Hoping to get some help here on this forum..just bought my first motorhome.. 1999 Four Winds 5000... 70,000 miles... no generator.. my first question... right now.. I'm plugged in at my home.. not level.. have my fridge (propane or elect..) propped open.. when I'm on the road... and have food to keep cold.. do I put it on propane? I was told.. you have to be level for propane.. my second question.. I have a V10 Triton motor.. am I better off gas wise to drive 55? Thanks..

if you are moving the refer gets jostled enough so level doesn't matter much. but if you stop for lunch, etc. try to get it level.and 55-60 is a good place to keep a V10.bumpy

Welcome, Jeannie!For the fridge - Propped open between uses is good. Just be sure it's OFF. What Bumpy said above is correct. Underway, the fridge passes "through level" a lot of the time, but stopped, should be level or close to it. Some say "If you're comfortable, the fridge will be comfortable too," but I've seen too many cockeyed rigs on campsites to endorse that message. I consider the FRIDGE the VIP Customer when leveling. Get your coach level someplace. Then check level several places. The Fridge may not be mounted true to the rest of the coach. Ours is, but the Stove isn't. Hard to fry the perfect Sunny Side Up Egg.Once you find the Sweet Spot for leveling, you need check only there. Do this in the HOUSE, not the Cockpit. You'll be surprised how much the chassis twists, making the cockpit level when the house isn't. Side to side I mean...EDIT: Forgot the V10 part. MPG is probably best right where it drops into Overdrive, around 45. While 55-60 is good, I'll say you may want to run a little faster if the terrain is hilly. Not mountains, just hills. Reason: With the engine spooled up to a little higher RPM it may not downshift from OD to Third as much. I used to try to hold a steady 58. Then I tried steady 62. Still a fair amount of downshifting. The cruise on these is way too touchy. Of late, I find I'm happier driving without cruise and trying to stay between 60 and 65, trying to work with the hills. Or, in FL, the OverPasses!

Whether on propane or electric the fridge needs to be level to prevent damage. Damage can happen in as little is 15 minutes.I added this to my unit: https://www.arprv.com/

The fridge, when in use, whether on electric or propane needs to be level, within 3 to 5 degrees! Of course the closer to true level the better. I have always traveled with fridge on, as stated you are moving and the fluid gets josseled around as you drive. As far as "the sweet spot" to drive at, you will find it by driving! Each rig, including how much is stored inside will be a little bit different. One thing to keep in mind is the V10 likes to rev. I had one years ago and it was a little scary until I just accepted the beast. 55 on an interstate is a good place to start.

Expect to get 7-9 mpg and be pleasantly surprised if you ever get 10mpg on flat lands with tail winds at 55mph. RV's are heavy and have a lot of rolling resistance and are not streamlined. Have tires inflated to proper pressure, usually 65-70 psi in front and 75-80 psi in rear duals. Have tires inspected and make sure that your tires are less than five years old by date codes on each tire and that they don't have sidewall cracks. A tire coming apart or blowout can result in loss of control and damage to things under the RV due to whipping steel belt. Have brakes and engine cooling system checked and serviced as needed. Brake fluid should be flushed and changed every couple of years to prevent brake fade on long downgrades. Front flex brake lines may need replacement, can rupture inside causing sudden pull to right or left . Safe vehicle and safe driving are most important. Good luck with new adventure/hobby.

Newby needs help | Good Sam Community

29 Replies

Jeannie_Souza
Explorer
Dec 02, 2016
well.... I'll make sure my fridge is off when I gas up.... thanks...
Harvey51
Explorer
Dec 02, 2016
Bumpyroad wrote:
Harvey51 wrote:
Some say there has never been a filling station fire caused by an RV fridge so no need to worry too much about it.

never ever in the whole wide world? that took a lot of googling. :(
bumpy

Good point, Bumpy. I never did a thorough search myself, just thought what others posted and nobody ever countered with an example. Crazy, I just found one on the first try with "Gas station fire RV". Gas station fire caused by RV fridge and gas spill

It is pretty rare, though. Two deaths per year from all gas station fires is a rounding error in the 30 000 from just driving.
Fires at US Service Stations
Jeannie_Souza
Explorer
Nov 30, 2016
dennislanier wrote:

For what it's worth, the "leveler" you mentioned above is actually referred to as a "Stabilizer". Note that it is NOT intended to be used to level the RV. It is used (once you have already leveled the vehicle) to keep the RV from moving around so much while walking around inside the RV. If you crank it pretty tight it will very slightly raise the RV but again, its primary use is to stabilize.

Most Class C's I see in campgrounds do not even use these stabilizers as they can be hard to access, etc. I have never used mine, but I am old and lazy!! They are there if you choose to use them but are not necessary in most cases.

Thanks Dennis.. now I know... that's great information... tomorrow I attach the levels in the Walmart parking lot..
dennislanier
Explorer
Nov 29, 2016
Jeannie Souza wrote:
Wow... you guys are like mechanical engineers... .. all this information is very helpful.. I did pull out the owners manual last night and read that the battery will not over charge.... and yes... I did pull the plug... then tried lights in the RV.. none would work... hit the switch at the door.. and the lights worked.. hit the switch again.. no lights..then plugged it in...

Gene in NE... interesting .. I had seen these little levels in the RV section of Walmart... so I picked up a package.. and now I know what to do with them.. thanks...

also.. my RV has a leveler ... it's manual... there's a long rod.. like the one used to operate a car jack... and I see where that's used in the front of the RV.. the previous owner pointed it out to me.. but no demo... I did not try to use it...for fear of messing something up... wanted to wait till I get to my friends RV Park .. no doubt Mr. Wonderful can show me how to use it...

Thanks for all your comments... I know just where to come to now when I have a RV issue...

For what it's worth, the "leveler" you mentioned above is actually referred to as a "Stabilizer". Note that it is NOT intended to be used to level the RV. It is used (once you have already leveled the vehicle) to keep the RV from moving around so much while walking around inside the RV. If you crank it pretty tight it will very slightly raise the RV but again, its primary use is to stabilize.

Most Class C's I see in campgrounds do not even use these stabilizers as they can be hard to access, etc. I have never used mine, but I am old and lazy!! They are there if you choose to use them but are not necessary in most cases.
Bordercollie
Explorer
Nov 28, 2016
Also FYI, When your rig is plugged into 120 volt AC power, it is likely that the starting battery is not being charged unless the rig has had a device such as Trik-l-Start or BIRD installed. The starting battery powers a number of items such as the radio memory and carbon monoxide alarms as well as self-discharging which is common to all lead/acid batteries. A new healthy starting battery may start the engine after a 2-3 weeks with rig parked , a tired battery may not have enough oomph after a week or two. You can connect a smart charger like Battery Minder to starting battery to keep it fully charged but not over-charged. Letting any battery remain discharged/dead damages it and shortens it's useful life.
Jeannie_Souza
Explorer
Nov 27, 2016
j-d wrote:
Those "Hoppy Levels" are really good. The curve and the markings make them different for lengthwise and sideways leveling.

Let me shift gears:
Make Checklists, make Tags.
You want to be sure you've lowered the Antenna, disconnected Water, Power and Sewer, retracted any jacks, etc.
A "Crank Me Back Down" tag is especially useful for the Antenna.
A Fuel Stop checklist is good too - Any LPG appliance needs to be turned OFF. The LPG hose jockey might turn the tank valve off. Not safe with Fridge ON, because the Fridge will spark its igniter trying to get going again. It's not just the Flame you want to avoid, it's the Spark, too.

Checklists are good even after it all becomes second nature, since you could be distracted. I find that More Help = More Mistakes...

Yes.. I've started my check list ... so far just on things to pack.. I'm leaving on my first trip on the 6th of Dec.. that's just a little over a week from now... So Thursday.. going to take the MH out.. make sure the propane is full... then go to a level lot to set my little levels... great idea putting one near the drivers seat.. didn't think of that... then will stop at my mechanics and have him give it the once over.. under the hood and tire pressure.. My first stop will be at the Barnyard in SC... I've been there with my conversion van.. and all the lots are nice and level.. but still my first time hooking everything up... thanks for your good advise..
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Nov 27, 2016
Harvey51 wrote:
Some say there has never been a filling station fire caused by an RV fridge so neo ned to worry too much about it.

never ever in the whole wide world? that took a lot of googling. :(
bumpy
garyhaupt
Explorer
Nov 27, 2016
Jeannie...Fridge...there is level and there is level. Don't be getting all weirded out about 100% OMG is it level yet? If you can stand in the RV comfortably...you are plenty level enough. Some folks get pretty crazy about things..like never using the toilet, or having a bunch of leveling gizmoos...most 'noraml' users arrive..put some rv levelers out (wooden blocks or the orange plastic Lynx things) pour a glass of wine and look at the glass. Is it looking close to level? then it's good.

Gary Haupt
Harvey51
Explorer
Nov 27, 2016
As you read regularly on the forum, you will find that some things mentioned in this thread are controversial. For instance,

Problem is, with just ordinary valves, it can be hard to check and inflate your rear dual tires.
Many of us are happy with ordinary rubber valve stems as long as the ones on the outer duals are long enough to be reached with a dual wheel double ended pressure gauge. The gauge must have a straight end to reach the inner valves.

A Fuel Stop checklist is good too - Any LPG appliance needs to be turned OFF.
Some say there has never been a filling station fire caused by an RV fridge so no need to worry too much about it. It certainly is required to turn off the propane at the tank when using tunnels, ferries and underground parking where propane (heavier than air) can accumulate from a leak. As pointed out, be sure to turn off the fridge in these situations in case someone else is leaking propane so your igniter isn't sparking.

The fridge stays cool for quite a while so you won't melt your ice cream if you have the fridge off while doing a little shopping at a store with unlevel parking.
Bumpyroad
Explorer
Nov 24, 2016
Dusty R wrote:
I glue the round cat's eye level where I can see it from the driver's seat, usually on the driver's side of the Dog House.
Often times I can get the mh level enough just by moving the mh around a little.

Dusty

yep in a motorhome I just level using the floor of the freezer, then stick a bullseye level on the console smushed in silicone sealer to show level then just use that in the future.
bumpy