Check your RV tires with this handy gadget

This RV "tire checker" is conveniently located at the entrance of this 5th wheel. It's attached to the wall with hook & latch straps at the top and bottom for easy access. By thumping on a tire you know is properly inflated you can then get a "feel" for how they sound and respond to a tap from this baseball bat. It's a simple tire checking device and can also be used in various other capacities. Swinging for the RV bleachers - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Should you pull over and wait out a severe rainstorm?

Recently we were driving through the Upper Peninsula of Michigan and experienced two Texas style rainstorms in one day. The first encounter found us driving the motorhome, enjoying the day, when it started getting cloudy. Next it began to sprinkle, followed by rain, followed by sideways rain. It was so bad I pulled off the road into a large gas station with extra parking to wait it out. It was raining so hard my coach windshield wipers couldn't keep up and I could no longer drive safely. Mrs. Professor appreciates it when I do this and since we have a fully self-contained RV we can have a snack, relax and enjoy the moment even while being pelted. Weather reporting being what it is, you never know in what kind of predicament you'll find yourself. Keep in mind that driving on a wet highway can lead to hydroplaning and loss of control. It also increases your stopping distance and if there is an accident around the next corner you might become part of it if you don't take adequate precautions. Slow down, turn on your headlights and, if necessary, look for a safe place to turn off the road. You can afford to wait out a storm until it's safe to travel again. Stay safe and well - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RVers head for shelter as tornado bears down

We are staying at the Indiana State Fair Grounds RV park in Indianapolis. Last night tornado sirens sounded and we headed to our designated storm shelter. In the midwest many RV parks have either a dedicated storm shelter or a building with a basement which does double duty. The National Weather Service and local TV and radio stations will warn you in advance of approaching storms with tornadic potential. This advance notice will help you prepare for the worst. First of all you need to know where the nearest designated shelter is located. Next prepare your RV by lowering the TV antenna and retracting the awnings and slides. The wind gusts associated with these storms will blow your awning into the next county and hail will puncture holes in your slide out awnings. Grab a sturdy plastic grocery sack or other suitable bag and throw in a couple bottles of water, your cell phone, a flash light, a couple granola bars, medicine, money, portable radio, dog leash and anything else you might need. Set this bag by the door. If the warning siren sounds or the National Weather Service directs you to seek shelter you’ll be ready to go. If you are not prepared and the warning sounds go to the shelter anyway you can always replace your stuff but a tornado will kill you. We spent a pleasant and somewhat anxious evening in the shelter with our fellow RVers as it rained sideways outside. Our RVs weathered the storm but a shot distance from the park an apartment complex was devastated by the tornado. Being prepared is your best insurance against calamity. Helping keep you safe - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RV Safety Alert Could Save Life And Limb

RVers use a great deal of propane and so do drug dealers. The problem is drug dealers who manufacture methamphetamine, also known as "crank" the popular illegal drug that rots your teeth, are using exchangeable propane bottles to store anhydrous ammonia during the manufacturing process. When they return the bottles to the exchange rack at the store they are endangering future users because they have compromised the safety of the brass valves. A blue-green color on the brass service valve is evidence that it may have been in contact with anhydrous ammonia. Here is what the safety bulletin says, "The brass valve in a propane cylinder will be damaged if it comes in contact with anhydrous ammonia. This deterioration will lead to cracking of the valve body or its components and can ultimately result in a violent, unexpected expulsion of the valve from the cylinder, causing personal injury or death." Sounds serious to me and you can see photos and read more about it at the National Propane Gas Association website here: Safety Bulletin The best advise is to refill your own propane tanks and not use an exchange bottle. However if you do use exchange bottles or pick one up at a yard sale be sure the brass valve is not a blue-green color. Hat tip to my friend Bruce Suckow for the lead on this article. Keeping an eye on your safety - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RV Safe Haven In Times Of Tragedy

RVers have a huge edge during times of disaster because they are mobile and self contained. In fact aid workers who rush to disaster areas often rely on RVs to support them while they give support to others. I reported on this topic in RVers Respond To Emergencies Faster Than FEMA! I am completely and utterly incensed at how the Burma government is not handling the emergency situation there. The UN estimates over 100,000 casualties and a BBC reporter in the region says he is seeing little sign of government help and foreign aid workers are banned from the area. In my opinion this intentional lack of action and barring of outside help is tantamount to genocide. China on the other hand is rushing aid to earthquake victims and has invited outside help including Japanese teams of sniffer dogs to help locate survivors. China is a long way from embracing the RV lifestyle, but they have begun to manufacture some RVs. I envision that in the next 30 years RVs will be more common there. In the meantime almost 5 million people are homeless and the Chinese government is working to provide them with shelter. So here is the crux of this article - what will you do if a huge natural disaster hits your neighborhood? Are you prepared? Is your RV set up and ready to go in such an event? Trust me, if you read this article and take the steps to make your RV disaster ready you'll sleep better. If you actually have to use it for such a purpose you'll be grateful. Here are some of the most important things you need to do to make your RV disaster ready. Keep a full fresh water tank (change it out every few months to keep it clean and fresh), full tank of fuel, pantry stocked, medical supplies including enough prescription drugs to get you through a couple of weeks. Charged house batteries, full propane tanks, generator and fuel and a few tools. Keep in mind that many of your neighbors will not have prepared and you will be in a position to help them out. Americans typically rise to the occasion in emergency situations and help each other. However, judging from the response from some folks during the Katrina disaster this isn't always the case so be prepared for anything. If you don't have an RV get one! If you can't afford one, then get a tent and the necessary camping equipment. Get yourself and your family prepared, stay prepared and hope you will never need to use your RV in a disaster scenario. Remember Murphy's Law, "Whatever can go wrong will go wrong, and at the worst possible time, in the worst possible way." Advance preparation is the antidote for Murphy's Law. I also recommend checking out a few disaster preparation websites for more ideas. An RV will dramatically increase your comfort and survivability in the aftermath of a natural disaster. Be prepared! Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RVs Sharing The Road With Truckers

RVers and Truckers share something in common besides the road. We both have control of large and heavy vehicles which require more forethought when maneuvering through traffic. Today's smart and safe RV tip is to merge into the center or left lane when approaching a truck weigh station. The next time you come to one of these commercial transport weigh stations you'll notice the truckers who don't pull off moving into the center or far left lane. They do this because they know chances are high a truck will be emerging from the re-entry ramp on the other side of the weigh station as they pass by. They are too large and heavy to accelerate or brake quickly and if another vehicle is in the left lane preventing them from moving over it could create a problem. So to avoid all this, they simply move over well before they get to the weigh station re-entry ramp. RVers should follow suit and practice this same safety procedure. Driving with at least one eye on the road - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RV Park Speed Limits Help Keep Everyone Safe

Most RV parks have a posted speed limit from 15 to 4.6 miles per hour. I have a hard time driving 4.6 miles per hour because my speedometer is hard to read at that speed range, so I just go slow. RV parks that are paved with wide streets are usually posted somewhere between 15 and 10 miles per hour. You’re not kicking up dust and the paved streets deliver better breaking action so you can make an emergency stop in a shorter distance. Unpaved campground roads will almost always be 5 miles per hour. Driving slowly through an RV park or campground is important because you never know when a child will ride his bike across the street or come flying out from behind a parked car chasing a frisbee. Motor vehicle accidents occur all to frequently in RV parks and campgrounds because people fail to use common sense and employ safe driving habits. I see people do the craziest things while driving through RV parks. I’ve seen people back their RV’s into bushes and trees, poles and other vehicles. I’ve witnessed people racing though the RV park like they were on their way to the emergency room - which is where they’ll end up if they keep driving like that. In campgrounds people are riding bikes, walking pets, jogging and in-line skating so it’s always a good idea to look over both shoulders and check your mirrors as you back your car or pick-up out of your camp site. Pedestrians are relaxed in the campground setting and their guard is down, so it’s even more important that drivers be safety conscious. Helping you have an enjoyable and safe camping experience - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Thunderstorms Can Hammer Your RV

April is the Time of year when many RVs are on the road moving from the southern United States northward. This is also the time of year that lines of thunderstorms string from Canada to Texas and back. As an Air Force Navigator I threaded the EC-135 “Looking Glass” through many lines of thunderstorms in the Midwest. A thunderstorm will tear up an aircraft by wind shear and hail damage. Air Force regulations restricted us from flying within thirty miles of a thunder cell as “painted” on our radar. The reason was because hail generated inside the cell can be thrown 25 miles away from the center of the storm. That explains why you can be driving down a dry road on a bright and sunny afternoon and suddenly be pelted with hail. The damage looks like someone took a ball-pean hammer to your vehicle. Hail can range in size from a pea to a softball and can ruin you day. So what can you do to avoid damage from thunder storms? The first thing you need to do is look at your watch. Most thunderstorms build during the day and begin their fireworks in the late afternoon. So, if you get a good weather report and know where the thunderstorms have a high probability of forming, make sure you avoid the area (especially in the late afternoon). If you are unfortunate enough to be caught in a hail storm you should pull off the road and wait it out. This will help minimize the damage because the velocity of the hail will be reduced by the speed you were traveling. It’s even better if you can pull off under an overpass or a gas station awning. You should also be aware that thunderstorms generate intense winds including spawning tornadoes. I shouldn’t need to say this, but if you see or hear a tornado nearby, take shelter immediately. If you are RVing through the Midwest you need to ask your RV park manager for the location of the nearest storm shelter. Many Midwest RV parks have shelters inside the park. You should also inquire as to how RVers will be alerted to take shelter. Sometimes the manager will come knocking or sound an alarm from the office such as a siren or bell. A good weather radio and a great insurance company are two essentials when traveling through the Midwest during thunderstorm season. Helping you play safe on the RV road - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Oh The Things You See From Your RV

We're RVing in southern Texas and while driving from Del Rio to McAllen we captured this photo.
I should be immune by now, but for some reason I continue to be amazed at what I see moving down the road. This fellow is obviously an outdoor metal furniture vendor and has probably transported his wares like this hundreds of times without incident. I do get nervous when an old truck with multi-colored hood and doors and no tailgate comes flying by with junk stacked to the sky held in place by some flimsy cord. Frequently the driver attempts to conceal the junk with the ubiquitous blue tarp. Within a few miles the tarp shreds and flails in the wind as trash blows out the back. I've seen numerous items fall off these junk haulers and go sliding down the road. I usually slow down or change lanes or pass in order to give myself a safety corridor. The other day a commercial truck was attempting to pass me on the left when I noticed a long piece of re-bar protruding about six feet into my lane. Had I allowed him to pass me I would have had a nice long gouge in my RV. I stepped on the accelerator and jumped on CB channel 9 and told him what was happening. He pulled over and took care of the problem and my paint job is still intact. I would be interested in hearing from you about some of the unusual things you've seen while on the RV road. Just double click the blue "comments" below and tell us your experiences. Knuckleheads abound on the road today so when others drive offensively your best bet is to drive defensively. Leave yourself plenty of room to maneuver and stay alert at all times while behind the wheel. Helping you stay safe and arrive in one piece - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Low Cost RV Security System In Your Pocket

Want an easy to install RV security system? Pull your keys out of your pocket and look at the key fob. This little device could help you scare off an intruder. Simply keep it by your bed and if you hear someone tampering with your RV, truck or car, just hit the panic button on the key fob. Criminals do not want to draw attention to themselves and when you car or truck alarm begins hammering away they won't stay around long. It's simple, quick and effective. Hat tip to Wayne Kingston, RV tech extraordinaire for this great idea. Helping to keep you safe and secure on the RV road - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

My Refrigerator Works So Why Heed The Recall

During my daily walking adventure I came across this Alpha 5th wheel. It was destroyed by fire. You can tell it began in the refrigerator compartment because the fire burned through the exterior wall at that point. I asked around and found out it was indeed caused by the refrigerator and the owners were away from the trailer when the fire started. There are several causes for a fire in liquid propane gas appliances. Insects building nests in or near the burn tube can cause fire. A routine inspection and a blast from an air compressor should help prevent this from occurring. Loose fittings, improper pilot adjustment and LPG line leaks are other causes. At RVtravel.com we tell you about refrigerator recalls because we understand not everyone receives a recall letter from the manufacturer. If they send it to the original owner of the RV you might not receive the notice. However, many folks tend to ignore these recall notices not thinking it important because, after all, their refrigerator is working fine thank you. Hopefully these photos will encourage you to take the time to have your recall item inspected and fixed. It could save your life and your RV. Putting your safety first - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Are You Secure With Your RV Entry Locks

How long does it take for a criminal to pick your RV dead-bolt lock? About 10 seconds using a technique called “lock bumping.” This is not new to locksmiths, but now criminals can purchase special “bump keys” on the internet that allowing them to easily open your dead-bolt locks. What can you do about this? First off, you need to know that no lock is burglar-proof. If a thief wants into your RV and no one (or dog) is there to stop them, chances are high he will get in. The vast majority of criminals are not the sharpest knives in the drawer and they are more than likely looking for random targets of opportunity. Most of these slime-balls are drug addicts looking for cash or something to hawk for a quick buck. RVs are not a criminal’s first choice for loot unless it’s parked in an isolated location and no-one is around to see them enter or exit. However, since the lock bumping technique is catching on, a thief can enter an RV so quickly and quietly most people wouldn’t notice. Watch this informative video on lock bumping.

This technique is very effective on dead-bolts so as your second line of defense always lock both your standard RV entry lock and your dead-bolt. This makes it more difficult for the thief and sometimes that’s enough to deter them. Another thing you can do is to install a new “bump-proof” dead-bolt. I find that many RVers depend on their dead-bolt only and often their regular RV entry lock is not used or is broken. I suggest you repair or replace your broken RV entry lock. It’s easy to do, first remove the faceplate retaining screws, the side screws (and guide-bolts if any are present). Use a sharp utility knife and cut the caulking on the outside lock housing. Remove the unit and take it to the RV store with your to make sure you purchase the proper replacement parts. Hopefully no thieves will happen by while you’re gone. Once you’ve repaired the lock or have a new replacement lock, put a bead of caulking around the inside faceplate that goes on the outside of the door. Install the lock back into the original hole and replace the screws. Wipe off the excess caulking and test the key with the door open and shut. I explain all this in the video below.


If you have other ideas on how to keep your RV burglarproof please double click on the comments section below and tell us. Maybe you could invent a way to automatically Taser the thief when he sticks the wrong key in the door. Really, any ideas would be appreciated. Helping you lock and load - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Prevent Your RV From Causing A Headache By Installing Some Edge Cushion

Our kids are not RVers (yet) but while visiting with them on Christmas I picked up a good tip for RVers. Our kids have a one year old and also have several pieces of furniture with sharp edges. To protect our precious grand-baby, my son purchased and installed “Kids’ Edge” on the hard edges of the furnature. These edge guards are easy to apply and will protect you from bumps and scratches caused by protruding edges in your RV. I’m thinking about putting some of this around my TV cabinet because I’m always bumping my head on it when I enter the coach. Kids’ Edge is made by Cardinal Gates Company and they have two types. One is metal backed designed for a brick hearth around a fireplace but would work well in RV applications. The other has adhesive on the back and adheres to wood, plastic and countertop surfaces. The self adhesive type comes in 12 foot rolls and will wrap around a straight or curved surface. To go around 90 degree corners you’ll need to order the pre-made corners. My son said he used Super Glue to attach the corners to the straight lengths. The edging and corners come in five colors, light brown, yellow, grey, white and charcoal. You can purchase these from many vendors on the internet. For more information on these products go here Cardinal Gates. On the edge of new technology - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

Don’t Let RV Road Angst Spoil Your Fun

Some RVers are too proud to admit it, but a certain amount of secret angst rides along while driving down the road. It’s the nagging feeling that something is not quite right with your rig even though you’ve checked everything twice. It can be a funny noise you’ve never heard before or the haunting memory of a spot of fluid on the asphalt under your engine. You run several scenarios through your mind including your engine flaming out on a narrow road with no place to pull off or a blow-out on some tumbleweed infested road in Nevada where the last service station was boarded up with a sign reading, “Regular Unleaded $1.32”. We handle this RV road angst by telling ourselves it will be OK because even in the worst case scenario our refrigerator still works, the bed is comfortable and even though we don’t have cell phone coverage out here in the desert someone will help us before we run out of food and water. Then your heart beats rapidly when a warning light illuminates on your instrument panel. “What’s it gonna be this time? Transmission? Engine? Tires?” You have a hundred thoughts run through your brain in a fraction of a second. You look down at the red light on your dash and see it’s only the exhaust brake indicator and not a problem at all. RV road angst is real and it only gets reinforced with all those stupid Good Sam and Camping World junk mailings telling you to dump your insurance and sign up with them because your piece of junk RV is going to break down the very next time you go out and they want to be the first ones to tow you back to some expensive repair shop. I don’t even open this junk mail anymore because it makes my blood pressure go up thinking about being towed. Unfortunately, until Japanese companies start making RV’s, we’ll have to put up with our RV’s breaking down on the side of the road. By the way, if you have a diesel pusher motorhome do not let the tow-truck operator tow your rig until he has physically disengaged the drive train (see your operator’s manual) or it will ruin your automatic transmission. Also, should you break down pull over as far as practical and be very careful of traffic when putting out emergency flares and triangles. Keep these items on the curb side of your vehicle so you don’t have to open a storage door on the traffic side of your RV. Should you have a flat on a class A motorhome, don’t even think about changing it yourself - call a tow truck. Even on smaller RV’s think twice before changing a tire yourself. One of my dear friends had one of his legs amputated when a drunk driver ran over his legs while on the roadside changing a flat tire on his Travel Trailer. Your good sense and judgment will help resolve any problem RV road angst can bring. So, keep on RVing with a smile on your face because the worst day RVing is better than the best day at work. Jim Twamley - Professor of RVing

RVer Frustrates Future Flap Failure

Our Motorhome has two types of flaps, the standard mud flaps behind each wheel in their respective wheel wells and the rear monster flap. Mud flaps are important because they restrain the small ballistic missiles your tires pick up and hurl back at the under-parts of your coach. This is especially critical when your radiator is down range. If you’re missing a mud flap you’re just asking for trouble in the form of a punctured radiator core. I was tooling down the RV road somewhere out in the middle of South Dakota when I pulled into a rest stop for lunch. (Is it just me or does this kind of stuff always happen in South Dakota?) Anyway, I got out to stretch my legs and do my routine walk around safety check and I saw this. This mud flap had just been installed a few days prior to this and somehow was sucked up onto the tires. The tires had worn the flap down making holes in it - no problem though, we were parked in an authorized smoking section. I replaced it at the earliest opportunity taking the added measure of securing the top and bottom of the mud flap to the wheel well frame with self tapping screws and fender washers. (Do you suppose that’s why they call them “fender washers”?) Now the mud flap stays in place and I haven’t had any further problems with it. Keeping you from flap failure - Jim Twamley, Professor of RVing

RVers Now Have an Easy Way to Monitor Tire Temperature

Avid RVers keep a close eye on their tires because healthy tires will keep you safely rolling down the road to all those great RV destinations. Sick tires can leave you stranded on the side of the road. So what can you do to make sure your tires are healthy? Well, lots of things, but one easy thing you can do is to take their temperature. Just like a sick person has an elevated temperature, a sick tire will also have an elevated temperature. But how can you take a tires temperature since there is no place to stick a thermometer? Meet Mastercool 52224, the handy device that solves this problem. Designed with a pistol grip and trigger, you just point and shoot (it has a red laser pointer for accuracy) and the large LED readout gives you the instant temperature.
Dennis Brown, Owner/Operator of "A Tire Man", mobile tire sales and service of San Diego states, "When the center reading of a tire is hotter than the shoulder reading, the tire is over-inflated.  When the shoulder is hotter than the center, this indicates under-inflation.  When checking steering tires, ideally the tread face should read the same shoulder-to-shoulder when properly inflated.  In some cases, alignment can come into play, and that's another situation.  When reading properly inflated steering tire temperatures, a reading that is warmer on the outside or inside shoulder may possibly indicate an alignment problem."Mastercool is also great for checking for leaks around your refrigerator gaskets. You can also use it for checking your air conditioner and heater. Some folks even use it for checking surface cooking temperatures. This is a useful tool to have around home and RV and sells for $60.00 plus $5.00 S/H. You can read more about it here. Mastercool Also, Tom is selling these at the vendor booths at the FMCA show in Redmond, Oregon this week, so you could pick one up there without having to pay for shipping. Keeping you informed on what’s hot - Jim Twamley

RV Fire, It Can Happen To You!

RVers Allen and Linda Pabget purchased a brand new 2007 Alfa motorhome and lived in it 10 months when disaster struck.

They were staying at an RV park in Oak Grove, Missouri last March when a cold snap caused them to run their forced air heater. Nothing unusual about that, most RVers do use the heater that came installed in their unit. They had two friends over and were perparing to go out for dinner when they began to smell smoke. They inspected the interior of the RV but found nothing. Their grandson went outside and saw grey smoke coming out from where the heater was installed. They quickly evacuated the unit, grabbing Dusty, their 2 year old Yorkie on the way out. Allen turned off the RV propane tank and someone in the RV park called the fire department. They moved their jeep that was parked behind the coach otherwise it would have burned. Linda recalls being numb and thinking “this is surreal” as she sat in a neighbors car and watched the event unfold. The smoke alarm didn’t sound off until the fire had engulfed the unit. Allen says that if this would have occurred while they were asleep they would be dead. They lost numerous things that they couldn't replace including photos. I suggest that you scan all your photos and save them on CDs and keep at least one copy at a relatives house, that way you will still have your pictures if this should happen to you. Allen says that you should carry at least 20 to 30 thousand dollars of contents insurance as $10,000 was not enough to cover the cost of replacing all their possessions. The adjoining RV's were also severly damaged. They had GMAC insurance and Allen reports that they did a good job covering the coach and were fair with them.So what do you do if this should happen to you? The first thing you should do is GET OUT! And please DO NOT go back into the RV unless it is to get another human being out. Call the fire department and alert your neighbors. Move vehicles so fire trucks have full access to the area. Have a plan to meet each other other somewhere outside so you can account for everyone’s safety. Also consider purchasing additional smoke alarms and putting them in several places inside your RV. Helping to keep you safe - Jim Twamley

Don't Let Your RV Go Up In Smoke

Gordon & Annette McInnes and their dog Ophelia (a French Bulldog) are from Winfield, BC, Canada. They happened to park next to us for a few days and shared some great stories with us. They have been full time RVers for 12 years. Gordon took this photograph in Yuma, AZ back in 2001. He recalls that it was a 34' Itasca and the fella who occupied it was frying something on the stove when his dog (tied up outside) distracted him with his barking. The RVer left his cooking and went outside to check on his dog. While outside, the frying pan caught on fire and his coach went up in flames. This photo was taken approximately four minutes after the coach caught fire. Fortunately no one was injured, but it gives you an idea of how fast you need to get out of your coach if it ever catches on fire. Don't waste time, don't take anything with you - just GET OUT NOW! Don't even think about going back in!! Alert your neighbors, call the fire department and get out of the way while they extinguish the blaze. The best thing you can do is to minimize the danger of fire in the first place. Be safe out there! Jim

Pool Noodles Are Fun, But They Can Protect Your Noodle Too!

Pool Noodles are great fun in the pool, but they have also been used to good effect in RV applications. Here a pool noodle has been cut down, sliced down the middle and used as a corner guard on my old 5th wheel bedroom slide-out room. I hit my head on this room several times and finally decided to use my noodle and protect myself.
A 5th wheel king-pin housing is also a danger in a campground. Kids riding bikes or friends walking by can easily notch their noodles on this device. Use a Pool Noodle by cutting one slice in it lengthwise and then wrap it around the king-pin housing and secure it with a bungee chord. The bright color also helps people avoid head trauma. I use them on my awning to prevent the cargo door from getting scratched when I raise it up. Write in the “comments” section below and tell us how you have used pool noodles in your RV adventures. Thanks for your readership! Jim

Power Drag

A good journalist always has four things with him, his pencil and pad, his camera and his wits. Fortunately I had at least one of these with me this morning. Here is an RVer who was experiencing a power drag – a power cord drag, that is. He was an experienced RVer so no laughing least it happens to you. Fortunately I was able to stop him before he got out of the park but it looks like he dragged the cord quite a ways since he was almost out of the park. These power cords are pretty tough and withstand quite a bit of abuse, but you can’t drag them very far before they get mangled.

He obviously didn’t use a checklist or do a final walk-around. I used to use a checklist when I was flying aircraft in the Air Force – you can’t just pull over to the side of the road while flying – so it is important to make sure everything is in proper working order before take off. Fortunately for RVers we can pull off the road and take care of most problems without much fuss. We know we need to pull over when we see people driving by waiving frantically, flashing their lights and honking their horn at us. Hopefully this is not a normal occurrence for you. If you don’t use a checklist, at least do a walk-around before you leave. A simple walk-around includes (at minimum) looking at all the storage compartments to ensure they are secured, looking at the roof to ensure the vents are closed and the TV antenna is down, a look at the tires, a look at all the connection possibilities (water, sewer, satellite, power, phone) and finally a look around the site to make sure you didn’t leave anything behind. If this RVer (more than likely in a pull-through space since he was towing a vehicle) would have done a good walk-around he would have discovered that his electric cord was still plugged in before he climbed in the motorhome and left.

Bottom line, do a walk-around as a final precaution before climbing into the cab and starting your engine. Be safe out there! Jim

Axle Equalizer Safety Alert

Did you know you are supposed to grease your leaf spring equalizer assembly every six months? I know my 5th wheel well and while I’m traveling I visually inspect my rig every time I stop. I look at the tires, the 5th wheel hitch, the exterior of the rig and I even glance under the rig. At a rest stop just north of Bakersfield, California I made such an inspection and didn’t notice anything unusual. I always look at the gap between the tires and they were fine. After I arrived at Edwards Air Force Base Family Camp I noticed that my street-side tires were only about ½ inch apart. This top photo is normal, the next photo shows the tires too close together.














I immediately crawled under my 5th wheel and saw this:
This is a typical double eye leaf spring equalizer. The retaining bolt had literally cut down the center of this piece and eventually broke the equalizer. The springs are up against the frame holding up the 5th wheel.It had been like this for some time since there was rust on part of the material that was cut.
It is very difficult to see this from a glance because the metal housing that holds the equalizer blocks the view of a casual visual inspection. Notice that this set-up has a “wet bolt kit” meaning it has grease fittings that lubricate the leaf spring equalizer assembly - when you service them that is.It is recommended that these be serviced (read more grease added) every six months. Unfortunately for me, I had no idea that the grease fittings were even there let alone that I was supposed to grease them every six months. The eyes where the bolts insert into the equalizer are lined with brass sleeves. These sleeves had long been warn away. Here is a comparison between the old and new equalizers. I replaced both equalizers today and am glad I did even though on visual inspection the curb-side (the one that didn’t break) looked fine. After removal and closer inspection this equalizer was beginning to crack and would have eventually broken as well. This could have caused a catastrophic accident. So you can bet I will be servicing these leaf spring equalizer assemblies every six months from now on. There are also grease fittings on the ends of the leaf spring assembly that also require 6 month servicing. I know most of you knew this already, but for those of you who, like me, didn't have a clue about this - now is your chance to get an inspection and a correction. Keep an eye on your rig and by all means be safe out there! Jim

Switch Replacement

This is the type of switch you see in most RV's. It is a typical on/off switch.There is a reason that RV's are required to have fire extinguishers onboard. My son, the fireman, tells me that if I have a miniature fire (the size of a tissue box for instance) then use it, if it is larger then get out immediately and call 911. Let it burn to the ground, insurance will replace most of it, and you can't be replaced for any amount of money. The problem is not the fire (you will be long dead before the fire ever gets to your body). The problem is the toxic gas produced by the fire will knock you unconscious - that's why they say to drop to the ground and crawl fast when there is overhead smoke. Never go back in for pets, let them come out on their own. OK, so what causes fires in RV's. I can't find any stats that talk specifically about RV's but in regular houses many fires are caused by faulty electric connections. Here is an example of a faulty RV electric switch:How do you determine if switches are faulty? You can take the switch cover off and inspect them. If you feel the switch cover and it is warm to the touch - you have a dangerous problem. One night when I went to turn off the switches in the 4 switch model, I noticed that it felt warm. I removed the switch cover to discover that one of the switches was scorched and melted. The male piece of the switch broke off and stayed in the female bayonet connector when I tried to disconnect it from the switch. We need to be vigilant about inspecting and maintaining our own RV systems. I went to the nearest RV parts store and purchased a new switch and installed it. I also cut the old connectors off the wires leading to the switch and replaced these with new electrical female bayonet connectors. The lesson learned here is to be alert to your RV systems and when something doesn't seem right - investigate before it becomes a larger problem. RV dealers are really good about repairing factory mistakes, but you are responsible for finding the mistakes and getting them corrected. Jim

Bridge Clearance

Ever notice the battle scars on the bottom of highway and railroad cross-over bridges? On a recent tour through Moline Ill. we came upon an highway bridge that had a clearance sign stating it had 12 feet 2 inches clearance. We could not go under this bridge because our rig is 12 feet 8 inches tall. Had I continued on I would have lost my air conditioner unit and left a gaping hole in the roof of my 5th wheel. There was not enough space to turn this beast around on the two lane divided road and it was about a mile to back up to a suitable turn around spot. What did I do? I cranked the wheel and backed the trailer crosswise in the street with the rear wheel of the 5er at the edge of the shoulder. I unhooked the truck that was pointed toward the bridge, drove up the ditch and back on the other side of the 5er facing away from the bridge, hooked it back up and easily pulled the rig out going back the way we came. This didn't take long, and the folks that had to stop and wait for me were kind and understanding. You can't always avoid this type of thing happening, though I now have a GPS system that tells me where most of the low bridges are in the USA and Canada (I will do a post on this at a later date). However, you can keep yourself from accidentally going under one of these low bridges by doning one simple thing - MEASURE the height of your rig from the tallest point to the ground. When you have the correct height of your rig, add two inches to it and put a label with this height on your instrument column. This does 3 beneficial things for you. 1. It keeps you from embarassing yourself. 2. I prevents you from panic wondering if you will make it under that fast approaching bridge. 3. It will help your marriage as you reasure your spouse that, "Yes, honey, we are at least 4 inches shorter than the bottom of that bridge." Happy Trails. Jim