In the November “Tech Talk” (page 18), Tim Scowden said his alignment had been adjusted six times but his tires were still wearing out at an unacceptable rate. I have found that many alignment and RV shops do not know what they are doing when it comes to alignment. At one shop, the person I spoke with didn’t even know what caster is.
A shop I have used for two of my Monaco motorhomes is great. Redlands Truck & RV does a complete evaluation and alignment. After Redlands worked on my coaches, they drove and handled better than new. The shop even has a full-hookup RV park if you need to stay overnight. I have found Redlands Truck & RV (510 Amigos Drive, Redlands, CA 92373; www.redlandstruckservice.com; 888-249-0124) to be honest and competent.
Dennis Callaghan, F419137
Lake Havasu City, Arizona
The December 2016 “Tech Talk” column (page 20) included a letter from the owner of a 2000 National RV motorhome who was searching for a replacement motor for his Kwikee electric step. I wonder if the motor is really the problem. Recently, the step on our 1999 National RV Tradewinds motorhome quit extending when we opened the door. It turned out that our problem was merely a switch. My husband ordered the switch (under $50), and in less than an hour the step was fixed and working better than before.
Joann Gemmrig, F424910
Spokane Valley, Washington
Thank you for sharing that information.
In the March 2017 “Tech Talk,” Duane Byerly said he cannot get local TV stations using his Winegard antenna and DirecTV setup (“Local TV, page 18). About 12 years ago, we experienced the same problem using our Winegard satellite receiver. We contacted DirecTV, and once they understood we were in a motorhome and not a mobile home (we had to fax our motorhome registration to DirecTV), we were able to get the four major networks out of New York, Denver, and Los Angeles for $15 a month.
We installed a video control center (purchased online for about $79) in a cabinet over the passenger seat. We ran everything — satellite, off-air antenna, cable, and DVD player — into the video control center and out to the two televisions. The satellite antenna is connected at the cable inlet; no holes in the roof.
For local stations, we simply push a button on the video control center and watch with the roof-mounted off-air antenna (as long as stations are in a 75-to-90-mile range). It’s necessary to disconnect the amplifier that the off-air antenna runs through, since the video control center has an amplifier in it.
Everything else works the same way; just push a button. Our only problem occurs in the western part of America, apparently because of time zone issues.
Installers will tell you this won’t work, but it does, and it’s simple to install. I’ve done it in three motorhomes. Now we get only the New York feeds, and the price is still $15.
J.W. & Paula Hyde, F362289
Bristol, Florida
Thank you for sharing this information. Distant Network Service (DNS) makes it possible for RV travelers to receive ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC channels from New York or Los Angeles. Contact your provider for additional information about this service. Also, in regard to the solution described above, it’s important to note that newer high-definition units with multiple HDMI inputs can complicate matters.
In the March 2017 “Tech Talk” column, Duane Byerley said he cannot get local TV stations using his Winegard antenna and DirecTV setup (“Local TV,” page 18). This parallels the issues I had with a 2013 Allegro Bus and a King Dome antenna. When I got DirecTV at home, I tried to convert to DirecTV in the motorhome. I found that I could receive only the DirecTV standard-definition channels and no local channels.
I switched to Dish Network, and now I have all of Dish’s HD channels as well as local. I travel a lot; when I change locations, it only takes a phone call to Dish, and five minutes later, I’m watching local channels. Converting the antenna was simply a matter of removing the dome and changing some switches. Winegard’s website indicates the same problem with their domed antennas. I would suspect their conversion is similar to King Dome. Duane should contact Dish.
Marvin Smith, F283470
Grove, Oklahoma
Thank you for sharing your experiences.
I have a 2005 Holiday Rambler Vacationer motorhome with a four-door Norcold refrigerator (model 1200LRIM). After taking the motorhome out of storage, I usually let the fridge cool for two days before filling it up for our road trip. I turn it on with AC, and in about a minute or so, the ground-fault circuit interrupter (GFCI) outlet in the bathroom will pop and turn off the fridge. I then turn it to gas mode, and the fridge cools down without any problem. I set it back on AC, and the fridge operates perfectly until I store it away again for a couple months. I replaced the GFCI outlet, but that did not solve the problem.
Jack Arrison, F416825
Fayetteville, Pennsylvania
There appears to be some AC leakage of the 120-volt AC heating element, possibly caused by humidity while in storage. This would cause the GFCI to trip. The gas operation probably dries that area. Check for moisture around the rear of the fridge. Even if you do not find anything, the problem is manageable by first running the fridge using propane. If you wish to investigate further, replace the heating element. If the GFCI still trips, you can eliminate the heating element as the problem and focus on the control board and wiring.