Is Your New or New to You Motorhome Really as Safe as You Think?
By Butch Jones
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| Ed Berkley Butch |
Well the answer to both scenarios is maybe but maybe not. What brought this to mind was when a friend asked me to help her get her class A motorhome backed into her port after having the house pressure washed. Her husband was not home and she did not want it on the street until he came home. This woman drove their motorhome the majority of the time; however, was more comfortable letting him do the backing.
When I go in the motorhome and began backing it into the port I could not see down the side of the motorhome. When you are backing into close quarters it is very desirable to be able to see down the side of the vehicle thru the outside mirrors. After opening the driver’s window and hanging out to see how close I was I realized that the mirrors were not adjusted and I could not get them close to what I needed with the power adjustments.
When I had backed it in and got out, I asked her if she or husband had any trouble backing up. She said that they both had trouble since they bought the vehicle.
I looked at the mirror setup and found that the mirrors were mounted on the front face of the vehicle and standing at the rear looking forward you could see only a small portion of the mirror. My coach has the right mirror mounted on the face of the vehicle and I can see the entire mirror. These mirrors had never been adjusted when they left the factory and took quite a bit of lube and persuasion to get them to move into a position that allowed proper adjustment.
I found it hard to believe that this could happen so I asked a friend that had ordered a coach and took delivery at the factory. His coach had the same mirror setup with both mirrors on the front of the coach. He said that he had the same problem and after he left the factory he had to go back and get the mirrors adjusted. He asked why they did not adjust the mirrors and was told that they were left in the original mounting position to facilitate moving down the assembly line and that the dealers usually made final adjustments,
I realized that there are quite a few things that the dealers are supposed to adjust before the units are delivered to the customer. I have created a list of things that I think new owners should make sure are operating properly even on used vehicles. Below is a list:
Mirrors – make sure you can see to safely back up and make a lane change
Parking Brake – Make sure the brakes hold when the vehicle is in Neutral
Wheel Alignment – Make sure the vehicle tracks straight when the steering wheel is released on a fairly level road
Steering Wheel Position – Make sure that the steering wheel is aligned straight; if not a wheel alignment should correct this issue
Smoke Detectors – Make sure they operate properly
CO Detector – Make sure that it is operating properly
Brakes – Make sure that when you apply the brakes the vehicle stops straight and does not pull to one side. This could indicate a wheel alignment issue, a brake problem or other steering/suspension issue
Awnings – If your unit has powered awning with a wind sensor make sure that you know how to adjust the sensitivity so a gentle breeze does not retract your awning but that during windy conditions the awning will automatically retract.
Seat Belts – Make sure that they extend and retract properly and are in good condition. A tip to prevent the seat belt from chaffing the seat is to use a lamb’s wool shoulder harness cover to attach to the seat belt. Slide it along the seat belt to the buckle area where it sometimes touches the seat. This will prevent the seat belt rubbing the seat.
Levelers – Make sure that the leveling system operates properly. Most will not operate or will retract automatically if the vehicle parking brake is release or the vehicle transmission is placed in forward or reverse. An alarm may also sound. Make sure all of these function as the manufacturer indicates.
Fluid Dipsticks – Make sure that all of the fluid dipsticks are accessible and give the correct readings. If you are unsure, contact the chassis dealer or chassis/engine manufacturer.
Engine Cover on Gas or Front Engine Diesel Models – Make sure that the engine cover fits properly and all of the attaching clamps are working. Check to make sure that there is no insulation or weather stripping preventing a good seal. This will prevent unwanted heat and/or fumes from entering the driving area.
Towing Capacity – Make sure that you know the maximum towing capacity of the vehicle you are buying. There are some chassis that have a greater towing capacity than the towing receiver. This is usually due to the method and materials used to attach the receiver to the chassis frame. I had a coach that the chassis capacity was 5,000 lbs. more that the RV manufacturer rating. This was due to a frame extension for the receiver being bolted to the chassis. Neither the chassis manufacturer nor the RV manufacturer wanted to up the capacity.
Trailer/Towed Power Connector – Make sure that all of the connections you want to use are actually connected to the electrical receiver at the rear of the vehicle. Most motorhomes have a 7 pin plug receiver, however I have seen vehicles with only 4 or 5 pins usable, the remaining are not connected on the RV side.
While there may be more things to check these are the ones I have dealt with in the past. I hope this get you thinking about just double or triple checking your rigs to make sure there are no surprises, just when you least suspect them.
