| |
Subject |
Author |
Date Posted |
Forum
|
 |
RE: Jr. backed into the moho
I had a water spigot jump into the side of our coach right under the driver door. I relearned how to do fiberglas repairs on that. If you look, you can see the crack, at least I can. So what.
I use my coach and it has found tree limbs and campground stakes and even an office chair in the middle of the road (that was scary it really was in the middle of a highway). Someday someone will have a lot of fun restoring the body to pristine condition, I just buff it up and keep it looking clean and cared for.
|
xctraveler
|
11/17/08 08:52pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Class A being towed. For those that wonder how..
Not sure where the French/English thing came from it is way OT.
However, French is spoken in Quebec and signage in Quebec is exclusively French. In most of the rest of Canada the primary language is English but French is generally required in school and most signage and packaging is both in French and English. However Canadian is a variant of English that is slightly different from how we speak in the US of A, aye! (I almost forgot about the Acadians in Nova Scotia who also speak French)
|
xctraveler
|
11/17/08 08:14pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Winter Coats etc.
Coat hooks either side of the entry door, wet coats can drip into the stairwell. Often the coats will end up on the chair or sofa while underway if they are dry. If we are in camp and company is coming they get walked back to the bedroom to make room for company on the hooks.
We try to get south quickly enough so this is not a long term problem, but a stop at our children in VA in December-January can result in some coat wearing as can time in the high desert of the southwest. Once we get out of the snow area, serious winter stuff goes into a bin in the basement.
|
xctraveler
|
11/16/08 07:46pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: First Cold Weather Trip
We do plenty of cold weather travel, but without knowing how your plumbing is run it is hard to answer whether you need to do more. Ours is all inboard and there is heat for the utility area from the furnace. we keep a remote thermometer in the utility (wet) area and have never seen the temp go below freezing. When the forecast is for really cold, below 20, I put a 75 watt work light in the bin for extra heat, if I have shore power.
Simple rule is never leave a hose outside. We will freshwater and use the pump. We hook up sewer hose (we have a macerator) and pump when necessary. All hoses are drained and stored when not in use. This is all from lessons learned the hard way on the road.
|
xctraveler
|
11/16/08 07:28pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: how to pump in anti-freeze
I always use the pink stuff and just connect a hose to the vacuum side of the pump which goes into the pink bottle. I would never put the pink stuff in my FW tank, that would be hard to clear and we drink from the tank. Clearing the pipes takes ten minutes. Hook up to fresh water and open the valves or fill the FW tank with water and start using the system.
Note we live in Western NY where it gets COLD and we drive out of this area in the winter and we leave home with FW in the tank and start using the system as soon as we need to. No freeze up problems yet.
|
xctraveler
|
11/16/08 07:18pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Economy forces Class A rethink!
We live 5 to 6 months of the year in the gasser in the signature. When we are not in that we live in 3,500 sq ft 4 story townhouse. The Southwind is just as comfortable for us. Space is plentiful and we have storage and CCC for what we want with us. If I wanted all my possessions I would need a very large trailer.
We have friends who fulltime in the same coach. They own a space in Alberta CA where they have a storage shed for stuff they don't want to drag around with them.
I have the power I need to cross the Rockies and go where I want to go. I am sure a Diesel would ride better, but we are not uncomfortable with the ride of our w22 workhorse chassis and it handles just fine. It is NOT a Corvette or even a Saab Turbo, both of which I owned and loved to drive, but it gets us there and we are not exhausted when we arrive. It is worth considering. I do suspect that in another 95,000 miles I may have to rebuild the engine (currently 56,000 mile) and shocks will be on the agenda soon. All in the cost of use. YMMV but it is worth considering.
|
xctraveler
|
11/16/08 07:10pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Has it changed any?
44 years and counting. We leave when we leave. Last Jan 1 we were thinking about a mid afternoon departure or even leaving early on the 2nd. The weather guy predicted a winter storm for that evening so over breakfast we decided to advance the the departure to late morning on the 1st. We were rolling before noon and didn't forget anything important.
Of course we seldom try for an early departure as we figure 200 miles is a reasonable day's drive. This makes life pleasant and if we decide to sleep in (like til 7:30 or 8) it does not matter much. Of course when we are in work mode at home, the alarm goes off at 5:50 and we are up and moving.
Of course "yes dear" had made the 44 years very wonderful. :)
|
xctraveler
|
11/15/08 09:28pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Sub Zero camping?
I would never leave the valves open. Unless your sewer slinky is a smooth slope to the drain you will freeze the effluent in the slinky. I have personal experience. It was not fun disconnecting and dragging a frozen 15 foot slinky to the dumpster.
We now run a trouble light in the utility compartment which keeps the temperatures well above freezing. We also have a remote thermometer in the same compartment do We can keep track of the temperature without having to go out there.
|
xctraveler
|
11/15/08 09:07pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Work horse question
Thanks everybody for your explanations. So the only time you have to turn off the OD switch is when your climbing a hill and the trans. keeps hunting for a gear?
You don't "need" to turn off the OD even under those conditions. The computers will keep you in the most appropriate gear. Some folk don't like the tranny shifting back up and down as the grade changes so they switch off the OD. My guess is there is s slight extra fuel use to pay for the smoother ride. I generally let the computer do the work, its smarter than I am in optimizing the power/fuel relationship.
|
xctraveler
|
11/13/08 08:05pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: running furnace while driving?
Dash heater will not provide adequate heat on a 20 degree day behind the driver area, if there. Need the furnace to keep the water system from freezing up. Of course with an older coach some of that system may be hanging out in the cold.
My furnace runs just fine while under way.
|
xctraveler
|
11/11/08 07:50pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Work horse question
I let the Allison computer handle all road conditions except long descents. I do not have the grade brake so I have to manually downshift. The shift from 5 to 4 (5 speed Allison) is "turn off the OD" the next downshift is with the shift lever and I turn the OD back ON immediately so I don't forget it an drive on down the road in 4th instead of 5th. Been there, done that, wasted the gas!
|
xctraveler
|
11/11/08 07:46pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Cold Weather Boondocking
I guess this is really a case of ymmv. In the coach in the signature we have dry camped, no hookups, in temperatures down into the low 20's. We run the generator until we are ready to turn in. Over night we run the propane furnace set to 65 and I must have my CPAP running for both of us to be able to sleep. It runs directly off 12 volt - I had a power point put in next to the head of the bed - and draws 1 amp on AC.
I have always had plenty of battery in the morning to start the generator after 6 or 7 hours. My house batteries are a pair of Trojan 6 volts and are original equipment. I do make sure they have adequate water and are kept clean and charged. Other than that I do nothing special.
It is important to run the furnace as it may provide heat to the compartments where the water services are. Also open the doors to the cabinets under sinks to let the heat in, but don't trip over them in the night.
|
xctraveler
|
11/11/08 07:26pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: how fast
We used to run the speed limit up to 70. The last two years we have reduced that to a not to exceed 62 unless rolling downhill.
There are two benefits: the fuel lasts longer and we actually can cover more ground in a day as we stop less and are less tired. It is seldom that we pull out to pass so we relax in the right lane and listen to our book while keeping an eye out for a slower RV.
|
xctraveler
|
11/11/08 07:00pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Has anyone regretted going bigger?
Went from a 33 foot no slide to a 36 foot 2 slide 4 years ago and thought that it couldn't be any bigger.
We cannot go bigger so long as we keep our townhouse. there is a parking spot out back that I just fit into, have to parallel park it and I take up 5 parking places so I don't keep it there for long (Association rules are 7 days, my personal rules are 3 days and I am the Association President).
There are many wonderful parks where G2 is at the limit and a couple where we are too big. In Dockweiler City Park in LA we just fit inside the lines and they do enforce the rules there. Our kids live not too far from there or I would never park there (you can't call that camping) right under the LAX runways.
|
xctraveler
|
11/11/08 06:37pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Travel Buddies?
My best buddy is my wife of 44 years. We travel for extended periods alone. We do use email and phones to connect with people we have met in the past as we travel. We have convoyed a couple of times and it is ok, not our preferred way to travel.
We are the friendly sort and are inclined to wonder around the campground and meet people even if we are going to be there only a night or two. An offer of getting together for Happy Hour seldom is turned down in our experience and it is a chance to see if we are going to be friends or just passing acquaintances. We have several friends who we have crossed paths with many times who we met this way.
|
xctraveler
|
11/07/08 01:59pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: From Mass to Florida in the RV
As far as seat belts etc. When seated in the driving compartment both driver and navigator must comply with the seat belt laws. Navigator can get up and move about, use toilet facilities, prepare a snack, sit on the sofa or nap on the bed. Seat belt positions may be located on the sofa and in the dinette, haven't seen them on the bed (except in Elvis' private plane).
It is my understanding that open container laws apply to the driving area of the coach not to the living area (you define). TV may not be on where the driver can see it, regardless of the programming, front TVs have a lockout on the circuit tied to the ignition for that reason. TV that the driver cannot see, MBR for example, is usable and choice of programming is up to the viewers taste (or lack thereof)
|
xctraveler
|
11/07/08 11:51am |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Windshield & side window glare
Even on a cool sunny day, driving into the sun you will be warm. I guess we have gotten used to the glare. I have vinyl static cling stuff up high on the drivers side for those long westbound trips. Eastbound it is mostly the navigator's problem so it is not a driving issue. We try to stay off the road eastbound early in the morning and westbound late in the day.
If, like us, you are not usually in a particular hurry to get "some place" it gets easier to plan on avoiding the glare by staying off the road when it is bad. If you must travel with the glare affecting the driver, polarized sunglasses and a hat with a big brim can reduce the glare, that is when I wear one of my cowboy hats instead of the baseball caps.
|
xctraveler
|
11/03/08 07:27pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: Coach Goofs
Check lists are wonderful and experience helps, but the presence of a distraction, visitor, grandchild, friendly neighbor can destroy any attempt to get a task done right. My rule is fairly simple, If I am engaging in conversation I am NOT hooking up the tow'd or draining the holding tanks, I am having a conversation.
If I am in a hurry to get underway I will excuse myself and focus on the task. When our son or grandchildren are around we assume every task needs to be done again before we move the coach. Someone might have undone our first attempt.
Of course I am only human and I have backed over corner stakes and brushed trees that appeared out of no place. This summer I missed taking off a mirror by an inch as I was backing past a tree, looked over and saw the mirror next to the tree, moved the wheel a quarter turn right and then back so the mirror went around rather than through the tree. I had an audience which made it more exciting.
Last winter I backed over a water stand pipe that I knew was there, but I got distracted and dewatered the entire campground. I am still waiting for the bill.
Nope you are not alone!
|
xctraveler
|
10/27/08 09:04pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: A Time For Tears
Winterized last week before the temps dropped. It will sit until late December when we will roll out for the formal winterization achieved by driving far enough south that "bridges may ice over first" becomes humorous. We will stop in potentially freezing climes for a visit with all our children and grandchildren in the Charlottesville VA area and then on to the deep south along the border.
|
xctraveler
|
10/27/08 08:44pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
|
RE: How many have pre trip jitters?
I'll admit to a few sleepless nights before we roll on our winter 4 month trip. I am usually reviewing the checklists (making sure that they are all updated) and checking the weather. The latter is most important was we are leaving update NY in late December or early January and driving can be become very hazardous. Last winter we solved it all and left one day early to avoid a forecast major storm.
This decision was made over breakfast as we prepared to pack! We looked at each other and agreed to hurry the packing and be gone by 2 PM. And we were. We got clear of the forecast storm area before dark and the storm never did hit. Got our children's place a day early. I think we were welcome.
Actually knowing where our first stop will be and it will be with our son and his family, greatly relieves any stress.
|
xctraveler
|
10/26/08 07:41pm |
Class A Motorhomes
|
