Issue 1038 • January 23, 2019
Welcome to another fabulous edition of RV Travel’s Daily Tips newsletter. Here, you’ll find helpful RV-related, and small-space living, tips from the pros, travel advice, a handy website of the day, our favorite RVing-related products and, of course, a good laugh. Thanks for joining us. We appreciate your readership.
If you shop at Amazon, would you use one of the links below to do your shopping? The link in the blue bar above also works. Thanks.
U.S. shoppers: Shop at Amazon.com
Canadian shoppers: Shop at Amazon.ca
QUICK TIPS
Level with your slides in – DIY science experiment
Most of us have been taught that it’s best to keep the slide-outs “in” until we’ve finished leveling the rig. The “why” is that there’s less strain on both the levelers and the slideouts when done this way. Here’s a demonstration from everything-about-rving.com to help prove it to yourself: “For this experiment you will need a 10 pound weight or something that weighs close to 10 pounds that you can hold in one of your hands. Your legs are going to act as your RV’s leveling jacks and your arm is your RV’s slideout. In this case we are talking about a one-slide RV.
To start out, just hold the weight in one of your hands with your arms relaxed at your side. That 10-pound weight is in your center of gravity and you should have no problems squatting with this extra weight. With the slides in the weight stays closer to your RV’s center of gravity, giving the leveling jacks an easier job of handling the weight. Now take that weight and push it straight out to your side at shoulder level. You can now see that the 10 pounds seems much heavier and it may be a little bit harder to squat up and down because you are having to adjust for the uneven weight distribution. In multi-slide RVs, the slides are very seldom the exact same size and weight, So it would be like holding a 50-pound weight in your other hand, except slideouts weigh hundreds of pounds and you can see how this uneven weight distribution can cause strain on the leveling jacks.” Editor’s note: There can be exceptions to this general advice. Consult your owner manual for the exact recommended procedure.
Schoolie conversion not going well?
After reading up on one couple’s experience in attempting to do a bus conversion, we became converts: Have plenty of money, time, and patience if you undertake such a project. But what if you’ve already got the bus, and found out it’s just more than you can handle? Here’s one solution! Thanks to Steve Yant on pinterest for the photo.
BONUS TIP
BONUS TIPKeep your rings, earrings or other jewelry in a pill case. It’s easy storage and you’ll never lose it! RVtravel’s own Gail made a video about this. You can watch it here. See other great organization hacks here.
Ride the first luge in the Western U.S.!
Become an Olympic champion – well, maybe not quite. Luge sledding has come to the beautiful Methow Valley in Washington state, and you can join the fun! A unique ride up the mountain in a Snowcat (worth the experience in itself), takes you 1200′ up the snowy mountain to the start of your journey. Take an hour-long training course before hopping onto your own sled and plunging down the mountain. The sledding is safe for all ages, so take your parents, kids, grandkids, everyone! Read more about it here.
MORE QUICK TIPS
Alternative cat litter box “stash”
After installing a new solar system, one RVer had an empty compartment previously used for battery storage. But he also had traveling cats – with the usual problem of “where to put that dratted litter box.” The solution was fairly simple, as outlined on doityourselfrv.com. He cut through the kitchen cabinet to the spot where the battery box was located. He cut a hole in the sheet metal wall of the battery box and carefully “safety-ed” it by bending the sharp edges over. Adding on a little molding to dress up the cat door he had overlaid onto the kitchen cabinet made things more visually appealing. Access to refreshing the litter box is now handled from outside the RV. Inexpensive? As long as you don’t count the $4,000 spent on the new solar, yeah, it was a cheap mod. Find out more.
Locking bars for w-i-d-e RV cabinets
For those of us with super-wide RV cabinets (which the standard “Camco Cupboard Bars” aren’t wide enough for; ours is 38”), I found an answer to hold stuff in place while traveling – try adjustable, spring-tension curtain rods. They work great, are super easy to tighten or loosen, and are less than $10 here. Thanks to Erinn Mayer!
Do you have a tip? Send it to Russ (at) rvtravel.com
WEBSITE OF THE DAY
The Mighty – What to pack in your hospital bag
This is a helpful list with 30 items you may not think to pack in your hospital bag. Lists like this are helpful in situations where you may not be thinking straight or in a hurry.
Check out the long list of great RVing-related websites from RVtravel.com.
Guide to Firearm Laws in all 50 States, 2019 guide out now!
The updated version of this book contains information about the firearm laws of all 50 states, Canada, Mexico and how to prepare, carry, and transport your weapons. It includes state-by-state breakdown of firearms ownership, right to protect, open carry, concealed carry, permit reciprocity, shall issue, loaded vs. unloaded, interstate transport restrictions, traffic stops, universal restricted areas, preemptive local laws, motorhome and RV issues and use in National Parks and Forests, plus more! Learn more or order.
LEAVE HERE WITH A LAUGH
Happiness is having a large, loving, caring, close-knit family in another city.
—George Burns
Today’s Daily Deals at Amazon.com
Best-selling RV products and Accessories at Amazon.com.
Did you miss the latest RV Travel Newsletter? If so, read it here.
Become a Member!
This newsletter is brought to you Monday through Thursday by RVtravel.com and is funded primarily through voluntary subscription contributions from our readers. Thank you! IF YOU APPRECIATE THIS NEWSLETTER and others from RVtravel.com, will you please consider pledging your support? Even a single contribution of $10 or $20 is appreciated. Many readers set up an ongoing contribution, typically $5 to $10 a month. Your contributions make it possible for us to produce more than 250 highly informative newsletters every year. Learn more or contribute.
Join us: Facebook • Twitter • YouTube.
RV Daily Tips Staff
Editor and Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Managing editor: Diane McGovern. Staff writer: Emily Woodbury. Contributing writers: Russ De Maris, Bob Difley, Gary Bunzer, Roger Marble, Mike Sokol, Greg Illes, J.M. Montigel and Andrew Robinson. Advertising coordinator: Gail Meyring. Marketing director: Jessica Sarvis. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen.
ADVERTISE on RVtravel.com and/or in this newsletter. Contact Gail Meyring at Gail(at)RVtravel.com .
Everything in this newsletter is true to the best of our knowledge. But we occasionally get something wrong. We’re just human! So don’t go spending $10,000 on something we said was good simply because we said so, or fixing something according to what we suggested (check with your own technician first). Maybe we made a mistake. Tips and/or comments in this newsletter are those of the authors and may not reflect the views of RVtravel.com or this newsletter.
Mail us at 9792 Edmonds Way, #265, Edmonds, WA 98020.
This newsletter is copyright 2019 by RVtravel.com
Update note: Amended tip on leveling before deploying slideout. 1/23/2019 12:08 PM.
I have a travel trailer and can’t really level (side to side) with the slide out. I have found that I may require adjustments, and have to leave the trailer hitched to adjust the height on one side. The stabilizers will not adjust or hold the level when the slide is extended. My current process is to adjust the trailer to slightly high (1/2 to 1 bubble) on the non-slide side, uncouple and level front to back, drop the stabilizers, and then extend the slide. The slide is best deployed when the unit is fairly level, and I know that the weight will correct my side to side level.
My father was career Air Force so I grew up living all over the world, checking all the survey boxes plus military bases (sometimes as large as or larger than a lot of towns). 23 hrs of moving around like that and, naturally, I now take to f/t RVing like a duck to water.
Actually, I would stay away from tips, “scientific or not”, if they don’t apply to all rv’s. Not possible you say? Manufacturers have a reason for recommending a specific procedure , in this case, re: extending your slide-outs. A disclaimer at the end of the article may be missed, as it was by some of the commenters here. Next thing you know, someone has a big expensive mess on their hands, and they will blame you. Just sayin’
I am surprised at the number of military brats answering the poll. Perhaps you could follow up with the question “are you a military brat?” with the choices being; No, Army, Navy, Marines, Air Force, Coast Guard.
Dad was in the Army. He retired when I was a high school sophomore. I grew up all over the US
All the above, Navy brat, between 1 grade and high school atended 14 schools.
I my opinion, putting out a “Quick Tip” that we should be leveling our rig first then put out the slide-outs is a terrible tip. I have a 2003 Holiday Rambler Vacationer and the manual clearly states to extend the slide out first then level the rig, that the slide out should be extended at ride height. Believe me, if someone has a rig still under warranty and followed your “DIY science experiment” directions that caused major damages to the rig/slide out instead of what the manual states, what are the chances it will be covered under warranty? As many others I am certain will say, “follow the directions printed in your manual.
You obviously didn’t read the entire article. At the very bottom it says that there are exceptions and to read your owners manual first.
Thanks, Joy. Actually, it was updated after our sharp readers brought this unintentional omission to our attention. —Diane at RVtravel.com
As a child I split lived in both a big city and a rural community.
When I was a child we moved a lot — I went to 12 different schools in eight grades. We lived in big cities and on a farm, and everything in between. Is it any wonder that I am a traveler?
I know that I will be an out-lier, but I spent most of my younger life on a sailboat on the east coast. Whether we were in a small town or a big city was where we we tied up at that time.
My Dad was career Air Force and we lived all over the world. Lived in all of the above choices.
The Cat Litter tip doesn’t make sense as it said they added Solar and got rid of the Batteries ? Think about that….
If you choose to extend Slides without leveling and have Slides on both sides of RV that means one side gets worked twice as hard and the other side gets worked twice as easy ??? Common sense tells you since you are going to level RV anyway is to level RV first then extend Slides.
As a child and into my early teens I lived life as an Army Brat on Army posts both in and out of the U.S.
I built my cats cabinet under a window so she could look outside and also have another place to catnap and where I didn’t have to go outside in the elements to clean it out. It works great for both of us.
Interesting article about Putting slides out AFTER LEVELING . I have fount most reputable RV Teck support and and a seminar I attended at Lazy Days in Seffner/Tampa in 2012 all advocate READ THE DIRECTIONS IN YOUR MANUAL. I have a 4 slide Monaco Dynasty and Manual Directions CLEARLY STATE — EXTEND SLIDES IN TRAVEL IN TRAVEL MODE— then Level.. “Otherwise serious damage can occur” I had heard this same advice as this article advocates from other sources so I ask the seminar leader -a very senior Teck about this and he reiterated read the manual as different manufactures vary – — he said the logic is there is a difference between being square and level. So I have followed the manual for 6 years as did the initial owner for 5 years and so far no issues.
That is the problem with one size fits all directions and logic we sometimes see.
Ditto for Travel Supreme!
Hardy second to Howard! I like to see folks giving tips, but they must be accompanied with the acknowledgement that not all coaches are the same. As a computer support person in my former life, I would often tell folks RTFM! (Read The Fine Manual).
You obviously didn’t read the entire article. At the very bottom it says that there are exceptions and to read your owners manual first.
Thanks, John. Actually, it was updated after our astute readers brought this oversight to our attention. —Diane at RVtravel.com
Thanks, John. As mentioned in a reply to another of your comments, it was updated after our readers brought this oversight to our attention. —Diane at RVtravel.com
I grew up on a lake 5 miles from a small town, 15 miles from a larger town, 30 miles from Detroit, lake shore populated with small houses, cottages (now large house, mini mansions around the lake), lots of open spaces undeveloped property 50+ years ago
Small town is nice but can be gossipy.
On another note unless I missed the boat I could not find the info on the school bus conversion. Just saw a lot of pics on Pinterest. I’d like to see more bus conversions…especially the small people vans.
Hi. Check out Expidition Happiness. Netflix
Grew up Mooseheart, the child city, in Illinois
As a child the I lived in the biggest city in the area. I guess it was really a small town. Our house was in the suburbs which was rural with each lot several acres.
Air Force Bases