Community Forums

flangley · 07-02-2014, 04:48 PM

I have owned my MH since Jan. and I bet I have one dent in my head for every month I have owned it.

flangley · 07-02-2014, 04:54 PM

Make sure the little plastic latch on the shower is facing down before you work on the shower. I changed out my shower head and when the door shut behind me I guess the latch fell locking me in the shower. Luckily my gson came and spent a week with me or I would have been in there for hours or had to break a shower door. He came in 2 min. after I locked myself in the shower.

gemert · 07-02-2014, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doc Hugh

Just spent the last few hours perusing this informative thread that has persisted for over a year and a half! It's brought back many fond and mixed memories of my own RV experiences over the years involving a few TTs, a 5th wheel and our current MH. It has expanded my precautionary repertoire and prompted some legitimate adjustments to my check lists.
Although you are all aware of these, I'd like to share few additIonal thoughts:
1. When using your "Big Rig" to stock up on essential supplies (or fuel), don't assume if there is a driveway marked "Entrance Only" at one end of a busy large shopping center parking lot that there is another one marked "Exit Only" at the other end - "Check for exit before entry".
2. Don't assume the experienced-looking "campground guide" is actually knowledgable about rear end overhang/swing, height restrictions, slide-out deployment, etc. See #3 below.
3. When maneuvering your RV, despite what ANYONE else is telling you, when in doubt, stop, get out, and check for yourself - "When in doubt, get out".
4. When moving (extending or retracting) your slides, check (at least) twice that your bay doors are closed or properly secured - "Check twice, move once".
5. The consistent use of a proper portable or hard-wired surge/power protector is highly recommended to help safeguard your RV's electronics and appliances.
How do I know these things?

I very much appreciate the willingness of all participants to share their (or others) experiences for the potential benefit of their fellow RVers!
Safe Travels!

I have actually learned all of these lessons also! Unfortunately I could add another few!

mikebreeze · 07-02-2014, 06:22 PM

When caulking your rig, be sure to use silicone caulk that is rated as usable outdoors. I bought some cheap stuff, placed it all over my RV and 6 months later, it started breaking down and leaving a huge mess all around my unit.

Textronics · 07-02-2014, 06:36 PM

When DW says to DH move over, don't argue & take out the mirror on a sign post.

When DH says clear to back & you hear crunch & ask what it is & he says nothing, get put & check. Took out the railing on the side yard ramp. Sigh! Just scratches on the old girl.

greatlakes · 07-08-2014, 04:04 PM

Well I know its time for a new exhaust system when backing out of a hilly site in tenn my tailpipe touched the grass and fell off. Was watching to not hit anything but didn't notice the ground being do close to the pipe. Oh well needed replaced anyway.

GregOk80 · 07-09-2014, 02:12 PM

Ok we headed for Alabama for my sons OTS in the Air Force in February and ran into a ice storm just east of Little Rock. After leaving Montgomery Alabama we headed south to miss the ice storm again. We the damn thing went south with us and stayed over night in a truck stop with the slides out again. But it was much colder that night and woke up with three inches of ice on top of slide toppers. Glad we had a ladder to remove ice from toppers. Could not use a ladder that would have been mounted on back since the whole roof was a sheet of ice.

GregOk80 · 07-09-2014, 02:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cj23andout

We were at a McDonalds. He parked in the alley, blocked traffic. He lagged behind me, but we entered at about the same time. He would have walked right past my drains on the opposite side of the camper to get to the door. I was lugging a 4 year old so that tends to slow us down. My valves never leaked any liquid prior, haven't since then, either. I had just dumped them on a trip the week before and added a good bit of water for cleaning while in route on this trip.

After I was splashed with the liquid, I slapped the bayonet cap back on and grabbed a bucket, drained the rest from behind the cap. Guess what, the valves held everything else back. So, how did that bit of liquid get between the valves and cap? I'm convinced someone pulled the valve then shut it.

Was it him? Nobody knows but the person who did it. I've spent a career reading people. So I'll go with my gut. It's been right far more than wrong.

You believe what you want. I can read people pretty well. At the time, I thought he was giving me a look because I beat him to the parking spot. After getting splashed, I thought different.

No worries anyway. The moral of the story is, be careful when you crack that cap. You never know if somethings back there.

I have a locked wet bay so this is one thing I do not have to worry about TG

Selah2 · 07-09-2014, 05:34 PM

Make sure the DH has his hearing aids turned on so when DW is yelling STOP, STOP! the coach will not be backed into the house soffit.

JeffAZ · 07-10-2014, 08:27 AM

I have always had a little anxiety when I'm in the boonies camping and it's time to bring in the slide room (electrically operated). I have never had any problem with my slide in my 14 months of ownership, but I sure have read on these forums about the troubles the slides can have.

So I was camped at a rural Kansas lake a couple days ago and when I brought the slide in to leave, it stopped 8 inches away from the fully closed position. I rechecked inside and outside and found no obvious obstructions. I looked in the basement where the forward gears are located, where before we left I had placed a bulky item wrapped in a large plastic trash bag. Well, the stupid bag had got ensnared in the slide gears and was wrapped up in it so much it prevented the full travel of the slide! So I slid the room out a few inches, got a straight razor blade and spent 20 minutes cutting away the multiple layers of plastic and then my slide returned to fully operational mode (thank goodness).

So do not place any large objects in the basement bin wrapped in plastic bags that could become caught in the slide mechanism. But plastic is a petroleum product, so maybe the gears are better lubricated now?

tom076 · 07-10-2014, 04:06 PM

Don't take word from car rental at Tampa Airport that access to terminal is no problem for a motorhome. Exit from front of term. goes through parking garage that is 7 ft clearance. Nice sign on one way street tells overheight vehicles to wait here for assistance. Assistance in the form of Police Officer who had to get second patrol car to hold traffic trying to get to terminal while some dummy backs 38 footer the 3 blocks to the exit.

Tomtall · 07-10-2014, 05:48 PM

You sound like you speak from experience.

rskrbina · 07-10-2014, 06:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SarahW

So... no one else has ever walked around the corner of the RV and straight into the extended slide?

I have heard of this happening.

Yep, just happened 5 days ago. It was at night and it was raining and came time to empty my tanks. Put on the raincoat with a hood and outside I go. Get them drained, walk around the MH with head down to stop the rain from dripping off of my hood and onto my glasses and WHAM!!, right on the old forehead.

After the stars cleared, I found my way to the entry door. Doing better now, the last of the 2" scab just came off.

Tony Lee · 07-10-2014, 07:06 PM

No way I'm going to read all these posts, so maybe it has already been covered.

If the slides were out and it was windy and raining heavily all night, don't just pull the slides in and drive away. A gallon of icy-cold water down the back of your neck at the first stop sign really wakes you up fast.