Is Your New or New to You Motorhome Really as Safe as You Think?
By Butch JonesThis month I thought I would delve into a facet of safety that some might not think about. That would be checking your rig for safety when you purchase it, and performing a safety check of your current RV. Now your first impression might be that if you buy new if will already have all of the safety items needed and required and if you buy used, the previous owner has already taken care of outfitting all of the necessary safety items.
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 got 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 side of the coach as well as the area along the side of the coach. The left mirror is mounted on the front side of the body like many coaches. These mirrors on her coach 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 during their pre-delivery inspections (PDI), 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 of some:
Mirrors – make sure you can see to safely back up and make a lane change
Photo 1 Front Mount Mirror
Photo 2 Side Mount Mirror
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 and Propane 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
Photo 3 HandrailsHandrails – Check the handrails outside the entrance door as well as on the inside. Make sure that you can safely use them to comfortably enter and exit the RV.
Entrance Door – Make sure that it latches properly and there is no in/out movement. I have heard of at least one door coming open while driving along an interstate.
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. Most seat belt manufacturers and chassis manufacturers say that the service life of seat belts is 10 years and they should be replaced at that time. 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. Make sure that if the system has a warning and/or indicator light signaling when the jacks leave their nest, that it comes on as the jacks actually initiate the signal when they leave the nest and cancel it when they are fully nested. Driving off with one or more jacks hanging down below the nest could be an expensive and hazardous situation.
Heaters – If your RV is equipped with a hot air type heater, make sure that you can access it to clean the elements periodically. Dust can accumulate in the unit and burn off when the unit is started. Usually you will have a light smell of something burning when the heater first starts to heat and discharge hot air; this is an indication that there is an accumulation of dust in the unit. If the smell goes away in a minute or so you may be okay. But it is time to clean the unit as you do not want to chance the dust igniting.
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 (inside of vehicle cover) – 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. Additionally, make sure that you can easily access the latches and remove and reinstall the cover.
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.
For towable, make sure that the vehicle which will be towing it has some excess towing capacity, an example might be a tow vehicle may have a capacity of 10,000 pounds. If the trailer is rated at 9500 pounds you do not have a great deal of cushion in capacity. There would be little capacity for carrying all of the things that wind up inside an RV. Overloading is a major cause of tire failures. There are companies that perform vehicle weighing at many FMCA rallies. You can often go to a commercial truck weigh station (probably not at a DOT weigh station on the side of an interstate or state road as this could create a problem if you are overweight. Although in some states recreational vehicles may be exempt from weight laws, if you are too far overweight it could still be a problem.
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. Always check all of your lighting tow vehicle and towed vehicle before starting out after each disconnect.
Inverter – If your RV has an inverter, make sure that you understand how it operates and when it will be on and how to turn it “on”, “off” and “reset” if needed. Know what it controls as well.
Photo 4 Inverter
Batteries – Know how many batteries you have for the chassis and the coach as well as what type and what voltage these batteries are. Also know where the battery shutoffs are located. I can attest that you do need to know this (don’t ask how I know).Slideouts – When buying an RV with slideouts make sure that you understand how to lock them into position both “in” and “out”. Some that have electric motors have an electro-mechanical lock that is engaged when the slideout fully extends and when it nests back into the body. These locks require electric power to unlock once they have locked into place. Swintek slideouts require the power switch to remain engaged until the motor stops and then a couple of seconds longer. This ensures that the brake is engaged. This is done going out as well as coming back in. If the slides are not locked in place your RV could increase in width dramatically as you are driving down the road as they creep out, making your RV become wider as you travel down the highway. This is not a good thing. Some RV manufacturers require that the engine be running or ignition switch be in the “on” position to activate the levelers and slideouts, some do not, be familiar with your system.
Entry and Exit – Make sure that you can get in and out of the RV easily. While this might sound a bit silly, remember with each passing year comes a birthday, yours. With that birthday we get older and some parts of our anatomy need a little assistance from time to time. Ensure that everyone using the RV on a regular basis can easily negotiate the steps in and out. If additional grab bars or assist handles are needed, there are several styles and configurations available in the aftermarket. Make it a habit of locking the entrance door every night, this gives you practice which will come back to you in an emergency.
Emergency Exits – Make sure that all of the windows and doors that have “EXIT” above them open freely and easily and everyone spending time in the RV knows how they operate. I have had to use a rubber mallet to get a few to open. Develop and practice an emergency escape plan for your RV as well. Make it a habit on every trip to open these exits, just to keep in practice and remember. In an emergency you will go only to an exit with which you are familiar. If you have only opened the emergency exit once, twice or never, you may not remember it when needed.
Utility Connections - One of the not so enjoyable requirements of RVing is that if we want to fully utilize the vehicle, we must make certain connections to the outside world. Even if you are dry camping you will need to fill the fresh water tank before you begin using the vehicle. Once the adventure is over or maybe after a few days or a week or more into the excursion, depending on your RV, you will need to get rid of this “waste”. This requires an intimate knowledge of the utility compartment of your RV. Travel trailers and some 5th wheels have all of the connections on the exterior of the vehicle, however most motorhomes have a dedicated compartment which contains all of the necessary connections. It is worthwhile to note that although this might seem like a simple process, there are plenty of horror stories of dumping gone bad. I know of several people that while backflushing the black tank, decided to close the drain valve and let a little clean water fill the black tank. This was done to “really clean it”. Well, they forgot to open the valve and that water backed up into the coach. Not a pretty or pleasant time. So follow the guidelines from the manufacturer. Make sure that you can get the holding tank hose on the vehicle connection. I had a coach once that almost required me to stand on my head to get the connection made. Do not find this out on your first trip with your RV. Also make sure that you can safely operate the valve(s) quickly, in the event the hose breaks or comes loose. You would be amazed at how much waste can come out in a few microseconds (again don’t ask how I know this) Check to see if there is a light in the compartment which makes moving around safer in the dark.
While there may be more things to check these are the ones I have dealt with in the past. I have developed a checklist that I use when shopping for an RV which helps me remember the things that I need to consider. Hopefully 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. Safe Travels.
