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Forum
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RE: Traveling with no reservations . . . .
I think the answer also needs to take into consideration if you are a full time (or retired with no real schedule) camper, or a working stiff like me. Since our vacation time is limited (dang work keeps getting in the way of my vacation time!) I reserve whenever possible. We also like going to State and National parks and they often require reservations to get a site. For me it is a simple matter of "peace of mind" knowing that when we arrive, there will be a site waiting for us.
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Dixonmatco
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02/06/12 11:44am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Selling Camper...what if I owe more than I can get?
It is doubtful that anyone would purchase it without the difference being paid off, even if they paid cash. They would certainly demand a clear title. If they were to finance it, certainly this amount would have to be paid in advance as the new lender would want a clear title in their posession. Your lender will want that amount paid immediately. You will need to pay off the shortage immediately with cash or a loan, but you will not be able to use the RV as collateral for that additional loan.
Just my opinion..You need to check with the holder of your current loan.
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Dixonmatco
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01/09/12 09:24am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Flywheel Removal ?
The rope trick works great.. make sure you tie a knot in the end of the rope, if it goes all the way into the cylinder it's pretty hard to get out.
I'm with Vulcaneer on this.. I DO NOT reccommend doing this. These generators from China are not very heavy duty, as a rule.
Use an air impact wrench.
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Dixonmatco
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12/09/11 10:42am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Maybe some sanity is coming..
I average driving about 750 miles per week with my job. Most of it is in the SF Bay area with quite a bit of traffic. The number one problem I see almost every day is the person texting while driving. They are easy to spot as they often drift out of their lane or fail to maintain a steady speed. They try to hold the phone down so it cannot be easily seen, but they are looking down as much as they are looking forward. Most, but not all are from teens to mid 20's. I remember being that age and thinking I was indestructable, and thought bad things only happened to someone else. As a side note, a slightly higher percentage are young women.
Sometimes these drivers wander off the road and then overcorrect in a panic reaction with very bad results. It can be a very sad conclusion, like the one I saw a couple of weeks ago with a car wrapped around a tree on a clear day on a straight road. There were multiple deaths. A small child lost their mother, but fortunately the smashed child's car seat in the car was unoccupied at the time. Texting was determined to be a factor.
Personally I use a bluetooth and my phone has voice dialing. I never need to look away from the road when talking on the phone and have become so comfortable with this that I will pull over if there is an incoming text message (I get one occasionally) or even if I have to manually dial a number. The cost in time and $ for what I do is cheap compared what a few moments of distraction can cost.
If you have a son or daughter that spend most of their time texting, and are old enought to drive, have a discussion with them from time to time regarding this most unsafe practice.
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Dixonmatco
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12/09/11 10:20am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: RV Fire Investigation
frig fires are more common than you think. I have been a serious objector to traveling with the propane tanks on and the frig running. I have been told I didn't know which end of the road I'm standing on many times by people on this forum. But I have stood fast and still say do not travel with the frig running. I use small reusable ice packs in my frig and freezer. keeps thing cold while traveling and put them in freezer at night to refreeze for the next travel day. be safe or be sorry, your choice.
The most interesting thing about your comment is that most frig fires occur when the rig is parked. Overheating of the cooling unit is the main problem. When you are driving down the road there is a lot of airflow keeping things cool, therefore the risk is greater when parked than when travelling. Perhaps you should only use the ice packs when parked and run the unit only when travelling. Just a thought..Be safe be safer..
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Dixonmatco
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12/09/11 09:54am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: lynxlevelers contest
Sorry, I don't use them, nor wish to.. ;) Cut up some scrape 2x8 boards and use those for all my leveling and support needs... I don't care how heavy they are to carry either.. I also run a full fresh water tank where ever I go, so weight is not an issue with me.. :)
Mitch
Actually I use both the wood and the lynxlevers, whichever is easier. Since we often stay at national and state parks, some far off the beaten path, we have encountered some very un-level sites at times. The 4' long 2X8s are the easiest, but sometimes those orange blocks come in handy and they are easy to carry.
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Dixonmatco
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12/09/11 09:39am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Smart phone vs Tablet?
I had a Blackberry storm that I was very happy to get rid of.. It did not do most things very well and it was expensive to use as I also had to pay a fee for the Enterprise server service. I now have a simple phone with a slide out keyboard, a netbook and an aircard. I can use the aircard with my full sized notebook or my netbook. I chose the netbook over the tablet for several reasons.
It has a keyboard
It has 2 USB ports
It has an ethernet port
It has a VGA port for external monitor or LCD projector
I upgraded it to Windows 7 home and office for $19 which is much better than the windows 7 starter it comes with.
I also have complete MS office on it as I use it in my job.
Battery life is excellent as I get up to 8 hours use between charges, depending on what I am doing..
It is small and light and easy to carry.
Finally, it cost less than half the price of an Ipad2.
Best change, My monthly bill went down over $40.. That Blackberry was expensive to run! (Verizon with corp discount)
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Dixonmatco
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12/09/11 09:32am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Fiberglass or aluminum siding
When we purchased our trailer in Feb of 2005, the outside construction was the least of our concerns. Size, weight, quality of construction and floor plan were the deciding factors. Now that we have had it for almost 7 years, it still looks like new. We have been over 30,000 miles with it in a wide variety of conditions and altitudes. It is a "stick snd tin" construction. There have been zero problems.
Is it better than fiberglass? Not necessarily. I personally believe that quality of construction determines long life and number of problems more than the difference in material.
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Dixonmatco
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11/29/11 09:41am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Splendide burns up controls boards
Control boards "Burn Up" for a couple of reasons. First, low line voltage causes higher current requirements which can also result in overheating. Voltage that is too high can also create problems with some control board components.
I would monitor voltage closely (at the same outlet) while machine is in operation. I am assuming that this unit runs on 120V?
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Dixonmatco
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11/28/11 09:31am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Trickle charger or hooked up
The original converter/charger ruined a set of battereis over the first winter. I replaced it with a Progressive Dynamics PD9260 and also changed over to a pair of 6v golf cart batteries. I keep it plugged in when it is stored with zero problems now. One of the best investments I have made, as we do a lot of dry camping. (along with a little Honda EU2000 generator.
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Dixonmatco
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11/28/11 09:10am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Dose the rv toilet stinks!?
Our first RV had one that was terrible. That was until I learned what the problem was. The seal on the flush valve was no good. I replaced the toilet (it was old like the MH) and the smell went away. I only wished I had done it a few years earlier! Simple test.. Run some water in the bowl and see if it stays there. If it leaks down into the tank, repair/ replace.. Problem solved.
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Dixonmatco
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11/26/11 02:56pm |
Beginning RVing
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RE: TT for a 1500?
My 2000 Silverado 1500 with the 5.3 has towed my trailer with a loaded weight at 6000 lbs more or less for several years at altitudes at below zero (Death Valley) to over 10,500 ft with no problems. We have gone almost 30,000 miles with this combination. Fact is, one of these years I am going to trade the truck in on a 2500 Duramax/Allison Chevy or GMC, just to make the hills a bit more pleasurable.
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Dixonmatco
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11/26/11 02:36pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: MSU beats Wisconsin - Hail Mary!
Born and raised in Pontiac, Michigan, I attended MSU in the late 60'S and have always been a fan.. What a great game and an exciting ending! Much better than overtime would have been.
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Dixonmatco
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10/24/11 01:03pm |
Around the Campfire
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RE: Izod IndyCar World Championship in Las Vegas
All high speed forms of motorsports are inherently dangerous. Over the years, many changes have been made to improve safety, but as long as the cars and motorcycles are capable of great speed, which is what makes them exciting to watch and even more exciting to drive, there will be the possibility of paying the ultimate price. When ever a well known driver is killed, there are changes made to help avoid this in the future. Back in the 50's and 60's fatal accidents were much more common. Many safety developments that have been incorporated into our street cars, were a result of the safety innovations developed from racing.
I raced dirt modifieds for several years and was always aware of the dangers, even though deaths in this form of racing were rare.
Nascar, Indy car, NHRA, Formula 1, Motorcycle racing Take your pick. They all loose a driver to a bad accident from time to time. That danger and excitement is why so many people pay to watch. Do they want to see someone killed? NO, but the potential for accidents is certainly an attraction.
PS a top Motorcycle racer was just killed in a race this past weekend. RIP...Dan Wheldon and Marco Simoncelli
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Dixonmatco
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10/24/11 12:49pm |
Around the Campfire
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RE: KOA Rates
My experience with KOAs over the years is that there is a great range of quality betweeen them. A few have been excellent and well worth the expense (like the KOA in the redwoods by Crescent City, CA) and some are not. The best of them are great for families with children because of their facilities. That said, I stay at State and National parks whenever possible or practical.
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Dixonmatco
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10/24/11 12:15pm |
RV Parks, National Parks, State Campgrounds & More
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RE: Residental refrigerator questions
Personally, I believe that having a fridge that can run on LP is a big advantage. We dry camp often as the State and National parks in our state have no hookups. The fridge is very efficient running on LP and it also keeps things cold when we are traveling.
JMHO...
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Dixonmatco
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10/24/11 11:51am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Quality older Trailer
Komfort
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Dixonmatco
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10/24/11 11:23am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Roof Vent Covers
Another benefit is the ability to leave the vent open when traveling. Without the cover, they can blow off or get damaged from the wind.
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Dixonmatco
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08/15/11 10:07am |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Matress choice
In answer to the OPs question. Buy the best one you can afford. There are high quality pillow top short queen RV matresses available. Memory foam does maks a bad mattress better, but starting with a really good mattress is the best. Our TT came with an excellent one (optional)and it inspired us to upgrade our bed at home.
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Dixonmatco
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08/15/11 10:03am |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Towmaster Tires (any updates?)
I also have Towmasters on my TT. They were reccommended by my trusted (25yrs) tire dealer. 2 seasons so far so good.
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Dixonmatco
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08/15/11 09:53am |
Travel Trailers
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