On the subject of maintenance...I used to have a horse boarding barn with lots of people coming and going, including trainers. One day, one of the trainers was rushing to finish up and said it was because he had an appointment to get his oil checked. I laughed and said, "You mean changed, right?" Nope, he meant checked. So, I clarified that he was paying a mechanic to check the oil in his half-ton pick-up. Yep. Now, in his defense, he was a Dutch Count from South Africa who had migrated here as a young adult and he'd grown up with servants, so it's understandable that he didn't know anything about vehicles. But, as a woman, I was still flabbergasted. I spent the next couple hours showing him how to check all the fluids, belts, hoses, grease zerks, and how to change a tire. ....and I still can't believe that some mechanic was taking his money to check his oil. Jerk. But on the other hand, the guy could be a little arrogant and demanding and expected to be served, too, so the mechanic might have been teaching him a lesson. I know one time he kept asking me if he could have a hitching post in the center of one of the paddocks he rented for $75 p/month and my response every single time was to show him where the posts and post hole digger was and tell him to help himself. He became very frustrated and angry, but I stood my ground. He wasn't paying me enough to be his servant, LOL! He eventually dug his own hole and put the post in himself and that night his (American) wife called me, laughing, and thanked me for not letting him push me around and for making him learn to do things for himself. LOL
Thanks guys. I have an oak stick that I made that is the same length as the distance from my tires to the outside edge of the slide when it's fully extended. It's painted red on the ends so It's easy to see. (wish I could post a picture) This is the first thing we do before we pull into our site. We lay the stick down against whatever protrudes the farthest into our site. (Power pedestal, water faucet, whatever) As I pull into the site, all I have to do is too makes sure I don't run over the stick and I know I have enough clearance to fully extend my slide. It works perfectly every time. Thanks again for the tips!
Also we all have a broom. Take the handle of the broom and wrap a piece of tape that show how far out the slide goes. You can also do the same for your steps.
I'll share, when were relatively new having only stayed in sites with full hookups we were in Santa Barbara with just water and power. We had rescued a kitten days before the trip so he had to come with. While cooking and cleaning up after dinner we put him in the shower so he wouldn't get stepped on. I was cleaning up outside wife was doing dishes. I poked my head in and she asked me to see what the kitten was upset about. Poor little guy was swimming! Wife thought we had sewer so she wasn't paying attention to water usage, oops. Now she verifies! No kittens were harmed during this lesson learned
Your right about speeding. Yesterday we watched a video where a SUV was towing a TT in the fast lane, the trailer started fishtailing, the driver didn’t know what to do, it got so bad the trailer flipped along with the SUV, the trailer broke loose, stuff in the trailer scattered everywhere along with the trailer. As much of non trailer items that scattered, it was probably overweight,Their plans got ruined because of stupidity. We’ve been traveling (non towing) doing speed limit of 75 & get passed by someone towing a RV. Izzy & MJ👏👏👏 great video keep’m coming.
Here's a few I can think of: Not packing enough emergency gear - or underestimating what you think you need. Stow a tarp big enough to cover most, if not all of your roof. Bring a very strong jack (not just the stock questionable grade stuff). Keep a bunch of sharkbite fittings that fit your plumbing, plus a small section of PEX. A couple of rolls of duct tape. A cartridge of sealant and a caulking gun. Think about those things that can likely break and bring some 'rescue' stuff. Things like that can go a very, very long way in not only preventing a lot of damage to your rig should something go wrong, some of it can absolutely save a vacation trip - or your life. A lot of emergency lighting and either regular or e-flares. We carry 4 rechargeable lanterns, 3-4 illuminated hazard triangles, and at least 4 small flashlights - all with rechargeable batteries and a recharger - in the event we are sidelined on a highway. We were once stuck in an opposing lane of traffic after nearly losing a tire on our tow rig, and being able to set up a very well illuminated hazard zone not only went a long way to keeping us protected, it set up a safe zone for the tow rig to get us out of danger. Don't be the person who tries to furiously wave a flashlight to keep a sleepy tractor trailer driver from bifurcating your rig!
An old RV friend of mine used to do drills. What to do in a fire. Or if they have to emergency pull over to the side. How to quickly disconnect the tow vehicle if its on fire. Where are the fire extinguishers. Where are the important papers and get them out fast.
My dumbest mistake was to develop an oil seal leak on the water pump, and falsely diagnosing it to be the vacuum pump above it. Then at the same time have someone steel one of my rear wheel valve extensions with the presume sensor. This resulted in me suddenly having a massive increase in fuel consumption due to the flat tire which the tire pressure monitoring was still indicating all tires correctly inflated...... I did not investigate more as I assumed failing vacuum pump which not only boosts the brakes but also controls the engine turbo veins was the cause of the bad fuel consumption.....the tire of the dual back wheels which was flat looked normal when stopped.....so I was nursing what I thought was a sick vacuum pump home and did not pick up on the flat tire. It was not till I got home some 1000 miles latter and started washing the RV I discovered my valve extension and sensor missing.... Moral of the story is do not trust tire pressure sensors to much go around and still inspect your tires and wheels...... as for miss diagnosing the oil leak, I ended up replacing both the water pump and vacuum pump, since I removed them anyway....new ones are not that expensive considering labor costs, and the new parts have a three year warranty. Dumb mistake was putting to much trust in tire pressure monitoring, cost hundreds of dollars in extra fuel! ( tire turned out not to suffer any damage, so could have been pumped up while on the road, as a I carry a compressor).
Loved the video. I need to start doing some of the things that you talked about. One note though on Coach net. I have it from when we bought our TT. We are on the last of a 5 year plan. I will not be renewing. My son was in an accident where my car was disabled. It had to be towed. They refused to tow it. They said that their service didn't include towing due to an accident. I had to pay almost $200.00 to have it towed 5 miles to my house. I now have AAA with RVplus. no worries. Just my 2 cents worth from personal experience.
Just a quick note. I had a horrible experience with Good Sam's Roadside Assistance. We were on Tybee Island, GA and our tow vehicle had a differential problem and we had to drop it off in Savannah at a Ford Dealership. Back on Tybee Island, we had to move our Travel Trailer 100 feet to another campsite, for our remaining three days. The Campground, due to policy will NOT move an individual's equipment under any circumstances. I contacted Good Sam immediately and was assured they would send a wrecker to move it by our deadline. As the deadline approached I received a call from the wrecker to verify the type of trailer and ball size, he may be 10 minutes late. The deadline came and went, and the campground was getting nervous as the new occupants were on their way to Tybee Island. Finally, the wrecker company called and said. "We will be on our way there as soon as Good Sam pays us" I cannot emphasize enough that Good Sam messed this up wicked! The discounts offered at Pilot Camping World etc. are just not worth it.
As a trucker, I have to say this... For the love of the Michelin Man, *DO NOT* extend your slide(s) when parked in truck parking. Those spaces are barely big enough to pull into with a big rig, and we need the extra bit of clearance your slide is using. I have seen where a truck pulling out clipped an RV slide with the overswing of the trailer. The slide didn't fare so well.
I will add a bag of ice to the BT before dumping to scour the sides of any debris. As I drive it agitates and cleans any clinging material. Works to clear the sensors for a more accurate read.
I totally agree with speed. People drive way to fast. I keep it under 65 MPH. I think they need to make people take a driving class for whatever weight class there in
BTW, we carry a spare tire on our class-a. And yes, we have changed tires on the road. I'd rather change the tire in 3-45 minutes than wait on road side assistance for hours. Not saying that you should not pay for a road side assistance program, (for towing) but be self sufficient people. When you run an older RV, get on top of all maintenance (house, engine, chassis). Remember, "You are the Warranty".
Oh CRAP! ! ! Okay, over 30 years ago, we were just learning and starting to RV. Bought a Coachman Pop-up camper. After each use I would light all the burners, turn off the propane tanks and let the burners die out. Then close the knobs on the burners. EXCEPT, the time I forgot to close the burner knobs. We went out camping, got set up and I turned on the propane tanks. The wife said she could smell the propane and I ignored her and lit the burner! ! ! KA-WHOOMP. All the hair on my legs, arms, hands and eyebrows singed, and happily that was the worst of it. That taught me a VALUABLE lesson. ALWAYS listen to your wife! ! ! Embarrassing and was dangerous too boot.
Well I forgot to pull the awning in. Yep was very embarrassing a little boy about 13 was yelling at us. We were soo lucky his parents and another rver help up untangle the mess. Good thing we had ins. Only paid for the deductible. Never made that mistake again.
We live in Florida and travel 75 quite often it’s amazing to see how many people have no idea what they are doing when towing a vehicle. We have seen so many things that we just cannot believe they have made it 10 miles down the road. Not hooked up properly unlevel no sway bars no chains, you name it we’ve seen it. It makes it for a very scary driving sharing the road with these types of people, they have no concern for not only themselves and their families but other people on the road. I wish cops would do more or could do more to stop this, by maybe handing out big tickets to those people who take such a risk such as going 80 miles an hour while towing a travel trailer.
Don’t forget to retract the stabilizing jacks, before hooking up the trailer hitch. Costly bill of replacing a set of jacks due to this mistake. Especially if your retracting the tongue jack.
I just think I'm in California where the speed limit for trailers is 55, keeps me out of trouble, remember just because you can afford it doesn't mean you can drive it.
Oh my gosh - it drives me nuts when I see someone driving too fast in any type of RV. So dangerous and why in such a hurry. As for the propane, we don't, we use Cooler Shock ice packs in the fridge and freezer on travel days (we never travel more than 350 miles or 5 hours on travel days) and we've never had an issue. Things in the freezer are still frozen and the fridge is still cold - love those things! Also, saw the All About RVs use a small tape measure that he has marked the slides and awning lengths so he can just grab that and check each measurements before setting up. As someone who has two different sizes of slides, that's a great way to not have various "measuring sticks". Definitely going to use that method from now on!
Thanks Izzy and MJ! Great advice. You can also use the blowout method to winterize your Motorcoach or RV. You wind up using way less RV antifreeze. Just add to the toilet(s) and P-Traps when done blowing out lines.
Just be careful that there's no water left in "drooping" lines (where there's a sag in the line). It's nearly impossible to get water out of them, despite the air pressure used while blowing out lines.
Thank you so much for this video, MJ and Izzy. We let our previous roadside assistance membership lapse, but after your comment, we just signed up with Coach Net. Being stranded on the side of the road would be bad enough but lacking a plan to get help would be a nightmare! We've heard of Coach Net before, sounds like one of the better plans available, so thank you! As for mistakes - HA - I could write a book! How about pulling in too close to the pumps in a gas station and crushing the metal pump number sign up against the side of the coach! Always pay attention to strange noises, especially the ones that sound like fingernails scraping a blackboard!
In over forty years with RV,s We have forgotten to unplug the 50 amp. That was a mess. Then you look at your rear view mirror to see you have left the slide out. Running down the highway with the storage bay open. Hitting low branches. Ouch! Backing up with your car still attached . The list is endless ( no punt intended ) . The worst was leaving the black water hose loose at the RV when dumping. There are no words for that. Good news is we normally learn the first time.
I made a checklist for myself for things to check, and secure, and turn off, unhook, close, etc. before I leave my campsite and start driving. I'm sure it's helped prevent me from doing something stupid. I learned a few new things from this video, so thanks!
Hello, first time subsciber. I'm 74 and been in the RVing world for about 35 years. These are all great tips, I'm only surprised so many don't already know most of this. Like when you leave don't forget to put the antenna down, the step in & unhook the sewer line. I too have made mistakes along the way but learned from them. The only thing I've always been a little fuzzy is winterizing. I simply drain All fluids out & leave open all valves so there's no fluids to freeze & never had a problem yet. I live in Washington with snow every year too..
I know this is controversial but using laundry detergent pods in RV washers is wrong. Pods are designed for full-size home washers. Not for small RV washers. The excess detergent goes into the clothes, it does not fully come out in rinse. And over time it actually attaches more dirt in the clothes. More chance for skin irritation. Same with RV dishwashers. No pods, please.
Oh boy. You just hit the third rail talking about traveling with Propane tanks open. I get both sides of the argument, however, I recommend those running with propane tanks open, use a GasStop propane shutoff valve to add a layer of protection.
When you buy ANY RV that you tow or any RV (driveable) that's bigger than your daily driver, TAKE A CLASS. If you've driven an F150 your entire life and never towed anything, it's now LONGER than anything you've ever driven. If you were a UPS driver in those big vans and you buy a 40ft bus, it's a COMPLETELY different experience. Everyone thinks they can do it and those are the ones you see flipped over on the side of the highway. "Hope" is not a strategy. Get the knowledge so you're solid and comfortable. As comfortable as you are driving your car. My father was a pro race car driver. We had every kind of RV when I was a kid. When he bought a 40ft diesel pusher, he took a class. If you're not comfortable driving a car, don't but t an RV.
Sorry, when we travel in 100+ degree weather, we run the refrigerator on propane. If we do not keep the refrigerator on, the temperature will rise quickly. We do not have a 12VDC refrigerator setting element. After 35+ years RVing, we have not had a fire.
I totally agree on having road side assistance. We had a flat near the beginning of a three week trip. Trying to get a spare tire out from underneath a truck with a camper attached is a bear. In our case the AAA driver was awesome. A lot can happen the farther from home you go. We were lucky where we had our flat, we had cell phone service. Most of our trip we didn't have service.
I have 3 campers that I rent out. On 2 of them the fridge takes upwards of 18 hours to get cold. They have to be run on propane while under way. They thaw out within three hours, probably less. One can run on battery, but it's very easy to kill the battery that way. Turning off propane is not really an option for me.
Always enjoy watching you guys! I finally got my new Class C, a few weeks ago. ordered a Winnebago Navion last September, they said Feb, then May, then July, and then maybe in December. The dealer I ordered from had a Tiffin with the same floor plan, so didn't want to wait and I'll be heading out in a few weeks full time. Your videos are practical and will help me be a better RVer. Keep up the great content
Hi. I am doing research for our retirement plan for full time rving and I feel like you are a gold mine for me. Love your humor. Thanks so much for the tips!
Hi, if you have not brought an RV...... do focus on the roof, there are heaps of youtube postings on leaking roofs and slide outs..... The simple fact is you cannot join two different material, that have different expansion and contraction rates on a roof and expect the joint if it lays flat never to leak...eventually the sealant fails and the roof leaks and your RV turns to trash....manufacturers know this, service mobs know this and customers don't seem to know this..... If I buy again it would be a one piece roof...more important than most other considerations!
I have a little 20’, no slide, travel trailer. Three times a year I spend $800 to have it specially detailed with focus on the front cap. Four times a year I’m on the roof checking seals. It’s a 2020 and it looks just as good as it did the day I bought it. Good points in this video!!
Great tips! Perhaps you have covered this but one thing I find helpful is a written breaking camp/unhooking procedure AND following it. Especially if, for whatever reason, you find yourself in a rush. Under any stress things can easily be overlooked. I have overlooked things and immediately kick myself in the butt for not checking my list! When I follow my list, everything goes perfectly.
Great tip, my Marine pilot son has inspired me to make my own laminated book,( slightly smaller than a typical binder), with setup, tear down, and procedures for turning on all systems.
Here's incident for discussion. I'm in Montana rest area sitting on picnic table feeding about dozen squirrels. When big, beautifully painted RV stops, with elder couple an a pink French poodle mix. She's really dyed pint with what looks like diamond necklace! I was thinking, I don't think I've seen diamonds so big, when she sees squirrels an momma puts dog away. She comes back an we have nice lunch together. Remember calling dog, "Missy"! I get ready to leave but elder couple says good bye an their on Hwy first. I'm not far behind them an when I pull up too their RV I see something dangling an swinging from RV's trailer hitch. I see what it see an pull up to the driver window. He smiles down at me while I signal for him too open his window, which he does. "I don't think Missy can keep up with you doing 70+ mph"! Missy was swinging around by her leash from the trailer hitch ball. She was bouncing an gyrating like she was dead roadkill, which she was. To make matters worse he realizes his diamond clad dog is ground meat. I pulled over with them an helped them bury they precious Missy! One lapse of thought can get people killed even your best friend!
Very interesting. I do all my own maintenance and can't imagine not doing proper maintenance. I do need to do a better job of receipts and documentation as the the maintenance. 😀
izzy and aj, another great video to say the least,all common sense statements, sadly, there are numerous people lacking common sense have a great and safe holiday to you both
You made some good points for campers to heed. We never extend our awning unless we’re going to be sitting under it. It’s so easy to hit the button and close it, we never want it out when we’re out and about because wind/weather can change unexpectedly.
I wish I'd had this video & some of your others BEFORE I bought the 5th wheel I got. :-( I'm now dealing with black tank issues, kitchen sink issues. 1/3 of my electrical system doesn't work & a broken BR window (I have the plexi to repair but need it cut to size). I'm slowly getting rhe black tank sorted but OMG, naaaasty mess.
Thank you so much for posting videos like this. My wife and I have yet to buy our first RV but are so thankful to have all this information before we are in it.
Kool couple. You complement each other. I am just studying, dreaming, hoping to find a way to find the RV that fits me. You spoke of things I think are of great value and that I had not heard before. Experience talking huh. Thank you for sharing your time and wisdom. Have fun, be safe.
Great tips. One I always check is tires. Check pressure and condition and know what speeds there rated for before you do 80 down the road. Don’t forget the lug nuts, know the torque spec.
I have a truck camper. I have replaced all the fuses with the next size up, assuming they fit. No more raising the jacks in cold, pouring Canadian rain, when they stop because the manual says a 10 amp fuse will suffice.
Do you have, or can you point me to a maintenance schedule plan? We know a few things we need to keep up with, but not everything. We're full time, stationary in a 42' 5th wheel. Thx
Thank you Izzy and MJ! These tips are good. I notice that out here sone rvers are driving a bit fast. One about cut me off. You’re right they need to slow down.
Dumbest RV mistake I would have made would have been buy one. Stay in a hotel. So you don't wake up in the forest. Rent a cabin if you want the campfire experience.
You left out the number one tip , dont waste money on RVs when you could use to take 10 years worth of nice vacations, why people have the desire to play trailer park confounds me
I have been guilty of not winterizing soon enough. Had to replace commode. I also have been guilty of driving too fast, trailer started to hydroplane. I keep both black and grey tank valves closed. Once you get sewer flies/gnats you'll learn to keep them closed. I also loss an awning in a pop-up storm in 1989. That was before wind sensors existed.
1) ALWAYS have sway control!!! 2) MaxxAir fans don't require rain sensors, as they are designed with the vented portion facing down. Using those covers on Fantastic Fans cuts way down on the air.flow. (I've done it both ways, finally switched to MaxxAir).
i cut a broom stick to the width of my slide outs. before i extend out my slides, i walk around my camper with that broom stick to see if there is enough clearance to extend the slides to keep the slides from hitting trees, or shore power stations, ect.
I do not us the antifreeze I blow my lines out every year with air and do not have any problems because if you used to antifreeze it makes your water taste nasty even making coffee
For your consideration: Very few states and provinces in North American prohibit use of propane for RV travel. In fact, the risk of getting hit walking in a crosswalk is 100 times more likely than the risk of a propane explosion while in transit. We don’t suggest people stop walking in crosswalks, do we. To each their own, but u tubers should be mindful of creating excessive fear where transportation laws permit active use of propane. Just sayin.
Fortunately my stepdad was a Beet Truck driver (and farmer) before he acquired a used Class A motorhome. I can't say that he never had any mishaps, but he never had any major mishaps with it.
WOW! Two of the items you mentioned, I already did! Not turning off the water, had a leak but easy and cheap repair. The other was leaving the awning out while we went shopping. Very bad mistake, somewhat costly, $160. but easily fixed. Thanks for your knowledge on RVs. Ours is a TrailManor and we still get issues like everyone else.
Buying sewer plugs for the elbows (without lugs) and putting them in the ends of the sewer hose. Then forgetting them until I pulled the dump lever. Ever thought about how you would get a clear elbow of black tank unplugged without dumping it all over the pad?
The price of fuel hasn't slowed them down yet! We just started full-time, traded our TT in for a 9600lb 5R Yes it's lighter then most but we only have a RAM 2500 diesel and don't want to be those people that overload the tow vehicle. We wanted a 3500 or better but new was way out of our price range, and we just couldn't find one in good enough shape. So we are limited to 20k GCVW yes we checked the true capacity for the truck and verified the gear ratio.
you guys are the best i studied your videos and taht really alleviates little mistakes that you talk about … You guys are extremely helpful to the RV community keep it up pretty soon you guys will be enjoying your RV once you guys retire a lot more I know Izzy can’t wait Thank you for your service brother
Not buying new tires. Letting tires get too old is high risk. Different from daily driver that you replace at certain mileage. Have to know the AGE of the tires, especially if you are weekenders or vacation rv ers. Won't reach mileage before years. Costly and dangerous.
RV is do and learn. It's really a crash course. I asked as many experienced people as I could for pointers. Unfortunately what got me in the end, nobody told me about. It could had been from putting wood in my RV that was left over and Termites ate my floor. Or it could had been from maybe parking in a site where they were already, but they destroyed it. So fumigate every winter.
Our trailer fridge only runs on propane while traveling. It’s a touchy subject. Some rv’ers leave them on, some don’t. I bought valves for the propane tanks that immediately shuts off the gas if there is a leak. They aren’t cheap, but we’ll worth the price. Around $75 a piece.
Awesome info as always ! I learned the hard way about roof top things like the crank up antenna and/or dish. First time out ours took up residence in a tree when we left for home. Not a cheep fix but a valuable lesson learned.
Dumb thing I did as a rookie, we pulled away from our campsite to go a few hundred yards away to a better one. Told the wife, Feels kinda weird. We forgot the GD awning was out! Fortunately we didn't hit anything or got on the highway.
enjoyed the info...I actually have a checklist that we follow setting up and leaving...close enough to power & sewer , slide out space , etc. etc ..leaving , awning , power , hose , propane , storage locked , even check fuel to see how soon to plan a stop...because of issues in past trips , we find the checklist very helpful ...airline pilots do it !!! make your list very detailed , it helps ...Thanks again for your tips...
Did this in my own driveway. Got home and wanted to air out the RV. Watching tv inside the house and started to rain. Never clicked in my mind the vent was opened. Luckily I have a wife that reminded me🥴🥴
Uh oh. My 2011 21QB needs the propane for the fridge and it only works on propane or 120v. I've only ever turned it off to refill. I also drive with the flow... 70-75 was always comfortable. I'm sure my new class B will be the same?
Here is my tip... Learn to do your own RV maintenance and use a good car maintenance management program ( I use Automotive Wolf car care software ) to track and monitor it all. It also tracks all my parts, expenses and creates a detailed vehicle maintenance log. After RV'ing for over 10 years I've saved thousands by doing most of the maintenance myself and there is a lot of it on an RV! A small roof leak can cost you thousands in repairs so I check my roof at least twice a year. Keep on top of the maintenance and you'll save money and be RV'ing for years :)
Another great video. Our fridge runs off propane or 120vac. We didn't have an inverter so running with the propane on had been a staple for us. I did put in an inverter, but we've had several inverters fail on us. Also traveling with an almost 98 year old M-I-L is difficult and running the heat is necessary for her. Trying to find better alternatives to the propane.
I one forgot to check the vents before leaving, even though I do a pre trip check. The wind caught it and flipped it back. Another motorist signaled to me something was blowing off the roof. Had to ratchet strap it until I got home. Fortunately it was a easy fix. And didn’t cost anything
I can attest. The problems I caused by wanting to keep my black tank dry and empty are to be avoided. I always have 5 or so gallons in the BT. It's very helpful when you are driving and the water sloshes around, keeping the walls, vent and bottom from building up. Once it's dry...it's hard to get out. I managed to build a "poop and paper pyramid", after a time. Don't do that... keep it wet.
Roadside assistance, worth every penny! I've had AAA since I was a kid on my parents plan. RV came with 5 years of coach net, when that expired I added RV to my AAA. Used it for the first time this week, fuel pump died. After 20 phone calls trying to find someone who would work on a chassis I had it towed 16 miles. Would have cost $675 for the medium duty rig, I didn't pay a dime, just bought the driver a nice lunch for being very professional and careful! As a side note I also ride a motorcycle and the RV plan also covers it too. Only used it for running out of gas so far but it gives me piece of mind
We keep a weekly, monthly, and quarterly list of different types of routine maintenance for our rig. It may seem like over kill but we have very few issues that I’ve seen to be common issues with fellow RVers. And we keep full warranty and road side. It’s worth every penny.
All good points. Especially basic maintenance and speed. Most common failures I see roadside are trailer tires and wheel bearings. Just because an engine can propel a rig to 85 doesn’t mean the chassis can respond to an evasive maneuver or short stop from that speed. Both the ignored maintenance and high speed are even more hazardous when weight is high and incorrectly distributed. Maybe that is a good future vid topic. Too common that RVrs fail to understand many important weights. What is the empty weight of YOUR rig? The manufacturers weight on tag isn’t YOUR rig. How much does ALL of your stuff and people weigh? Do a tally of EVERYTHING or drive your loaded rig on a truck scale. Either way most people are going to be surprised how all of the “few more things” that “don’t weigh much” add up.
Great tips. As for leaving the gray tank open, we pull a small tear drop with only a 15gal gray tank and 12 black. There have been times when my wife needs to wash her hair that i've left the gray tank open. You are correct, on dumping you open the black then gray and it's the gray water that helps flush the system. We are lucky to have the added bonus of having a black hose hook up so we can connect a hose and it feeds water directly into the black tank so we can get a good wash/flush. As one comment below - having a check list and sticking to it is vital. On at least one occasion on each trip, we've waved down fellow RVers as they've left the camp grounds with vent covers open, storage doors open and on one occasion the actual trailer door was locked open. There is one thing we do that we rarely see others do and this is a system/light check before departing. We check signals/brakes/headlights, pull forward about 6 ft then do another walk around and check both the power box and water source. Tried to encourage a family friend who also RVs a lot to do a final walk around but they were insistent it wasn't necessary. Then, they told us they left an expensive item on the picnic table and had to pay to get it shipped to them. Just takes a few minutes and it's a peace of mind.
Definitely need road side assistance. Electrical wire to Alison transmission broke. Had to have towed from my driveway to shop. I had assistance but asked what they charged. $200 per hour plus mileage both ways .
On the subject of maintenance...I used to have a horse boarding barn with lots of people coming and going, including trainers. One day, one of the trainers was rushing to finish up and said it was because he had an appointment to get his oil checked. I laughed and said, "You mean changed, right?" Nope, he meant checked. So, I clarified that he was paying a mechanic to check the oil in his half-ton pick-up. Yep. Now, in his defense, he was a Dutch Count from South Africa who had migrated here as a young adult and he'd grown up with servants, so it's understandable that he didn't know anything about vehicles. But, as a woman, I was still flabbergasted. I spent the next couple hours showing him how to check all the fluids, belts, hoses, grease zerks, and how to change a tire. ....and I still can't believe that some mechanic was taking his money to check his oil. Jerk. But on the other hand, the guy could be a little arrogant and demanding and expected to be served, too, so the mechanic might have been teaching him a lesson. I know one time he kept asking me if he could have a hitching post in the center of one of the paddocks he rented for $75 p/month and my response every single time was to show him where the posts and post hole digger was and tell him to help himself. He became very frustrated and angry, but I stood my ground. He wasn't paying me enough to be his servant, LOL! He eventually dug his own hole and put the post in himself and that night his (American) wife called me, laughing, and thanked me for not letting him push me around and for making him learn to do things for himself. LOL
Thanks guys.
I have an oak stick that I made that is the same length as the distance from my tires to the outside edge of the slide when it's fully extended. It's painted red on the ends so It's easy to see. (wish I could post a picture)
This is the first thing we do before we pull into our site.
We lay the stick down against whatever protrudes the farthest into our site. (Power pedestal, water faucet, whatever)
As I pull into the site, all I have to do is too makes sure I don't run over the stick and I know I have enough clearance to fully extend my slide.
It works perfectly every time.
Thanks again for the tips!
Great idea I will try that.
Also we all have a broom. Take the handle of the broom and wrap a piece of tape that show how far out the slide goes. You can also do the same for your steps.
inexpensive 12 ft tape measure marked on it for what (slide / awning).
I'll share, when were relatively new having only stayed in sites with full hookups we were in Santa Barbara with just water and power. We had rescued a kitten days before the trip so he had to come with. While cooking and cleaning up after dinner we put him in the shower so he wouldn't get stepped on. I was cleaning up outside wife was doing dishes. I poked my head in and she asked me to see what the kitten was upset about. Poor little guy was swimming! Wife thought we had sewer so she wasn't paying attention to water usage, oops. Now she verifies! No kittens were harmed during this lesson learned
Your right about speeding. Yesterday we watched a video where a SUV was towing a TT in the fast lane, the trailer started fishtailing, the driver didn’t know what to do, it got so bad the trailer flipped along with the SUV, the trailer broke loose, stuff in the trailer scattered everywhere along with the trailer. As much of non trailer items that scattered, it was probably overweight,Their plans got ruined because of stupidity. We’ve been traveling (non towing) doing speed limit of 75 & get passed by someone towing a RV. Izzy & MJ👏👏👏 great video keep’m coming.
Here's a few I can think of:
Not packing enough emergency gear - or underestimating what you think you need. Stow a tarp big enough to cover most, if not all of your roof. Bring a very strong jack (not just the stock questionable grade stuff). Keep a bunch of sharkbite fittings that fit your plumbing, plus a small section of PEX. A couple of rolls of duct tape. A cartridge of sealant and a caulking gun. Think about those things that can likely break and bring some 'rescue' stuff. Things like that can go a very, very long way in not only preventing a lot of damage to your rig should something go wrong, some of it can absolutely save a vacation trip - or your life.
A lot of emergency lighting and either regular or e-flares. We carry 4 rechargeable lanterns, 3-4 illuminated hazard triangles, and at least 4 small flashlights - all with rechargeable batteries and a recharger - in the event we are sidelined on a highway. We were once stuck in an opposing lane of traffic after nearly losing a tire on our tow rig, and being able to set up a very well illuminated hazard zone not only went a long way to keeping us protected, it set up a safe zone for the tow rig to get us out of danger. Don't be the person who tries to furiously wave a flashlight to keep a sleepy tractor trailer driver from bifurcating your rig!
An old RV friend of mine used to do drills. What to do in a fire. Or if they have to emergency pull over to the side. How to quickly disconnect the tow vehicle if its on fire. Where are the fire extinguishers. Where are the important papers and get them out fast.
My dumbest mistake was to develop an oil seal leak on the water pump, and falsely diagnosing it to be the vacuum pump above it. Then at the same time have someone steel one of my rear wheel valve extensions with the presume sensor.
This resulted in me suddenly having a massive increase in fuel consumption due to the flat tire which the tire pressure monitoring was still indicating all tires correctly inflated...... I did not investigate more as I assumed failing vacuum pump which not only boosts the brakes but also controls the engine turbo veins was the cause of the bad fuel consumption.....the tire of the dual back wheels which was flat looked normal when stopped.....so I was nursing what I thought was a sick vacuum pump home and did not pick up on the flat tire. It was not till I got home some 1000 miles latter and started washing the RV I discovered my valve extension and sensor missing....
Moral of the story is do not trust tire pressure sensors to much go around and still inspect your tires and wheels...... as for miss diagnosing the oil leak, I ended up replacing both the water pump and vacuum pump, since I removed them anyway....new ones are not that expensive considering labor costs, and the new parts have a three year warranty.
Dumb mistake was putting to much trust in tire pressure monitoring, cost hundreds of dollars in extra fuel! ( tire turned out not to suffer any damage, so could have been pumped up while on the road, as a I carry a compressor).
Loved the video. I need to start doing some of the things that you talked about. One note though on Coach net. I have it from when we bought our TT. We are on the last of a 5 year plan. I will not be renewing. My son was in an accident where my car was disabled. It had to be towed. They refused to tow it. They said that their service didn't include towing due to an accident. I had to pay almost $200.00 to have it towed 5 miles to my house. I now have AAA with RVplus. no worries. Just my 2 cents worth from personal experience.
Just a quick note. I had a horrible experience with Good Sam's Roadside Assistance. We were on Tybee Island, GA and our tow vehicle had a differential problem and we had to drop it off in Savannah at a Ford Dealership. Back on Tybee Island, we had to move our Travel Trailer 100 feet to another campsite, for our remaining three days. The Campground, due to policy will NOT move an individual's equipment under any circumstances. I contacted Good Sam immediately and was assured they would send a wrecker to move it by our deadline. As the deadline approached I received a call from the wrecker to verify the type of trailer and ball size, he may be 10 minutes late. The deadline came and went, and the campground was getting nervous as the new occupants were on their way to Tybee Island. Finally, the wrecker company called and said. "We will be on our way there as soon as Good Sam pays us"
I cannot emphasize enough that Good Sam messed this up wicked! The discounts offered at Pilot Camping World etc. are just not worth it.
As a trucker, I have to say this... For the love of the Michelin Man, *DO NOT* extend your slide(s) when parked in truck parking. Those spaces are barely big enough to pull into with a big rig, and we need the extra bit of clearance your slide is using. I have seen where a truck pulling out clipped an RV slide with the overswing of the trailer. The slide didn't fare so well.
I will add a bag of ice to the BT before dumping to scour the sides of any debris. As I drive it agitates and cleans any clinging material. Works to clear the sensors for a more accurate read.
This is such a good idea! I thank you for sharing it. I will definitely use it!
I totally agree with speed. People drive way to fast. I keep it under 65 MPH. I think they need to make people take a driving class for whatever weight class there in
65 is still way too fast! especially in a big vehicle.
They’re *
YES! Scary how anyone is allowed to drive an RV!
My first RV we left the awning out and went out to eat , BIG MISTAKE ! Came back laying on ground $$$$$$$$$
BTW, we carry a spare tire on our class-a. And yes, we have changed tires on the road. I'd rather change the tire in 3-45 minutes than wait on road side assistance for hours. Not saying that you should not pay for a road side assistance program, (for towing) but be self sufficient people.
When you run an older RV, get on top of all maintenance (house, engine, chassis). Remember, "You are the Warranty".
Oh CRAP! ! ! Okay, over 30 years ago, we were just learning and starting to RV. Bought a Coachman Pop-up camper. After each use I would light all the burners, turn off the propane tanks and let the burners die out. Then close the knobs on the burners. EXCEPT, the time I forgot to close the burner knobs. We went out camping, got set up and I turned on the propane tanks. The wife said she could smell the propane and I ignored her and lit the burner! ! ! KA-WHOOMP. All the hair on my legs, arms, hands and eyebrows singed, and happily that was the worst of it. That taught me a VALUABLE lesson. ALWAYS listen to your wife! ! ! Embarrassing and was dangerous too boot.
Well I forgot to pull the awning in.
Yep was very embarrassing a little boy about 13 was yelling at us.
We were soo lucky his parents and another rver help up untangle the mess. Good thing we had ins. Only paid for the deductible. Never made that mistake again.
We live in Florida and travel 75 quite often it’s amazing to see how many people have no idea what they are doing when towing a vehicle. We have seen so many things that we just cannot believe they have made it 10 miles down the road. Not hooked up properly unlevel no sway bars no chains, you name it we’ve seen it. It makes it for a very scary driving sharing the road with these types of people, they have no concern for not only themselves and their families but other people on the road. I wish cops would do more or could do more to stop this, by maybe handing out big tickets to those people who take such a risk such as going 80 miles an hour while towing a travel trailer.
adding to number 4; the speed rate on rv tires are lower, that's the reason people blow so many tires at a higher rate of speed...
Don’t forget to retract the stabilizing jacks, before hooking up the trailer hitch. Costly bill of replacing a set of jacks due to this mistake. Especially if your retracting the tongue jack.
I have a different colored rope for the extension of each slide. If there is any question about clearance, I check with the appropriate rope.
I just think I'm in California where the speed limit for trailers is 55, keeps me out of trouble, remember just because you can afford it doesn't mean you can drive it.
Yeah I can see MJ being a speed demon. That and being a little too giddy smacking bugs with her bug zapper.
Oh my gosh - it drives me nuts when I see someone driving too fast in any type of RV. So dangerous and why in such a hurry. As for the propane, we don't, we use Cooler Shock ice packs in the fridge and freezer on travel days (we never travel more than 350 miles or 5 hours on travel days) and we've never had an issue. Things in the freezer are still frozen and the fridge is still cold - love those things! Also, saw the All About RVs use a small tape measure that he has marked the slides and awning lengths so he can just grab that and check each measurements before setting up. As someone who has two different sizes of slides, that's a great way to not have various "measuring sticks". Definitely going to use that method from now on!
The problem is on some highways is being pushed by others drivers like on 44 in Missouri
Thanks Izzy and MJ! Great advice. You can also use the blowout method to winterize your Motorcoach or RV. You wind up using way less RV antifreeze. Just add to the toilet(s) and P-Traps when done blowing out lines.
Just be careful that there's no water left in "drooping" lines (where there's a sag in the line). It's nearly impossible to get water out of them, despite the air pressure used while blowing out lines.
I do the same. Easier for me.
As a new to having a camper is leaving my black tank open while camping
Thank you so much for this video, MJ and Izzy. We let our previous roadside assistance membership lapse, but after your comment, we just signed up with Coach Net. Being stranded on the side of the road would be bad enough but lacking a plan to get help would be a nightmare! We've heard of Coach Net before, sounds like one of the better plans available, so thank you! As for mistakes - HA - I could write a book! How about pulling in too close to the pumps in a gas station and crushing the metal pump number sign up against the side of the coach! Always pay attention to strange noises, especially the ones that sound like fingernails scraping a blackboard!
Definitely peace of mind!
Hi Wes, we have had Coach Net since 2015. There is no cap on towing distance, plus the coverage will include all other vehicles you own too.
@@michaelt2961 Thank you for your response, Michael T, I did not know that about towing! Great to know!
In over forty years with RV,s We have forgotten to unplug the 50 amp. That was a mess. Then you look at your rear view mirror to see you have left the slide out. Running down the highway with the storage bay open. Hitting low branches. Ouch! Backing up with your car still attached . The list is endless ( no punt intended ) . The worst was leaving the black water hose loose at the RV when dumping. There are no words for that. Good news is we normally learn the first time.
Thanks for sharing !!
I made a checklist for myself for things to check, and secure, and turn off, unhook, close, etc. before I leave my campsite and start driving. I'm sure it's helped prevent me from doing something stupid. I learned a few new things from this video, so thanks!
It’s all about checklists.:)
Hello, first time subsciber. I'm 74 and been in the RVing world for about 35 years. These are all great tips, I'm only surprised so many don't already know most of this. Like when you leave don't forget to put the antenna down, the step in & unhook the sewer line. I too have made mistakes along the way but learned from them. The only thing I've always been a little fuzzy is winterizing. I simply drain All fluids out & leave open all valves so there's no fluids to freeze & never had a problem yet. I live in Washington with snow every year too..
Thanks for sharing
I do the same with my winterizing and I live in Colorado and never had a problem myself
I know this is controversial but using laundry detergent pods in RV washers is wrong. Pods are designed for full-size home washers. Not for small RV washers. The excess detergent goes into the clothes, it does not fully come out in rinse. And over time it actually attaches more dirt in the clothes. More chance for skin irritation. Same with RV dishwashers. No pods, please.
Oh boy. You just hit the third rail talking about traveling with Propane tanks open. I get both sides of the argument, however, I recommend those running with propane tanks open, use a GasStop propane shutoff valve to add a layer of protection.
Had to do it when the 110 side failed. Didn't want to but wasn't going to lose a fridge full of food on day 1 of a 10 day trip. Steaks aren't cheap!
When you buy ANY RV that you tow or any RV (driveable) that's bigger than your daily driver, TAKE A CLASS.
If you've driven an F150 your entire life and never towed anything, it's now LONGER than anything you've ever driven.
If you were a UPS driver in those big vans and you buy a 40ft bus, it's a COMPLETELY different experience.
Everyone thinks they can do it and those are the ones you see flipped over on the side of the highway.
"Hope" is not a strategy. Get the knowledge so you're solid and comfortable. As comfortable as you are driving your car.
My father was a pro race car driver. We had every kind of RV when I was a kid. When he bought a 40ft diesel pusher, he took a class.
If you're not comfortable driving a car, don't but t an RV.
Where would one find such classes?
@@ShereeGoldstein I would start with Google. A lot of places that sell big RVs offer classes.
Sorry, when we travel in 100+ degree weather, we run the refrigerator on propane. If we do not keep the refrigerator on, the temperature will rise quickly. We do not have a 12VDC refrigerator setting element. After 35+ years RVing, we have not had a fire.
I totally agree on having road side assistance. We had a flat near the beginning of a three week trip. Trying to get a spare tire out from underneath a truck with a camper attached is a bear. In our case the AAA driver was awesome. A lot can happen the farther from home you go. We were lucky where we had our flat, we had cell phone service. Most of our trip we didn't have service.
I have 3 campers that I rent out. On 2 of them the fridge takes upwards of 18 hours to get cold. They have to be run on propane while under way. They thaw out within three hours, probably less. One can run on battery, but it's very easy to kill the battery that way. Turning off propane is not really an option for me.
Always enjoy watching you guys! I finally got my new Class C, a few weeks ago. ordered a Winnebago Navion last September, they said Feb, then May, then July, and then maybe in December. The dealer I ordered from had a Tiffin with the same floor plan, so didn't want to wait and I'll be heading out in a few weeks full time. Your videos are practical and will help me be a better RVer. Keep up the great content
Hi. I am doing research for our retirement plan for full time rving and I feel like you are a gold mine for me. Love your humor. Thanks so much for the tips!
Hi, if you have not brought an RV...... do focus on the roof, there are heaps of youtube postings on leaking roofs and slide outs.....
The simple fact is you cannot join two different material, that have different expansion and contraction rates on a roof and expect the joint if it lays flat never to leak...eventually the sealant fails and the roof leaks and your RV turns to trash....manufacturers know this, service mobs know this and customers don't seem to know this..... If I buy again it would be a one piece roof...more important than most other considerations!
I have a little 20’, no slide, travel trailer. Three times a year I spend $800 to have it specially detailed with focus on the front cap. Four times a year I’m on the roof checking seals. It’s a 2020 and it looks just as good as it did the day I bought it. Good points in this video!!
Yes well worth the effort as it pays off and you know what you have
You pay $800 X3=$2400 Pls tell me I misunderstood And your on the roof 4 times a year your likely to cause problems by over maintaining your rv
My refrigerator Only works on electric while plugged in so I can't turn the propane off when driving unless I want my food to go bad.
Don't forget to take TV antenna down before traveling, we have a hang down tag to remind us
Great tips! Perhaps you have covered this but one thing I find helpful is a written breaking camp/unhooking procedure AND following it. Especially if, for whatever reason, you find yourself in a rush. Under any stress things can easily be overlooked. I have overlooked things and immediately kick myself in the butt for not checking my list! When I follow my list, everything goes perfectly.
Great tip, my Marine pilot son has inspired me to make my own laminated book,( slightly smaller than a typical binder), with setup, tear down, and procedures for turning on all systems.
Here's incident for discussion. I'm in Montana rest area sitting on picnic table feeding about dozen squirrels. When big, beautifully painted RV stops, with elder couple an a pink French poodle mix. She's really dyed pint with what looks like diamond necklace! I was thinking, I don't think I've seen diamonds so big, when she sees squirrels an momma puts dog away. She comes back an we have nice lunch together. Remember calling dog, "Missy"! I get ready to leave but elder couple says good bye an their on Hwy first. I'm not far behind them an when I pull up too their RV I see something dangling an swinging from RV's trailer hitch. I see what it see an pull up to the driver window. He smiles down at me while I signal for him too open his window, which he does. "I don't think Missy can keep up with you doing 70+ mph"! Missy was swinging around by her leash from the trailer hitch ball. She was bouncing an gyrating like she was dead roadkill, which she was. To make matters worse he realizes his diamond clad dog is ground meat. I pulled over with them an helped them bury they precious Missy! One lapse of thought can get people killed even your best friend!
Thank you! Is there an already designed notebook with listed things to during changing seasons or regular things to check ever so often?
Very interesting. I do all my own maintenance and can't imagine not doing proper maintenance. I do need to do a better job of receipts and documentation as the the maintenance. 😀
For Class A'ers out there... RETROBANDS!!
We don’t want to leave the propane on but we have a old 2 way fridge that only runs on propane or shore power. We installed a gas stop.
izzy and aj, another great video to say the least,all common sense statements, sadly, there are numerous people lacking common sense have a great and safe holiday to you both
Leaving awning out in the rain.
By far the biggest mistake an RV'er can make is buying one in the first place.
You made some good points for campers to heed. We never extend our awning unless we’re going to be sitting under it. It’s so easy to hit the button and close it, we never want it out when we’re out and about because wind/weather can change unexpectedly.
Thanks for sharing
LOL, we're not all spoiled with automatic awnings, some of us serfs have to deploy ours old school!
I wish I'd had this video & some of your others BEFORE I bought the 5th wheel I got. :-(
I'm now dealing with black tank issues, kitchen sink issues. 1/3 of my electrical system doesn't work & a broken BR window (I have the plexi to repair but need it cut to size).
I'm slowly getting rhe black tank sorted but OMG, naaaasty mess.
Hello 👋how are you doing?
Thank you so much for posting videos like this. My wife and I have yet to buy our first RV but are so thankful to have all this information before we are in it.
Happy to help!
Kool couple. You complement each other. I am just studying, dreaming, hoping to find a way to find the RV that fits me. You spoke of things I think are of great value and that I had not heard before.
Experience talking huh.
Thank you for sharing your time and wisdom.
Have fun, be safe.
thanks for watching and the comment
Great tips. One I always check is tires. Check pressure and condition and know what speeds there rated for before you do 80 down the road. Don’t forget the lug nuts, know the torque spec.
I have a truck camper. I have replaced all the fuses with the next size up, assuming they fit. No more raising the jacks in cold, pouring Canadian rain, when they stop because the manual says a 10 amp fuse will suffice.
Not sure it’s a good idea to replace fuses that were used by the manufacturer at a specific amp rating with a fuse of a higher rating
I’m just beginning my RV adventures so this was very helpful thank you
Do you have, or can you point me to a maintenance schedule plan? We know a few things we need to keep up with, but not everything. We're full time, stationary in a 42' 5th wheel. Thx
Here is a good place to start
www.utires.com/articles/rv-maintenance-checklist/
Thank you Izzy and MJ! These tips are good. I notice that out here sone rvers are driving a bit fast. One about cut me off. You’re right they need to slow down.
I bleed the pressure off the water line in addition to turning it off
Dumbest RV mistake I would have made would have been buy one. Stay in a hotel. So you don't wake up in the forest. Rent a cabin if you want the campfire experience.
Why watch this and complain? Silly goose
Thank you... your content was very informative... Just starting out and needed to hear every bit...
Thank you
You left out the number one tip , dont waste money on RVs when you could use to take 10 years worth of nice vacations, why people have the desire to play trailer park confounds me
Why can’t you do both?
Thanks for posting that on an RV channel lol
I have been guilty of not winterizing soon enough. Had to replace commode. I also have been guilty of driving too fast, trailer started to hydroplane. I keep both black and grey tank valves closed. Once you get sewer flies/gnats you'll learn to keep them closed. I also loss an awning in a pop-up storm in 1989. That was before wind sensors existed.
1) ALWAYS have sway control!!! 2) MaxxAir fans don't require rain sensors, as they are designed with
the vented portion facing down. Using those covers on Fantastic Fans cuts way down on the air.flow. (I've done it both ways, finally switched to MaxxAir).
i cut a broom stick to the width of my slide outs. before i extend out my slides, i walk around my camper with that broom stick to see if there is enough clearance to extend the slides to keep the slides from hitting trees, or shore power stations, ect.
I do not us the antifreeze I blow my lines out every year with air and do not have any problems because if you used to antifreeze it makes your water taste nasty even making coffee
You must de winterize and sanitize lines in the beginning of the season
For your consideration: Very few states and provinces in North American prohibit use of propane for RV travel. In fact, the risk of getting hit walking in a crosswalk is 100 times more likely than the risk of a propane explosion while in transit. We don’t suggest people stop walking in crosswalks, do we. To each their own, but u tubers should be mindful of creating excessive fear where transportation laws permit active use of propane. Just sayin.
We suggest you shut the propane off while traveling, but that decision is up to you to make.
Fortunately my stepdad was a Beet Truck driver (and farmer) before he acquired a used Class A motorhome.
I can't say that he never had any mishaps, but he never had any major mishaps with it.
Voice to Text screwed up my content, "Fortune" instead of "Fortunately."
WOW! Two of the items you mentioned, I already did! Not turning off the water, had a leak but easy and cheap repair. The other was leaving the awning out while we went shopping. Very bad mistake, somewhat costly, $160. but easily fixed. Thanks for your knowledge on RVs. Ours is a TrailManor and we still get issues like everyone else.
Buying sewer plugs for the elbows (without lugs) and putting them in the ends of the sewer hose. Then forgetting them until I pulled the dump lever. Ever thought about how you would get a clear elbow of black tank unplugged without dumping it all over the pad?
The price of fuel hasn't slowed them down yet! We just started full-time, traded our TT in for a 9600lb 5R Yes it's lighter then most but we only have a RAM 2500 diesel and don't want to be those people that overload the tow vehicle. We wanted a 3500 or better but new was way out of our price range, and we just couldn't find one in good enough shape. So we are limited to 20k GCVW yes we checked the true capacity for the truck and verified the gear ratio.
65 or less for me. Right lane on a 3 lane. No rush.
you guys are the best i studied your videos and taht really alleviates little mistakes that you talk about … You guys are extremely helpful to the RV community keep it up pretty soon you guys will be enjoying your RV once you guys retire a lot more I know Izzy can’t wait Thank you for your service brother
Thank you
Not buying new tires. Letting tires get too old is high risk. Different from daily driver that you replace at certain mileage. Have to know the AGE of the tires, especially if you are weekenders or vacation rv ers. Won't reach mileage before years. Costly and dangerous.
RV is do and learn. It's really a crash course. I asked as many experienced people as I could for pointers. Unfortunately what got me in the end, nobody told me about. It could had been from putting wood in my RV that was left over and Termites ate my floor. Or it could had been from maybe parking in a site where they were already, but they destroyed it. So fumigate every winter.
Izzy looks and sounds like #zdoggmd
Do you have stickers? I’m collecting camping TH-cam maker’s stickers my slide out.
Our trailer fridge only runs on propane while traveling. It’s a touchy subject. Some rv’ers leave them on, some don’t. I bought valves for the propane tanks that immediately shuts off the gas if there is a leak. They aren’t cheap, but we’ll worth the price. Around $75 a piece.
Awesome info as always ! I learned the hard way about roof top things like the crank up antenna and/or dish. First time out ours took up residence in a tree when we left for home. Not a cheep fix but a valuable lesson learned.
you talked me out of owning an rv
Dumb thing I did as a rookie, we pulled away from our campsite to go a few hundred yards away to a better one. Told the wife, Feels kinda weird. We forgot the GD awning was out! Fortunately we didn't hit anything or got on the highway.
Hey let's face it you don't kown until you try it and probably 50 percent of the people out there has zero common sense.
enjoyed the info...I actually have a checklist that we follow setting up and leaving...close enough to power & sewer , slide out space , etc. etc ..leaving , awning , power , hose , propane , storage locked , even check fuel to see how soon to plan a stop...because of issues in past trips , we find the checklist very helpful ...airline pilots do it !!! make your list very detailed , it helps ...Thanks again for your tips...
Would you be willing to share your checklists with others?
I laughed out loud about the vents. I've worked in armored cars for 32 years and people always leave vents open and the seats are soaked the next day.
Did this in my own driveway. Got home and wanted to air out the RV. Watching tv inside the house and started to rain. Never clicked in my mind the vent was opened. Luckily I have a wife that reminded me🥴🥴
Uh oh. My 2011 21QB needs the propane for the fridge and it only works on propane or 120v. I've only ever turned it off to refill.
I also drive with the flow... 70-75 was always comfortable. I'm sure my new class B will be the same?
Here is my tip... Learn to do your own RV maintenance and use a good car maintenance management program ( I use Automotive Wolf car care software ) to track and monitor it all. It also tracks all my parts, expenses and creates a detailed vehicle maintenance log. After RV'ing for over 10 years I've saved thousands by doing most of the maintenance myself and there is a lot of it on an RV! A small roof leak can cost you thousands in repairs so I check my roof at least twice a year. Keep on top of the maintenance and you'll save money and be RV'ing for years :)
Another great video. Our fridge runs off propane or 120vac. We didn't have an inverter so running with the propane on had been a staple for us. I did put in an inverter, but we've had several inverters fail on us. Also traveling with an almost 98 year old M-I-L is difficult and running the heat is necessary for her. Trying to find better alternatives to the propane.
I one forgot to check the vents before leaving, even though I do a pre trip check. The wind caught it and flipped it back. Another motorist signaled to me something was blowing off the roof. Had to ratchet strap it until I got home. Fortunately it was a easy fix. And didn’t cost anything
6How can you shut it off if your frig is on
I can attest. The problems I caused by wanting to keep my black tank dry and empty are to be avoided. I always have 5 or so gallons in the BT. It's very helpful when you are driving and the water sloshes around, keeping the walls, vent and bottom from building up. Once it's dry...it's hard to get out. I managed to build a "poop and paper pyramid", after a time. Don't do that...
keep it wet.
Before you start to drive pore a gallon of bleach in your BT and it will keep it clean as a pin. Just flush it good when you stop and dump.
@@largelarry2126 Thanks!
Composting toilet with separator for urine and poop. No need for a black tank.
Hi all is helpful. What is the pink liquid to use before low temperatures start? Andis tha done weekly, or monthly ? T.y.
RV antifreeze
How often?
Roadside assistance, worth every penny! I've had AAA since I was a kid on my parents plan. RV came with 5 years of coach net, when that expired I added RV to my AAA. Used it for the first time this week, fuel pump died. After 20 phone calls trying to find someone who would work on a chassis I had it towed 16 miles. Would have cost $675 for the medium duty rig, I didn't pay a dime, just bought the driver a nice lunch for being very professional and careful! As a side note I also ride a motorcycle and the RV plan also covers it too. Only used it for running out of gas so far but it gives me piece of mind
We keep a weekly, monthly, and quarterly list of different types of routine maintenance for our rig. It may seem like over kill but we have very few issues that I’ve seen to be common issues with fellow RVers. And we keep full warranty and road side. It’s worth every penny.
I am about to take on full time RVing and would love to have access to the knowledge in these- are you willing to share?
All good points. Especially basic maintenance and speed. Most common failures I see roadside are trailer tires and wheel bearings. Just because an engine can propel a rig to 85 doesn’t mean the chassis can respond to an evasive maneuver or short stop from that speed. Both the ignored maintenance and high speed are even more hazardous when weight is high and incorrectly distributed. Maybe that is a good future vid topic. Too common that RVrs fail to understand many important weights. What is the empty weight of YOUR rig? The manufacturers weight on tag isn’t YOUR rig. How much does ALL of your stuff and people weigh? Do a tally of EVERYTHING or drive your loaded rig on a truck scale. Either way most people are going to be surprised how all of the “few more things” that “don’t weigh much” add up.
I have AAA, free 100 mile tow
Run your generator once a month
Great tips. As for leaving the gray tank open, we pull a small tear drop with only a 15gal gray tank and 12 black. There have been times when my wife needs to wash her hair that i've left the gray tank open. You are correct, on dumping you open the black then gray and it's the gray water that helps flush the system. We are lucky to have the added bonus of having a black hose hook up so we can connect a hose and it feeds water directly into the black tank so we can get a good wash/flush. As one comment below - having a check list and sticking to it is vital. On at least one occasion on each trip, we've waved down fellow RVers as they've left the camp grounds with vent covers open, storage doors open and on one occasion the actual trailer door was locked open. There is one thing we do that we rarely see others do and this is a system/light check before departing. We check signals/brakes/headlights, pull forward about 6 ft then do another walk around and check both the power box and water source. Tried to encourage a family friend who also RVs a lot to do a final walk around but they were insistent it wasn't necessary. Then, they told us they left an expensive item on the picnic table and had to pay to get it shipped to them. Just takes a few minutes and it's a peace of mind.
Definitely need road side assistance. Electrical wire to Alison transmission broke. Had to have towed from my driveway to shop. I had assistance but asked what they charged. $200 per hour plus mileage both ways .
Lots of really good tips