niget2002
Well-known member
We did a full walk through before signing the papers. Salesperson had a huge check sheet he gave us to use for everything.
Why didn't anyone tell me?
- Thread starter Boat Bum
- Start date
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Bearcatrp
Well-known member
Good salesman.
lavarock1210
Well-known member
- Joined
- Nov 7, 2010
- Posts
- 483
Have your trailer tires balanced and the towel problem may go away. I have had my 5th wheel 10 years and have never had the towel unroll and same for toilet paper. Both mounted in traditional horizontal position.So, I thought this might be a fun thread that chronicles some of my, and I hope others, follies with new RV ownership. I have just acquired a 2015 Newmar Bay Star 2903. Obviously it would serve to educate the newbs from other newbs in hopes of saving them from their mistakes whilst giving the more seasoned RVers a chuckle and perhaps a memory.
My hope is that it uncovers the more obscure peculiarities of RVing than your run of the mill issues.
So, to start:
Why didn't anyone tell me the reason the paper towel dispenser was in the drawer was because under way it will unravel nicely in an accordion fashion on the counter below? Yes, i found it in the drawer and put it back up only to roll it up by hand at my destination.
SRGuy
Well-known member
Open the awning, all the way, before you leave the dealer. I only found my brand new RV's awning had a bent arm, which kept the awning from closing, after I got it home. The great service manager, no longer there (of course), sent his guy to my house, more than an hour away. Together, we replaced the arm in under two hours.
OP
OP
Boat Bum
Well-known member
Perhaps that's the litmus test for proper balance and alignment?
I am having the tires replaced, shocks and basically everything suspension related gone through and what isn't right made right. This is my first RV and I realize I'm driving a house on wheels but I feel the ride should be better than it is. I'm sure everything is original with 23k miles on a 2015.
OP
OP
Boat Bum
Well-known member
OMG, the tree limbs. why didn't anyone tell me about the tree limbs? You will hit them.
OK, after hitting the first low hanging branch on the passenger side and nearly jumping out of my seat with a "WTF was that?" my wife tells me a branch hit the mirror that was overhanging the sidewalk; we were in my small residential town.
Now, I realize I have to constantly be vigilant of any low hanging obstacles, but, there are times when on a narrow two way tree-lined road you will be faced with questionable low hanging limbs that you may have to just cinch up your shoulders, squeeze the wheel and hold your breath as you pass under.
OK, after hitting the first low hanging branch on the passenger side and nearly jumping out of my seat with a "WTF was that?" my wife tells me a branch hit the mirror that was overhanging the sidewalk; we were in my small residential town.
Now, I realize I have to constantly be vigilant of any low hanging obstacles, but, there are times when on a narrow two way tree-lined road you will be faced with questionable low hanging limbs that you may have to just cinch up your shoulders, squeeze the wheel and hold your breath as you pass under.
Jeff in Ferndale Wa
Well-known member
Yup! I bought a used TT from a guy who (I learned later) was buying trailers at auction and flipping them. He told me I couldn't check out the water system because it was winterized.
I got it home and put water in it only to have it all come out under the tub. Pulled the tub and found the water lines under the tub had been chewed up by rodents. Was not too hard to repair, but should have been found before I bought it.
tlmgcamp
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 16, 2016
- Posts
- 832
A colleague had a similar revelation, only involving a low bridge rather than a tree branch. The bridge won the argument regarding who would occupy the space. Wasn't pretty
SRGuy
Well-known member
I'm a Certified Arborist. I'm always amazed how RV parks let branches grow to the point where they're hazardous to people under them, and RV's passing by. Even worse: I've changed sites, after telling park managers about overhead, hazardous branches, even offering to remove them for a few free nights. Amazingly, after I get settled in the new site, there's already another RV under the branches I just warned the park about! Some people never learn!
JudyJB
Well-known member
Yup, and grocery store parking lots are the biggest problems, especially the ones that plant trees on little islands all over the parking lot! These are attractive and almost never get trimmed.
My TV antenna got snatched in a grocery store parking lot in the Florida Keys. A branch caused it to open and get severely bent, but I was able to keep driving. When I went back to the state park with a bent, partially opened TV antenna, an older gentlemen insisted I pull over while he got his ladder out and removed it. Luckily, I had satellite by then and did not use the old antenna, so it went in the dumpster.
Luckily, on most roads, the UPS and Fed-Ex trucks have already pruned the low-hanging branches for you.
However, make sure you check for low hanging branches in camp sites, as well. The tendency is to look on either side as you back in, but you also need to get out and look up. (That's why I like parking in the desert, by the way.)
CharlesinGA
Well-known member
We were at Dauphin Island Alabama last Christmas, my travel buddy and his wife and myself. The campground gave us two adjacent sites in an otherwise empty part of the campground. I backed in, my buddy pulled in so we were facing each other. After a day or two I noticed a limb on a tree on the next site that was just hanging by a fiber or two. We told the maintenance guys who said they pulled down limbs all the time by flinging a cord with a weight on it. i commented that a campground should have nothing below 14 ft over a roadway or site and he said the people in charge would not allow them to cut anything. I told them, if nothing else, hire a professional arborist and have him make a presentation on how its better for not just the humans, and RVs, but the trees to be properly trimmed and maintained.
A situation that was the focus of frequent complaints on various forums is James Island SC near Charlestown. Apparently it is quite popular but getting in involves low hanging limbs on both roads into the area, those huge mossy oaks. One person in one of the discussions made it his mission to get those trees trimmed. After many calls, and other people on the forum calling from all over the nation, the highway department said they would cut the limbs to make the roads passable by motor homes and 5th wheels (well anything) they actually did follow through on the limbing of the trees.
Charles
A situation that was the focus of frequent complaints on various forums is James Island SC near Charlestown. Apparently it is quite popular but getting in involves low hanging limbs on both roads into the area, those huge mossy oaks. One person in one of the discussions made it his mission to get those trees trimmed. After many calls, and other people on the forum calling from all over the nation, the highway department said they would cut the limbs to make the roads passable by motor homes and 5th wheels (well anything) they actually did follow through on the limbing of the trees.
Charles
CharlesinGA
Well-known member
I have only done cinnamon rolls and a meat loaf in the oven. The trip where I did the meat loaf was with a coworker who is a relatively new camper compared to me (but with a huge GD fifth wheel and new GMC 3500) anyhow his wife had done a lot of reading on forums and told me the trick of the pizza stone to even the oven temp. I got a 12 inch square one and it leaves the holes on the sides open for air circulation. It seems to do the job, I have to put it to work more and get used to it.We had an Atwood propane gas range/oven in our first RV; something I actually kinda miss. On our first couple tries at "baking" (a frozen lasagna, I think it was), the oven was wildly inconsistent, leaving some parts of the lasagna cool, and other parts, mainly the bottom, singed. This is also when we decided to take a few backup meal plans with us in case we ended up staying out longer, or had a cooking malfunction.
Then we got the bright idea to find a ceramic tile almost as large as the oven rack to put in there, and started cooking on top of that. It did a great job of evenly distributing heat, and gave us the ability to bake anything to perfection including freshly made pizza.
Our new one has a convection/micro and no oven. I don't have any sage advice there...yet
Ovens, speaking of, why didn't anyone tell me that lighting an oven requires you be a contortionist. On your knees, bent way over, left hand on the oven knob to hold it in and a flashlight and shove your arm half way in to light the pilot with a grill lighter, all the while hoping you don't get blown up!
I did find a super long lighter by Camco, but just haven't been willing to spend the money to get it. Olympian GM-3X
Charles
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CharlesinGA
Well-known member
Being a Ford F53 chassis, there are quite a few mods that can be done to improve the driving and handling of the chassis.
Henderson/SuperSteer know more than almost everyone else. The rear Trac Bar may be very useful on the F53 to prevent the rear end wiggle. RV & Motorhome Replacement Parts - SuperSteer
Charles
Ex-Calif
Well-known member
I am sure more modern coaches have a ton of stuff to figure out - like video systems.
My RV was mostly not knowing where switches were - vanity switch tucked up under the counter lip.
Half the coach's outlets quit. Scratched my head for a long time before I found the vanity GFCI tripped.
There is a covered switch on the dash. Looks factory and has a lighted cover. No clue what that does.
The entrance has 3 switches, porch, galley and a third one I still have no idea what it operates.
My kid lived in Marvin since Feb. In talking about the gig list he said, the overhead light in the galley is failed. "Did you turn on the switch at the entrance?" - "What?"
My RV was mostly not knowing where switches were - vanity switch tucked up under the counter lip.
Half the coach's outlets quit. Scratched my head for a long time before I found the vanity GFCI tripped.
There is a covered switch on the dash. Looks factory and has a lighted cover. No clue what that does.
The entrance has 3 switches, porch, galley and a third one I still have no idea what it operates.
My kid lived in Marvin since Feb. In talking about the gig list he said, the overhead light in the galley is failed. "Did you turn on the switch at the entrance?" - "What?"
Old_Crow
Well-known member
My first motor home, an '89 Sportscoach, had a porch light on the driver's side of the coach. Took me almost 2 years to find the switch for that one. It was on the bottom of the overhead cabinet in the galley. I was on the floor replacing the propane detector when I happened to look up and see it.
OP
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Boat Bum
Well-known member
OK, since we're talking about porch lights, the one above my door wasn't working the other one at the foot of the steps was, they're on the same switch so I figure the bulb, no problem.
Problem, it has non-standard torx screw and I have two sets of bits I tried. Being this light is exposed to the elements and being a boater who has learned to smack a 12v light on the boat when it doesn't come on due to elements I figured I'd give that a try.
I tap the lens three times by the screw where the bulb base is, nothing, as I'm drawing my hand back for the fourth tap I say to myself, it's not going to work you're going to have to find the right bit. However, it was too late, by the time I said that to myself i was past the point of no return.
To my utter delight the light came on! Why didn't anyone tell me, when in doubt give it a smack.
Problem, it has non-standard torx screw and I have two sets of bits I tried. Being this light is exposed to the elements and being a boater who has learned to smack a 12v light on the boat when it doesn't come on due to elements I figured I'd give that a try.
I tap the lens three times by the screw where the bulb base is, nothing, as I'm drawing my hand back for the fourth tap I say to myself, it's not going to work you're going to have to find the right bit. However, it was too late, by the time I said that to myself i was past the point of no return.
To my utter delight the light came on! Why didn't anyone tell me, when in doubt give it a smack.
Ex-Calif
Well-known member
If that doesn't work get a bigger hammer...
My porch light works but it may as well be a night like. I mounted a solar LED auto light.
So it only goes on if the door is approached and it lights up the porch like a prison yard.
OP
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Boat Bum
Well-known member
^ I like that idea but more for a security measure. All the lights inside/out are LEDs but the porch lights aren't, I rather like the softer glow for these.
Ex-Calif
Well-known member
That's exactly why I did it. People would approach the RV at night and I am perfectly silhouetted in the door and they basically can't be seen in the dim porch light.
Moho81
Well-known member
After reading your post I'm even more happy with the salesmen we are currently working with. All he did was open the campers we wanted to look at and answer any questions we had. He never even stepped foot inside the campers unless we had a question.
We even went back the next day to look at it again and he unlocked it before we got there and just had us go back on our own to look it over.
My inlaws just bought a camper from the same place and the salesmen and service techs spent 3 hours with them after the purchase going over every detail of the camper and answering every question that they had and there was a lot of them because they are brand new to a travel trailer.
