Remember that when you leave this Earth, you can take with you nothing that you have received, only what you have given, a full heart enriched by honest service, love, sacrifice and courage. -St. Francis of Assisi

Monday, May 2, 2011

RVing Questions

So now that I have the "shakedown cruise" out of the way. I have some questions.

The coach needs a bath. Picked up a lot of bugs and road dirt along the way.  What products have you used that you like? That you dislike? Do you use a power washer? There is a power washer in the shed, it's only been used once to clean the deck before we restained it. I think it is too powerful and will damage the coach.

Tires: What type of air compressor do you have? I have one that I have carried around in my car for many years, and used a few times, but it is very slow.  Do you use a tire monitoring system? Are you happy with it?

Engine Heat and Road Noise: This is something I will have to adjust to because I love traveling in my coach.  I normally don't use A/C, I had to run it because it would get too warm in the cab. Why don't they put an A/C vent near my feet?  Are there any after market products that can cut down on either of these problems?

Bouncing and Swaying: I understand that I am driving a powerful truck with a big box attached to it. Are there any products that can be added, such as heavy duty shocks?  If I'm driving on a smooth straight road, the ride is similar to my SUV. I will slow down if it's windy or if the road is really bumpy. Are there any products that can be installed to help with the sway in these conditions? Or am I doing something wrong?

Thanks for any information you can give me on these subjects.

8 comments:

  1. I use a bucket of water with Dawn in it for washing the rig. I also have one of those expandable brushes to reach the high areas. I have a favorite wash/wax product that I rub in once a year, but I'd have to dig it out later to find out the exact name. :(

    I have an air compressor that is good to 150 psi because of the size of my tires. It is very heavy, but I use it to top off my tires before leaving my volunteer assignments. You probably wouldn't need one that big. I haven't invested in a tire monitor system. Many people are very gung-ho on them. I'm just not there yet.

    My AC up front keeps me cool enough when neccesary. I've never run the generator while driving to keep the rest of the coach cooled down.

    Perhaps others will comment on the sway business. You're probably not doing anything wrong. :)

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  2. at 1st there was alot of bouncing around and up & down and when i went to have tires checked i needed front shocks and a stabilizer bar was broken, whatever that is, BUT when things were fixed!!! WOW the ride is really different and much smoother for me to handle, now i am lots longer than u are. I don't know if u have a stabilizer bar or not.
    Still working on the tire air thing, just can't figure out what i need, think a compressor....

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  3. You're suppose to wash it? ;)

    I just inherited a portable air compressor and hope it works. Nice after sitting for a while to top off tires before rolling. Otherwise, I just thump them daily and feel for heat on the hubs plus carry the appropriate sized tire gauge. Always good to invest in a road care service anyway.

    Don't know about AC but would certainly check into excessive swaying.

    Glad you've had a good shake down.

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  4. We have a Pressure Pro system...it started out on my Class C and we added more sensors to move it to the big rig. http://pressureprosystem.com The McFalls give THE BEST service!

    I had a small portable compressor that also was an inverter and battery jumpstarter. Several companies make them, do a price check for the best price.

    My Class C did a lot of side to side swaying. I got new shocks and then added air bags to help with the load. I'd have the shocks checked out first.

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  5. I use Simple green as a first wash and then I go over it with a good wash& wax like magauers, sure it's two steps, but the dilluted ( 50%) Simple Green gets all the dirt off, then the wash & wax puts a nice shiny finish on the fiberglass.As far as the bouncing, there are two ways to go about it,first replace the original equiptment shock absorbers, ,which are inadequate, with a good RV grade gas filled shock like a Bilstein, did this on my truck and it helps when the weight of the 5th wheel is on it, in your case you have the body weight all the time.The other option is a set of Firestone airbags, with the optional air compressor that you can add or subject air to fit loading conditions. you will only need air bags on the rear, The ideal setup is a combination of both. That is what I am doing on my truck, I am adding the bags now that have the Bilsteins. Also the Bilsteins will last a lot longer than most original shocks.Be safe out there, Sam & Donna..

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  6. It looks so pretty! I love the pristine, un-decal-ed look.

    And that is all the technical talk I can do for now. Enjoy!

    Roxanne
    A Duck with Good Luck

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  7. Good suggestions so far. The most important part to me is the swaying and bouncing. I agree with Sam & Donna, the Firestone adjustable air bags are a great way to get the rig stable. Here is a link you can copy and paste.

    http://www.firestoneindustrial.com/riderite/

    Also replacing the shocks with real RV shocks can help big time. Koni FSD's are the best and Bilstein makes excellent ones as well.

    Here is a link of for the Koni's
    http://www.konirv.com/

    Best link I could find for the Bilstein's
    http://www.bilsteinshocks.com/bilstein/html/why_bilstein.html

    Another way to get the sway reduced is installing a trac bar in the rear of the vehicle. Yours isn't that long so may not need it but it can't hurt!

    Another way to help control the rig is a mechanism called Steer Safe, here is a link.
    http://www.steersafe.com/

    There are all sorts of things to help but nothing can stop the fact we drive vehicles that the wind can affect in a major way. My rig is 36ft and nearly 13ft high and has nothing installed yet to get the sway, or dog wagging in control but these are the products I am seriously considering.

    Good luck!

    Erik

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  8. Thanks for stopping by my blog - I'd never have found yours otherwise. How fun!

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Hi, I welcome your thoughts and comments.

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