Useful weights & measures....

 

 

Water8.3 #/gal.

 

Gasoline 6.15#/gal.

 

Diesel6.9#/gal.

 

Coolant8.86#/gal.

 

Propane          4.26#/gal.

 

Engine oil       7.6#/gal.

 

BTU's3.42/watt

 

1 gallon = 231cibic in

 

1 cubic foor  = 7.47 gallons

Do You Have a Rubber Roof?

The question of caring for an EDPM roof is one which frequently comes up on the internet and via email which I receive. I will try to help with this issue, although I am not the final authority.

 When we first purchased our RV, in 1998 I contacted Dicor Company  via their company service line to ask about care of the roof. At that time I was told that the best thing to clean the roof with was a mild dish detergent like Ivory or Dawn. That is what I have used to clean ours with ever since. They also told me that to clean the roof too often was worse in terms of roof life than to not clean it at all. Dicor has made EDPM materials for use on flat industrial roofing for more than thirty years and some of the first installed are still in use today. If not subjected to abuse, they will last for a very long time with very little care. He suggested that we only wash our roof one or two times per year, just enough to keep it white. They also stated that the chalking is normal and if too much is removed it will speed the eventual failure. At that time they did not recommend any of the after care products, nor did they sell any.

 Today they do sell both a treatment and a detergent. We continue to use dish detergent for washing but the treatments do seem to extend the life of the roofing now and so are probably worth the cost and work. What they do more than to extend the life is to slow the chalking effect and to thus keep the sides of the RV looking better. For that reason, I do suggest that you wash the roof about every six months and then apply one of the treatment products to it. I continue to use the products made by Dicor, just to be on the safe side, but I also know that there are other good products available. If you buy a product that is not from Dicor, do be sure to read the lable carefully to make sure that it does not contain any petroleum products as that will harm the roof.

 In addition to an occasional washing, your roof has seams that are the largest potential problem for long life of the RV. Roof leaks are the enemy #1, in my opinion. They can be difficult to find and will cause hidden damage to an RV, sometimes before we know that they exist. For that reason I suggest that you examine the roof at least two times per year and also any time that you may have a limb or something rub along the surface of it.You want to make sure that the sealants around all roof penetrations are in good condition and replace if they show any signs of cracking or of coming loose. If the problem areas are small it is acceptable to just add some new caulk to that area but I like to replace all of ours on about a three year cycle. You can remove most of the old product with a plastic scraper/putty knife before you reseal. You do not need to get every single bit of old material off, only enough to prevent a major build-up over time which will begin to look ugly. I also always wash the roof well prior to starting this project. I use a soft brush on the seams and caulking as that will aid in getting it clean and it is much easier to see the condition if the roof and seams are as clean as possible.

When replacing the caulk, I always remove the material from one area at a time and then apply the new, just to be sure that any removed material has been replaced before I stop for the day. It is also wise to time this to a good weather forecast because you want the new caulk to have 24 hours to cure before you get significant rain on it. I only use caulk from Dicor, but there are others that are approved and can be used. When you buy the material, make sure that you get the right color as there are two or three of them. The Dicor self leveling, butyl caulk is what I always use, evn though it can be very messy. I am always amazed by the neat way that many of the professional RV techs can lay down a bead, when compared to what I do! Keep in mind that this is not a case of "more is better." With caulk you do want to be somewhat generous, but do not be wasteful as there is an effect on the EDPM by the curing of the caulk, even when from Dicor, so do not over use it.

While you are doing this, check the roof for any signs of tears or for loose spots in previous patches. There are some very good kits for repair of EDPM that are readily available at RV supply stores and which come with excellent instructions. This is a good time to take care of any roof repairs, if needed. Previous repairs will normally have caulk along the edges and if in question, carefully remove and replace that at this time. When you scrape the old material off, always scrape from the center of the patch toward the edge and away from it to avoid loosening the patch material. If you must make a patch, follow the insturctions very carefully, and do not omit any steps.

When doing the project, be sure that you look very closely at the areas along both sides of the cover over the end caps of the RV and also around the refrigerator vent, the skylights, bathroom and kitchen vents, all plumbing vents, any antennas or solar connections and any other place that there may be something which makes a hole in the roof material. Do not overlook the places where the ladder attaches to the roof. Side seams where the roof goes over the edge are not normally of much concern if you have a cove roof with rounded edges because in that design the roofing extends down over the top of the material of your side walls. If you have a flat roof those areas are of special concern because the water will stand in those areas. 

I also examine the seal material along the edges of the front and rear caps where they are vertical and meet the sides of the RV as well when I do the roof. Vertical seams do not usually cause a problem but can when traveling in rain because moisture could be forced into any cracks. This is not a difficult job to do, but it does take quite a little time and effort. Use great care when you work on the roof for safety reasons and pay particular attention when it is wet. In addition, wear shoes that have a good grip and which do not carry any gravel or other foreign materials in the treads. 

The last step in this process is to check the area well to be sure that no tool or materials are left on the roof, before carefully departing the roof with the knowledge that you have just saved yourself several hundred dollars! Clean your tools as soon as you stop since the caulk will be more difficult once cured. The final step is to get yourself your favorite cold beverage and chair, then sit and tell yourself just what a talented RV owner you are! If you happen to have an interested spouce or neighbor, it might well be a good time to share the information about your talents with them.

 

Are these tools necessary?

How many tools will fit into an RV?

For every RV owner there is always the question of how many and which tools should I keep in my RV. The question becomes even more complicated when you consider becoming a fulltimer. It gets even  more difficult when you consider the differing skill sets of RV owners. I have also been asked to make up a special list of tools for the ladies, but since I know a lady who is a retired aircraft mechanic who's mechanical skills far exceed mine, and also a male who retired from business and who is not comfortable holding a screwdriver, I really think that gender has very little to do with the question.

A Basic List..

I think that everyone should have at least a few basic tools and repair items, even when skills are very weak. One of the most important maintenance chores on all RVs is to keep things tight. That means that you must have a set of screwdrivers. Look around your RV and examine the heads of the screws that you find and make sure that you have a tool to tighten all of them. That usually means at least two sizes of flat slot and Phillips head, and usually a pair of square drive or Robertson screwdrivers. Don't buy the cheap ones! My screwdrivers are either Stanley or some other major brand name. It may also be helpful to keep each of the most common ones in a very short, or "stubby" version as well for tight locations.

I would also suggest a pair of slip joint pliers, a 4" and a 8" adjustable wrench, a pair of locking pliers (such as Vice Grips), a claw hammer, a pair of water pump pliers, a staple gun, and some type of small clamp. (I keep a "C" clamp.) I also suggest a small saw for wood and one for metal. With those tools you should also keep a roll of duct tape, some spray lubricant, and some glue.

 

Those items are things that even the least mechanical are likely to at some time wish that they had. You may be amazed by what they will save you. We all hang a picture, tighten a loose hinge or fix a simple light from time to time and it only takes one repair to save more than the cost of such items.

A More Extensive list for the average owner....

Most RV owners will at times find a need for a good set of combination wrenches. RVs have very little by way of metric hardware but modern chassis have both types so a set of inch and of metric is a good investment. That same thing is true of sockets. I have a combination set of 1/4" drive and another of 3/8" drive in both metric and inches and they range from 3/16" to 1 1/2" in sizes. Unless you are a serious mechanic there is probably no need for the larger sizes of wrench or of socket. 

I carry a filter wrench(oil filters),  and a strap wrench in two sizes. I have both a small and a medium size ball-peen hammer. A hack saw is an item that may not be used often, but it can be very important.I have and additional adjustable wrench in a 12" size, two large "C" clamps, and a grease-gun(for lubrication of my chassis). I carry three sizes of slip joint pliers, 4", 8" and 12" as well as water pump pliers. Don't forget to put in a center punch, an alignment punch and a couple of cold chisels. Two sizes of file are also important.

A caulking gun will be useful.

Electrical tools......

This is an area where I probably carry more than most RV owners, because it was my field when I was working. Let me say that every RV owner should have a medium quality volt/ohm meter and take the time to learn how to use it. At the minimum, you need to lean how to check the power pedestal before you connect your RV to make sure that it is safe. Unsafe power in RV parks is all too common. I suggest a digital meter in the $30 price range is sufficient for all that most RV owners will ever need. I actually carry a much more capable meter from John Fluke Company and one that costs well over $100 but that is because I had one at work and convinced Pam that Santa should bring me one when I retired. 

In addition, you should have at least one pair of needle nose pliers, a pair of dikes, wire strippers with crimping tool, an assortment of connectors, electrical tape, a soldering iron, and some electrician's pliers. I carry two pairs of clip-on jumper leads, a 12V test light, and alligator clips for my meter lieads.

If you have room, a soldering gun is also very usefull as well some of the mini needle nose pliers, mini dikes and a pair or two of locking forceps(can be found in any electronic shop). Don't forget some solder also!

Power tools........

Every RV owner should have at least an electric drill. While the rechargeable ones are most convenient, they can have the disadvantage of always being discharged when you need them. For that reason, mnay owners carry a corded drill because they don't use it often and it is always ready when they are. I actually have one of each. Don't forget that a good set of drill bits is vital. I keep one of the sets that have the flats on the drive end which makes them much more secure in the modern key-less chucks. 

I also suggest that each owner should have some type of air compressor that is capable of inflating the tires on both the RV and tow vehicle or towed vehicle. The 12V type are very good for keeping in a vehicle, but for use in the RV park, or where you have 120V power available, the 120V type are far faster and more reliable. I used a Black & Decker, Air Station for years and it is an excellent tank-less compressor. Sears also makes a good one. Currently, I carry a small tank type compressor(two gallon) because it is useful for many things other than airing up tires. If you get one of those, make sure that you look to see at what pressure the compressor turns both on and off. The restart pressure is vital because if your tires require more pressure than the restart setting, it becomes very difficult to inflate them properly.

Do not forget that power tools require power cords. I keep several of them in different lengths. Be sure to keep your cords in good condition for safety and reliability. These cords are another of the items which pay to get quality brand name items.

Additional power tools will depend a great deal on skill sets, but one item that I think most average RV folks would find very useful is a Dremmel or similar tool. I have one that I seem to use more frequently as time goes along. They are small and can be used in very tight places, and the list of available tools for them is very long. I keep metal cutting, grinding stones, wood cutting, drill and router tools for mine. It is probably one of the most used power tools that I own.

     Power tool storage bay.        Mechanical tool storage bay.

Wood tools......

For most folks, just a few very basic tools here are probably enough. A drill was already mentioned, as was a hammer. Some small wood clamps are helpful at times. A coping saw or some other small saw that can cut curves is frequently handy and weighs very little. A short combination saw for projects is very handy and a square is vital. I have both a tri-square and a carpenter square. A medium sizel bubble level is worth some space. Since I do some hobby wood working I also carry a rechargeable circular saw large enough to cut through a 2X4 and a power sander. For projects it is very helpful to have a jigsaw along and just to indulge myself, I also have my scroll saw with me. A few select wood chisels and a mallet are nice to have.

I have a wood rasp, a small block plane, an auger and bits, several sizes of hole saw, a counter sink, a nail set,a reamer,rat-tail files, and four 2' bar clamps. I have several wood scrapers, a putty knife,and a miter box & saw. As a hobbyist, I find a profile sander to be a very handy tool, but don't recommend it to most RV owners. 

Some guidelines......

Keep in mind that most tools are very heavy. Do not carry tools that you will never use and only vital ones if they are rarely used. If you spend a great deal of time in the same locations, consider what may be available to you where you stay so you won't need to carry your own. Most of us start with more tools than we should. I have stored some of my tools with my sons on the condition that if I change my mind I can retrieve them but while there the son is welcome to use them.

When locating your tools in the available storage space, keep in mind to balance your load. If all tools are placed to one side, some other heavy items should be on the other. Our motorhome happens to be curb-side heavy, so putting all of my heavy tools to the street side actually improved the load distribution. It is important that you know the weights of each axle and of each side before and after you load your belongings into the RV. The best answer is to get individual wheel weights if possible.

 

What I did was to go through a truck scale that gave each axle weight, two times. The second trip I kept the right side wheels off of the scale pads to weigh only the left side. If you do this, try to center the wheels that you are weighing on the pads. Not all scales will be located so that this is possible. I found a truck stop where I was able to do this, both before and after loading our belongings. Simple subtraction gave me the right weights. You can get a good estimate of what weight you will be adding by putting things into boxes and using a bathroom scale to see just what they weigh.

 

 

Is Your Awning Loose?

Why would you want to do this?- Any RV owner who uses his awning very often will eventually need to do this little project. What you will see is either the time will come when the fabric does not stay taunt when extended, it no longer rolls up tightly, or it may be that the awning is slow to roll and needs encouragement from the operator. Any of these can be caused by stretching of the springs in the roller. That is quite normal and if you go to an RV repair shop, what this describes is exactly what most shops will do to solve the problem.

What make of awning is this?- While my awning is an A&E, model 8500, this should work just as well on any A&E awning and I think that you can adapt it to a CareFree or other manufacturer. This procedure took me 20 minutes for the front spring and 10 minutes for the rear. I think that I could do more now at about 5 to 10 minutes each. It is not a difficult thing to do.

Tools needed: Screwdriver or nut-driver, on mine it was a square drive but some also have a philips head. You will also need a 6' or 8' step ladder to prop up the awning and an assistant would be very helpful.

Definitions: The “roller tube” is what contains the springs and is what the awning wraps around. The "support arms" are the aluminum members that extend from the awning tube to the bracket on the side of the MH (3.5’ feet above the ground). The "tension arms" are what you adjust to make the awning taut after it has been lowered.

1) Lower the awning, so the roller tube is as close to the ground as possible.

2) The support arm consists of an outer and inner section. Remove the 2 Phillips head screws from the bottom end of the outer section. These are "stops" that keep the tension arm in its channel. (see figure #1)

3) Place the step ladder under the roller tube and adjust the awing to rest on it to support the weight.

Stop screws, partially removed. The tension arm slids easily from the track.

4) Slide the tension arm out of its channel in the outer section and tighten its knob, so it can hang next to the MH without its inner section coming out. (see figure #2)

4) With your assistant holding the roller tube on the step ladder(it will want to move toward the MH), remove the support arm from the bracket on the MH, just like you'd do if you were going to use it in the carport mode. At this point you can remove the inner part of the support arm to make it shorter, or retract it all of the way to the shortest position. If your step ladder is more than 6' tall, don't bother to remove the inside section.

The front of the roller tube, supported by a step ladder and the support arm ready for rotation.        The rear of the roller tube with arm ready to rotate.

5) If you remove the center section you’re now left with just the 5' section of outer support arm. If you do not it will be a little more than 6' long. With your back to the front of the MH, rotate it counterclockwise one or more revolutions. One was plenty for mine and I would do no more than two revolutions before trying it. You do not want to get it too tight and it takes only a few extra minutes to roll the awning up without replacing the screws. Just snap the support arm back into it's bracket and slide the tension arm into it's slot, and roll it up. No big deal and it will avoid too much tension.

6) Reinsert the inner support arm section and attach it to the MH bracket.

7) Slide the tension arm back in its channel in the outer support arm section and re-install the 2 Phillips head screws that serve as its stop.

8) Repeat procedure for the rear support arm. You will tension this spring by facing toward the front of the MH and turning the support arm clockwise.

9) Adjust the awning to a nice position to sit under, get a lawn chair and a favorite drink and sit back and admire you handiwork. It would also be helpful if your assistant would call all of your neighbors to hear about how great you are!

10) Now the most important step of all! Get a lawn chair and a cold drink and sit back and admire the results of your skilled craftsmanship.

RV Salvage Yards

I have kept a list of RV Salvage locations for some time but was recently asked to post that information. I have made an effort to verify all of the information about each company. While I can not guarantee all information is correct, I have made every effort to make it so as of May of 2005. Listings here do not indicate an endorsement of these business and in fact, most of them are businesses that I have never had contact with. I hope that visitors find this information helpful, and if you find an error or incorrect information on this list, please send me a note to let me know. The listings are in no particular order to be fair to all. 

RV Salvage companies:

*** Arizona RV Salvage,

2737 W Lincoln St., Phoenix , AZ      85009        (602) 272-0301        http://www.azrvinc.com/       toll free    1-877-824-8242                                             New & used parts, RVs and all items.

***  Economy Used RV Parts, 

  #8 1678 W. Superstition, Apache Junction AZ.  85220             toll free 800-224-2601,   or  520-982-2678                                                                      Salvage and surplus. Discount prices/obsolete parts. Used/new/recondition.                     

 

***  All Rite Exteriors. Hollister CA. 

1500 Shelton Dr.,  Hollister, CA    95023     800-262-6541   http://all-rite.com/   toll free  800-642-9988                                                                          Collision repair parts for all RV exteriors

***  R.V. Recyclers Rancho 

3391 Fitzgerald #B  Cordova CA. 916-635-9303    Phone: 916-635-9303
All used parts from 1990 and newer stock: refrigerators, generators, furnaces, waste tanks, windows and more. Reconditioned and new available.

***  Walt's RV, Fontana , CA      

16616 Valley Boulevard        www.waltsrvparts.com        909) 823-0563;                                                                                                                       new/surplus RV parts. Specializing in Fleetwood, National, and Cobra RV's.

***  Cherokee RV Salvage, 

7102 Raleigh St. #8, Westminster,  CO (303) 295-3433    http://www.cherokeervparts.com/  Toll free   1-877-470-3433.                                                   Largest RV salvage this side of the Mississippi .         

***  Cooper RV Salvage, 

1300 Thornton St. Elkhart, IN 46514     (219) 293-3027                                                                                                                                                            all types of parts for all types of RVs

***   RV Surplus & Salvage Inc.

1400 W. Bristol St., Elkhart, IN   46514      Ph. 574-264-5575   https://www.rvsurplussalvage.com/index.php

***  Icke's RV Surplus

  701 W. Huntington Street,  Montpelier, IN 47359  Phone: 317 728 5668
   New/surplus RV parts. In business 29 years. Four warehouses.

***  Bontragers' Surplus Parts, 

18719 W US Highway 12 White Pigeon, MI 49099      (616) 483-7017                                                                                                                                fridges, rangers, hot water heaters, furnaces

***  Cinnabar Engineering Inc. 

116 Orval Street Sandusky, MI 48471      Phone: 800-720-2227
   All GMC moterhome parts and publications

*** Weller Auto

2525 Chicago Dr. SW, Grand Rapids, MI 49509 616-528-5000  http://www.partsbyweller.com/rep/WRRVResults.asp                                                 Wrecked RVsgas and diesel. Drive train parts plus manuals

***  National Recovery Service Inc.

PO Box 310, Liberty NC.27298      800-903-7285, 910-622-7285                                                                                                                                 Rebuilds damaged RVs. Engines and drive train parts.

***  Singleton RV Salvage & Sales

 Rochester WA.    360-273-9566     http://www.olywa.net/singletonsrv/right.html                                                                                                                 Check them before you buy. Appliance, propane tanks, axles, body parts, door, windows, jack and more. Open Thursday-Sunday.

***   Midwest S alvage Inc.,

1700 N. SR. 517, Shipshewana , IN ,         (219)825-9822     http://www.midwest-salvage.com/ 

***  Colaw RV Salvage

10389 Cimmaron Rd.  Carthage , MO. 64836      877/548-2125      417-358-4640       http://www.colawrvsalvage.com/                                                  Actively dismantling hundreds of damaged RVs for the purpose of reselling used RV parts.

***  Gundie's Inc.

 1283 Mt. Baker Highway, Bellingham, WA 98226;    (800) 444-4344,    (360) 733-5036.                                                                                                    Large number of rebuildable RVs, auto-recycling center, appliances, all types of parts for all types of RVs. 

***   Graber Ind. Inc. 

19100 Fairchilds Road, Constantine, MI 49042; (616) 279-5288.                                                                                                                                    Obsolete and new RV parts and supplies, as well as building materials, carpeting and plumbing.

***  Dixie Trailer Supply

4135 N. Dixie Highway, Fort Lauderdale, FL 33334;   (305) 565-9210.                                                                                                                                       In business 27 years. New and hard-to-find trailer and RV parts.  RV parts/Service FT. 

***  Ideal RV and Trailer Supply

3375 E. Bayshore Road, Redwood City, CA 94063     Phone: 415 365 1574
Hard-to-find new and used RV parts. Redwood City CA. 415-365-1574

***  Howell's RV Appliance Repair

11366 N. Woodside Avenue,  Santee, CA 92071  Phone: 619 441 0066
 New, used and reconditioned RV appliances.
. El Cajon CA. 619-441-0066

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Some other locations that also post sources of parts and repair items are:

Fiberglass RV         http://www.fiberglassrv.com/parts.php 

RV-NET              http://www.rv.net/obsolete/index.cfm?action=group&groupid=1

RV Safety            http://www.rvsafety.com/PartsSalvage.htm

RV-Basics          http://www.rvsafety.com/PartsSalvage.htm

 

Go to top