Issue 2385
Welcome to RV Travel’s Daily Tips Newsletter, where you’ll find helpful RV-related tips from the pros, travel advice, RV videos, product reviews and more. Please tell your friends about us.
Today’s thought
“You can please some of the people all of the time, you can please all of the people some of the time, but you can’t please all of the people all of the time.” —John Lydgate (1370 – 1449)
Need an excuse to celebrate? Today is NASCAR Day! (More on that below)
On this day in history: 1900 – The children’s novel “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz,” by L. Frank Baum, is first published in the United States. The first copy is given to the author’s sister.
Tip of the Day
Rust: How to prevent it from damaging your RV
By Gail Marsh
Left unchecked, rust can quickly ruin more than just your RV’s look. You want to do everything you can to prevent rust on your RV. It has the potential to make your rig unsafe, as well. Here’s why:
Driving over roads treated with salt or other chemicals can leave salt deposits all over the underside of your RV. Left unattended, this can lead to corrosion. This corrosion can quickly form rust on the rig’s frame and joints, potentially compromising the integrity of the coach.
Ask Dave
My RV’s roof air conditioner smells like mildew. What should I look for?
By Dave Solberg
Hi Dave,
I’m wondering if you have any ideas on why, when my AC is on, it smells like mildew in our 2018 Fox Mountain. This is the first time it has happened. I took a look at the air conditioner itself, but I don’t see anything really. Wonder if you can help. Thanks, Dave. —Andrew, 2018 Fox Mountain
RV Reviews
Grand Design Influence 2903RL; and Grand Design steps up
By Tony Barthel
Today’s RV review is of the 2024 Grand Design Influence 2903RL fifth wheel. Before we even look at this RV in general, there are a few things we have to unpack here. But also know that this is the fifth wheel floor plan I suggest any shopper start with only because everybody and their brother make this floor plan. So it gives you the opportunity to see how each company handles their own unique take on things. But what is the Influence, first of all? … [Also, Tony discusses the RV “frame flex” issue.]
Fix roof leaks and extend your RV roof another 18-20 years with the ONLY liquid butyl rubber in the world
RV Roof Magic’s unique solvent-based drying process allows for a chemical bond not found in other RV sealants. That is why it never needs a primer and only one coat. We offer a 10-year warranty. Apply RV Roof Magic to all roofs except silicone and PVC. Over 30 years of history of success. Visit our site for our monthly special!
In the RV Shop with Dustin
How to identify your RV roof vent lid hinge style
By Dustin Simpson
Did you know that there are five different RV vent lid styles? The main difference among them is how they hinge on the vent base. To better help yourself or your local repair shop, make sure you either remove the vent lid and take it in, or take a side and back view picture so it’s easier to match it up.
Many RV owners want to match their vent lids with other items on the roof such as the roof air conditioner cover. Typically, the roof vent lids come in black or white. There are also some things to consider besides the appearance when purchasing your replacement vent lids…
Video of the day
Easy Starlink mounts without permanent installation!
By Cheri Sicard
I recently got Starlink but have not used it much yet, but everyone I talk to who does have this satellite internet service seems to love it. But where to put the equipment with access to an electrical plug and clear access to the open sky is always the challenge. In the video above, Joshua from RV Gear & Far shares several different Starlink mounts he has used with success.
Tips for RVing/camping at NASCAR races
It’s National NASCAR Day, remember?
By Gail Marsh
The 2024 NASCAR season is well underway. This year’s race season first fired up its engines in February and will catch the final checkered flag in November. That means you still have several months to combine these two wildly popular passions.
If you love NASCAR and you love RVing as well, here are some tips for RVing at a NASCAR track.
You may have missed these recent popular stories…
- A KOA that’s well worth its price
- Real costs: Hybrid, electric, or gas vehicles. You may be surprised
- Flagstaff Super Lite 26RBWS – That’s much better…
- Largest RV manufacturer has ‘no one to talk to about customer service issues.’ REALLY?
Reader poll
Do you bring a drone with you on your RV trips?
Quick Tip
More air from your ducts?
“We have a 2016 Jayco Jay Flight and our best friend has a 2015 Jayco North Point, both with ducted A/C. In the course of helping my friend troubleshoot poor air flow and cooling, we found the round ceiling vents have 2″-long collars on them that were protruding halfway to the top of the duct, blocking most of the air flow into the room. Measuring from the face of the ceiling to the inside edge of the duct work on most of them we found 1¼” to 1½” made them even with the interior edge of the duct. We cut them down with one of us holding a Dremel tool with a disc cutter while the other rotated the vent to easily cut them down. Just make sure you don’t cut it short and blow air between the ceiling and the duct work. What a difference!! Greatly improved airflow that we estimate is up to 50% increase!” Thanks to Gene C.
On this day last year…
- Tip: Make your RV door(s) so much better
- Ask Dave: My RV’s water pump is noisy. What can I do?
- Video: You’re using your RV power awning wrong!
- Featured article: The story of Airstream, NASA and the space program’s Mobile Quarantine Facility
Website of the day
40 of the Most Colorful Places to Visit in the United States
It’s the time of year when we crave color… enough of those winter browns and grays already! Here are 40 places to get your color fix.
?? MYSTERY PRODUCT OF THE DAY ??
Don’t you love when we help you clean your RV? Well, when we suggest things like this we sort of are! Trust us, these make cleanup a breeze.
Recipe of the Day
BBQ Asparagus With Parmesan and Lemon Zest
by Brad Nichols from Pleasantville, NY
This is a seriously easy way to cook asparagus while outdoor grilling. No dishes, no fuss, and everything is in a simple disposable pouch. We loved the citrus tang the lemon gives the asparagus. We used lemon zest and a little juice – it gave such a fresh flavor. Parmesan cheese adds some saltiness (so you may not need extra salt). The pouch steamed the asparagus perfectly on the grill. If you follow Brad’s cooking time, the asparagus will be cooked but have a slight crisp. If you like soft asparagus, we suggest adding a few minutes onto the cooking time.
Trivia
If you have prosopagnosia, you are unable to recognize familiar faces. It’s sadly true. People who suffer from this neurological condition are “face blind” and cannot process or distinguish differences between faces they see or interact with. There is no treatment for this disorder. Actor Brad Pitt reports he suffers from prosopagnosia.
Readers’ Pet of the Day
“Milo (Toy Australian Shepherd) loves to travel and loves meeting people. He loves hiking and walking on the beach where allowed. He celebrated his 10th birthday on April 26.” —Melody Assaro
Send us a photo of your pet with a short description. We publish one each weekday in RV Daily Tips and in our Sunday RV Travel newsletter. No blurry photos, please! Please do not submit your photo more than once. Thanks!
Leave here with a laugh
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Mystery product – refrigerator shelf liners. Um no thank you. They are fine for the solid shelf above the drawers at the frig bottom. But don’t use them on wire racks. Those racks are wire to reduce weight, and far more importantly, to allow chilled air to circulate inside your RV frig.
What a cute pup ♥️
Melody,
Your dog is beautiful! You’re so lucky to have him.
Thank you, Emily and Diane! 🙂 Milo is adorable and so pretty! 🙂 I wish our Weagle were a Toy Aussie rather than a regular (grande?) Aussie (Thinking ahead to his last days when I carry him down the RV steps because of arthritis and cataracts). The laugh of the day is great (and will remain so regardless of how often repeated 🤔😉😊)! Have a great Friday and weekend, and safe travels! 🙂
If you put mats on your refrigerator shelves, you will block airflow and the top shelf will freeze while the rest of the refrigerator is warm!!!
Especially with RV refrigerator you need to be careful to promote air circulation. We added fans and improved the function of the refrigerator dramatically.
Rust comment after tho’t. When I bought our Class A with a Norcold absorption fridge the metal shelves had some rust beginning. I removed them, sanded and refinished with Rusfoleum Stainless Steel finish. They looked new and still look new and that’s 15 or 20 years ago! I didn’t use any undercoating either. I’ve also used the Bright Galvanize paint on the coach underside frame.
Milo looks like a really sweet doggie
The wonderful wizard of oz. uh huh. Have you really read the series of books? This was one dark series of books. The whole thing was dark. Glad they remade the movie to represent what was true to the books.
We did the “quick tip” a couple of years ago. After we cut the extra material from the vent collars we used short pieces of foil HVAC tape to seal the collar to the duct. This keeps the cool AC air out of the roof space and in the living space.