioned very well. I think the key is to make sure when taking the delivery that all systems are working as they should be. Enjoy!!

TresK3 · September 2020

Personally, I like to tinker... so owning a trailer is perfect for me.

JabGopher · September 2020

As a fellow newbie, I can say that 99% of what i experienced was just the learning curve as a first-timer. When we took delivery (actual trailer delivered to our driveway), we were actually forced to solely driveway camp for 2 full weeks as tow hitch parts were in short supply for my TV.

Having those 2 weeks of no pressure and trying new things out every other night or so and sleeping in it a few times really helped the first trip go mostly smoothly. Thus far, what seemed initially like NuCamp issues were simply learning curve. From the Alde mixing valve and the various fuses and what each of the drain valves do ... all acclimatizing and learning the ropes and nothing to do with faults. In fact, the only real fault I had was the stovetop lid not opening all the way and that's a fault of a supplier.

DanManz · September 2020

@james Our 2019 400 BDL came off the line as flawless as any vehicle I've ever owned. We've towed it successfully and comfortably this season and last. After two years of camping, I haven't found anything that really needed to be fixed. With that said, there has been plenty of stuff to fiddle with to make it our own. We've put Command hooks up, added a matress pad, put rare earth magnets to hold the toilet seat up, installed a mesh grate to cover the opening on the back of the front tub, etc., etc. The closest thing to a repair I've had was to "mouse proof" the trailer. We found a couple of mice in the trailer last year and since then I've chipped away at sealing every crack, hole and seam that might possibly let a mouse in. Winterizing last year was a snap. Sanitizing the water system is easy. All of the electrical components (batteries, factory solar, converter, inverter) have performed flawlessly. I did manage to put a rock through the front window with my lawn mower. Amazingly, the window was part of a defective series and the window manufacturer sent me a new one for free that I was able to easily install. The only trip to a mechanic our trailer has ever had was this Spring for its annual state inspection. While there I had him grease the bearings and check the brake adjustment. I went into this purchase expecting to have a never ending series of minor repairs to keep it on the road and ready to camp. Instead, I find myself looking at it out in the driveway wondering what else I can do just to make it better. My wife and I still like going to camper shows and looking at lots of different manufacturer's trailers. For a two person, three season trailer that can comfortably go 3-5 days with no hook ups, the NuCamp products are hard to beat.

James · September 2020

tybladesmith said:

James, we have had many happy miles with our 2018 320S BD. We have needed to learn about battery management while being off the grid. We have also needed to learn about winterizing the water system.
The Nautlius system streamlines the winterizing process after you learn the theory. Learning the "scoop" before backing is half the battle, visualizing the camper going in a straight line while backing to the intended parking spot is the second half. Check! You will love your new 400!

Thanks. If I had to guess, I’d say “water” is my biggest source of concern and frustration. Even at my regular house, water is the big bugaboo for me. I’ll pay special attention to the Nautilus system when the camper arrives!

James · September 2020

Horigan said:

James,

Count me as an example of having no issues with our 2019 T@B 400 since we got it and have had many happy miles learning and enjoying it. Just take time to read the manual and the unofficial resource guide (attached).

Rich

Thanks so much for your link to the “unofficial” resource guide. I really appreciate that, as well as your encouraging words.

James · September 2020

Sharon_is_SAM said:

@james - you are getting a model that has been out for 4 years, so I would say many of the kinks have been resolved. I think that when you come to a forum like this, you need to appreciate that many members comment only when they have an issue and it may appear that problems are wide spread. Many times the issue is due to the learning curve. We hear about miswired solar panels/controller, the Air8 issue, misplumbed black tank rinse etc. The company acknowledges these shortcomings and provides warranty services, which does not make it any easier as it is an inconvenience to the owners. nuCamp has a warranty repair rate that is much lower than average. I think that you just need to learn as much as you can ahead of time and know that there are a lot of answers here on the forum. No RV manufacturer will be perfect and you can expect some things to go awry - these vehicles take a lot of abuse rolling down the road. Buyers continue to request features of increasing complexity and there is the human factor as well. So, no guarantees, but I think that the nuCamp products and customer service is impressive.

We have a 2017 CSS and aside from a recent short in a custom fan install, we have had 4 seasons of worry-free camping.

It’s a good thing I retired last year. It’s a full-time job keeping up with all the wonderful comments and so much good advice. I wish the same camaraderie was available in the truck world, but I haven’t found that to be true. I’m thinking of getting a Tacoma, but I’m pretty much flying blind.

Sharon_is_SAM · September 2020

I would search the forum for discussions on a good tow vehicle for the 400 before you sink money into a Tacoma. Get a comfy chair - there is a lot of opinions.

James · September 2020

DanManz said:

@james Our 2019 400 BDL came off the line as flawless as any vehicle I've ever owned. We've towed it successfully and comfortably this season and last. After two years of camping, I haven't found anything that really needed to be fixed. With that said, there has been plenty of stuff to fiddle with to make it our own. We've put Command hooks up, added a matress pad, put rare earth magnets to hold the toilet seat up, installed a mesh grate to cover the opening on the back of the front tub, etc., etc. The closest thing to a repair I've had was to "mouse proof" the trailer. We found a couple of mice in the trailer last year and since then I've chipped away at sealing every crack, hole and seam that might possibly let a mouse in. Winterizing last year was a snap. Sanitizing the water system is easy. All of the electrical components (batteries, factory solar, converter, inverter) have performed flawlessly. I did manage to put a rock through the front window with my lawn mower. Amazingly, the window was part of a defective series and the window manufacturer sent me a new one for free that I was able to easily install. The only trip to a mechanic our trailer has ever had was this Spring for its annual state inspection. While there I had him grease the bearings and check the brake adjustment. I went into this purchase expecting to have a never ending series of minor repairs to keep it on the road and ready to camp. Instead, I find myself looking at it out in the driveway wondering what else I can do just to make it better. My wife and I still like going to camper shows and looking at lots of different manufacturer's trailers. For a two person, three season trailer that can comfortably go 3-5 days with no hook ups, the NuCamp products are hard to beat.

These are the general reasons why I decided to go with this camper, and I’m glad to see someone shares my thinking. I’m hoping to have the same experience you did. One good thing on my end: my dealer is only 20 minutes away. That should take some of the aggravation and worry out of routine maintenance and whatever repairs might be required.

My wife and I have gone back-and-forth about whether to continue with the purchase or let someone else buy it out from under us. Today we made the decision to stay the course and keep our fingers crossed. Next up, getting a towing vehicle. I have a 98 Chevy S 10 that won’t do the job, so I’m going to have to upgrade there.

James · September 2020

JabGopher said:

As a fellow newbie, I can say that 99% of what i experienced was just the learning curve as a first-timer. When we took delivery (actual trailer delivered to our driveway), we were actually forced to solely driveway camp for 2 full weeks as tow hitch parts were in short supply for my TV.

Having those 2 weeks of no pressure and trying new things out every other night or so and sleeping in it a few times really helped the first trip go mostly smoothly. Thus far, what seemed initially like NuCamp issues were simply learning curve. From the Alde mixing valve and the various fuses and what each of the drain valves do ... all acclimatizing and learning the ropes and nothing to do with faults. In fact, the only real fault I had was the stovetop lid not opening all the way and that's a fault of a supplier.

What a very great idea! I think we will do exactly the same thing when the time comes. Great suggestion.

James · September 2020

webers3 said:

@james Going on 3 years with the 320s and I am happy to report there were no major problems, ie requiring professional help or that prevented me from getting out there and enjoying camping, little annoyances here and there and small repairs but nothing major, I am sure you are already used to having owned RV before. Just completed 80 days living out of my 320s and was happy that all systems functioned very well. I think the key is to make sure when taking the delivery that all systems are working as they should be. Enjoy!!

Thanks. I usually like to get out of dealerships as quickly as possible, but it sounds like I should spend the time with the dealer walking through all the systems and making sure everything is in good shape. It seems like a really good idea.

James · September 2020

Sharon_is_SAM said:

I would search the forum for discussions on a good tow vehicle for the 400 before you sink money into a Tacoma. Get a comfy chair - there is a lot of opinions.

OK. I will do exactly that.

I haven’t spent any time on towing vehicles yet. I was thinking Toyota or Ford, mostly because the two dealerships are about five minutes from my house and other dealerships are quite a long ways away.

My gearhead friend told me that a six cylinder engine might be better than a four cylinder engine, and of the two makes, only Toyota has that six-cylinder option. I don’t really want to step up to a big truck. Would appreciate any advice you have.

Full disclosure. I have never towed anything whatsoever. Never.

Finchy · September 2020

Hi, I'll say that most of the problems I have had with the T@B were the result of being new to the RV world. I did have a problem with the ALDE not being wired correctly in the 2014 model which was pretty annoying(kept blowing fuses and as a newb it nearly drove me bonkers), but I'm sure that has been resolved in later models.

Those Tacomas are very expensive. Definitely do some massive research before you buy one. I just saw a discussion that said they were not comfortable. I would strongly advise against any 4 cylinder vehicle, unless you plan to avoid hills.

ADRawli · September 2020

@James Lots of good advice and thoughts on tow vehicles on this forum. Just simply though, with a 400, you’ll want a minimum of 5000 lbs of towing capacity, and a towing package (electrical wiring, heavy duty cooling, etc). Most of us aimed for even a bit more than 5000. For example, my wife and I love our Jeep Grand Cherokee, with 6200 lbs capacity, but more for its tongue weight capability (620lb) since the 2019 400 has 450-500 lbs of tongue weight, which is heavy for a trailer of its GVW. Your 2021 will be much better balanced and so that makes the 5000 lb limit a good minimum target to shoot for.

There are dozens and dozens of vehicles that would be adequate, including both Ford and Toyota offerings, but as many have said in numerous forum comments (seriously, search the forum for ‘TV for 400’), you’ll see that we all have our own opinions on what constitutes the perfect towing option for our own individual circumstances.

I’d suggest that while keeping that 5000+ limit in mind, decide what else you want in your TV. Do you want a truck bed, or maybe an SUV? Will you put most of the miles on the vehicle NOT towing? If so, maybe other priorities will have heavier weighting, like ride comfort, reliability, or economy (MPG), and certainly price. Dealer support and accessibility sound important to you already. Maybe safety, 4/All wheel drive, or off road chops are important. They were to us, and helped in our decision as well. You can find options that will meet all your criteria, I am sure.

Ultimately, read up on as much as you can, then decide what you find to be important. But your final decision should come down to what is important to you (proven out by you own observations and physical test drives), and not just what others say is important to them. If you don’t violate the +5000 lb with towing package rule, you will probably find most choices will provide a good to great experience.

James · September 2020

Thanks to everyone for all the good advice. I have been thinking about towing vehicles in a silly and narrow away. Now I’m going back to square one using many of the suggestions you all have had. I’ll keep you posted!

JeffroNC · September 2020

You came to the right place as a Tab owner. I agree with what has been said. We have been in ours for 25 weeks this year and dragged it over 20 K miles of highways, mountain passes, gravel, and potholes in all types of weather. I don't think a mainstream box trailer would have survived.
I had a brake problem (Dexter) that I think was due to not adjusting them and broke the strings on the screen door. Pretty good service I'd say.
I have done a bunch of mods to make it work for us but very little repairing of the unit. Mostly tightening screws and adjusting things.

Verna · September 2020

Hi, @James. Welcome to a very helpful place.

I’ve had two T@B’s and I’m waiting on the third (long story). I’m really looking forward to the 2021 T@B 320S Boondock. And, no, I’ve not traded due to problems, but due to changes in the way I want to camp.

But anyway, you’ll find a lot of answers, helpful owners, lots of mods that are hard to resist and lots of ways to spend money on Amazon, eTrailer, etc!

From my signature line, you’ll see I have a Ford F-150 that I used to pull my previous 2019 400 Boondock Lite. I fought for decades to not buy a full sized truck as I thought they were not my thing and mid-size trucks were fine for me.

A 2015 Toyota Tacoma V6 Crew Cab was perfect for taking the southern path to Arizona from the non-mountainous home in Indiana. Then I went to Canada and the Canadian Rockies, and not even the tallest peaks. I thought I was going to lose my Tacoma. 8 mpg? Not what I wanted.

Luckily, that Tacoma had a good resale value and at 5 years old paid for half of the F-150. And now that I have the F-150, I sure can’t understand what took me so long to buy a full size truck.

So, look again at the Tacoma vs a full size truck. I sure don’t understand how the smaller Tacoma can be rated at 650 tongue weight and 6500 tow capacity vs the 500 tongue weight and 5000 towing capacity of the F-150. Oh yeah, I had to add aftermarket air bags to the Tacoma just to be able to tow a T@B S Max (forerunner you the 320) level.

ChanW · September 2020

James!
You asked for it!!!....
We have had no problem with our trim rubber flying off.
We have had no trouble with the stove starting.
We've had no trouble with our tires being inflated correctly.
We've had no trouble with the hitch being difficult to unhitch (on fairly level ground)
The Alde has worked amazingly.
Our Maxx-Fan works great.
The blackwater and graywater tanks both seem sufficient, and trouble free.
The mattress works great, esp. with a 2" topper.
No problems with the shower, or toilet (except through user error)
No cracked frame members
No problems with misaligned windows
.....
The list could go on, but it's much more boring than the problems and their solutions....

Dalehelman · September 2020

Most people but not all who by a T@B are moving up from a tent or soft sided pop up. A Roadtrek is a fairly Sophisticated RV. T@Bs are well built with fewer problems than 95% of the trailers out there. If you have never towed before hooking and mostly backing should be your only weak areas. No one is born knowing how. The answer is practice practice practice.

dragonsdofly · September 2020

@James, we have a 2017 320. Over 45,000 miles. We did just break a string on the screen door about 2 weeks ago. Probably the result of 4 of us living for most of the summer months for 4 years in our t@b. 2 of us were pre-teen boys, plus the DH and me. I bought better tires in 2018. Other than that, we've had 45,000 care free, trouble free operation of our t@b. Our tow vehicle had mechanical problems while traveling and we were "STRANDED" in Evanston, Wyoming for 16 days. -10°F! And the t@b kept us alive, literally. Did I say perfect operation of the t@b and all of its systems for all this time from 124°F in Las Vegas, NV to -10°F in Evanston, Wyoming. And still rolling. We have no intention of parting with our t@b. 'Nuf said. Best buy of our lives!

Denny16 · September 2020

We have a 2018 TaB400, no real issues, it has 2,000 miles in it, mostly over back country roads. We are having some upgrades done, decided the Boondock option was worth adding the Boondock axle with higher clearances.

As for tow vehicles, I use a new Jeep Gladiator truck, works great.

If you are looking at Toyota, check out the Trunda, vs the Tacoma. The Ford F-150 is also very capable to tow the TaB 400. Tongue weights on thr 2021 model run about 50-75lbs lighter due to changing thr axle location a bit forward.

I think the later 2021 TaB400s are going to be as trouble free as anY RV trailer, with nüCamp fixing all the issues on the early releases. Some growing pains here, but seem to have been fixed. The 2021 has the better CoolCat AC used in 018-2019, so no Air8 issues, and the new Nautilus system for the 400 is grand.

Congratulations, and welcome aboard.
cheers

warbler_road · September 2020

James said:

My gearhead friend told me that a six cylinder engine might be better than a four cylinder engine, and of the two makes, only Toyota has that six-cylinder option. I don’t really want to step up to a big truck. Would appreciate any advice you have.

Hi James, we tow with a 2018 Tacoma and it's great. We aren't tackling the Rockies (yet), but it is handling the Blue Ridge ups and downs no problem, plus I am just confident in Toyota reliability.

One thing I installed and would recommend strongly: Sumosprings. About$200 and they take the place of airbags, preventing your tail from sagging and adding a lot of stability. You can install yourself if you have a torque wrench. We have nothing else. No sway bar or anything.

Also, I had a brake issue with my 2020 T@B 400, but Nucamp and Dexter axle resolved it very well for me. You're gonna have issues with any big piece of property; just take em as they come and don't panic. The Internet and this forum are an incredible asset.

webers3 · September 2020

@James I am considering switching from a trailer to a camper van, I am curious to know why you are going from a camper van to a trailer?

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