Thursday, February 28, 2008

RV Recall notices

**Update: RVtravel.com has February updates
available here:
http://rvtravel.com/publish/news/recalls_feb__08.shtml

Wish those folks ahead of us had kept up-to-date with their recall notices... *lol* while we waited for hours on our way back from Washington to California on Int I-5 last November. ALWAYS a great way to meet new friends.


RV Consumer Group posted the following information for recalls as of Feb 2007:
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) has issued recall notices for the following RVs:
166 Crossroads trailers equipped with Lippert axles, due to mislocated spindle welds. Lippert is conducting the recall and will replace the axle if necessary.
2,618 (2002-2005) Damon Ultrasport, (2006-2007) Damon Astoria, Challenger, Tuscany, (2004-2005) Escaper, LX 400 and (2003-2005) Intruder motorhomes for failing to comply with the requirements of the of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108 involving "Lamps, Reflective Devices and Associated Equipment." Some of these vehicles were built without the red rear reflex reflectors and without the amber intermediate side reflex reflectors. During night driving conditions or while the motorhome is parked, the rear and side marker lights will not provide any reflex reflection to mark the vehicle's location.
1,939 (2003-2006) Dutchmen T@B recreational trailers, due to the lack of an installed furnace vent.
59 Fleetwood trailers equipped with Lippert axles, due to mislocated spindle welds. Lippert is conducting the recall and will replace the axle if necessary.
33 (2006) Fleetwood Prowler Regal, Terry Quantum and Wilderness Advantage fifth-wheel travel trailers for failing to comply with the requirement of Part 567 "Certification." The gross vehicle weight rating (GVWR) is incorrect. A misprinted label could lead to improper vehicle loading or tire inflation.
93 (2007) Fleetwood Excursion and Providence motorhomes, which fail to comply with Section 6.2.6 "Marking of Alternative Exits," as required by the ANSI/NFPA 1192 standard on recreational vehicles. The window is used as an emergency exit and must be clearly identified.
1,271 (2005-2007) Jayco Seneca motorhomes. The distance from the rear cap to the hitch receiver encourages the use of longer ball mounts or extensions, which could create unsafe towing conditions.
2,086 (2001-2003) Monaco La Palma, (2001-2002) Monaco Monarch, (2002-2003) Monarch SE, (2001-2002) Holiday Rambler Admiral, (2002-2003) Holiday Rambler Admiral SE, (2001-2002) Endeavor gas and (2001-2003) Vacationer Class A motorhomes. The lower flange in the frame extension of these units may crack, allowing the hitch to bend and possibly separate from the motorhome, resulting in separation with the towed vehicle.
171 (2007) Monaco, Cayman, Holiday Rambler Admiral, Neptune, Safari, Simba, Simba Diesel and Trek gasoline powered motorhomes. An incorrect screw was used to install the black and white CRT back-up monitor in the dash and could potentially hit a high-voltage circuit on the PC board of about 10,000 to 13,000 volts.
123 (2005-2006) Race City RV ST, HD and HDXL tow trailers. The LED stop, tail, turn and side marker lamp combination package on certain tow trailers fail to comply with the requirements of Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standard No. 108. The lamps are not separate from the stop-tail-turn lamp combination and are not thick enough to provide the required level of visibility when viewed from the rear as required by the standard.
87 (2006) Sunnybrook Titan toy hauler fifth-wheel travel trailers equipped with Great Plains (GPI) fuel pumps. A fuel leak can occur at the pump's inlet valve, potentially resulting in a fire.
117 (2004-2005) Thor Frenzy, Fury, Jazz, Tahoe, Vortex and Wanderer cargo/travel trailers. Overloading and incorrectly positioning cargo in the rear cargo area can result in a light hitch weight and affect stability, resulting in sway at highway speeds, a potential bending of the A-frame assembly, failure of the coupler assembly and/or failure of the safety chains. Dealers will inspect the trailer, tow vehicle and hitch equipment; install new cargo load limit labels and placards; furnish loading limit information; replace the coupler and safety chains; and reinforce the A-frame.
17 (2005) Thor Vortex, Viper, Tahoe and Fury cargo/travel trailers. Improper weight distribution may occur when the back of the trailer is loaded with cargo.

RV Towing Forum Quote

I get a lot of questions about towing capacities... While researching the towing capabilities of 1/2 ton vs 3/4 ton trucks and fifth wheel vs. travel trailers, I found a nicely put blurb in the forum on RV Travel by Motor31.

"The limit of what a vehicle can handle both safely and legally is contained in its GVW and GCVW ratings. This is not an issue of brand or model favoritism, it's a matter of what the manufacturer advised DOT and what DOT has certified the vehicle to tow/carry. Look in the owner's manual for the limits of what the vehicle can carry by model and equipment. Having a 4x4 usually means a lower capacity as the extra running gear takes up part of the weight allowance. Some of the variables determining what the vehicle can tow are the frame, brakes, transmission, rear end ratio, 4x4, cab size, bed size, tire capacity, axle capacity and engine type/size. The weakest link in the entire equation determines the max limit of the vehicle. While many feel that the truck's only purpose is to pull or carry, that's not the case. The truck also supplies part of the braking effort and stability of the trailer. The trailer is not balanced to sit on its own wheels in a stable setup. The tow vehicle has to provide that stability so its own load carrying capacity is part of the equation. Trailer brakes are also rather iffy for full stopping effort of the trailer, particularly once they are no longer new and in perfect shape. This is particularly true given the proclivity for manufacturers taking shortcuts in assembly of the components. Using wire twist nuts as opposed to soldering and then sealing the connections from the elements is a good example. Virtually the entire brake system of a trailer is exposed to the elements and any road spray. Most owners also fail to maintain the brakes. You do know that they should be inspected each year at a minimum for function and adjustment. It's also not as robust as a hydraulic system on the tow vehicle. Once the brakes on the trailer fail, and they do fail at times, the entire stopping ability rests on the tow vehicle. The tow vehicle also has to steer the entire combination while on the road. The "bill of goods" I see manufacturers selling is the "demonstrations" of the strength of their vehicles. Showing the truck making a dead lift of a weight more than the truck or stopping a cargo plane are some of the exaggerations they use to advertise their trucks. One of the ones I like the most was the bit about a half ton PU towing a fully loaded semi that is broken down. Think about it: if a half ton would tow a loaded semi (80,000 lbs gross) why would a trucking company spend over $100k to buy a semi tractor? Forget the advertising hype. Forget "opinion" of salesmen and anecdotes of folks who say that the truck can tow anything (or similar statements) as they will not be there if you have a problem later on. It will be you answering questions perhaps in court about what you did and what equipment you operated on the road. You may also be on your own: check your insurance coverage if you tow overloaded. It may well be (probably is) an exclusion of coverage if you do. My entire point is, look at the specs of the vehicles in question. Make sure you have enough truck, by published specs and DOT certification for the load you want to tow. Even non-commercial vehicles are subject to overweight and oversize limits."

RV Resources

My commitment to my RV customers does not end when you drive off the lot. It does not end the next day when you wake up and are filled with mixed emotions about that beautiful second home parked out front.

It doesn't even end when the day arrives that you find yourself having questions and not knowing where to turn. So this blog is intended to help all of you with additional resources and I'll keep it updated as I discover new sites. Please help me keep the information current. THANKS!

RV Bookstore: http://rvbookstore.com/help.aspx#contact
RV Links: http://www.rv-links.com/rvmarketbuysell.htm
Free Campgrounds for RVs: http://www.freecampgrounds.com/results.aspx?s=7
BigBoy Toys Online: http://www.bigboytoysonline.com/
RV Scrapbook: http://www.rvscrapbook.com/account.php?sub_section=login

MANTECA TRAILER: (where you can ask for me): http://www.mantecatrailer.com/

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

Geocaching




If you haven't yet discovered GEOCACHING and you love the outdoors...


You must consider this adventure....




You can go out and cache on your bike, on foot, on ATV, or even in a Cadi...


Or maybe as my customers who are off adventuring in their new BOUNDER motorhome...


If you'd like more information, I'd be happy to fill you in. E-mail me!

RV SALES

RV Sales in Manteca, California... Manteca Trailer...

The adventure has begun. Come join me and let me show you the new and gently played in.

Call and ask for Darcie or email me for an appointment. Thanks!