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02-19-2012, 02:14 PM
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#43
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RV Mutant #14
Winnebago Owners Club Texas Boomers Club Freightliner Owners Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 17,184
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Hi Joe!
Lots of different items that one needs to think about in this thread. I want to ask you a question.
When you said you almost ran off the road (right side), where were you looking? Think back. I will wager that you were intensely looking at the right side edge of the road, fearful that you would go off of it with the front right tire. So here is the tip: You go where you are looking. If you keep looking at the side of the road you will go that direction. Not a big, big "go that direction," but a drift. It is just human nature. I don't know if you have ever ridden a motorcycle, lot smaller than an rv, but the rull apples even more so with motorcycles. So look to where you want to go. coming into a curve, look to where you want to go, not the side of the road. Do be aware of the side of the road and the center line, but don't focus on them.
How many times in any turns did your wheel go up over the curve, or cut across the opposite side's center line. It's a common mistake. Having pulled the trailer, you know that you have to take wide turns. Just remember that you don't have a "hood" in the MH, the front is only a few feet from where you are sitting. So, in making any turn, wait for your "butt" to get to the point that you want to be at and start making the turn. You are sitting right over the wheels, so waiting for that "butt" moment will put the wheels where you want to go. You must be aware of forward surroundings, such as other cars, trees, etc., so that you don't sweep into them. That is just an "awareness" thing. In the right hand turn, crowd over into the left lane, on a two lane street, but do not allow enough room for a car to encroach on your right hand side. That will mean you will be taking up only half of the left hand lane, or so, and when your butt gets to where you want to be, start your turn. (Always use turn signals)
Be aware of your surroundings when you make a turn, as just like in the trailer you have to watch your tail swing. You could have 12 feet past the rear axle swinging out when you make a turn. Just recently I saw a brand new 5th wheel put into a campground, made his turn into the pull-through, and ripped the back cap off when the tail hit a parked car in the street.
Anyhow, that is what I do and so far it has worked for me.
Good luck. Oh! and take your time in any situation.
__________________
Wayne MSGT USMC (Ret) & Earlene (CinCHouse) RVM14 (ARS: KE5QG)
Lexi - Goldendoodle
2015 Winnebago Tour 42QD - 2020 Lincoln Nautilus Reserve
It is what it is, and then it is what you make of it.
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02-19-2012, 02:16 PM
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#44
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Senior Member/RVM #90
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Columbus, MS
Posts: 54,578
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Thanks to all of you for the encouraging words and great advice! I watched all the videos on that RV Driver's Confidence Course and will be reviewing them many times during this learning period! I spent 30 minutes yesterday looking for the switches for the two front slides before giving up and looking in the manual! Yep, there they were, right up there in the overhead cabinet on that thing-a-ma-jig control panel! Like I said earlier, I'm probably gonna drive you guys crazy with my stupid questions for a loooooong time! I've got to decide what to do about the refrigerator firs thing. My wife refuses to even sleep in the MH knowing about the fire danger. Thanks again! God bless!
__________________
Joe & Annette
Sometimes I sits and thinks, sometimes I just sits.....
2002 Monaco Windsor 40PBT, 2013 Honda CRV AWD
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02-19-2012, 02:24 PM
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#45
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RV Mutant #14
Winnebago Owners Club Texas Boomers Club Freightliner Owners Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 17,184
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If it is a Norcold, get the serial number off the front panel, then take the outside lower vent off and get the serial number from in there. Call Norcold and give them the serial numbers. They will tell you if it is one that needs the modification. If the previous owner did the modification under warranty, they will have that record also.
When you open up the outside vent, look for a little black box. One of the wires (thermocouple) will go to the upper part of the stack.
Happy trails.
__________________
Wayne MSGT USMC (Ret) & Earlene (CinCHouse) RVM14 (ARS: KE5QG)
Lexi - Goldendoodle
2015 Winnebago Tour 42QD - 2020 Lincoln Nautilus Reserve
It is what it is, and then it is what you make of it.
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02-19-2012, 02:43 PM
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#46
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Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: sault ste marie,Ontario,Canada
Posts: 364
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"just keep it between the lines son" and remember keep the shiny side up and the rubber side down.
__________________
1997 four winds windsport 38,000 miles
polaris sportsman 700,polaris sportsman 500. honda goldwing 1500
Rob,Faye and peanut(long haired chiwawa)
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02-19-2012, 02:54 PM
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#47
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: Michigan
Posts: 5,692
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Joe, WOW nice coach. You'll get used to it. Just relax. Can't go thru any diesels discussions with you as I know nothing about them. The one thing I was told if I had bought one is to make sure you understand the air brake system but I'm sure you'll get plenty of answers to all your questions. Both of you enjoy the new ride as I'm sure you will.
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Steve & Sally / Hudson Our Little Pom / Heidi, Houston & HiTee Forever in our Hearts
04 NEWMAR MACA 3778 W22 / 05 PT Vert
Michigan (Summer) Michigan (Winter For Now)
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02-19-2012, 03:03 PM
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#48
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Fulton NY
Posts: 416
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I think that everyone goes thru this at the beginning, I sure did. When we picked up our 43 footer last October it was the first time I had ever driven any type of camper or motorhome, was a truck driver once but that was many years ago. Over the first three days we drove from northern Minnesota to Fulton NY a total of 1300 miles and I got pretty comfortable by the time we were home. I have spent all winter trying to familiarize myself with all of the systems and looking forward to our first real trip next month.
__________________
David & Anne Marie
2015 Dutch Star 4369
All Electric Coach
HWH Active Air Suspension 2014 Wrangler
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02-19-2012, 04:41 PM
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#49
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Senior Member/RVM #90
Monaco Owners Club
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Columbus, MS
Posts: 54,578
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Wayne, I can't really remember exactly where I was looking at that moment, but you're probably right. The warning track was on top of the white line on the edge of the road and I kept letting it get to the warning track before pulling back. I think the section of road where I actually got off the edge of the pavement did not have a warning track. I did much better the longer I drove. The trip was about 3 1/2 hours. I even managed to get it through the toll station in one piece!
I got the info on the fridge, went to the recall website and put in the information. It told me that my unit is included in the recall. I am going to call them tommorrow to find out if it has had the recalls done. Thanks!
__________________
Joe & Annette
Sometimes I sits and thinks, sometimes I just sits.....
2002 Monaco Windsor 40PBT, 2013 Honda CRV AWD
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02-19-2012, 07:48 PM
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#50
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Senior Member
Newmar Owners Club Nor'easters Club Workhorse Chassis Owner
Join Date: Jul 2010
Posts: 416
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Joe: relax take a deep Breath. Drive it around get use to it, baby steps. don't try to take it in all at once! By the way nice rig hope you and DW enjoy it.
__________________
.....Damdannyboy........
2019 Northwood Arctic Fox 27 5L
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02-19-2012, 08:53 PM
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#51
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Avon Lake, Oh
Posts: 2,958
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Congratulations on the nice coach. Don't worry, you will soon wonder why you didn't do it before this. In October we just picked up our 40 ft DP, in Tucson and drove it back in Cleveland. We never had a motorhome before, in fact nothing bigger than a mini van before this.
Scary, but once I found some reference point s on the windshield, in reference to lines on the road, it was easier to keep in the center lane. Speaking of Center, when you drive through populated areas, don't drive in the right lane, always use the next lane over. This way you won't have to worry about cars and trucks merging on the highway, and keep moving over and going back. When the highway narrows down to two lanes, then you can ride in the right lane without much worry about having to move or slow down for merging traffic. There will be some on here that feel you should just stay in the right lane, but don't worry about holding up cars behind you. They can move a lot easier than you. If you drive 62-65 mph, that will be plenty fast enough and still allow you to control your vehicle, and get reasonable mileage.
On the way home, my wife clipped a mirror on a truck with dual wheels, and scraped a couple of basement doors on a cement pylon in a truck stop.
Stuff may or may not happen, but it is not the end of the world. Just be careful so mistakes are small, and everything will be fine. By the time I got to Indiana, I felt a lot more confidence, and was even able to back into spaces without incident.
__________________
2000 HOLIDAY RAMBLER ENDEAVOR
40 FT--330HP CAT
2 SLIDES-TOAD 2012 focus
Fulltime-Home is where we park it.
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02-19-2012, 09:28 PM
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#52
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RV Mutant #14
Winnebago Owners Club Texas Boomers Club Freightliner Owners Club iRV2 No Limits Club
Join Date: Aug 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 17,184
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Wait until you drive though one of these. I had to maneuver around the posts to keep my mirrors from hitting. On the exit side there was about 2" of clearance between my mirrors and the booths. This was the customs exit at Sarnia, CAN. I guess they figured if you hit the posts you would wipe out the custom booths. Hee hee!
__________________
Wayne MSGT USMC (Ret) & Earlene (CinCHouse) RVM14 (ARS: KE5QG)
Lexi - Goldendoodle
2015 Winnebago Tour 42QD - 2020 Lincoln Nautilus Reserve
It is what it is, and then it is what you make of it.
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02-19-2012, 09:46 PM
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#53
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Senior Member
National RV Owners Club Freightliner Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: silverdale wa.
Posts: 1,163
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I drove a step van for 31 years and then school bus for 10 and a couple of tour buses.For rving I pulled a pop-up with a Cherokee sport and m,oved up from there over the years and several tvs and TTs to the PSD Excursion and the 35'Cougar TT before switching to the MH. The first several trips I felt kind of uncomfortable because of the seat position,low and farther back from the w/s.
I would advise that you take it to an empty parking lot and practise driving it there,especially for cornering. You're really going to0 need that for driving in RV parks,parking lots and in town.
The advice about finding a school bus driver was really good. It should be one that is used to a 40' bus with the front sideview mirrors and a rear engine.Front engine transit buses turn differently.
Have fun !!!!!!!!!
__________________
Bigdog
2001 National Tradewinds 7390 LTC
2002 Subaru Legacy outback Limited stick
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02-19-2012, 10:00 PM
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#54
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Senior Member
Outdoors RV Owners Club
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Manitoba,Canada
Posts: 2,789
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Our first trip was terrifying! I had driven truck, never a coach. Didn't know anything about ride heights, tire pressures, sitting ahead of the front wheels, rear overhang, road ruts, passing truck drafts, side wind push, you name it.
The coach had sat long enough that the king pins were sticking. The steering box was loose enough that the steering wheel had as much play as an old tractor. I herded that beast down the highway for 1500 miles in high wind, and I kid you not, it was all over the road!
Well, fast forward almost four years, and many thousands of miles, and it's all good now. I'm as comfortable driving the coach as I am any other vehicle in the yard. Have patience and get to know the beast. Each time you drive out of the yard it will get easier. One day you'll wake up and tell your DW that the coach seems to be a lot smaller than it used to be.
__________________
2016 Creekside 23RKS
2012 Ram 2500 Laramie 4X4 Cummins 6.7L
Canada, eh?
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02-20-2012, 06:05 AM
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#55
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2012
Posts: 41
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You will soon adapt to the rig, my wife and i just purchased the same kind of coach a 40 PBDD WINDSOR. I drove it from Wisconcin to NJ, 1040 miles and it drove like a dream, only has 23000 miles on it. Also this coach has the Bilstein shocks which I think performed very well. This coach had one owner and he was very particular and kept it inside a heated garage, I think I hit a home run with this coach or maybe a grand slam! The rig without a dingy gave me almost 9mpg. We upgraded from a pick up truck & fifthwheel which was 7.5 or 8 mpg. I have been reading the manuals which i enjoy every minute, so if I can help let me know. I have had this since November and have completed all chassis and engine PM(s). I have been tinkering with the coach ever since in my garage from new tires on the front to new side LED docking lights, trouble shoot and repair the trace battery charger/inverter, replaced the dash FM,Cd radio, and i am going today to have the required diesel emmision test done. This is the first cummins engine that I have had experiance to work on, most of my work is on the detroit 60 series in fire apparatus. My next project is to upgrade the running lights with LED and the sony back up camera to side and rear camera(s) and upgrade the TV(s). I would like to have the side camera come on when you use your turn signals so we can veiw the blind spots. If there is anything that i can help you with I will try my best, there are many knowledgeable RV-ers on this forum that has been there and done that, I enjoy reading and listening to there advice. CONGRATULATIONS! Be safe.
Ron & Darlene
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Ron, NJ ase/evt
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02-20-2012, 06:47 AM
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#56
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Senior Member
Monaco Owners Club Texas Boomers Club
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 2,529
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Even today after 15,000+ miles and going into our 4th year it takes 15-20 minutes to acclimate if we've not driven ours for several weeks. It goes with the territory...
__________________
Hal & Ginny Miller '04 Beaver Santiam PRT40
'04 Saturn Vue - US Gear Brake - Blue Ox tow
3"girls" (2 Irish Setters - 1 Retriever) - RIP Annie & Emily (12/26/2017)
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