What’s your RV Emergency Escape Plan?

When we plan a trip in our RV we tend to think about all of the good aspects of the upcoming adventure. Where we are going, what we’ll do when we get there, and all of the things we will see and experience along the way. What we don’t really think about is what if something happens during the trip and everybody needs to exit the RV in a hurry. What if there is a fire? What if the entry door is blocked and you can’t get out. What’s the plan? Is there a plan? Read more  Read More →

Boost your energy in less than five minutes

By Lynn Difley Long road trips are part and parcel of an RVers  way of life. We are often unable to avoid sitting for long periods of time as we move from one campground to another, or roam our summer haunts to winter snowbird roosts. Keeping your body fit and your mind alert while undertaking long term travel is a great challenge. Read more  Read More →

Pre-Departure Maintenance Checks

When you head out on a trip in your RV you look forward to the sights and scenery along the way, and to the fun you will have when you arrive at your final destination. Nothing will ruin all of the fun and adventure quicker than an unexpected breakdown.    There are three basic types of maintenance for your RV, preventive maintenance, scheduled maintenance and emergency maintenance. The lack of preventive maintenance and/or scheduled maintenance will eventually result in emergency maintenance. If you don’t check the air pressure in your tires (preventive maintenance) the under-inflated tire over heats and prematurely fails resulting in emergency maintenance.  There are pre-departure safety checks and pre-departure maintenance checks you should make on your RV prior to leaving on a trip. Today we are going to concentrate on some of  the maintenance checks you should make before hitting the road.  Check all fluid levels: a      Engine Oil: Automotive wise this is perhaps the most important PM check you can make. Check your engine oil on a regular basis. Add oil as required, but do not overfill. Consult your owner’s manual for the type of oil to use. Have the oil and oil filter changed at manufacturers service intervals.  b.      Transmission Fluid: Transmissions in motorhomes and tow vehicles get worked extremely hard. Transmission fluid cools and lubricates the transmission. Checking and maintaining the fluid will extend the life of the transmission. Follow... Read more

Top 10 Pet Safe Vehicles

Pet Safety Advocate Bark Buckle UP and Online Automotive Consumer Advocate Edmunds.com Announce the Top 10 Pet Safe Vehicles Traveling in the car with the family pet is a common necessity for many of America’s 71 million pet owners – 82 percent of dogs travel in cars during their lifetime. However, 98 percent of dogs travel unrestrained in moving vehicles, leaving both pets and the passengers vulnerable to injury in the event of a traffic accident. In a 35 mile per hour collision, an unrestrained 60-pound pet becomes a 2,700 pound projectile and can do much harm to other passengers. In collaboration with the pet-safety experts from Bark Buckle UP, Edmunds.com, the premier online resource for automotive information, has published a list of the Top 10 Pet Safe Vehicles that make driving with pets safer and more convenient. “It’s in everyone’s best interest for drivers to ensure that pets and their gear are safe and secure while on the road,” said Kevin Smith, Edmunds.com’s Editorial Director. “The best vehicles for pet owners are the ones with plenty of room and pet safety features such as tri-climate control, fold-flat rear seats, rear back-up cameras, sliding rear doors, and side airbags.” The top 10 2009 cars and trucks most highly recommended for safe pet travel, in alphabetical order, are: 1. Dodge Journey 2. Ford Flex 3. GMC Acadia 4. Hyundai Tucson 5. Jeep Liberty 6. Kia Borrego 7. Mazda 5 8. Mitsubishi Outlander 9. Subaru Tribeca 10. Volvo XC70 “Regardless... Read more

Trailer Sway; What It Is & How To Control It

A  few weeks ago I was contacted by Jose Adauto de Souza, who lives and works in Brazil. Adauto is a Petroleum Geologist/Geophysicist close to being retired. Since 1978 he has been a camping enthusiast, starting with tents, then a pop-up, travel trailers and now has a Class A motorhome.  (I have been through the same RV progression, and around the same time frame as Adauto). Read more  Read More →

Why Weigh your RV?

Weighing your RV can be the difference between a safe, enjoyable trip and a costly, disastrous trip. With multiple slide out rooms, amenities like washers and dryers, large holding tank capacities and the ample amount of storage space available on today’s RVs it’s easy to see why so many are overloaded. Overloaded RVs are extremely dangerous. Actually there are a lot more reasons for weighing your RV than I listed here, but my intent was to highlight some of the most important reasons for weighing your RV. Read more  Read More →

Tire Age Can Result in Tire Failure

Tire failure on RV’s can be extremely dangerous and can cause extensive damage to your RV. There are lots of reasons for tire failure on RV’s, like under inflation, over inflation, overloading and the age of the tires. Today I want to discuss how the age of your RV tires, and exposure to the elements, can lead to tire failure. Read more  Read More →

Aching Back From Driving or Sitting? You Can Do Something About It

By lynn Difley Back pain complaints are the number one worry of most of those who live and love to travel in their RV’s. When I teach a back clinic at rallys it’s always to a full house and the back ailments, while they are as many and varied as the typical RV group, are a source of pain, discomfort, and even disability to all. What can you do to alleviate the worst stymptoms, and how can you deal with your back problem without spending a fortune on surgery, medications and chiropractic visits? Read more  Read More →

Are U Haul Rental Trailers/Companies Safe?

It seems like every time I turn around I read about an accident involving a rented U Haul trailer. The trailer started swaying and the driver didn’t know what to do, the vehicle was under-rated for the loaded trailer weight, the tire came off while traveling down the highway, or the safety chains weren’t connected. It makes one wonder if U Haul trailers and the companies that rent them are safe. Well, recently I had the opportunity to experience the trailer rental process first hand. Read more  Read More →

RVSEF Set to Launch RV School

By Bob Difley The RV Safety and Education Foundation (RVSEF) has recently taken up the baton of RV education, replacing the popular and successful Life On Wheels RV Conferences that were canceled upon the death of Gaylord Maxwell, its driving force and guiding spirit. RVSEF is conducting its first school for RVers this year during the Pennsylvania RV and Camping Show in Harrisburg September 13 – 16, 2009. Walter Cannon, Executive director of RVSEF, is familiar with Life On Wheels, having taught RV safety classes there before its demise. The new class roster will include technical classes on understanding and troubleshooting RV appliances, safety issues like brakes, towing, weighing your RV, driving instruction. as well as lifestyle classes. and all conducted by experts and long time RVers. This is a difficult economy to start a venture such as this, as valuable a resource as it is, and RVSEF will need all the help it can get. So talk it up to your friends who are just purchasing their first RV, those that have already started the RV lifestyle yet want to learn more, and those that have been on the road for several years and want to become more independent and self sufficient, as well as learning about what new equipment is coming on the market. You can see a description of the safety clinic and the courses offered on the RVSEF Web site.  Read More →

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