This newsletter is for intelligent, open-minded RVers. If you comment on an article, do it with respect for others. If not, you will be denied posting privileges.
Issue 1480
Welcome to another edition of RV Travel’s Daily Tips newsletter. Here you’ll find helpful RV-related and living tips from the pros, travel advice, a handy website of the day, tips on our favorite RVing-related products and, of course, a good laugh. Thanks for joining us. We appreciate you. Please tell your friends about us.
If you shop on Amazon, please click here to visit through our affiliate site (we get a little commission that way – and you don’t pay any extra). Thank you!
Black Friday Deals at Amazon. All Week. Click here.
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Today’s thought
“Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie.” —Jim Davis
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is Thanksgiving, of course! If you’re not celebrating Thanksgiving, how about celebrating National Cake Day?
On this day in history: 1863 – United States President Abraham Lincoln proclaims November 26 as a national Thanksgiving Day, to be celebrated annually on the final Thursday of November.
Tip of the Day
Change your brake fluid for reliability and long system life
By Greg Illes
Absolutely everybody changes their engine oil and transmission fluid (or has it done). Some folks remember to change differential gear oil. But who ever thinks about changing brake fluid? We all should. Find out why here.
Do you have a tip? Submit it here.
Today’s RV review…
In today’s column, industry insider Tony Barthel reviews the new Palomino Backpack HS-750 Truck Camper. As he reports, “This particular floor plan is small enough to be not a huge burden on a truck but offers a nice kitchen layout along with that jackknife sofa. Seems like a great series of compromises to make for a very usable package.” Learn more.
Did you read Tony’s review yesterday of the 2021 Keystone Outback 324CG Travel Trailer? If you missed it, you can read it here.
For previous RV reviews, click here.
Is this your RV?
If it’s yours and you can prove it to us (send a photo for comparison), tell us here by 9 p.m. Pacific Standard time today, Nov. 26, 2020. If it’s yours you’ll win a $25 Amazon gift certificate.
If this isn’t your RV, send us a photo of your RV (if you haven’t already) for a chance to win in future issues.
THIS WEEK, ONE READER RESPONDED and claimed a $25 Amazon gift certificate: Dave Adamski of Pasadena, Maryland.
We’ll have another photo in tomorrow’s newsletter (sign up to receive an email alert so you don’t miss the issue or those that follow). Some of these photos are submitted by readers while others were taken by our editors and writers on their travels around the USA.
If you missed Mike Sokol’s essay “Let’s have a Bento Box Thanksgiving this year” last weekend, read it here.
Don’t forget your Black Friday deals! Time is running out! Click here.
Making holidays special while on the road
Remembering the smell of turkey in the oven, stuffing enough to feed an army, the decorations and family gathered around the holiday table can make even the most ardent RVer sigh. It is easy to forget all the work: the cooking, cleaning, decorating, shopping, wrapping and family squabbles involved. But there are ways to bring that holiday feeling home to your RV. Continue reading.
Yesterday’s featured article: How to extend the life of an RV battery
The cutest ornament we’ve ever seen…
This adorable little camp stove is the perfect addition to your, or a family or friend’s, Christmas tree this year. Makes the perfect gift for an RVer, camper, hiker, fisher … well, anyone! Learn more or order here (and see some other equally cute RV-related ornaments here).
Reader poll
Pick your favorite Thanksgiving dish…
We know you have a favorite… Tell us here.
Quick Tip
Determining towing capacity
When determining the tow capacity of a vehicle be sure you know the rear axle ratio. It’s possible to have the same type and size of vehicle with the same engine and the tow ratings vary by several thousand pounds. The axle ratio is a comparison of how many times the drive shaft rotates, versus the rear wheels. A 4.10:1 axle ratio means the drive shaft or pinion gear rotates 4.1 times for each rotation of the rear axle or ring gear. The higher the numeric value, the better the vehicle will tow.
Some people have a misperception that a vehicle with four-wheel drive will have a higher tow rating than an identical vehicle that is two-wheel drive. In reality the two-wheel drive vehicle will have the higher tow rating. The reason for this is the transfer case in the four-wheel drive vehicle adds additional weight to the vehicle, usually close to 500 pounds, which lowers the tow rating by that same amount. Keep in mind that any weight you add to the tow vehicle takes that same amount of weight away from the vehicle’s tow rating and Gross Combined Weight Rating. —From Mark Polk, RV Education 101®
Website of the day
Learn about Thanksgiving!
History.com has an entire section dedicated to one of our favorite holidays! Learn about the history of Thanksgiving, facts and trivia, funny stories, and many other articles. You’re sure to learn something here.
An alternative to RV parks: Stay free at farms, wineries and other scenic and peaceful locations. Save 15% on membership. Learn more.
And the Survey Says…
We’ve polled RVtravel.com readers more than 1,500 times in recent years. Here are a few things we’ve learned about them:
• 3 percent go square dancing every once in a while
• If RV manufacturers started making airplanes, 77 percent would not fly in one
• 54 percent are better off financially now than they were 5 years ago (Note: This was answered pre-pandemic)
Recent poll: Do you make your bed every morning?
Trivia
Gobble gobble! Americans eat 46 million turkeys on Thanksgiving each year. Just a month later, on Christmas, an additional 22 million turkeys are eaten.
*Yesterday we told you about a funny book called, “Everything Men Know About Women.” But there’s something really special about it… Go back to yesterday’s issue to find out what it is.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“This is our good girl, Emma, who is a 13-year-old terrier mix. People sometimes ask me if we use the same hairdresser!” —Nikki Harnish
Send us a photo of your pet with a short description. We publish one each weekday in RV Daily Tips and in our Saturday RV Travel newsletter.
MAKES A GREAT GIFT!
Travel off the beaten path…
Off the Beaten Path spotlights more than 1,000 of the United States’ most overlooked must-see destinations. In a state-by-state A-to-Z format, this budget-friendly planner reveals the best-kept secret spots so that no matter where you live, you can plan an unforgettable local vacation. Revel in nature, science, art and culture, and encounter the unexpected as you explore undiscovered gems. Learn more or order.
Leave here with a laugh
This hilarious Aerosmith parody is brilliant! Click the video below to play.
Did you miss the latest RV Travel Newsletter? If so, read it here.
Oh, and if you missed the latest Sunday News for RVers, make sure to catch up here.
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RV Daily Tips Staff
Publisher: Chuck Woodbury. Editor: Emily Woodbury. Senior editor: Diane McGovern. Social media and special projects director: Jessica Sarvis. Financial affairs director: Gail Meyring. IT wrangler: Kim Christiansen.
This website utilizes some advertising services. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Regardless of this potential revenue, unless stated otherwise, we only recommend products or services we believe provide value to our readers.
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 2020 by RVtravel.com
People never ( or almost never) look at their tires and see what the max weight can be put on them. When all is said and done, it’s where the rubber meets the road that counts. A tire that says # 3570#@80#psi is overloaded if you have #4000 on it. I see a LOTof semi flat tires going down the road. Problems just waiting to happen.
Great! Hilarious! Wonderfully creative! Thank you! Belated happy Thanksgiving!
2.2 million people will travel this holiday season. The propaganda video is funny but hate to say it a lot of people are not going to be listening to the CDC and WHO and I will just say this. When someone keeps changing their mind about this virus they have no clue. Happy Holidays.
To all the staff at RV Travel thanks for all you do and provide. Happy Thanksgiving.
Hey, Skip. Thank you so much for your very kind words. We appreciate getting good feedback from our readers for doing what we love to do (while always striving to do better). It makes it all worthwhile. And we appreciate you! We hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving. Have a good night, and please stay healthy. 🙂 —Diane at RVtravel.com
Happy Thanksgiving to all. Especially the staff and major contributors to RV Travel, highlighting folks like Chuck, Emily, Diane, Jessica, Gail and Kim who make this daily part of our lives possible. Amazing guidance from folks like Mike Sokol and editorial stories from folks like Barry Zander and others. Also want to add a quick thanks to product innovators like Jonathan Schloo providing solutions I would not have thought about. Cheers to all and personally glad that 2020 is almost behind us!
Hi, BadWolfe. Thank you for your very kind words. We certainly appreciate them, and you! (2021 is almost here. It’s gotta be better than 2020, that’s for sure!) Take care, stay healthy, and have a very Happy Thanksgiving. 🙂 —Diane at RVtravel.com
Happy Thanksgiving Day to all !!!
Leave here with a laugh is one of the best explanations around. Wear a mask and be safe and wash your hands! Happy Thanksgiving!
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone. Hope all have a blessed and safe holiday. Absolutely loved the parody video. Safe travels to all.
Happy Thanksgiving to all! The Aerosmith parody made my day. I shared it with all my family as we chose not get together today.
Happy Thanksgiving to everyone!
This is the first one we will not be attending with family due to a co-worker testing positive two (2) days ago. My wife and I are quarantined for the next fourteen (14) days. Neither of us have any symptoms and are hoping the “bug” passes us by.
God bless everyone and stay safe.
Happy Thanksgiving everyone.
While we are celebrating this unique American Holiday, please think of those Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines who are doing their County’s bidding in faraway lands. I hope that they are able to come home safe and sound to their family and friends.
I spent 5 different Thanksgivings away from home, and I know many more who have done more.
Mark Polk, thanks but where were you 3 years ago with the 4WD towing problem! It took me a lot of work to uncover that.
The article is slightly misleading. The problem is with the rated Cargo capacity, not the more general towing capacity. There’s no need to contact the manufacturer–it’s on the driver side door jamb.
“The combined weight of occupants and cargo should never exceed 801kg or 1768 lbs.” This is my F150 and is better than many. ‘Cargo’ includes the weight of the hitch and the trailer tongue weight.
It most cases, all the other manufacturer numbers are meaningless–Cargo Capacity is the limiting factor!
My understanding is that GCVWR (gross combined vehicle weight rating) is the final answer on what a vehicle can load and tow.
giver? I think you meant GCVWR.
I’m sure you’re correct, Ron, so I went in and fixed it. Good ol’ spellchecker. Happy Thanksgiving! And stay healthy. 🙂 —Diane at RVtravel.com
Marc posted, yesterday, the manufacturers listed tow weight. I suppose the factory could be wrong and only you know all.
I’m with Jeb and Mark on this. Look at your owners manual tow/haul capacities section or run your vin through your dealer (free) as explained above. Also, to further flesh out Mark’s explanation, it is the transfer case AND the front differential, axles, hubs, bearings and anything else that makes your vehicle 4wd that adds up to the lessened load capacity.
One other surprise for me was the sticker in my glove box that stated the max weight of anything that could be carried in the bed of my 03 Silverado 3500 dually 4wd. Unfortunately lower than the weight of my Lance camper when fully loaded for a month long boondocking trip. Darn!
Thanks for the hilarious parody. Happy Thanksgiving to you and your staff. May we all take a minute to remember those that have not survived this mess and be thankful for the ones that have. God Bless.
Thank you, Stephen. We wish you and yours a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving. 🙂 —Diane at RVtravel.com
RE: Determining Towing Capacity. I sent my VIN to the manufacturer and they sent back the data sheet for my SPECIFIC vehicle.
Your local dealer can do the print out for you too. Just take in the VIN.
HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you and staff. 🦃🦃
Thank you, Gloria! And we wish you and yours a very Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving, as well. 🙂 —Diane at RVtravel.com
To the staff and management of RV Daily Tips, Happy Thanksgiving. Thank you for all your hard work each and every day. I hope you have a great day.
Thank you, Kenneth! We love what we’re doing and really appreciate when we get good comments like yours from our readers. It makes it all worthwhile! Take care, and have a Happy and Healthy Thanksgiving. 🙂 —Diane at RVtravel.com