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RE: Highway Question?
I-160 is a pretty good road but there are some real high climbs and steep descents especially Wolf Creek Pass. The pass is an 8 mile climb with switchbacks, a slow lane, and lots of places to pull off to cool your engine or brakes. We went thru there two years ago in a 34' Journey with a 350 hp Cat and engine brake which we used all the way down the back side going east. Our engine did start to over heat climbing but that was our fault as we forgot to turn off the AC which was on high, however, as soon as we turned off the AC the engine temperature came right down. Watch your engine RPMs climbing and be in the right gear. I'm not sure how a gas rig would do on Wolf Creek Pass but I'm sure plenty have done it. Good Luck and Happy Travels!
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Jackha1949
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05/13/13 10:30am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Buying First Motorhome - Help Please
IMHO for $20K I would look for a 5th wheel and get a truck to haul it or a travel trailer you'd get a lot more for your money. My brother just bought a 31 foot 5th wheel used and it cost him $18K and it is in really good shape. For $20K a motor home would be really old and not in very good shape, plus repairs can be really expensive. 5th wheels and TT can be really nice and you have a lot less maintenance to deal with like no extra engine/trans to deal with etc. My brother and his wife winter in their 5er in the southeast and Fla every year. We went with the MH because we are full-timers and our MH is our only house. Where you are just using it occasionally I think the 5th wheel/TT would be a very good choice for you. Good Luck and Happy Retirement!
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Jackha1949
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05/12/13 01:14pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: black tank flush system question...
How long to flush the tank? I usually let mine flush until the tank is 3/4 full then empty it and do it several times. It usually takes 10 minutes to fill to 3/4 but that depends on your water flow and I watch the tank level indicators really closely. This seems to keep the tank clean and problem free.
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Jackha1949
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05/12/13 12:55pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Advice on full-timer rig needed
Our first MH was a 05 Winnebago Journey 34H model with a 350 Cat and a 6 spd Allison transmission. It was an awesome rig and we loved it. It was really well built and we have very little problems with it. It had two slides and we had two big golden retrievers so we traded for a Horizon 06 40' which had three slides so we had lots more room for us and the dogs. We are full-timers and travel around the country. I don't think you can go wrong with a 34H Journey. Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
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Jackha1949
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05/10/13 12:04pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Oil change
You should change the oil once a year regardless of the miles you drive. My first MH had a Cat 350 and that is what CAT recommended.
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Jackha1949
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05/10/13 11:59am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: the worse built motorhome you can think of
I think you have to look at the MH manufactures reputation and how long they have been in business, that should tell you something of the quality of their product. If a company lacks owner satisfaction they won't be in business long or will go bankrupt. Another thing to look at is, is the MH an entry level or a high end. The fixtures in an entry level rig are not going to be as nice as an high end rig. We looked at a 2011 MH that was new and from a good company, however, the light fixtures in the rig were really cheap like the dome lights on a car and the plumbing fixtures were cheap as well. If you are looking used look for a higher end coach made by a good company that has been well taken care of with good maintenance records. All MH companies/models have their followers who will defend their rigs and get insulted easily, no one wants to be told their MH is substandard which is understandable. If you go to forums with specific MH models like irv2 you can check and see what models have the most complains and make you decision that way. Lots to consider and another good way is just visit lots of RV dealers and poke thru lots of MHs and really take a look at how they are built. Does the MH have solid doors/draws or are they hollow or plywood covered with something, are the fixtures nice or cheap, are the sinks plastic or stainless steel, etc. You can tell cheap from good and check all the nooks, etc especially behind cabinets, etc. Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
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Jackha1949
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05/10/13 11:57am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: If you were a Snowbird, where would you stay?
The warmest area we have found is in southern Texas in the McAllen area and there are lots and lots of RV parks there. We have spent the last two winters there volunteering at a world birding center. My FIL has been wintering there for over 12 years and it is much cheaper than Florida. My brother wintered in Florida and we always had warmer temperatures than he had. The Rio Grande Valley is a great place to winter. Good Luck and Happy Snowbirding!
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Jackha1949
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05/07/13 08:42am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: My wife can't decide, Please Help
We like booths as it does give us extra storage. Makes a great place to store our computer printer and my wife's scrape book stuff. The booth makes a nice sleeping place for the grand kids when they visit. Good Luck and Happy surveying!
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Jackha1949
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05/01/13 03:04pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: new tires
I have had Michelin tires for years on my first coach, on my current coach, and my tow and have never had problems with dry rot. Any tire can suffer from the UV rays of the sun if not covered properly. I do not think the CW knew what he was talking about or he had other tires he wanted to sell/get rid of. If your tires are 7 years old they need to be replaced. I have mine inspected at 5 years and replace them at 7 yrs or earlier. The price of new tires is cheap compared to the damage a blow tire will cause.
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Jackha1949
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05/01/13 02:57pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: surge protector
Surge protectors are cheap insurance against damage to all your electronics in your RV. I have a portable surge guard and it works great. Tells me when the CG power is bad like floating grounds, low power, reversed hots, etc. Camping World has the 50 amp surge guard for about $335 online which is a good deal. Surge protectors are cheap if you consider how much it would cost to replace all your electronics in your RV including microwave, TVs, etc. I have found several CGs that had bad electrical hookups and the surge guard will not let the power in my MH if the power is bad. Good Luck!
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Jackha1949
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04/30/13 08:53pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: satalite problems
You may want to take off the dome cover and check for loose connections. I had the same problem with my K/D and I found the compass board was unplugged. It is a two wire connector that plugs into a small circuit board near the top of the dish. Good Luck
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Jackha1949
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04/30/13 08:40pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Looking at a Winnebago Adventurer. Any known issues?
I think the Winnebago Adventurer is your best choice. The Adventurer is the top of the line for Winnebago gas rigs. My FIL is on his third Adventurer and has had great luck with them and has driven them all over the country. I looked at the 2013 models recently and they look really nice inside and out. I am on my second Winnebago/Itasca MH and love them. We are full-timers and I prefer DP over gas rigs but that is a matter of personal choice. I have been to the Winnebago Factory twice and it is awesome to watch them put the MHs together. Winnebago has been building MHs for over 50 years now that tells you something good about them. Good Luck and Happy Hunting!
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Jackha1949
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04/25/13 09:02am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Nuances of driving a DP
My Horizon also has the 400 hp Cummins with the 6 spd Allison transmission. I use the economy mode when traveling thru flats lands with little hills and turn it off when going thru high hills/mountain areas. I have a two stage engine brake and use the low when in heavy traffic and I use the high engine brake when going thru lots of hills with steep down grades otherwise I leave the engine brake off. Taking off from a stop going up a steep up grade I let the engine/transmission work on its own and don't expect it to take off like a sports car you have lots of weight including the tow. The only time I manually shift the transmission is when climbing very steep mountain passes keeping my RPMs where they should be which helps keep the engine temperature down. I use the engine brake on the down hill side and if needed manually down shift to keep my speed down. Good example of this is traveling thru Wolf Creek Pass on Rt 160 in Colorado. On the matter of cruise control I only use that in mostly flat lands like in Texas for an example. I'm sure you will get used to driving your new rig, just takes some time to get used to it. Good Luck and Happy RVing!
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Jackha1949
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04/25/13 08:52am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Tire replacement on Class A Goodyear or Michelin
I would go with Michelins, but consider I'm a Michelin person as I have them on my tow and my MH. I have always had good luck with Michelins and all my cars, trucks, and MHs I have owned. Good Luck!
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Jackha1949
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04/23/13 03:28pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Bought the wrong motorhome!!!
I have agree with the others, a 32' MH is still going to be 8 1/2' wide very few models are only 8' wide and you really won't know the difference between the two. We went from a 34' 05 Journey DP to a 40' Itasca Horizon and really not much of a difference driving the two. I think you just need to get used to driving the MH. Once you get some miles driving your MH you'll get used to it pretty quickly. The longer wheelbase of your 38' will handle a lot better that a shorter 32' MH. Get use to using your small convex mirrors to keep you centered on the road, once you learn to use your mirrors properly you'll get a lot more comfortable driving your MH. Lazy days has some great videos on their driver improvement section of their website. http://www.betterrving.com/Article/RV_Tips/RV_Driving_Course_Adjusting_Mirrors There are actually 7 videos on better rv driving which are really awesome advice. Once your MH set up properly (dishes, pots, pans, silverware, etc) you can take off on a moments notice for a weekend or longer within an hour or less. Not to mention setup at you camping area is really a quick snap! Your MH has everything you need to boondock, or camping anywhere. Good Luck and Happy MHing!
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Jackha1949
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04/23/13 03:06pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Newbie looking at a DP with questions
Never, ever lift the back tires off the ground with the jacks. The rear tires are where your parking brake is and if you lift the rear tires off the ground the motor home could roll and snap off your jacks. Some people put plastic sheets between the tires and concrete as chemicals in the concrete when wet will affect the tires so I have been told. Good Luck and Happy MHing!
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Jackha1949
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04/20/13 09:09am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: 255 70R 22.5 H 16 PR MICHELIN OR GOODYEAR?
I have always run with Michelin tires on my previous coach and my present coach. I also have Michelin tires on my tow. Yes, they are a bit pricy, however, seeing the tires are the only thing between my coach and the road I want the best I can buy. I would replace 7 year old tires without question especially if you consider the damage that a blowout can cause. Good Luck and Happy Rving!
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Jackha1949
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03/27/13 12:24pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Fleetwood vs Fleetwood
I totally agree with bluegypsy! Fleetwood should supply the part that was supposed to be installed in the coach in the first place. Unbelievable that Fleetwood would advertise that they have been building coaches for generations when in fact they are a new company and the old Fleetwood went bankrupt. I wouldn't have a Fleetwood product if they gave it to me! I really think their workmanship is shoddy especially if you really look in the nocks and cranies of their MHs. You would think just for goodwill they would supply you the part, especially where they probably have lots of them on hand and they are not that expensive. I guess they don't understand word of mouth is the best advertisement for their products. Good Luck and hope you have good times MHing!
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Jackha1949
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03/27/13 12:18pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Slide awning
I have seen people use web strapping to go over the slide toppers and attach them to bungy cords that keep the toppers from flapping in the wind. I have not used this method myself, however, I am thinking of doing it especially here in AZ where the wind can really blow hard and really makes the slide toppers flap badly. My awnings I just bring in when the wind kicks up. Good Luck!
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Jackha1949
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03/26/13 12:38pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: To Buy or Not to Buy.....
There is an expense to owning a class A MH as you not only have the house part but also the engine, transmission, etc. Gas MHs are cheaper to maintain than a DP for sure. A 5er you have the truck to maintain which is a lot cheaper than having a MH with engine and a tow with engine, etc. Winnebago/Itasca, Newmar, and Tiffin all make good MHs and have been in the business for a very long time with no bankruptcy like some of the other MH companies. A friend MHer has a nice gas rig made by Coachman and it looked really nice inside as well. I am on my second Winnebago/Itasca MH, our first a Journey and now a Horizon and we love them. I have been to the factory in Forest City, IA twice and really like the way they build them. My FIL is on his third Winnebago Adventurer and has had great luck with them. Being a full-timer I like the power and ride of the DP, but my FIL likes gas rigs which are cheaper to maintain. One of the beauties of a MH is that you tow a car that has much better gas mileage than a big truck so when you are staying someplace for a while you do save on gas, etc. MHs and 5ers both have their advantages and disadvantages it all comes down to personnel choice. Good luck and Happy RVing!
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Jackha1949
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03/26/13 12:30pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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