tbutler

Great idea! I'll have to look at the propane compartment on our rig to see if that would work. I've been using 4" PVC drain pipe cut in half lengthwise to do what you do with the gutter. I store all four (2x10') nested together with the sewer hose sections in the top drain pipe section. I kept the 2' cut- off sections for the miscellaneous odd lengths that sometimes occur. I use small bungees, the tiny ones, to wrap around the hose and pipe assemblies to hold them together. Whenever possible I'll cover the hose to keep it from exposure to the sun, especially on extended stays.

Given the weights you report, your front tires if split evenly between the two would have a load of 6,450 pounds each. Add 500 pounds because you don't have individual corner weights. The difference probably won't be that great, others may have a more conservative number, but you really don't want to come up short here. That would give you an empty weight per tire of 6,950 pounds. On the tire chart look at the weight capacity for single tires. For the drive tires, 13,932 divided by 2 is 6,966 pounds on each side, add 500 again since you don't have corner weights. Figure an empty weight of 7,466 pounds for each side of the rear axle. Divide this by two as you are splitting this load by 2 tires on each side. That gives you an empty weight of 3,733 per drive tire. On the tire chart look at the weight capacity for dual tires. Dual tires don't carry as much because they don't cool as well as a single tire. Being close to the other hot tire will affect the ability of the tire to support a load at any given inflation. Your tag axle weighs 7,840, again add 500 pounds for the lack of individual corner weights, 8,340 pounds divide by two gives 4,170. Again, use the single tire column in the tire chart for these tires. Now, before you look up weights you need to calculate the weight of a full propane tank, a full fuel tank and a full fresh water tank. If your propane tank was full and your fuel tank was also full, you don't need to calculate, it is already included in your weights above. Water weighs 8.34 pounds per gallon. You can use the water weight for the waste tanks as well as the fresh water as the wastes are mostly water. Calculate the weight of each tank and add it to the weights above. Assign the axle for each weight based on where the tanks are located in your coach. In our coach the waste tanks are right in front of the rear axle and the fresh water tank is about 4 feet behind the front axle. So most of the weight of the waste tanks on our coach goes on the rear axle and most of the fresh water tank weight goes on the front axle. Since the total capacitie of the two waste tanks almost exactly equal the fresh water tank, I simply assign their weights to the closest axle. You will have to make a determination how best to assign the weight of the tanks in your coach depending on the locations of each tank. If midway between axles, split weights between the two axles. If they are behind the rear axle or in front of the front axle, the calculations get more complicated as part of the weight in front of the front axle will be subtracted from the rear axle. Imagine the coach like a teeter-totter. Weight on one end lifts the other end. Each axle acts like a fulcrum with the weight being levered from one end of the coach to the other end. The tag axle creates another variable, the weight it carries can be varied and as it takes more weight it reduces weight on the drive axle and adds weight to the front axle. The level of complexity of this calculation is beyond what most of us are willing to do so we'll just keep in mind the general principle. My guess is that most motor homes have the tanks located between the two main axles. Finally, you need to compute or estimate the weight of any personal items that are not in the coach, where they are stored and assign their weights to the front or rear axles. Loading personal items into the coach is where the 500 pounds added to the end of each axle comes in as these items my be stored anywhere in the coach and can create uneven weight distribution. Now you are ready to look up the weight supported by each tire in the appropriate column on the table. If you figure on the maximum loading of your coach you should always have sufficient tire pressure. The above is why I do my level best to get corner weights when the fuel, propane, fresh water and waste tanks are full and we are traveling with our usual load of personal items. If you can do that, there are no or minimal calculations to do and the uncertainty factor drops almost to zero. Well worth the fee charged at FMCA rallies where they offer this service. I get the coach corner weighed every time I'm at a rally where the service is offered. That gives me a history and thus an idea of how much our load varies under different circumstances over a period of years.

I had to chuckle at the comment about drilling holes in your coach. I read a posting a few years ago, can't name the author, said it was a bad day when he hadn't drilled a hole in his motor home!

I generally make it a practice to drive a short distance when we leave home, a campground or an overnight parking spot, just to give everything a look before driving for a long distance. It gives me a chance to look at everything one more time before we drive for hours and hours with something going wrong. I also have more peace of mind knowing that I've looked at everything again. Looking at everything is really difficult, there are things that become so routine that you don't check carefully. I have a habit of hanging the wash brush on the rear ladder to dry. One time in Alaska we had driven for a while and as I did my check there was the wash brush still lodged on the ladder where I left it. We'd gone about 40 miles and it was still there. Don't have any idea how long that would have lasted. Now I always look at that ladder to make sure the brush isn't there.

I've been a long time Goodyear customer and switched to Michelin in the fall of 2013, steer tires only. There was a significant difference in the ride, the Michelin tires ride much smoother. With Goodyear I was always fighting to get the tires as round as possible to reduce the vibration. With the Michelin's the out of round condition was not a problem at all, they both measured well within tolerance and the vibration I had with Goodyear is gone. The load ratings are a little different, I have to run the Michelin's at 115 PSI, Goodyear's carried the same load on the front axle at 110 PSI. I am willing to spend a little more for a good tire. I have been replacing tires two at a time, moving the tires from the steer to the rear replacing the oldest tires on the rear. This year I'll have to do four tires, two steer and two rear and move the Michelin's from the steer to the other side rear so all the tires are the same type. So far, I've had no problems with the condition of the Michelin's but two years is hardly a service length that would be an indication of serviceability. I expect to drive 60,000 to 80,000 in the six years a tire is on my coach. I had two blow outs with Goodyear, the first a steer tire with minimal damage. That is why I want the tires on the front to go no more than two years. The second blow out took off the fiberglass panel from behind the rear tire to the back of the coach. That was the last straw, I switched. If you don't put many miles on a coach and the miles aren't necessarily tough (cool weather, good roads, light loads) then a cheaper tire might work fine. The ad says, "You have a lot riding on your tires." This is particularly true with a motor home.

We full timed for years and when we look at coaches, we're looking for livability. We don't tow heavy so our preferences may not apply here. The ultimate pulling power would be the bus conversions but the livability in those coaches drops considerably when you look at practical things like the kitchen/pantry, closet and storage space. Most that we have looked at are more designed as party buses than for full time living. I'm sure that some would find them workable for their living style but as a full time coach, we don't see them as more desirable. The same goes for some of the other high end coach models. Within any brand we see some coaches that have plenty of storage space and others of the same brand that have little storage space. That isn't bad, everyone has different ways to use their coach. Some vacation, some tailgate, others boondock, each would be interested in a different kind of coach - so there are models for most everyone!

When we are in a campground for any length of time we always leave the grey tank open to the campground sewer. I route it straight to the sewer, no loop to collect sediment and act as a trap. We have never had a problem. This includes years of being stationary for the entire winter at our winter park. The black tank is always closed until it is ready for emptying but otherwise, if we have utilities the grey tank is open.

Do you have a washer/drier in your coach? Is it located in or near the rear bathroom. If so, are you using it on a regular basis? If you yes to the first two questions and no to the last, it could be your problem. We have to add water to the W/D drain to keep the trap filled if we aren't using it on a regular basis. It is very difficult to identify exactly where an odor comes from in my experience. If the trap for the W/D dries out, it will allow gases from the grey tank into the coach. The air admittance valve or vacuum breaker should be a one way valve that allows air only when there is negative pressure of the drain. It's purpose is to keep water draining from the sink from siphoning the P (or S) trap leaving no water in the trap to prevent gases entering through the drain trap. It should never allow air to flow in the opposite direction if it is functioning properly. If there is water in the trap for the sink and shower then they wouldn't allow gases from the grey water to enter the coach.

I carry a ladder so I can wash the windshield between fueling stops. I get a lot of bugs between fuel stops. I like to start each days drive with a squeaky clean windshield. I hand wash my windshield with a sponge and chamois. Periodically I'll give it a Windex wash and it gets Rain-X once a month. I've never found the squeegees at truck stops to be very effective in cleaning the windshield. The view is so fine I hate it when it is covered with smashed bugs and smears and streaks. When you drive in the rain then the side windows will need a good cleaning. The top of my windshield is nearly 11 feet off the ground so a two step ladder won't help me. It's not frequent but there are times when it becomes necessary to access the roof and while I can get onto the built-in ladder, it is much easier if I have several steps to get me from the ground onto that first step. We are no longer full time but I still wouldn't leave home with my ladder, it is my most used tool. If you read my previous post, my ladder is thin enough to store in a basement compartment so you don't see any stuff attached to my coach.

Great idea, great article. Additional insulation could also help reduce the interior noise level but I don't know if it would be significant. Have you noticed any reduction in the noise level in the coach when you are traveling?

We're plugged in all winter long. Never any problem. Keep a watch on the batteries. Keeping the batteries at top charge is much better than letting them discharge completely as can happen when they aren't being charged during a long term idle period. Our inverter/charger, Xantrex, handles the job without worries.

You don't indicate where your trip originates. We usually stay on the east side of the park. There are two locations cited in RV Park Reviews, Cut Bank, Montana which is near the East Entrance to the park and St. Mary, MT which is near Going to the Sun Road which takes you through the heart of the park. Going to the Sun Road is a highlight of the park. Just driving it will give you a spectacular look at glacial terrain. There are trails for hiking and stops with information about the scenery you are seeing. Going to the Sun Road isn't open until late spring or early summer. If you are planning on going in June, check on the status of the road at the Glacier National Park website. Anything other than a small Class B is prohibited on this 1930's WPA mountain road. There are tour coaches, circa 1930's, no roof for absolutely the best views of Going to the Sun Road in case you don't have a toad for sightseeing. Just across the Canadian border is Waterton-Glacier National Park which is worth a stop as well. The headquarters area has a hotel which is right out of the 19th century. You will need your passports to visit this park. If you plan to take your motor home, check Canada Customs for regulations related to any number of things from food to liquor and guns that are checked at the border as you cross into Canada. As for as Idaho, Washington and Oregon, you'll have to give us an idea of your interests. There is everything from Olympic National Park to Mt. Hood, Mt. Ranier, Oregon Dunes, great winery areas, the whole Columbia River Valley with multiple dams to tour, Grand Coulee Dam being a spectacular one. The whole coulee system around Coulee City, WA is interesting. There are some spectacular waterfalls on the south side of the Columbia River east of Portland. Water coming off the north side of Mt. Hood drops into the Columbia River Valley in that area. The is also great wind surfing on the Columbia in that same area. If you've never hiked a volcano, Mt. St. Helens is the most recently active volcano in the lower 48 states. There are several visitors centers and some spectacular trails to hike. Who manufactured your motor home? The area around Coburg (just N of Eugene) on I-5 in Oregon is home to many motor homes and there are some great service areas, both manufacturer and independent where you could get repairs or modifications done on your motor home while on the road. So let us know what you are interested in, where you are starting your trip and how long you plan to be on the road. It is a great part of the country to explore.

It's a good point though. I'd still run both furnaces if you really needed them. Just keep a close watch on your propane level. It's available in many locations and only takes a short while to refill. We have a 55 gallon tank which at 80% holds 44 gallons. We also do our best to stay out of cold weather! If we aren't way up north in the summer, we'll fill the tank once in the spring and again in the fall. I still keep an eye on it, DW gets real upset without heat and hot water!

We need to know more about your system set-up. What brand and model dish is on top of the motor home? How many receivers, I would guess 2 since the code you mentioned comes from the receiver. Is the second receiver at the rear TV? What devices are in the circuit from the dish to the rear TV? How old is the system and each of it's components? What make and model motor home do you have? Is the A/V system a factory installation? Has it been modified? Without more information we are just making blind guesses. Installation of A/V systems in motor homes varies significantly from one manufacturer to another. The more information you can give us the more help we'll be able to offer.

If you think about it, you have already figured out the retirement thing. If you hadn't been retired, would you have been able to make the trip to be with your father through his hospitalization and recovery? One of the privileges of retirement is being able to spend your time where you want to be. There will be time to relax and pursue your interests. There will also be times when you can put those things aside and take care of your family knowing that eventually you will get back to some of the things you enjoy more than sitting in a hospital. We have been fortunate to be able to travel for family needs frequently since we retired. We've spent considerable time with our mothers during their declining years and their deaths (both within 3 weeks). We've been present for the birth of all of our grandchildren (not in the hospital but nearby). When our children have needed some assistance with child care, their own medical emergencies or moving to a new location, we've been able to drop all the fun stuff and pitch in and give a helping hand. We've taken all of our grandchlidren (except the latest, just 2 year old) on extended trips to share with them the fun of traveling in the motor home and explore some of this great country. We also get to know them better and vice versa. So welcome back to the fun of retirement and the RGV. Have a happy retirement and a happy new year!

So Carl, how much do you weigh? Not you, your coach! Our license this year and we have the specialty plates (Texas Parks and Wildlife) with personalized plates (VGER1 - think Star Trek), $433.00. I didn't think we were lightweights but I guess I'll have to reconsider. Our empty weight is just under 30,000 pounds. It must be a sliding scale of some kind. Your coach couldn't be twice our weight could it? And we pay more than in our lifetime home state (Missouri) for sales tax and electric rates. On the positive side, that all is more than offset by the fact that I don't have to file those miserable Missouri State Income Tax forms. The forms were onerous, requiring computing taxes for each individual separately before combining the income and figuring the tax bill. Now I just have one tax document to prepare and file. Taxes are the investment we make in this wonderful country of ours. Consider it like the civilian version of serving in the military. And yes, the military do pay taxes also. That is why we are so grateful for their willingness to step forward and put their lives on the line for the rest of us. Having traveled extensively in other "second world" and "third world" countries I can tell you that despite what you hear, we are heads and shoulders above the rest of the world. Better roads, even in their current condition, better utilities, better water, better electric services, better communication, you name it, we have what the rest of the world would love to have. That is why so many people want to come here. That is why over the history since Columbus brought back word of this land to Europe, there has been a continual flood of immigrants to this country. At this point I'll stop before I step over "the line" if I already haven't done so. Have a Happy New Year!

Enjoy the adventure! Hope you are in a warm place this winter!

Our 2004 Windsor has the capability to charge the house batteries from the alternator. I'd be surprised if the Endeavor didn't have the same feature. We have a 160A alternator. If your alternator will support the additional load to keep the house batteries charged your solution should work fine.

I would head south out of LA to San Diego and spend a couple of weeks there. We enjoyed the downtown and surrounding parks. A stop along the way south in the Hemet area (still near LA) might be a good idea to give you a chance to give you a few days to become fully acquainted with your new purchase before leaving the dealer. If not a dealer purchase, you would still be close to the former owner if you needed some help with getting things working properly. From San Diego, take I-8 east to Yuma which is a major wintering area for RV'ers from the west coast. You can find numerous large parks there that cater to retirees who are escaping cold weather up north. These parks have full social schedules for most any interest. If you haven't experienced this kind of park before it would be worth a stop. Along the way on I-8 you will find a number of places where the ATV and dune buggy crowd boondocks and plays in the sand dunes. From Yuma, I-8 takes you northward toward Casa Grande, south of Phoenix. You can pick up I-10 there. If you want an interesting side trip take US 95 north in western Arizona toward Quartzite. This is mecca for RV'ers. It might be hard to find a campground without reservations but if you call around you may be able to find a spot somewhere. There are flea markets, social events and plenty of other RV'ers in the area. Some people park in the desert with no hookups for the winter! It has to be seen to be believed and there is no better way to see it than in an RV. Phoenix has some interesting parks also catering to the winter RV crowd as does Tucson. In Arizona you will find a number of National Parks and National Monuments. Along I-10 you will find Saguaro NP, Ironwood Forest National Monument, and Sonoran Desert NM. Organ Pipe Cactus NM (featured in the January Family Motor Coaching magazine) lies along the southern border, Hwy 85 south from I-8 will take you to this interesting park. If you've never explored the desert environment, winter is the perfect time. If this is a special interest of yours, the southern California areas near Death Valley NP, Joshua Tree NP, Mojave National Preserve and others are excellent in winter also. They are further north but the desert climate during days draws many RV'ers for the winter as well. Continuing on east, Brett mentioned US 90 from Van Horn south toward Del Rio. This is an interesting drive through western Texas. It also takes you near Big Bend National Park, one of the least visited parks in the US. It has a mountain and desert environment. There is an RV park in the National Park, reservations are recommended. There is also a Big Bend Texas State Park with RV camping available. Both are worth a stop. From Del Rio you can go east into San Antonio and pick up I-10 again or you can continue on south along the border toward Laredo where US 83 will take you to the Rio Grande Valley, McAllen, Mission, Brownsville and South Padre Island. From there driving the Texas Gulf Coast has a number of wildlife areas and interesting cities, Corpus Christi, Galveston to name just two of the larger ones. There are numerous RV parks in the area from Mission to Brownsville. This area is rich in migrating birds and also has many tropical birds that frequent the area. If you enjoy birds, you will see birds here that are not seen anywhere else in the US. In Louisiana, US 90 south out of Lafayette will take you down through the bayou country and on into New Orleans. The Gulf Coast of Mississippi, Alabama and Florida have many parks along the Gulf of Mexico. We enjoy visiting the occasional WWII warship. In Corpus Christi the USS Lexington (aircraft carrier) is worth a stop. I tried looking up others on the internet but there doesn't seem to be a good link to a general list. As far as campgrounds, I haven't included any specific recommendations. We like campgrounds which are convenient to the places we want to visit. We don't spend a lot of time in the campground so we are interested most in a reasonably level spot with good hook-ups. We tried the KOA Campgrounds when we started but gave that up pretty quickly. Today they are our last choice if we can't find anything else. We use RV Park Reviews and the Allstays Camp and RV app for our iPad. You will find listings for all kinds of campgrounds with both these resources and then you can make your choice from the listings and reviews.

Furnace on, yes - and dash heat as well! We've never had a problem with using the furnace while on the road. At the temperatures you cite, teens and low 20's I would travel without water in the lines and tanks until you get to warmer weather. Many people travel this way on the journey south this time of year. Carry the needed drinking water with you in jugs. When the temperature goes below the mid 20's I worry about frozen pipes. Pipes against outside walls are especially vulnerable and the lines from your water tank and water pump are in unheated space below the living area which will leave them vulnerable to freezing. Our coach has special winterizing, insulated tanks, a built-in heater for the waste tanks and I still worry. The financial costs of damage from broken pipes can be really high as the pipes are difficult to access in many places in an RV. With cool temperatures, you can minimize the need for bathing. Heat water on the stove and bathe in the sink or a dishpan. Heading west from Memphis you will still encounter some cold temperatures so you may want to continue your travel without water on-board until you get out of the mountains near Phoenix. It is 14 degrees in Flagstaff this morning! Phoenix is 40 and sunny! Our temperature this morning is 78 degrees with sun and a 20 MPH wind from the south. Monday we'll be in the 40's in the morning!

I'd recommend Cummins Southern Plains, 6226 Pan Am Expressway North in San Antonio. It is on the NE side of the city just off I-35. Phone 210-655-5420 When we head north in the spring we'll call ahead and make an appointment for engine service when needed. They should be able to find your problem if no one else can. They service many RV's there and we've always received good service. There are two Cummins Coach Care facilities in Texas, one in El Paso and another in Houston. I've never been to either of these but have always found Coach Care facilities to be very accommodating of motor home customers.

Just catching up here. We've run the refrigerator on full time when traveling. The alternator is the original, (Leece-Neville, 160 Amp standard) now twelve years in service and five years traveling with the residential refrigerator. We only run the generator when driving while we are using the roof air conditioners. We do keep the generator on the auto-start setting normally so if our house battery charge level drops the generator would kick in. We've never had the generator auto-start while driving. It will auto start during the night if the furnace is running quite a bit, even before we had the residential refrigerator. So I went to our users manual to review the information and make certain my information is correctly stated. "The alternator also maintains a charge to the house batteries. The function of the alternator is an electrical system voltage maintainer, not a battery charger. When traveling the alternator maintains electrical system voltage relative to any loads, such as headlights,and windshield wipers. When a heavy load is placed on the alternator, such as trying to charge dead batteries, the operating temperature of the alternator for extended periods of operation can lead to premature failure of the alternator. If the house batteries are in a low state of charge, or dead, before traveling it is recommended to charge the house batteries with the inverter/charger or an auxiliary battery charger." There is a note: "Excessive loads applied to the inverter can actually drain both the chassis and house batteries during operation." The only cautions are about charging batteries while driving. Charging batteries is a long term continuous load which can overheat the alternator when added to its normal functions operating the engine and chassis accessories. As a battery maintainer the alternator is sensing the voltage of the house batteries and adding charge as needed to maintain their voltage. The refrigerator is operating intermittently, the compressor runs for a few minutes and then is off. House battery voltage may drop slightly during this operation and the alternator may briefly add a charge to offset this voltage drop but it also is intermittent. This should not cause overheating as it is not a continuous large load. We run with our inverter on 24/7 when we are traveling. I can't imagine that the ordinary loads of charging phones would be a problem. My iPhone charger indicates .5 amps, the iPad charger draws 2.1 amps. The cautions about charging batteries is directed at the house and starting batteries. The information on our battery maintainer states that it provides up to 15 amp charge to the chassis batteries. A continuous 15 amp load is way different than a phone charger, even three iPads would be just over 1/3 of 15 amps. I'll sometimes have my laptop plugged in and charging when we travel, we have a GPS plugged in to the 12V outlet. We have two clock radios, sometimes the furnace, water pump, etc. I've never seen a problem. We can't operate the microwave without the battery voltage dropping and then the generator kicks in to provide power for the microwave. One final aha! that may be a difference. Our coach came with a single solar panel which is capable of delivering up to 5A charge per hour during the mid-day hours (5 hours centered on noon solar time) and lesser amounts the rest of the day. These are our usual driving hours so this added help is assisting the alternator input to charge the batteries. This could be enough to make a significant difference. There are no doubt different electrical system operating processes on different coaches. The above is what is specified for our coach.

I carry a four step all steel household ladder that I purchased at Home Depot in 2001 when we started full-timing. It is a very sturdy, stable ladder. It folds flat, about an inch and a half in thickness. The steps are 8 inches deep and the top step is 42 inches off the ground. It is 66 inches tall with the frame extending well above the top step. This provides a surface to brace your legs against to steady your position on the top step. Here is a link to the Skinny-mini ladder at Home Depot. This looks very similar to mine except I don't have the top tray for paint cans! I hadn't seen it in stores lately and see on the web site that it isn't available in stores. At $45, it is a reasonable price for an excellent and compact ladder. I store it on its side next to the slide out tray in my forward storage compartment. It is easy to access and light enough to handle without strain. I can get to all the windows including the entire windshield but can't get to the top of the coach. I also use this ladder to get me onto the roof ladder at the rear of the coach as the first step is really a stretch for me.

I keep returning to this posting as others consider changing over to a residential unit. We couldn't be happier with our refrigerator. We gave it the acid test for rough roads this summer, Newfoundland and Labardor, almost all the major roads in Labrador including over 400 kilometers of gravel roads (read motor home abuse - guilty). It's still running great. I'd never go back! We are still using the 4x6V battery set-up, now with AGM batteries for the last two summers, all is well with that set-up. For us, the boondocking is always supplemented with generator so we recharge the batteries on a regular basis but they will go through the night without a problem. On the coldest nights the generator auto start will kick in to recharge batteries shortly before sunrise but otherwise things are good until DW starts the coffee pot!!!

Here is a link to my posting here on the FMCA Forum from several years ago (May 2011). We replaced our Norcold 1200 (aka No Cold) and have been extremely happy with the results. We don't boondock extensively. When traveling we'll go several days at a time without plugging in, generator and driving only. We have the original 4x6V battery set-up and have never had a problem. The household unit functions just as I would expect with a home unit, no problems with power usage. We did install a 3000W sine wave inverter prior to the installation of the refrigerator in anticipation of replacing the refrigerator. The unit we installed was for sine wave only. The Samsung is frequently cited as one that can run on a modified sine wave inverter. You may get by with a modified sine wave inverter but I think a sine wave inverter will still give the refrigerator a longer life even if it will function with a modified sine wave inverter. We do use a small bungee on the handles to keep the doors closed as there is no built-in lock as in the Norcold. We have a much larger unit in almost the same space and much better service, cold ice cream, no worries about fire, etc. Our driving experience with the refrigerator has been no problems in what I would describe as extreme driving conditions for a motor home. Read my blog for our experience in Newfoundland and Labrador this past summer here on the FMCA Blogs! Some would accuse me of motor home abuse! We've traveled 56,000 miles since the refrigerator was installed! With the exception of the holidays when the refrigerator functions as a second freezer, the unit sits unused through the winter.