| 0906rv 01 Frequently Asked Rv Questions River Canyon
Q: We want to tow a vehicle behind our motorhome with all four wheels on the ground, but I have been told there are many vehicles that cannot be towed like this. Can you explain how this works?
A: The problem is that lots of vehicles with automatic transmissions require the engine to be running for the transmission to be lubricated. Towing these models with all four wheels down can damage the transmission. Some front-wheel drive automatic models can be towed like this, but you need to read the owner’s manual or talk to the manufacturer to be sure. Some companies offer aftermarket equipment that can be installed on many of these vehicles, making them safe to tow with four wheels down. The best choices for towing with four wheels down are four-wheel-drive vehicles with a manual transfer case and, if you don’t mind driving a stick, any front-wheel-drive vehicle with a manual transmission. Always read the owner’s manual for towing instructions, and even if you have a vehicle that can be towed with all four wheels down it’s quite possible it will have towing-speed or mileage restrictions.
Q: We are getting ready to purchase a travel trailer, and our truck is rated to tow 6,000 pounds. Should the trailer tongue weight be subtracted from the truck’s tow rating?
A: That’s a good question. The easy answer is yes. Any weight added to the tow vehicle takes away from the truck’s tow rating. But it gets a little more complicated than that. The tongue weight will depend on the hitch system you use. If you hook the trailer up and don’t use a weight distribution hitch, all of the tongue weight would be subtracted from the vehicle’s tow rating. If you use a weight distribution hitch, the tongue weight is distributed to the axles on the trailer and the front and rear axle of the tow vehicle, so the actual tongue weight on the hitch itself is less. The only way to know exactly how much tongue weight to subtract is to weigh the tow vehicle separately, then weigh the tow vehicle with the trailer hooked up to the type of hitch you plan to use.
| 0906rv 02 Frequently Asked Rv Questions Desert Camping
Q: We do a lot of dry camping with our motorhome, and somebody we met at a campground told us that if we changed our two 12V house batteries to two 6V ones, we could dry-camp for longer periods of time. Is this true?
A: This question would require a long explanation to thoroughly answer, but here is a short version for now. It’s true the 6V deep-cycle batteries have a higher-amp hour rating, but it also depends how you wire the batteries. For example, a Group 24 12V deep-cycle battery has a 70- to 85-amp hour rating, whereas a 6V deep-cycle battery has about a 180-amp hour rating. If you purchase two 6V deep-cycle batteries that each have a 180-amp hour rating and wire them in series, they would be 12 volts but would still have a 180-amp hour capacity. Now let’s say you take the same two 6V batteries and wire them in series/parallel. They are still 12 volts, but the amp hour rating is doubled to 360. Series wiring increases voltage only; parallel wiring increases amperage only; and series/parallel wiring increases both voltage and amperage. Keep in mind that you need to put back into the batteries what you take out with some type of effective charging system, especially when dry camping or boondocking.
Q: I purchased a 29-foot travel trailer and would like to purchase a generator, but I have no idea what size generator would be needed to run everything in my new trailer. If you have any information, I would appreciate the help!
A: This is kind of like a trick question because it’s not always possible to run everything in your travel trailer even when you’re connected to a campground electrical service. If you are running the roof A/C (14 amps), the water heater in electric mode (9 amps), and the microwave (13 amps), you will exceed the typical 30-amp electrical system found on many travel trailers.
With that said, if you just want to be able to operate things the way you normally would, it really depends on if the travel trailer has a 30- or 50-amp electrical system.
Let’s say it has a 30-amp electrical system, which is basically capable of using up to 3,600 watts before encountering any problems. 120 volts multiplied by 30 amps equals 3,600 watts. Generators are rated in kilowatts. A kilowatt is 1,000 watts, so if you want to be able to use your trailer’s electrical system the way you do when you’re plugged into a 30-amp electrical service, I would recommend a 4-kilowatt (4,000-watt) generator. 4,000 watts divided by 120 volts is 33.3 amps. Anything over this is probably overkill.
Try to find a generator that has a 30-amp receptacle that uses a twist-on plug. You can get an adapter that will go from the RV plug to the twist-on generator receptacle. This way you have all 30 amps going through the RV power cord. Other generators might have two 15-amp, household-type receptacles. In this case if you plug into one receptacle you would be on a single 15-amp circuit.
Q: Can you please advise me on this question? How do I determine the price to pay when purchasing a used RV? Do I go by the NADA value or the asking price? Help would be greatly appreciated. I don’t want to make an expensive mistake.
A: Pricing for a used RV involves many factors. Just a few are the age of the unit, the condition, mileage if applicable, and the options it is equipped with. Most important is the overall condition of the RV. The NADA is a good guide to use, and the pricing in the NADA is based on the RV being in good condition. Good condition means that there is no damage and everything on the RV is in proper working order. You should be able to buy the RV and go right out and use it. If not, the price goes down.
You didn’t mention whether this was a dealer or a private owner, but regardless, make them show you that everything works. Appliances in an RV are expensive to replace. Also inspect the unit thoroughly, looking for signs of damage that are sometimes hidden, such as water damage. If you’re not sure what to look for, bring somebody who knows RVs.
If it’s a motorized RV, the mileage will affect the price, as does any optional equipment. NADA Guides (www.nadaguides.com) will give you an idea of a fair price if you know the year, make, model, mileage (if applicable), and what options the RV has. The site will give you low retail and average retail. If it’s a motorized RV, you not only need to inspect the coach but the chassis too.
If the asking price is fair, this doesn’t mean you should just settle on paying it. There is almost always room to negotiate—unless you run into a deal of the lifetime, in which case you pay the money and leave. Don’t be afraid to make a lower offer to see what the seller says. In most cases he and you will meet somewhere in the middle. I personally would not pay high retail unless it was in showroom condition. You should be able to get it for low retail or less. Remember, vehicles depreciate; they don’t appreciate. In some cases RV owners are upside-down, meaning they owe more than the RV is worth. They want to pay off the loan, so they ask for more than the RV is worth.
Be patient. A good deal always comes along.
