| |
Subject |
Author |
Date Posted |
Forum
|
 |
RE: What are these? And do they need replacing?
AS long as your breakers work, that's all you can ask of them. No reason to fix anything that works. If you HAVE to replace them on the road, do it then.
|
skipnchar
|
05/18/13 07:59am |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: What's in your tool box?
Basic tools are all that you will most LIKELY need. It would be IMPOSSIBLE to make a good guess, which items beyond that you might need. Remember, you're not leaving civilization so if you DO need something specialized, it's available close to anywhere you are. Probably the cost difference will be less than the cost of loading down with everything you might POSSIBLY need and dragging it along with you.
Good luck / Skip
|
skipnchar
|
05/18/13 07:55am |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: Charger at campground?
IF it works at home (I assume with no major DRAW on your batteries) it will work the same in the campground. Batteries last the LONGEST when they are kept at a steady state rather than discharge then charge. Those "cycles" are the determining factor in a battery getting old and failing. That's why it takes a MUCH better battery for your RV than for your car or truck. Starting batteries don't live long in RV use.
|
skipnchar
|
05/18/13 07:52am |
Travel Trailers
|
|
RE: Soy Sauce Substitute ???
I can only tell you that Soy Sauce is NOT a good substitute for "Worcestershire sauce" when making a bloody mary. Neither is it a good idea to not put your glasses on when mixing one :)
|
skipnchar
|
05/18/13 07:45am |
Camp Cooks and Connoisseurs
|
|
RE: McGyver stories
ON our returning trip from Alaska, our slide room no longer operated via the motor. The problem with a deep slide is that when it's CLOSED, it takes up MOST of the room inside the RV. We found that it took 200 revolutions when hand cranking the slide open or closed so getting it to work as it was supposed to was high on my list. We had been hand cranking it since leaving Tok a couple of days earlier. Stayed in our overnight boondocking site north of Whitehorse on the Klondyke highway, for a couple of extra hours the next morning, to try and solve the problem but there was NOWHERE to get any help or even purchase parts. Pulled the inspection opening in the belly pan down and found that the top of the motor operating the slide room had simply vibrated loose and was lying inside the belly pan. With the help of a magnet on a stick, lots of stretching and muttering some bad words, I was able to retrieve MOST of the parts. The one thing I was missing was the little springs that hold the brushes in contact with the armature of the motor and without those springs it wasn't going to work. After searching through all of the misc. stuff that accumulates in the bottom of my tool box and parts drawer in the pass through, I found nothing that looked like it would work.
Finally I found an old ball point pen and took it apart to find that the spring was pretty close to the right size. It was also long enough that I could cut it in half and make a spring for the other set of brushes. Put it all back together and the motor worked perfectly (and still does today after three more years of use).
Best thing of all was that DW gave me some "points" as she was both impressed (and relieved) that she didn't have to take her turn at cranking the slide in or out. Not exactly a McGyver story but about as close as I can come.
|
skipnchar
|
05/18/13 07:30am |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: hot water heater
Your cold water heater is guaranteed by it's manufacturer not your RV dealer and the CLOSEST RV repair facility would be able to repair it under warranty. Not many live 2500 miles from the nearest RV dealer. In a worst case situation you MIGHT have to pay for it then get reimbursed for the repair but if that is the case, call the manufacturer (Atwood or Suburban) and get prior authorization to avoid issues later. :)
Good luck / Skip
http://www.atwoodmobile.com/water-heaters.asp
http://www.suburbanwaterheater.net/
|
skipnchar
|
05/18/13 07:15am |
Tech Issues
|
|
RE: How to plan??
I think there have been maybe a dozen or so nights where we made a reservation ahead of time and THOSE times were holiday weekends. Travel is supposed to be fun (and in our case, spontaneous) and laying down plans like reservations means you're NOW on a schedule. Be a little bit flexible and it's rare you can't find a place to stay. so far I've been SOMEWHERE every night and I've NEVER stayed in a parking lot though I have used some highway rest areas for an overnight.
|
skipnchar
|
05/17/13 07:09pm |
RV Lifestyle
|
|
RE: question on towing my featherlite-hitch weight?
Sounds about right but remember you won't be TOWING around an empty trailer so it'll weigh more than that once you put your personal stuff in the trailer. At a MINIMUM it should be 10% or greater and could be as heavy as 15% of the GVWR of the trailer. Weighing it is the ONLY way to know for sure what it'll weigh when loaded. For what it's worth, there are a LOT of half ton trucks that can't tow their rated weight because they hit the payload limits before reaching it. Keep in mind though, each pound of people, cargo etc. reduces your max trailer weight pound for pound.
|
skipnchar
|
05/17/13 07:05pm |
Hybrid Travel Trailers
|
|
RE: question on towing my featherlite-hitch weight?
Sounds about right but remember you won't be TOWING around an empty trailer so it'll weigh more than that once you put your personal stuff in the trailer. At a MINIMUM it should be 10% or greater and could be as heavy as 15% of the GVWR of the trailer. Weighing it is the ONLY way to know for sure what it'll weigh when loaded.
|
skipnchar
|
05/17/13 07:04pm |
Hybrid Travel Trailers
|
|
RE: "Pocket Hose" reviewed on Consumer Reports
I've never seen one that was for drinking water even. Using lead solder would make it unsuitable for drinking water purposes. So you can carry an extra hose that can't be used for potable water OR you can carry an extra potable water hose and STILL use it wash the car, squirt the dog etc.
|
skipnchar
|
05/17/13 06:59pm |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: Payload capacity for typical class C
It all depends on how large the MH is that's ON the 450 chassis. Weigh the RV and subtract from the GVWR OR the payload is often posted in the door posts of newer trucks. Problem with that number is that it won't include the house itself. Weighing is probably the only way to tell OTHER than asking the dealer for their specs from manufacturer.
|
skipnchar
|
05/17/13 06:56pm |
Class C Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Another steep driveway question
It isn't going to do any harm to your axles to level without the ramps. If it couldn't stand the forces you couldn't drive it up the hill in the first place.
|
skipnchar
|
05/17/13 06:54pm |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: Mosquitos!
DEET products are one of the few PROVEN effective repellants. LOTS of superstitions about things that smell good, taste good etc. (mainly because people don't LIKE the way deet feels, smells or tastes and they'd rather get bitten than handle something unpleasent. Kind of like going fishing with Balogna as bate :)
|
skipnchar
|
05/17/13 06:52pm |
General RVing Issues
|
|
RE: What do you think about having to have a Prescription
Usually is not necessary UNLESS you have insurance that is paying part or all of it. It isn't a LAW that an RX is required it's an insurance company rule so if you choose NOT to get one they just won't pay. There are probably SOME prescription foods that could be harmful but I don't know of any myself. I PERSONALLY think it's ridiculous to try and govern pets diets since many will dig up all KIND of stuff that can't be good for them and eat it all the time. My dog will turn up her nose at "Fresh Pet" but will dig up a neighbors cats excrement and eat that without pausing.
|
skipnchar
|
05/17/13 06:46pm |
RV Pet Stop
|
 |
RE: Pets are NOT to be left unattended... what??
Yes that is what it means. Everyone I know who does it anyway says "MY DOG DOES NOT BARK WHILE I AM GONE" SEVERAL of them are correct :)
|
skipnchar
|
05/17/13 06:44pm |
Beginning RVing
|
|
RE: Dogs welcome in Yellowstone??
Yellowstone is a VERY pet friendly park. They take extraordinary steps to assure your pets will be safe while visiting there. Dogs may be walked on a leash in any campground, parking lot or on the roadway but are NOT allowed in the back country or on the side walks at attractions MUCH more their their safety than the safety of the wildlife.
|
skipnchar
|
05/17/13 06:42pm |
RV Pet Stop
|
|
RE: Portable Satelite Dish, Is renting a option
You can PURCHASE a used one for about $10.00. Contact a local installer and see if he doesn't have some for sale. Probably won't get an HD model but who needs HD when camping? I made my own dish STAND also, out of PVC pipe and it cost less than $10.00 also.
Good luck / Skip
|
skipnchar
|
05/17/13 06:40pm |
Travel Trailers
|
|
RE: loading up your travel trailer
The only thing we'd need to PACK in the trailer for up to a weeks stay is groceries. Clothes for the season, toiletries, towels and linens are all kept in the trailer at all times. When we return from a trip everything is washed and returned to the trailer (dishes are already done as we use them) and we inventory items like toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning materials and non perishable food items that are also kept in the trailer and replenish them as necessary so we're ready to go whenever the next trip is. Give us about a half hours notice and we're out the road :)
|
skipnchar
|
05/17/13 06:36pm |
Hybrid Travel Trailers
|
|
RE: Better route from West Coast to East Coast
Neither of those routes would be mountainous in any but the BROADEST definition of the term. Truckers often use I-80 for just that reason, few mountain grades to deal with.
Good luck / Skip
|
skipnchar
|
05/16/13 08:48pm |
Roads and Routes
|
|
RE: CAMCO EAZ-LIFT
How high are you jacking the rear of your truck up when you latch up? I'm a little confused by some of your comments about putting too much weight on the rear as the PURPOSE of any WD system is to REMOVE weight from the rear and switch it to the front axle and back to the trailer axle :H You should adjust the hitch so that when latched the spring bars are approximately parallel to the trailer tongue frame AND with enough weight transferred to REMOVE the excess weight from the rear which will, at the same time lower the front end by replacing the weight lost by pressing down on the rear. Usually that is accomplished by latching up about the middle of the chain.
Also consider that in order for everything to work correctly the spring bars ALSO need to be correctly sized for the trailer. Generally I recommend using 15% of the trailers GVWR (the heaviest the tongue will ever be) as the weight of the spring bars. Come as close to this weight as possible without being UNDER that weight.
Good luck / Skip
|
skipnchar
|
05/16/13 08:44pm |
Towing
|
