kb0zke

We're in the other camp. When it is time to fill and dump I connect the proper hose, take care of that job, then put it away and do the other hose. When I'm dumping, I pull the grey handle and immediately close it again to check for leaks. When there are no leaks I dump the black tank, then use the grey to rinse the black. When the black is clean enough I close the black handle and open the grey. Once both tanks are empty I make sure the sewer hose is empty, then put it away.

We normally fill/dump once a week, although lately I've taken to filling twice a week, just to make sure that I have plenty of water. If we went on a stricter water plan we could easily go 10 days between fill/dump days.

We've had sewer flies a couple of times, and the sewer hose is connected only as long as necessary.

Is there any way that we can correct what we put in online? Like you, we didn't get anything in the mail, so we filled it out online. The instructions sure sounded like we had to put down where we were at that time (our winter base in NM), not our legal address (SD). After reading more since then, we really should have put down our SD address. Is there any way to correct it? We do have the number we got when we submitted the form online.

It seems that Jay has a couple of problems to deal with, and they are somewhat related.

1. Something must be done about his mother's property. Her will tells you what you must do as far as distributing the value of the property. Should you have the financial resources to do so, you could simply purchase the property yourself from the estate and distribute the cash to the various other heirs. Many people have done that, either because they actually wanted the property themselves or to buy themselves some time. You may well fit into the latter category.

2. Purchasing an RV. Many people spend several years researching this before making their first purchase. Since it sounds like you aren't an experienced RV'er yet, you may want to purchase your mother's property and stay there while you do your research. Don't be in a hurry to buy something just because prices are low right now. Buying the wrong thing, even at a low price, will be expensive in the long run.

3. A home base can be a good thing. Again, if your purchase your mother's place, you will have such a home base while you learn more about the rv life. No law says that the home base you start with must be your home base for all eternity. Of course, someone will have to take care of your home base while you are out on the road, and that may influence your decision.

My suggestions are (and they are worth every penny you pay for them) are that you get some legal advice regarding settling your mother's estate. If the only beneficiaries are you and your siblings, and none of you are anxious to get it all settled, AND your attorney agrees, you may well all benefit from a bit of a delay.

Begin your research on what sort of RV you want, need, and can afford. Find out what you like and don't like. Most people want slides, but some of us don't. Get used to the idea of something towing something else. A motorhome can tow an off-road vehicle, a trailer with a couple of different vehicles, a truck, or a fuel-efficient car. Your choice. A fifth-wheel (5'er) or travel trailer will require a truck. That truck will be your daily driver. A small trailer can be pulled by most SUV-type vehicles. Join the owners' forum for any brands that interest you, and ask lots of questions here and on any other forums you join.

As you travel, check out the Escapees co-ops. Many have waiting lists, but if one seem interesting to you, you can get on the waiting list with a deposit that applies to your lease payment. Should you change your mind, that deposit is refunded. At least that's how the two that we dealt with operate. The waiting period can be as short as a few weeks to several years. Some of the Rainbow Parks have some lots that have long-term leases, and Livingston actually has an area with actual deeded lots. Lots of options with Escapees, and we're not the only such group. There are Airstream-only parks, should you purchase an Airstream.

We're in SE NM, and need to get up to SD sometime between 1 June and 7 September. We have a wedding to attend in NW IA in late May, so we were going to go to the wedding, then over to SD to get our licenses renewed. I'm guessing that we will be able to renew our licenses in time, but we may not be able to get to the wedding.

Is there any issue with just passing through a State? As I write this, Nebraska has not closed down. I'm thinking that maybe we could get up to NW NM, overnight there, and then make it up to NE the next day, without stopping for anything.

We go to Walmart about once a week for shopping, and each time we check for RV tp, usually without success. Today, though, there was plenty, at at the usual price. Jo Ann picked up two packages, only to be told at checkout that there was a limit of one package per person. No sign to that effect. We went back later and each of us got a package.

Welcome! Removing the dining booth ought to be a pretty simple project. You may be left with some marks on the wall, though.

The bedroom project will be a little more involved. The biggest part will be removing the wall between the living room and the bedroom. What's in/on that wall? Any electrical stuff? Is that where the television is mounted? The wall coverings (paneling, etc.) may not be continuous on the outside walls, so you will have a bit of a gap where the wall comes out. Same thing with any closet walls. You probably won't know about this until you start the demolition. You could try a phone call to the factory, but probably wouldn't accomplish much.

You may want to think about keeping any built-in closets or drawers in the bedroom. Those can be very useful storage spaces that you have already paid for.

You asked about software to help you design the project. I prefer some graph paper (I prefer 1/4" squares) and a sharp pencil with a good eraser. Costs very little, and you can see how the design changes over time.

A cat's litter box can also set it off. So can unusual air currents if the black tank is getting full. All of those, though, would be very intermittent. Since this happens only when not on shore power (what about generator power?) I'd look at the house batteries first. If they are good, check the date on the detector. Those things only have a five year life, and the newer ones will chirp to let you know that they are dying. From the age of your rig, that's probably a long shot, but it is also one of the cheaper fixes.

Let us know what you find out.

Same here at The Ranch. When the weather is nice there are people walking, but when it gets hot or windy we stay inside. We're closed to new visitors. Only leaseholders are being allowed in, and most of us are already here.

"It seems that most WDHs - when properly set up - will get the job done.  If the hitch isn’t set up right then even the best hitch will not do it’s job."

Amen!

Reservations for holidays are a must. Otherwise, call ahead and ask. Also, it depends on whether you are looking at commercial parks or government-run parks (BLM, COE, State, county, city). Most government parks have a 10-14 day time limit. Commercial parks will often offer weekly and monthly rates. Passport America offers 50% discounts, sometimes only on one night, sometimes on several nights, and sometimes on your entire stay - depends on the park. Also pay attention to special events in the area. We were at a commercial park a month or so before the big solar eclipse of a couple of years ago. They made sure that we knew the rates would DOUBLE for the week of the eclipse. We made sure that we were long gone by then.

Also, finding camping places in areas where there is a lot of oil work going on can be difficult. There is a lot of demand, so prices are high and all spaces are taken. Same holds true in any area where there is a lot of construction (pipe line, etc.).

Good thread!

I talked to a solo traveler who has a plastic box mounted on the wall opposite the rig's door. The box had some sort of text on it (EMS or 911 or something like that) that had information that would be of help in an emergency. It was clearly visible from outside.

A family member has all of the information that would be needed should something happen to either or both of us. That's important because we are so often together. We have two couples here that are both in care situations due to vehicle accidents NOT involving their rigs. Both will eventually recover and return, but it will be some time before that happens. Again, family members are taking care of their affairs.

Back to the original thread, New Mexico has closed ALL State parks for all purposes. Originally, the ban was just on camping, day use was permitted, but now even that is gone. The last I heard, Texas was still welcoming campers.

We're starting to plan our summer travels, and will be monitoring the various State websites for where we will be.

WHY are the valve stems pointed in on the outside tire and out on the inside one? Why not have both point out? I ask myself that question every time I check the tire pressures.

Phil, you DO realize that you will be spending quite a bit of money that won't be returned to you when you sell? You will probably be money ahead to simply trade rigs.

That said, was there a two-slide version of your rig? If so, the engineering has already been done. If not, you may well have to do it all yourself. You may need to do all of that in order to register the vehicle after the surgery, as you have made material changes to the structure.

One of the best bits of advice we received was to "do" your regular things in a potential rig. That is, "wash" the dishes, "cook" a meal, "take" a shower, "watch" the television, etc. For me, it doesn't matter if the rig even has a television set - I'm not going to use it. For Jo Ann, though, the television needs to be in a place where it is comfortable for her to watch. We don't have slides in this coach, and most likely the next one won't, either, but we realize that we are in a definite minority there.

Realize that there are only so many ways that a box can be arranged for living, so don't be surprised if you find the same basic floorplan on a really cheap rig and a multi-million dollar one. Find the one or two that work for you, and concentrate on them.

Is your mail service in SD? If so, can they help? We switched the registration on our Foretravel from MO to SD while we were in OK - all by mail. For a fee, our mail service took care of delivering the paperwork to/from the proper offices and then mailed our new title, registration, and plates to us.

Of course, there is no guarantee that the tires were mounted exactly the same way, and even then, the left and right sides will travel different distances, so that you can't guess where the date code will be when you go look.

I'm wondering, though, how it happens that the date code is between the tires. Usually at least the outer tire will be mounted so the date code is to the outside. I wonder if whoever was installing the tires did it deliberately?

One low-tech way of getting the information is to do a rubbing. First, figure out about where the date code ought to be in relation to what you can see. Assuming that all tires are the same brand and model, your front tires will be your guides. Then tape a piece of plain paper over the area where the date code is, making sure that the tape is away from the target area. Use the side of a regular pencil lead to gently rub the target area. With a little luck, you will be able to read the date code when you take the paper out.

John, welcome to the fun!

You've gotten some great advice here, the best being "BE SAFE." If you don't have a wiring diagram, or at least a chart of what is on what circuit, you may want to start creating one. Since you are dealing with this issue, I'd start by figuring out exactly which lights/outlets are on that circuit. The wiring will generally run from your breaker panel to the first outlet, then the second, then the third, etc., so that the first outlet is closest to the breaker panel and the last one is farthest away.

As was mentioned above, it sounds like a GFCI is tripping. If that is the case, though, you should be resetting it at the GFCI. The breaker itself may not trip. The other possibility is that the panel breaker is actually tripping, but the handle is not moving enough to be obvious. When the circuit trips, how are you resetting it - at a GFCI outlet or at the panel?

We have a shredder with us. We've used the shredded paper to start fires a few times. Works best if it isn't windy - otherwise I get far too much exercise.

I've been called once for a local case and once for Federal. Didn't get on the panel for either case. Jo Ann was called once for a local case and got on the panel.

We all got quite a chuckle out of one of the regular questions on the local case. The question was whether anyone on the jury panel kew any of the attorneys or the judge. No hands went up. The County Attorney turned to the judge and said, "Your Honor, I think we may be in trouble at the next election."

This thread has gotten me to wondering what SD says about full-timers. I'll have to check that out.

This is one of those areas that each person has to figure out for themselves. Base YOUR decision on what YOU want to do. Generally, a MH is better if you will be moving fairly regularly (at least monthly), while a towable is better if you are staying in one place for longer periods of time. That includes when you are at home.

The other side of that is that the towable usually requires a fairly large truck (F350 or similar) while a MH can tow a small, fuel-efficient vehicle. A fifth-wheel hitch takes up a large part of the truck's bed, but there is room around it for other things. A travel trailer (aka bumper pull) gives you the full truck bed for stuff. If you have other reasons for a truck, then a towable makes sense no matter what your travel plans are. If you don't, then maybe a MH is the better choice. Your current vehicle may be towable. Check your vehicle at http://www.remcotowing.com/Towing/Store.php.

One thing to consider is that it will cost $3-5000 to set up your vehicle for towing. You will need the proper baseplate and a brake system. A fifth wheel hitch will be somewhat less IF you have to buy one.

John, many years ago Wally Byam, of Airstream fame, wanted to show the world how easily one of his trailers could be towed, so he attached one to a bicycle and pedaled it around some. He didn't go very far and he didn't go very fast, but he did go. No word on how long it took to stop, but I'm guessing that whether or not he used the bike's brake didn't make any difference.

More recently, Oldsmobile advertised their brand-new Toronodo by attaching an Airstream to one, using a weight-distributing hitch, then removing the back tires on the car. They then drove it around in front of the camera for a series of advertisements. Again, they didn't go very far or very fast. At least they had brakes on the wheels that were left.

The point of those two little stories is that there is a difference between what can be done and what should be done. Yes, you can load up your motorhome so that you can't stuff anything else in it, then fill up the car, and finally attach a rooftop carrier (full, of course) to the car. You will be able to go down the road, but it won't be safe OR fun. The ride will be awful, and you will be stopping at every other gas station you see. You are wise to pay attention to your loading.

Your motorhome has a data plate somewhere near the driver's seat which gives you the Gross Vehicle Weight Rating, and the Gross Axle Weight Ratings for the front and rear axles. Once you find that data plate you have the first bit of information you need. Now load up the rig for a typical trip. Don't forget the wife, kids, toys, and the beer. Head to a place where you can get your rig weighed. You want a place that gives you the weight on the front axle, rear axle, and total. Many truck stops have such scales. There is a cost, but it is well worth the $10-15 to know this. Sometimes you can get the weights done for free at feed stores or scrap yards. Worth a few phone calls to find out.

Once you know what the ACTUAL weights on each axle are, and the total weight, compare to the Gross Weight Ratings from the data plate. DO NOT exceed any of those ratings. For example, my MH has a gross axle weight rating for the front axle of 9500 pounds. If I have 8700 pounds there I'm fine. If I have 9501 pounds there I'm overloaded there. It is common to find that one axle is overloaded by a bit, while the other has plenty of capacity available. Simply move some of your stuff one way or the other to fix the problem.

As for how much of a safety margin to have, that's up to you. Theoretically, you are safe if you are under EVERY max weight number. Some people want a 10-20% safety margin. Personally, I'm happy if everything is in the safe zone.

I'm guessing that you are going to have to put the trailer up on jack stands, remove all wheels, and take them to a place where you can get them replaced.

Question: Do you really need new wheels, or were you just thinking that you can get new wheels and tires at home and then just make one trip? Is it possible to get the wheels and tires near where the trailer is?

My thought is that, if you don't really have to replace the wheels, you can just pull the wheels and tires off, take them to the tire shop, have them replaced, and then reinstall the wheels with the new tires on them.

John, you are on the right path. First question: can you tow your Escalade four-down, or do you need a dolly or trailer? According to Remco, you can tow four-down if you have AWD, but not if your is RWD. What's the difference? Weight. If you have to use a dolly or trailer you will have an appreciable weight on the hitch, which is carried by the motor home. You will also have at least 400 pounds more to tow, which will put you at or maybe above your max tow weight.

Since you are kind of pushing your upper weight limits, you may want to consider putting your whole rig on a diet. You can't do much about the propane, but you can reduce your water weight. Maybe carry only 1/4 tank of fresh water on travel days, and be sure to dump your black and grey tanks. You can also plan grocery trips with weight in mind. Use up the canned goods as much as possible before traveling, then restock when you are landed.

One thing you didn't mention was a braking system for your towed. You really need one. Do some research on that, and get it installed BEFORE you hit the road. That can usually be done at the same time as the base plate is installed. Cost will be $3000 or more for the two, depending on exactly what you get and how much work it takes to install them. Figure on being without the car for a couple of days.

We flat tow our 2015 Lincoln MKT. Although ours is the Base model (front wheel drive, standard engine), the manual clearly says that almost ALL of these cars are towable. That INCLUDES the all-wheel drive models.

If you are looking for a great vehicle, check out the MKT. We just drove from The Ranch (Escapees co-op between Carlsbad and Artesia) to White Sands National Park and back. We took a circular route, so crossed the mountains at different places coming and going. Gas was $1.999 in Alamogordo, so I took advantage of it. Got 31 mpg on the way back. I think it was more like 28 on the way out.