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Family RVing Magazine

Tech & Travel Tips: July 2006

August 1, 2006

Sewer Hose Storage

Sewer hose storageMy motorhome didn’t have a designated space to store the sewer hose. I had to store it in the sewer compartment, which took up a lot of room and kept the compartment damp.

To solve this problem, I mounted a storage pipe for the sewer hose under the coach that is capable of holding 20 feet of hose with the plastic ends still attached.

To do this I used a 10-foot section of 4-inch ABS-plastic pipe. On one end I glued a cap, and on the other end I glued a coupler with a removable screw-in cap. Approximately 3 feet from the end of the screw cap, I cut the pipe and installed a 45-degree elbow. This allowed the removable cap to extend to the side of the coach for easier access.

I used plumber’s tape to attach the storage pipe to a support tube that runs under the motorhome. The screw cap end is attached by two bolts that I installed through the bottom of one of my storage compartments. I also drilled a series of drain/vent holes in both ends of the storage tube. I then attached a small chain that connected the sewer cap to the tube so the cap wouldn’t be misplaced.

I have a friend who adapted this idea and installed two storage tubes under his coach, using one for the sewer hose and the other for his water hose, which is the permanently coiled type.

Larry & Pam Fowler, F275209
Eagle Creek, Oregon


Insurance Checkup

Sometimes we overlook the obvious; my insurance agent did. The new insurance policy on my motorhome listed the coach as being worth a lot more than it actually was, and my premium was calculated accordingly. So I checked the value on the Web at www.nadaguides.com and had the value corrected. My premium was substantially reduced as a result.

Frank S. Winter, F114882
Manalapan, New Jersey


Touch Indicators

Touch indicatorsTo help me keep my eyes on the road while driving and not have to look down at the “Cancel,” “Resume,” and “ICC” buttons on my SmartWheel steering wheel, I attached “bumpers” to the buttons to help identify them by touch. I cut out pieces of 1/8-inch-thick acrylic in different shapes and used 3M Super 77 adhesive to attach them; clear, double-sided tape also will work. I used a round bumper for the “Resume” button; square bumpers for the “ICC” buttons; and a rectangular-shaped bumper for the “Cancel” button. All the acrylic pieces are removable, and the different shapes make finding these much-used switches easy without taking my eyes off the road.

Richard C. Lappin, F200858
Wichita, Kansas


Lock And Handle Lubricant

We were having a difficult time with our storage bay locks and handles. They just wouldn’t open very easily. When we talked to a locksmith about this problem, he recommended a Teflon lubricant called Tri-Flow Superior Lubricant from The Sherwin-Williams Company. We sprayed the lubricant in all the locks and on the handle hinges, and so far it’s working great. We had tried graphite and WD-40, but to no avail. The locksmith said that graphite would clump and could be messy from the residue. He also said that WD-40 would collect dirt and therefore not do the job we wanted. Perhaps this will help others who are having stubborn lock or handle problems.

Jer & Sue Gist, F328521
Sterling Heights, Michigan


Clothes Hanging Rod

Clothes hanging rodFor those who would like to have a rod for hanging damp clothing in a corner-type shower enclosure, you may like this idea. Use two over-the-door plastic hangers and attach two PVC elbows to fit the hangers. Then extend a length of PVC pipe to fit the space.

Juanita J. Buckel, F221341
Deming, New Mexico


One-Stop Filing

One-stop filingI recently purchased a lightweight plastic file box to replace the leather zipper bag that came with the paperwork when we bought our motorhome. Through the years the bag had become stuffed with different papers and manuals, making it difficult to find anything in it.

The file box fits under the bench seat and holds all of our manuals, service papers, maintenance records, warranty brochures, dog records, medical information, memberships, towing papers, and more, each in their own folder. It’s so easy to find the information now when we need it.

Arlene Chiarlanzio, F181694
Florham Park, New Jersey

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