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Dear RV Doctor:
I bought a heat strip for my Duo-Therm roof air-conditioning unit and I don’t know where to install it. I know it is the correct type for my unit, but I can’t quite figure out where it goes.
John Justice, Lake Ariel, Pennsylvania
John, first you must remove the plastic ceiling air distribution box.

I have a 2003 Alfa See Ya diesel pusher with a 7.2-liter Caterpillar 3126 engine with 26,000 miles on it. Is there any way to test a turbocharger, or is there any kit out there to check the boost or performance? The reason I ask is that the coach seems underpowered for the first hour of driving but after that it feels better.

Dear Editor:
FMCA members, guests, and vendors registering for the Midwest Area “Shine On Harvest Moon” rally September 12 through 16 in Manchester, Iowa, at the Delaware County Fairgrounds, are invited to participate in the first MAC golf scramble. The scramble will be held at the beautiful Hart Ridge Golf Course, only two miles from the Delaware County Fairgrounds.
The 18-hole scramble will start at noon on September 12.

FMCA has made it a goal to find ways to give back to the communities the association visits for its conventions. When FMCA members depart Redmond, Oregon, following the association’s 78th International Convention this month, they will have touched lives in the community through their support of several charitable programs, which I’d like to describe.
An organization called NeighborImpact has been selected as the official charity for FMCA’s Redmond convention.

Memorial Day weekend marks the traditional beginning of the summer travel season. Most schools are out, and families are now busy enjoying summer vacations.

Wrapped in romance, legends, and mystique, American lighthouses occupy breathtakingly beautiful, isolated spots. The simple white profiles and classic architecture have an almost spiritual appeal.

Get ready to start using a new term — “power unit” — instead of generator or gen set when talking about a motorhome’s onboard energy provider. With the roll-out of the Hybrid Quiet Diesel (HQD), a fully automatic, two-button electrical system, Cummins Onan introduces the term.

During a recent motorhome trip, we had loaded cardboard boxes into our outside storage compartment. After we arrived at our destination, I opened the storage door to find that there had been a fire.

Silva Tech4O Handheld Outdoor Data CenterThe Silva Tech4O Handheld Outdoor Data Center from Johnson Outdoors Inc. was designed with the outdoor enthusiast in mind.
The unit features a digital compass; an altimeter with graph display; a barometer with 24-hour trend display and weather forecast; and a thermometer.

Legendary television host Bob Barker of “The Price Is Right,” and the Barker Beauties, arrived at the 34th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards, held June 15, 2007, in a Fleetwood diesel motorhome. Stepping out of Fleetwood’s 2007 Discovery and onto the red carpet, Mr.

The 2008 American Eagle motorhome, 42 feet long, 13-plus feet high, stood waiting for us, sporting an impressive new look for the 2008 model year. We were in Decatur, Indiana, home of the American Coach division of Fleetwood Enterprises, to pick up this prototype for an on-the-road review.

This month I am dedicating my column to the questions most frequently answered by the staff in our Membership Services Department. I have found that although the facts are quite familiar to those of us who work with the issues daily, they may not be to members who deal with us infrequently, or those who are new members of FMCA.
Beverly Spurgeon, director of membership services, and the Membership Services Department staff have compiled the following list of the most frequently asked questions and the answers.

rom 1994 to 2003 Tim Ruddy anchored the Dolphins offensive line, many of those years as center for legendary quarterback Dan Marino. How Tim and his family embraced motorhoming after his retirement from a successful career in professional football is the subject of a three-part story, which concludes this month as the Ruddys complete a two-month summer trip in their Tiffin Allegro.

Here’s a way to repair a deteriorated battery cable end for a stud bolt terminal. Start by removing the battery cable from the battery and cutting a slit, parallel to the cable, in the thimble cable end with a hacksaw.

Using a wok allows cooks to make sizzling meals with little cleanup.
Dedicated wok users cook almost everything in this one pan. Cooking in a wok is fast, helps food retain its color and nutrients, conserves fuel, and doesn’t overheat the galley.

A few reasons why folks flock to this beautiful region each year.
When early mapmakers first charted New York’s Finger Lakes region, they had no way to study the landscape from the air. Otherwise, they would have viewed a total of 11 lakes instead of the fingers of five.

Look-alikes in nature find safety in sameness.
We spend a lot of our time outdoors trying to identify what we see, and sometimes this can be quite difficult. During spring migration, look-alike birds give us fits.

Traveling with youngsters; organizing tips; selecting a coach for full-timing.  Full-Timer’s Primer By Janet Groene, F47166 July 2007 In this annual column, the spotlight is on children. Only a handful…

As national treasurer, one of my responsibilities in accordance with Policy & Procedure 2027 is to “have all books of FMCA and/or its subsidiaries audited and certified annually at the close of each fiscal year by an Independent Certified Public Accountant.” This year’s annual audit was performed by Plattenburg and Associates, and the financial figures accompanying this report were taken directly from the 2006 audit report. As much as I would like to report to you that FMCA had another good year financially, I am unable to do that for 2006.

Tennessee is only about 120 miles long from top to bottom, but it’s 440 miles wide. In spite of this, members of FMCA’s Tennessee Primetimers chapter cover it all. As chapter president Chuck Roam said, “The uniqueness of the chapter is that we’re so spread out.”

DEAR RV DOCTOR:
My emergency start switch is not working on my Fleetwood motorhome. Can you provide troubleshooting steps?
Ron Berube, Endicott, New York
Ron, in many cases, the emergency start switch on a motorhome is nothing more than a momentary dash switch wired to a simple solenoid.

Ford recently extended its cruise control switch recall to include 2003-model F-150 through F-550 Super Duty trucks. The original recall covered 1994 – 2002 vehicles.
Today I contacted Ford’s RV customer service (800-444-3311) to inquire as to whether the recall included the Ford type A motorhome chassis, as the V-10 engine is basically the same one used in some of the recalled vehicles.

Corrections

• The listing for Four Winds International in the June 2007 “Coach Manufacturers And Custom Converters Showcase” article on page 100 indicated that the company offers the Windsport 35W as a handicapped-accessible model. We have been advised that the company no longer builds this handicapped-accessible floor plan.
• The “Towing Equipment” article in the May 2007 issue (page 62) advised that tow dollies can be used to tow all vehicles that are towable using a tow bar.
  

Since I took office as FMCA president, Darlene and I have tried to attend each FMCA area rally plus both FMCA international conventions every year. We meet new members and renew old friendships at these gatherings.

Have your children or grandkids ever returned home from summer camp and bragged about the silly skits, wild games, and oh-so-cool counselors? Home life is pretty boring compared to learning how to play a nose kazoo or “Dress the Counselor” at camp.
Most children look forward to relaxed family RV trips, but, at times, a little “formal” entertainment is needed. The following are ways that ordinary parents or grandparents can re-create that wild and crazy summer camp experience.

All pre-registered families will be assigned a day and time of admittance based on the date their registration is received at FMCA headquarters in Cincinnati. Convention parking is divided equally over a three-day period.

America’s oldest permanent settlement west of the Rocky Mountains was founded by Meriwether Lewis and William Clark two centuries ago. The explorers and their Corps of Discovery wintered at Fort Clatsop from December 1805 to March 1806.

In its weight and tire safety program, the Recreation Vehicle Safety & Education Foundation (RVSEF) notes that the three basic elements of safety are attitude, knowledge, and application. One must first make a personal decision that ensuring the safety of one’s motorhome, its occupants, and others is of paramount importance and that one is willing to take measures to achieve this.

Flashflight LED flying disc from Nite IzeFlashflight LED flying discs from Nite Ize Inc. can provide hours of tossing fun during the daytime and at night.
The original Flashflight is a 10 1/2-inch-diameter disc that utilizes LED and fiber-optic technology for illumination to the outer edge for maximum visibility.

What do 2006 Cy Young Award-winner Brandon Webb, professional bowling’s all-time money-earner Walter Ray Williams Jr., and veteran NASCAR driver Kenny Wallace have in common? They all enjoy traveling in recreation vehicles.
This year, Webb, along with his wife, infant daughter, and four dogs, arrived at the Arizona Diamondbacks spring training camp in an RV. Williams travels to PBA tournaments in an RV that allows him to bring his family and 30 bowling balls to each match without the hassle and expense of putting them on a plane.

Forty-something years ago, no one would have thought about building a motorhome that included a garage. At that time, dune buggies made from stripped Volkswagen chassis and Jeeps were the two primary vehicles for off-road motorized sports, with dirt motorcycles and dual-sport motorcycles just making their way onto dealership floors.

Former FMCA national president Glen R. Key, L26355, passed away at his home in Chandler, Oklahoma, on April 25, 2007, at the age of 90.
Glen and his late wife, Martha, joined FMCA in 1976.

As I travel and hear from FMCA members, I find that many of them are concerned that RVers parking in retail establishment parking lots are abusing the concept of “parking,” and that their behavior is jeopardizing the opportunity for the rest of us to park at these facilities when we want to rest and relax before continuing on our motorhome journeys.
“Camping” is a totally different concept and should never be done in retail establishment parking lots. In December 2001 I first wrote an “Executive Director’s Commentary” about the issue, and it is still a good message today.

Give some of these interesting recipes a try when you’re looking to serve something different.
If you’ve become bored with making the same meals week after week, try adding one or more of these recipes to your menu.

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Piquant Chicken Salad
Use leftover or canned chicken to make this whole-meal salad. The rice part is easy, too.

These insects with the funny name really “dig” their dinner.
It’s often much easier to find the tracks or marks that a critter leaves than to discover the critter itself. But sometimes you’re just not looking closely enough.

Food allergies can make it dangerous and, for some, even deadly to eat in restaurants. A new book titled Let’s Eat Out! Your Passport to Living Gluten and Allergy Free by Kim Koeller and Robert La France ($24.95, R&R Publishing), could be a real lifesaver.

Recreational opportunities abound in this region that includes parts of Missouri, Arkansas, and Oklahoma.
The Ozark Mountains lie at the northern edge of the American South, the western edge of Appalachia, and the eastern part of the Midwest. Translated, that means the Ozarks span southern Missouri, western Arkansas, and eastern Oklahoma.

The variety of colors of emergency vehicle lights – and what they signify – can be confusing, especially for motorhomers who travel from state to state.
Police cars, fire trucks, and ambulances use flashing, rotating, or oscillating lights to notify their approach to other motorists. Tow trucks, utility trucks, funeral lead cars, and other vehicles also use distinguishing lights.
Max Durbin, chairman of FMCA’s Governmental and Legislative Advisory Committee, said the lack of uniformity of lens colors used by these vehicles can be unsafe.

My late wife, Bonnie, and I joined the Trail Buddies Thousand Trails East chapter because it gives us the opportunity to take advantage of our Thousand Trails membership while participating in an FMCA chapter. It provides the best of both memberships.

If you happen to run into Jim and Ottilie (Olie) Anstett, F44848, of Loveland, Colorado, and strike up a conversation with this couple, they’ll tell you that motorhoming “changes your life.” You’ll also learn about the benefits of owning a smaller motorhome – and a GMC at that.
We met this couple in 1989 in Canon City, Colorado, at our very first FMCA rally. We arrived with our three children and mixed in slowly with what was primarily a group of retired folks.

DEAR RV DOCTOR:
Our day/night blinds have broken threads. Is there a way to fix or rethread them, or should we purchase new ones? Both living area blinds broke only days apart.
We also have a musty smell and taste in our water.

The January 2007 issue of FMC magazine indicates no special requirements regarding setting up a 2007 Jeep Wrangler for towing four wheels down. I read in a Wrangler owner’s manual that there is now a final step 12 that is included for towing preparation.

Editor’s note: Below are just a few of the comments we’ve received thus far regarding FMC’s new look, which debuted with the May 2007 issue. The magazine staff is currently collecting comments from readers regarding the redesign as we assess the new look ourselves.

At FMCA’s 77th International Convention in Perry, Georgia, we held two open forums for members to share their thoughts about FMCA’s future direction — ideas for the Long-Range and Development Committee to study. Topics discussed included membership recruitment and retention, chapter membership promotion and chapter governance, and FMCA conventions and rallies, among other things.
Although we would have liked more participation, we did receive some good remarks.

Rest areas along interstate freeways generally prohibit overnight parking, but many malls, truck stops, fraternal lodges and shopping center parking lots allow it. Always check with local authorities to make sure you’re not breaking any local ordinances.
These notes from FMCA’s Motorhome Parking Etiquette letter pertain to overnight parking at establishments that permit “dry camping” on their lots.

Awhile ago we read of someone having trouble hanging clothes in a closet that has a metal rack with holes rather than a wooden rod. We’ve found that putting the hangers in backward works quite well in this situation.

Funky Colored FlamesTo pump some pizzazz into your next campfire gathering, try adding some color to the event with Funky Colored Flames from Winlow Outdoor Experiences.
According to product literature, a packet of Funky Colored Flames placed into the fire will produce a brilliant display of blue, green, and purple flames. Simply toss the packet into the fire and within minutes the colors will spread naturally through the flames, lasting up to 30 minutes.
A box of Funky Colored Flames, which includes three packets, has a manufacturer’s suggested retail price of $5.

Newmar Introduces New Models
Indiana-based Newmar Corporation unveiled its new King Aire Diesel Bus and Grand Star motorhome models during the FMCA convention in Perry, Georgia, in March.
The King Aire is built on a Spartan K3 chassis with an independent front suspension system and powered by a Cummins ISX 600-horsepower engine, coupled with an Allison 4000 MH transmission. The King Aire features the new Comfort Drive steering system, jointly developed by TRW Automotive, Spartan Chassis, and Newmar.

If an award for “Ultimate Motor Coach Family” could be given, the Bettens would be in the running. Over the past 42 years, France and Coe Betten have owned 15 motorhomes, have made more cross-country trips and attended more rallies than they can count, and have visited every state in the Lower 48 at least two times over.

From 1994 to 2003 Tim Ruddy anchored the Dolphins offensive line, many of those years as center for legendary quarterback Dan Marino. How Tim and his family embraced motorhoming after his retirement from a successful career in professional football is the subject of this three-part story, which began last month.