Comments on: My Eleven Biggest RV Goofs: http://blog.rv.net/2009/07/my-eleven-biggest-rv-goofs/ RV Campground & Camping Information - RV, Motorhome, Camper, Travel Trailer & 5th Wheel Owners Fri, 10 Feb 2012 21:54:04 -0600 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Caravan Insurance guy http://blog.rv.net/2009/07/my-eleven-biggest-rv-goofs/comment-page-1/#comment-95213 Caravan Insurance guy Sun, 20 Jun 2010 14:21:08 +0000 http://blog.rv.net/?p=9753#comment-95213 We recently had a caravan (travel trailer) insurance claim. The trailer had rolled after a wheel fell off. When the claims engineer visited the client he asked when he had last checked the torque of the wheel nuts. Answer: Never. An acceptably OK torque wrench in the right range will cost you less than $50 and must be part of your standard kit and used regularly. We recently had a caravan (travel trailer) insurance claim. The trailer had rolled after a wheel fell off. When the claims engineer visited the client he asked when he had last checked the torque of the wheel nuts. Answer: Never.

An acceptably OK torque wrench in the right range will cost you less than $50 and must be part of your standard kit and used regularly.

]]> By: Frank http://blog.rv.net/2009/07/my-eleven-biggest-rv-goofs/comment-page-1/#comment-89034 Frank Mon, 01 Feb 2010 20:05:33 +0000 http://blog.rv.net/?p=9753#comment-89034 Having an aviation back ground I use the lessons learned, First a check list is a check list not a memory list. I go around and check off each item, more then once I found oversights that could have been expensive had we driven off. I print a pile of them and use a clip board and cross off each item as it is checked. As I gained experience things were added and other lists have been made as necessary. One other thing that I have learned is not to rely only on a visual inspection, tires can appear properly inflated, the awning for instance I actually try to pull it off or cause it to open, actually pull check doors that are locked, tow equipment is secure and all pins are in place and secured. How many times have you closed your car door only to see the door ajar light is on is the reason to manually check for locked latched, closed, and secure, do it this way there will never be a problem, guarantied Having an aviation back ground I use the lessons learned, First a check list is a check list not a memory list. I go around and check off each item, more then once I found oversights that could have been expensive had we driven off. I print a pile of them and use a clip board and cross off each item as it is checked. As I gained experience things were added and other lists have been made as necessary. One other thing that I have learned is not to rely only on a visual inspection, tires can appear properly inflated, the awning for instance I actually try to pull it off or cause it to open, actually pull check doors that are locked, tow equipment is secure and all pins are in place and secured. How many times have you closed your car door only to see the door ajar light is on is the reason to manually check for locked latched, closed, and secure, do it this way there will never be a problem, guarantied

]]> By: Gary http://blog.rv.net/2009/07/my-eleven-biggest-rv-goofs/comment-page-1/#comment-83377 Gary Thu, 27 Aug 2009 02:46:35 +0000 http://blog.rv.net/?p=9753#comment-83377 Ever try to drive off with your back jacks down. All of the old guys in the campground will jump up and down trying to get you to stop. They know... Ever try to drive off with your back jacks down. All of the old guys in the campground will jump up and down trying to get you to stop. They know…

]]> By: Gene Lindsey http://blog.rv.net/2009/07/my-eleven-biggest-rv-goofs/comment-page-1/#comment-83199 Gene Lindsey Tue, 25 Aug 2009 04:32:38 +0000 http://blog.rv.net/?p=9753#comment-83199 I was driving through a small tow in Tx and came over a rise then down into a blind Hollow, saw the clearance sign too late. Left part of the AC in the middle of the street. Locals said his was not the first time and that RVs and 18 wheelers were often caught underneath. Same trip filled my diesel Truck with gasoline. The attendant asked me if I had intended to use the gas pump after I had filed up. Fortunately I had not started the engine and was able to get it pumped out and refilled with Diesel. expensive way to find out all green handled pumps do not dispense diesel. I was driving through a small tow in Tx and came over a rise then down into a blind Hollow, saw the clearance sign too late. Left part of the AC in the middle of the street. Locals said his was not the first time and that RVs and 18 wheelers were often caught underneath.

Same trip filled my diesel Truck with gasoline. The attendant asked me if I had intended to use the gas pump after I had filed up. Fortunately I had not started the engine and was able to get it pumped out and refilled with Diesel. expensive way to find out all green handled pumps do not dispense diesel.

]]> By: Leon Payne http://blog.rv.net/2009/07/my-eleven-biggest-rv-goofs/comment-page-1/#comment-83167 Leon Payne Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:56:37 +0000 http://blog.rv.net/?p=9753#comment-83167 Made the mistake of not doing a walk around upon departure and forgot to unplug the electrical cord. Got about a block away and couldn't figure out what was following us down the street. You guessed it, the electirical cord. Just glad there was no traffic. Didn't do more damage than I could repair however. We were just lucky. Made the mistake of not doing a walk around upon departure and forgot to unplug the electrical cord. Got about a block away and couldn’t figure out what was following us down the street. You guessed it, the electirical cord. Just glad there was no traffic. Didn’t do more damage than I could repair however. We were just lucky.

]]> By: Larry Gallagher http://blog.rv.net/2009/07/my-eleven-biggest-rv-goofs/comment-page-1/#comment-83160 Larry Gallagher Mon, 24 Aug 2009 22:26:06 +0000 http://blog.rv.net/?p=9753#comment-83160 Why is it that you can buy an RV from a dealer as a newbe and they fail to tell you the basics of camping...ie...when staying at an rv park with full hookups, you don't leave the black water tank open all the time like the greywater as the liquid runs off and leaves the solids behind, building a mound at the outlet eventually clogging it. You should dump the tank, close the valve and don't dump again till it's three quarters or full. Trust me, if you don't, sooner or later you'll be in deep xxxx trying to get it to empty... Why is it that you can buy an RV from a dealer as a newbe and they fail to tell you the basics of camping…ie…when staying at an rv park with full hookups, you don’t leave the black water tank open all the time like the greywater as the liquid runs off and leaves the solids behind, building a mound at the outlet eventually clogging it. You should dump the tank, close the valve and don’t dump again till it’s three quarters or full. Trust me, if you don’t, sooner or later you’ll be in deep xxxx trying to get it to empty…

]]> By: Darthvagrant http://blog.rv.net/2009/07/my-eleven-biggest-rv-goofs/comment-page-1/#comment-81666 Darthvagrant Mon, 27 Jul 2009 17:01:51 +0000 http://blog.rv.net/?p=9753#comment-81666 Many, many years ago I worked at a Buick dealer. At that time German Opels were popular 'toad' vehicles. I witnessed the attempted repair of two Opels, a Kadtett (sp?) and a Manta. One had been pulled with the (manual) transmission in reverse, the other in first gear. . Both had all the push rods loose from the rockers and lifters, the one pulled in reverse had total engine destruction from the oil pump running backwards. Niether was pulled very far before the rear tires on the toad were screaming in protest. . 40 year+ memories not forgotten-ever. Many, many years ago I worked at a Buick dealer. At that time German Opels were popular ‘toad’ vehicles. I witnessed the attempted repair of two Opels, a Kadtett (sp?) and a Manta. One had been pulled with the (manual) transmission in reverse, the other in first gear.
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Both had all the push rods loose from the rockers and lifters, the one pulled in reverse had total engine destruction from the oil pump running backwards. Niether was pulled very far before the rear tires on the toad were screaming in protest.
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40 year+ memories not forgotten-ever.

]]> By: Barry Zander http://blog.rv.net/2009/07/my-eleven-biggest-rv-goofs/comment-page-1/#comment-80787 Barry Zander Tue, 07 Jul 2009 17:38:19 +0000 http://blog.rv.net/?p=9753#comment-80787 As full-timers changing campsites two to four times a week, we've made several of those errors and lots more despite our checking and rechecking. The closest to disaster was when we rushed to pull out of a state park before dawn to make an appointment for RV repair 80 miles away. Tired and in the dark, we pulled out of the site and were just about out of the park when I looked back in the early morning light and realized we had left our 3-foot wide slide out. I had made it past boulders, posts and trees without incident, but not without trembling when I realized we hadn't walked around the trailer one last time before moving. You're welcome to shudder with me in thinking about the damage that could have been done. As full-timers changing campsites two to four times a week, we’ve made several of those errors and lots more despite our checking and rechecking. The closest to disaster was when we rushed to pull out of a state park before dawn to make an appointment for RV repair 80 miles away. Tired and in the dark, we pulled out of the site and were just about out of the park when I looked back in the early morning light and realized we had left our 3-foot wide slide out. I had made it past boulders, posts and trees without incident, but not without trembling when I realized we hadn’t walked around the trailer one last time before moving. You’re welcome to shudder with me in thinking about the damage that could have been done.

]]> By: Craig Benoit http://blog.rv.net/2009/07/my-eleven-biggest-rv-goofs/comment-page-1/#comment-80760 Craig Benoit Mon, 06 Jul 2009 18:31:01 +0000 http://blog.rv.net/?p=9753#comment-80760 We experirnced the tire blow out due to under inflation. We did not find the problem untill backing into the camp site. The only thing left of the tire was the side walls, everything else was gone. After this event I redoubled my tire preseure checking routine and installed the Smart Tire monitoring system on both the truck and trailer. Thanks to the stability of a 5th wheel trailer we did not experience sway when the tire blew, thaqts good but. We could have had a tire fire and lost the whole rig. Towing during the shorted days in the fall after work leads to night time driving and a rush to get on ther road. For safet sake RETIRE NOW and drive at your leasure, working just aint worth it. We experirnced the tire blow out due to under inflation. We did not find the problem untill backing into the camp site. The only thing left of the tire was the side walls, everything else was gone. After this event I redoubled my tire preseure checking routine and installed the Smart Tire monitoring system on both the truck and trailer.

Thanks to the stability of a 5th wheel trailer we did not experience sway when the tire blew, thaqts good but. We could have had a tire fire and lost the whole rig.

Towing during the shorted days in the fall after work leads to night time driving and a rush to get on ther road.

For safet sake RETIRE NOW and drive at your leasure, working just aint worth it.

]]> By: Jim Peterson http://blog.rv.net/2009/07/my-eleven-biggest-rv-goofs/comment-page-1/#comment-80757 Jim Peterson Mon, 06 Jul 2009 17:02:08 +0000 http://blog.rv.net/?p=9753#comment-80757 ========== We used to tow a sailboat and there are so many things to remember to do (while launching AND retrieving) that I made my notes on a 3x5 card which I always kept on the dash. I would try to do everything from memory and then just quckly review my notes on the card (before backing into the lake OR taking off). More often than not, there was a thing or two I had forgotten. It was simple enough to jump out, take care of that one thing, and then proceed. We found such a checklist (actually provided for us by the previous owner) handy while interacting with the fifth wheel too. ========== sail4free ========== ==========
We used to tow a sailboat and there are so many things to remember to do (while launching AND retrieving) that I made my notes on a 3×5 card which I always kept on the dash. I would try to do everything from memory and then just quckly review my notes on the card (before backing into the lake OR taking off). More often than not, there was a thing or two I had forgotten. It was simple enough to jump out, take care of that one thing, and then proceed. We found such a checklist (actually provided for us by the previous owner) handy while interacting with the fifth wheel too.
==========
sail4free
==========

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