Towable Battery Assistance
I read the “CR-V Battery Problems” letter that appeared in the August 2011 “Tech Talk” column in which Bill Shaw wrote about the battery drain issues he was having. I’d like to share some information that I think could help people who are experiencing similar battery problems.

“RV News” Clarification

In the November 2011 “RV News & Notes” column, we included a story titled “Newell Coach’s New Suspension System” (page 40). It has been brought to our attention that Newell is not the only motorhome in North America that has an active-suspension system.

Happy New Year! Thoughts this time of year ordinarily involve reflecting on what occurred during the past year and making resolutions that seem to last for, maybe, a few hours.

I was sitting in the Allegro Campground laundry room at the Tiffin motorhome factory in Red Bay, Alabama, watching the washer and two dryers spin and slosh our belongings around. Why? Because the sign over the appliances said so.

FMC magazine’s January 2012 Motorhome Regulations chart contains the following information for all 50 U.S. States and the Canadian provinces and territories: speed limit, length, height, width, combined length, and license type required.

Whom should you contact for travel information when planning a motorhome trip? To answer that question, the staff at FMC has compiled this list of tourism offices in the United States and Canada. The following information was accurate as of November 2011.

Anyone who has ever shed a tear while reading Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ timeless classic novel The Yearling will agree that a visit to the place where she wrote it, Cross Creek, Florida, should be a pilgrimage.

In the past three issues of Family Motor Coaching we’ve featured Type A and Type C motorhomes. This month we conclude our “Showroom Sensations” series with the Type B motorhomes that currently are being produced by manufacturers.

To determine the correct tire pressure, it is recommended that motorhome owners consult the RV tire guides provided by the respective tire manufacturer. You will see that these companies do not have a single recommended tire pressure for each size tire. They provide a chart wherein the correct pressure is based on the actual weight supported by the tire.

Family Motor Coaching magazine’s annual guide to flat-towable vehicles includes cars, trucks, and SUVs that have been approved by their manufacturers for four-wheels-down towing behind a motorhome without major modifications.

Most Type A motorhomes and many Type Cs are equipped with multiple batteries connected together to form one big bank of DC electricity availability. The sad news is that 12-volt batteries wired in parallel or 6-volt batteries wired in a series or a series/parallel configuration are often connected in a manner…

Updated information regarding the many benefits and services available to members of the Family Motor Coach Association.

Describe the best breakfast you’ve ever eaten during a motorhome trip.

For many of us, the numerous properties overseen by the National Park Service provide highlights to our travels, but their recognition is not limited to the United States. Thirteen national parks have worldwide reputations and are among the 936 international World Heritage Sites. 

As always, the focus of this column is on RVers who live and travel in their motorhomes as a way of life. When you’re happily homeless, there are immense advantages, but when problems arise, they have a way of multiplying.

Lazydays Reaches Milestones During 2011

Lazydays has experienced a year of growth and expansion in 2011, including a new RV-style restaurant and a new Tucson, Arizona, location.

Organizing Bag

Keep loose items in your motorhome organized with Sticky Pockets bags from Davis Instruments.

This month we resume our presentation of Type C motorhomes, providing readers with information about the latest family-friendly, easy-to-maneuver RVs available from manufacturers.

The weather was far from frightful for the Vancouver Islanders’ “Christmas In July” chapter rally, held July 18 through 22, 2011, at Storeys Beach in Port Hardy, British Columbia, Canada. In fact, it was quite nice…

Just think about it! For two decades, the Happy (OK) Wanderers have enjoyed rallies, fellowship, friendships, great food, unbelievable entertainment, enticing tours, and wonderful places to camp and have fun.
 

Improvised Windshield Washer

On our annual winter trek from Colorado to Arizona in our motorhome, we encountered just enough snow and wet weather in Colorado to really mess up the motorhome. The spray from the passing cars and trucks was a problem, even though our windshield wipers and washers were working.

Adding A Battery Disconnect Switch

Dear RV Doctor:
My new motorhome did not come with a disconnect switch for the batteries. I want to install one, but I’m unsure of the proper way.

Frosty Fridge Fins

We have a 2000 Holiday Rambler Endeavor motorhome. Last summer the refrigerator’s cooling unit was replaced. With the original unit, we hardly ever had to defrost the refrigerator or freezer. With the new unit we have to defrost the refrigerator about every two weeks.

The company with a recall detailed in this month's column is Jayco Inc.

"Purses" Auction Nets Many Thanks

During the Family Reunion and Motorhome Showcase in Madison, Wisconsin, this past August, FMCA held a "Purses for a Purpose" silent auction. All funds collected through the auction were donated to the Big Brothers and Big Sisters of Dane County.

Well, it is that time of year again, with the holidays fast approaching. This month, I have asked the new chairman of the Membership/Member Services Committee, John Breisch, to write a little something about himself and about what his committee has been doing.

“Charlie, you have a call on my cell phone.” My immediate reaction was, “I don’t think so, lady.” Jean and I were strolling in the Lazy Day Campground just off of Exit 170 on Interstate 70 near Danville, in the middle of Missouri, where we had stopped on our way to the Six State Rally in Hutchinson, Kansas.

Ride height is critical to ride, handling, and component longevity. All chassis makers have specifications for the correct ride height — leaf spring, Torsilastic, and air suspensions.

Information you should know about on-site service at FMCA rallies and conventions to help make the process easier and more pleasant for everyone.

For more than 60 years, Carolina Freight Carriers Corporation was one of the largest trucking firms in the United States. Today its heritage is preserved at the C. Grier Beam Truck Museum in Cherryville, North Carolina.

Are you also wondering what there is to see in Arizona? One of our favorites happens to be the town of Bisbee, located in the southeastern corner of the state, only 8 miles from the Mexico border.

Each autumn, motorhomers from up north turn to their favorite winter nesting places along the Gulf Coast of Texas. These “Winter Texans” may spend half of the year or more elsewhere, but locals in places such as Corpus Christi, Port Isabel, and South Padre Island consider them to be nothing less than Texans.

If you’ve never experienced a NASCAR race at Talladega Superspeedway in Talladega, Alabama, you need to put it on your bucket list.

This year Henderson’s Line-Up, Brake & RV Inc. of Grants Pass, Oregon, has been celebrating its golden anniversary of service to the motoring public.

Many of today’s newer motorhomes have a large appetite for electricity to feed the modern conveniences folks expect in their RVs. Some devices, such as the water pump and lighting, are powered by 12-volt-DC battery power, while 120-volt-AC current …

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Today’s family-friendly Type C motorhomes offer more sleeping area, better maneuverability, and many of the same amenities found in larger, more expensive models. This compilation includes models, dimensions, weight ratings, tank capacities, chassis type, engine type, options and base suggested retail prices.

Loss of inflation pressure is a major factor in tire damage. Heat buildup from low pressure can easily exceed 200 degrees Fahrenheit, leading to devulcanization, ply separation, or a blowout. Sometimes an underinflated tire on the motorhome can …

If money were no object, what one item or feature would you like to add to your motorhome?

These rawboned recipes are as good for the campfire as they are in the modern RV kitchen or gas grill.

In addition to the abandoned birds’ nests and parasitic plants such as mistletoe that adorn the bare branches of deciduous trees, you’ll often find evidence of insect homes called galls.

Cummins Care Now Available For RV Market

Cummins Inc. announced that it has added the RV market to its new Cummins Care enhanced customer assistance program, which provides around-the-clock response for customers with Cummins engines.

CB Radio

The 29 LX citizens band radio from Cobra Electronics is said to take driver communications to the next level.

The first-ever FMCA Road Chef Competition, a recipe cook-off, took place during the association’s 86th Family Reunion in Madison, Wisconsin, this past August.

The 19th Annual Northeast Area Rally, held July 21-24 at the Champlain Valley Exposition in Essex Junction, Vermont, paid tribute to FMCA’s Northeast Area heritage.

Ed Ruese, F28117, a longtime member of FMCA who served as the association’s national senior vice president and national vice president, International Area, died on August, 27, 2011, in Madison, Wisconsin.

Vent Operating Tool

Because the ceiling vents in our motorhome operate manually and are difficult to reach without a stepladder, I decided to make a special tool to open and close the vents.