Rving is a way of Life

The Official newsletter

from www.family-fun-camping.com

Issue # 10

December 2008/January 2009

In this issue

1. Introduction
2. Section: 1 Classes of RV's
3. Section: 2 Towing basics
4. Section: 3 Driving with an RV
5. BonusTake a look

Welcome once more to our little monthly chat around the campfire, when I was researching ideas for this issue I came across some interesting material on towing and RV’s. My family still tent camps but we hope to move up to a pop up camper in the next year or so, this inspired me to do some research into buying the right rig. The biggest area people seem to have questions over is towing and saftey; I will focus one section on each of these to help you along. Well I think it is time we jump right in and start by looking at each class of RV and what its features and benefits are.

Section I: Classes of RV's

When you say RV most people immediately think of the larger models or a tent trailer, the truth is many different sizes and styles exist. The biggest physical difference is if the unit is self powered or towed/carried, this is an important detail for several key reasons.

        Let us look at the self powered classes first, the Class A is the largest, and most expensive you will find, they resemble tour buses and are usually powered by diesel engines; this is the ultimate in comfort at the price of size since these RV’s tend to be quite long and wide and may not fit in some campgrounds. The amentias you will find in this class are upper scale, leather interior, whirpool tubs, full gourmet kitchens ECT if you’re looking to go full time these RV’s are certainly a strong option.

       The Class B Rv is more of a hybrid born out of the conversion van market, typically they are built off heavy duty full size van chaiss’s and resemble the more popular class C’s. The class B offers more useable amentias like a kitchen, bedroom setup, and LP fuel over the conversion vans and tends to weigh a lot more.

          The Class C  is the best of both worlds for some families it is smaller than a Class A but larger than a Class B allowing for comfortable travel in a Rv that fits down most streets and will useable in most campgrounds. They are built off the front chassis of a van with the remainder being custom made by the manufacture allowing for a smoother ride and greater flexibility with the floor plans.

The non powered RV models or towable units come in many forms including the Tag along trailer, Fifth wheel, Tent or Pop up, A frame and the in bed Pick up model(s). Having the right tow vehicle is critical with all these units.

The Tag along trailer is one of the most common forms of Rv’s seen in campgrounds, they are built on a straight frame/chassis and offer many functional floor plan designs. Towing a tag along usually requires a V8 pick up or SUV and a receiver hitch rated to handle the load.

The Fifth Wheel Rigs require a special in bed hitch and usually are towed by at least a 2500 series pick up with a diesel power plant. Fifth wheels offer more room than tag along’s in certain areas such as storage for instance.

The tent or Pop up trailer is by far one of the most beloved models of RV’s going the average V6 car; Mini van or pick up can tow one with an inexpensive receiver hitch. Lack of weight and ease of storage are where this class excels, this is usually the first step for people upgrading from a tent.

Section II: Towing Basics

When you decide you are going to purchase any of the towable models of RV you need to be sure your current vehicle can handle the job. This is not as simple s buying any old hitch and ball and having it installed there are certain requirements you need to be aware of when choosing your equipment.

The very first item you need to look at is the towing capacity of your current truck, mini van, car ECT. To ensure it is up to the challenge.

Some terms to know when determining what you can tow are:

GVWR (Gross Vehicle Weight Rating): The total allowable weight of a fully loaded vehicle, including driver, passengers, cargo, fluids, accessories, and tongue weight.  It is a common mistake to Miss Judge this rating.

The trailer has a similar rating called:

GTWR (Gross Trailer Weight Rating): This figure is usually located on a metal tag on the trailer frame and is based on the allowable weight of the trailer and all its cargo.

Tongue Weight. This term refers to the trailer actual weight at the coupler that is supported by the truck. It is recommended that you do not exceed 8 to 12 percent of the truck total weight for this rating.

Trailer Hitches

When you begin to shop for hitch you will notice there are four classes of hitches you can buy, class I, II, II and IV Class I is the lowest rated and Class IV is the highest. Each hitch has a weight range and some mount slightly different.

Class I hitches are usually found on light trucks, mini van’s  and cars and mount under the bumper or bumper frame mount, they are designed to handle up to 2,000 pounds total trailer, content weight.

Class II hitches are usually found on light trucks, mini vans and SUVs’ and mount like a class I, they can handle up to 3,500 pounds of total trailer/ content weight.

Class III hitches are usually only   found on light to heavy duty trucks and SUVs’ they can handle up 5,000 pounds of total trailer/ content weight.

Class IV hitches are usually found on heavy duty trucks and are rated to handle up to 7,500 pounds of total trailer/ content weight.

Now that you know a little about hitches and how to choose the right weight capacity you should start by finding out from your manufacture what the recommended towing capacity for your vehicle is, then you can start shopping for the perfect match for your budget, weight restriction, and functionality. Remember you have to have room to store your new RV in the off season so make sure to take this into account when you’re choosing your new RV

Section III: Driving with an RV

The Self powered models of RV such as the Class A  and Class C can present newbie’s with quite a challenge on narrow roads, hills or tight camp sites therefore practice goes a long way! There is no harm in firing up your coach and just driving it around town to get used to how it handles, brakes ECT. This is a smart investment into safety that will surely pay you back. Empty parking lots are a great place to practice backing up; you can either use safety cones or just the lines for the parking spaces.  Most drivers find having a partner helping when backing up helps a lot so also practice hand signals and behaviors you plan on using when you go camping with your partner.

The towable RV’s provide a double challenge for newbie’s, driving with extra weight that shifts on its own and backing up. When you have an RV in tow remember your ability to deal with short stops, steep hills, and slippery conditions is greatly affected. The hardest thing to get used to when you have a pop up trailer behind you for instance is you have to turn in the opposite direction to move your trailer into position ( right is left, left is right) this is a major change of mind set and takes some practice for most drivers.

Once the basic skills are mastered most people have a great time towing an RV, like I recommended with the bigger coaches practice make perfect. One more concern with a towable unit is hitching up and  ensuring all the wiring is connect properly, taking a partner here and using a pre trip checklist is the best way to make sure you do not forget anything.

Bonus: Links an Ideas

Well every one like freebies and tips so that’s why I always try to include as much as I can in this section, and this month is no different so lets see what we have this month.

LoveRVing.com
Useful recreational vehicle information from camping etiquette to choosing an RV, renting, joining an RV club or tour, volunteer & work opportunities, health & wellness, and pre-departure checklists.

Reserve Americas Directory
Plan your next trip with reserve America!

Rent an RV before you buy
Try RVing before you invest your hard earned money, Rent Today!

Learn all about Rv's !

Interesting product ideas:

Try this Eco friendly product:
Stop wasting water and polluting the environment with chemical run-off from traditional car washing. Use UltraLuster Waterless Car Wash and save the environment.

Need some education on Class C motor homes on  DVD?

Amazon store

National Parks

Website hosting - Site build it!

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A final Word

My hope is that people take something away from reading this news letter so please contact me if you have questions or suggestions.

Scott

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