Issue 969 • September 12, 2018
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QUICK TIPS
Keep your sink drain clean to avoid “stink”
Working in the RV galley generates all kinds of small waste particles. If they go down the sink drain, they can form a “stink generator,” and they can foul up your tank level probes. Get thee to the hardware store and obtain the appropriately sized stainless steel sink drain screen. Clean it out frequently — by tossing the contents in the trash, not down the drain. Here’s a good one, if you’re not near a hardware store.
Another caulking cartridge preservation trick
Face it, who wants to throw away half a tube of roof caulking? It’s expensive, and you never know when you’ll need it. So you stick a bolt or screw down the snoot, maybe wrap it with a turn or two of electrical tape, and hope the next time you need it the goop will flow. And many times, it doesn’t. Here’s a trick we haven’t tried, but we pass it along for your consideration: When you’re done with the sealing job, relieve the pressure from the tube’s contents, pull a little bit out of the end of the tube (maybe with a screw or bolt!), then fill up the void with petroleum jelly. Supposed to keep the air out, and the contents usable. When ready to use next time, push out the petro-jel and wipe the tube clean before squishing the good stuff. And, to be safe, make sure to throw away the first bit of the sealant, lest there be an unwelcome reaction between the goop and the ersatz seal.
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Today’s brain teaser (answer below): Mom and Dad have four daughters, and each daughter has one brother. How many people are in the family?Â
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MORE QUICK TIPS
Save time at the border crossingÂ
Planning on an RV adventure into Mexico or Canada, but on a tight schedule? Call ahead to the border crossing and check for crossing times. If there’s a long wait, check and see if another nearby crossing has a better offering. Here’s a website that shows current crossing times.
Fifth-wheelers, beware hitch chucking!
Because fifth-wheel hitches are anywhere from 14 to 18 inches above the bed, they can be susceptible to chucking, where the coupler jaws grab the kingpin. This is mainly a problem with less expensive setups. If you spend more on a better fifth-wheel hitch that adjusts to keep a tight grip on the kingpin, chucking is all but eliminated.
— From So, you want to be an RVer? And Enjoy the RV Lifestyle? [Revised]Â
Do you have a tip? Send it to Russ (at) rvtravel.com
Clean your microwave with no hassle! 
Is your microwave dirty? Is it hard to scrub off all that crusty gunk? Admit it, when was the last time you scrubbed it clean? Angry Mama, the miracle microwave cleaner, is here to do the dirty job for you! Add water and vinegar (maybe some lemon too) to this feisty lady and watch her steam away the mess. Within minutes your microwave will be sparkling! Be right back, I’m buying one here!
WEBSITES OF THE DAY
Dog and cat breeds banned from airline travel
Did you know there are 44 dog breeds and four cat breeds that are unable to travel by plane? With the holidays coming up, it’s good to know if Fido can or can’t join you on your trip. Read about health risks here and find out everything you need to know about traveling by airplane with your pet.Â
Monty’s Musings
El Monte RV runs a great blog about living and traveling in an RV. There’s some unique information on here about camping at sporting events, concerts and tailgating events.Â
Check out the long list of great RVing-related websites from RVtravel.com.
Book explores nomadic, RV workcamper culture
This is not an upbeat read, but it’s fascinating. Author Jessica Bruder traveled with many RV nomads as they moved about the USA working along the way, many just to survive. She spent a lot of time with those who work seasonally at Amazon.com warehouses, which is tough work. The book paints a rather dark picture of this nomadic life, but it does allow a peek into one that most RVtravel.com readers are not familiar with. We highly recommend giving it a read. Learn more or order.
Answer to today’s brain teaser:Â Seven. The four daughters have only one brother, making five children, plus mom and dad.
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LEAVE HERE WITH A LAUGH
Charles Dickens walks into a bar and asks for a martini. The bartender asks, “Olive or twist?”
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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.
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I colect “vintage” & “classic” jazz. I stash it on a External HD, so I can take it from computer to computer, I even purchased a “personal cloud drive that I can get to from my Iphone, laptop or ipad. It is something Ihave been doing since I was 13, and I am now 73. I have had to rebuild my collection at least 6 times, that is why there is so much duplication, the files are synced. Being that I now have at least 3 synced copies for backup, I should never have to start rebuilding again. Isn’t technology a wonderful thing…….
The ‘chucking’ note strikes me as a non-tip — an add for an Amazon book, but no info on what chucking is nor what to do about it or what the danger is. The comments were the ‘tips’, more-or-less. I assume ‘chucking’ is a repeated lurching; I get it once or twice after a bump, but it goes away and seems not to be a problem. Is it?
I answered yes to collecting although I have slowed way down living in the RV the last 14 years. But I do have a large collection of skunks in storage (had a pet skunk as a kid).
I use the screens – can buy at the dollar store, Walmart, etc. Dollar stores work as good as the more expensive ones. Have then on all drains. My problem is the kitchen sink because it is almost level going from the left sink drain to the trap it builds up slim in there. I have not found any way to stop it. When it slows down I use the plunger!
Those wire drain catchers also come in sizes to fit the bath sink and shower drain. Great hair catchers! About $3.50 at CW.
I steer WAY clear of El Monte, Cruise America, and Road Bear rigs when I see them. Nuf said.
Harry, while traveling in our motorhome from Arizona to Bryce Canyon, Utah this summer, my wife and I counted over 100 Cruise America rentals on the road. Seems a lot of them were from California.
Just because you saw license plates from California doesn’t mean they all are from California. Corporations that have large fleets to license may have gotten a good deal from California to register all of them there. For instance all UHaul rental trucks are licensed in Arizona. It helped to license them in one state so they would be easier to keep track of plus they have multi state licensing included in the registration. That way every state gets a piece of the pie for the registration and Arizona gets a little extra money for providing the license plates and some paperwork services.
The website listed above for border crossing times covers only Canada and gives one long list. I think this is a better one–you may choose Canada or Mexico, a single crossing point, multiple points, or all: https://bwt.cbp.gov/index.html
The only stuff I collect are items that I purchase thinking I may have an use for that someday but then THAT day never comes. Then it gets sold for pennies on the dollar at a garage sale. Not TOO smart, Eh!
“Fifth-wheelers, beware hitch chucking!” NOT a problem by using an Andersen hitch.Once your rig sits on that ball..there is no movement..a plus is the hitch is lighter…and stronger than many archaic jerk-a-lot traditional king pin hitches.
Andersen Hitches owner Ryan Andersen was photographed defacing Corona Arch in Southern Utah, then posing with his family in front of the damage.
https://www.rvtravel.com/anderson843/
I saw that..but it doesn’t affect my decision to use his product.I don’t care for the Walton’s either but I still buy things at Walmart.
I’ve towed over 300 different RVs, mostly 5th wheels. Some 5ers have expensive hitches and most just the regular hitch. I found little difference in the chucking to justify the cost of those with shocks, air ride, etc. Most chucking, in my experience, has been caused by the road. Drop your speed and the chucking goes away then go back to where you were.
My 5’ver, an Arctic Fox, came standard with the Morryde pinbox. It has what they call a “rubber shear pin” which greatly reduces the jerky back and forth. I watched a video that a fella did showing with and without the Morryde and I thought it was pretty significant. My Fox is the only 5’ver I’ve had, so I do not have experience with a plain pinbox. But I can tell you my ride is pretty dang smooth. 🙂
I noticed significant chucking when I bought my SunnyBrook. So had a Morryde pinbox put on and no more chucking. Love it.