Gas Vs Diesel

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Should I buy gas or diesel? This question has fueled many a heated debate over the years. A universal response you could expect to hear to this question goes something like this; diesels cost more than gas, don’t buy a diesel unless you plan to put a bunch of miles on it and keep it for a long time. That’s the only way you can justify the extra cost of a diesel.

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Today’s Roof Air Conditioner Choices

Air conditioning is something that many of us have come to expect, whether it is in a house, car, office or RV. In many cases it is no longer an option as it once was. That is the case with most, if not all, motor homes and trailers today. While there are also manufacturers that mount the A/C units in the basement, we will only deal today with roof mounted. There are, and may be, configuration choices with options when it comes to ordering a new rig or replacement A/C unit. The selection may include the number of units, output capacity, heat strips, heat pumps, height profile, air ducted and possibly the thermostat control type. While many of these will probably not be a choice when purchasing a new rig, it is possible that a couple may, particularly if you are ordering a factory build. Let’s look at these choices.

Number of Units: Single A/C units are standard on Class “C” and “B” coaches, most trailers and shorter, entry level class “A” coaches. Larger class “A” coaches usually come standard with two units. The largest group of class “A’s”, 42′ to 45′, generally come standard with three A/C units.

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RV Today Archive - Product Showcase - Truckcamper

The pop-up feature is not only easy to use, but it allows full height people to move comfortably inside.

Modern Class A Design Changes

What have “C” class motor homes had for decades that only recently, the past several years, are now becoming popular on “A” class coaches?

One piece windshields!

Yes, one piece windshields are becoming more popular in many A class brands and models. These are not offered as an option, a specific make or model, either comes with it or not. The price level of the unit does not seem to dictate whether a one piece will or will not be offered. There are entry level, and there are high line coaches that have them. Likewise there are both ends of the price spectrum that also do not use them, but are the conventional two piece design.

So, should it be a deal breaker? If a potential buyer is down to two choices, one with a one piece and the other with a two piece, is the one piece the way to go? Maybe not, let’s look at their differences.

2 Piece

Advantages

• Cheaper and less wasteful to replace
• Cheaper and easier to install
• Cheaper and easier to ship to the required location
• May allow more body flex without mounting or glass damage
• May be more readily available

1 Piece

Advantages

• Provides a totally unobstructed view
• May appear to look more modern and sleek

It would appear that each advantage is actually a disadvantage of the other. That being said, the 2 piece seems to be the overall winner here. But let’s look at the two advantages offered on the one piece and try to determine if they could out weigh that of the two.

When I moved from the two to the one big window, it did not seem like much difference at all. At least when driving, that is. I was totally oblivious to the loss of the center bar and parked wipers. I found others that had made the change experienced similar observations as mine. So, while driving there was very little difference felt or noticed. However when parked, with a beautiful view, say in a drive in spot facing a lake and picturesque landscape, there is a noticeable change. It provides a seemingly panoramic uninterrupted picture.

Now let’s look at the exterior, “more modern sleek look” statement. Well I think this probably will not really fly. First, I think most people really do not even notice whether the windshield is solid or not, nor if the wipers are vertical or parked below. After all, when’s the last time you heard someone say “Nice Country Coach Prevost. Too bad it isn’t available with a one piece windshield.”? All Prevost conversion coaches have always been, and still are, fitted with two piece front windshields.

So, back to the original question, should this issue be a deal breaker? In my opinion, no! The benefit the single glass provides is very subtle and for most, soon not noticed. The decision here is up to the individual, but should not, in my opinion, necessarily be a deal breaker. Some people may feel partial to one or the other, but again, this is not an option like choice and may involve changing your selection to another manufacturer completely. But, that choice is totally up to you.

Next week, we will look at another non-optional design feature found in most of today’s class A motor homes.

With A Transparent View - Lug_Nut

Why RVs Are Like Mexican Food

Posted by Sean Michael of thelonglonghoneymoon.com.

I like Mexican food — especially the authentic variety served by independently owned restaurants. You know the type of place. They typically boast a name like Miguel’s, Pablo’s, or Pedro’s and are staffed by a team of hardworking Spanish-speaking immigrants who manage traffic with the efficiency of a military drill squad. You walk inside, take your seat, and before you’ve even seen a menu, you’re munching on an endless supply of warm chips and fresh salsa.

When you do finally browse the menu, you’ll see a number of “special combination platters.” Upon your first visit, you may even be intimidated by the selection. But you’ll soon figure out that every “special combination platter” consists of rice, beans, meat (chicken or beef), cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and some tortillas. Sure, there are differences in preparation. But at the end of the meal, no matter what you order, you’ll end up feasting on rice, beans, meat (chicken or beef), cheese, lettuce, tomatoes, and some tortillas.

There’s an analogy here with RVs. Read more

Rusty Toyotas and More Good Chassis Talk

I was down to the diner for lunch with Jeff the other day and as always there was talk around the counter. Seems that one of the regulars had just had his old Toyota Tacoma pick up truck bought back by the dealer. It would appear that Toyota is having a severe rust problem with the Tacoma pick up line.

Along with this they were saying that Toyota had increased its rust through warranty from ten to 15 years. Remember that any rust warranty by any company only covers rust that has made a hole in the metal.

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Axle Flips for your Trailer - Flip This !

Howdy !!

Ok you boondocking, wrought traveling, dune busting freaks - you’ve decided to buy the 5^th wheel trailer of your dreams, the one that you can pull with your new 4X4 pickup truck. Thoughts of going up into the hills away from the crowds in the campgrounds flow through your mind until your brain hears the sales person saying something about having to flip your axles on the trailer before you can pull it with your truck. “What’s an Axle Flip?” you ask. The sales man explains that your truck is 51 inches high at the top of the bed side rails. The trailer neck is only 52 inches high to the bottom of the neck, which means that the trailer has to be raised by about 4 inches to keep the neck of the trailer from resting on the bed of the truck - an unhappy experience !

Axle flips are becoming more and more common as 4-wheel drive trucks are used to pull fifth wheel trailers. Read more

Rear Bath And A Half Floor Plans

Changes and new innovative ideas are showing up in floor plans each year in all types and sizes of recreational vehicles.   One of these newer floor plans, that started showing up, in the larger class “A” coaches several years ago, was the bath and a half.  This design incorporates a mid ship two piece and a full rear three piece.  This particular set up has become increasingly popular within the last couple of model years and is now offered on many models and makes of 40′ and up coaches.  The increase in headroom on many coaches helped make this possible as the engine is beneath the rear bathroom floor and required a higher floor in a large portion of the room.  Most, if not all, are found in vehicles equipped with a tag axle.  This is due to the additional rear overhung weight.

  

The surprising thing you first notice when entering a bath and a half is that this extra full width dedicated bathroom does not seem to infringe on the size of any other room or area.  That’s because the bedroom and living area depth may in fact only be several inches shorter.  But how is that possible?   There must be something missing, a trade off of sorts.  But, as you walk through it at an RV show, there seems to be no question, there is nothing missing.  A quick walk through a non-bath and a half of the same make and model confirms the same thing.   The bedroom and living/kitchen area appear only marginally deeper, perhaps less than a foot or so at most.  Certainly not enough to make up for a rear bathroom, that is somewhere around five or six feet deep.

So let’s look closer and see where they get this extra space. 

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Vinyl Sided Tent Trailer Maintenance

Howdy !!

Tent trailers are not that much different from their hard sided brethren. They both have refrigerators, liquid propane (LP) gas ranges, water heaters, forced air furnace, power converter; and in some cases, even an air conditioner ! The largest difference is that tent trailers are built with an eye for light weight construction and materials including the appliances, accessories and running gear. One result of this effort to achieve such a light weight trailer is the increased amount of preventive maintenance for the basic trailer and the care and repair of the vinyl walls and bed roofs

Let’s review the basic checks common to any RV. The LP gas system must be tested once a year for leaks, rubber hose abrasion and that the system has the correct gas pressure of about eleven inches water column. The electrical system includes the 12Volt Direct Current (VDC) and 110Volt Alternating Current (VAC). The 12VDC side of things operate the 12VDC lights, the control electronics in the appliances and, in combination with the towing vehicle, the tail, brake and clearance lights.

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“Buying A New RV” 101

Improvements to RV floor plans are always welcome, but how often do they come with trade-offs?  Well there is one that has bothered me for years and some builders and models are still doing it.  If you are near six feet tall or taller, pay attention, and if you are not, you may not be immune, as it could affect your resale buyer, should you one day wish to sell your vehicle.

Don’t you just love all that space to walk around that queen sized bed in the bedroom?  You sure wouldn’t think you were in a RV.   Well, not at least until bed time.  Many of the beds found in many RV’s are only 74″ long, not 80″.  Doing the math seems to make it work, 6′ = 72″  -  74″ - 72″ - 2″.  Wow, 2″ extra!  But, wait.  Do you think your head is going to be within an inch or so to the wall?  No, of course not, more like 4 or 5 inches in reality.  Now stretch out.  Feel that cold air at your feet?  They are now starting to occupy that spacious walk around area that seemed so great. 

 

The problem is, when we buy a new, or used, RV, we never think of such things.  We also don’t try out the bed.  But, believe me, an 80″ long bed is a world of difference.  That extra 6″ can be the difference of being comfortable and warm or not.  Click on the above floor plans to enlarge.  Now check out the real size of the bed.  That is a current 2008 “A” class motor home, and it is not the only one.  This same manufacturer has models also with 80″ length beds too.  So it is not manufacturer specific, but model dictated.  So you really have to look and check it out yourself.

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