Motor homes and earth quakes.

[GHOST1750]

We are headed for Bakersfield with our 40 ft. Newmar in a few days and they have experienced some strong quakes in that are in the past couple days. Has anyone had any experience with earth quakes?

[Community Alumni]

bob213 wrote:

It would take a major earthquake to be any worse than what California's roads do to your MH as you drive every day.

You haven't driven in NY and NJ roads, have you?

[bob213]

GHOST1750 wrote:



Yes I'm a Californian with quake experience but just not in the motor home. I'm not concerned with damage to me but to the coach.

It would take a major earthquake to be any worse than what California's roads do to your MH as you drive every day.

[Tiger4x4RV]

I've lived in SoCal for over 70 years, experienced many quakes in houses and one in a car. No major damage. Even the big one a couple of days ago, epicenter about 100 miles from me, was very scary but no damage.

That said, my scariest quake was my first in an RV. 3.9 at Lake Tahoe, just a few miles from camp. The "springy things" really bounced me around, made a big racket. Still, no damage. Just a different kind of scary than when it has happened in a house.

[rgatijnet1]

GHOST1750 wrote:

DFord wrote:
If the shake, rattle and roll of the highways don't ruin your MH under normal driving directions, I don't see where the earthquakes are going to do much to you except scare the wits out of you. MHs are sure to be safer than being inside any structures - even if you're steadying it with your levelers.

(Unless there's a quake like the 1959 quake in Alaska.)

I wasn't concerned with the shake while driving but parked with jacks down and slides out.

With a storm, I knew WHEN to pull in the slides and retract the jacks. With an earthquake it is all guesswork. In most cases you really don't need your jacks if you can park the rig fairly level. As far as the slides go, I'd leave them out, hope for the best, and remember that I have insurance to cover damage.

[GHOST1750]

DFord wrote:
If the shake, rattle and roll of the highways don't ruin your MH under normal driving directions, I don't see where the earthquakes are going to do much to you except scare the wits out of you. MHs are sure to be safer than being inside any structures - even if you're steadying it with your levelers.

(Unless there's a quake like the 1959 quake in Alaska.)

I wasn't concerned with the shake while driving but parked with jacks down and slides out.

[GHOST1750]

rk911 wrote:

TNGW1500SE wrote:
I'd rather be it a Motorhome than a house. It's made to bounce around.

assuming it stays upright.

I originally from Illinois and scheduled to head back your way in a few weeks. I delayed my trip back because of the weather in Illinois and Missouri this year. :B

[GHOST1750]

Lwiddis wrote:
MHs will be fine in most earthquakes...just like you. No reported deaths from either of the two big boys or the aftershocks. You are a Californian without quake experience?

Yes I'm a Californian with quake experience but just not in the motor home. I'm not concerned with damage to me but to the coach.

[navegator]

Safest place to be in a big quake "IS" your motorhome, to ensure that the unit does not roll the actual parking brake needs to be applied and set, not just the gear lever in park, the parking feature on the transmission is there so that the vehicle does not roll while you engage the brake pedal, it will not hold the vehicle with the rocking motion and will eventually brake, and now you have a motorhome that is maybe only held by the jacks, they might bend.

A motorhome will not flip on its side, quakes are shallow ground waves, some times you can see them on a strech of road, should the jacks be down it feels the same as driving in a wash board, if you are driving and you think there is a quake, pull to the side and ride it out.

Quakes in California are due to fault lines moving laterally and some times vertical "rare" and unless you happen to be parked right on top of the fault when it moves vertical by more than 4 or 5 feet your RV will not flip.

navegator

[Happytraveler]

Earthquakes are not going to stop us for driving on the 395 to the High Sierra's this month.
I have been on the freeway during the Northridge earthquake. The road was a rolling. The other day I was sitting on bleachers watching my grandson play in his the Little League All Star game in San Clemente while the Ridgecrest earthquake was going on. The ground was rolling and it seemed like forever. The game continued 5 minutes later.

[Cocky_Camper]

It probably isn't much difference than driving on the SC roads. Let the jacks up and enjoy the ride...

[rgatijnet1]

I agree that are RV's are meant to bounce around. During an earthquake I would not worry if my RV bounced some. During some strong storms, I have felt the coach lean and sway with the winds. Personally I would do my best to park without using the leveling jacks to stabilize the coach. The hydraulic leveling jacks prevent the RV from moving on it's springs and an earthquake may cause damage to the leveler jacks by bending them. This is why I have never extended my jacks when parked during a strong storm.

[MrWizard]

True story I rode out the 94 Northridge quake, in Northridge in a 23 ft class A , I bounced a lot, moved down the drive way of the auto shop where I was parked, but was not harmed, no damage to RV, turned out I was the only one for blocks around that had working utilities, being self contained and spent the day handing out cups of coffee

[bob213]

In or near the Central Valley of California there has been 3836 earthquakes in the last 30 days with a magnitude of 1.5 or greater. 3638 in the last 7 days and 955 today. How many have we actually felt? 2 to 4 for most of us. Many more for those at the epicenter.(Ridgecrest) Don't worry about it. You have a far greater chance of a Prius running into you entering the freeway than having a problem with an earthquake.

recent quakes

[Tom_Barb]

rk911 wrote:

TNGW1500SE wrote:
I'd rather be it a Motorhome than a house. It's made to bounce around.

assuming it stays upright.

I don't see why it wouldn't, frost heaves on the Al-Can are worse we've bounced the front wheels off the ground on them.

the springy things do their jobs.

[RFCN2]

I was driving a car down the Santa Ana Freeway in the 1990s big LA quake. Felt like my tires had lost air and the handling got worse. By a long margin the worst I have felt is the 1971 which woke me up when I was at school in Santa Barbara. I was awakened from sleep and my room was shaking all around. I spent about 10 seconds trying to decide if I should get up and get out of the building or go back to sleep. Sleep won.

I would be concerned about bridges collapsing and that sort of thing in a motorhome in a big earthquake, but much more likely lightening will strike you.