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jrwitt

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Posts posted by jrwitt

  3. Posted · Report reply

    Hey Tireman9,

    That video is excellent!

    I actually saw a guy at a campground last year using a tire gauge that looked like the one in the video. I think the video said it was made by AccuTire??? I searched and found a lot of AccuTire guages, but none that looked like that one.

    Do you happen to have the model number or some other information that I could use to find it?

    Thanks, Jack

  4. Posted · Report reply

    I am by no means an expert on this topic, but I have been researching it a lot lately. The info Keggar prorvided is right on. Also, if you go the JetPack route you can add a device called a Wilson Sleek for about $130. It is an amplifier that you can use to hold the JetPack and it greatly amplifies the cell signal in both directions. There is no connection between the JetPack and the Sleek. The JetPack just sits in the cradle of the Sleek and the Sleek takes care of the amplification. I have also been reading up on something called the WiFiRanger. This device can amplify any WiFi service that is nearby allowing you to use free service at campgrounds or even at public hotspots that you might be near. The Ranger equipment is a little above my understanding so far, but it is worth checking out. Just Google WiFiRanger and check out two products: one is called Mobile and the other is called Go. And be sure to check out the GeeksonTour website. They are forum contributors and connecting on the road is a speciality of theirs. I think I found a WifiRanger forum the other day, but can't seem to find the url right now. Maybe someone else knows it and will update this info.

    Anyway, the info provided by Keggar will get you started and what I have posted will start you out with some options if you need wider area access.

    Good luck,

    Jack

  5. Posted · Report reply

    Go online and google "IRS Pub 17". Open it and search for vacation home or second home. The home must meet certain requirements such as having a kitchen, bath and sleeping facilities. You can deduct mortgage (loan) interest plus any kind of personal property tax that you pay annually for owning the home. This is usually the personal propterty tax that you pay when you purchase your new tags. I believe the rule is that it has to be an advalorum tax based on the value of the motorhome that year. Read the pub for any other possible deductions. Mainly, you can deduct the same kinds of interest and tax that you can deduct from a stick built 1st or 2nd home. You can only have deductions for 2 homes max. So if you have a stick built home as a vacation home (2nd home) then you cannot use the deductions for an RV home. You cannot deduct mileage, depreciation, insurance or fuel costs. If you run a business from your motorhome/RV, then the rules would change. You would need to consult a tax advisor for that info.

    Hope this helps.

    Jack

  6. Posted · Report reply

    Hmmm ... I am going to chime in here, although I don't have personal experience with RV mounted DVRs. My DVR at home that is provided through the local cable company has a hard drive in it that spins all the time that the DVR is powered on. If the disk is spinning while the coach is moving, even a slight bump can cause a head crash. This happens because the disk head is floating only a few thousands of an inch above the disk platter. If it touches the platter when the is bumped, it will scratch the platter where the data is stored and destroy the disk. I know this from being a retired computer repairman. I replaced lots of disk drives in computers that were damaged because someone tried to move the computer across the desk while it was running. Of course, newer drives are more stable than the older ones, but all can fail. Even laptop drives that are made to take abuse can have these failures. Best way to prevent this problem is to make sure the DVR box if POWERED OFF while you are traveling. That means don't even watch recorded movies while in motion. When you power off the DVR the heads on the disk "park" in a safe landing zone.

    And also I agree with what the others said about heat. Heat is one of the biggest contributors to failures of electronic components.

    Good luck,

    Jack

  9. Posted · Report reply

    Also check eBay (national) and Craigslist in several major cities. Craigslist has an RV section. I think in eBay the section is called eBay Motors or something like that. You can put a free "wanted" ad on craiglist. You never know who might see it and respond.

    You can try google for RV salavage yards. Not sure if they deal with manuals for their salvage equipment or not, but they might know of a place that specializes in that sort of thing. I picked up a manual and a really neat advertising brochure for a 1976 travel trailer I used to own from eBay.

    Good luck!

  10. Posted · Report reply

    I used the diodes on my Jeep. The only downside to this setup is that when you put on the turn signal and step on the brake concurrently, the light will stop flashing. The supplemental braking system will cause the steady brake light to override the pulsing turn signal. This doesn't apply to a toad with separate brake and turn lamps, but on my Jeep - and many other vehicles - the brake and turn lamps are the same bulb. Fortunately, the coach lights can be seen over the Jeep, so a flashing turn signal is still visible.

    Hey there, I am not sure I am understanding your problem correctly, but this website sounds like it might fix the issue. Check out this relay from Roadmaster: http://www.roadmasterinc.com/pdf/brake-lite_relay.pdf I have not used this product, just something I found while searching the web.

    Lets us all know if this works.

    Jack

  12. Posted · Report reply

    I bought one a Camping World a couple of years ago. It was a florescent light. Don't know if they had incandescent ones with switch or not.. I would think Lowes/Home Depot would have some as well, but haven't checked there. Keep in mind you will have to find a "always hot" wire to connect it to. Just thought of something ... the fixture I bought was 12V, not 120V. Don't know if CW has 120V with switches or not.

    Good luck.

    Jack

  14. Posted · Report reply

    Hey Herman,

    Good tip about raising the coach on one side to keep the tank from draining as you change the valve.

    I have one other tip: If you crawl under the coach to change the valves, don't lay directly under them. Lay as far to one side as you can reach. I actually know I guy who positioned himself directly under the valve he was replacing. I guarantee you will only make this mistake once!! I ain't saying who he was. :+(

    One other suggestion: the valves are cheap. If you replace one, go ahead and replace the other one at the same time. Might keep you from having to it all again in a few months. Almost as easy to change two at the same time as to do only one. Note that the valves are two different sizes so get one of each size when you do the job. They are cheap enough to keep a replacement set on hand. Easy, but dirty, DIY job.

    Jack

  15. Posted · Report reply

    When you changed the oil (or had it changed) was the light reset? Even if it isn't on at that time, you still need to reset it so it will start back at zero for the oil change time. If you had the oil changed a little early and the light hadn't come on yet, then the tech may have forgot to reset it. Out of sight out of mind. I have had this happen on my car a couple of times since I always have oil change done when odometer turns an even 5000 without waiting for the light. Just a thought.

  17. Posted · Report reply

    I have used the magnetic lights a few times. They stick very tight and should work fine as long as they are mounted on a flat metal surface. Two cautions: Make sure surface of vehicle is clean where you attach the magnetlic lights AND it is best to run the wires under the car and attach with wire ties or similar. If you drape them along the top or side of the vehicle, the wind will whip them and wear through the paint very quickly. And as someone above said, the magnetic lights are just another thing to have to set up when you want to tow. I still keep my old set to use should the I have problems with the hardwired lights. And even the hard wired lights should not draw from your towed vehicle's battery. They draw from the motorhomes power. Supplimental braking often draw power from the towed vehicle.

    Good luck.

  18. Posted · Report reply

    "I do not disagree with your thoughts. However, FMCA has some good perks that many of the others still do not offer.

    "Also, family costs and other items limits them from stepping into a self contained unit. There are used units on the market,but not everyone is real handy at keeping them is operating condition with out paying for the labor."

    What perks are those? Not disagreeing with you, just wonder what FMCA perks are offered that other organizations don't offer.

    I also find it interesting that you use the term "self contained unit." All the RVers I know that own travel trailers and 5th-wheels DO consider them self-contained. In fact, I have done federal income taxes in the past for H&R Block and for AARP volunteer programs. The IRS says an RV qualifies for all the tax deductions of a 2nd home if it is self-contained which the IRS defines as having kitchen, bath and sleeping facilities. There is no requirement for it to be motorized. After all, your stick-built house is not motorized, but it is certainly self-contained. Also, I know a few people that are quite will off financially that have pull behinds because they perfer them, not because they can't afford to "move up to the real thing." Personnally, I would prefer a Class A if I could afford it, but not all RVers feel that way.

    I do not mean to criticize you. I know you contribute a lot of good advice to this forum. But as a former pull-behind RVer, I have met many people in motorhomes that seem to think that they are a step above those who pull their RVs around. In fact, I have talked to people who have trailers that don't like to be in organizations that allow motorhomes for just that reason. I don't think either side means to be critical. It's just that people on both sides of the issue seem to have pre-conceived notions about the other side. This is why I seriously doubt that you are ever going to attract a significant number of trailer owners to join an organization called Family Motor Coach Association. This is going to be especially true if they can only be a member of a sub-class or sub-chapter. It needs to be either a motorhome organization for motorized RVs or a all encompassing RV organization for any class of RV. In fact, at the other extreme, FCRV even allows tent campers to join. As a person who has had both (Class C & trailer), I just cant see it working when you "allow" pull-behind RVs to become a sub-chapter of a motorhome organization. You might as well just tell them that "we don't really want you, but we need your money."

    One suggestion I will make to the governing board: if you really want to invite trailer RVers to become a part of the organization, then set up a committee to study the idea and INVITE the same number of motorhome owners and travel-trailer owners to serve on that committee.

    I still would like to see the FMCA remain a motorhome organization if a way can be found to increase membership and revenue.

    Anyway, this is all I am going to say on this subject. This topic could easily become inflammitory and I don't want to start a war between well meaning RVers from either side of the issue. RVing is a wonderful lifestyle and we should all enjoy it whenever we can.

  19. Posted · Report reply

    I agree that the governing board needs to find some way to stop the loss of members and to attract new members. But, I am not sure what you suggest is going to help. First, there are already organizations out there they serve any kind of camper. Family Campers & RVers (FCRV) for one. What would be the advantage of joining a subchapter of an organization that remains primarily committed to motorized campers with non-motorized units just being a subchapter?

    If the FMCA truly wants to bring in non-motorized campers, then they need to be made full members of the organization, not just step children who are "not quite good enough" to be full members. This would require that FMCA change their name, charter and direction to include all. Then you have the problem of losing a lot of motorhomers who belong to FMCA just because it is exclusively for those who own motorized units. I know that if my RV was a 5th wheel or travel trailer, I would not want to join an organization that classified me as something not quite as good as the motorized RVs that the organization favored.

    I wish I had something more constructive to suggest to rebuild membership, but I really don't think what you propose is any solution at all. It seems like every suggestion I have read in this forum involves "allowing" non-motorized RVs as some kind of sub-class. This just isn't going to attract many folks who don't feel that traveling with a trailer somehow makes them less than a "real" RVer.

    Has the FMCA tried contacting the manufactures of motorhomes (and dealers as well) to try to work out some kind of free membership to anyone who buys a motorized RV? Perhaps the first year's cost could be split between dealers/manufacturers and the FMCA. Maybe FMCA already has such a program? If not a free membership, then maybe FMCA could come up with a packet that the dealers and manufactures could provide to every new motorhome buyer (and used motorhomes too). I do like the idea that some have suggested of letting non-members attend rallys and other events. This could attract people who are thinking of going to a motorized RV. Just some rambling thoughts. Btw ... I tend to agree with those who have said they would like to keep FMCA just for motorhome owners. It is unique in that respect. But unless a solution to membership loss is found, the organization may not survive.

    Jack

  21. Posted · Report reply

    I assume you are towing 4-wheels down? You do NOT want your front wheels (on towed vehicle) locked in the straight ahead position. The wheels must be able to turn left or right as the motorhome goes around a corner. Think about a child's wagon the you might pull behind as you are walking along. When you turn a corner, the wagon wheels turn to follow you. If they didn't, the wheels would be drug sideways. This is true of any car being towed with all four wheels on the ground.

    I'm not familar with Odysseys, so can't answer question about battery disconnect. I am sure someone will answer that question.

  22. Posted · Report reply

    Is the Winegard antenna on the roof a satelite antenna or an over-the-air antenna. Winegard makes both for roof mounting on RVs. Several other manufacturers also make satelite antennas for RVs. I believe the satelite dish has to be programmed to work with whichever service you choose (DirecTV or Dish). Or maybe you need a different model for the different networks. Checkout the Winegard website for more info. The over-the-air antennas will only pick up signals that are broadcast by local, nearby stations. The type of antenna will also determine whether you can get HD or not and whether you can pick up all the DirecTV or Dish satelites at once (for multiple TVs). The dome-type satelite usually will only lock onto one of the satelites at a time. You should be able to google DirecTC RV (or Dish RV) for more information.

  25. Posted · Report reply

    You might try garageunitz.com . I don't know if they do short term rentals, but they have condo type garages that they rent if they aren't sold. They have a model that has two garage doors. One side is longer (for a motorhome) and the other is shorter which would be perfect for a car. Garage Unitz is located a few miles north of E-470 on I-25. I know they offer heated space to the purchasers. Not sure about renters. You would probably have to register with the local natural gas supplier to use the furnace. If I remember correctly, you exit I-25 at Highway 52 then go back south a short distance on the service road. Very easy access.

    Hope this is helpful.

    Jack

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