questions about my first long trip

[shell12081]

I plan on taking a trip to Florida next month and I am a newbie at this, How do I keep the refridgerator cold from New York to Florida? What tire pressure should I have in my tires? Right now they are at 70lbs. Can I run the ac while driving or the fan? My grandfather told me that there is a different speed limit for class a and class c rv's, is there? I will provide more info if needed to answer my questions it is not accessible to me right now. Thanks in advance, Michelle

[wildtoad]

You can run the fridge on propane all the way from NY to FL turning it off when you fuel up. Tire pressure should be stated on a form somewhere in your MH or in your owners manual. In addition there should be a form most like ly the same form that states how much your unit can weigh stated as GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating), and GAWR (Gross Axle Weight Rating). With these numbers specifically the latter one can look up what the tire pressures should be set to if you don't know the actual weight.

If you have a generator you should indeed be able to run the roof AC again remebering to turn it off when refueling. Keep in mind also that typically the gen will shutdown (by design) when the fuel in the tank goes below 1/4. This is so that one doesn't run out of gas while camping.

I do not remember any special speed limits for RV's. There are weight limits perhaps on older bridges but most RV's don't come close.

Happy Trails.

[CoastieSCPO]

Hi Michelle and welcome;

You can keep the fridge cold by turning on the LP gas. Some folks keep it off for safety concerns but we've been RVing for 30 years and always keep it on gas unless prohibited by law....like the Baltimore tunnel on I-95.

Check the tire manufacturers inflation charts to see what TP you should have. also check what your Gulfstream manual advises. You should have the rig weighed to know what pressure is correct.

You can always run the dash A/C while driving. What we do if it is hot is to run the generator and turn one of the house A/C units on. That keeps the rig cold and comfortable.

There usually is no special speed limit for class A or class C motor homes. But, some states like Illinois do have reduced speed limits for trucks and recreational vehicles. Signs posted when entering each state will advise you of the speed. Now, that said, I drive my cars differently than my motor home. The rig is driven slower and much more following distance and braking distance is used.

Hope this helps and I know others will voice other opinions.

Bob

[Monacoach]

Just got back from a Florida trip. Ran the house air with generator and dash air together to keep cool. We run the fridge all day long and turn it off just before bed time and back on in the morning. You can turn the fridge of for several hours at a time providing you don't open the door. I travel at 62 miles per hour most times..

[njs42]

I noticed you rig is a 1993---how old are the tires? You should make sure they are in good enough shape to make the trip---check for cracks etc. Depending on their use or lack of it if they are beyond six seven years old check them very closely---particularly if they have set for a long time.

You do not say whether this unit has been in regular use or not. If it has set for quite a while then check all the systems well before you leave to make sure every thing is operating as expected---leave time enough to have repairs made if necessary.

[shell12081]

Thank you all so much, all is appreciated I have driven with the propane on and i smell a little fumes from it so I thought that I was doing something wrong. The generator, I didnt know that you could drive with it on (its so loud) I was starting to wonder if the house battery would be able to run roof ac. I have solar panels (2 160w)but the ac cant run off of the panels. The gross weight on the title says 11,500 and the sticker on the door is about 1000 lbs less than that. Im not sure which one to go by. I probaly should just have it weighed. Tires are about 3-4 yrs old. I just bought this Rv in the beginning of June. Ill check back and answer any questions I may have missed from you guys in my next post,,,Thankyou,,Michelle

[shell12081]

I got the info on the door sticker GVWR 11500lbs front-4400 rear-7810 and the sticker for the tire pressure says front 65 psi and back 60psi. That is the lowest psi i have heard of should i follow what it says or keep the 70psi that i have in them? Also the tire size is correct according to the sticker 225 75R 16 however all of them are mud n snow, is that ok? All the tires are in good condition no cracks no uneven wear. There are firestones on the front and a mix of firestone and goodyear on the back.

[TomHinMd]

You should use the tire pressure on the door frame. Going up to 70 psi will only make the motorhome ride harder and is not needed.

DO NOT plan on driving through the Baltimore tunnels, either one of them because they do not allow Propane. You can take the beltway around the south side which is the shortest but you will have a toll bridge or around the north side, more traffic.