Vintage Trailer Restoration Project Captured on Video

  Earlier this year video producer Mark Polk, of RV Education 101, decided to produce an online RV series, titled “Mark’s RV Garage.”  Polk explained the goal of the show was to help educate and entertain RV consumers and RV enthusiasts. When considering a feature segment for the new RV series Polk decided to tackle a vintage trailer restoration project. Little did he know at the time the scope the restoration project would entail.  Unforeseen damage, below the surface of the exterior metal, would result in dismantling the project trailer down to the bare frame and rebuilding it from the ground up. Adding to the complexity of an already daunting challenge Polk’s plans included upgrading the old trailer with modern day RV equipment and amenities. As season one of the new RV series progressed each step of the vintage restoration project was captured along the way. What initially began as a 10 episode season evolved into 17 episodes, culminating in the season finale where the finished product was revealed to viewers for the first time. When asked to recap season one of “Mark’s RV Garage” Polk responded, “I think anybody who likes RVs, or is thinking an RV might be in their future would not only enjoy watching the vintage restoration project unfold, but could learn a great deal from the series too. To view season one episodes of Mark’s RV Garage visit this You Tube link Happy RV Learning, Mark Polk RV Education 101 RV Consumer  Read More →

RVs Pose Carbon Monoxide Dangers

Carbon monoxide (CO) is an odorless, colorless gas that is toxic and the number one cause of accidental poisoning deaths in the United States. Carbon monoxide can be particularly dangerous in recreational vehicles. The Associated Press recently reported that five people were found dead inside a rented camper at a Tennessee motorcycle festival that raised money for sick children. Investigators said the victims appeared to have been overcome by carbon monoxide fumes that leaked into the camper from a generator. Recreational vehicles are part of a broad spectrum of products called “after-market, modified, or incomplete vehicles,” which also includes limousines, ambulances, conversion vans, and handicapped-accessible vans, reports InjuryBoard.com. These vehicles are either purchased as an incomplete chassis from a major automaker and then assembled into a different finished product or cut apart and modified from their original factory configuration. Unlike original equipment manufacturers (OEM), these non-OEM manufacturers may not be held to the strict design and testing requirements to which original manufacturers are held. In fact, these manufacturers may not even be held to the minimum federal requirements under the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards (FMVSS). RV manufacturers may not properly seal or vent sources of carbon monoxide gas (either from the engine, exhaust, or generator). In other instances, the equipment may be installed, but a manufacturing defect (like a... Read more

Mark’s RV Garage Season One Finale Released

RV Education 101 releases the season finale of the new Internet based RV How-To series titled “Mark’s RV Garage.” The new episode is available for viewing at www.rvconsumer.com and on You Tube            After 16 bi-monthly episodes the highly anticipated season finale is released, revealing the completed vintage trailer restoration for the very first time. Season finale highlights:  * The Old Yellowstone trailer gets a fresh coat of paint. * Polk installs a new 3,500 pound Dexter axle. * The electric brakes are converted to disc brakes with the addition of new brake rotors, calipers, and a Actulink electric/hydraulic brake actuator. To complete the new braking system Polk adds a DirecLink Network Enhanced brake controller. * Before the trailer can hit the road for the first time Polk installs an Equalizer hitch. * Mark Polk reflects back on season one through a series of Q&A. * All of this and more on the season finale of “Mark’s RV Garage”   If you missed previous episodes of Mark’s RV Garage they are archived at www.rvconsumer.com for easy retreival and viewing Happy RV Learning, Mark Polk www.rvconsumer.com www.rveducation101.com  Read More →

The Iceman Cometh

Are you ready to flock south? A major concentration of snowbirds in Ol' Airy Zonie occurs each winter in the Phoenix area. Pictured above is Usery Mountain Regional Park located north of Mesa. © Rex Vogel, all rights reserved You might know a poet, William Shakespeare, who’s Sonnet 73 says: That time of year thou mayst in me behold When yellow leaves, or none, or few do hang Upon the boughs that shake against the cold Bare ruin’d choirs, where late the sweet birds sang. The Barb makes reference to autumn here in what would become one of his most famous sonnets. Oh, Autumn, that time of year when the earth changes colors before our very eyes, temperatures start to dip, the light begins to fade away, and RV’s are readying for their migration south to Ol’ Airy Zonie, Southern California, Texas, Florida, or another warm southern destination. So in true Shakespearean style, let’s count the fourteen things—as in the fourteen lines of a sonnet—that will help you prepare your home for an extended absence during the winter: Check expiry dates. Well in advance of your departure, check expiry dates for your passport and other travel documents, driver’s license, motor vehicle registration, vehicle insurance, credit cards, and membership cards—and renew if necessary. Home insurance. Check with your insurance agency to determine how extended absences may affect coverage. Determine if your insurer requires regular walk-throughs during your absence and if... Read more

Hurricane Preparedness for RVers

If you RV on the East Coast, through the southern Gulf States to Texas, you’re already aware that Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico hurricanes and tropical storms are a fact of life from June 1 through November 30 and the height of the hurricane season occurs from late August through early October. Hurricane Wilma in 2005. Hurricane Wilma was a category 5 hurricane and one of the costliest storms in history. Hurricane Wilma's highest sustained winds was at 185 mph. Lowest pressure point measured at 882 mbar. (Credit: hurricane-facts.com) Although less common, they do occur on the Pacific Coast in southern California and Baja California, Mexico. Any day now, as we enter the peak of the hurricane season, you’ll turn on the TV and see a meteorologist pointing to a radar blob in the Gulf of Mexico make two basic meteorological points: There is no need to panic We could all be killed You may wish to follow this simple three-step hurricane preparedness plan: Step 1: Buy enough food and bottled water to last your family for at least seven days Step 2: Load these supplies into your recreational vehicle Step 3: Drive to Wyoming and stay there until after Thanksgiving While you may deem this plan to be somewhat overkill, it begs the question: What should RVers do? Above all else, use common sense and remain calm. Planning and preparation is the key—and that’s where you should start NOW. As an RVer you are already several steps ahead in preparation for a hurricane. Hurricanes... Read more

Goodyear Innovation: Self-inflating Tires

Say goodbye to loud compressors, leaky hoses, and inaccurate tire gauges. The Goodyear Tire & Rubber Company, one of the world’s largest tire manufacturers, has developed a system which will allow tires to self-inflate automatically. Goodyear’s so-called Air Maintenance Technology (AMT) is completely self-contained, without any need for external pumps or electronics, reports the tire maker in a recent news release. Using a tire pump and gauge could soon be a thing of the past. (Credit: autoblog.com) Keeping tires properly inflated doesn’t just eliminate the practice of checking a tire’s air pressure and finding a tire pump and gauge that works. It also can mean real savings at the fuel pump. Whether you drive a passenger vehicle or a commercial truck, underinflated tires result in between a 2.5 percent and 3.3 percent decrease in fuel mileage, according to government and industry research. At today’s prices, that translates to about 12 cents per gallon at the pump. Properly inflated tires also result in lower emissions, longer tire life, enhanced safety, and improved vehicle performance. Goodyear’s Air Maintenance Technology (AMT) will enable tires to remain inflated at the optimum pressure without the need for any external pumps or electronics. All components of the AMT system, including the miniaturized pump, will be fully contained within the tire. “While the technology is complex, the idea behind the AMT system is relatively simple... Read more

Mark’s RV Garage Episode #16 RV Internet Show Released

RV Education 101 releases Episode #16 of the new Internet based RV How-To series titled “Mark’s RV Garage.” The new episode is available for viewing at www.rvconsumer.com and on You Tube           On this episode of Mark’s RV Garage:  * Polk installs stabilizer jacks on the rear of the trailer and an electric tongue jack on the front. * For safety the trailer gets a combinationLP gas and Carbon Monoxide detector. * The trailer gets new LP gas cylinders, and the LP gas system gets checked for proper operating pressure and for leaks. * For entertainment the trailer gets a 24 inch Jensen LCD TV.  *All of this and more on this episode of “Mark’s RV Garage”  If you missed previous episodes of Mark’s RV Garage they are archived at www.rvconsumer.com for easy retreival and viewing Don’t miss the season finale, coming soon Happy RV Learning, Mark Polk www.rvconsumer.com www.rveducation101.com  Read More →

A WAKE-UP CALL

By Barry Zander, Edited by Monique Zander, the Never-Bored RVers Truck Driver Jeff Lincoln took this photo of the RV that started the fire near Yosemite last week. He said it began in the rig. The 70-year-old driver escaped injury. Used with permission of Jeff Lincoln The ton of comments about fire extinguishers lit a fire under me.  In my blog posted last Friday, I touched on the need to pay attention to fire extinguishers on board our rigs.  I didn’t realize there was so much I didn’t know –AND SHOULD KNOW. After all, it’s our happy lives that we risk when we aren’t ready for an RV (or home) fire. “Know when to go. Fire extinguishers are one element of a fire response plan, but the primary element is safe escape.” That’s a paragraph from the National Fire Prevention Association (NFPA), one of the websites I consulted for answers to your questions and thoughts about fire extinguishers.  It continues, “Every household should have a home fire escape plan and working smoke alarms.” I remember checking into the Peachtree Plaza Hotel in Atlanta almost 30 years ago and taking the elevator up to the 46th Floor.  As soon as the door opened, I saw a little tent card that said, “In case of fire…”  That was the last thing wanted to think about 500 feet above Atlanta’s sweltering pavement. What about our RV escape plan?  It’s a five-word plan that states: “Get the heck out fast.”  We have two exterior doors in our Bigfoot, so I imagine... Read more

Tow Ratings Standardization: Comparing Apples to Apples

Have you ever wondered if 10,000 pounds of towing capacity means the same for trucks manufactured by GM, Ford, and Dodge? Towing Capacity Overkill. What could possibly go wrong here? (Credit: tacomaworld.com) You will soon know the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth. Automotive manufacturers agreed in 2008 to standardize tow ratings as specified in the SAE’s Surface Vehicle Recommended Practice J2807 to take effect by 2013. The industry alliance includes Ford, GM, Chrysler, Toyota, and Honda, along with several leading trailer and hitch makers. Until now, each manufacturer was free to test using proprietary conditions ideally suited to a truck’s towing strengths and decide their own maximum trailer rating. They could pretty much advertise whatever ratings they wanted since there was no “apples to apples” comparison between brands or models. Each company designed its own test, and—surprise, surprise—their trucks always aced the tests. Imagine the EPA didn’t exist, and car companies could just make up fuel-economy figures to boost sales. Kinda like, catch me if you can—on my towing ratings! Makers would boast about the pounds their pickups and SUVs could tow, and their exhaustive testing used to determine the towing capacity. But when a new truck claimed a higher number, the other manufacturers would rewrite their spec sheets with increased towing capacity and, as if by magic, match or beat the new kid on the block. And there was nothing... Read more

Mark’s RV Garage Episode #14 RV Internet Show Released

RV Education 101 releases Episode #14 of the new Internet based RV How-To series titled “Mark’s RV Garage.” The new episode is available for viewing at www.rvconsumer.com and on  You Tube          On this episode of Mark’s RV Garage: * Mark installs a new RV 500 tankless water heater and tests the electrical system on the vintage trailer restoration project.  * Discover a product that will keep your motorhome wheels going straight even if there is a blowout.  * Get some preventive maintenance tips on how to check the air pressure in your tires.  * All of this and more on this episode of Mark’s RV Garage.  If you missed previous episodes of Mark’s RV Garage they are archived at www.rvconsumer.com for easy retreival and viewing Episode # 15 will be available for viewing on 22 August 2011. Happy RV Learning, Mark Polk www.rvconsumer.com www.rveducation101.com  Read More →

« Previous Page — Next Page »