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RE: MH Registration in VA
Regardless of what weight rating your tags say the manufactures rated rating on the vehicle data plate is the most that you can carry or tow and still be legal. On the RV in Virginia regular tags cover you up to that rating.
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v_fourmax
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08/16/08 05:41pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Private party sale to another state
I was into a similar situation doing a vehicle trade where the other party lived in New York. We made the deal on a vehicle swap and were meeting halfway in a different state to make the actual transfer.
I could get a transportation permit for myself in my home state to bring the new to me vehicle back home but the New York resident could not get one period, not from New York nor my home state.
Was almost a deal breaker but these were responsible type people so they used my tags and registration and vice versa and mailed each other our tags back. Although it worked out fine with no problems I was very uncomfortable with my insurance covering a vehicle for someone that I did not know other than the contact we had on the vehicle deal. I would not risk and do such a transaction again.
But some states have some really screwed up regulations that there are no easy ways around. Glad I do not live in one of the worse ones.
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v_fourmax
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08/16/08 05:20pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Does it ever Occur....
I for one greatly appreciate the information from these forums. No, I am not yet there as far as fulltiming but preparing to give it a go.
I really have learned a lot here and although I see many post that paint a rosy picture and just say do it I realize there are trials and tribulations to this lifestyle just like any other and I also actually like to hear those sides of the fence as well as it really helps to prepare and maybe try to avoid the pitfalls that could be encountered.
As I look at the economic issues that are a reality in our lives today I do wonder if making a living on the road is perhaps as feasible as maybe a few years ago. Many jobs that are attractive to the lifestyle could possibly be in less demand due to the recreation and tourism industry suffering the effects of slowdown and cutbacks from the current economic woes.
Also as many businesses cut back and you have more displaced workers those workers may be more of a competition as they seek ANY work locally to feed their families which also those of us looking at moving to this lifestyle have an interst in hearing from those already out there.
So most all topics do have valuable information for us wanna be's whether good or bad in which to make decisions on our outlooks and to make our expectations realistic.
Thanks for all the information you guy's and girl's provide!
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v_fourmax
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07/20/08 10:01am |
Full-time RVing
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RE: How to Purchase From A Private Party
A lot depends on the age of the coach and whether it is new enough to still have factory or aftermarket warranty on it. If so make sure it is in fact transferrable and what steps need to be done to do so.
If no warranties are in place it is a buyer beware as once the transaction takes place its your baby whether or not it blows up 2 miles down the road. Make sure to check everything for proper operation and if there is a problem the "its just been sitting" is not the justifiable answer. Things like generators and fridges can get to be mighty expensive repairs quickly.
Check the date codes on the tires and if more than 3 or 4 years old figure that replacements will be needed probably long before the tread is gone and again rather high dollar items. Bring old cloths and spend some time under the coach looking for fluid leaks, rust and the condition of the exhaust system and such.
Most owners if they maintain the coach well will have records of such and show them to you as a positive selling point that the coach has been well maintained. Although not a deal breaker if the PO has only had the coach for a shorter time frame then raise an eyebrow as to why they are getting rid of it and check it even closer as this owner may be tired of dealing with the coaches problems and wants to unload it for that reason. Check EVERYWHERE for evidence of any water leaks as the damage you find will usually not show the true extent of the problem.
Also drive the coach, let it sit and idle in gear with the A/C ON for about 15 minutes after it is up to operating temps and watch the temp guage and oil pressure. Also if the area allows find a good uphill grade in the heat of the day and check the temps and oil pressures while working hard. The temps may climb some which is normal but should stay in the normal operating range. Again these could be expensive to later rectify a problem
Some of the best buys are from motivated private sellers but it is your responsibilty to make sure what you are buying is what you think it is. Not trying to scare you but you are going to probably spend a nice amount of cash and there are bad coaches out there as well as good! I would much prefer buying from a private party rather than a dealer personally.
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v_fourmax
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07/14/08 06:00pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Question about the Alternator on a P-30
One place to look for a high quality, higher amp replacement alternator would be to go to a SERIOUS automotive stereo shop. These guys deal with huge amp draws and there are several companies that offer high quality alternators. I have a Gm based "Stinger" alternator that is 150 amp with an extenal voltage regulator. This thing weighs about twice what a standard alternator weighs.
According to all my research fooling with high end mobile audio from some years ago that an external regulator is the only way to go for high amperage outputs. The good aftermarket alternators have HUGE heavy duty diode packs and external regulators and bolt in to original brackets.
There is also one that is rated at 250 amps and has dual outputs for the batteries. May be a good system to use, one output on the coach batteries and one on the chassis battery. They are spendy however, the 150amp one I have was around 700.00 and the 250 amp (which I actually needed!) was around 1100.00!
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v_fourmax
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07/14/08 05:23pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Downsizing, whos done it
The last MH was a 34' class A, the current is a 30' class A, neither with slides . I lost the dinette that I never used but gained an overhead drop down bunk that I will use mainly for storage and will set it up to not really be noticeable and lockable in the up position.
Main difference I notice is the lack of basement storage on the shorter unit versus the longer unit. I do notice better hill climbing power on the shorter unit and actually a little better fuel mileage I guess due to less weight and both had the same drivetrain.
My camping usually involves more of the state park variety and fishing and I almost always pull a boat when I go. I enjoy the more wooded type of camping experience and the shorter coach opens up many more sites to be available in that respect.
In the not so distant future I plan on "fulltiming" for a while as I am ready to try living somewhere different than the area I have spent my life in and using the mobility to find an area that I feel I would enjoy. I do feel the smaller coach will work as well in that aspect but I am single so in that respect less room is required.
So it really boils down to what your preferences and needs are. If you like the NPS or state parks the shorter unit is a plus no doubt. Also with less square footage your heat and A/C units have less area and it is somewhat easier to keep in the comfort zone. I would say that two people would be the max for a 30' or less coach to not feel cramped.
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v_fourmax
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07/13/08 01:43pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Chev 454 Carb Misfiring -- Help -- Near Wits End
Several post here that all bring up valid points as to the different problems that can exist within the HEI ignition system. Some that was mentioned is the issue of heat soak and electronic parts. I used to work for a national auto parts chain that would "test" parts for customers.
When someone would bring in an iginition coil or a ignition module and want it tested I would tell them that just because the part checked "good" on the bench meant didley and even more so if the vehicle ran okay at first and then started acting up on the road. Many parts will check fine but the connection will open up when it gets to a higher temp. You would be surprised at the amopunt of times a part checked good but a few days later the customer would replace the "good" part and their problem went away.
Again I stress how you are actually fortunate to have the problem and own a vehicle that has the HEI ignition. Personally the hassle and frustration of replacing a componant at a time and still having a problem when the whole system in many cases is just as cheap or cheaper to just replace. I have seen units that there was wear in the bushings on the distributor shaft and the play would allow small changes in the air gap on the pickup and cause random misfires thjat can be very hard to track down. Usually when a control module fails it just will not run or fire. A coil will do what you describe as will a weak wire as mentioned in an earlier post.
Again I recommend just to get a replacement unit that comes complete. Why spend the time, aggrevation and possibly and probably more dollars in the end when a complete new unit cost less than 100.00 and includes everything new including pick up, coil, dist cap and rotor, control module, vac advance and new shaft bushings? Whether you are paying a shop or doing the work yourself an hour or less from start to finish and it is a done deal.
If you buy the coil and a quality dist cap and rotor which would be good candidates for your issues you are probably 2/3's of the price and 2/3's of the work invested to replace the whole thing and then what if it is wear in the shaft bushings that is causing the missfire? See what I am saying? Same theory went years ago with hot rods, small block chevy's and Accel dual point distributors. Replacement points were durn near half the cost of a new distributor and the new distributor included a new cap and rotor with the brass inserts, nobody replaced the points, just throw a new distributor in and be done with it.
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v_fourmax
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07/13/08 12:23pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Chev 454 Carb Misfiring -- Help -- Near Wits End
One nice thing about owning an earlier model coach is they are rather easier to diagnose and repair.
Actually since the GM HEI is the complete self contained ignition system (I also keep a spare in case of on the road troubles) rather than trying to chase down a problem you can obtain a complete replacement quality unit from someone like Jegs that comes with the entire unit, new coil, module, pickup and the brass insert dist cap for less than a $100.00. Just the quality cap and rotor will cost you 25.00-30.00 so these units are a great deal.
Add a set of quality wires like the MSD helicoil wireset at 60.00-80.00, a new set of AC Delco sparkplugs and your entire ignition system will be new for around 200.00 dollars or less. If the problem persist then you can generally rule out any actual ignition system related problems as it would be rare to have the same symptons since ALL the ignition related parts would be new and then you would need to look elsewhere.
A motorhome engine bay runs extremely hot compared to a normal passenger vehicle and thing like really high quality ignition wires are important to keep things operating at an optimum. While you are in there for good measure replace your PCV valve, fuel ( do not forget to check the fuel filter in the carb inlet!) and air filters, check all of your vacumn hoses and replace any that are getting hard and you will have a fresh tune-up to boot and will get the best fuel mileage possible. If you can do the work yourself the whole deal can probably be done for 225.00 total!
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v_fourmax
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07/12/08 01:57pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: South Dakota and CCW
This is a good question and I have wondered also what would be involved. I hace a ccw in a state that SD recognizes the permit as valid in the state and was wondering if presenting that permit may simplify the process?
Any previous dealings in someone going through this would be very helpful and informantive
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v_fourmax
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07/11/08 08:02am |
Full-time RVing
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RE: Goodyear Marathon warranty ???(kinda different)
I would take the new tires under warranty without doubt first off, then if I wanted something different I would pick which brand I wanted and purchase those. If you were to get lucky and buy the other brand from the same dealer get him not mount the new Goodyears and just throw them in the motorhome. You may even get lucky and the dealer will buy the goodyears from you or run them on craigslist as brand new never mounted for about 75-80% of the best price they can be bought for.
They should sell fairly quickly at that pricing and you are only out of the price of one tire for your peace of mind!
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v_fourmax
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07/08/08 04:22pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Danger of Tires >6 years old, ABC News 9 min video revisits
I would not be scared to say that the majority of the sales people at big box stores like Walmart, Sams Club and even Sears do not have a clue as to how to read the code or that possibly even such code even existed on the tires.
I had learned to read the manufacturer date code years ago but because of road racing motorcycles and occasionally when buying racing tires a distibutor would slip in a set or two that was two or more years old and the grip levels on the aged tires was no where near as good as a fresh set manufactured within the last 6 months or so and it got you in a habit of checking the new race rubber when you purchased them.
Normally though I have never looked at my normal passenger car tirs when purchased but never have had any problems. I will say that an extremely aged tire is probably more prone to a problem but I do not think that it is as critical as they want you to believe in that story. They do make it sound as if you have a death wish if you are riding on tires that are 6 years old or older.
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v_fourmax
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07/05/08 11:17pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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Gas Tank Alarm
I had an idea that may work to discourage a thief that may have ideas on relieving you of ownership of the liquid gold in your gas tank.
Most fuel caps today are of the screw on variety and as you screw them on and as they tighten they go down to a lower level. These caps also have a lip that hangs over the edge of the fill pipe.
My thought was to install a plunger type of switch such as those used on the hood or trunk for a burglar alarm switch that would catch on that outer lip of the cap and have it set up when the cap was unscrewed it would raise the plunger on the switch to complete a ground circut and set off a cheap siren or horn when activated. A simple toggle switch could be installed in line either inside the coach or a locked compartment to activate or deactivate the circut.
I would say the average gas thief about the time he had the fuel cap just about screwed off and an alarm started blaring would haul the other way and not give much further thought about taking your fuel with him.
This could be done very cheaply and considering that a full tank of fuel in your coach can easily carry a value of 400.00 or more may offer a little peace of mind security if nothing more. Also by not having a locking gas cap instead most thieves will just be prepared to remove the cap to siphon the fuel rather than punching the tank or cutting your fill hose.
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v_fourmax
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07/05/08 10:38pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Class C vs. Class A
I have a 30 ft class A that has the drop down bunk over the drivers area, fold out couch and rear separate bedroom and can sleep 4 adults and 2 kids. Using the fold out couch does cramp all of the room though.
Before this MH had a 34 ft class A without the drop down bunk and without either converting the dinette for up to two kids or pulling out the couch much more suited to two adults.
Had a 27 ft class C and yes it will work but the class A with the drop down bunk is much roomier feeling. Also the way the doors in the interior are designed on the 30ft class A you can close the bedroom door for privacy and the toilet and shower are across the hall from one another and the door from the toilet will close across the hallway to make the bath full width of the MH and even give you a private dressing room.
Personally with kids I would prefer the set up I have now over the prior MH'S I have owned but each is different. I like the idea of having 2 A/C roof units more for the case if one should fail during a hot summer trip and I also like having an onboard generator as well and these are more commonly found as pretty standard on a class A and although available on a C not quite as common.
Good luck on your search but regardless of what you choose get a big block engine or you will regret it. Gas mileage will end up about the same but you will be able to go up a hill and be running faster than 40-45 when you reach the top.
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v_fourmax
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07/01/08 07:09pm |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: Have Chosen SD as Resident State: Who do you like for mail?
I have been following the threads as far as the SD domicile and I have explored the mail forwarding websites and will definately use one that does not have the "wheel tax" as why pay the extra if not required.
My question is I have seen many recomendations as to getting your "address" well in advance. This I can see, now my question is that as I prepare to go on the road fulltime I have been selling off vehicles that I do not plan to retain and have recently bought an older Motorhome and another motorcycle that will go on the road with me.
Both of the new to me vehicles was purchased recently from private owners in other states and not in my home state and neither has yet been registered. I would prefer of course to do the initial registrations with the state of SD. and go ahead and get the insurance coverage based in SD. as well as then those would be items that could be checked off on the need to do completed list.
As I prepare for this journey of course I have time frames in my plans but plans do not always fall as we envision. Actually I am looking at hopefully 4 months give or take a few weeks. I would like to get the vehicles registered and insured in the near future rather than wait so they would be legally operational.
What would happen in the event that I was a couple of months longer making it out to SD. than the 90 day time frame to get my DL? I am working in my home state and have a residence here until my departure.
Thanks, Bill
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v_fourmax
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06/26/08 06:14pm |
Full-time RVing
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RE: Fulltiming Dreamer
Well an update of sorts, I go pick up an older class A this weekend that seems to be in really good shape.
I am starting to get into some sort of idea of a time frame of 4-6 months of hitting the road for good if things go somewhat as planned. The feelings of doubt that I can succeed in this venture have for the most part faded away and being replaced with the excitement of what lies in the future to discover.
One place I feel really fortunate is I have only told people that are really close to me and are important in my life of my crazy scheme and these people have been very supportive and urge me to follow my dream if it is truly what I want and think I will be happy doing so. I think it helps to make that leap when you have people you think highly of seem to also believe you can be succesful.
See you out there soon!
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v_fourmax
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06/18/08 08:51pm |
Full-time RVing
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RE: WM & Going Green In Their Lots
Maybe Walmart will eventually go green in some of their lots! Perhaps they will take certian stores which have a high rate of boondocking and install coin operated electrical outlets for say 5.00 for 12 hours of electricity and that power is sourced from the solar panels.
Then they will be green parking lots, no generators allowed but give you a good deal in the process! They could then attract more rv shoppers to their lots to increase profits and sales while having a direct income to offset the solar panels cost and maintenience.
Walmart gets slammed a lot but I can say that many items I buy from them such as Coleman camping products, Eagle depth finders which are old American companies are made outside the USA and is that Walmarts fault that American companies do not sell made in America products any more?
I wish our government was ran by Walmart, they do know how to cut waste and run efficently! I bet a lot more people are satisfied and happy with Walmart than the crooks in D.C.!
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v_fourmax
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05/21/08 04:48pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Fulltiming Dreamer
I agree as far as needing a more substantial job than just the typical work camping type of income. I guess that using job related "skills" that have been acquired during the stick and brick type of lifestyle and hopefully finding a situation that will allow those to be utilized while at the same time fulfilling the wants of a lifestyle that I seek.
Basically I want my cake and to eat it too as do most. I guess that in a "perfect" case scenario that I would be able to locate a facility that their business centered around a marina, boat service and parts department and maybe a campground that had a pretty good camp store business as I have a lot of experience in management, convenience type store operations and also quite a few years in a parts sales environment. Not to mention in my younger years I also made my living turning wrenches on auto's and could wing it pretty well as a service writer that knows how to talk to the customers and help them understand what service they need and why. Just more interested in applying that to the marine end and not automobiles any longer!
To make that perfect would be able to find two seasonal jobs with a summer and winter location that I really liked to be able to flip back and forth! I really am not looking to constantly move around but yet go to areas different than where I live and experience and enjoy the differences. I think the biggest obstacles will be locating the types of facilities I have in mind in areas that I think I would want to be.
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v_fourmax
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05/19/08 08:00pm |
Full-time RVing
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RE: Fulltiming Dreamer
It is nice to hear from people that have done this and been successful in their new adventures. I have had this idea for a long time but the last couple of years I just cannot get it out of my head!
I really have nothing tying me down any longer as my family has for the most part is deceased and my daughter lives in another city. Regardless it is still a bit of apprehension involved with the thoughts of taking the plunge and then it not working out as envisioned.
I do have some past experience as far as rving is concerned only in a vacation type of sense as in the past I have owned several class c's and a class A Pace Arrow. I know that the room for living comfortably will be no problem in a 34-36' class A. Mainly adapting to not having room for excess "stuff" will be the hardest I think from that aspect but in many ways I know what I think is important to me and that can be accommodated within the room available okay I think. Actually realistically I think that simplifying my life with having less will be somewhat of a relief and exciting! Sort of a sense of accomplishment.
I guess my goal is although I still must work that I want my life outside of work to sort of be a vacation most every day with living at or near nice lakes and away from much of the mad mad world!
I do value the opinions and ideas that I am getting here and all advice from all angles is very useful and appreciated!
Bill
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v_fourmax
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05/19/08 06:44pm |
Full-time RVing
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Fulltiming Dreamer
I have been a lurker on this forum for some time and want to say Hi and thanks for some of the great topics that are discussed here.
I want to be a fulltimer hopefully within the next year or so although my needs are different from most here. I am not even close to retirement nor have the finances to not be able to work to support myself and the lifestyle I choose. I like the concept of being able to live in and move around to different areas of the country and live around lakes and nature and in some aspects feel as if when I am off from work home is like being on vacation.
I see some of the budgets posted here for the fulltiming lifestyle and I wonder if my ideas are really feasible but then I am single and do not need a lot of excess to enjoy life!
I really do like reading much of what is posted on this site, Thanks!
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v_fourmax
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05/18/08 07:06pm |
Full-time RVing
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