rossboyer

Our 2011 does not register mileage when we tow it. There is a fuse to pull to keep the battery from discharging, but when not pulled the mileage still does not register. I would call the Chevrolet customer hot line and ask them.

Hyw 31 will work and once you are through Kokomo, it is very good. If you travel that route I suggest the you stop in Elkhart to visit the RV Museum.

Yes, you can subscribe to Family Motor Coaching.

Yes, because the electronics are still 'ON." When we travel, I unplug the TV, Sat Receiver, and Recever amplifier to reduce the heat. When stopped we even open the cabinet door to keep the area a little cooler.

Magnets on the inside or outside depends on if you have a sliding glass or not. On mine the windshield and half of the drivers window magnets are on the inside. The other half of the drivers window the magnets are on the outside and have a thick spacer to make the shade level across the window.

Hello Ron: The answer is 'It depends'. Do you have 6 volt batteries where two batteries are connected in series and there could be two of those series connected sets connected in parallel? Or you could have two (or more) 12 volt batteries connected in parallel? Normally the converter (120 volt AC to 12 DC) will charge your batteries. A converter may be inside your inverter. Different manufacturers have differennt systems to charge batteries. Some will charge the chassis battery(s) first and then switch to the coach battery(s) and charge them. Others only charge the coach batteries. Asssuming that you have cleaned all the battery connections and have checked the water level (The level should just cover the plates. After charging recheck the level to be to the fill mark, sometimes this is a split ring inside the battery.) If you do not have a converter and want to charge your battery(s) with a stand alone battery charger, connect the positive clamp to the first coach battery's positive post. There should be a very heavy cable (wire) connected to this battery post going into the coach. There may be other cables connected to other batteries or monitor systems, also. Connect the negative clamp to the negative post of the last battery in the series. There should be another very heavy cable going into the coach, also. The battery charger should be set to 12 volts because I do not know of any coaches that use 6 volt batteries where they are not connected in series which results in 12 volts. If you post your coach make, model and year; a member can reply to your specific coach configuration.

We are members of Sam's Club and bought four of their best 6 volt batteries for our coach three years ago. I think they were about $79 each. We had no problems and ample power for a overnight stay in Walmart or Sam's Club lots. Just looged into www.samsclub.com and found that their best 6 volt golf car battery is $88.74 ea in Indianapolis, IN.

Regarding the manufacturer's tire charts at least for Goodyear having had all four corners weighed, the tire pressure needed to be 85 lbs in the rear duals and 85 in the front. At the bottom of the chart there was a footnote to add another 5 lbs for safety. Therefore, mine were 90 lbs rear and 90 lbs in the front. I was getting some cupping of the right front right tire at 45,000 miles. A Goodyear factory representative at Perry, GA convention stated that I should add another 5 lbs in all tires. Which resulted in 95 lbs rear and 95 lbs front. While you feel the road a little more from the front tires, the cupping problem was reduced. I have PressurePro and cannot say that I am satisfied. The seals are not very good. If you travel south in the winter as I do, I end up adjusting tire pressure 4 times a year. The seals just will not hold up to being unscrewed and screwed back on. I have 7 of my 10 off right now to send back for rebuild. But from conversations with other salesmen of other systems, this problem is typical of all systems and they say I am tightening the sensors to tight. Wouldn't you tighten your sensors when in about 300 miles you loose 25 lbs or down to 75 lbs just sitting overnight?

Welcome to the Forum and to FMCA. I would encourage you to attend the Great Lakes Area Spring Spree in Berrean Springs over Memorial weekend. Also, there should be a large number of Roadtreks at the FMCA convention in Indianapolis the week before Labor Day. There is a Roadtrek chapter that you can join that has like interests. Look at the FMCA.com web site Chapters tab. The Roadtrek chapter is in the International Area. Safe travels!

If 8 hours includes installation of the tow brackets and wiring your tail and brake lights using diodes to protect both vehicles that is a very good estimate. I am trying to remember the tools that I used to install my RoadMaster adapter plates on our 2011 Equinox, and I don't think that any tool was unusual. As Brett stated look at the RoadMaster web site. You can download the complete instructions for your Equinox. There is a list of required tools in the directions.

You can order the parts from Roadmaster and do the work yourself. The light wiring would take the most time, but add the adapter plates to our Equinox took me 3.5 hours. No drilling. The directions with color pictures from Roadmaster are great. The price of $4K if it includes all the items you stated is not far off. Doing the work yourself would probably save $800 to $1000. It all depends on how comfortable you are on working

Installing a battery disconnect switch would work, but you would have to open the hood to turn the battery on or off. Most auto supply stores have a small connector to add a circuit to the fuse panel. Two of those connected together, another fuse the same size as the one that needs to be pulled, and a small toggle switch can be used to turn the circuit on or off. The extra fuse is used to complete the circuit while maintaining the same safety. The switch can be mounted anywhere by extending the wires to a convenient inside location.

I cannot tell you what the load is for your brake lights; but with the ignition in accessory position, the load without the lights being on is 1.75-1.80 amps on my Chevy Equinox. I am sure you could look on line to find the current draw for your specific bulbs. But beside the brakes, some coaches have different turn signal lights and at night running lights. These would not work unless you power from the coach. Using diodes seems to have worked best on 4 towed autos I have had. You might check on Roadmaster's web site to review the different wiring methods for the various combinations of coaches and towed autos. They have all the wiring diagrams in full color that you can down load and review, PDF format.

The logon is being retained from session to session as it was. Thank you, it is appreciated.

We installed Villastone, 16" square marble dust and resin tile with outdoor carpet adhesive. A professional that does custom tile installs for one of the large manufacturers recommend to use this adhesive; because when the coach is winterized, the coach will be the same as outdoors. In our area that could be 20 below. Also, in the summer when we are not in the coach, 120 degrees is very likely. Outdoor carpet adhesive is made for the extreme temperature range.

Hello Crusingseniors: The Indiana State Fairgrounds has 520 full hookup sites with 50 amp electric, water and sewer. There is a premium charge; but for a first timer not being experienced in dry camping and as hot and humid as Indiana is usually in August, I think that the full hookups would be a wise decision. Registration and full hookups is $400.00. If you would like to register for a full hookup site, please call FMCA and ask for Indianapolis convention registration. They will be able to tell you if the type of site you need is still available. We registered Jan. 2nd to be sure we got the site we needed. One enjoyable thing to do is to volunteer, but you may be so busy with seminars and shopping that you may not have time. Hope to see you there, Ross Boyer

I too would suggest the Air Force one. I had a Brake Buddy. The Brake Buddy caused a break malfunction on my towed auto. Had to replace calipers, pads, and disks. Saw another cause the tire to catch fire because of locking the brake for only two blocks. Wait until you get all the parts together before you decide to use all locking pins. You may find there are locations that you cannot get the lock and/or key on the pin because of tight space. I do suggest using all keyed alike locks for the where they can be used to prevent theft. When I return to the coach from a stop, I check to be sure that nothing has changed by vandalism or breakage.

Having had 4 motor homes with jackes manufactured by three different manufacturers, HWH were still the best. The company has the best support and service. I only had one spring go bad and that was due to being hit by road debris. The spring was very easy to replace.

No problems at all with our Equinox tracking behind our motor home. We have towed it about 12,000 miles in the past year.

Along I-80 Cabelas (a sporting goods store) at exit 59 is a good stop if for no other reason then to see their wildlife displays, and you can stay the night. Windmill State rec area at exit 285 is a quiet stop where all the sites are pull offs. You do not have to unhook a towed vehicle, but some of the sites the utilities will be on the passenger side. There are several other small state rec areas along I-80, but we just have not stopped at them and cannot endorse anyothers. In Iowa at exit 125 is the Iowa Machine Shed Restaurant. Worth a stop for a good meal. I usually go through their lot and park in the motel lot next door which is usually near empty.

When you say that you cannot get to it at the engine, is it that you cannot see it or cannot get a wrench to work on it because of the tight quarters around it? If it is tight quarters, go to any auto parts supply store and buy a belt filter wrench. I don't mean the type where the belt is rubber and has a long handle. Get one that is a cloth belt loop that you insert a socket set extension into it. By using a ratchet the belt is rolled getting tighter and tighter. The filter is loosened. Remove the belt wrench and by hand the filter can be removed. To install a new one just reverse the process. A CAT Tech told me that this is the way he removes the filter, and it works.

The January, 2012 issue of Family Motor Coaching magazine states the the GMC Terrain eiher "All-wheel drive or Front-wheel drive" may be towed with all wheels down, but there are two limitations. 1. "To prevent battery from draining while the vehicle is being towed, remove fuse 32, the Discrete Logic Ignition Switch fuse, from the instrument panel fuse block." and 2. As a footnote to the Speed/Distance Limit of 65 mph/ None, "The vehicle should be run at the beginning of each day and each RV fuel stop for about 5 minutes." I do run ours in the morning, but I can not believe that they mean when we fuel our motor homes 600 miles later; therefore, I also run ours at or near our lunch break at mid-day.

This is our third coach. Two with dual pane and one without. This one has heat pumps. If I can, I will not get another coach without dual and heat pumps. This coach also has two LP gas furnaces. When the temp exceeds 5 difference to the set point, the gas furnaces heat the coach up to the set point and then the heat pumps maintain that temp. As Brett stated below 40-45 degrees heat pumps are not very efficient.

You should have a smooth ride. You can go straight through Indy on I-65, but there is construction at Indianapolis on I-465 west side if you decide on that route. Due to the construction at the I-64 bridge west of Louisville, the I-65 bridge has more than normal traffic causing delays depending on the time of day you go through. Monday after Thanksgiving we traveled through without problems about 11:00 am, but coming back a week later about 2:00 pm the traffic headed south was backed up for 3-4 miles.