Another Question

GraciesMom · 08-27-2008, 05:40 PM

I have another question on behalf of single female RV'ers - full timers or otherwise. There are just some things that I have a hard time doing - due to the fact that the task really needs two people to be done, or I don't have the upper body strength to do it. For instance - my awning has to be held in while it's locked down for storage. Can't do it. Hooking up or unhooking my toad on my own is a nightmare. I'm looking for an easier set up but I can't pull those cotter pins! Can't do it. Do other RV'ers mind helping a single female RV'er with those types of things? I am not inept - I can drive it, park it, hook it up (now that I have QUICK CONNECTS!!), put out my awning and do all the basics. But storing that awning and getting that toad hooked and unhooked is IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO DO. I feel bad about knocking on doors - I try to wait until I see someone out - or arrange ahead of time for some help. But the question is . . . is it a pain in the rear for us to ask for help?

GraciesMom · 08-27-2008, 05:40 PM

I have another question on behalf of single female RV'ers - full timers or otherwise. There are just some things that I have a hard time doing - due to the fact that the task really needs two people to be done, or I don't have the upper body strength to do it. For instance - my awning has to be held in while it's locked down for storage. Can't do it. Hooking up or unhooking my toad on my own is a nightmare. I'm looking for an easier set up but I can't pull those cotter pins! Can't do it. Do other RV'ers mind helping a single female RV'er with those types of things? I am not inept - I can drive it, park it, hook it up (now that I have QUICK CONNECTS!!), put out my awning and do all the basics. But storing that awning and getting that toad hooked and unhooked is IMPOSSIBLE FOR ME TO DO. I feel bad about knocking on doors - I try to wait until I see someone out - or arrange ahead of time for some help. But the question is . . . is it a pain in the rear for us to ask for help?

Rick Long · 08-27-2008, 06:28 PM

Not at all.. It does wonders for our male ego's.

UFO Pilot · 08-27-2008, 07:24 PM

I will help anyone who asks for help. If it is obvious that someone is having a difficult time I will ask if they would like help. The vast majority of RV'ers I have met are more than happy to help others.

paz · 08-28-2008, 03:45 AM

Some things are definitely more difficult to do alone, but they sometimes can still be done. As others have suggested, campers (or even people in the campground office) are all usually eager to help for those occasions when you really can't do something alone.

BTW, I have a tip for pulling the pins on the tow bar if they are bound up. First, put a little dry silicone lube on the pins. Then, when you are pulling in to unhook, try to stop on level ground and have the toad as straight as possible. Slow down as gently as possible so there is no tension on the tow bar. I know that's easier said than done, so if you find one or both of the pins in the tow bar are bound up, get into the toad, set the parking brake, start the engine, then turn the steering wheel all the way to one side and check tow bar locks and pins. If they still don't release, turn the steering wheel all the way to the other side. This has worked for me every time I have tried it.

This is a lot easier with 2 people, but it can be done alone. I frequently unhook the toad by myself while my wife is in the campground office registering. Doing it by yourself just means you may have to get in and out of the toad several times.

Diplomat Don · 08-30-2008, 12:53 PM

GraciesMom.....I'm going to give you my view on your issue of asking for help. In this day and age men are often reluctant of offering help for fear that some, not all women, will take issue with the offer. Second, if you look anything like the picture in your avatar, my wife would kick my butt

. Don't be afraid to ask, I love to help others and so do most RVer's.

The awning....you didn't give a good description of the issue, but I'm guessing you're having a hard time squeezing the two arms together to flip down the back latch and lock them. Often, they are difficult because the material has shifted and it's not rolling up evenly and putting pressure on the arms. If I've guessed correctly and the arms are the issue, have someone make you a piece of wood or plastic that looks like a slingshot frame. Make the opening the size of the arms when they are sandwiched together properly. Usually the arms fit correctly down low and are wider at the top. Slide the above tool over the lower section of the arms and work it upward pinching the arms together. This might help unless I completely missed the issue. You could also use a a large "C" clamp with some tape over the metal edges.

Hitch pins.....Just a few weeks ago I towed my truck for the first time on an extended trip. My tow bar is new and everything is cleaned and lubed properly, yet I still had issues getting the pins out. Typically, I put the truck in Park and set the brake before I unhitched. Often I had to put it back into neutral and release the brake to get the truck to move a little. I'm big enough to push it around and get it released, but you have to be careful not to have it roll away or into the MH. Try chocking the driver's side rear wheel, front and back and leave the chock in front of the tire a little loose. Put your car in neutral and take the brake off. The car won't roll away and you can bump it around a little with your hips when you pull the pins. A couple of small wheel chocks tied together with a rope or cord are easily thrown on the rear floorboard and easy to use.

GraciesMom · 08-30-2008, 02:24 PM

Oh Gosh - I do look just like the picture. I hope I don't get a lot of men's butts kicked - LOL!!

Thanks for the tips! I REALLY appreciate it!

Frankie · 08-30-2008, 03:05 PM

I think I spent more time last weekend helping other rv'ers,than I did with my family.I think its our nature to help others.But,I did try to help a girl change a tire one time on her car and she looked at me and said , No thanks I'm all set. Whatever, I will still pull over to try and help a damsel or dude in distress.

SargeW · 08-30-2008, 06:32 PM

Don't hesitate to ask GM. Many of us guys are more than willing to lend a hand, but are very carful not to step over someone else's boundries. BTW, you have done Alaska already?

Sarge

GraciesMom · 08-31-2008, 11:04 AM

Sarge - I left Colorado in late May 2007, arrived in Haines Alaska in June after taking the scenic route through the Canadian Rockies - Lake Louise, Banff, Jasper, etc. - and spent almost four months there from Haines to Homer Spit, up to Denali and back down through Stewart/Hyder. AND I'M GONNA DO IT AGAIN NEXT SUMMER!! Alaska is absolutely intoxicating. Like my sign reads, once you've gone to Alaska, you never come all the way back. Soooooo true. I have a lot of the southwest that I still want to see. Then back to Alaska . . . and then on over to the northeast coast and down to the Carolina's. I still have to do Canada . . . got lots of traveling to do yet!! And you're right! You're never too young!! If I'd known what it was like, I would have given up the house and the pursuit of STUFF many, many years ago and hit the road.

Lorna · 08-31-2008, 01:52 PM

I may be married but I still tend to end up knocking down & setting up my Class C by my self. Sometimes I have to roll up the awning a couple of times before the idiot thing rolls up right. But then when David helps, we still have to do it a couple of times. My awning is slightly stretched out of shape I think (or it was installed wrong... got a good wrinkle in the fabric). Haven't towed the Jeep yet, but intend on getting one of the tow bars that says you can hook-up & disconnect single.

I don't get offers of help. I guess either I look too capable or I'm not helpless looking enough.

Blue74 · 09-01-2008, 03:31 PM

You have to go to Quartzsite this winter I am sure someone makes or sales something to fix both of your problems.

The problem with going over and helping your RV'ing neighbor is then it leads to stories of where you have traveled and about your rig and before you know it the day is gone and you have to register for the next night.

Alaska 1977 & 1994 Planned for 2009.

Paul

GraciesMom · 09-01-2008, 08:26 PM

Lorna - Good for you! I know your hubby appreciates the help. When I was RVing with my ex, I set up the 5th wheel by myself as well. He never got the hang of it. He always thought that I was raising the 5th wheel too high when I was unhooking it from the hitch on the truck -he thought that the 5th wheel was lifting the truck off of the ground - LOL!! I had to tell him every time that it was just the weight coming off of the truck and the truck rising out from underneath the weight. Duh.

I consider myself to be extremely capable, considering the fact that I'm a former Marine and RV solo, but, unfortunately, I can't afford another tow bar right now - too much other stuff that needs to be taken care of on the rig - so I'm stuck with the $2k pain-in-the-butt set up that was on there when I bought it. The only time I get offers of help is when I'm kicking the thing and yelling at it. Or when someone wants to get by and I'm blocking the road. JUST KIDDING.

Some things on certain rigs are just the way they are and need a stronger hand than mine - or three or four - like my awning. It rolls up just fine - but the two support bars are supposed to fit up close to each other and I guess they are "sprung" so they won't and I can't get the latch in. It would take three hands - at least it has - now I have some of the great suggestions posted here to fix the problem. Maybe having blonde hair will always be considered a sign of lesser intelligence, or being less capable, but if that's the case I'll just have to deal with it. And if it brings help any faster when I'm having a problem, that's a good thing.