Month: May 2017

Hubby wants to confront Walmart camper misfits; wife worried

RV Staff
  Dear RV Shrink: We have been using Walmart parking lots for overnight stays while traveling between destinations. We think this is a wonderful opportunity offered by Walmart. We call them our “Pit Stops.” We do our shopping, laundry nearby and rent a movie from Red Box. They always have an out-of-the-way area that is not too noisy or bright.... Read More

DIY: Safe way to test the ground wire “bond” to the RV frame

RV Staff
  Dear Mike, You talk a lot about RV grounding and bonding, and I understand that the frame of the RV is supposed to be connected to the green ground wire. But exactly how is the ground wire connected to the RV frame and is there a definitive test for this? —Eddie Dear Eddie, Yes, you are correct that the... Read More

Will weight on rear of RV trailer off-balance the rig?

Russ De Maris
  By Chris Dougherty Chris Dougherty is a certified RV technician. Here is a letter he received from a reader while he was serving as RVtravel.com’s technical editor. Dear Chris, We own a 25-foot 2006 Hi-Lo Classic. I’d like to mount a class II hitch and a two-bike rack on the rear of the Hi-Lo. The hitch can be mounted... Read More

Free RV spot? Try caretaking — trade skills, or your presence

Russ De Maris
  By Bob Difley Caretaking takes many forms, such as simply camping at a remote location to deter theft or vandalism or staying on someone else’s property while they are away. This could often entail watering plants, feeding pets or gardening. Usually you will stay in your own rig but have access to electrical and water connections and the use... Read More

Perform your own diagnostics on your vehicles with CarMD

Bob
  By Bob Difley Using CarMD is like having a crystal ball for your car or light truck. We’ve all had that dreaded “check engine” light suddenly cast its ominous red glow from our dashboard. “When your car’s ‘Check Engine’ light comes on,” says online automotive resource Edmunds.com, “it’s usually accompanied by a sinking feeling in the pit of your stomach.... Read More

Forest River’s new policy: Good news or an idiot’s tale?

Russ De Maris
By Russ and Tiña De Maris Perhaps it’s a coincidence, or maybe there really is an RV manufacturer that’s “seen the light” and wants to do something to make peace with the RVing community. Whatever the case, a new move by RV giant Forest River has created a bunch of “unhappy campers” among the ranks of its dealers. At mid-month,... Read More

Plan to RV this Memorial Day weekend?

Chuck Woodbury
  By Chuck Woodbury EDITOR The Recreation Vehicle Industry Association sent out a news release Wednesday that said a survey shows that nearly 14.4 million people in 5.8 million RVs will be on the road this Memorial Day weekend, heading into the country’s 18,000-plus campgrounds. Let’s do our own survey. Will you be in your RV all or part of this Memorial Day... Read More

Try this Oregon Coast nesty forest service campground

RV Staff
  Here’s a question from a reader of RVtravel.com about boondocking.  Hi Bob, We will be traveling down the coast of Oregon this summer and though I know that lots of RVers want to have an ocean view, I thought there might be some interesting campgrounds/boondocking places along the route that don’t have an ocean view but are equally interesting. Can you... Read More

RV Mods: Here’s a use for your fridge front!

Russ De Maris
  By Russ and Tiña De Maris RVers live in small spaces, and making all that we can of that space just makes sense. Much has been said about increasing kitchen storage capacity by adding extra shelves, conquering “dead space” and using your microwave oven as a storage area. But here’s an area that’s rarely thought of: the front of... Read More