The Age Old Question, How Many Pounds Of Air Shall I Put In My Tires?
July 21, 2008 by Brad Sears · 13 Comments
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Well sir, I have never been accused of being terribly smart and politicaly astue, so here I go jumping from the frying pan into the fire on a subject that some have said in the forums is a dead horse and beaten to death. But there is more to the tire pressure story than just when will it fail or blow up. Or how much pressure to ad and when.
We all know that a tire that is under inflated will use more power to make it roll than a properly inflated tire. That is because of these factors:
Hot Weather Preventive Maintenance
July 1, 2008 by Mark Polk · Leave a Comment
When I was in the military I was in charge of some very large fleet maintenance operations. As a maintenance officer a term that was near and dear to me was preventive maintenance. Preventive maintenance is maintenance you perform on your vehicle before a problem exists. These checks are designed to prevent or identify potential problems that could lead to mechanical breakdown, malfunction or failure of a component or system. Preventive maintenance consists of cleaning, inspecting, lubricating, adjusting and servicing your vehicle. In the military there were preventive maintenance checks that the vehicle operator was responsible for and preventive maintenance checks that different echelons of maintenance personnel performed.
Since my days in the military I continue to perform preventive maintenance on my automobiles and the RV. For the most part I would classify these checks as operator level preventive maintenance checks, that almost anyone is capable of performing. Don’t confuse this with scheduled maintenance. Scheduled or routine maintenance is performed in intervals normally based on time, mileage or hours. Scheduled maintenance is designed to keep your vehicles in top operating condition and prevent untimely breakdowns and repairs.
Note: It is absolutely essential that you read your owner’s manual and warranty information in regards to who is responsible for what when it comes to scheduled maintenance. Scheduled maintenance that is required by the manufacturer and not performed can void your warranty.
With the hot weather upon us I thought it appropriate to list some simple preventive maintenance checks you can make on your automobile or RV before heading out on a trip. Read more
How to Check for a Blown Fuse
June 24, 2008 by Larry Cad · Leave a Comment
It’s all relative!
In several posts we have talked about measuring voltage with reference to a fixed point, or relative to a fixed point. This is an essential concept to understand if you are going to use a voltmeter to measure any kind of voltage. I used the analogy of a distance from home. While we have compared voltage in the past with pressure, in this case we compare it to distance from a fixed point. Both comparisons work, but in this case it is easier to understand the distance comparison.
Let’s look at a practical example of this to better understand why we do it. A very common component in an electrical system is a fuse.
Fuses work to protect electrical circuits by “blowing” if they experience an overcurrent situation, meaning more amps flow through the fuse than the fuse is rated for. When this happens, the fuse “opens” and current can no longer flow because of the open circuit. The fuse now has infinite resistance. Our job is to use our multimeter to find the blown fuse. In order to do this the easiest check is with a voltmeter. I have reasons for saying this and we will talk more about this later, for now, just accept this concept too. In order to check for a blown fuse, you should pick a spot that is your “anchor” or starting point. Typically in an RV electrical system, and when checking for a blown fuse in the 12 volt DC system, the anchor point is “ground“. Ground in an RV is usually the frame of the vehicle. This is because the negative post of the RV battery is connected directly to the frame. Connect one of your meter leads to ground. Again, this may be easier said than done because there is a lot more plastic in RVs than there is metal. I usually try to find a big bolt that holds large metal pieces together. After you connect one meter lead to ground you are ready to check voltages. Find a fuse holder with a fuse in it and check the voltage on each pin of the fuse. You should EXPECT to read somewhere around 12 volts DC at each pin. Now remove the fuse from the fuse holder. This simulates a blown fuse. Now when you check both pins of the fuse holder, you will find that one pin will have the expected 12 volts DC, but the other pin will read 0 volts DC. This is exactly the check you will make to find a blown fuse.
Take time to practice this technique and we will talk more about it later. Until then, have fun camping.
Larry
RV Today Archive - RV Thermostat Replacement
June 18, 2008 by RV Today Archive · 2 Comments
We all want to have hot water when we are RVing, but not too hot. Many RVs come with a fixed water heater thermostat set on 1400F and that is just too hot for many people. If this is the case for you, watch Stew Oleson find out the solution: to exchange the fixed thermostat for an adjustable one so you can lower the temperature to where you find it comfortable.
Watch the video below for step by step instructions on how to replace the fixed thermostat in your RV with an adjustable one, in this case, an Atwood model.
Watch more more episodes on the RV Today show archives on quick tips or destinations, and more will be added soon.
Using your Multimeter - Part 3
June 17, 2008 by Larry Cad · Leave a Comment
Hopefully you have all been practicing with your new multimeters and nobody has gotten hurt doing it. In our last post about using your meter I suggested checking the voltage at a normal residential outlet. With your meter on AC volts you should measure somewhere around 115 to 120 volts AC. This is what you would EXPECT to read. If you get it, that is normal and if you get something very different from that, you are getting an incorrect reading. The important point here is that when you set out to make some kind of electrical measurement, you should have some idea of what to expect. This way you will know if something is wrong. Having an idea what to expect is a very important concept when troubleshooting electrical systems.
Minimize Resistance, Maximize Fuel Economy
June 16, 2008 by Robert Henderson · 7 Comments
There’s no question that fuel economy is at the top of every RVer’s list, so in the next few posts, I’m going to talk a little bit about ways to improve fuel economy. I’m not speaking of the typical suggestions, such as driving 55 mph or slower or monitoring tire pressure (although those do help), I’m talking about ways to reduce resistance overall. Reducing resistance improves efficiency, and that means better fuel economy.
Obviously, tire inflation pressure is important, but so is the type of tire that you use on your coach. A tire that is wider than necessary typically produces a better ride, but it can also increase rolling resistance. That’s why a lot of truckers are going to what is called a “super single” on the rear of their trailers; instead of duals, they run one very heavy-rated tire and wheel per side. Our shop hasn’t experimented with this, and the motorhome industry hasn’t introduced super singles yet, but it could come to that. A narrower, heavy-duty tire will ride rougher than its wide, cushy counterpart, so you’ll have to ask yourself if you’re willing to sacrifice a little bit of comfort for improved fuel economy. I should note here that a larger diameter tire won’t hurt fuel economy and may even help it, because a larger diameter tire turns fewer revolutions to cover the same distance and engine rpm is lowered as a result.
Alignment is also extremely important. This is a pretty broad subject, which is why we’re not going to try to cover it all in one post. Incorrect alignment can cause a lot of resistance, requiring more throttle input to maintain a given speed. “Toe in” is the most critical setting of them all. Simply put, “toe in” means the front of the tires are “pigeon toed”. Obviously, too much toe will also cause your tires to wear more quickly. Here’s a little graphic of what toe in/toe out looks like:
It’s a good idea to have the alignment checked even when the coach is new, because the factory runs them through the alignment procedure pretty fast. And, when the coach is loaded for travel, especially an independent front suspension (IFS) coach, the alignment changes as the load changes, except on self-leveling, air suspension coaches, where correct ride height is constantly maintained.
Tech- Tune up your TV antenna
June 11, 2008 by Chris Bryant · 7 Comments
In my last post on television- TV in your RV, I pointed out that the standard Winegard “Sensar” (a.k.a. “Batwing”) antenna works very well for the new digital tv signals (and, by extension, works well for the digital HD signals).
But… what to do when you cannot get the stations that your neighbor can, or when the antenna gets a bit stuborn while cranking it up, down, or turning it.
Luckily, troubleshooting these antennas is pretty easy, and along with some regular maintenance, the Sensar will give years of top notch viewing enjoyment.
Let’s take a look at the basic of maintenance and repair for antenna and coax cable….
RV Maintenance - Part 3 - Tips from Bernice
June 11, 2008 by Bernice Beard · Leave a Comment
This is my last set of tips on RV Maintenance. I can’t deny that experience has taught some of us RVers quite a bit the hard way. Maybe the most important lesson is that with regards to RVs, as with so many other aspects of life, the old adage attributed to Benjamin Franklin holds tremendous truth: an ounce of prevention is worth a pound in cure. So, here’s my last batch of RV maintenance tips, but if you have more, feel free to comment.
- After you dump, pour Aqua-Kem Concentrated Liquid Holding Tank Deodorant into the toilet and flush it into the black water tank. This product deodorizes and helps disintegrate the incoming waste and tissue and also helps keep the holding tank clean.
- Use a water pressure gauge to check the pressure coming from campground spigots. The regulator on the gauge allows you to set the amount of pressure entering the plumbing system of the RV. Too much pressure can pop loose various connections and cause leaks. To be on the safe side, turn off the campground water just before you go to bed each night.
- When your engine seems to be gasping for breath, impurities in the gasoline may have clogged the in-line filter between the gas tank and the engine. Remove the filter, blow out any silt and dirt, and replace the filter. A spare filter is handy to have along. Read more
Bushings on the Sway Bar - Part 2
June 10, 2008 by Brad Sears · Leave a Comment
More Under the Coach Stuff….
By Brad Sears
Ok, when we last left our hero he was under Rover (our old Foretravel DP) and just exclaimed OUCH! Yes, you are right, I would not have exclaimed OUCH had I had on my mechanics gloves. When we started this journey into the ragged edge of the coach (the interior is finished but there are many sharp edges underneath, even the best built units.) For that reason we need to add mechanics gloves to the safety glasses that we mentioned in the first of this series.
I need to add a bit here to the Polygraphite bushings that I removed from the sway bar links on Rover. The bushings that I removed from the sway bar set up on the front of Rover were not totally worn out. But being a hard material, they had enough old age and wear that they would not absorb the sound of them working when the rig hit a bump in the road. Do not get the notion that I am against the Polygraphite or any of the newer material bushings that some consider the second coming of the bushing prince. But each type of bushing has it’s place.
Air and Water Don’t Mix
June 9, 2008 by Robert Henderson · 2 Comments
We had a customer come into Henderson’s Line Up recently that had a ‘94 Beaver with 106,835 miles on it, and was concerned that the automatic ride height adjustment was not working properly. Turns out he had never had the element for the coach’s air drying system replaced, and as a result, all the ride height valves were rusted up and weren’t working properly anymore.
Unfortunately, he ended up having to replace all of the ride height valves, leveling block for the air leveling system, solenoids, etc.-at a total cost of over $2,500. It seemed odd to us that a customer could have a coach that seemed otherwise well maintained, yet somehow the importance of servicing the air system had been overlooked. The good news is, you can prevent the same thing from happening to you. Read more
