Ronald Rosendohl, F305634
Percy, Illinois
The specific instructions for towing the Colorado can be found in the vehicle’s owners manual under a heading such as “Recreational Towing.” All of the steps that are required to prepare the vehicle for towing and any towing restrictions or limitations can be found there.
DTV Converter Question
I was excited to see that the August 2008 FMC issue featured information on the forthcoming TV changeover. However, I still have questions as to what I will do with the three televisions in my 2006 Newmar Dutch Star.
Bill Hendrix gave a very understandable report on how to install a new TV, if that is the chosen route, in his article (“Out With The Old “” TV, That Is,” page 54), but he didn’t give any information on how he removed the old TV (which I assume was the one in front). From what I can tell, in my unit I would have to remove the pull-down shade and sunscreens to get to the back of the cabinet where the TV mounting screws are probably located. This doesn’t look like an easy one-person task. Would Bill have any comment on this?
Surprisingly enough, if I had to go with individual converters, the TV in front is probably the easiest, as I would just mount it under the existing cabinet. I could care less about the bedroom unit, and removing the TV for more storage would be fine, although it is probably something that could be used with a converter as long as the converter can be mounted vertically on the side of the cabinet.
The outside entertainment center is my biggest problem, as I don’t see anywhere that I could mount a converter. Sharp tells me there is no direct replacement for my TV, but I haven’t looked and measured either. This is where I watch the evening news while grilling dinner, so I want it to work and be controlled out there.
The next issue is the report from Jim Brightly on the converter box (“Digital TV In A Box,” page 60). I fail to understand why the converter box wasn’t made to convert all over-the-air signals to analog to be forwarded (through my distribution box) to however many TVs there might be in an RV (or home). My contact at Winegard agrees, but he is a long way from design and company direction.
Why is this a big deal to me? Well, many RV parks have cable hookups but not the one I want to stay at in Palm Harbor, Florida, this winter or the one I sometimes visit in Houston, Texas. These campgrounds have so many over-the-air broadcast stations in the area that they just don’t see cable as a necessity. I do have satellite capability, and DISH Network would work in Houston, but my space is under the trees in Florida, and my wife would laugh at me if I had to go searching for cable and for an external antenna location. And for all I know, I might still have separate DISH boxes to locate for each TV.
Fred Leport, F370763
Union, Kentucky
The article by Bill Hendrix did not comment on the removal of the old TV, because all installations are different. His project involved replacing a flat-screen plasma TV that used a mounting bracket. But many of the CRT (tube-type) TVs are simply held in the cabinet by the front trim. Others are fastened from the sides by screws into a retaining piece. You just look and determine whatever mounting method was used.
In regard to Jim Brightly’s converter box article, you don’t have to locate the digital converter box near each TV. As was explained in the article, setting up the box is pretty straightforward. Plug the antenna coaxial cable into the input port of the box, connect the TV coaxial cable into the output port on the box, connect the converter box’s 120-volt-AC power cord, and you’re ready to go. Basically, the converter box becomes your TV’s tuner. You then use the remote that came with the converter to control the channels.
Although you do not have to locate the box next to your TV, that’s where most people would put it. It simply has to be connected in the above sequence and within line of sight to where the remote can be used to change channels. So, in your outside TV dilemma, you could mount the box in an adjacent storage compartment and run the wires from the antenna and TV to the converter box (you also would need 120-volt-AC power). Leave that compartment open when you’re watching TV outside and use the remote to change channels.
Tire Aging
I am an FMCA member in need of advice regarding a problem I experienced with my motorhome tires. I bought a used 1998 Discovery diesel-pusher motorhome. The coach had 30,000 miles on the odometer. After telling the salesman that I intended to take the coach on a four-month, cross-country trip, I was told it had undergone a complete mechanical and safety inspection and was ready for the trip. I specifically asked about the tires, since I could see that they were not brand-new but appeared to be in good condition. I was told they were excellent, and not to be concerned.
Two months ago, I had a dangerous, and very frightening, blowout of the left front tire, which caused extensive body damage. While the damage was being repaired at another dealership, I was told that the blowout should be no surprise since the tires were 10 years old and appeared to be the original tires supplied on the coach. I asked how the technician knew this, and he said there were DOT-embossed manufacture dates on all the tires and that they predated the date of manufacture of the coach.
This dealer told me that motorhome tires should always be replaced after no more than five years, regardless of tread depth or mileage, because the sidewall rubber slowly decomposes and creates a safety hazard. I had been told this by others, and always followed that rule myself with prior motorhomes. I didn’t realize the tires were date-stamped, however, or I would have checked them myself before buying the coach.
When I contacted the sales manager at the dealership where I purchased the coach and told him what had happened and what I had discovered, I was told that the company policy is to replace tires only if they are obviously damaged or have sidewall cracks greater than 3/32-inch long.
Is there, in fact, a safety issue with tires that are 10 years old?
Robert Marcus, F154302
Fallbrook, California
This topic has come up at seminars presented during FMCA’s international conventions. I also found the following recommendation, which applies to RV and motorhome tires, on Michelin’s Web site: “Tires are composed of various types of material and rubber compounds, having performance properties essential to the proper functioning of the tire itself. These component properties evolve over time. For each tire, this evolution depends upon many factors such as weather, storage conditions, and conditions of use (load, speed, inflation pressure, maintenance, etc.) to which the tire is subjected throughout its life. This service-related evolution varies widely so that accurately predicting the serviceable life of any specific tire in advance is not possible.
“That is why, in addition to regular inspections and inflation pressure maintenance by consumers, it is recommended to have RV/motorhome tires, including spare tires, inspected regularly by a qualified tire specialist, such as a tire dealer, who will assess the tire’s suitability for continued service. Tires that have been in use for 5 years or more should continue to be inspected by a specialist at least annually.
“Consumers are strongly encouraged to be aware not only of their tires’ visual condition and inflation pressure, but also of any change in dynamic performance such as increased air loss, noise, or vibration, which could be an indication that the tires need to be removed from service to prevent tire failure.
“It is impossible to predict when tires should be replaced based on their calendar age alone. However, the older a tire the greater the chance that it will need to be replaced due to the service-related evolution or other conditions found upon inspection or detected during use.
“While most tires will need replacement before they achieve 10 years, it is recommended that any tires in service 10 years or more from the date of manufacture, including spare tires, be replaced with new tires as a simple precaution even if such tires appear serviceable and even if they have not reached the legal wear limit.
“For tires that were on an original equipment vehicle (i.e., acquired by the consumer on a new vehicle), follow the vehicle manufacturer’s tire replacement recommendations, when specified (but not to exceed 10 years).
“The date when a tire was manufactured is located on the sidewall of each tire. Consumers should locate the Department of Transportation or DOT code on the tire that begins with DOT and ends with the week and year of manufacture. For example, a DOT code ending with “0304” indicates a tire made in the 3rd week (Jan.) of 2004.”
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