Category: RV Maintenance
AN ELEPHANT ON ROLLER SKATES – Taking care of E-Z Lube Wheel Bearings on Your Towable.
April 7, 2012 by Professor95 · 3 Comments
Can you imagine an Elephant on Roller Skates? Besides being able to actually stand-up and skate, the sheer weight of an elephant on the small axles, bearings, and wheels of roller skates brings images of frequently broken parts to my mind (Elephant on Roller Skates sketch by James Suhr) . Realistically, a large towable riding on a conventional spindle and bearing system isn’t much different than putting an elephant on roller skates. That is a lot of weight for such small parts to handle. Specially designed parts to handle the weight and suspension abuse our fast deteriorating highways inflict on our RV towables is a must. But, without proper maintenance, those parts will fail. Wheel bearings are constantly being exposed to water, dirt and heat – all enemies of even the best engineering designs. A ritual that is performed at least on an annual basis with our towable is inspecting and repacking the wheel bearings. Thankfully, two newer wheel-bearing styles used in the RV industry... [Read more...]
WHEN BAD THINGS HAPPEN – IT IS GOOD TO HAVE FRIENDS AROUND
March 30, 2012 by Professor95 · 4 Comments
Somewhere between Little Rock, AR and Carrabelle, FL two cross members that support the frame rails on our fifth wheel broke. Initially, I could not tell there was something wrong because the plastic belly panels covered the problem area making it impossible to notice the broken welds. Our first indication that there was a problem occurred when we attempted to open the curbside living room slide and it would not extend. My inspection of the problem resulted in a major shock – the axles under the camper had moved at least 3” toward the left side and the drive rod for the slide-out had been bent by the tire. The tire was ruined and all six spring hangers had bent to approximately a 75 degree angle – they should be 90 degrees to the frame rails. In case you haven’t caught on yet, this is a MAJOR problem that could easily result in many thousands of dollars for repairs and the loss of use of the camper for “who knows how long”. One thing for sure – we were not going to be... [Read more...]
DO I REALLY NEED TO TAKE THAT? Must have tools and parts for RV Camping
March 17, 2012 by Professor95 · 4 Comments
Packing or stocking your RV for an extended camping trip can sometimes be more like a game of chance than a science. The problem is that when you are 90 miles from nowhere at 10 p.m. on a Sunday night and the need for a specific tool or part arises you are up that proverbial creek without a paddle – that is, unless you stock for every imaginable need. Well, let me share with you one of my most inner, deep, dark secrets – this is one of those secrets that only my closest friends and family know. I have an extremely vivid imagination. Couple that with a guy who is an admitted tool junkie and president of his local Tools Anonymous help group along with my passion to fix anything and everything that “might” go wrong and you end up with a big, big box of tools and RV parts that could serve as initial inventory for a new Camping World Store. Anyway, to get to the point, these are the items packed away in that big, dark warehouse of parts, tools and accessories that DID prove... [Read more...]
Tailgater–RV TV made Easy
February 21, 2012 by Guest Blogger · 1 Comment
So I like to go RV-ing. Don’t we all? Even more, when I’m trying to get cozy after a long day out on the open road in my RV, one of my favorite things to do is watch a good movie with the family. There is nothing quite better than kicking your feet up, turning on the TV in your RV’s living area and enjoying a great flick before hitting the hay. Perhaps the greatest drawback to enjoying such an experience–it’s not exactly inexpensive to set up a quality entertainment center in your RV. And if you’re like me, one of the things which driven me nuts when it comes to the RV lifestyle is how expensive RV satellites are. With that said, if you’re like me then you like to do everything you can to save a buck or two. Even more, I would have never guessed I would actually be able to cut costs when it comes to RV satellites. I recently had the opportunity to attend the National RV Show in Louisville. As I was walking through the vendors’ area, I happened to stumble upon a booth... [Read more...]
Rand McNally to Provide Woodall’s Campground Data in GPS Devices
February 14, 2012 by Woodalls Editorial Staff · 2 Comments
Rand McNally, a leader in specialty travel and navigation, and Woodall’s, part of the Good Sam family of RV clubs, community and publications, are partnering to include Woodall’s campground data in Rand McNally’s TripMaker® RVND™ GPS units for RVers. The data will be pre-loaded in devices shipping mid-April, and also will be available to current owners of TripMaker® RVND™ devices – both the 5” and 7” models – via a simple and free download in early Q2. Rand McNally will be reaching out to existing owners to ensure that they are able to download the new content. “Woodall’s is North America’s leading source of campground information for RVers and campers. We are very pleased to offer this very valued content as part of our industry-leading RV GPS devices,” said Dave Muscatel, CEO of Rand McNally. Highlights of the Woodall’s Campground data include: Listings for more than 12,000 RV parks and campground locations, with amenities: Family-friendly campgrounds and... [Read more...]
EVERY RV TOOL BOX SHOULD HAVE THEM
February 2, 2012 by Professor95 · 4 Comments
Next to a roll of duct (or duck) tape, a package containing an assortment of zip-ties is one of the most important “fix-it” items you can put in your RV toolbox. First introduced under the name of Ty-Rap in 1958 by Thomas & Betts for assembling airplane-wiring harnesses, the zip-tie has evolved to include every conceivable function – including handcuffs often used by law enforcement. Today they may also be called zap-ties or cable-ties, About the only thing you cannot fix with either duct tape and zip-ties are hot exhaust or tail pipes. Zip-ties usd by law enforcement as hand cuffs (Don't try this at home!) Good quality zip-ties are made of nylon. The black ties are UV protected and suitable for outdoor use over an extended period. White and other colors generally do not have the UV protection chemical added and are designed for indoor use. Unfortunately, many companies have made cheap copies of nylon zip-ties using plastic. These are subject to easy breakage and... [Read more...]
SAVE 75% or MORE ON YOUR NEXT CORDLESS TOOL BATTERIES (Yes, I like saving money!)
January 25, 2012 by Professor95 · 4 Comments
Battery powered tools can be the mainstay for many RV’ers that like to be prepared for both unexpected needs and maintenance when away from home. I carry a full complement of 18-volt Ryobi power tools, including a drill, flashlight, reciprocating saw, handi-vacuum, and a small chain saw. Other tools such a air compressors, radios, saber saws, circular saws, and leaf blowers also operate off of the same 18-volt nickel cadmium battery pack. I find myself frequently using the drill with a socket that fits scissors jacks to quickly raise or lower the jacks. The drill also serves as an electric screwdriver that recently came in handy when the base of our bed broke apart. Both the reciprocating saw and the 10” chain saw are great for cutting gathered firewood from downed trees or limbs. Of course, you are limited to small diameter wood. Using portable battery operated tools requires several spare batteries as well as a proper charger. If the batteries are old and weak and can... [Read more...]
DRIVE YOUR RV LIKE A TRUCKER!
January 13, 2012 by Professor95 · 32 Comments
I would like to ask you a question. It is a tough question – not only to answer honestly, but for me to ask because I KNOW it could be interpreted (wrongly) as an insult to your inner ego. Are you really qualified to safely drive your RV? And if you answered yes (or even no ), the next question is: Do you always adhere to the rules and regulations that outline safe driving practices for RVs? If you are still with me and not totally insulted by my suggesting that you just might not be fully qualified (from a safety viewpoint) to drive your RV – take some time to consider the following discussion and then process the content with an open mind. Once a driver moves from a family type automobile to a motor home or even a 26-foot travel trailer pulled by a 1/2 ton pick-up, everything changes. Your stopping distance, passing range, acceleration time, and visibility are only the beginning of what is different. There is a reason statistics show that the percentage of rear-end collisions... [Read more...]
SHINGLES, CHRISTMAS 2011 and HAPPY 2012 CAMPING
January 8, 2012 by Professor95 · 2 Comments
WOW – Christmas came and went so fast it is hard to realize it was ever here! It’s not like it was when I was a kid and the days, hours and minutes crept by slower than molasses dripping out of a jar on a cold day. Now, time just flies by – you know, ZAP! One day you are 20 and before you know it 40 is here. Then, blink your eyes and 65 appears. Don’t believe me? Just wait and see (which I hope you will ). A lot of gifts were given and received. I gave Nancy a new Kindle Fire to replace the old (but still neat) B&W plain Kindle along with a big Amazon gift card so she can download plenty of new books. She is having a ball learning about the new features and of course, playing Angry Birds. Me? Well, I got everybody to stop giving me ties, shirts and socks years ago. Now, they know to give me tools, electronic gadgets, or gift cards to Camping World or Tractor Supply. I love them all! Oh, BTW – if you are a member of the Good Sam Club you are now... [Read more...]
MUCH MORE THAT JUST A GPS (The Rand NcNally RVND7710 cont.)
November 3, 2011 by Professor95 · 4 Comments
RV’ers take note – this thing is much, much more than just a typical GPS. My Garmin Nuvi is an excellent GPS product. It always finds an address and routes me there. But, it lacks many of the extended features offered in the Rand McNally RVND7710 specifically designed for folks driving RV’s. At first, I was disappointed in the RVND7710. The address interface was unfamiliar to me and I could not get the docking software to recognize my serial number or access the full manual. But (always a but) I quickly discovered that everything I needed to learn and remember about the operation of the RVND7710 was right in front of me programmed into the unit and accessible under TIPS, TUTORIALS and FAQ that appear as an operator option immediately after the unit boots up. I absolutely did not need an online or printed manual – it was all programed into the deice! Thankfully, the RVND7710 also includes an AC power adapter. This allowed me to “play” and learn how the unit... [Read more...]
