Mark… My Words
Hi Paul,
Different things can cause flooring to be soft, but given the location of the problem, I'd bet that water damage is the cause of your soft floor. After you remove the carpet and/or floor covering over the area, you'll be able to tell for sure. If you've got rotten wood down there, then it is critical to find out where the moisture is coming from and correct that problem before replacing any flooring. Once that is done, you should be able to remove the damaged materials and repair the floor. The marine industry offers a number of products designed to stabilize or repair rotted wood on boats. Take a look at www.rotdoctor.com. I have used some of their products, and when applied properly, they are very effective in reclaiming water damaged wood structures. This may turn into a fairly big project, but take your time and you'll be able to fix it.
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Dear Mark,
We have a 5th wheel trailer and an air supported hitch. We have used a foot pump and a cheap compressor I bought at a garage sale for supporting the hitch needs. On occasion, when staying a long time in one location, we relieve the rear tire pressure in the truck to save on tire wear. Since installing a solar panel on the 5th wheel, we have been in more remote locations where it is not possible to find a garage to re–inflate the rear tires. We would like a 12V compressor that we can rely on in such situations.
Thanks,
John & Kathy
Hi John and Cathy,
There are a lot of 12V compressors out there, and you can purchase them from most places that sell auto parts. The problem is, if you purchase an inexpensive one, it probably won't hold up to more than very occasional use. There is one particular unit that I feel confident in recommending, as I have had one for a few years. The unit is made by Interdynamics and is called the "Truck Air." They are a bit more expensive but mine has held up very well over the years. (I did replace the 12V cigarette lighter plug with a pair of battery clips, as it wore out fairly quickly). You can find them in auto parts stores and online. Amazon.com sells them, along with several other online retailers. Shop around for the best price.
Here's a picture of the unit:
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Hi Mark,
We recently purchased an 2005 40–ft. Alpine Coach. We took it on a 10–day trip through the Smokies ending up in Douthat State Park in Virginia. We had 50 amp services in all our other camp sites but in Douthat we only had 30 amp service. The first night everything was fine but our second night we lost our furnace. I thought someone had turned off our propane but found the next morning our coach batteries were down and they would not support the furnace fan. Luckily, I had brought a charger along so we got by.
My question is – why did they go dead if I was plugged into 30 amp service?
Thanks,
John
Hi John,
50 amp RV service is actually two separate 50A 125V circuits. One circuit typically powers your primary (or front) air conditioner, your microwave, and your inverter. The other circuit typically powers your second roof air and a washer/dryer or other additional appliances. When you are plugged into a 50A service, then everything works. However, in order to plug the rig into a 30A receptacle you have to use an adapter and it's possible that your adapter is only providing power on one circuit of the pair. Take an ohmmeter and see how the adapter is wired. It's possible that your inverter/charger or converter is on the circuit that isn't being powered when you use your adapter. The answer is to purchase a new adapter, as they are supposed to supply power to both circuits.
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Dear Mark,
My wife and I have a 2005 Ford 250 Super Duty 4x4 Crew Cab short bed with a 6.8 V–10. We currently tow a 2004 Jayco 31' TT that has a GVW of 10,000 lbs. but plan on ordering a new Jayco 5ver in March with a GVW of 14,000 lbs. Our fuel economy now ranges between 8 and 10 MPG depending on where we are traveling. We are looking to retire next year and go fulltime for a few years and I wanted to know if it makes sense to get one of the engine upgrade systems for the truck to improve the mileage?
Ken and Cheryl
Hi Ken and Cheryl,
In my opinion, there is very little that engine modifications or accessories can do to greatly improve your fuel mileage when you are pulling a big RV. While you can do things to that engine to significantly increase horsepower and torque, I'd be surprised to find any engine mods that would guarantee you a significant increase in fuel economy, like, say, 15% – 20%. At 8–10 MPG, you are doing pretty well already. You will need to weigh the costs of the add–on parts against the expected fuel savings to determine if the savings are actually enough to pay for the mods. The most effective thing you can do to improve your mileage is free; slow down! A large part of the fuel you are burning is used to overcome wind resistance to keep your rig rolling along. You can save quite a bit of fuel by slowing down, as wind resistance increases exponentially the faster you travel. With fuel prices rising, even the truckers are slowing down to save fuel. In a recent Associated Press article it was reported that big trucks can increase their fuel mileage by more than a mile a gallon by slowing from 75 to 65. While I was never fond of the 55 MPH speed limit when it was in place, there's probably little doubt that driving 55–60 in your large RV, when it is safe to do so, will improve your mileage, possibly as much as 10–20%.
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Dear Mark,
We have a 1997 33' Prowler with a large slide–out. Our problem is SWAYING. It is all over the road. We pull it with a 1999 ½ ton Dodge Quad cab pick–up .I read in the camper's owner manual to properly put the right amount of air in all tires, and it still sways. The tires on the camper are only 2–ply. Could this be the problem?
Thank you very much,
Judy
Hi Judy,
Tire type and pressure can have an effect on sway. But, usually, if the tires are properly inflated, the difference between tire brands and ratings is subtle. Barring the rare mechanical or suspension problem, the majority of road sway problems are caused by improper loading of the trailer. It is critical to have at least 10% of the trailer's weight resting on the hitch ball. If the trailer is too heavy in the rear, it will push you all over the road, and can actually cause a potentially dangerous loss of control. You need to have the trailer weighed when fully loaded with your gear and consumables and correct the loading. You can do this fairly easily at most truck stop scales. First, weigh the tow vehicle and trailer on the split scale. Then, you can pull off the scale and unhitch the trailer, and then weigh just the tow vehicle. That will give you a good reading of how much hitch weight you are carrying. Get that weight into the 10% – 15% range and it will handle a lot better!
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Hi Mark,
This is not a question but another product to use with success on fiberglass. I have used with much success "Marinetex" – found at a good quality marine store. I had a crack in our Apache sidewall, patched it with Marinetex, and it lasted longer than any RV repair patch that I have ever used.
Suzanne,
Thanks,
Suzanne,
I'll add that to the list! There are a lot of marine compounds, glues and finishes that are very useful in the RV world. I like to check out West Marine and Discount Marine World when I'm in need of sealants and repair materials. There are also a lot of appliances and accessories that cross over nicely from the world of boats to the world of RVs. After all, many boats are used as floating RVs, and have the same basic systems aboard. It's worth a look, the next time you are in the market for RV accessories or maintenance materials. |
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Mark Nemeth has been involved with all things RV for more than ten years, including almost 5 years on the road as a fulltimer. Nowadays, Mark is parked for a while and works on staff for the Escapees RV club as technical advisor, consumer affairs director, and instructor in the Escapees RVer's Boot Camp program.
Some content previously printed in Escapees magazine, published by the Escapees RV Club. All material provided by Mark Nemeth, Escapees Magazine Technical Advisor and Boot Camp Instructor. For more information about the Escapees RV Club, please visit www.escapees.com or call 888–757–2582.
