tmoning Report post Posted March 23, 2009 FMCA member Carl Peterson of Rosharon, Texas, travels to water ski tournaments in his Safari motorhome. [Click to read story] On his first motorhome trip, he got a crash course in motorhoming at an RV campground. He asked a group of motorhome owners, "What are the 10 most important things that I should know about owning a motorhome?" Following is his original list, in the order that he wrote them down. "I still find them very useful," he said. 1. Keep tires inflated to the recommended cold pressure values. 2. Check tire pressure before every trip or every morning after a long drive. 3. Don't worry about tire rotation if you keep your alignment okay. Tires age out before they wear out. 4. Always walk around your motorhome before starting out anywhere. Check connections, jacks , antennas, for gear not stowed, unusual leaks, etc. 5. Add electric heat to your hot-water heater if it is gas only. Carry an electric heater in your rig. This saves on butane. 6. Don't leave awnings extended when you leave the RV park in case a storm with high winds comes in. 7. Towing your car four wheels down is simpler, and you don't have to park a trailer in addition to your car at the RV park. 8. Join an RV association and club. They are good sources for technical info and good friendship. (Note: I have really enjoyed FMCA and the Texans on Safari chapter since joining FMCA. 9. Join Good Sam's President's Club for good discounts on RV products. 10. Buy a directory of RV sites to plan your trips. Also, Next Exit interstate travel exit guide is useful when traveling on interstates. Care to add to the list? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tbutler Report post Posted March 23, 2009 No. 11. Always have someone watching your rear when you are backing up! Even with a camera, you can't see it all. We like using radios for communicating as opposed to the wave and shout method. No. 12. Don't get in a rush. If you find yourself in a difficult situation, take your time to look things over before you move. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Guest Wayne77590 Report post Posted March 24, 2009 4A. A two-person check is better than a one-person check. If you are by yourself, make the walk twice. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
seajaycecil@yahoo.com Report post Posted May 14, 2009 I would like to add one more thing to your '"must do list." Anytime you get out of the coach for any reason, LOOK UNDER THE COACH. Yes, under the coach. Look for oil drips, water drips, transmission drips, ''hangie down wires" and anything that dont look like it did the last time you looked under the coach. Any time we get out of the coach to go shopping or to eat or when the coach has been setting on one spot for a while, I always look under the coach to see what has leaked on the pavement. It will only take you a minute but if something is amiss you will probably see it and avoid a ''SURPRISE'' when you are half way between nothing and nothing and no cell phone signal. Make yourself a ''walk around'' check list like I did when I use to fly. Do your ''walk around'' the same way each time you pull out and it will save you a lot of grief later. This is double important if you have a toad. I have a separate ''hook up list'' for the toad. I check out the coach and I hook up the toad and I do the ''list'' on each one. Then I do a final ''double check'' everything and get in the coach and hunt my keys for half an hour and we hit the road ... lol ... ( I'm teasing) If you use this advise it will cost you 10 cents and you can pay me the next time you see me. God bless our troops and bring them home safe ... Seajay the sailor man ..... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
