For RVers with 5th wheels, and especially those that enjoy full time RV living, sometimes we just need a little more cargo-carrying capacity! Especially if you want to bring along the motorcycle or the scooter!  I had this problem until I decided to build my own 5th wheel platform to carry my 305 pound Honda Scooter.

Getting around in the Freightliner Sportchassis can sometimes be a challenge when you just want to make a quick trip to the store.  So we decided to get the Honda scooter to fill in the gaps.  Its has worked out great!  It gets 70 miles to the gallon compared to the trucks ten.  It’s a truck and we don’t really care about that because its job is to pull our heavy full time RV living home.   But, the scooter is just so much fun!

The first time to we wanted to move with this new addition we had to come up with a way to transport the scooter and not have to try and get it on the back of the Freightliner truck bed.  It is just too difficult to get it up on the bed and not be in the way of the 5th wheel while in travel mode.  So, I came up with an idea to build a 5th wheel platform that would carry the scooter and other items as needed.

Building Your Own 5th Wheel Platform!

Before I decided to do this I did check the cargo-carrying capacity on my rig to assure that I would not be exceeding the GVWR for the 5th wheel.  The scooter weighs a little over 300 pounds and the platform is right around 100 pounds, so I was okay given the other cargo that I have onboard.  For more information on this subject, you can visit a post I wrote for this website.

Now I did not build this 5th wheel platform all by myself.  I am not a welder but having an engineering mind I knew there was a way to get the job done.  I recruited the assistance of an RV tech that was working in a park I was staying at.  He turned out to be a welder as well.  So, he knew about RV’s and how to fix welds on them.

I had him look at the under structure of my Newmar 5th wheel and see if he agreed that we could weld two receiver bars to the main frame allowing for a removable platform.  The beauty of the two receiver bars was that it created a sturdy foundation to build the rest of the platform on.

So, my RV tech friend added some extra welds to the existing skid plates that attached to the main frame rails of the RV.  He welded a bar between the skid plates to allow for attachment of the receiver bars. Once he had welded those in place he was able to then build the steel platform using flat and angle stock, and the metal grid material you see here in the photos.

I had him weld the flat stock to the angle iron to give the platform rigidity from left to right.  He estimated I could carry 800 – 1000 pounds on the 5th wheel platform, but I would not put that much on there!  But, if I upgrade to a 600 pound scooter I know I would be okay carrying it.

I have discovered this platform has more uses than just carrying stuff on the back.  It sure makes it easier to clean the back of the RV, put the window screens on, get on the roof, and carry my generator during travel.  When dry camping at rest areas or truck stops it’s easy to plug the RV into the generator sitting on the back platform as it is always set up and ready to go.

The 5th wheel platform is removable if need be.  I have been using it for quite a while now and have not had a need to take it off.  The two receiver bars have the typical hitch pin that holds the square iron stock in the receiver bars.  For extra security, I put a locking hitch pin just to be sure the platform would not disappear.  You never know if someone may decide they like it more than I do.

In this photo, you can see the two receiver bars welded to the crossbar that is welded to the skid plates.  The 2×2 iron stock is inserted into the receiver bars.  From there, the rest of the platform was built on top of those two pieces of steel.

I use a Condor Scooter Chock to hold the scooter on the platform during travel.  When parked I remove it to keep it from rusting.  I have a folding ramp that makes it easy to load the scooter on the platform.  Given that the platform is only a few feet off the ground it is easy to walk the scooter up the ramp using the scooters own power.   Once loaded, the generator goes on and I am ready to hit the road!

I hope this has given you some ideas of how you can create your own 5th wheel platform.  It is a cheap method to haul your extra stuff during those times when the RV hits the road!

I am sorry I don’t have pictures of the scooter loaded on the platform at the time of this writing.  I will add them next time I am traveling.  I had not planned to write about this topic, but I am finding more and more people asking about my creation so I thought I would share it here on yourfulltimervliving.com!

If you have any questons, leave me a comment before you go!

Blessings,
Howard and Pam

Many people these days want to work from home!  It does not matter if that home is an apartment, a condo, a house, or like myself, an RV.  There are ways to generate income in the online world!  The trick is to find a way to learn from others who are successfully doing that!

How to Write a Blog for Money!

The website URL that you are visiting has been in existence since late 2011. I created yourfulltimervliving.com to share ideas and ways to make the full time RV living lifestyle easier for those who are looking to get started.  I also learned from others that if I use RV products, and like using them because they add value to my RV life, that I could make some money writing about my experiences and sharing those in a blog post.

Do you need to have writing experience to do such a thing?  No! You do need to know how to form coherent sentences and be able to put your thoughts into words that will make sense to others.  If that is something that is difficult for you to do this may be a problem at first. There are ways to overcome poor writing skills by using today’s technologies.  Once you try these and learn from your mistakes, proper writing skills can be developed quite easily!

How I Got Started!

By my schooling, I am an engineer.  By my work experience, I am an entrepreneur.  I love finding ways to make money and develop those ideas into a business.  When I started the full time RV lifestyle seven years ago I knew that running a business out of my home on wheels would be a good idea.  It makes moving about the country a much easier thing to do.  I have since developed that into multiple businesses that all are related to each other.

Like I stated earlier, at first I just wanted a website that I could share ideas and relay products that make RV life easier.  I had no idea how to do that. Traditional business is easy compared to navigating the internet: coming up with a niche, creating a viable domain name, building a website, hosting that website, writing content that will get Googles attention, and marketing the website to attract visitors who would be interested in what I had to say.

Can You Learn How to Write a Blog for Money?

Yes!  Absolutely!  You can do exactly what I did and have a website focused on something that interests you, and create a home based business at the same time.  With focused effort, hard work and time engaged in learning how to make your website better, you can do exactly what I have done!

How long will it take for your website to take off?  That is up to you.  Will you follow the online teaching exactly as it is laid out?  Will you watch each video and follow the steps exactly?  You can’t leave out anything.  Each piece of the training will help you write a blog for money if you follow the online training.  Each phase builds a foundation for the next step.

The online training and the help that is available from the community of like-minded people, from all over the world, is awesome!  Whenever I have had questions I get answers almost immediately from someone who has had the same issue I had.

I now have two websites!  That is a pretty ambitious endeavor because it is like running two businesses at once.  However, the new website is more focused on building my RV inspection business then it is affiliate marketing.

Can you Really Do This Too?

Would you like to try it for FREE?  There are no commitments, no credit cards needed to try it for free, and no time limit on your free account.  You can launch a free website and learn some of the basics for FREE.  You can check out the teaching that is available, interact with others who are doing the same, and decide if it is something you want to dig deeper into.

Got an idea for a website?  See if it is taken!

Did you find a domain name that you could build a free website from?

See how easy that is?  Now log in to get your ten free lessons and access to start building your online business!  I know you will find the process as enjoyable as I have!  The training process is so engaging it is almost addictive.  The social part is like Facebook on steroids.  There are so many great folks willing to help out!  

They have been in my shoes so they know what it is like and they are willing to share their knowledge.  Why?  Because it is a pay it forward community of affiliate marketers who wanted to learn how to write a blog for money, but they found so much more!

No Obligation – No Strings Attached!

When enjoying either the part time or full time RV living lifestyle, one cannot survive without some of the cheap RV accessories that are available to buy!  Well yes, you can survive, but some of these cool RV accessories sure make RV living just a little better!

Cheap RV Accessories

One of the really cheap RV accessories that you can buy these days is led lights to replace the current incandescent and fluorescent bulbs in your RV.  There are so many advantages to switching over to this newer technology, whether you are living in a sticks and bricks home or in your RV.  But especially the RV given its limited 12 volt capacity when using all your RV lighting.

Let’s face it, most RV’s can only carry so many batteries, and solar panels can not keep them charged under heavier demand.  When plugged into shore power, you can make your converter work pretty hard if you draw a lot of 12 volt power when using all your lights.  Remember, the 12 volt batteries are your piggy bank.  The converter will keep you going while plugged in to shore power, and the batteries are your energy supply when off the grid.

Either way, you can save a lot of power by switching to led bulbs in your RV!  They consume approximately one-tenth the power compared to incandescent bulbs.  Here are some other benefits of using led RV lighting:

Bulb Type                   % Creates Heat       % Creates Light             
          Incandescent                   85%                      15%         
          Florescent                         50%                      50%         
          LEDs                                 15%                       85%

Why use LEDs for RV lighting?

          Safer – hot incandescent and fluorescent lights can cause fires in RVs – LEDs do not get hot enough to start a fire or blister your fingers
          Cooler – LED light bulbs run at a maximum of 165°F, 200 degrees cooler than incandescent and 800 degrees cooler than halogen bulbs
          Power Savings – a LED light bulb uses 15% of the electrical power required by an incandescent or halogen bulb for the same amount of light
          Longer Lasting – the expected life of a LED is 11 years of full time use; normal incandescents last up to 1,000 hours – 1% of the life of a LED – some are rated to sixty thousand hours!

Are there any savings from using LEDs? Yes!  Save hassle, time, and money!

  –  Batteries stay charged much longer and so, live longer
  –  Replacing bulbs is no longer a continuing task and cost
  –  Generator does not need to run so much, saving on expensive fuel
  –  Solar Panels can keep up even if you burn LED light bulbs all night
  –  Bugs fly away to find warmer lights
  –  Boondock longer and stay ‘off the grid’.

Are LEDs dimmable?

It depends on the type dimmer you are using whether LEDs are dimmable and to what extent.

LED light bulbs are fully dimmable with a pulse width modulator style dimmer.  The PWM works by turning the lights off, then on, then off, then on again, at a rate so fast that our eyes only see the total amount of light.  As the ‘offs’ get longer, the lights appear dimmer.

Now a rheostat dimmer works by reducing the amount of voltage to the lights.  LED light bulbs will dim to about half their brightness and at about 6 volts, they turn off.  There is not enough power to keep them lit.  With LEDs, the rheostat dimmer can be used as an on/off switch and for slight dimming.

What kind of bulb should I use?

Buy Here!

These are a must have of the cheap RV accessories options.  I love the light they produce!

I have talked about other cool RV accessories elsewhere on this website:

• Tire Pressure Monitor Systems to keep you safe on the road
• Electrical Management Systems to protect your RV electrical system, your expensive appliances and electronics when plugging in at RV parks!
• Induction cooktop units for safer cooking in your RV!
• Wireless handheld backup camera system for travel trailers, fifth wheels and toads
• King controls jack antenna upgrade to allow for improved TV reception in today’s digital age

Water usage aboard your RV is something that should be monitored for both quality and pressure.  As we have traveled around the country we see large differences in water quality and hardness.  Also, water pressure can vary greatly in RV parks depending on if the park is on well or city water.  I always check the water pressure at the faucet before hooking up.  I keep a gauge in my water bay to remind me to do that.  Maximum pressure on my rig is 60 psi.  Some parks I have been in have been over 100 psi!  That can ruin an RV’s water system pretty fast if you are not aware of that!

I have been in other RV parks where the pressure is at 40 psi.  Trying to take a shower is like standing under a weak garden hose with that pressure. In those cases, I just use my water pump to take an adequate shower. Also, the non-adjustable water pressure regulators that everyone like to use don’t provide enough pressure for today’s RV’s!

But, most parks do offer robust water pressure and the best way to have enough pressure, but not too much, is to have an adjustable water pressure regulator.  We use Valterra’s lead-free brass regulator.  I set it right at 60 psi and that allows adequate water pressure inside the RV.  We have some residential water fixtures in the RV and we really need the pressure to be right at that maximum of 60 psi!

Consider an adjustable water pressure regulator as one of the best cheap RV accessories that you must have!  It will save you from a lot of possible water damage from RV park water systems.

Blessings and Safe Travels,
Howard and Pam

I have noticed an emerging trend among the full time RVers who love their gadgets!  And I am in complete agreement on this one!  RV awning lights, especially led awning lights, are pretty amazing when you see them on at night!  This newer technology allows the daytime fun to carry into the night time without missing a beat.  It is surprising how bright these led awning lights are!

There are two ways you can mount these RV awning lights depending on what you like best.  They can be mounted up at the top of the awning, right underneath the sidewall awning rail, or they can be inserted in the awning tube and roll up inside the fabric when the awning is retracted.  Either way this can be a permanent installation that can be enjoyed each time you use your awning at night.

How Do LED Awning Lights Work?

Are these easy to install?  Without getting too technical, I think this is best explained in a video!

Honestly, how cool is the Dometic light kit?  I don’t think it will be too long before these kits will be installed on all RV’s before leaving the factory.  It makes real sense to find a way to hardwire them to your 12 volt exterior light switch so you can control the power from the inside of your RV.  The remote adds that extra feature of convenience!

I like that the strips can be trimmed to fit custom lengths, and the 3M adhesive backing keeps the lights secure when the awning is closed. The wireless remote control adds convenience with its dimmer feature and handy key chain clip, and it functions up to 125′ from the unit. With seven vibrant colors all in one strip, you can program it to fade or step between colors (white, blue, pink, red, yellow, green and cyan).

7-Color RV Awning Lights Features

• 16′ of colorful programmable LED lights
• 350 LEDs
• Waterproof, long-lasting LED lights
• Lasts over 3 1/2 years with continuous use
• Simple installation
• Trim to fit custom lengths
• Includes wireless remote control with on/off button plus multiple program features to change colors
• Colors: white, blue, pink, red, yellow, green, cyan
• Contents include one 16′ adhesive-backed LED light strip, one wireless remote control, 12 volt AC outlet plug
• Energy saving if living off the grid
• Enough light to read by if desired
• Great for parties!

With the decreasing cost of this technology and the huge advantages of power savings, there is no reason to not switch over to all LED technology in an RV!  One RVer we know of switched all his lighting from incandescent to led lighting, including adding led awning lights.  With everything on, he said he was drawing less than 100 watts!

If you spend a fair bit of time off the grid, or even if you enjoy full time RV living and have to pay for your electricity use each month, over the long term led lighting could benefit you!  Some of the led lights I have installed in my RV are rated for sixty thousand hours of use!  Some of the incandescent bulbs I have replaced only lasted for a few months!  The filaments in them just don’t seem to last very long.  That is why I am a huge fan of this led lighting technology!

Blessings and enjoying your new led awning lights!
Howard and Pam

There are those who adopt the full time RV living lifestyle that do carry weapons on board their RV’s!  This important article is worth reading if RV travel with firearms is something you do.

A friend if mine, S.M. Ingersoll at laymenstactical.com was invited to help offer his valuable opinion on this subject.  I have no experience here.  He however has an extensive background in military and national security service as well as he is an NRA certified firearms instructor.

So here is what Mr. Ingersoll has to say on the subject!

“I am not a lawyer and none of the information in this post is to be construed to be legal advice!”

Late last month, my father and I began a discussion about traveling with firearms.  My dad has purchased a small RV and was keen to hear my opinions on carrying a firearm while on the road.  This sent me on a trip of my own to do lots of research on the subject. I rarely travel myself so I had to rely on the experiences of others to formulate an educated answer to my dad, after all.

The first thing I did was look through several forums and blogs that are more dedicated to this particular issue.  The one thing that I was able to take from them is that research on your destination’s local and state laws is paramount.  First and foremost is the importance of the decision to carry a firearm with you in the first place.

Carrying a pistol or rifle come with an inherent responsibility that you owe to every single person, place or thing that you encounter.  Your decision to carry could affect the lives of many more than just yourself and travel companions.  Once that decision is made, the decision on what to carry comes into play.

The primary question here is; what is your perceived threat?  Do you spend a lot of time out in more primitive camping areas?  Are predatory animals a concern?  Do you tend to just pull up to any ole’ parking lot to take a rest for the night?  Truck stops?  What kind of lockable storage is available in your rig?  These are important questions to ask yourself and making a list of your answers is helpful.

RV Travel With Firearms!

Once you’ve narrowed down your needs then a selection is to be made. One thing to keep in mind is that RV’s are small cramped quarters.  Shouldering a shotgun or long rifle isn’t going to be a practical option inside the RV.  My suggestion here is to have a couple options on board.  A handgun of course, makes excellent sense inside a vehicle.  I also suggest the consideration of a pistol caliber carbine that shares an ammunition and magazine commonality with your handgun.  The same system applies if you’re more of a wheel gun fan, carbines are available in .38spc/.357mag and .44mag.

Of course, you have the option to carry whatever you wish, but this pairing in my opinion works well for the traveler. Whether you decide to go the route of a two firearm solution or a single firearm is a very personal decision and budget certainly comes into play here however, there are a few budget-friendly options in these categories that offer all the benefits at the price of one “top shelf” handgun.

Gun laws are what will be the most important thing to consider after you’ve decided to carry a firearm in the first place.  Different states and municipalities have different laws and ordinances and when you place yourself with a firearm in that area, your ignorance of these regulations will not be a defense to your prosecution if you are discovered armed.  These laws can limit the magazine capacity, length, and size of what weapon you can legally possess. There are a few websites that consolidate applicable laws in an easy to find database.  handgunlaw.us is an outstanding and very well-researched example of one of these.

Getting yourself a concealed handgun permit/cwp/chl…whatever your state calls it, is a very advisable thing for you to do.  Many states have reciprocity with other states that allow you to freely carry your loaded and concealed handgun into and through that state, without fear of prosecution.  Be advised though, that these reciprocity agreements do tend to change some, so research immediately before your trip to see if anything has changed.

There are also many states that are so-called “open carry” states. This means that a loaded firearm can be openly carried without breaking any laws. What this means to the RV traveler is that your firearm can be close at hand provided that it is concealed from view in your rig.  Whatever state you are from, if you are able you should have a concealed cary permit regardless of where you plan to travel to.

If you still have any questions after your research is done, a phone call or visit to the attorney general’s website for the state you plan to travel to could help to clear up a lot of things.  Many places also recognize the fact that when your RV is no longer moving down the highway and is serving as your “home”, the legal definition of your vehicle changes to a dwelling much like a hotel room is recognized as your dwelling when you’re inside.  This is a good question to have in mind while you’re researching laws or if you call to the attorney general’s office.

If traveling through more restrictive states, the federal standard for transporting of a firearm is to have it locked in a secure area (locking storage box or safe) and ammunition is to be locked away separately. I myself have no desire to visit places that would require me to give up my right and ability to protect myself and my family.

The important thing to take away from this post is that your own research is necessary and so important to keep yourself on the right side of jail walls. The reason for traveling is to see wonderful sites and enjoy your time on the road. Simply ignoring the laws will result badly for you. Make good choices and train with your chosen firearms. laymenstactical.com.  That is what will make the difference if you’re ever forced to use them in defense.  Enjoy your travels and have fun. As always stay safe, train and have a good un’.

As Pam and I travel we keep the weapon handy, but locked and the gun ammo separate from the handgun per recommendations of Stephen.  If needed, the gun could be quickly placed into service.  If questioned we are abiding by the laws of most states.  Diligence is needed when it comes to gun laws to keep up with things as they possibly change!

Thanks to Mr. Ingersoll for allowing me to post this helpful article on RV travel with firearms.  Please visit for more information on education, instruction, and making the average gun owner more skilled with their firearm.

Blessings and Safe Travels,
Howard and Pam

Summer 2015:  I recently visited with Stephen while we were passing through North Carolina.  He recommended a fantastic handgun that I bought, and I found it easy to handle.  His training skills are awesome!  He was able to teach me quite quickly how to SAFELY handle the gun.  I had never fired a weapon prior to that time but I found the process very enjoyable.  If you are in the Raleigh area, reach out to him if you want to be “armed and fabulous!”

Fall 2016 Update:  Pam and I were passing through North Carolina again and had a chance to visit with Stephen while at a local shooting range.  I joined he and his Dad to hone our skills shooting at targets. Stephen was awesome in helping me to correct a few shooting issues that take me left and low of my intended target.  Thanks Stephen!!

People looking to join the full time RV living lifestyle often decide they need work camping jobs to make ends meet.  But, if they have never done this type of thing before a big question they may have is what are RV park jobs really like?  You can visit my discussion on work camper job listings to see how to acquire RV park jobs.

Pam and I are now in our seventh year of full time RV living and having RV park jobs.  We can give you some great advice on the best way to deal with situations, not only with RV park owners and managers, but also with fellow work campers.  There are things you must not do in order to survive this kind of environment.

Don’t get me wrong, the full time RV living lifestyle and work camping is what we enjoy doing and will continue to do so for the rest of our lives.  We love it!  But we have learned a few things along the way and I want to share those with you so you have a better experience right from the start!

Let us assume that you have decided on where you are going to work, you found RV park jobs that match your job criteria for what you are willing to do, and you have made contact with the park owners/managers.  There are steps at this point we would advise that you take!

RV Park Jobs: Get Your Job Responsibilities in Writing!

If the RV park jobs employer does not have a work camper agreement for you to sign, then I would suggest you write one and send it to them.  Do this before you commit to any RV Park job!  You want your job responsibilities outlined long before you drive hundreds of miles only to find out that you are cleaning bathrooms when they said you were going to be helping with activities.

One of the phrases we look for in a work camper job listing are the words “and any other duties as needed.”  What does that mean?  It could mean cleaning toilets!  Hey, I have nothing against that.  I have done lots of that in my life so now I’ll leave that to someone else.  Some people don’t mind, others prefer not to.  We have been in some pretty disgusting bath houses after a busy weekend.  I was glad I was not cleaning them!

My point is to apply for RV park jobs you want to do and be sure you get it in writing what your responsibilities are.  If the employer changes things on you then you have it in writing and can approach them with assurance that you are within your rights to say no.  If things really don’t work out after having a discussion with the “boss”, then you are also within your rights to consider the work camper contract null and void.

Pam and I have always had a clear understanding with our work camper employers and have not had an issue.  We got agreements reviewed and signed before making the commitment, we kept in touch before ever showing up to be sure things had not changed: new managers who will dispute the agreement you made with the previous managers/owners, they decided they did not need you and forgot to tell you, your RV won’t fit in their campground, you discovered they don’t have 50 amp electric service RV site for you, etc.

RV Park Jobs: The Best Way to Get Started!

When starting out working RV park jobs we made the assumption that everyone was like us:  they were there to work, just like a real job, and enjoy the work camping lifestyle and full time RV living!  We found out that was not true!  We wondered sometimes why people took these RV park jobs?  They clearly hated being there and had no interest in giving their employer a honest days work.  We call that the Ugly Workamper!  So here’s how you can start off on the right foot as you begin your new work assignment:

1. Watch what you say around others.  There are always a few gossipers who want to talk poorly about everyone else around them.  They will do everything they can to make you look bad around others.  Just be careful till you get to know what people are really like, then form friendships with those folks you can trust.  We have made some lasting friendships with people from all over the country from RV park jobs!
2. Be thoughtful and encouraging around your co-workers.  Don’t get involved in the gossip!
3. Be interested in other people but don’t be nosey.  People will be happy to share with you if they trust you and sense you are a genuine person who really cares about them!
4. Be open minded as things change.  We have worked RV park jobs where changes were needed for the park to function better.  Support your employer and don’t be a know it all!  Only offer suggestions if they are asked for.
5. Be careful to not inadvertently hurt someone’s feelings.  It can happen!  We have done it.  The first thing to do is apologize, ask forgiveness and move on.  When you live and work in close proximity with the folks around you stuff can happen.  You just have to be mindful of that.  Work Campers are like having an extended family.  You can really create some strong bonds that will last a lifetime.  And like family you can hurt the ones you love!
6. Don’t worry what others may say about you.  There are always people who will just be that way: they just have to stir up trouble.  There are not many of these, but they do show up and can ruin an entire work camper workforce in short order.  If you ignore them they will go away! Most times their poor job performance and attitude gets them rolling out of the RV park!
7. Keep records of the hours worked just to be sure you are getting compensated for your efforts.

What to do if Things Changed After Arriving at your RV Park Job

Sometimes, but not very often, despite you best efforts to verify everything before you arrive at your new RV park job, things may not be as promised. So what do you do?

If you did what I suggested earlier and you have a written work camper agreement then you are within your right to ask for a meeting with your employer and discuss the variance between the job being asked to perform and what you have in writing.  If they are unwilling to be open to the discussion then you have every right to pack up and head your RV right out the exit gate!   Your home does have wheels!!

But, before you go be sure you have thought it through and are not just acting out of frustration stirred up by an incident that will probably blow over.  We have not had an issue like that, but we have had friends that just no matter how hard they tried they just always seemed to blow everything out of proportion.

If you have never worked in the hospitality industry before, it is not like working in an office or as a tradesman.  You are dealing with people of all kinds of backgrounds who are coming to have fun.  They may have had travel issues before arriving, they may have traveled with kids who fought the entire way there, etc.  They may not be at there best when they arrive at the RV park!

Our friends always seemed to get so easily offended at what people would say to them and threaten to quit!  “I don’t need to be treated that way!” was the typical line we heard.  It’s true, but that is what RV park jobs can be like, especially when it is really busy in the campground.  We have worked at some parks that only had 200 RV sites, and they had more than half of them turning over on a weekly basis, and usually on the same day. We worked Balloon Fiesta in Albuquerque NM one year.  The park we were at went from empty to full in a matter of hours.

I was guiding RV’s to sites for that particular RV park job.  Every few minutes a rig pulled in.  Not all of them were having a great time yet.  So, we greeted the guests with a smile, told them “now that they had arrived we are going to have a great time, and follow me, I’ll get you parked!”  By the time they stepped out of the RV, at their site, they were happy campers!

You can’t have a thin skin and make it in this business.  Just see it from the other persons viewpoint and life will be so much easier.  Have compassion and you will do fine.  You won’t please everyone, but you will handle most situations just fine if you take that approach!  I worked with our friends to help them get a better understanding of the mindset needed to survive and they were able to have a much better work experience.

The best advice I can give you about having success working RV park jobs is to just communicate with your employer.  If you are having trouble doing the job, it was not what you expected, they did not provide the work experience they advertised, etc., speak directly to them.  If things can’t be worked out your home has wheels and you can change your situation.

I will say that in the six years of working RV park jobs, we have never broken a contract.  We did our jobs, communicated with employers when problems arose, and things were always resolved.  The one thing you really don’t want to do is give work campers a bad name by not fulfilling work contracts.  Employers are counting on you to fill these RV park jobs for the timeframe you committed to.  If you leave early you put them in a bind!

We would love to hear what you think about this topic!  If you have questions we would like to help you out.  Just leave a comment below and we will get back to you!

Enjoy your work camping experiences and your full time RV living lifestyle!

Blessings,
Howard and Pam

When it comes to RV safety on the road, you should be checking your RV tire pressure before each trip!  The only thing that allows the loaded RV to travel safely down the road is the air in those tires.  Too little or too much RV tire pressure can lead to tire failure.  So what is the correct RV tire pressure for your RV?  I will get to that shortly!

RV Weight Management

Before you can determine the correct RV tire pressure for your RV tires you have to know how much your RV weighs with all cargo and passengers on board.  Some RVers really don’t know how much cargo carrying capacity (CCC) their RV has.  They figure if there is space available on the RV then they can put something there.  RV safety on the road has a lot to do with the loading of the RV!

Here are some statistics for you:

• Fifty-eight percent of RV owners exceed the weight rating of their RV.  That is an average of all RV classes on the road today.
• If that statistic is broken down, fifty-nine percent of motor homes are overloaded, sixty percent for toad vehicles, fifty-one percent for travel trailers and fifty-five percent for 5th wheel trailers.
• It is not unusual for an RV to be out of balance by a thousand pounds or more from side to side.

I can’t stress this enough!  It is so important to know what weight is being placed on each tire so you can inflate them to the proper cold tire pressure! Your RV’s data plate will give you the vehicle’s weight when it left the factory, but even there they are not giving you the weight values at each tire position.  So, once you have your vehicle loaded and ready for travel take it to a weighing facility where you can have each tire position weighed. With that information, you can inflate your tires based on the tire manufacturers load charts.

“How do I know what RV Tire Pressure to inflate my RV Tires to?”

Depending on the load on each tire, inflate your RV tires to the cold pressure rating listed in the inflation tables for your particular tire.  These inflation tables are easy to find on the tire manufacturers website.

Once you know what the correct RV tire pressure values are, inflate to the largest weight value on each side, plus a safety margin of fifteen percent. Hopefully, you have enough there to not exceed the maximum weight value of the tire.  If you do not then one of two things may be wrong: you are overloaded or the tires are not the correct type for your RV.

For trailers with factory tires installed, I have read it is best to inflate the tire to the maximum cold pressure rating. Even then, you should know how much weight each tire is carrying so you can verify that the tire weight limits are not being exceeded.  I like using a digital tire pressure gauge that will go to 150 psi.  They are usually better quality and are more accurate!

Keep in mind that under-inflation is worse than over inflation when it comes to tire life!  A tire that is eighty percent or less of what it should be inflated to for the load it is carrying is considered to have been run flat.  What this will do is ruin the internal structure of the RV tire if driven in that condition.

Being an RV inspector and teacher, and that I live full time in my RV, I find it easy to get in discussions with my neighbors.  My first concern with my RV traveling neighbors is safety!  If they want to listen I will gladly share what I have learned.

One park we were staying at I got in a discussion about RV tire pressure with an RVer who had just arrived with his new rig.  He swore his RV tires were inflated by the dealer to the correct pressure and he did not need to worry about his current RV tire pressure.  So, I bet him a glass of wine that they were not set properly.  He was also a new RVer so I was confident I was right.  We checked the RV tire pressure on all tires and verified those values with the data plate load specs.  He was underinflated on all of his tires.

And yes, I did enjoy the glass of wine!!

What Can Happen if my RV Tires are not set at the Proper RV Tire Pressure Rating?

If your RV tires are not operating at the correct RV tire pressure ratings, several things can happen.  If they are under-inflated, the tires will develop excessive heat during travel, they will wear unevenly and have an uneven tire footprint. If they are over inflated then there will be a reduction in vehicle handling, braking and vehicle ride.  Over inflation also leads to a smaller tire contact point with the road.  In this condition, there can be impact damage to the tire rim when hitting potholes.

About using an RV Tire Pressure Monitoring System?

Pam and I do not move the RV without the RV tire pressure set at their proper values, and the RV tire pressure monitoring system engaged.  The only way to know what is going on with our tires during travel is to be able to constantly monitor the RV tire pressure and temperature.  This is so important, especially when pulling a fifth wheel or travel trailer.  Without that immediate feedback, you can drive many miles before you know that a tire has failed and is doing serious damage to your RV!

To know more about these systems you can visit this page on my website.

I hope this information has been helpful!  There is a lot data out there when it comes to RV tire pressure and RV tire safety.  Please visit our friends website rvsafety.com for more information on getting your RV weighed.  I would also recommend spending some time at rvtiresafety.com to find out more from a tire design engineer who worked in the industry for forty years.

Here’s wishing you safe travels, whether you are enjoying the full time RV living lifestyle or you just hit the road when you can.  Be safe!

Blessings,
Howard and Pam

Please feel free to leave a comment before you go!

One of the best RV buying tips I can give you when you are purchasing a used RV is to get it inspected!  By spending the time to inspect a used RV, you will save yourself headaches later on.  You will also be told all the things on the RV that need attention before you take possession of the vehicle. What does it take to inspect a used RV?  Please read on and I’ll uncover what this process involves!

I believe you deserve an RV that will give you worry-free travels and create lasting memories for a lifetime.  Traveling in an RV is one of the most enjoyable ways to visit places that you want to see!  You may have already discovered this and are now ready to buy an RV.

So what would be some good RV buying tips?  I think these are some of the most important ones to consider!

Top RV Buying Tips!

1. Do your homework:  decide on the class of RV you think would most suit your needs, whether its for part time or full time RV living, and rent one. There is no better way to uncover things you may not have considered then to actually take an RV out and live in it for a week or two.
2. Use the Power of the Internet: visit the RVing blogs and read what others are saying about your RV choice.  RV.net and RVforum.net are great sources that RVers love to post too.  rveducation101.com is another good source!
3. Visit Dealerships:  only do this after you really know what you want! Take a look at different makes, floor plans, model years, etc.  Don’t get pushed by an RV salesman into making a decision.  Leave the checkbook at home!  Never buy on the first visit.  Take pictures, notes and go home and think about any purchase seriously before moving forward. Most dealership’s staff are an asset in helping you make a decision, but it is yours to make and you don’t want to make a very expensive mistake!
4. NADA valuation:  be sure you know what the NADA value is for the RV you are seriously considering purchasing.  Comparison shop at dealerships either online or in person.  Craigslist and Ebay have lots of used RV’s for sale.  Be careful here!  You may find a good deal, but do your homework.  There are lots of well-intentioned people who want to sell their used RV at a fair price, but they are also grossly unaware of issues that may bring future problems!  Get it inspected!!

The Best of the RV Buying Tips You Will Need!

Inspect a used RV before you sign on the dotted line!  Let me say that again because people miss this one and wind up buying a money pit!  Be sure to have that used RV inspected by a certified RV inspector.  Not an RV tech, not the dealer staff, not a friend of yours, a certified RV inspector who will offer a UNBIASED inspection of the RV!

It is the job of the certified RV inspector to get the RV to tell them the condition of the vehicle at that point in time!  Through careful analysis of the major and minor systems of the RV, including oil and coolant analysis, their findings allow the buyer to know the exact condition of the RV!

What do things cost in an RV?

You see, if you purchase an RV with any of these items that may have an issue, you will not only be paying for the RV, but the cost of the repairs that should have been made before the RV was sold!

What Exactly is an RV Inspection?

When you inspect a used RV, or should I say have a professional certified RV inspector perform an RV inspection, what exactly is being done? It is much like a home inspection.  The RV inspector will spend as much as six hours examining the vehicle and testing it’s systems.  Here are just some of the items being evaluated:

• Exterior items being evaluated: roof, vents, AC units, sealant, running gear, hookups, steps, etc.
• Slide Outs: operation and integrity of the system
• Electrical Systems: 120 volt and 12 volt systems, hot skin test, main panel and fuse box evaluation, inverter test, converter test, gfi’s, and generator operation.
• Propane System leak checks
• Water Systems:  city supply and water pump function, evaluate and test all plumbing onboard including function of gate valves.
• Appliances
• Interior condition and appearance
• Furniture condition
• Verification of vehicle data information.

Depending on the level of certified RV inspection that a person wants, the computer generated report detailing the inspectors findings can have 15 to 100 pictures included in it and be 50 to 100 pages in length.  The first few pages of the report summarize the major issues that may need immediate attention in the RV.  The rest of the report details the items the RV inspector examined and all findings that were observed at the time of inspection. The NADA valuation is also included so the buyer knows that they are paying a fair price for the RV.

I believe you deserve to find an RV that is a good buy, and is trouble-free at that point in time!  If you would like to know more about this service, you may drop me an email at howard@yourfulltimervliving.com or leave a comment below.

If you would like to tackle a full-blown RV inspection on your own, check out my discussion at this link.  If you are a do-it-yourself kind of person, you may have the skills to save time and money by following my advice!  I have trained over 1,300 people to be RV inspectors since 2010.

Blessings,
Howard and Pam

What is the best RV buy if you are looking at the full time RV lifestyle? There are many considerations to be made when finally deciding to choose an RV that will be your home on the road!  Let’s see if I can’t help you by suggesting some things to consider as you move forward.

Example Front Living Room Floorplan

If you have traveled in an RV before, it does make the choice a little easier because you can visualize yourself living in an RV full time. You have had some experience with what may work and what will not work as far as the best RV buy for you. You may have already decided between a motorized vehicle and a towable. You may have decided between a bus-style RV, known as a class A RV, or a cab-over style, referred to as a class C RV.

You may have seen travel trailers that are pretty nice!  They do give you a lot of bang for the buck.  Perhaps you have looked at 5th-wheel RVs.  They are more like living in a one-bedroom condominium.  The thing is that each one of these types of RV has its own advantages and disadvantages depending on how you plan to use your RV home.

travel trailer

5th Wheel Living

A Question to Ask Yourself: What is Your RV Lifestyle Going to be Like?

For full time RV living, will the best RV buy be a class A RV?  If you are moving around a lot, you don’t want to worry about backing trailers and hooking up the tow vehicle to the trailer all the time.  Do you want more kitchen space so you can prepare the kind of meals you are used to?  Kitchens in 5th Wheels are the best when it comes to that consideration!

Are you going to be workamping where you will be sitting in a location for months at a time? In this case that kind of lifestyle is really tough on a diesel pusher class A RV because they don’t do well when they sit all the time.  They are meant to drive in order to keep the systems from deteriorating.

Will you be running a business from your RV while you travel the country? You will want to find an RV with features that make for a comfortable workspace and do not interfere with the rest of the living space. Both class A RVs and fifth wheels have nice features in this area!

What Do You Need to Have in Your Best RV Buy Home?

This is where a list should be made!  What do you have to have as you consider the best RV buy for you?  The biggest mistake you can make is to start looking for an RV before considering everything I have just mentioned.  Before you know it, you are at a dealership, and a good salesman shows you an RV based on some things you may think you want but may not have really considered.

Then you see an RV: you have fallen in love with the colors, the curtains, the way the interior lights look, the cool rope lighting, the high-tech features, etc.  It is essential to know what you really want, or at least even think you want, and get those features included in the RV you choose! If you make concessions now, you will be unhappy later.  Pam and I have talked to many who admitted they made mistakes in choosing their first full time RV home!  We went through this process, and our first RV home lasted for seven and a half years before our needs changed, and we upgraded to a new full time RV home.

Let’s Make a List!

• How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you want?
• Do you need an office or a work area?
• How much storage do you need? More importantly, how much weight will you put in the RV? If you have three thousand pounds of stuff, you better find a rig that can carry everything you plan to load in it! Please verify the Cargo Carrying Capacity of the RV!
• Where are you going to travel with your RV?  An RV can require anywhere from one to three air conditioner units, depending on the climate you choose to visit.
• Do you need a washer and dryer?  For the full time RVer, an apartment-type washer and dryer is a must!  Many nicer RV’s automatically include this feature.
• What kind of extra vehicle do you need?  If you choose a class A RV, you will need a car.  If you pull a trailer trailer RV, then you will have a truck to use when not towing the RV.  But is that going to work out all the time?  Some people add motorcycles to the list to fill the gap in these RV choices.
• Do you need 30 or 50-amp electrical service?  The difference is on the low end you only have 3,600 watts of electrical power available at any one time in your RV.  You can have 12,000 watts of power on the higher end, which is more appropriate when considering the best full time RV.
• Do you want a class A gas or diesel RV?  Do you want a travel trailer or 5th wheel?  What kind of truck will work best to pull a trailer?  What kind of car can you pull behind your class A RV?  They don’t all work.

Advantages and Disadvantages!

• Class A gas motorized RVs are less than their diesel counterparts.  You can get a lot of bang for the buck in this motorized RV.  Maintenance costs are less.  However, they do not drive as well as diesel RVs and can be affected by wind and semi-trucks on the road.  They will need engine service sooner at higher mileage as they are less durable than their diesel counterpart.  But these are better at sitting for more extended periods of time.
• Diesel class A RV’s do have a higher purchase price.  They also have higher maintenance costs if you are worried about expenses and have a tight budget for your full time RV lifestyle.  But you can drive it many more miles than a gas version.  A half million miles is not uncommon for this type of vehicle.  They drive better on the highway and also in the mountains.  They have much more torque and can pull a more significant load if you want to pull a cargo or vehicle trailer behind.
• Travel trailers are light and can be pulled with a production truck suited to the specs of the RV trailer.  You can get a lot of bang for the buck with this choice.  The newer models have large slides, all the amenities of their motorized counterparts, and they can be lived in full time.  The downside will be traveling long miles with them and the lack of storage. Travel trailers can be squirrelly on the highway depending on road conditions.  And you have to be prepared to back your rig.  This can be an issue if you have not done much trailer backing.
• Fifth-wheel trailers are much better in most of the downsides I listed for travel trailers. They tow better and have vast amounts of storage. I believe they are easier to back than a trailer, but that is just my opinion. When you get one of these that is up to forty feet long, you have to practice a while before you get comfortable handling this type of RV setup.

Okay, that should get you thinking about the best RV buy for you.  After you have made your list of must-haves and decided on the RV class that suits you, go looking.  Don’t let any salesman talk you into something you don’t want or need.  If you find something you really like, don’t jump at it.  Sleep on it!  Take pictures and go home and consider all that you saw.

Whether you choose a new or used RV, take your time! Get a certified RV inspection if you choose a new or used RV. There is nothing wrong with choosing a used model. You may have to look a lot longer to find one that will suit you, but the savings could make for the best RV buy for you!

Thanks for stopping by our website! I hope this information has helped you out!  

Please leave a comment before you go! Let us know if we can help you make your decision. If you would like more information about certified RV inspections, leave me a comment below, and I will get back to you!

Blessings as you search for your full time RV home!
Howard and Pam

Fulltime RV living can have its challenges when it comes to the kitchen!  In our six years of living the fulltime RV life, we have adopted some methods that really help out in the RV kitchen.  We are thankful that there are great RV kitchen accessories out there that aid in the enjoyment of cooking aboard our RV!  One of these is definitely the portable induction cooktop!

Most RV kitchens are very small when it comes to counter space, storage, and appliances that are able to cook like you do at home.  This is not such a big deal for the occasional RVer, but for those living the fulltime RV lifestyle, and who are not LEO’s (Lets Eat Out), it can be a daily challenge to put together three meals a day if you have not carefully thought out what accessories are going to be in your RV kitchen.

After all, this is not like a sticks and bricks home where you can have everything in your kitchen that you could possibly imagine.  In an RV, everything that comes on board is considered as weight and becomes part of the cargo carrying capacity.  This is an important thing to consider when packing up the RV to hit the road!  More weight being carried than the RV was designed to can lead to many issues.  The worst one will be that at some point you could be on the side of the road with a tire related emergency if your RV is overloaded!

So What Should You Bring Along?

Let’s face it, RV microwave/convection ovens are small, for daily use the propane cooktops are not the sturdiest out there, the gas ovens do not cook as evenly as their larger counterparts, and RV kitchen cabinets are placed in areas that are either too high or too low for the user.  So you see, we have a few challenges in our RV kitchen!

Would we change it and go back to a sticks and bricks home so we can have a better kitchen design?  Never!!  The great thing about the RV industry and new technologies are that they make their way into RV’s.  Our eight-year-old RV, although still considered a luxury 5th wheel by today’s standards, has an outdated kitchen.  But, now due to the portable induction cooktop option, we can bring it up to date with current cooking trends and reduce our RV’s weight.

We can eliminate unneeded cookware that takes up space and go with lighter weight nesting cookware that offers ten ways to cook and takes up a lot less space than what we were using for the propane cooktop.

Pam and I are not the biggest fans of propane cooking although to us it is still better than traditional electric element cooking.  However, a few years ago we had a small propane cooktop fire in our rig and since then we do whatever we can to avoid using this volatile liquid!

So, What is Induction Cooking?

Compared to more traditional sources of cooking where heat is created by burning a gas or electrically heating an element, induction cooking uses the cookware itself as the source of heat.  Electromagnetic technology has been around since the early nineteen hundreds.  The process used in a portable induction cooktop is to electro-magnetically excite the tiny molecules in the metal contained in the stainless steel or iron cookware.

Why is a portable induction cooktop one of the best RV kitchen accessories?

It immediately creates more counter space because you can place it anywhere you want to cook.  So, that cover that goes over the propane or electric cooktop can now be used as more available counter space.  Unless you are frying something you will not have to use the exhaust fan.  You can cook at the kitchen table if you like!  The best part of using this RV kitchen accessory is that it cooks safely!  You can’t burn yourself on the cooktop.  If you have a propane stove, you no longer have to worry about the volatility of using propane gas and possible carbon monoxide dangers.

Other Advantages!

• It does not put out the excess heat that other cooking methods do.  When it comes to cooling an RV in the summer, avoiding any additional heat sources is a good thing!
• It heats up faster than gas and is more responsive to immediate needs for a change in cooking temperature.
• They are easy to clean!
• RV kitchen accessories designed for the portable induction cooktop expand its capabilities: stainless steel nesting cookware saves space, induction disks expand cookware options, and griddle attachments allow for a more diversified menu.
• Take it outside to cook or to keep food warm when having a gathering at your RV!
• More cooking features than on an RV propane or electric stovetop: countdown timers, auto pan size detection, power level control, overheat sensors, auto shutoff, etc.  How many features you get will depend on the make and model you buy.

Okay, now I think you understand why I say that love is a portable induction cooktop!  Well, that is in the RV kitchen anyway!

Please leave a comment before you head off to go shopping!!

Blessings in Your RV Travels,
Howard and Pam

Induction Cooktop Interface 8″ Disk

Portable Induction Cooktop

Induction Cooktop Griddle – 18″

Stainless Nesting Induction Cookware – 10pc Set