Check out the “Letters to the Editor” section of this issue. Readers have written in to tell us their RVing stories during their travels.
Thanks To FMCAssist
Dear Editor:
In late August 2017, while visiting the Oregon coast, I developed life-threatening complications from an abdominal aortic aneurysm and was airlifted to Seattle, Washington, for emergency surgery. My subsequent recovery and rehab of seven weeks left us unable to continue our stay in the Northwest, and certainly unable to drive our vehicles back home to Yuma, Arizona.
We contacted Seven Corners, which administers the FMCAssist Medical Emergency and Travel Assistance Program, to seek advice and assistance. We were assigned to Kathy Perret. She helped my wife understand what to expect from Seven Corners. She stayed closely in touch as my medical issues developed and it became clear that we would need transportation home for ourselves, our two cats, and our motorhome and towed car.
Kathy worked with us and our medical team to determine requirements and put together the plan of action. We were driven by limo to the Portland International Airport; took first-class flights; and, after we landed in Yuma, were provided transportation to our home. Because of my condition, Seven Corners allowed our daughter to accompany us to help with luggage, pets, and provide other assistance in getting us home experience.
Everything Turned Out Alight In The End
At the same time, Seven Corners made arrangements to have our motorhome and towed car driven to our home. Everything arrived in good order.
We are so impressed with Kathy and the Seven Corners crew. The constant contact, follow-up, advice, and attention to detail turned a really bad situation into a positive experience.
We certainly didn’t expect that we’d ever had to take advantage of the FMCAssist member benefit, but we are so thankful that it was available when we needed it. In our opinion, this benefit is almost priceless, and yet it is available for the cost of an FMCA membership.
Clayton & Judi Kirkland, F378604
Yuma, Arizona
Towing Jeep Grand Cherokee
Jeep Grand Cherokee owners: If your Grand Cherokee sometimes wobbles while being flat towed behind your motorhome, Family Motor Coaching wants to hear from you. Owners who have experienced the wobble say it can cause the entire motorhome to shake, and the only way to stop the wobble is to bring the vehicle to a halt. Some owners say it happens when making a sharp turn, in particular if the pavement is uneven or bumpy (such as at a railroad track or a dip in the road). The wobble may also occur at higher speeds.
FMC is attempting to gather more information to determine the scope of the problem. Contact associate editor John Johnston by email at jjohnston@fmca.com. Briefly describe the circumstances that led to the wobble, including the road conditions. Include the model year of your Grand Cherokee and the tow bar you use, along with your name, phone number, and mailing address.
Caring Friends
Dear Editor:
We would like to thank the Six State Rally Association of FMCA for their kindness to us after the devastating losses we experienced recently. Hurricane Harvey took the roof off of our house in Texas, and it also ended up flooding. We had 7 feet of water in our house. During this blow from Mother Nature, our son passed away. We are still waiting on results, but we suspect his death may have been hurricane-related as well, since his house was affected, too.
Herman and I were touched and grateful when we received a note and check from Frank Taber on behalf of the South Central Area to help us with some of the expenses we’ve experienced. We are fortunate to have our motorhome to stay in but are still busy working on making the house livable again.
Thanks to our FMCA friends for their generosity and caring.
Herman “Tee” & Janelle Judice, F219859
Lumberton, Texas
Special Thanks
Dear Editor:
We would like to express our deep gratitude to the Six State Rally Association of FMCA for the assistance we received after Hurricane Harvey destroyed our home in Port Aransas, Texas.
We have been overwhelmed by all the devastation. Enormous piles of debris line the street in front of our house and all throughout the town. Our once-quiet neighborhood is now full of the sounds of homes being torn down. Almost all our neighbors are having to live somewhere else, for months or perhaps years. We are so thankful we have our motorhome to live in.
During this darkest of times for us, we were humbled to receive the kindest letter and a check from the Six State Rally Association to help us get through this. We are so grateful. The association’s thoughtfulness and generosity will not be forgotten.
We want to give special thanks to the South Texas Renegades chapter and to everyone who donated money to the FMCA Disaster Relief Fund to help those affected by Harvey. From the bottom of our hearts, we thank you.
Ken & Marcie Gilley, F435974
Port Aransas, Texas
Towing Equinox
Family Motor Coaching received word from General Motors officials on November 1, 2017, that GM engineers have developed a revised flat towing procedure for 2010 through 2017 Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain vehicles equipped with 4-cylinder engines. GM developed the new procedure to eliminate the wobble that sometimes occurs when flat towing these vehicles behind a motorhome. FMCA first brought the matter to GM’s attention in December 2016.
GM service bulletin 17-NA-348 describes the revised towing procedure. The service bulletin says in part: “This (wobble) condition may be caused by fuse 32 being removed from the instrument panel fuse block as outlined in the owners manual.” The revised procedure states that it is no longer necessary to remove fuse 32. However, fuse 16 must be removed from the engine compartment fuse block (one exception: in the 2010 Equinox, remove fuse 15). Engineers determined that these changes should keep the vehicle’s electric power steering activated during flat towing.
Another important aspect of the revised procedure:
An auxiliary battery charger must be installed to prevent the battery in the Equinox/Terrain from losing its charge while the vehicle is being towed.
In regard to the 2018 Equinox, the owners manual specifies that in order to be towable four wheels down, the vehicle must be equipped one of these ways: front-wheel-drive, 1.5-liter gas-powered; front-wheel-drive, 1.6-liter diesel-powered; or all-wheel-drive, 1.6-liter diesel-powered. GM officials say that because the electrical architecture in the 2018 Equinox differs from previous model years, it is not necessary to pull any fuses. However, just as with 2010-2017 models, a charger will be necessary to keep the towed vehicle’s battery charged. The current owners manual for the 2018 Equinox will be revised to reflect the need for a charger.
The 2018 Terrain cannot be flat towed.
In July, when FMC associate editor John Johnston spoke with GM’s crossover vehicle performance manager, the GM official said the first step in developing a fix was to replicate the wobble during testing. In November, he said that despite testing that encompassed a variety of conditions and scenarios, engineers were unable to replicate the wobble. Nevertheless, he said, “we’re pretty confident” that the revised towing procedure will solve the wobble problem. “We think we have a good solution.”
If you would like to receive GM service bulletin 17-NA-348, which spells out the revised flat towing procedure for the 2010-2017 Chevy Equinox and GMC Terrain, email FMC associate editor John Johnston at jjohnston@fmca.com.
Stuck Slideout Fixed
Dear Editor:
I wanted to tell fellow Newmar owners that Steinbring Motorcoach of Garfield, Minnesota, helped me by phone when our coach’s slideout wouldn’t retract.
We were on a trip to South Carolina. I had the Newmar owners’ group magazine, Newmar Kountry Klub Konnection, in the coach, and the first ad in the magazine was from Steinbring. I called them, thinking maybe they did service work on Saturdays. The man answering my call said the department was closed, but he offered to help. He walked me through the process to disconnect the drive axles and push the slideout back in.
I was never so relieved. My wife and I had scheduled a brief four-day weekend because I am still working, and we had no extra days off. His efforts saved us three days, plus money.
Thank you, Steinbring Motorcoach (7390 County Road 82 N.W., Garfield, MN 56332; 877-880-8090, 320-834-6333; www.steinbring.com).
Jim & Kathy Laverdiere, F435895
Carmel, Indiana
Editor’s note: Steinbring Motorcoach is a longtime FMCA commercial member, C9868.
Good Work In Saskatchewan
Dear Editor:
I purchased a used 2005 Monaco Executive in Calgary, Alberta, and the coach needed a lot of work. Fortunately for me, I found a great repair shop in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, where I live. It is Central Repair (306-382-5336; www.centralrepair.ca). Because of all of the work my coach required, I have spent a lot of time there and have gotten to know the staff very well. Everyone is friendly, and they do amazing work.
Corbette, the owner, has a motorhome of his own and has taken great interest in the business of helping others who have problems with their motorhomes. He tells me that at first some of the staff were concerned about working on something unfamiliar, but he encouraged them to just think the problems through. I would trust any one of his staff with my motorhome. At some point, every one of them has worked on my coach. Over the three years that I have been going there, I have seen more and more coaches. When I have an opportunity, I talk to the owners, and they are also very happy with the work.
The prices charged are reasonable and fair; I have never received a bill that I thought was too high. If you are ever in Saskatchewan and need any work done on your coach, give Central Repair a call. You will be very pleased.
Doug McPeek, F452394
Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
A Wonderful Remodel
Dear Editor:
To remodel or not to remodel; that was my question. Our 2006 Mandalay motorhome was mechanically superb, but the interior was getting a little long in the tooth and showing some wear and tear. I’m a research kind of guy, so after scouring all the back issues of FMC magazine that I hoard, I started to contact various firms listed there. Living in Arizona, I also web-searched all local possibilities.
My initial efforts were quite frustrating. Some remodelers were put off that my coach wasn’t a high-end, fancy heirloom. Sorry, but I think I have a great coach and we love it. Others turned cool when I said I wanted to work within a strict budget.
The logistics of a distant, out-of-state opportunity proved to be too much for us. So, we narrowed it down to the Southwest. I visited more than three remodelers in the region. They didn’t have showroom samples of furniture, flooring, or, in some cases, fixtures and blinds, so I was profoundly disappointed. I traveled hundreds of miles to be told things like, “Bring us what you want and we’ll install it.”
Then we found RV Decor, in Yuma, Arizona. What followed was a wonderful experience working with helpful, knowledgeable people, in a showroom filled with samples of flooring, furniture, blinds, and upholstery. We planned within our budget, got an estimate, and finally contracted for everything we wanted. The process was comfortable, friendly, and comprehensive. The work was accomplished on time, and the quality is first class.
If you have been contemplating a remodel on your motorhome, start by going to RV Décor (5800 E. 32nd St., Yuma, AZ 85365; 928-550-7010, www.rvdecor.com). You won’t be disappointed.
Ted Fichtl, F241819
Sierra Vista, Arizona