RV Consumer Learning Center
RV how-to - RV videos - RV diy - RV tips - RV products & more
 
Hello Fellow Campers,

When you read this we should be on our way back from a month long RV trip. It is mostly business and will take us from NC to MI with a few stops in between. 

I just had the motorhome inspected and the transmission fluid and filter changed so we should be in good shape. I think transmission fluid is something that gets overlooked or forgotten about by lots of folks when it comes to routine maintenance. Under normal driving conditions you might change transmission fluid somewhere between 30,000 to 60,000 miles, but when driving involves towing a vehicle or trailer you should change it more often. One telltale sign is the color of the fluid. Transmission fluid is typically bright red in color, but as it ages (especially under stressful driving conditions) it will get darker in color. If there is already some damage to the transmission the fluid might have a burnt smell as well. Hopefully that won't be the case. The moral to this topic is to check your transmission fluid just like you check your engine oil, and at a minimum have the transmission fluid and filter replaced according to the vehicle owner's manual.

Enjoy the newsletter, and if you have family or friends who like RVs and the RV lifestyle share with them. 

Happy Camping in 2018.

Mark
View our profile on LinkedInFollow us on TwitterFind us on PinterestLike us on FacebookView our videos on YouTubeView on InstagramVisit our blog
Enjoy the RV Journey
Need a Sway Control Hitch?

Check out the hitch Mark uses when he tows a trailer. 
The Original  Equal-i-zer Sway control hitch has been enjoyed by thousands of trailer owners for over 50 years. Learn more about the Equal-i-zer hitch, and find out which hitch will work best for you:


Equalizer Hitch 4-point sway control. What it is and how it works
Feature Article 
RV Braking Distance
 

 
Getting to your favorite camping destination is half the fun as the saying goes, but getting there safely is the most important thing.
When you tow a trailer or drive a motorhome it takes longer to stop than it does in an automobile. The heavier the vehicle or truck/trailer combination is the longer the it takes to stop it.

The Braking Equation
Understanding the braking equation can help, especially in an emergency braking situation. When you apply the brakes to stop a vehicle there are four phases that comprise the braking equation.

The four phases are:
  • Perception time: The time it takes to recognize you need to stop.
  • Reaction time: The time it takes to apply the brakes.
  • Brake lag: The time it takes after you apply pressure to the pedal until the brakes start to engage.
  • Stopping distance: The distance you travel after the brakes engage.
Now let's take a closer look at what you can do to improve the braking equation and get to your destination safely.

Of the four phases you only have control over one.
  • Your reaction time is your reaction time and there is not much you can do to improve it.
  • Brake lag varies with vehicles and different types of braking systems. On vehicles with air brakes it can take a half-second or longer. You cannot change brake lag.
  • The only control you really have over stopping distance is maintaining the RV's tires and brakes.
  • That leaves perception time, the one phase you do have control over.
For example if you are traveling 55 mph and it takes you three seconds to perceive or recognize the need to stop you traveled about 240 additional feet before you start to react.

But if you are mentally alert and aware of your surroundings you can improve your perception time to less than one second. That means rather than traveling 240 feet before recognizing the need to stop you only travel 60 feet before you react. You will stop 180 feet sooner just by improving your perception time.

When you drive or tow an RV staying aware of what is happening in front, behind and around you will help improve perception time and improve your RV driving and towing skills. 

This is an excerpt from our  Drive your Motorhome Like a Pro Course

Have a great summer camping season.

~RV 101
Videos of the Month

We buy RVs to travel, relax and enjoy time with family and friends. The last thing we want is to have problems with our RV at the campground. In this RV how-to video Mark highlights some common problems RV owners may experience at the campground and provides some solutions to those problems.

There is more to an RV sewer In than you might know. In this RV video Mark demonstrates some tips and tricks about RV sewer hoses and adapters.
RV Breaking News
Are you interested in keeping up with breaking news about the RV industry? If so  visit RVBusiness
Rollin' ON TV - ROTV

Rollin" ON TV is a nationally syndicated television program that was established in late 2010 by Jose Moniz. Prior to creating Rollin' On TV Jose created a boating lifestyle television program that aired from 2000 to 2008. 
Dawn and I have been fortunate to work with the Rollin' ON TV crew and contribute TV segments and article content for the past two seasons. We look forward to a continuing relationship with ROTV in the future.
Today, Rollin' On TV is the #1 weekly RV and camping television show in America with a reach of 40 million homes and is viewed by 350,000 to 375,000 people a week on both cable and satellite TV and associated media outlets. The show is aired 25 times a week across the country. 
What is really neat about it is you can visit the ROTV website and get caught up with past and current shows right on the site. If you cannot find ROTV in your television programming current and past shows are available for viewing on the ROTV Facebook page, YouTube Channel and website.
  Tired of dead RV batteries?

Stop the problem for good with the charger, maintainer & conditioner that Mark uses on all of his batteries. 

RV Refrigerator Tips & Tricks

When summer temperatures arrive you want to make sure your RV refrigerator can deal with the heat. Here are some tips and tricks to help your RV refrigerator do its job more efficiently.  Read More
   Visit our new RV Online Training Site


Take a minute to visit our  new RV Online Training Program

Are you interested in learning more about your RV? Our new online RV video training courses can be viewed on computers, tablets, and smartphones. All of our courses includes written text, video segments. related articles written by your instructor, helpful tips & tricks, fun play & learn RV University crossword puzzles and quizzes to help you retain the information.  click for more info or to enroll
RV Consumer Magazine Archives

The link below goes to archives of our RV Consumer Magazine magazine issues. These past issues offer great information for RV owners, but keep in mind any offers or specials in these archived issues may no longer apply. The top link goes to the Flip book  formatted issues and the bottom link goes to the PDF formatted issues.
Planning an RV Adventure?    Stay at KOAs Along the Way
Place article copy here. Be sure to make the articles short and concise as people tend not to read much more than a couple of paragraphs. Place article copy here.
RV Education 101
STAY CONNECTED: