Product Knowledge

There are lots of things to do and to see in the wintertime; beautiful winter scenery, snow skiing, hunting, riding snowmobiles and much more. It's no wonder so many people enjoy using their RV's year round. When winter approaches each year I get numerous e-mails requesting information about using RV's in cold temperatures. One reason I haven't written on this subject in the past is because it would require more than just a short article to thoroughly cover this topic. Another reason for not writing about this in the past is that there are no guarantees that your RV can or will be 100% protected from the harsh winter elements by following written advice on the subject.

What I can do is offer you some suggestions and ideas that will help to protect your RV if you plan to use it during the cold winter months. I just can't guarantee that it will be 100% protected. These suggestions and ideas are for short term winter camping in your RV. If you plan to take extended RV trips in cold weather there are many other precautions and measures that need to be considered, like using insulated skirting around the bottom of the RV for example.

Note: What we will be concentrating on is how to protect your RV during cold weather camping. It is extremely important that you also understand how to protect yourself and other campers in cold temperatures.

One of the first considerations for cold weather RVing is if you will be traveling in temperatures below freezing. If this is the case, and there is water in the RV water system, your plumbing lines or water heater tank could freeze, resulting in costly repair bills, not to mention ruining your winter wonderland RV trip. To avoid this from happening I travel with the water system winterized. It is actually much easier to winterize an RV than most people think it is, and it¡¦s not very expensive either. I have winterized and de-winterized our RV as many as four times in one winter.

Note: Check out our RV Winterizing and Storing DVD with Printed Checklist it instructs you on how easy it is to properly prepare and protect your RV for winter storage. It will teach you how to winterize your RV, by yourself, and save money, especially if you enjoy using your RV during the winter months.

The good news is it is still possible to use the bathroom facilities when you are traveling with the RV winterized. We take one gallon jugs filled with water to use in the toilet, and if your holding tanks are not heated you can put some RV antifreeze in the holding tanks to prevent the contents from freezing. Add the RV antifreeze (1-2 gallons) through the toilet for the Black Water holding tank and down the shower or tub drain for the Gray Water tank. The antifreeze will also protect the shower or tub P-trap which is usually located below floor level. The amount of antifreeze required for the holding tanks will be based on the size of the tanks, and it will be necessary to add more RV antifreeze as Waste Water is added to the tanks to prevent the antifreeze from being diluted.

Don't allow the holding tanks to fill completely, before emptying them, during cold weather camping. This will reduce the chance of freezing, resulting in damage to the holding tanks. Take bottled water along for drinking and other needs like cooking, washing up and brushing your teeth when the RV is winterized. We have a five gallon jug that we always take on trips, filled with tap water from our house, for our pet¡¦s drinking water and our other needs. This comes in handy when the RV is winterized.

When we arrive at our destination I try to select a site that will be exposed to the sun throughout the day, but also where there is some type of wind break available. Position the RV on the site so the front or rear will be facing the brunt of any wind, not the side of the RV. If there is an electrical hook-up I de-winterize the water system so we can use everything. All of the water lines in our motorhome are above floor level, in a heated space, so we don¡¦t need to be too concerned about the water system freezing as long as the RV has heat. We leave the water heater turned on whenever the water heater tank is full so there is no chance of it freezing. Some water heaters operate off of LP gas and electricity. Keep in mind if it's in the electric mode it will use 9 to 13 amps.

It's important that you know where all of the plumbing on your RV is located. Some RVs have heat ducts going to the basement storage areas where the water system is exposed to outside temperatures, but many RVs do not. If portions of the RV water system are below floor level, in areas that are not heated, it is possible for it to freeze and damage the water lines. If you are hooked up to an external water supply one option is to leave a faucet in the RV dripping, to keep the water moving, and decrease the possibility of water lines freezing. Another option is to use heat tape to protect the exposed water lines. Heat tape can be purchased at most hardware or building supply stores. Make sure it is suitable for the types of water lines in your RV, and if you plan to use it on a water hose.

If it is extremely cold outside and the possibility exists that the outside water supply could freeze, or if the campground water supply is shut off for the winter, I fill our fresh water holding tank and use it for all of our water requirements. Again, keep in mind where your fresh water tank is located; ours is above floor level in a heated area. If the campgrounds shower facilities are still open it¡¦s a good idea to use them to avoid the gray water holding tank from filling so quickly. In this situation it might be in your best interest to keep the RV winterized and just use the campgrounds facilities.

The best source for heat is to use the RVs forced air furnace. There are a couple of things you need to be aware of when you use the RV furnace. First of all it will consume more LP gas than any of the other LP gas fired appliances. The LP tank or cylinders should be full before leaving on your trip, and you will need to monitor the LP gas supply carefully during your stay. Second, if you are not plugged into an electrical supply the furnace fan can quickly drain the auxiliary battery(s). Batteries that are not fully charged in cold temperatures can freeze resulting in not being able to use the RV furnace. I recommend that you plan your stay where you have access to an electrical supply when camping in cold weather. When we are plugged into electricity we set the forced air furnace on a low setting, around 55 degrees, and supplement the heat with a thermostatically controlled ceramic heater. These heaters work extremely well and you don¡¦t need to be concerned about a fire or carbon monoxide.

Caution: Carbon monoxide is deadly. You cannot see it, taste it or smell it. Never use your range burners or oven as a source of heat. If your RV is not equipped with a carbon monoxide detector you should purchase a battery operated model designed for use in RV's. Always test the carbon monoxide detector for proper operation before each trip.

You also need to be aware of the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning:

In 2008, Freightliner Custom chassis is increasing production of its XCR Tag Axle chassis for larger up-scale diesel motorhomes. The company says this chassis platform will continue to grow into one of the dominant styles for RV coach manufacturers on 40-foot or larger class As.

Freightliner says the new rear radiator style utilizes a proprietary electronically-controlled fan clutch. The new cooling system is capable of up to 425 horsepower and 1,200 pounds of foot-torque to balance low-end acceleration with high-end power at low RPMs. The engine is paired with an Allison 3000MH transmission featuring electronic controls that conveniently allow checking fluid levels from the driver station. The GVWR of this platform is 44,600 pounds.

Other notable features include an “automatic load proportioning” system that automatically allocates weight distribution across the three axles for a smoother ride. It also features a 60-degree inside wheel cut by adding the optional double-wishbone ZF Independent Front Suspension for increased stability, improved steering and a tighter turning radius.

Also notable, Freightliner’s tag axle chassis features pneumatically-actuated disc brakes that are fade-resistant and ventilated for greater braking control during unexpected and quick stops. Freightliner offers a 3-year/50,000-mile transferable warranty with towing coverage, 100,000-mile coolant coverage and roadside assistance with no deductible.
(800) 385-4357 • www.freightlinerchassis.com

from RV Trade Digest

Completely re-engineering a chassis product line can take a tremendous amount of time and be a huge investment. In the name of innovation, that is exactly what Ford has done for its 2008 Class A chassis lineup. Its new chassis borrows heavily from Ford’s new 2008 F-Series Super Duty truck. Ford’s new Class A options have six offerings ranging from a “tailgater’s special,” with a 16,000-pound GVWR chassis, to a “heavy-class” 26,000-pound GVWR chassis with a 30,000-pound gross combined weight rating. Ford says with large slide-outs and granite countertops being the hot trend in Class A manufacturing, heavier-duty offerings were necessary.

The powertrain is a 6.8-liter Triton 3-valve V-10 with 362-horsepower and 457 pounds of foot torque partnered with a TorqShift Automatic Overdrive transmission. Other notable features include an all-new heavy-duty power steering system, a Dana full-float rear axle and suspensions rated from 11,000 to 17,500 pounds on its heavier-weight chassis. The front axle and suspension also saw a capacity increase at 7,500 pounds for its lightest weight unit, and up to 9,000 pounds on its heaviest. The new ladder frame is rated at 50,000 pounds-per-square-inch (PSI).

Other standard features include a new steering system with a 50-degree wheel cut (increased from 42 degrees) for a tighter turning radius, specially-tuned stabilizer bars, Bilstein shocks and higher-capability front and rear springs for a more comfortable ride.
(800) 343-5338 • www.fleet.ford.com

Courtesy of PullRite

SuperGlide is the only true solution for safe fifth wheel towing with short bed trucks. SuperGlide automatically moves the trailer away from the cab while making turns - allowing up to 90° turning without stopping, slowing down or even thinking about the space between the truck & trailer - and then automatically returns the hitch and trailer to the safe towing position over the truck axle when the turn is completed.

Until the introduction of the SuperGlide with the patented CamGlide feature, what options were there for people with short bed trucks?  Not turn tight corners while towing your trailer?  Install the hitch improperly... too far back in the truck bed to distribute the load correctly?

Buy a hitch that can be repositioned but forces you to throw levers. Set the trailer brakes, pull pins, move forward, insert pins, and then turn - and the probability that sometime, somehow either a turn will be made without remembering to go through that process - or an unintentional turn will be made during an emergency or a jack knife situation, and damage to the vehicles or worse will result?

These aren’t really answers and they don’t address your needs. The SuperGlide isn’t for everyone, but if you want to tow a 5th wheel trailer with a short bed pickup, the SuperGlide is the answer!

The PullRite SuperGlide is the solution! It allows a fifth wheel hitch to be installed properly and automatically adjusts the spacing between the trailer and the pickup cab during turns, without requiring the driver to do anything other than drive.

All SuperGlide models are available with the removable base rail type installation pioneered by PullRite. Unique SuperGlide mounting system allows hitch and mounting posts to be easily removed with no tools - when done towing, simply remove the hitch and rails, twist the heavy duty mounting posts ¼ turn and lift them out. A smooth, clean truck bed - with no need to carve chunks out of bed mats and liners.