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Date Posted |
Forum
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RE: aftermarket brake controller vs. factory controller
Does the trailer "emergency" (manual override) brake work? At least that would tell you if the brake controller is doing something.
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Tvov
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11/22/08 04:14pm |
Toy Haulers
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RE: New Vinyl for MH - Finally Finished!
Wow! Looks great.... (sounds like a lot of work...lol)
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Tvov
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11/22/08 04:11pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: What are your plans for '09??
Our "new" place to go next year is Niagara Falls. Just getting our passports now... the kids think it is pretty cool to have a passport for "international travel", lol.
Son and I always camp for Father's Day weekend at a state park. Wife, daughter, and a couple other womenfolk usually have a Ladies Only weekend.
We have already booked a spot at our local state park for "fire, ems, medical" weekend... This past spring was a great time, firefighters, ambulance folk, and nurses (I think a doctor showed up... they don't always like to be around nurses who are off duty and have "had a few", as the nurses might tell them what they really think about them, LOL!) all got together for the weekend. One guy showed up and played bagpipes for a few songs... great time!
We also have plans for Halloween... the last couple of years we've gotten together with the same two families at Wolf's Den Campground in CT for Halloween weekend, great time there.
What few weekends we have left, we'll probably stay at a couple of our "regular" campgrounds. I would love to check out Reinbeck Aerodrome (sp?) in upstate New York, but I don't know if we'll be able to fit it in next summer.
The big unknown is whether we will get to Fort Wilderness (Disney) again. I would love to do it again... we'll probably decide by February at the latest.
Busy year for camping planned (as usual). A lot of our trips are to state parks and campgrounds that are not too expensive, so cost wise it usually works out to less than taking the family on a "traditional" weekend hotel trip. We use our TT a lot compared to friends, and I don't see us using it less next year.
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Tvov
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11/21/08 01:33pm |
General RVing Issues
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RE: How can I improve fuel mileage with a Ford V-10?
I don't know that particular engine / transmission setup, but 2400-2500 rpm? That just seems a little high for a "big block" engine. What kind of transmission is it, and do you know what your rear end ratio is? Is the transmission shifting into overdrive on flat highway (do you have overdrive?)?
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Tvov
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11/19/08 09:44am |
Class C Motorhomes
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RE: TT or 5th Wheel
So you are talking about something like a "park model" TT? You aren't planning on towing it?
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Tvov
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11/16/08 04:49pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: Secret for making camping res at disney world
Then they said it did not apply to the campground.
From what I can tell, almost all of the specials that Disney regularly advertises will not apply to campsites at Fort Wilderness.
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Tvov
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11/16/08 04:45pm |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Secret for making camping res at disney world
Oh, also, if you are planning on going at any time(s) that might be considered "holiday" or "vacation", make your reservations FAR in advance. We went during the "off season" (mid October), but we still made reservations almost a year in advance.
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Tvov
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11/16/08 10:49am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Secret for making camping res at disney world
LOL, we just got back a few weeks ago from spending a week at Fort Wilderness in Disney World. A great campground, and we had a fantastic time.
That was the MOST difficult and confusing vacation I have EVER planned. Having said that, once we were there, everything went smooth as silk, no problems at all.
Try this forum, the DisBoards camping forum:
http://www.disboards.com/forumdisplay.php?f=24
Great people there who will help you out.
Look into using AAA for making your reservations. We got great discounts, and AAA basically did all the paperwork for us.
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Tvov
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11/16/08 10:46am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Best for storing photos?
First, we save the photos on our computer. Then we "burn" our photos to a DVD. I don't know how this stuff all works... but I heard that "burning" to a DVD is longer lasting than just "saving" to a CD.
We also download alot of photos to Shutterfly (many other online services are similar), an online picture service. From Shutterfly we pick the photos we want printed, and they send the prints to us. Also, Shutterfly and many other online services now provide "photoalbums" that you can create on their site using your photos. You choose the photos you want in the album, add any graphics or "effects", they print up the album in book form and send them to you. We usually make up a few of these to give to far away relatives as gifts. And save one for our house. My wife figured out that the cost of making these online albums was basically the same (maybe a little bit more, depending on how crazy you get) as the money she was spending on "scrapbooking" supplies to make up fancy photo albums.
So, we save photos on our computer, we burn photos to a DVD, save them at an online service, and have prints made up for us. Seems like enough places that if something happens, we should be able to get our photos back somehow!
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Tvov
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11/16/08 10:38am |
Technology Corner
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RE: First timer mistakes.
Sounds like perfectly normal "first timer" stuff. Yes, campgrounds charge your credit card right away. Most campgrounds, in their "rental" agreements, state that there is NO refund for any reason (be aware of this). If your plans change, and the campground will not give a refund, ask if you can have a credit for the future. Depending on the mood of the office staff at the time (AND if you are not being a pain about it), they may give this to you.
Also, at the majority of campgrounds you can only rent ONE campsite to use... you can't rent 2 or more (and pay for them) just to give yourself extra room.
When you arrive at a campground and the check in is busy (especially late on Fridays), be patient. The campground staff will probably be grumpy. Just do what they say. If there is a minor problem with your campsite, if it can wait don't bother the office until the next morning. If you need help sooner, let the office know but unless it is a true emergency tell the staff you can wait for a while. They will appreciate it.
Yes, watch your power consumption. Especially if you are planning on using all your "amenities", make sure you are hooked up to the proper amps (usually 30 or 50amp). If there is a long run from the power pole to your camper, make sure any extension is at least as large (capability) as your factory power cord.
Figure out how your smoke alarm is hooked up... you can usually quickly disconnect them. BUT, BUT, BUT -- hook it back up after you have aired out the camper!!!!!!!
You will find that most RV'ers are friendly and very willing to help out. If you are having trouble, certainly ask your neighbors, or let them help out. If you turn down an offer for help, it may not be offered again. Plus, most RV'ers just like to help out. You might want to put up with some advice or help even if it really isn't needed...just think that you are making the other person feel good!
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Tvov
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11/15/08 09:17am |
Beginning RVing
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RE: Help Us to Understand
The times that I have spent the night in a truck stop, rest area or a Wal-Mart it has been because I am enroute to another destination and I am only stopping because it was too late to keep going. Even if there were a campground across the street, and even if it were free, I would still park in the truck stop. I would do this out of respect for you and the other RVers in the campground. I wouldn't want to disturb you by pulling in late and leaving early.
Thank you! and Thank You to all the other RV'ers "on the road" who don't disturb the campgrounds late at night and early in the morning. Nothing like getting to a nice campground, setting up, enjoying the campfire, going to bed full of s'mores, and getting woken up at 2AM by someone leaving (or arriving).
I've got no problem at all with people taking a nap at a rest stop. Thank you for getting off the road when you were tired!
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Tvov
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11/15/08 08:50am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: ULSD = poor mileage
Can't say for sure as we've only used ULSD. The real question should be are we using winter formula now? Winter formula is something like 10% less energy per gallon, hence lower MPG.
If you are just noticing a difference now, this might be the reason, switching over to "winter fuel". I always noticed a difference the winter (F250 7.3). I also wondered if it had something to do with extra idling in the winter to warm up.
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Tvov
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11/15/08 08:33am |
Class A Motorhomes
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RE: Another winterizing question
I run RV anti-freeze through all the lines, which ends up filling the sink traps, which ends up getting a good amount in the gray and black tanks.
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Tvov
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11/15/08 08:28am |
General RVing Issues
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RE: Marine Power plug
I'm not sure exactly what you are talking about. My TT has a marine shore power type plug, if I am not mistaken.
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Tvov
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11/15/08 08:26am |
Tech Issues
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RE: Boondocking in a small blizzard -- no problem
but the 30-footer next to us had his deployed......best guess was that he had +/- 3,500# of snow on the roof, and all four stabilizers were destroyed! My TH squatted about 2" under about 1,500# additional weight.....
Gotta' get that snow off the roof!
J
I never would have thought of that. That is something to think about for outside storage over the winter.
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Tvov
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11/13/08 09:00pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: Boondocking in a small blizzard -- no problem
GREAT blog!
Glad everything worked, sounds like a lot of fun, with the right amount of adventure thrown in.
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Tvov
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11/13/08 03:37pm |
Public Lands, Boondocking and Dry Camping
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RE: * * * MICE!!! * * *
I bought a "live catch" trap last winter, and it didn't work at all. The mice simply wouldn't go into it, and I was using peanut butter as bait in an area that I knew mice were active. I went back to the traditional snap traps, and immediately caught two mice. Just my experience.
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Tvov
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11/13/08 10:40am |
Fifth-Wheels
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RE: Dropping like a stone
Some things to think about with used versus new... if you can't pay cash and need to get a loan to buy that used truck that is 3-4 years old, in 3 years you might be still making payments on a 7 year old truck. Parts age.. you inevitably will be running into repair costs, and if you didn't get a warranty you will be paying to repair a truck you are still making payments on. And... when you finally pay off your 8-9 year old truck, it will be worth that much less due to age. I just went through this with my previous truck.
I would think seriously before getting a loan for a truck more than 2 years old.
Of course, if you can pay cash, then this doesn't really apply to you.
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Tvov
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11/13/08 10:36am |
Tow Vehicles
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RE: Adding Battery Shut-off Switch
With our TT, everything in the camper works when and if the battery is disconnected. It may depend on which inverter/converter thingy you have.
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Tvov
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11/12/08 04:01pm |
Travel Trailers
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RE: * * * MICE!!! * * *
I use the traditional snap traps for mice. Pretty much instant death for the mice. I don't like having to dispose of a glue trap with a mouse, still living, stuck on it.
Once you get the mice out of the camper... I use Irish Spring soap bars and Bounce original scent dryer sheets inside the camper. I really don't know how well they work, but the camper smells good in the spring!
Mothballs -- use them OUTSIDE the camper!!!!!! I put mothballs around the hitch jack and around the wheels of the camper. Basically anything that is touching the ground. Sometime in mid-winter I will add a few more mothballs outside the camper.
So far this has worked for me.
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Tvov
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11/12/08 05:12am |
Fifth-Wheels
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