New Member basic info needed

[jili]

Hello and Happy New Year I'm a new member and fairly new Class A motor home we recently purchased used.

2018 v10 34XE Holiday Rambler with a 2021 Jeep Rangler tow vehicle.
I am retiring at month end and hitting the road for a few months. I have some basic questions on what might be needed.


1.- Do I need any type of leveling blocks


2. Do I need a ladder or 3 step stool ok


3. If you have enough room at a camp site can you keep your tow vehicle connected or do you need to un-hook from MH for the night.


4. My home compressor is rated for 120psi, however I can only get 90psi
out of it. Easiest to go to truck stops for air. My tires recommend 110psi cold.


5. This v10 is a little loud and to much cold air coming in under the dash on the floor boards which makes our feet quite cold. Has anyone run into this. I see some engine cover material anyone have any recommendations. Do you run with your generator and heat on until you reach a warm climate.


6. This unit comes with vacuflush toilet. any way to quiet the pump which is quite loud.


7. Has anyone made any gutter extensions as the dirt drips on the side of MH isnt very attractive.


8. I'm in MI which is quite cold now. Do you wait to fill up your water when further south. I do not see where the pipes are heated to fill up prior.


Sorry for the basis questions. I will welcome your responses as I've started to read thru some of the forums and became blurry eyed and overwhelmed. Anything you recommend which is needed please let me know.



Thank You
-Jim

[TonyMac]

Originally Posted by jili

Hello and Happy New Year I'm a new member and fairly new Class A motor home we recently purchased used.

2018 v10 34XE Holiday Rambler with a 2021 Jeep Rangler tow vehicle.
I am retiring at month end and hitting the road for a few months. I have some basic questions on what might be needed.


1.- Do I need any type of leveling blocks
I like to use blocks under my jacks to spread out the weight, especially on softer surfaces like asphalt and dirt/gravel


2. Do I need a ladder or 3 step stool ok
Most find that a multi position ladder is very useful.


3. If you have enough room at a camp site can you keep your tow vehicle connected or do you need to un-hook from MH for the night.
A tow vehicle is used to tow something like a trailer. I believe you are referring to a towed vehicle, or a toad. Yes, you can leave the towbar connected with the safety chains and breakaway, but some find that the electrical connection drains their motorhome battery; maybe disconnect that. I also shut off my toad brake setup


4. My home compressor is rated for 120psi, however I can only get 90psi
out of it. Easiest to go to truck stops for air. My tires recommend 110psi cold.
You need a new compressor. The pressure on the sidewall of your tire is the minimum pressure to carry the stated maximum weight. I find that pressure results in a harder than required ride. There should be a placard inside your rig which states maximum loadings for your rig, tires required for that load, and the pressure for that loading. I use that pressure.

Hope this helps...

[RKins]

Originally Posted by jili

Hello and Happy New Year I'm a new member and fairly new Class A motor home we recently purchased used.

2018 v10 34XE Holiday Rambler with a 2021 Jeep Rangler tow vehicle.
I am retiring at month end and hitting the road for a few months. I have some basic questions on what might be needed.

I love spending other peoples money
1.- Do I need any type of leveling blocks
Depends on your rig. Do you have leveling jacks? There are many types of leveling blocks - here is one example

2. Do I need a ladder or 3 step stool ok -
I carry a GP Logistics 7' collapsible ladder - folds up to fit in a 5"x5" plastic fence post
https://www.campingworld.com/7%27-do...ders%2Fladders

3. If you have enough room at a camp site can you keep your tow vehicle connected or do you need to un-hook from MH for the night.
Depends on site that you get - a pull thru would allow you to stay attached to your towed. A back in site you'd have to disconnect

4. My home compressor is rated for 120psi, however I can only get 90psi
out of it. Easiest to go to truck stops for air. My tires recommend 110psi cold.
Here is what I carry - nice small size and plenty of capacity for 110psi https://www.amazon.com/VIAIR-45053-A...60653681&psc=1

5. This v10 is a little loud and to much cold air coming in under the dash on the floor boards which makes our feet quite cold. Has anyone run into this. I see some engine cover material anyone have any recommendations. Do you run with your generator and heat on until you reach a warm climate.
Can't help you with this

6. This unit comes with vacuflush toilet. any way to quiet the pump which is quite loud.
Can't help you with this

7. Has anyone made any gutter extensions as the dirt drips on the side of MH isnt very attractive.
Camco makes some different gutter spouts

8. I'm in MI which is quite cold now. Do you wait to fill up your water when further south. I do not see where the pipes are heated to fill up prior.
Can't help you with this

Sorry for the basis questions. I will welcome your responses as I've started to read thru some of the forums and became blurry eyed and overwhelmed. Anything you recommend which is needed please let me know.



Thank You
-Jim

See my inline comments above.

[MSHappyCampers]

Originally Posted by jili

Hello and Happy New Year I'm a new member and fairly new Class A motor home we recently purchased used.

2018 v10 34XE Holiday Rambler with a 2021 Jeep Rangler tow vehicle.
I am retiring at month end and hitting the road for a few months. I have some basic questions on what might be needed.


1.- Do I need any type of leveling blocks


2. Do I need a ladder or 3 step stool ok


3. If you have enough room at a camp site can you keep your tow vehicle connected or do you need to un-hook from MH for the night.


4. My home compressor is rated for 120psi, however I can only get 90psi
out of it. Easiest to go to truck stops for air. My tires recommend 110psi cold.


5. This v10 is a little loud and to much cold air coming in under the dash on the floor boards which makes our feet quite cold. Has anyone run into this. I see some engine cover material anyone have any recommendations. Do you run with your generator and heat on until you reach a warm climate.


6. This unit comes with vacuflush toilet. any way to quiet the pump which is quite loud.


7. Has anyone made any gutter extensions as the dirt drips on the side of MH isnt very attractive.


8. I'm in MI which is quite cold now. Do you wait to fill up your water when further south. I do not see where the pipes are heated to fill up prior.


Sorry for the basis questions. I will welcome your responses as I've started to read thru some of the forums and became blurry eyed and overwhelmed. Anything you recommend which is needed please let me know.



Thank You
-Jim

Hi Jim! Welcome to IRV2! We're sure glad you joined us!

Congrats on the new rig!

1. Yes, I would get a set of leveling blocks. It's almost certain you will end up on unlevel sites from time to time.

2. I carry a 4' step ladder. It's small and easy to store. When I need something taller I can always borrow from other campers or the campground maintenance department.

3. We frequently leave our toad connected when stopping for the night.

4. You need a compressor rated at 150PSI. The VIAIR 450RV is the best out there in my opinion, but a little pricey!

5. Can't comment on the V10 since I've never owned one.

6. Don't know about that toilet.

7. You can find gutter extensions at most any RV supply store such as Camping World.

8. Being from MS I'm not a cold weather guy so won't comment on that.
Be safe and keep her between the ditches!

Good luck, happy trails, and God bless!

[Mudfrog]

1. Leveling blocks do come in handy. Some have good luck with the plastic interlocking type stackers but I haven't found any yet that hold up under the weight of a heavier motorhome. They weigh more but blocks made out of wood seem to hold up better.

2. If you have room, a ladder can come in handy. We don't fulltime so have yet to find a need for one though. Our rig does have a built in ladder at the rear if we need to get up on top for anything.

3. You can leave the toad atttached. However, if towing on four wheels, it's might near impossible to back up into a site. Make sure you get a pull through if you want to do this. No problem if on a trailer and if the site is long enough.

4. On tire psi, you probably should load up for travel and get the rig weighed to see what tire pressures should be. The 110 psi on the tire is probably the maximum cold pressure to carry the maximum load. In most cases, that pressure is high and can make for firmer ride than you might like. As mentioned by TonyMac, look for that placard by the driver's seat and see what it states. The pressures cited there are what's needed to carry the motorhome up to its gvwr.

5.Our first class A had a long space between some of the framework up front that allowed air to flow straight into the cab. It was just missed somehow at the factory and was easy to fill with a foam noodle and some caulk. Get under the hood and you might be able to spot the problem and correct. I think some class A's have a fresh air intake damper. If yours has it, then check to make sure it's closing off properly.

6. Have no idea about the vacuflush.

7. I do believe there are gutter extensions that you can buy. Here's an example of one now: Camco gutter spout

8. I'm not use to dealing with that kind of cold weather so can't say for sure. Is the tank enclosed, maybe under the bed, or is it directly exposed to the weather? I'd say you were ok if inside. Just remember that using the water through the piping could end up being a problem depending on how the piping is ran.

[Gary RVRoamer]

1.- Do I need any type of leveling blocks

Assuming the coach has leveling jacks, probably not necessary but may be handy once in awhile. Most prepared sites will be firm enough and even enough so not needed. If you expect to boondock on unprepared surfaces, they are more likely to be needful.

2. Do I need a ladder or 3 step stool ok

I'd vote for a ladder if you will be on the road more than several days at a time. You may need convenient access to roof, awning, etc.

3. If you have enough room at a camp site can you keep your tow vehicle connected or do you need to un-hook from MH for the night.

You can leave it hooked up as long as leveling doesn't raise the back of the coach too high.

4. My home compressor is rated for 120psi, however I can only get 90psi
out of it. Easiest to go to truck stops for air. My tires recommend 110psi cold.

Buy a better compressor. You can get a 125-150 psi model for $100 or less. Porter-Cable, for example.

5. This v10 is a little loud and to much cold air coming in under the dash on the floor boards which makes our feet quite cold. Has anyone run into this. I see some engine cover material anyone have any recommendations. Do you run with your generator and heat on until you reach a warm climate.

Unsealed holes in the firewall or floor are common factory goofs. You can add insulation around the engine or floor. Yes, you can use the generator, house air conditioning, and furnace while driving.

6. This unit comes with vacuflush toilet. any way to quiet the pump which is quite loud.

Not that I know of.

7. Has anyone made any gutter extensions as the dirt drips on the side of MH isnt very attractive.

Various commercial products and home-made solutions exist. Search for RV gutter on this site and the internet (Google)

8. I'm in MI which is quite cold now. Do you wait to fill up your water when further south. I do not see where the pipes are heated to fill up prior.

That's the best & simplest approach. Carry some drinking water in jugs and put some RV antifreeze in the waste tanks.

[Persistent]

I use wooden pads under my jacks in Wisconsin in the winter. I can leave the wood behind if they get frozen to the ground. I can't leave my jacks behind.

"8. I'm in MI which is quite cold now. Do you wait to fill up your water when further south. I do not see where the pipes are heated to fill up prior."

For the most part, I have always kept my plumbing winterized until I reach warmer weather. Every rig is different. Pipes and tanks exposed underneath will freeze. Covered spaces will get you a little lee way. Covered, sealed, and heated spaces will be good for lower temperatures, but again every rig is different. You may need to run the furnace to provide heat to those sealed spaces while parked and while driving. An Airstream dealer told me the Flying Cloud was good down to 17 degrees F while the furnace was running.

Are your dump valves protected inside a heated space? If not you may have trouble dumping. Besides most dump sites north of St. Louis are closed for the winter.

I have modified my TT to work in freezing weather. It required extensive work. I have protected and heated my plumbing and dump valves.

I have tested it in my driveway down to 15 degrees F using temperature probes and measuring water temperature. Some day I may try it in colder weather. However, I know of only three public dump sites still open in whole state of Wisconsin.

I wish you good luck and happy trails ahead!

[momdoc]

Welcome to the forum.

You are joining a good group of folks here with good information to share. Read the various threads here and ask questions as they come up or add information if you can. You have already gotten some great answers to your questions. The learning curve is steep but only at the beginning then goes on forever.

Good luck and enjoy the adventure!

[Vibeman]

Lots of good suggestions here, I have a Thor Hurricane on the Ford chassis and had a approximately 1”x3” gap in the firewall through which you could clearly see the engine! As stated previously you will have to track down the source of the cold air and plug it. We live in Michigan’s thumb so I winterize completely before freezing weather arrives. This year we headed south on Jan 6th. The day before we left I filled the fresh water tank (it’s not heated, but is inside the coach) but left antifreeze in all the lines. It got down in the 20’s that night but I had an electric space heater running inside all night so coach inside temp only got down around 52°. We took 8 gallons of jug water with us and used that until we got down to Jackson MS where we dewinterized and all was good. Some have said here that PEX water lines can freeze without damage, but I’m not sure if I want to test that on my coach. Good luck and welcome to the forum.

[Concord]

Might Google air compressor valve adjustment and see if you want to try to adjust the pressure up a bit...

[Shutterbug57]

See my responses below.

Originally Posted by jili

Hello and Happy New Year I'm a new member and fairly new Class A motor home we recently purchased used.

2018 v10 34XE Holiday Rambler with a 2021 Jeep Rangler tow vehicle.
I am retiring at month end and hitting the road for a few months. I have some basic questions on what might be needed.


1.- Do I need any type of leveling blocks

Yes you do. From time to time you will need them under your tires and jacks to get level. In those same sites, they may come in handy to level your grill. If you have dually rear tires, you will want a set of double wide blocks as well as a set of regular blocks. I have had to use my blocks twice in 2020 to get my Tiffin Phaeton level.


2. Do I need a ladder or 3 step stool ok

From time to time you will need a ladder. The type of ladder you carry will depend on your space, weight and preferences. I carry an extendable ladder that will set up as an A Frame or extension ladder. It folds and stores at under 7’, but I can do any maintenance on the rig with it in the A Frame setting. If my wife holds it, I can get in the roof in that setting.

A ladder comes in handy for any number of routine and maintenance tasks. This could include cleaning off slide tops in slick conditions, changing out burned out light bulbs on the side of the rig or cleaning your stove vent or dryer vent.


3. If you have enough room at a camp site can you keep your tow vehicle connected or do you need to un-hook from MH for the night.

You can, assuming that the sight is fairy level. If you have a toad that requires a powered connection to keep the toad’s battery charged, be sure to take the toad out of tow mode. If you have to do this, make sure you have an iron clad reminder to put it back in tow mode in the morning. This is a must for some newer Fords. Not sure about the Jeeps.


4. My home compressor is rated for 120psi, however I can only get 90psi
out of it. Easiest to go to truck stops for air. My tires recommend 110psi cold.

You will want a compressor to properly fill your tires. Viair makes suitable compressors. Also, use the tire manufacturer’s inflation chart for your exact tire (make, model, load rating). Weigh your coach and inflate accordingly.


5. This v10 is a little loud and to much cold air coming in under the dash on the floor boards which makes our feet quite cold. Has anyone run into this. I see some engine cover material anyone have any recommendations. Do you run with your generator and heat on until you reach a warm climate.

We have a DP, but yes, we run the generator while driving to heat (heat pumps) or cool (air conditioning) the coach. We figure about half a gallon per hour. Don’t forget that the generator fuel feed is at about 0.25 tank level. We always fill at just under a half tank so the generator fuel feed does not run dry.

I have no gasser experience, but I suspect that if your dog house is leaking enough that your feet are getting cold now, the summer may be intolerable. I would get this fixed.


6. This unit comes with vacuflush toilet. any way to quiet the pump which is quite loud.

I have no experience with this system. If the pump is just a normal water pump, getting loud may be a sign of wearing out. I would have a spare pump on hand for when this critical pump does go. I always have a spare water pump on hand because you never know when you will need it. It is handy to have on hand when you water pump goes out and you are days away (either because of miles or holidays) from being able to replace it.


7. Has anyone made any gutter extensions as the dirt drips on the side of MH isnt very attractive.

I have not. We just clean the rig.


8. I'm in MI which is quite cold now. Do you wait to fill up your water when further south. I do not see where the pipes are heated to fill up prior.

Our rig has the tanks in a heated wet bay. My preference is to travel with a full fresh water tank. THBS, in the dead of winter, finding fresh water that is turned on is sometimes a challenge so I have to wait til we are further south. Returning home, I will drain the fresh water once I get home.

If your pipes are empty and the water is flowing, you can fill the tank. Whether your rig can keep it liquid until you are further south, I don’t know. I suggest asking others with similar rigs what they do. The factory may be able to answer that question as well.


Sorry for the basis questions. I will welcome your responses as I've started to read thru some of the forums and became blurry eyed and overwhelmed. Anything you recommend which is needed please let me know.

One additional thing that we did was to add shut off valves under each sink. We did this in response to having a faucet fail when we were in the boonies. We had to shut off all water and put a bucket under that sink. When we really needed water, we would use it and shut off the pump. If we needed a lot, we got it from the fresh water tank drain. This was a PITA.

When I replaced the faucet, I also put in shut off valves. We then bought the proper valves for the other sinks and carried them around until one rainy day when I installed them. Check your rig, most don’t have shut off valves. This fix costs less than $20/sink and will make life much more pleasant when you have a faucet issue as you can isolate the problem and carry on.



Thank You
-Jim

[BMJ1]

I have a RPod 195 : ok to travel with about 45 lbs on the ladder when bouncing down the road... this to hang the camco portable pot... it takes up too much room in the truck bed... any other advice?
Thanks

[chunker]

Some RV parks REQUIRE blocks under the jacks, so yes you need them. I also carry boards to help in the lateral leveling and do not rely completely on the leveling jacks to level the RV.