Relocate A Smoke Alarm?
Dear RV Doctor:
We live in our unit full-time. The smoke alarm in our motorhome is so sensitive that I cannot cook a meal without it going off.
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Charging House Batteries
I have a 2006 Coachmen 38-foot diesel pusher on a Freightliner chassis with a 300-horsepower Cummins engine. I bought the motorhome new and found that the house batteries do not receive a charge while the diesel engine is running.
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More Commercial Member Info
Two commercial member campgrounds listed in the January 2013 RV Marketplace have additional information that was omitted from the January magazine listing. Also, a company was omitted from the Furniture/Upholstery portion of the Services, Coach Components & Accessories listing.
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One hundred years ago this month, Kenneth T. Scott, FMCA’s first executive director, was born in New Cumberland, Ohio, a small town in the northeastern part of the state.
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March: the adage is, if it comes in like a lion, it will go out like a lamb; or, if it comes in like a lamb, it will go out like a lion; or perhaps none of the above. What is certain is that the month of March is a transitional month.
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The following company has a recall delineated in this month's Recall Corner: Prevost Car Inc.
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A look at Family Motor Coach Association and the motorhome lifestyle through the years, as portrayed in past issues of Family Motor Coaching magazine.
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Ed Martel, L440, known to many FMCA friends and acquaintances as the “Chrome Kid,” was a familiar sight at the association’s conventions and rallies for many years.
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The Winnebago Era Type B motorhome is a compact cruising vehicle that incorporates a number of patented systems and designs.
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Information to assist you in choosing the right satellite TV system for your motorhome.
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A look at the early years of motorhoming and of Family Motor Coach Association through a young girl’s eyes.
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The city hosting FMCA's 50th anniversary Family Reunion this June is also a great place from which to experience the Old West.
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A look at the fastening and sealant applications that are responsible for keeping your motorhome together.
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How do you keep in touch with family and friends when you’re on the road?
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Motorhome travelers, especially those who are full-timers, have a sleep advantage over travelers who must rely on hotel beds, their friends’ guest rooms, or couch surfing. We can outfit the motorhome with the right bed, pillows, and bed linens.
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There are so many apps and Web sites out there geared for RVers these days that as we continued our motorhome travels last season, I began to accumulate a couple of screens full of RV-related apps, mapping navigation links, and on-the-road guides. I have 27 of them, in fact…
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Indiana Governor’s Campaign Motorhome On Loan To Museum
On December 19, 2012, Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels presented his 2004 campaign motorhome, RV-1, to the RV/MH Hall of Fame and Museum in Elkhart, Indiana.
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Grill Brush
The Grill Dozer from The Fulham Group is an innovative three-sided brush designed to clean and sanitize grills using a thumb-activated spray system that releases a fine mist of water.
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The Heartland Execs chapter gathered for our 26th fall rally this past September at River Plantation RV Park in Sevierville, Tennessee.
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In December 1993, the owners of 20 Roadtrek motorhomes gathered in Titusville, Florida, to view the launch of the space shuttle Endeavor and attend the very first regional rally of FMCA’s new Roadtrek International (RTI) chapter. Attendees didn’t realize then that they were launching a community that would bring thousands of Roadtrek owners hours of pleasure, many delightful adventures, and countless friends.
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Gerine Reagen, F101008, who served as national vice president, Northwest Area, from 1997 to 2001, passed away on November 25, 2012, in Woodburn, Oregon. She was 76.
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Condensation Catcher
We began using a small, portable dehumidifier, the Eva-Dry 3000, to better manage the condensation inside our motorhome during the winter months in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia.
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Sunny weather and ample amounts of history make this little town a good stop especially during the winter.
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Dramatic rock formations, made famous by several Hollywood movies, decorate the landscape near the Arizona-Utah border.
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One son’s thoughts on how his father’s experiences – and that of an entire generation – helped shape a love for motorhome travel and adventure.
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In the premier issue of Family Motor Coaching, FMCA's first president, Bob Richter, L1, addressed two questions. Why use membership numbers? And why put those numbers on identification plates that are attached to motorhomes?
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The year was 1969. Neil Armstrong had taken one giant step for mankind by walking on the moon. It also was the year Dodgen Industries began designing and building Born Free motorhomes, a run that continues unabated some 44 years later.
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This Type C manufacturer continues to innovate while maintaining long-standing design features on which the company has built its reputation.
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Ensure that your 120-volt-AC electrical system is operating at peak efficiency by performing these annual preventive maintenance tasks.
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Every motorhome is built with an emergency exit such as a window or door at the opposite end of the vehicle’s normal entry. This is required in the event that an emergency such as a fire exists in the area of the normal entry.
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A look at Family Motor Coach Association and the motorhome lifestyle through the years, as portrayed in past issues of Family Motor Coaching magazine.
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Lubrication And Solar Charging
Dear RV Doctor:
I’m looking for the name of a lubricant that won't attract dust. Also, how do I determine whether the solar panels on my motorhome roof are working and whether there is a charge controller? -
The following companies have recalls detailed in this month's Recall Corner: Daimler Trucks North America (Freightliner Custom Chassis), Prevost Car Inc., Thor Industries Inc. (Airstream), and Winnebago Industries Inc.
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V-10 Temperature
We purchased our 2008 Itasca 32H Sunrise in September 2007. It is built on a 2007 Ford chassis with a V-10 engine, and it has been driven 47,800 miles. On five different occasions during the past 12 months, the water temperature gauge has risen toward or into the red zone.
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The View From A Bicycle
Dear Editor:
I applaud the “Sharing the Road” article in the October 2012 Family Motor Coaching (page 54). My first RV had two wheels — a bicycle. I toured with a tent, sleeping bag, and clothes. Among my travels was a trek 4,200 miles from Portland, Oregon, to Portland, Maine. Most nights were spent in campgrounds. -
February is National Heart Month in the United States. With FMCA members on the road to exciting destinations across this continent, we may wish to take a moment to reconsider the familiar quip that the best thing our spouse makes for dinner is reservations at a restaurant. The number-one killer among adults is cardiovascular disease.
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The sound of the wind rushing past the front of the motorhome changes every now and then as the direction of the coach changes; the cruise control is set to the “sweet spot” speed for our 500-horsepower Cummins engine, where the fuel economy is 8.1 miles per gallon.
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In preparation for times when you need to fall back on an emergency food supply, here are recipes to help with planning, stowing, and cooking.
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Mike Wendland shares his list of RV-related goals for the new year.
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Airstream Launches Interstate Model In Canada
Airstream announced that its popular Interstate Type B motorhome model will be available in Canada beginning in spring 2013.
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Pet Life Jacket
The Outward Hound Life Jacket from The Kyjen Company will keep your dog safe whenever it’s around bodies of water.
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The second annual Country Coach Friendship Rally, presented by Country Coach Friends Inc. (CCFI), an international chapter of Family Motor Coach Association, brought 170 motorhome owners to the River Bend Resort in Harrisburg, Oregon, near Junction City, for five days of rally fun, July 24 through 28, 2012.
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The 39th Six-State Rally, presented by the Six-State Rally Association (SRA), took place at the Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center in Shawnee, Oklahoma, September 26 through 29, 2012.
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Members of the New York Centrals chapter celebrated the group’s 35th anniversary during a rally at the Camillus Elks Lodge in Camillus, New York, June 14 through 17, 2012. New York Centrals members are from throughout central New York and southern Canada and have a rally the third weekend of most months from May through October.
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Day-Night Shade Repair
While we were on the road in our 2003 Fleetwood Southwind, we stopped at a campground in Ohio for the night. When getting ready for bed, I reached over and tried to close the shade in the bedroom. I heard a snap — I had broken the plastic anchor that holds the string for the shade.
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Manually Extending A Slideout
Dear RV Doctor:
The slideout motor on my Challenger motorhome is not working, which means I have to manually operate the slideout. The owners manual does not give instructions on how to do this. Do you know how? -
The following companies have recalls detailed in this month's Recall Corner: Fleetwood RV Inc., Thor Motor Coach, and Tiffin Motorhomes Inc.
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Fridge Facts
The refrigerator in our motorhome works sporadically. During our last trip, it didn’t work at all. We took the RV to a home appliance store and the diagnosis was that they needed to “burp the fridge,” because of the ammonia within the sealed system.
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Satisfied Michelin Owner
Dear Editor:
I have to tell you how pleased I am with FMCA's Michelin Advantage Program. I recently used it in Jacksonville, Florida, where we live, at a company named TCI Tire Center. They were great and there was no hassle of any kind.