RV Blog by Charlotte RV Center http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog RV Sales, Repair and Information Sun, 12 Aug 2012 19:08:21 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.1 Tires (Part 1) http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/tires-part-1/ http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/tires-part-1/#comments Sun, 12 Aug 2012 19:08:21 +0000 Casey http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/?p=1205 After fuel and batteries, the next most commonly replaced item on an RV is tires. This is not because the tires wear-out. In most cases, RVers must replace tires long before the tread is worn-out. Towable RVs seem to have the highest incidence rate of tire failures (blow-outs, tread separation, or bulges). This is probably because towable RVs typically are left parked for many months, even a year or more at a time. To put it simply, the rubber (which is actually made of oil, not real tree rubber) gets hard from not being flexed as it was intended to be rolling down the road. It may be hard to picture, but think of it as if the rubber was lubricating itself by circulating the oils in the material and the tire flexes while rolling at normal speeds. Some brands of tires show their age in different ways or more readily than others. Some brands of tires are more prone to sidewall cracking as they age. Other brands get “hard” so their ride quality and wet weather traction deteriorates badly. Other brands tend to go out-of-round, so the tires shake and balancing with not solve the problem. That is not to say that the tires are defective, but, rather, the rubber compound selected by the tire engineers was chosen primarily for a combination of traction, wet traction, wear resistance, ride quality, noise & vibration resistance and cost. Resistance to aging when in storage is not a high priority because how well the tire will resist aging when not in use is not a strong selling point to most tire customers.
The USDOT requires the date that the tire was manufactured to be molded or stamped into the sidewall of every tire, so you can tell how old it is. The tires that were installed on the RV when it was new may be a year or two older than the model year of the RV, because the chassis may have sat in inventory before the RV was completed. It is not uncommon for tires on brand new RVs to crack before the RV is even sold to the first owner if the RV sits on a dealer’s lot for a couple of years.

Tune in next time for more information about RV tires.

]]> http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/tires-part-1/feed/ 0 Tips for cleaning your RV http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/tips-for-cleaning-your-rv/ http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/tips-for-cleaning-your-rv/#comments Wed, 25 Jul 2012 18:37:16 +0000 Casey http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/?p=1202 Your RV is constantly out in the weather, which means it needs good, regular, cleanings. First of all, make sure not to use dish soap, shampoo, or any household cleaners. Your RV is like a car, it needs specialized cleaners that aren’t harsh on the paint and finish. One tip, though; you can add vinegar to your RV cleaner to prevent water spotting and enhance the cleaner a little bit. Use about 1/3 cup per 5 gallon bucket of water and cleaner. Pressure washing is a great way to get dirt off of your RV. However, you want to make sure to dry your RV off manually, do not let it air dry. This creates water spots. Clean the inside of your RV as if you are cleaning a house and the outside as a car, but take care when doing both. Your RV is always exposed to the elements and needs proper care and cleaning.

 

]]> http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/tips-for-cleaning-your-rv/feed/ 2 Tips for buying an RV http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/tips-for-buying-an-rv/ http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/tips-for-buying-an-rv/#comments Thu, 19 Jul 2012 16:45:16 +0000 Casey http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/?p=1199 Have you ever wondered what to look for when buying any kind of RV? First off, do your research. Look up reviews for RVs. Listen to people who know what they’re talking about. Find people who have the RV you’re looking at and pick their brain. Before you buy an RV, check competitors if you’re buying form a retailer. If you’re buying used from an owner, have the RV checked first. Do a walkthrough of the RV. Take your time, buying an RV is a big decision, no need to be hasty. You want to get your money’s worth and get everything you pay for. During the walkthough, spend some time inside pretending you live in it. Walk around, pretend to cook in the kitchen, see if you can visualize all the people you plan to entertain inside and see how much space you have. Always take into account the weight capacity of your RV. As a rule of thumb, you don’t want to go over 80% of the total weight capacity, just to be safe. Make sure you get specific specifications, not just a “Oh yeah, that’ll totally work.” Again, do your research.

 

]]> http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/tips-for-buying-an-rv/feed/ 0 Should you name your RV? http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/rv_name/ http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/rv_name/#comments Wed, 18 Jul 2012 22:28:26 +0000 Casey http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/?p=1197 Have you ever wondered what you should name your RV, if anything? Naming your RV can be a great way to express yourself. Boats aren’t complete without a name and your RV can be the same. This can add a sense of closeness for a family in an RV. Naming your RV can also help you start conversations and meet new people on the road. Naming you RV can be a fun way to give your RV some personality without completely repainting it. You could name it something clever, or just a normal name. It’s completely up to you. There are plenty of letters that can be used on RVs that are cheap and easy to use. Try to find some vinyl letters that stick to RVs. You could also get it custom detailed if you want it to look really crisp, detailed, or maybe in a different font.

 

]]> http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/rv_name/feed/ 0 RV Water Heater melting issue http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/rv-water-heater-melting-issue/ http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/rv-water-heater-melting-issue/#comments Tue, 17 Jul 2012 17:42:37 +0000 Casey http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/?p=1136 If you have your RV stored for a long period of time it is possible to forget to reopen the bypass valve in your water heater. This could result in the tank being empty when you try to heat the water. This then, could cause the heating element to burn through the tank and create a hole in it. At this point the tank must be replaced. To prevent your water heater from getting to this point, make sure to get your RV checked by a professional before you take it out of storage.

 

]]> http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/rv-water-heater-melting-issue/feed/ 0 What to do when storing your RV during winter http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/winter_freeze/ http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/winter_freeze/#comments Sat, 07 Jul 2012 20:25:52 +0000 Casey http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/?p=1125 If you live somewhere where it gets below freezing and you’re planning to store your RV for that time, you must make sure that the water heater doesn’t freeze over. Water in your water heater can freeze if it’s exposed to below freezing temperatures for a long period of time. Since water expands when it freezes, this could crack your water heater. You have a few options of what to do before the first big freeze. You could either empty out all the water in the heater or use an RV approved potable antifreeze. If this has already happened, you should contact a mechanic as soon as possible.

 

]]> http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/winter_freeze/feed/ 0 When your RV shimmies back and forth http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/shimm/ http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/shimm/#comments Fri, 06 Jul 2012 22:06:04 +0000 Casey http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/?p=1120 This typically occurs when you hit a bump and the steering wheel “shimmies” back and forth. This means that it shakes. This could be caused by one or more loose steering components or excessive camber. This means that the angle of the tire is not 90 degrees with the road. If that is the problem, you should definitely get your RV to a mechanic right away.

 

]]> http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/shimm/feed/ 0 What to do when your RV stays in the ruts in the road. http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/rut_tracking/ http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/rut_tracking/#comments Thu, 05 Jul 2012 19:01:49 +0000 Casey http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/?p=1116 If you’ve ever driven down any road, you’ve seen the ruts in the lanes. These are the spots where most cars drive and where the road is slightly more worn than other parts. These could also be spots where different levels of pavement exist. Normally, that’s not too big of a deal, but sometimes your RV could seem to be riding in these ruts all by itself. This is called Rut Tracking. You may not think it’s a problem, but any control taken away from the driver, no matter how minute it seems, is cause for concern. The probable causes for excessive Rut Tracking are insufficient front end weight or the type of tire used.

 

]]> http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/rut_tracking/feed/ 0 RV Fuel Maintenance and Care http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/fuel/ http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/fuel/#comments Fri, 22 Jun 2012 21:36:51 +0000 Casey http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/?p=1112 If you don’t use your motorhome or any other vehicle regularly, you could have problems with aged fuel, whether diesel or gasoline. The problem is even more severe in warm climates, and humidity compounds the problem. Just so we start off with some good news, LP/propane does not deteriorate because it is in a completely sealed system so that the fuel is never exposed to air until the moment it is used. However, diesel and gasoline go bad with age. Diesel fuel goes bad from microbes growing in it, and those microbes excrete water. The water and mucus-like sludge from dead microbes and their waste will clog fuel filters, and if enough water passes through the fuel filters it will also damage fuel injection pumps and fuel injectors (which are very expensive). Prevent microbes from growing in your diesel fuel, and kill them if they are there, by using BioKleen by Power Service. Power Service products are available from truck supply or commercial marine supply distributors, or here. By the way, it is prudent to always carry a spare set of fuel filters for your diesel. Some bad fuel can quickly clog the filters, which could have you sitting by the side of the road. If you have your own filters with you, it won’t be so hard to get a road service to come out and change them. Speaking of road service, Coach-Net is excellent for RVs, go to www.NMCA.com and click on their Coach-Net button for complete information. Join before you need help!

Modern gasoline is a real problem for vehicles that don’t use up the fuel in a couple of months’ time. Modern gasoline has ethanol in it, which absorbs water from the atmosphere. When enough water is absorbed, the ethanol and water separate from the gasoline and lay on the bottom of the tank. This is called phase separation. Guess where the fuel pump picks up the fuel from your tank? That’s right, at the bottom! So the crud that will clog up fuel filters and ruin expensive fuel pumps and fuel injectors gets sucked right in. Your goal is to prevent phase separation from happening. If you don’t expect to use-up your fuel within a couple of months and replace it with fresh fuel, you should add an appropriate fuel treatment to the tank. Fill up with gasoline, and then add the fuel treatment before you drive to where the motorhome will be stored. That way, the fuel treatment will slosh and blend with the gasoline. You can buy fuel treatments at marine supplies distributors and fuel distributors. Be sure to read the bottle and make sure that it specifies that it will prevent phase separation. If it doesn’t say so, then don’t buy that product. Or it is easy to go here. Even if you use the best fuel treatment, you are pressing your luck if you let the old fuel stay in the tank for over six months.

In some areas you can buy gasoline without ethanol in it. To find a fuel stations that sell non-ethanol gasoline, go to www.pure-gas.org. Expect to pay 15 – 20% more than regular ethanol gasoline, not because it is so much more expensive to produce, but because it is a niche product. The gas stations that have it usually have a separate pump or separate nozzle that is labeled “Recreational Gasoline” because it is also popular with boaters for the same reason as RVers, they may go unused for months at a time. Some people claim that they get better gas mileage with the non-ethanol gasoline, which may help offset the higher cost per gallon. Keep in mind that if you are adding non-ethanol gasoline to a tank that still has some ethanol gasoline in it, you still need to use the fuel treatment to prevent phase separation. But the non-ethanol gasoline with fuel treatment added to it will probably be OK for up to a year in storage if there was only a little ethanol gasoline left in the tank when you filled up with non-ethanol gasoline for storage.

If you have any questions on which kind of fuel to use, or how to maintain your fuel system, give us a call toll free at 877-883-5555. Or you could always come in to see an expert personally. If you need directions, click here:
http://www.charlottervcenter.com/pages/13/Directions.html

]]> http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/fuel/feed/ 0 Generators http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/generators/ http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/generators/#comments Sun, 17 Jun 2012 22:26:45 +0000 Casey http://www.charlottervcenter.com/blog/?p=1103 In any modern RV, the generator does not charge any battery; it provides 110-volt power to the on-board Inverter/Charger or Converter/Charger.

The generator also provides 110-volt power for the house air conditioner(s), microwave oven and other 110-volt devices when not connected to shore power.

What is the most common problem with a generator? If your generator is running but you are not getting 110-volt power into the RV, the first thing to check is the circuit breakers on the generator. There may be one or two. If there are two, they are usually right next to each other, so you don’t have to look all over. It is a good idea to find the circuit breakers so that you will know where they are BEFORE the occasion occurs that a circuit breaker trips. You may be surprised to learn that the circuit breakers on most generators are not labeled “on” or “off”, so you can’t tell which way to move the switch to reset it. Yes, that sounds stupid, but that is just the way it is. How can you tell which way is “on” and which way is “off”? It is a secret! No, seriously, here is how you can tell: Move the circuit breaker switch back and forth. You will be able to feel a stronger resistance due to spring tension as you move the switch one direction and no resistance from spring tension as you move the switch in the other direction. The direction that you feel resistance from spring tension is the direction to move the switch to reset the circuit breaker to the “on” position.

The second most common failure of a generator if it has a gasoline engine is a bad carburetor. Modern gasoline usually has some ethanol in it, which attracts moisture and combines to make a nearly insoluable gum in the minute passages in the carburetor. Or the ethanol causes the metal in the carburetor to corrode, which blocks the passages. In the “old days”, carburetors could be taken apart and cleaned. Nowadays, the gum cannot be cleaned with available solvents or the corrosion cannot be cleaned out of the minute passages. If a carburetor is bad, it is usually most cost effective to replace is than to spend the labor to attempt to clean it and then find that it still is bad. The question you want to ask is: How do I keep my carburetor from going bad? The answer is simple: Run the generator for ½-hour every week so that the fuel does not rot and turn to gum in the carburetor. If you have a generator with a diesel or LP powered engine, then this problem will not occur. However, it is still advisable to run your generator under load every week (or at least try to do it once a month). What is a “load”? A load is a significant electrical demand, such as an air conditioner running.

To prevent costly failures of the generator, it is important to follow the instructions for oil changes and other maintenance listed in the owner’s manual. If it is a diesel generator with a radiator, it is extremely important to change the coolant (antifreeze mixture) according to the instructions in the owner’s manual, because if you don’t you may have corrosion in the cooling system which will cause overheating or leaks.

If you would like to contact us for any reason, all the information you need can be found on this page:
http://www.charlottervcenter.com/contact-us.html

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