Full Timing it? - 3 Kids, 2 Adults and a Chihuahuah

[FloridaKash]

Well, I am not even sure where to start... we have a whole lot of work ahead of us.

We're really thinking about full timing it with the family. I can find remote work and we're thinking about running a business out of the RV as well to supplement income and not leave us with a single income string.

First issue we have is what kind of rig we want. Everyone says you should get a Diesel. Diesel's cost a whole lot more, but they can tow. We were going to TOAD my Accord but have decided that if we go up to a Diesel we want a 24' car hauler so we have more storage for stuff and can use it as a shop for the business. There are 5 of us, my wife and I and 3 kids... 12, 10, 8. If I get a gasser we'll Toad the Accord.


We're looking for something that has 2 bunks in it so the kids have their "area" in the motorhome. Thor seems to be the one with the beast floor plans for this. I have also thought about a Super C Diesel, especially if I can get 2 bunks and an overcab bunk too. Any suggestions on which would be best for our situation? The prices of the Diesel's are killing me though. I need to stay under $75K.

[Clay_L]

On the W20 and W22 the air filter is in front of the passenger side front tire. As I recall the sensor (MAF ?) on the filter housing cover needs to removed to make it easier to remove the cover.
My 8.1 L has burned about a quart of oil in about 1500 miles since day one.
I switched to Mobil One about 15,000 miles ago. Some people claim that will reduce the oil used but it didn't on mine.

[FloridaKash]

Just wanted to post a quick update. We left Florida on May 11 and are now in Alaska for the summer. The trip was good but we had a couple of snags along the way.

Driver side slide wouldn't come in. Steps quit working. Vacuflush toilet wouldn't hold water in the bowl. Engine loves to burn oil.

Called a mobile tech out in Phoenix for the slide and steps. The steps needed a new motor. He couldn't figure out the slide (I think I need the nylon blocks), but he did show me how I can use a crowbar to help lift the slide with just a little pressure to get it in.

I replaced the seal and ball on the vacuflush toilet which fixed the leaky bowl, but it still makes noise on its own one in awhile. I don't know what is going on with that. Guessing duck bills need to be replaced but don't know where those are.

I read the 8.1l is known for burning oil. It is due for an oil change. I think I'll check the spark plugs and see what shape they are in and put Mobil 1 synthetic in it. Also need to check the air filter but don't know where it is hiding.

All in all the trip went well and we are looking on getting on the road again. We are currently parked at friends property, visiting friends and family.

[PastorCharlie]

I made about a dozen pads for use when the soil is soft or when needed for extra leveling. Used 3/4 AC plywood cut 10X16 and laminated two pieces together with construction adhesive and galvanized screws. Painted them black with several coats of exterior oil based paint.

They have lasted years with no noticeable wear.

[FloridaKash]

Had the estate sale this weekend. Sold all of our stuff. We have a property management company that will be renting out our house and managing it. We're in super turbo mode to get a few things placed in storage, start loading up the RV and finishing the little items here and there to get the house ready to rent.

We are planning on departing this coming weekend.

Yes, we do plan on doing some filming. 🙂

[MagillaGorilla]

I love camping. i did it when I was a kid and I introduced my wife to it when we dated. Our kids grew up camping and now we look forward to getting grandchildren and taking them with us. With that said I am amazed at the thought of going fulltime in an RV with 3 kids, of any age. You should film it and set up a website for others to see how the dynamic works out. I would watch that show any day.

I love my kids but I cant imagine not being able to get more than 25 feet away from them at any given time. God bless you!! Also just having 1 bathroom and 1 shower that has limited hot water? I guess the kids can always use the facilities in the campground like I did when I was a kid. In fact now that I think about it the only time we ever spent in the camper was to sleep. As kids we were always off getting into some sort of shenanigans. I also slept in a tent every night so I wasn't even in the camper. Maybe it will work out just fine.

You really do need to film this. 🙂

[FloridaKash]

Shakedown trip had its moment. We got brand new tires put on our rig when we bought it as part of the deal... and wouldn't you know it. That's what caused our challenge on the trip.

We planned on staying at the campground Thursday night - Sunday Morning. By the time I got home Thursday night it was getting late and we still had some things to do. I didn't want to try and park this thing for the first time in the dark.

Kids were uber bummed, so we figure we would head out Thursday night and stay overnight at a Walmart since we had Birthday shopping to do anyway. That was fun and the kids enjoyed it.

Next morning we go to head out and I figure I'd lower the pressure in the tires from 112 to 95, since the rig floats all over the road and it is lightly loaded. When doing the front tires the valve on the tire stayed open and air came gushing out. I could not close the valve, so I screwed on the metal valve cap. I went to the other front tire to do the same and the same exact thing happened. I called a tire shop, told them what I was driving and asked if they could help. I get there and the parking lot is super tiny and they were not able to help.

After calling a dozen tire shops I found a shop 20 miles back toward the house that does earth moving, dump trucks and commercial truck tires. They said they could help, so we limped along to them (metal valve covers did a great job keeping the air in the tires). The nice gentleman replaced the valve core and went to check the pressure and had the same thing happen to him. His partner at the shop said, 'balance powder'.

I guess the tires have balance powder (I think it may be a liquid because I saw some liquidiy gooey brown stuff around the bead after picking up the rig). I guess this stuff can get behind the valve core and keep it open. So the guy told me about these pieces you screw on the valve stem to prevent this from happening.

When I asked for the bill, they told us no money required and sent us on our way. This whole ordeal took about 3 hours. I will always go to that tire shop for our rig and am glad they are close to our house. 22.5" wheels are a pain!

We finally got into the park 2 hours later. Backed in with the help of a park attendant the first time. Put down the self leveling jacks and the RV could not level itself. The ground was too soft, so I used some firewood and that did the trick (I need blocks next time, any suggestions).

It appears the electric element of the water heater is out. I need to check the fuse and element. And the Vacu Flush toilet is annoying, especially when the bowl runs dry. Guessing the seal probably needs to be replaced. Sometimes water stays in the bowl. Sometimes it doesn't.

Everything else worked out great. This week we worked like dogs getting the house ready to rent. Finally remodeled a bathroom that has been needed since we bought the place. Painted the ceiling. Now we just have some walls to paint, new roof to put on, new AC put in (maybe), get setup to work remote and we'll be on our way.

I think we're looking at a late April, early May departure.

[Magua]

HUGE congrats on the rig purchase AND being SO close to heading out. I'm crazy jealous! We're hoping to do the same within the year. We have our rig and it's getting some updates (tires etc) and we're getting the house sale ready. Alaska in the summer sounds wonderful. Let us know how the shakedown trip goes! Maybe we'll see you on the road. Lots of FT families with kids out there...

[JAXFL]

Took you awhile but it looks like you made it to the starting point, have fun and a great life.

[FloridaKash]

Bringing this thing back to life.

Scheduled to get delivery of our 2008 Bounder 38P Class A Motorhome tomorrow. I have found a good PDI Checklist (I believe it is called Tom's PDI checklist) that should take about 3 hours to roll through. We made a pretty good list of things we wanted them to address when we were there last weekend before making an offer.

We decided on a unit that has a larger living area in lieu of bunks. We've been looking fro a long time (about a year) and have viewed dozens of rigs. So we feel like we spent the time to figure out what we really wanted.

Planning on a shake down trip next week for my son's birthday and then hitting the road in April for our new adventure. First stop... driving up to Alaska for the summer.

[FloridaKash]

HappyKayakers wrote:

2oldman wrote:
... Fulltiming usually means retired and travelling around.

Not necessarily. But to the OP's questions, are you already experienced RVers? If not, I would highly recommend renting a Class A for about a month to see if you can all survive in it for extended periods. Do NOT treat it like a vacation, just plain old live and work in it.

Then think about how long you plan on fulltiming. Those pre-teens turn into teenagers and need more space and other teens to call friends.

Thanks everyone for the feedback. We have rented RVs before, but never for a long time. We have lived in the 30 travel trailer we used to have for 6 - 8 weeks at a time. Not being on vacation, but living and working (I was working M-F 8-5 from the trailer). We were fine, we're pretty close. You have a valid point about how long. We're thinking 2 years and reassessing it after that point.

We do not plan on living in one spot. I am thinking about travelling from place to place and staying at parks for a month in some cases to get the better rates. We'll be spending most of the summers in Alaska (which is where we are from) to start building our cabin on our property.

Thanks for the info on the Honda Accord. Ours is a 2005 Automatic sedan. I had looked into the info you provided, but I appreciate you posting it so I can always go back and take a look.

I understand there are challenges to living in the RV, but we've always been the adventurous type and have never hung our hat in one space for too long of a period. Thanks for the input.

I'll ask my RV type question in the Class A forum.

Thanks!

[Clay_L]

Regarding the Accord. 2005 was the last year that Honda says is okay to tow it 4 down if it has an automatic transmission.
There is a specific procedure that has be followed to keep the transmission from damage. It is at the bottom of this post.

Some people think that so many people didn't follow the procedure and had transmission damage that Honda stopped okaying 4 down towing. If that were true why would they still okay towing the CRV that has the same procedure that has to be followed? They say the transmission was changed and I believe it.
That being said some people say they are towing later model Accords with no problem. You pays your money and takes your chances I guess.

Whatever motor home you get make sure you get one with enough CCC or OCCC.
Most full timers find they need at least 1500 pounds of CCC per adult. You will need some extra for each kid but I don't know what that number is.
There is info below on CCC and OCCC (newer rating that can be converted to CCC by subtracting the weight of water you will carry and the weight of the people you will carry from the OCCC.

The CCC or the newer designation OCCC will be on a sticker somewhere in the motor home - usually in a cabinet or closet.

You can see the definition of CCC HERE, and OCCC HERE.
Scroll down to "2009 New weight label" and download the pdf file.


To get CCC subtract the weight of water you will carry and the weight of the people you will carry from the OCCC.

It is common to see CCC numbers as low as a few hundred pounds (even on diesel pushers) which means it would be overloaded for weekend trips and unusable for full timing.

We have 2800 pounds of CCC and would like to have 3500. We started with a 30 footer with no slides and after a year traded it in on a new 35 footer with two slides.


below is a letter I got from Honda.

"02/22/02
(all models except CR-V)

Dear customer:
Regarding your inquiry on towing your Honda or Acura automobile behind a motor home:
For your vehicle, the Owner's Manual advises against towing at more than 35 m.p.h or for more than 50 miles. However, this recommendation exists primarily because Honda has not conducted formal tests at higher speeds and for greater distances.
We are not aware of any particular problems being caused by motorhome towing of Honda/Acura automobiles with either manual or automatic transmission, so long as proper pre-towing preparations are made and the vehicle is towed at legal highway speeds.

Manual Transmission

When preparing to tow your vehicle, make sure the transmission is full of fluid. Do not overfill.
• Release the parking brake.
• Shift the transmission to Neutral.
• Turn the ignition key to the ACCESSORY (1) position to release the steering wheel lock. Make sure that the radio and all accessories are turned off.

Automatic Transmission

When preparing to tow your vehicle, make sure the transmission fluid level is full. Do not overfill.
If Honda/Acura automobile with an automatic transmission is towed with the front or all four wheels on the ground, you must do the following every day immediately before towing:
• Start the engine.
• Press on the brake pedal. Shift the lever through all the positions (P,R,N,D,2,1).
• Shift to D, then to N. Let the engine run for at least three minutes, then turn off engine.
• Release the parking brake.
• Leave the ignition switch in ACCESSORY (1) so the steering wheel does not lock. Make sure the radio and any items plugged into the accessory power sockets are turned off so you do not run down the battery.
If you travel more than 8 hours in one day (including stopping time), you must stop and repeat the above procedures.
NOTICE:
The steering system can be damaged if the steering wheel is locked. Always leave the key in the ACCESSORY (1) position to prevent damage to the steering system when towing behind another vehicle.
CAUTION:
Severe automatic transmission damage will occur if the car is shifted from reverse to neutral and then towed with the drive wheels on the ground.

NOTICE:

Improper towing preparation will damage the transmission. Follow the above procedure exactly. If you cannot shift the transmission or start the engine, your vehicle must be on a flat bed truck or trailer.

If you tow a Honda/Acura vehicle with automatic transmission, the fluid must be changed every two years or 30,000 miles, whichever comes first.

Although experience has shown that the Honda/Acura transmission and power train are capable of being "motor home towed", America Honda does not assume responsibility for any vehicle damage or liabilities incurred due to the towing device, towing vehicle, lighting hookup, or other towing equipment or towing procedures; any responsibility for these items is assumed by the owner/operator.
If you have additional questions, please call American Honda Motor Co. Inc. (National Consumer Affairs) at 800-999-1009."

[rockhillmanor]

FloridaKash wrote:
Well, I am not even sure where to start... we have a whole lot of work ahead of us.

We're really thinking about full timing it with the family. I can find remote work and we're thinking about running a business out of the RV as well to supplement income and not leave us with a single income string.

First issue we have is what kind of rig we want. Everyone says you should get a Diesel. Diesel's cost a whole lot more, but they can tow. We were going to TOAD my Accord but have decided that if we go up to a Diesel we want a 24' car hauler so we have more storage for stuff and can use it as a shop for the business. There are 5 of us, my wife and I and 3 kids... 12, 10, 8. If I get a gasser we'll Toad the Accord.


We're looking for something that has 2 bunks in it so the kids have their "area" in the motorhome. Thor seems to be the one with the beast floor plans for this. I have also thought about a Super C Diesel, especially if I can get 2 bunks and an overcab bunk too. Any suggestions on which would be best for our situation? The prices of the Diesel's are killing me though. I need to stay under $75K.

Are you going to 'travel' in your RV? Or park the RV in one spot permanently?

[HappyKayakers]

2oldman wrote:
... Fulltiming usually means retired and travelling around.

Not necessarily. But to the OP's questions, are you already experienced RVers? If not, I would highly recommend renting a Class A for about a month to see if you can all survive in it for extended periods. Do NOT treat it like a vacation, just plain old live and work in it.

Then think about how long you plan on fulltiming. Those pre-teens turn into teenagers and need more space and other teens to call friends.

[2oldman]

You may want to ask in the specific forums for the type of vehicle you seek. Fulltiming usually means retired and travelling around.