richard5933

That's about what I paid for mounting and balancing. About the tire models, download the Hankook tire book from their website. It will be the definitive guide to the various sizes and load ratings available.

Are you thinking of the Motor Carrier's Atlas? Best reference I've seen for big rigs, but has nothing specific to RVs. Great for things like weight and height restrictions.

Good to remember that some campgrounds printed their advertising literature decades ago and are still using the original batch. When a campground said it was 'big-rig friendly" 40 years ago, things were decidedly different than today. Always good to check if you have a "big rig". Even with our 35-foot coach, there have been some really tight places which claimed to be "big rig friendly".

If they are pulling the wheels off, always nice to have an inspection done on the brakes.

Interesting - I've heard both sides of this. Some say that leaving air in the air bags keeps them from developing folds & weak spots, and others that leaving air in them in storage needlessly stresses them. Have you seen anything definitive on this or recommendations of air bag manufacturers either way?

Not sure how name calling people trying to help is the best path forward here.

So, let's say you find a rig that can power your trailer up the grade at posted speed. Let's even assume that it's possible to do so safely. How are you planning to control your speed coming down the other side with a decades old rig running drum brakes all around? In the 2020 Freightliner I have been driving for work, with disc brakes all around and more power than needed, even with an empty trailer there have been many times it's just not safe to drive the posted limit. Going down the other side, even more so. You say you won't let others determine your fate while driving. Please don't be one of those people who say that and then do the exact same thing for others. We all share the same roads and rely on each other for our safety.

It all depends... Generally speaking, there is no harm if things are working properly and if you make sure the batteries are topped off with water before storing. If you are not in an area with freezing temps, you could just make sure the batteries are charged and disconnect them. They should stay charged up for a few months without a problem if they are in good condition. If it might be below freezing, a fully charged battery won't freeze. Makes me nervous though, so I keep mine plugged in and the charger turned on. I do check on them from time to time to make sure that nothing's gone wrong (no leaks, voltage looks proper, etc.) If I couldn't go check on them I'd probably opt to just pull the batteries into the garage and leave the coach unplugged. You'll get lots of opinions on this, most of them will be quite viable options.

Before we can really answer your question, it would help for us to know what you consider to be the major factors in your decision making process. Are you looking for lower taxes, open skies, less congestion, nearby large cities, warm climate, 4-season-climate, etc. etc. etc. While there are some factors which seem to be attractive to most people asking your question, it's not the same for anyone. As we start thinking about where to be once retirement comes around some of the factors for us are how livable the area is, whether or not it's convenient to the places we'd like to travel, is it possible to live there comfortably in all seasons if necessary, and of course cost of living. Taxes are a mixed bag, as in some places with low taxes you pay by having a lower level of services available. This is okay if you don't need those services, but if you rely on them then maybe not. In other words, it depends.

You are moving from a pickup towing the enclosed trailer to a MH towing it. You really haven't talked about your background doing stuff like this, so I'm wondering if you have ever driven a motor home, especially at the speeds you are talking about. Big difference between a pickup and a motor home, with or without a trailer.

Nothing commercially available in an RV is designed or safe to go 85 mph. Even if you could get tires rated for those speeds, there is no way the brakes and other components would be safe. Add to that the trailer you're wanting to pull, and all I ask is that you give us all good warning when you hit the road so we can drive somewhere else. Sorry to be so harsh, but I just don't see how this is a good idea.

See if there is a commercial battery supplier in your area, not an RV or boat dealer. Around here I get mine at SBS (Storage Battery Systems) and they are able to get as good a price as anywhere else. The Trojan site has a dealer locator, so maybe you can find a dealer in your area that is willing to work with you on price as well.

Photos would help. I built my own battery box, but can't advise without seeing what you are working with.

I'm sure that they were welcome before, and this sounds like some kind of promotional deal to grease the wheels a bit for new purchasers of their branded rigs... Agree that it would be nice if FMCA members were actually kept in the loop on things like this, considering that it's quite possible we're the ones paying for whatever it going to happen.

Still no official word from anyone regarding what this means to FMCA? Has there been any communication to members on this yet?

How hot is "awful hot"? If we're talking about normal tire heating from going down the road, don't worry about it. The sun will also make the tire feel very warm, so if it's sunny you can reach around and check the inner side of the tire just to make sure. But, if we're talking about too warm to keep your hand on the tire, better start looking for problems beyond the tires. A dragging brake or a failing/dry hub bearing can cause excessive heat. Either of these can be dangerous and lead to a blowout and/or a fire. I'm not saying you have either of these problems, but on a 1999 coach they are both possible and worth checking for. If the hubs are oil filled, check to make sure that there is oil in them according to the manual. Brake drag is harder to check for, and a good time to check this is when you are having the brakes inspected/adjusted. (Air or hydraulic, period inspection is a good idea including checking to make sure auto-adjusters are doing their job.) A great tool for any coach is an infrared thermometer 'gun' for checking the temps of the hubs/wheels. Here's the one I use, but there are many others out there: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01MYUVR4R/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 This is usually done after being driven for some time so that you're checking a fully-warmed hub. The actual temp is not as important as checking to see if you have one which is substantially different than the others, possibly indicating a problem. Don't rely on a stem-mounted TPMS sensor to check the temp of the hubs, as they are too far away.

How fast is pretty fast?

Covers are always a debatable topic...I'll leave that alone. Our coach is stored outside. We have a few fresh air inlets for the HVAC system which are in protected areas and left open. We leave the MaxxAir vent on auto - it comes on in the afternoons when temps warm up. The coach is plugged in with the battery charger on float. That's all we do to keep things from becoming too humid and it seems to provide enough air flow.

When you charge the battery, what is the final charge voltage? How long do you hold it at that level before disconnecting the charger? Is this a new(ish) battery or one that's been in use for a number of seasons? Have you checked the water level in the battery? If you disconnect the battery from everything, will it still lose voltage after sitting for a few hours? The fridge will still use some 12v power, even when on propane. The 12v is what runs the controls on it. Sorry for so many questions, but this information will really help narrow down the problem.

Agree here as well. Drop the pressure to about 100 and then take it to get weighed. If you can't find a place to weigh each corner separately, most truck stops will have a CAT Scale where you can get the weight per axle for $11-$12. If you are unsure how to get weighed when you get to the truck stop, go to the trucker's fuel desk and ask - they will walk you through it. You don't need to buy fuel to weigh - it's a separate transaction. Helps to do a Google Maps satellite view of the truck stop before you get there so you are familiar with where things are, where you need to pull in, etc. Especially if you will need to park momentarily while you go to the fuel desk, you don't want to end up facing the wrong way or getting stuck nose-in somewhere that it's difficult to get back out. If you are still confused after getting the coach weighed, report your weights here and someone will help you do the math.

Welcome to the FMCA forum. Could you provide a bit more information? Which batteries - house or chassis? While driving or while plugged in? How/when are you checking them? What kind of RV are we talking about (make/model/year)? Give us a bit more about what we're dealing with and I'm sure that you'll get lots of suggestions. Right now the question is way to broad to even begin to offer any advice.

Where are you getting the number 120 psi as the proper pressure? If it's from the sidewall of the tire, then it is the max cold pressure, not the recommended pressure for your coach. Let us know where you got that number and we can go from there.

Until the vehicle is weighed, the tire placard is a good starting pressure. On the same page you linked to, in the right-hand column, is a button to download the load & inflation table. That table spells out the specific pressure to be used according to weight. Every quality tire manufacturer publishes load & inflation tables.

They used a tire gauge daily. Not sure where you are getting the information about Goodyear's recommendation. If a coach is intended to ride at 80psi and you put 120psi in the tires the coach is going to ride like it's on rails. Putting the proper air pressure in the tires will certainly improve the ride if they are overinflated by 50%.

Welcome to the FMCA Forum! Glad to have you join us. When you say: ...are you talking about what's on the sidewall of the tires as the 'max cold inflation' for the tires? If so, then that would be the amount of air necessary to carry the max load the tire is rated for, not necessarily the pressure that should be in your tires. The best way to determine the proper tire pressure is by knowing your coach's actual weight (by axle) as you typically roll down the road, and then using the manufacturer's load & inflation charts to select the correct pressure. If you post the brand & model tires you got someone will surely help you find the load & inflation chart.