Category: RV Maintenance
More Space Heater Fires Destroy Pets & RVs
January 30, 2013 by Rex Vogel · 1 Comment
Whether camping or just relaxing in your recreational vehicle, fire safety is essential. A fire started by a space heater in a travel trailer spread to a second trailer, a car, and a home just. (Credit: Avra Valley Fire Department) In an earlier post I reported that four small dogs died and an RV was destroyed in a fire caused by a propane space heater. In today’s post I report on two RV fires caused by careless use of space heaters. Arizona Fire Started by Space Heater A fire started by a space heater in a travel trailer spread to a second trailer, a car, and a home in Picacho, reports the Arizona Daily Star. When units from the Avra Valley Fire District arrived on scene they found heavy flames and smoke coming from a masonry-built home, Patrick Calhoun, spokesman for the fire district, said in a news release. A car and two travel trailers also were ablaze. It took two engines and two water tenders to extinguish the fires. “The fire was believed to have had started in one of the... [Read more...]
Modding your RV – think outside the box…
January 22, 2013 by Dana Ticknor · Leave a Comment
or in this case, Inside the Closet!!! While not everyone travels fulltime with 10 children, most of us with RVs would like to modify them in some little way to meet our needs better. For some, that means adding shelving, or pulling down valances and adding black out curtains, or changing out that plastic toilet for a ceramic one more like the house, or even painting some of your inside walls. In many instances, modding your RV is a lot like remodeling your house. There are certain, very glaring differences sometimes, like making sure of the width of outside walls so any screws you use on the inside don’t go through your gel coat on the outside. Some aren’t so glaring, like remembering that any weight that you add with your mod makes a permanent impact on your GVW. And some are handled just like they would be in a house, like hanging wire shelves or painting. For our tribe, it has taken some permanent, and sometime extensive mods to get our crew to comfortably fit in our... [Read more...]
Propane Space Heater Fire Destroys 4 Dogs & RV
January 20, 2013 by Rex Vogel · Leave a Comment
Studies show that fires in recreational vehicles, especially older units, tend to be more devastating than those in other forms of residence. A portable space heater started the fire that consumed this RV. (Credit: The Spokesman-Review) Heating and electrical system malfunctions are the leading causes of fire in RVs. Together, they account for one-third of the fires. Four small dogs died and an RV was recently (January 15, 2013) destroyed in a fire blamed on a propane space heater in Spokane, Washington, The Spokesman-Review reported. A man had been staying in an RV parked in a driveway and was inside the house watching television with the homeowner when they heard a noise, said Assistant Fire Marshal Bill Clifford. They found the RV in flames. “He was trying to get the dogs out and was unable to,” Clifford said. The man was treated for smoke inhalation. Clifford said the dogs may have knocked the space heater over or knocked something flammable into it. A propane heater also shouldn’t... [Read more...]
AIRTABS
January 15, 2013 by Canadianladybug · Leave a Comment
When we got our RV from the dealer, they were nice enough to bring it to our campsite where it would be parked. Back then, we didn’t have a vehicle to tow it as we had a Venture van. But the following year, out of the blue, the motor on our van burned and we had to shop around for a new vehicle. We knew that since we had to purchase something we wanted to have one that would be able to pull our Rv for long trips. We found a Suburban that was fit to pull it and since then we enjoy going places with the RV. However, as soon as we were able to take the RV with us on trips, we looked for ways to be fuel efficient. While navigating the internet one day, my husband stumbled on the website promoting Airtabs. After he read about Airtabs he was so enthusiastic that we purchased some to install on our RV. What are Airtabs? Well it is a patented shaped vortex generator designed to increase vehicle aerodynamic performance and fuel economy by reducing the aerodynamic pressure... [Read more...]
How to avoid tire blowup while RVing
January 7, 2013 by Canadianladybug · 1 Comment
Having a tire blow up is not fun whether you are rving or not. In both case, you need to change the wheel when it happens. However, I think the worse kind of blowup would be the ones when you pull your RV. It happened to us twice so far. We were driving with the RV behind and then one of the tires on the RV just blew. The first time, we didn’t realize it and someone driving pass us kindly inform us of the problem. That tire was on the driver’s side. Fortunately, in Ontario the sides of highways is quite large and we were able to have space when we proceeded to change the tire. The second time, we heard the tire when it blew up. We were on our way on one big highway in the state of New York in the US. We knew that we needed to stop and change it. So we parked as best as we could on the side of the highway (which isn’t as large as in Ontario by the way). Every time a huge truck or bigger vehicle would pass next to the RV we could see it move. ... [Read more...]
Holiday Rambler Marks 60th Anniversary
December 16, 2012 by Rex Vogel · Leave a Comment
Lisle, Illinois-based Navistar RV, a subsidiary of Navistar International Corp., marked the 60th anniversary of its Holiday Rambler brand at the Recreation Vehicle Industry Association’s (RVIA) 50th annual National RV Trade Show, November 27-29 at the Kentucky Expo Center, Louisville, Kentucky. The company will also introduce three model-year 2014 vehicles. The new Presidential will reestablish Holiday Rambler’s presence in the luxury fifth-wheel category while the company will continue to build and sell motorhomes with the reintroduction of its Augusta Class C B-plus style coach and the new Vacationer, an entry-level class A gas coach, according to a news release. “We are very pleased to mark the 60th anniversary of Holiday Rambler, a preeminent brand in the history of recreational vehicles,” said Bill Osborne, president, Navistar RV. “Throughout its long life, Holiday Rambler’s success has been fueled by its pioneering spirit, including countless innovations that helped create... [Read more...]
It’s Beginning To Look A Lot Like Christmas!
December 13, 2012 by Cynthia Baum · Leave a Comment
Deck the Wheels with Bells of Holly! Whether you are traveling somewhere in your RV for Christmas or are a full-timer, there are many ways that you can decorate your RV for Christmas: like you would a house just on a smaller scale. While walking through a campground in Southern California over Thanksgiving weekend, I already spotted a few RVs that were decked out with their Christmas décor. These campers wasted no time in getting their Christmas décor out and up in their RVs. To be honest, I thought it a bit early (being Thanksgiving weekend, I suppose that is not sooo early). Then upon second look, I realized just how nice and homey it made the RV look from the outside. You could see the dash board was covered in some kind of lit-up village and there were lights and garland all around. A small Christmas tree was sitting in a pot in the front and the RV just emanated the warmth and cheer that Christmas seems to bring every year. Decking your RV out with Christmas Décor this... [Read more...]
Stairs: The Hidden Danger In RVs
November 30, 2012 by Cynthia Baum · 4 Comments
The day after Thanksgiving, the full day of eating whatever we want; we set out for a fun weekend of camping at the beach. The beach camp spot my aunt reserved this year was at Leo Carrillo State Beach, a scenic stretch of canyon leading to gorgeous coastline, where the Santa Monica Mountains meet the Pacific Ocean. You access it from the Pacific Coast Highway, just south of where we live. My dear aunt was only one day late in reserving our typical spot at Carpinteria State Beach and, lo and behold, there were no spots left! So we settled for second best: Leo Carrillo, where I grew up camping and loving every second of it. Leo Carrillo is just off a narrow, windy stretch of highway along the coast with no bike lane, so bicycling with our kids in tow to the campsite was out of the question (although we did enjoy riding around the campground and over to the beach side)! We packed up our bikes and set off with the RV and a handful of tents for two nights at Leo Carrillo State Beach... [Read more...]
CAMPFIRE STORIES – “Broken Down on the Key Bridge”
November 16, 2012 by Professor95 · 2 Comments
Sitting around a campfire with a group of old friends or new acquaintances inevitably brings out personal stories that speak of the trials, tribulations and adventures we all encounter during our RV travels. Such was the case last week as a group gathered on a cool November night. That’s when Allan shared the unfortunate but somewhat humorous adventure he, his dog and wife endured as they crossed the Frances Scott Key Bridge in Washington, D.C.: We are finally underway to meet our fellow Cedar Creek RV Owners Club friends for our End of Year Rally at Willow Tree Resort in South Carolina. Our Terrier, Duffy, and I really needed this getaway. We had planned getaways earlier this fall but had to cancel them for my hernia operation and my son’s spinal surgery. Then, we were forced to delay our departure for this trip when Hurricane Sandy caused a blackout at our home. The ride from our home in PA to Willow Tree normally takes about 10 hours. I was so looking... [Read more...]
5 Ways to Save Fuel and Money
October 28, 2012 by Rex Vogel · Leave a Comment
During the 2011-2012 Snowbird Season Arizona RV parks reported their winter residents appeared to be staying longer than in previous years, partially due to high fuel prices. The annual O’Odham Tash Celebration, a gathering of tribes, is held in mid-February and features Native American arts and crafts, ceremonial dances, rodeos, powwows, and parades. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved With thousands of snowbirds planning to hit the road during the coming weeks and months, two things will be on their minds—arriving at their destination safely and the price of fuel. Nationally, average retail gas prices are approximately 50 cents higher than a year ago and one dollar higher than two years ago, according to gasbuddy.com. With gas prices reaching record levels, it’s more important than ever to keep tabs on your fuel spending. While we have no control over the price of fuel, we can do a few things to help save money. Most motorists share one common goal—to get the best mileage possible.... [Read more...]
