NoBo Notes

Info on No Boundaries Travel Trailers

Last updated: 06/26/2024

I compiled this info from the Facebook discussion groups while I was researching for my own NoBo. I decided to make it into a public website to share it because a lot of people have the same questions. A lot of this info also applies to the R-Pod, Rockwood Geo Pro, and Flagstaff E-Pro trailers because those are made on the same factory production lines and they share a lot of the same components.

For the products listed there are usually many other similar products available, but I'm mostly just listing the one or two best products that I've found for each item to keep things simple.

Most of this is directly from comments and posts in the Facebook groups and other forums, so the credit for most of this info goes to all the people who have shared helpful advice.

Questions/suggestions/corrections/comments? Contact me at nobo@meplanet.net.

NoBo

Discussion Groups

Information Resources

Before Picking It Up

Initial Inspection Checklist

Problems to check for before you pick it up from the dealer or private seller.

Build Issue Checks

These are build issues that people have come across that are mostly easy to fix but it's a good idea to check them before they become a bigger problem.

Necessary or Highly Recommended Accessories

Recommended Accessories

NoBo

Optional Items and Modifications

Water Items

Electrical/Electronic Items

Kitchen Items

Bathroom Items

Misc Interior Items

Misc Exterior Items

Camping / Non-trailer Items

Tools to Carry With you

(From the Forest River owner's manual) Phillips, square head, and regular slotted screw drivers, pliers and crescent wrench, a bubble level, open-end wrenches (that fit the water and gas line fittings), a tire pressure gauge, electrical tape and a flashlight.

Also: A shovel (for digging out stuck wheels, or sometimes needed to make the stairs level).

How to Use It

Towing

(Not yet finished.)

Water Heater

Before using the water heater the first time, check water heater bi-pass valves. Top and bottom valves open (valve handles parallel with water line and middle valve closed) before turning water heater on. The bypass valves are usually located inside a compartment inside the trailer.

Once water is running out of the cold and hot water faucets (this means your hot water tank has water in it), you need to turn on the hot water heater.

You can have both propane and electric on for the hot water heater at the same time if you want it to heat the water as fast as possible.

Gas Stove

First make sure the stove vent fan flap is open. It has a flap on the outside of the trailer that can be opened and closed.

Older model Nobos don't have an igniter built-in, for those you have to light it with a regular lighter, plasma lighter, or flint striker. If you're using a lighter, start the flame, and then turn the nob to "lite" and light it and adjust the flame. If you're using a flint striker, turn the nob to "lite" and then quickly spark it to light the flame.

Outside griddle (grill)

The griddle/grill needs to be "seasoned" so it will be non-stick and not rust. A properly seasoned griddle will have a dark black slick coating on it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ObfNehFs8Nw

Fresh Water Tank

Used to hold water if you're traveling somewhere without water hookups.

Shower

Refrigerator

Convection/Microwave Oven

Propane Tank

Furnace

Air Conditioner

Retractable Awning

Be sure to roll it up completely any time there may be wind gusts, and always at night or any time you aren't at the trailer. There have been incidents of wind guts ripping the awnings, or tilting the trailer.

Outside Lights

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Stairs

The stair length is adjustable with a pin that is in each stair leg. See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HXb6UW7GV8.

Tank Heaters

They're for use in freezing weather to keep the tanks from freezing. They're 12V so they will work on shore power or battery power. Make sure there is at least some water in the tanks before turning the heaters on to avoid possibly damaging the tanks from the heat.

Backing Up

Draining the Waste Water Tanks

Draining: Make sure the valves are still closed, open the drain cap, connect your sewer hose, drain the black water tank first, then the grey water tank.

Tank flushing: It's a good idea to use the "black tank flush" at least some of the time when you drain the black tank to clean the tank and to keep the black tank sensors clean so they work properly. Connect a hose to the black water flush port and flush the blank tank to clean it out. Make sure your black tank drain is open and flowing when flushing the tank so you don't overfill it and make a mess inside the trailer.

Finishing: Close the valves. Flush a toilet to add some water to the black water tank and add a dose of Happy Campers Tank Treatment or another tank treatment. People recommend that you always keep at least some water in the black tank because it's easier to keep clean if it doesn't dry up.

Winterizing

If you live in an area where the temperatures drop down to the mid to low 20s and you aren't heating the trailer, the freezing temperatures can freeze water in the pipes and fixures and cause damage. You should winterize it to keep the pipes from freezing.

Winterizing by blowing the lines out with an air compressor: (This is an optional method, you can just use RV anti-freeze instead.) Locate and open all the low point drains under the trailer and take off the caps to drain them. Put the caps back on and close the low point drains when they're done dripping. Open all faucets, hold flush valve on toilet open for a minute or so until no more water comes out. Close all the faucets. Hook compressed air fitting like this one that can also be used to pressure-test the plumbing to the "city water" hose connection. Set the compressor to 25-30 psi. Open all faucets one at a time, close when only air comes out of the spout. Hang down the shower head hose to drain. Remove compressed air fitting from water service. Add 1 pint of RV anti freeze to all drains and toilet. Put back the caps on the low point drains.

De-winterizing in the spring: Double check the antifreeze fill valve is closed. Hook it up to city water and run water through all the faucets until the water is clear. Open the low-point drain valve under the trailer until that water runs clear. Make sure there's no antifreeze in the fresh water tank.

Removing the Underbelly Covering

The underbelly of Nobos is covered with a corrugated plastic covering material (sometimes called "coroplast"), attached with rivets (they look like bolts but they aren't easily removed and can't be reinstalled). (Never model Nobos may have an underbelly that is now attached with screws!) To remove the underbelly covering you can use an impact wrench with a socket adapter that fits on the rivet head. Most of the rivets will break when you try to remove them. If there is part of the rivet still stuck in the hole, you can use a hammer and a nail-punch tool to punch them out of the hole. In some cases even that won't work and you may need to use a drill to drill a new hole next to the old one to use to reattach it.

To reinstall the underbelly, you can replace the rivets with screws and washers. For example Teks #9 1" screws with 1/4 x 1" stainless washers.

Water Leak Testing

If you suspect the trailer could have a water leak somewhere, for example if it was in freezing weather and it wasn't winterized, there is info about how to pressure test the water system here using a device that you can buy here.

Using a Jack / Changing a Tire

If you need to change a tire or lift a wheel off the ground to grease the bearings or any other reason, if you have a 2-axle model you can just drive it up on to blocks set under one of the wheels. That will lift the other wheel off the ground.

If you have a 1-axle model or need to use a jack, here is how you can do that. A bottle jack, such as a a 6 ton bottle jack is a good choice. From the manual: "To avoid damage to your RV, be sure the jack is placed firmly against the chassis frame and place it as close to the spring hangers as possible." What that means is the jack goes under the frame (the square metal that runs around the whole trailer, as close as you can reasonably put it to where the wheels/axle is.

Note: If tyou have Beast Mode suspension, the process may be different.

Battery Shut-off Switch

The battery shut-off switch is a red square shaped on/off switch that is usually located on the outside front of the trailer somewhere near the batter. It disconnects the battery from the trailer (except solar charging, which is always connected to the battery). You can leave it on at all times, except you should turn it off if you're storing the trailer long term at a location where it can't be plugged in to maintain the battery charge.

Solar Power

Factory-installed roof solar option

Maintenance

Anode The anode rod doesn't need replacement until there is almost no metal left on it.

Misc Parts Supplies

Solutions to Common Issues

General RV Info

Campsites

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Questions/suggestions/corrections/comments? Contact me at nobo@meplanet.net.