Charles “Phil” Johnson, L3221, who served as FMCA’s sixth national president from 1974 to 1977, passed away on December 20, 2011, at his home in Darien, Wisconsin. He was 89.

Filter Drying

The air conditioner on our Newmar motorhome has circular foam air intake filters that have a hole in the middle. These filters must be rinsed clean and dried periodically.

Furnace Inefficiency

Dear RV Doctor:
I have an older motorhome with two sideways-mounted propane tanks in the compartment. My furnace was working fine until one of my propane tanks ran out and I turned the other one on. Must both tanks be turned on at the same time for the furnace to heat properly?

Replacing Tires

I’m thinking about replacing the tires on my 2005 Sportscoach even though there are only 34,000 miles on them. I keep my coach garaged, the tires are always covered and set on heavy-duty plastic, and the air pressure is checked often.

Got Spinners?

Dear Editor:
Here's a photo of a back wheel of our Newmar Mountain Aire motorhome. My husband, Rick, gets credit for this idea: we have spinners!

Years ago, in July 1963, to be exact, a number of families gathered on the property of the Hinckley School in Hinckley, Maine. Some had met before and knew each other; others were meeting for the first time. They had been drawn together through their common interest in traveling via motorized, self-contained camping vehicles.

In our view, one of the best things about RV travel is parking our motorhome in places where life happens in the open, sometimes raw and uncensored. The interactions we watch day-to-day are often pleasurable, such as a parent showing love and care to a child. Other times, they take on a sad twist.

Now retired, former Monaco RV CEO Kay Toolson looks back on golden times and the bumps in the road.

Many times it seems that the most striking natural beauty is found only at the summit of a steep mountain, the bottom of a deep canyon, or at the end of a rugged hiking trail. Not so at Arches National Park, near Moab, Utah.

As the economy continues to regain its foothold, consumer interest in smaller yet still feature-filled motorhomes has been stirred. Thor Motor Coach has addressed this trend with an evolutionary motorhome that combines the best of Type A and Type C RVs — the A.C.E.

Sanitizing the motorhome’s potable water tank and fresh water system starts with draining all the old water out of the tank and the water lines.

What stands four stories high, encompasses six acres, has nine kitchens, 10,000 windows, 47 fireplaces, and 13 bathrooms, but only one shower?

Save fuel and help your motorhome operate at peak performance by learning how to manipulate the transmission's shifting schedule.

If you’re a full-timer, or are considering becoming one, you’ll want to take a look at the 2012 Winnebago Tour lineup. Its three floor plan choices consist of the 42AD (four slideouts with a wide-open front galley), the 42QD …
 

Three different types of brake retarder systems are used on diesel engines: exhaust brakes, engine compression brakes, and variable-geometry turbo brakes. Here’s a brief description of how each works.

Mountain peak after mountain peak, like a line of pointed hats, fill the horizon, while far below an azure glacial lake sparkles in the sun. After a gentle walk along North America's Continental Divide, hikers arrive at this scene at Hidden Lake.

Postcard collecting is an ideal hobby for RVers. It is interesting, affordable, and informative. Plus, postcards won’t put too much extra weight on your motorhome’s chassis as you travel from place to place. For storage, postcards can fit neatly into photo albums …

What’s the top activity or place to visit on your motorhome “bucket list”?

French, Cajun, and Creole flavors are the crown jewels of Louisiana cuisine, where good dishes begin with a cooked flour-fat mixture known as a roux. Come to the state’s southwest corner to discover the best in gumbo, boudin, sweet dough pies, and much more.

Winnebago Introduces Fourth Sightseer Floor Plan

Winnebago Industries Inc. recently unveiled the new double-slideout Winnebago Sightseer 30A for 2012. The Sightseer 30A features a sectional U-shaped dinette that extends to take seating from two to six in a matter of minutes. Add in a 42-inch LCD TV…

Paper Towels

It’s convenient to carry a roll of paper towels in the motorhome to clean up messes both indoors and out. But it’s also a hassle when you have to reroll the towels after they’ve toppled over because of wind or motion.

The 20th Century Wagontrainers (TCW) chapter gathered for its Jersey Devil Halloween rally at Holly Acres, the home of members Bob and Peggy Pittenger, on October 13 through 16, 2011.

Remote Control In Its Place
My wife and I are always misplacing the remote control for our bedroom TV. To make sure it remains in a commonly accessible place…

Dear RV Doctor:
I am interested in adding solar panels to my motorhome to help power it when I’m dry camping. My motorhome uses four (U2200) golf cart batteries. I typically run them down to approximately 50 percent charge overnight.

The Badger chapter, which became one of FMCA’s earliest chapters when it received its charter on June 29, 1966, celebrated its 45th anniversary during a rally at the Tomah Recreation Center in Tomah, Wisconsin, September 22 through 25, 2011.

A great motorhome rally must have multiple aspects that blend together to make it extra special. …Fortunately, all of these pieces fell into place for the “Heartland Motorhome Festival,” the 38th Six-State Rally, held September 28 through October 2, 2011, at the Kansas State Fairgrounds in Hutchinson.

The company with a recall detailed in this month’s column is Navistar Inc., involving its Beaver Coach, Holiday Rambler, and Monaco Coach lines.

Towable Battery Assistance
I read the “CR-V Battery Problems” letter that appeared in the August 2011 “Tech Talk” column in which Bill Shaw wrote about the battery drain issues he was having. I’d like to share some information that I think could help people who are experiencing similar battery problems.

“RV News” Clarification

In the November 2011 “RV News & Notes” column, we included a story titled “Newell Coach’s New Suspension System” (page 40). It has been brought to our attention that Newell is not the only motorhome in North America that has an active-suspension system.

Happy New Year! Thoughts this time of year ordinarily involve reflecting on what occurred during the past year and making resolutions that seem to last for, maybe, a few hours.

I was sitting in the Allegro Campground laundry room at the Tiffin motorhome factory in Red Bay, Alabama, watching the washer and two dryers spin and slosh our belongings around. Why? Because the sign over the appliances said so.

FMC magazine’s January 2012 Motorhome Regulations chart contains the following information for all 50 U.S. States and the Canadian provinces and territories: speed limit, length, height, width, combined length, and license type required.

Whom should you contact for travel information when planning a motorhome trip? To answer that question, the staff at FMC has compiled this list of tourism offices in the United States and Canada. The following information was accurate as of November 2011.

Anyone who has ever shed a tear while reading Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings’ timeless classic novel The Yearling will agree that a visit to the place where she wrote it, Cross Creek, Florida, should be a pilgrimage.

In the past three issues of Family Motor Coaching we’ve featured Type A and Type C motorhomes. This month we conclude our “Showroom Sensations” series with the Type B motorhomes that currently are being produced by manufacturers.

To determine the correct tire pressure, it is recommended that motorhome owners consult the RV tire guides provided by the respective tire manufacturer. You will see that these companies do not have a single recommended tire pressure for each size tire. They provide a chart wherein the correct pressure is based on the actual weight supported by the tire.

Family Motor Coaching magazine’s annual guide to flat-towable vehicles includes cars, trucks, and SUVs that have been approved by their manufacturers for four-wheels-down towing behind a motorhome without major modifications.

Most Type A motorhomes and many Type Cs are equipped with multiple batteries connected together to form one big bank of DC electricity availability. The sad news is that 12-volt batteries wired in parallel or 6-volt batteries wired in a series or a series/parallel configuration are often connected in a manner…

Updated information regarding the many benefits and services available to members of the Family Motor Coach Association.

Describe the best breakfast you’ve ever eaten during a motorhome trip.

For many of us, the numerous properties overseen by the National Park Service provide highlights to our travels, but their recognition is not limited to the United States. Thirteen national parks have worldwide reputations and are among the 936 international World Heritage Sites. 

As always, the focus of this column is on RVers who live and travel in their motorhomes as a way of life. When you’re happily homeless, there are immense advantages, but when problems arise, they have a way of multiplying.

Lazydays Reaches Milestones During 2011

Lazydays has experienced a year of growth and expansion in 2011, including a new RV-style restaurant and a new Tucson, Arizona, location.

Organizing Bag

Keep loose items in your motorhome organized with Sticky Pockets bags from Davis Instruments.

This month we resume our presentation of Type C motorhomes, providing readers with information about the latest family-friendly, easy-to-maneuver RVs available from manufacturers.

The weather was far from frightful for the Vancouver Islanders’ “Christmas In July” chapter rally, held July 18 through 22, 2011, at Storeys Beach in Port Hardy, British Columbia, Canada. In fact, it was quite nice…

Just think about it! For two decades, the Happy (OK) Wanderers have enjoyed rallies, fellowship, friendships, great food, unbelievable entertainment, enticing tours, and wonderful places to camp and have fun.
 

Improvised Windshield Washer

On our annual winter trek from Colorado to Arizona in our motorhome, we encountered just enough snow and wet weather in Colorado to really mess up the motorhome. The spray from the passing cars and trucks was a problem, even though our windshield wipers and washers were working.

Adding A Battery Disconnect Switch

Dear RV Doctor:
My new motorhome did not come with a disconnect switch for the batteries. I want to install one, but I’m unsure of the proper way.

Frosty Fridge Fins

We have a 2000 Holiday Rambler Endeavor motorhome. Last summer the refrigerator’s cooling unit was replaced. With the original unit, we hardly ever had to defrost the refrigerator or freezer. With the new unit we have to defrost the refrigerator about every two weeks.