RE: Class A in this campground is to big with toad...
Hey, Sprig, I'll bet these replies were not the reaction you were expecting when you started this thread.
Navigating an internet forum is even tougher than a tight campground. (Now I can't tell you about the time I *backed* out of a crowded Cracker Barrel parking lot - with my toad attached!)
Jayco Jayflight - opinions from owners...?
My son, who grew up camping with us, is now looking for a TT for his young family (SWMBO + 2 small rug rats).
They like the floor plan of a Jayflight, but our we don't really have any current knowledge of the various travel trailer brands.
Any opinions from owners of the Jayco brand and the Jayflight model in particular?
Any particular trouble spots to look for when looking at one of these?
Thanks for any info.
RE: Where to stay near McGuire AFB...
Well, I'm still open to suggestions...
You guys were correct, my son could sponsor us -- but there aren't any vacancies at the main campground when we're going to be there. They have a secondary campground, "Range 14," but it sounds pretty barren in the on-line reviews - only 20A electric and water, no sewers or bathhouse, just a porta-potty. I really don't think SWMBO will go for that one.
Thanks for the info, Coyote, I'll check out your suggestions.
Where to stay near McGuire AFB...
We're going to visit son's family at the end of May.
He is stationed at McGuire and I haven't had any luck finding nearby places. (No luck with the on-base campground since I am not active/retired military.)
Any suggestions?
RE: Nuances of driving a DP
Those signs prohibit use of "Jake" brakes, which are actually compression brakes, and cause a loud popping noise as they slow the vehicle. If you have an exhaust brake, there is no objectionable noise when it operates. It might be a good idea to turn it off when it is raining, so you don't get any unexpected hard braking on wet roads.
"Economy mode" just changes the transmission shift points slightly, so the engine upshifts sooner on acceleration, and it stays in the higher gear longer before downshifting, when you are slowing. You can leave it on all the time, unless you want to drag race that tractor-trailer next to you at the stop light. Sometimes "economy mode" causes the transmission to "hunt" in gently rolling hills, so just turn it off in that case, until the terrain changes.
Enjoy the ride, its a great way to travel!
RE: wireless backup system
As for testing the unit before installation:
If the camera has built-in infrared LEDs around the lens for night vision, be sure to test it at night. Sometimes a camera that works fine in daylight will blind itself from the reflected glare of the IR LEDs on the inside of the camera's own lens.
RE: HELP! I'm stranded at a gas station in my Monaco DP
I once got charged for showing a shop "mechanic" how to install a air governor. He didn't know how to put it on because it was a different brand and had different air exhaust holes. The old Sealco did not have them and the new Bendix did, but supplied screw in plugs. He was clueless. They charged me labor for showing their own mechanich how to do the job.
And you paid???
The shop gets paid for the use of their facilities (equipment, mechanic's labor, etc.) regardless of whether the mechanic relies on his own knowledge and experience, information from a shop manual, or the 'kindness of strangers' to perform the work.
RE: I want to be able to do SOMETHING
I thought this thread was only good for a laugh... until I read about the dangerous practice of licking an envelop! That was a brand new hazard to me.
Back in the good old days, I believe that we used to refer to folks who worried about envelope-licking, etc., as "prissy" -- it seems like there are a lot more of them now.
RE: Were YOU at Kings Mountain St. Pk, SC, this Wkend?
Two stories:
1. Years ago, I found an envelope containing a pair of first class air tickets in a restaurant parking lot. Being cynical, I assumed that if I turned them in to the airline ticket office, they would just resell them. So, I called the airline, gave them the info, and said to have the passenger contact me directly. Passenger called, I returned tickets, made a new friend. (Only later, did I realize that I probably seemed to be holding the tickets for ransom - ha!)
2. I was standing in line at a restaurant cashier, the guy ahead dropped an unnoticed $20 to the floor. I picked it up, said, "Here, you dropped this." Taking the bill, his response was almost a sneer, "Thanks. I sure wouldn't have returned it to you if I had found it." I was so stunned by this completely unexpected reply that all I could say was something like, "Well, had I known that, I wouldn't have either."
You don't run into people like that often, though, so I still do what my folks taught me way back when, just because it "feels right."
RE: Buying used
Be sure to inspect carefully for water damage. Unless it happens to cause a visible drip, great damage can occur before it is noticed. If you don't know how to look for it yourself, get someone who is knowledgeable about the subject. Only two things will destroy an RV faster than a leaking roof: a fire or a high-speed collision.
RE: Banging in water tanks I think!!!!
Are you dry-camping when this occurs? If so, it might be a slight water leak somewhere, causing the water pump to cycle briefly to bring the pressure back up.
RE: RVs are saving the environment
I recall there was a guy carrying his boat on top of the trailer that was hauling his toad behind the motorhome -- I hope he reads this thread.
He'd better leave his fuel cap loosened, because the fuel that he is saving may lead to a net excess, which might rupture his tank!
RE: Newbie questions - road clearances and such
Truck weighing stations are usually only for commercial rigs. However, in the SouthWest there are some agricultural inspection stations where you will need to stop -- in my experience, these 'inspections', have always been limited to a few verbal queries about whether we have any fresh fruit or vegetables aboard.)
In any case, if you erroneously enter a weigh station, you will usually get a wave-through (accompanied by a bored "Oboy, here's another lost RV-er" look.)
There are other overhead hazards besides low bridges -- watch out for low hanging branches, especially in campgrounds and especially if arriving after dark. I always get out and walk the site I'm backing into first, watching for low-hanging branches or sharp tree stump remnants sticking up out of the round which might damage a tire. Also, be wary parking too close to trees next to where slide-outs will be deployed.
The real danger, though, is simply forgetting about a hazard. I used to work right next to the bridge mentioned earlier, in Durham, NC. People who drove under that bridge in a car everyday can still get into a truck and absent-mindedly smash right into the bridge. If you visit the website, you'll see many, many crashes into that bridge, even while the low-clearance warning lights are flashing. You'll also see a fifth-wheeler who apparently noted the warnings, checked his height, and then slowly and carefully edged under the bridge -- shaving off his forgotten-about TV antenna and air-conditioners!
I once ruined a tire by turning too sharply out of a campsite and catching the sidewall on the corner of the concrete patio slab. I knew the concrete was there, I knew what would happen if I hit it with the tire, and yet, I did it anyway -- go figure!
If you have one, ask your copilot/navigator to issue a verbal alert/reminder when approaching a possible hazard -- a simple one-word "bridge," "tree," or "sign" may do the trick.
Once upon a time, I used to put to sea in a small boat, too. RV-ing is the same thing, really, just... different.
RE: My door squeaks!
Door hinge screws working loose, perhaps, allowing door to sag slightly?
Just for fun, you could wax the rubber seal and the area on the door where it rubs. After buffing, it won't leave any residue on your clothing and your door seal will look nice and shiny, too.
If it is the rubber squeaking, you will have silenced it. If not, then while you were waxing, you had a chance to inspect your door jamb and sill for signs of metal-to-metal rubbing.
RE: Class A Front Window heat loss - need advice
Do the foil as others have said and ALWAYS PUT THE DASH ACND/ HEAT CONTROL TO "OFF" OR "MAX COOL". That is the only setting that closes off the vent so that no outside air can get into the motor home.Or, "Recirculate."
RE: flex steel captains chair
If you have sufficient space, you can just lie down on the floor with a flashlight and look up under the seat as you work the controls.
You may be surprised at the simplicity of the mechanism.
