June 25, 2019
Welcome to another 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.
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FEATURED TIP
Cheap engine oil filler funnels
By veteran RVer Mike Sokol
Many of you accuse me of wanting you to spend money on gadgets, and I admit to being a bit of a gadget hound at times. I mean, after all – who can resist a terribly cool tool that “might” save you 30 seconds of time on some future repair? But seriously, I’m just as cheap as the next guy when it comes to quick tools I’ll probably throw away (or more likely lose) right after I use them. So here’s my quickie engine oil filler that won’t cost you a dime, as long as you have an empty soda bottle or windshield washer fluid jug laying around.
I have found that it’s nearly impossible to hit the oil filler on my car or truck engine with a quart of oil without getting at least a few drips in places they shouldn’t be, and that causes a lot of burnt oil fumes nobody wants. Yes, I went and bought a fancy oil filler funnel, but it never seems to be where I left it. So what to do? Well, if you have an empty soda (or pop) bottle laying around, simple cut off the bottom half, invert it, and use the bottle like a high-priced funnel.
I even make bigger versions for my Sprinter or big pickup truck using an empty windshield washer jug. I clean them out and stash them on my workbench. The next time my “custom” funnel is missing, I just grab another bottle or jug out of the recycling bin and modify it a bit. Make sure you clean out any food or soda bits left behind first, since you don’t want those in your engine.
THIS JUST IN (Tuesday a.m.):
Hey everyone,
I’ll be interviewing the lead install/training guy for the Proteng/THIA fire protection system this Friday, which I’ll publish on Sunday in my RV Electricity Newsletter. Please post any questions you want me to ask in the comments below, or email mike@rvtravel.com. I’ll pick the top 10 questions for the interview, which I’ll post on YouTube as well as a transcribed article. —Mike
• Sign up for Mike’s monthly RV Electricity Newsletter. Next issue arrives Sunday, June 30.
• While you’re at it, be sure to join his new Facebook group, RV Electricity.
Think you know how to peel garlic? You’ve got it all wrong. Watch this woman peel a whole head of garlic in 25 seconds. Read the hilarious social media reactions too.
MORE QUICK TIPS
Air temperature and tire pressure
There’s a direct relationship between ambient air temperature and the pressure inside your tires. Here’s the rule of thumb: For every increase or decrease of air temperature by 10 degrees, there will be a corresponding increase or decrease of tire pressure by about 1 pound. If there’s a drastic change of temperature, check your tires when “cold” [not run in several hours, preferably in the morning] and adjust them to the recommended pressure. DON’T try to adjust tire pressure when they are hot.
ADDITIONAL NOTE: Our resident tire expert, Roger Marble, points out that the preceding information is good to a point. His “Rule of Thumb” for an RV is that for every 10° F increase or decrease in temperature, the pressure in your tires will increase or decrease by 2%. Why the difference? Says Roger, “Now we need to be careful and remember that some may be discussing passenger tires where 2% of 36 psi is rounded to mean 1 psi change for 10° F change, but I am discussing tire pressures that may range from 45 psi to 130 psi so percentage is more accurate.” For a deeper dive into the mind-and-volume expanding world of physics as it applies to tires, check out a couple of his posts on the matter.
Grease your step?
“Two or three times a year, put a few drops of oil on the friction points on both sides of your RV’s step to keep it operating smoothly. Be careful not to get oil on the non-skid material on the step(s).” —Bill’s Hints
Do you have a tip? Send it to Russ (at) rvtravel.com
WEBSITE OF THE DAY
A beginner’s guide to motorhomes
As the name suggests, this is a great beginner’s guide to motorhomes. All the basics you need to know are right here, so it’s a good page to get you started.
Check out the long list of great RVing-related websites from RVtravel.com.
LEAVE HERE WITH A LAUGH
LEAVE HERE WITH A LAUGH
A termite walks into a bar and asks, “Is the bar tender here?”
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RV Daily Tips Staff
Editor and Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Managing editor: Diane McGovern. Contributing writers: Russ De Maris, Bob Difley, Gary Bunzer, Roger Marble, Mike Sokol, Greg Illes, J.M. Montigel and Andrew Robinson. Advertising director: Emily Woodbury. Marketing director: Jessica Sarvis. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen.
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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.
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We do not have a personal residence but own numerous rental properties.
No WAY am I renting (or loaning) my trailer – to anyone. Not even family. Especially family – ?
While working we always dreamed of Full Timing but after we retired I realized that wasn’t for me. We love traveling and sightseeing but I just can’t sit in Campgrounds doing nothing day in and day out for weeks/months in end. I gotta be busy tinkering/fixing with something but I don’t want a job as a Campground Maintenance guy either. For that reason we have a Class A, Class B and a House. Everyone has to find what works for them !
We have our stick and bricks home in Iowa, our Coachmen Class C, and last winter we bought a park model in Bit-O-Heaven in Donna, Texas. Looking forward to wintering there again this winter.
Must be northern termites. In Florida they walked around my pine subfloor to eat my oak flooring. They don’t need “tender” down here.
I live in a home that is owned by my partner. The closest thing to a home I own is my motorhome.
I’ve been using a empty oil bottle for a funnel for 40 yrs. trick my dad passed on to me.
My wife and I are living temporarily in a one bedroom apartment as we prepare to go full time in October.
Is it ok to spray WD-40 on the step area instead of oil?
Although technically a Water Dispersant, WD40 is considered penetrating OIL. Ahem.
Rather than WD40… a much better lubricant is T9:
&sb-ci-a=B001447PEK
I found that Castor Oil – chain lube (for motorcycle chains) works the best as it doesn’t collect dirt and stays in place. One shot can last a year. It contains graphite so be careful with the spray.
in the discussion…Sure. Why not? Can think of a few other things I might use but WD-40 would work also…
That garlic video is fantastic. After all these years of fiddling with garlic cloves it takes a simple stab in each clove to remove it from the head. Hmmmmm how did we live before this? Amazing.
Thanks for your comment…i missed the hack and it was the best thing today. I’ve always smashed heads on the counter and lifted away the husks, but this looks a hair faster. Now, if someone could peel my onions for me…?
I always cook it in microwave for about a minute.. skin mostly slides off
it only works with certain types of garlic. I’ve heard large loose heads work best.
Thanks Mike for the oil funnel “special” – never thought of doing that. Always looking for my oil funnel – {bleeped} thing has legs.
I am a pastor and the congregation provides a home for me to live in.
We spend winters (6 months) in the Southwest after selling our brick and mortar in Las Vegas 3 years ago. Then spend summers (6 months) in Fish Lake Beach Resort in Illinois to be with our grandkids. What a great life! We do not miss paying taxes, maintenance, or utilities.
Good for you, Judy. I’m trying to convince my hubby to sell. We have a park model in Tucson that we spend 4 months in, a travel trailer on our property in upper WI and our brick and mortar in Southern WI.
I want to sell the brick and mortar and live between the 2 trailers. Grandkids on both ends and I can live the good life ?
I don’t get the joke
is the bar “tender”. like a tender steak
took me a second read too.
The termite joke doesn’t make sense.
We own a Casita and RV slip at Buckhorn Lake Resort in Kerrville TX
Currently own a home, but fly back in a few weeks to get it on the market. Our full time trial is over and we love it, so now we`re ready to take the big step.
Join the discussion…The best of luck to you and safe travels out there!!