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⚠ A Friendly Disclaimer: This is owner-generated content for educational purposes. Use at your own risk. Guidance from nuCamp and manufacturers always supersedes any advice found here.
The New TAB Delivery & Shakedown Trip Guide
You just ordered your TAB. Maybe it’s already at the dealer waiting for you. Either way, you’re probably equal parts excited and overwhelmed — and that’s exactly where most new owners are when they reach out to me.
I’ve walked a lot of people through this process at this point, and the same questions come up again and again. So Scott Houseman, who is about to transition from a TAB 320 to a TAB 360, joined me for a livestream livestream covering everything from your dealer walkthrough to your first night at a campsite, and I wanted to turn it into something you can bookmark and reference when the time comes.
This isn’t meant to stress you out. It’s meant to make pickup day feel less chaotic and your first trip feel a lot more fun.
If you start to feel overwhelmed, remember – you do not have use all features of the TAB at once!. Take your time and use one new feature at a time, allowing you the opportunity to build confidence as you go.
Before You Even Get to the Dealer
Here’s the thing most people don’t think about — you can (and should) make some requests before you show up for your walkthrough. Call or email ahead and ask them to:
Turn on the refrigerator several hours before your appointment. You want to put your hand in there and feel cold air. If it’s not cold, you need to know that before you leave, not when you’re loading groceries at the campsite.
Fire up the Alde heating system. Same idea. You want to confirm it’s actually generating heat. The Alde is one of the more complex systems on the TAB, and verifying it works while you’re still on the lot saves you a headache later. While you’re at it, have them show you where the glycol reservoir is (so you can check and top off levels down the road) and where the pressure relief valve is located.
Run the air conditioning. Feel it blowing cold. Don’t just take someone’s word for it.
These are simple asks, but they make a huge difference. A dealer who’s unwilling to prep these things for you is telling you something worth paying attention to.
Your Walkthrough: What to Actually Look At
Dealer walkthroughs can move fast, and it’s easy to nod along and forget half of it by the time you get home. Some people recommend asking the dealer if they can shoot a video of the walkthrough which would allow them to go back review information they heard during the walkthrough.
Here’s what I’d focus on during the walkthrough:
Plumbing. Have them walk you through how to use the Nautilus water system, including how to fill and drain the hot water tank, the freshwater tank, and where the low-point drains are. This stuff matters when you’re winterizing or dealing with a freeze, and it’s way easier to learn it in person than from a YouTube video later. (Though I do have those too.)
Battery & Electrical. Have them walk you through how to turn the battery off and on, pair your Victron solar controller and SmartShunt. I wouldn’t take up valuable time learning the VictronConnect screen at the dealer. You probably won’t remember it all and I do have videos on using and understanding the VictronConnect app.
The bathroom faucet. This one trips people up because the TAB faucet doesn’t work like the one in your house. You have to lift it first, then turn to adjust the temperature. Practice it at the dealer so it’s not a mystery at 11pm in the dark.
Appliances & Hardware. Turn on the stovetop. Run the MaxxAir fan through its speeds. Open and close every soft-close latch. Check both the screen door and outside door. You’re looking for anything that doesn’t feel right.
Cosmetic inspection. These trailers travel a long way to get to your dealer, and things can shift or get scuffed in transit. Check the trim alignment. Look for scratches. None of this is the end of the world, but it’s a lot easier to document it now than to try to make a claim later.
The keeder rail. Run your hand along the full length of it. You’re feeling for burrs or misalignments that would block an awning from sliding in. This is one of those things that’s a two-minute fix at the dealer and a real pain once you’re home.
Keys and documentation. Make sure you’ve got all the keys — trailer door, storage bins, propane box. And grab your “swag bag,” which usually includes a level, a #2 Robertson screwdriver (very useful!), and warranty and manuals from the different appliances in the camper.
Hitching & Unhitching. If this is your first camper, this can be a little overwhelming and there is no replacement for hands-on practice with guidance. Here are 7 tips I’ve learned over the year that can make this process easier.
Getting Ready for Your Shakedown Trip
Your first trip should be low-pressure. Think of it as a practice run — ideally your driveway or somewhere close to home where you can figure things out without the stress of a long drive or a fully packed itinerary.
But before you head out, make sure your tow vehicle is actually ready:
Brake controller. Whether it’s hardwired or Bluetooth, make sure it’s installed and properly adjusted before you hook up. This isn’t optional.
7-pin connection. This does two jobs: it powers your trailer lights and charges your trailer battery while you’re driving. Verify both are working. A lot of people assume the battery is charging and find out the hard way that it wasn’t.
Hitch and ball. Sounds basic, but confirm you have the correct size for your TAB. Don’t guess.
What to Bring Along
A torque wrench with a 3/4-inch deep socket. You need to check your lug nuts at 10 miles, 25 miles, and 50 miles on a new trailer. This isn’t something to skip. Lug nuts can loosen as the wheels seat, and you do not want to find that out at highway speed.
A tire pressure gauge. Your TAB tires should typically be at 50 PSI — check the sticker on the driver’s side to confirm. Keep an eye on this, especially in temperature swings.
A fuse kit. A variety pack of ATC-style fuses. They’re cheap, they’re small, and when you need one, you really need one.
A #2 Robertson screwdriver (square head) — you’ll use this more than you think on the TAB. Also consider bringing a jack that’s compatible with your trailer frame, just in case.
First Night Essentials
Water. Ask the dealer to fill your freshwater tank before you leave. A full tank adds weight low in the trailer and reduces that bouncy feeling on the drive home. Plus, you’ll have water when you arrive.
Bedding. The stock mattress is… fine. But most people upgrade pretty quickly. A 6-inch RV mattreess or similar custom-cut mattress makes a big difference. I also recommend a Froli spring system underneath — it allows airflow between you and the mattress, which helps prevent condensation buildup.
Propane. Ask your dealer to fill the propane tank or swing by a Tractor Supply or similar spot and fill your tanks on the way to the campsite. Don’t assume they came full.
Day One Mistakes That’ll Get You
These are the ones I see come up over and over in the community groups. They’re all avoidable.
Soft-close drawers and cabinets. Every cabinet and drawer in the TAB has a soft-close mechanism with a button that needs to be pushed in and secured before you drive. It’s easy to miss one — and when you do, the contents of that cabinet (or the drawer itself) can come flying out while you’re in motion. I’ve seen people end up with real damage to their interior over something that takes 30 seconds to check.
The fridge power button. On the 360, it’s positioned in a spot where you can lean against it without realizing it. One bump and your fridge is off. What makes it worse is that turning it back on requires holding the power button for a full 5 seconds — so you might press it, think it didn’t work, and move on. Always double-check that it’s running before you leave.
Tongue jack and stabilizers. Before you pull away — every single time — make sure the tongue jack is fully retracted and the stabilizers are up. This one sounds obvious until it isn’t, and the repair bill from dragging a jack down the road is not a fun surprise.
Final Thought
None of this is meant to scare you. The TAB is an incredible little trailer, and most of these things become second nature after a few trips. But that first pickup and first outing can feel like a lot, and having a checklist in your back pocket makes the whole experience a lot more enjoyable.
If you want to watch the full conversation where I go deeper on all of this, you can find the livestream here. And if you’re a new owner with questions, come find us in the community — that’s what we’re here for.