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For the last eleven years I've had Good Sam Roadside Assistance coverage. The cost for that coverage generally increased at about the rate of inflation from $60'ish to $80'ish per year. I was stunned with the annual renewal notice I received this past weekend that showed the annual cost has jumped to $160 per year!!! The cost for the FMCA Roadside Rescue plan is only $74 per year. For an insurance that I've yet to use, paying $160 for one year of Good Sam RA is unthinkable !! What is the forum's experience with the FMCA Roadside Rescue plan which is much more cost effective? Your thoughts are greatly appreciated!

jon48 -- I echo others in welcoming you to the forum! There are many good, very knowledgeable folks on the forum willing to help anytime. I've had the Roadmaster Invisbrake system for the last five years and it has worked flawlessly. As Brett mentioned, the Invisibrake controller is "activated" by the electrical brakes signal. Additionally, the Invisibrake system's "umbilical cord" connection between the motorhome and the tow vehicle provides a trickle charge to the tow vehicle's battery along with the providing control for the Invisibrake. When deciding on a supplemental braking system for my Jeep Wrangler, I selected the Invisibrake system as the Refinery Operations Manager in me was reluctant to tap into the motorhome's air system like the M&G System and others (my thinking was one more connection into the air system means another potential location for an air leak). When I made that decision I was a "newbie" in motorhome ownership. Since then, I've learned that M&G System and other air system "powered" supplemental braking systems work very well. Bottom-line, if you don't want to invest in another braking system, the Invisibrake system will serve you well.

For LSU football weekends, the LSU Safety Department requires all generators, regardless of type, to vent the generator exhaust above the roof line on each RV in each RV lot. For the last seven years I've used an Camco Venturi exhaust stack for portable and permanently installed generators. For the travel trailer I previously owned, I had two Honda 2000 generators connected in parallel to power the air conditioner (and wife's curling iron). The exhaust for those generators were "ducted together" via short pieces of 2" diameter metal electrical conduit into the Ven-turi stack. For my previous and current motorhomes I simply connect the Ven-turi directly to the generator exhaust pipe from the Onan Quiet Diesel generators. I've had zero generator problems using the Ven-turi. Likewise, the hundreds of RVs (mostly motorhomes) at LSU football weekends use the Ven-turi exhaust stack without problems. Venting the generator exhaust above the roof lines does eliminate having the smell, dangerous gases, etc. of generator exhaust at ground level of the crowded and compact LSU RV lots. If you need to use an generator exhaust stack "one time", the low cost solution is to use a foil type 15 foot long dryer vent hose......

Larry -- First off, welcome to the Forum ! There are many good, helpful forum members willing to share their incredible knowledge anytime. My response to your question is the same as Carl's. For both my previous Damon Astoria and current Newmar Ventana LE motorhomes my Onan Quiet Diesel generator "starting power" was pulled from the house batteries. I'd think your generator would do the same (?).

Kpar -- Happy New Year! This past August (2019) I purchased a full set (six tires) of AH37 tires from Hankook at a great price ($365 each) using FMCA's discount program with Hankook --> https://www.hankooktire.com/us/trucks-bus/hankook-ah37.html While my new Hankooks have only 3500 miles of use, they thus far have performed well and there is no difference in ride / handling versus the OEM Michelin tires I had. If you're not in a rush to purchase new tires, I encourage you to check Hankook pricing through FMCA.

A term not used in the discussion so far is the "Curb Weight" of the tow vehicle which is "the" weight towed behind a motorhome. The definition of "curb weight" is the Unloaded Weight of the vehicle (i.e. no people or stuff) plus the weight of a full tank of gasoline (or diesel). The 2016 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited Sahara I tow has a curb weight of ~4,300 lbs. which is comfortably within the 5,000 lbs. towing capacity of my Ventana LE --> https://www.quadratec.com/c/reference/2016-jeep-wrangler-jk-specs . My tow bar (Roadmaster Sterling All-Terrain) adds ~35 lbs. to the towing weight. For LSU football weekends I put a full cooler of adult beverages, water bottles, etc. which weighs ~50 lbs. in the Jeep which brings my towed weight up to slightly less than 4,400 lbs.

I can only compare my travel trailer and motorhome experiences. My 37 - 40 foot long, single rear axle diesel pusher motorhomes towing a Jeep have been much more stable in strong wind / large trucks passing that when I pulled a 30 foot, ultra-light weight travel trailer with a Chevy Silverado crew-cab truck (even with anti-sway bars attached). My Ventana LE with it's Comfort Drive system very rarely wanders from a straight ling in any weather condition.

A few to add: WTH = "What the ****" was that sound? WTH just happened? Some folks substitute an "F" for the "H" ! GVWR = Gross Vehicle Weight Rating GCWR = Gross Combined Weight Rating UVW = Unloaded Vehicle Weight TT = Travel Trailer (i.e. bumper pull trailer) TW = Tongue Weight GTW = Gross Trailer Weight --> also could mean "Gross Toad Weight"

Similar to FIVE, the OEM tires on my 2016 Ventana LE were Michelin XZE2+ that were manufactured in November 2015 and installed by Freightliner. By July this year, two of the six tires had sidewall cracking which prompted me to purchase a entire set of new Hankook tires. The previous owner kept the motorhome in covered storage until I purchased it last April. Likewise, I keep the motorhome in covered storage.

Wayne -- The idea of using an awning rod is terrific if only I had an awning rod (I have an automatic, powered Carefree awning). I'll do some looking of for an awning rod. Carl -- The Ventana LE ain't fancy enough to have air leveling hence the hydraulic jacks used routinely. I only use jack pads on unpaved spots such as LSU's gravel RV lot. With regards to LSU, they are having a fantastic year! My Tiger Athletic Foundation (TAF) priority points level is finally at the point after 15 years that the wife and I are getting two tickets to the Peach Bowl on December 18! We're looking forward to watching the Tiger defeat the Sooners and enjoying Atlanta for a few days.

This past August I used the FMCA Tire Discount program to purchase six new tires for my motorhome. What I found is the FMCA discount a fairly small (10%) for Michelin and Continental tires. However for Hankook tires, the FMCA discount is very substantial (47% discount!). I only drive my motorhome ~4,000 miles per year thus I could not justify the much higher cost for Michelin and Continental tires and purchased the set of Hankook tires which are very good quality, very reliable tires! If your annual mileage is low to moderate, take a look at Hankook tires and the big discount program FMCA has with Hankook. For motorhome owners, tires will "age out" long before they "wear out" thus the cost for the expensive tire brands is difficult to justify. For reference my motorhome has 275/70R22.5 size tires in all positions. The FMCA discounted price for the Hankook AH37 tires I purchased was $365 each vs. the non-discounted price of $695 each.

One of my most hated tasks after arriving at the gravel RV lot for an LSU football game is laying on my stomach to place / remove pads under the leveling jacks (I use leveling pads as I'm never quite sure if the jacks will push into a soft spot of gravel. Does anyone have a clever device / method of placing / removing jack pads without getting into a prone position? The jack pads I use are similar to these heavy duty rubber pads with rope handles--> https://www.amazon.com/DEDC-Ergonomic-Stabilizing-Leveling-Prevent/dp/B081JY2KVG/ref=sr_1_59?hvadid=78477707842813&hvbmt=bb&hvdev=c&hvqmt=b&keywords=rv+rubber+jack+pads&qid=1575932423&sr=8-59

Quick update on my experiences. Replacing the "scored" thermostat helped as the new thermostat starts opening as it should at ~190 F and is fully open at ~195 F. Engine temperature holds in the 195 - 205 F range with an occasionally up-tick to 210 F at which time the fan goes into high speed to cool the engine down to ~187 F. Cummins Coach Care Houston confirmed my Horton clutch is functioning properly. The fan speed cycling is "normal" per the Cummins shop supervisor (Justin McDonald) to help maximize fuel economy. I also had a "stupid me" moment with Justin. He reminded me my previous motorhome (2007 Damon Astoria) had a 300 HP 5.9L ISB engine with a five speed Allison 2500 MH transmission. With that "set-up" my engine speed was ~2200 RPM at 65 mph which provided considerable more fan air flow to keep engine temp ~190 F. My current "set-up" is a 360 HP 6.7L ISB with a six speed Allison 3000 MH transmission. At 65 mph my engine speed now is ~1600 RPM meaning reduced air flow versus what I was "used to experiencing". Justin assured me everything with my cooling system is working as it should! I had zero problems during my November jaunts between Houston and Baton Rogue to watch the LSU Tigers go 12-0 in regular season play.

To make our "northern" friends a bit jealous, Houston currently has "patio weather" with high temps in the low 70's and low temp around 50 F. Last night my company for the first time held it's annual Christmas celebration at the St. Arnold's Brewery with their new, expansive indoor room and large outside pavilion. The Art Car IPA and Christmas Ale were chilled perfectly and the heavy hors d'oeuvres were fantastic. Why is it that beer from a keg tastes better that beer from a bottle?

Sandie -- My 2016 Newmar Ventana LE has the Equalizer brand hydraulic leveling jacks with the "up / down" pointing arrows on the key pad. The arrow pointing "up" means that when pressed the leveling jack will move "up". The button with the arrow pointing "down" lowers the leveling jack. For the Equalizer leveling system here is a link to the operating instructions which are available from Newmar's Newgle info site --> https://comnet2.newmarcorp.com/instance1Env99NEWMAR/html/images/100823.pdf You should be able to search in Newgle to find operating instructions for your HWH leveling system.

Thanks for the prompt responses! The inverter has been "on" since I purchased the motorhome last April (i.e. I've never turned it off). If the house batteries were low on charge, the generator shouldn't have started since the generator starter pulls power from the house batteries. To my knowledge the engine alternator charges both the engine and house batteries. With regards to the Magnum control panel, all I have ever done is look at the display to see "charging", "float charging", or "inverting" messages. My "delivery technician" at NIRV in Dallas said the Magnum controller was properly set and recommended to not change anything unless really necessary so I haven't made any changes. This coming weekend, or next, I'll let the frig run on the house batteries and see if the "strobe effect" returns. If all is normal, I'll check wire connections to the inverter to make sure they are tight. I still wonder (and worry) how much the "pounding" from crappy I-10 between Winnie, TX and Baton Rouge does to all things on the motorhome. As a side note, on the return trip from Baton Rouge to Houston, I drove US-90 between Beaumont and the east side of Houston. Except for a rather lengthy back-up for a stop light in Liberty, the US-90 drive was quite nice compared to rough road / very narrow lanes in the long construction area between Winnie and Beaumont AND avoided the big back-up on I-10 over the San Jacinto River where all of the I-10 traffic (east & west bound) is squeezed onto to the south bridge (typically east bound traffic) while the north bridge (typically west bound traffic) is closed for major support repairs.

Since this topic is about inverter / refrigerator operation, I need help with a "first time ever experience" I had this past Friday morning (11/29/19) while driving to Baton Rouge for the Texas A&M at LSU game. As I have for every LSU home game I drive without operating the generator and allow my Whirlpool refrigerator to pull from the house batteries via the Magnum inverter as needed. While driving this past Friday between Lake Charles and Lafayette, LA I heard what I thought was a faint sounding alarm going on and off rapidly while enjoy my favorite FM country radio station and fighting the rough highway / narrow lanes. When I stopped in Breaux Bridge for fuel, that faint alarm sound was the refrigerator alarm going on & off rapidly. When I opened the refrigerator door, the light was going on/off rapidly (like a fast flashing strobe light) and the refrigerator controls would not function to turn off the frig. So, I turned off the breaker for the frig to stop whatever was happening. Thinking the inverter was having a some kind of psychotic episode, I started the generator, turned on the breaker for the frig and all was fine. The weekend at LSU "dry camping" was problem free. During my drive back to Houston yesterday, I drove with the generator operating. Saturday while grilling boudin and enjoying cold beverages, I looked through troubleshooting information for my Magnum Inverter (owner's manual and Google searches) and found nothing relating to my "strobe lights" event. Unfortunately during the "anxiety" of the event I didn't look at voltage readings nor the Magnum controller display. Any thoughts / guidance from the forum about this event would be greatly appreciated!

My still "new to me" Newmar Ventana LE came equipped with two Dometic Penguin 15,000 BTU air conditioners / heat pumps. This is the first time I've owned heat pumps so I decided to give them a try this past Saturday night (11/23/19) after LSU's blow-out win over Arkansas. This morning (Sunday 11/24/19) it was a very brisk 38 F in Baton Rouge but the inside of the MH was warm and cozy using the heat pumps. There was no noticeable difference in sound, generator operation, etc. in heating mode versus when those "units" were in cooling mode during the hot September football weekends. "Google" says heat pumps work well until the ambient temperature drops to 32 F at which it's better to use a furnace (two propane furnaces in the Ventana LE). For those that have heat pumps, what is your overall experience? Is Google correct about switching from heat pump to furnace when the outside temperature is 32 F or colder?

When I learn of new RV parks one of the first things I do is view that park from Google Earth. From satellite views, a true perspective of the RV park can be obtained versus the "embellishment" that RV park websites often contain. The latest Google Earth view of Jetstream RV Resort is from February 2019 while the park was under construction. In general, the park looks quite spacious with concrete paved spots and roads. Scenery around this "resort" isn't the best as the park is surrounded by several warehouses. The price per night is not out of line with other nice, spacious RV parks/resorts in the greater Houston area. My wife is an RV park "snob". By the looks of their website and Google Earth, Jetstream RV Resort is a park that would meet her criteria. The new Jetstream RV Resort is in good proximity to Ellington Field, Space Center Houston / Johnson Space Center and Kemah Boardwalk. A day trip to Galveston would also be easy from the Jetstream RV Resort. A search on Google Earth reveals a potentially even nicer resort in generally the same area named "Galveston Bay RV Resort and Marina" --> http://www.galvestonbayrv.com/ This RV park comes closer to "resort" designation with much better views and many "waterfront" spots. Of course with better views, the daily price for some spots is slightly higher than the price at Jetstream RV Resort. The wife and I need to give Galveston Bay RV Resort a try early in 2020 after LSU wins the national football championship..... Attached is the February 2019 Google Earth view of the Jetstream RV Resort and a screen snapshot of the resort map from the Jetstream website

Bill -- My dryer vent is in the wall near the right rear of the motorhome. The dryer vent (small square) is about 3/4 the way up the wall near the passenger side rear corner in this photo of my motorhome. The vent "cover" is painted to match the wall paint. My washer/dryer stack is located in a bathroom closet in the right rear corner of the motorhome.

Bill -- The photo I included is not my washer / dryer stack, rather it is a random photo to show the middle connecting bar. Thanks to some Googling this morning, I found the Whirlpool "stacking kit" for my Whirlpool washer/dryer (see image below). Now knowing what that "kit" looks like tell me I need to remove the screws from the front connecting bar, slide the dryer to the right as much as possible and then be a contortionist to connect the hose to the outside wall vent. My presumption is both plates in the "stacking kit" are screwed to the top of the washer. I'll share my experiences in reconnecting the dryer vent hose. I'm still amazed that the worm gear clamp "slid off" the outside vent tube. Also for reference, below is an image of an RV wall vent kit. Both the stacking kit and vent kit are available from any RV parts store (such as PPL Motorhomes in Houston).

During extremely bumpy drives the last few weekends on crappy (can I say that word?) I-10 between Beaumont, TX and the TX/LA state line, the clothes dryer hose disconnected itself from the outside wall vent. The stacked washer/dryer has at best 2 inches of clearance on either side in the closet where they sit. The washer and dryer are connected with a metal bar. Given the tight clearances between washer/dryer and closet walls what is the simplest, fewest curse words/scrapes/bruises approach to re-attaching the dryer vent hose to the outside wall vent? My initial thinking is I'd have to remove the bolting bar connecting the washer and dryer, pull the drier out somewhat/push it to one side, etc. to be able to reach the dryer hose, re-attach it to the vent, etc. The image below (courtesy of Google) is a representation of my washer/dryer set-up i.e. tight clearances with the metal bar connecting the two (I presume there is not a metal bar on the back side of the stack?). Any advice from the Forum would be greatly appreciated! Thanks!! p.s. The wife doesn't allow clutter in our motorhome that this image shows!

This is the link to the third quarter report for Camping World Holdings --> https://investor.campingworld.com/press-releases/press-release-details/2017/Camping-World-Holdings-Inc-Reports-Third-Quarter-Results/default.aspx A key financial metric that "big oil" (Chevron, ExxonMobil, my employer, etc.) carefully watch is "debt to equity" ratio which for the big oil companies is in the 25-30% range (i.e. total debt = 25-30% of total equity). This debt to equity ratio is considered "healthy" for energy companies whose earnings are determined by commodity markets (i.e. cash margins are variable and not always predictable). Camping World Holdings has a whopping 90% debt to equity ratio which is very unhealthy ($2.1 Billion debt / $2.3 B equity). If creditors came knocking at the door for full payment, Camping World would have to sell itself to pay creditors. To build on Brett's and Old's comments, Camping World Holdings is not just "over leveraged" the company is "extremely leveraged". Camping World's balance sheet looks like those of the many highly leveraged Exploration & Production companies in the Eagle Ford Shale area of south Texas that either went bankrupt or had to sell to a larger company to satisfy creditors.

Quick update for my cooling system. This past Friday (11/1) I took the motorhome to Cummins Coach Care (located a bit northeast of downtown Houston) as I've had superb service from them. Justin McDonald, a very knowledgeable, very customer focused shop supervisor found the following: There was a Cummins recall for ECM programming but because my engine was never registered by the original owner (nor me!) the recall work was never completed. The new programming has some improvement to engine temperature control along with other improvements (what I don't know yet) The Horton fan clutch is performing as it should Radiator and charge air cooler all easily passed pressure tests The coolant was very clean with no signs of rust, particulates or other contaminants. The coolant quality was good per SCA test strips. Expect to see very little of anything when the cooling system is flushed tomorrow. The themostat showed some "scoring" and has some sticking as it was manually opened Because of the type of level probe Freightliner installed in the coolant tank, the "purple" heavy duty coolant with SCAs is required i.e. can't change to the red extended life coolant without changing the level probe. Found the engine block heater to have "darkened" wires -- heater will be replaced The ECM programming update, engine block heater and thermostat replacement fall under the Cummins five year, 100,000 mile warranty so no cost to me except for $100 deductible. I'll still need to pay for coolant change / flush service. Per Justin, this work should help stabilize my engine temperature some, but on a hot 95 F+ day still expect to have the fan go into / out-of high speed to maintain engine temperature. Any comments from the Forum on the above findings?

Odell Family -- Welcome to FMCA and its forum. There are a lot of good, very knowledgeable folks on this forum who are always willing to provide help. I too am a member of iRV2 especially for the Newmar Owner's Forum which has been helpful. But when I really need help, I turn to the FMCA forum and its vast experience with all types of motorhomes and other RVs.