Verysincere
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Can't Find VIN # plate for 2003 Tahoe by Thor
I checked everywhere but can't find VIN number. Yes, I checked the king pin area and the left side front corner panels. Checked inside door jams and cabinet doors. Manufacturer is defunct and the dealer "changed software systems" and can't retrieve original sales documents. This is 2003 Tahoe by Thor Transport Toy Hauler M-36 TB2.5KViews0likes6CommentsRe: Storage Skirts and Surge Guards
As to surge protectors, some general comments: 1) Keep in mind that surge protectors of the same price range can differ greatly in quality. I'd consult industry reviews involving controlled laboratory testing before making a purchase. (Chances are low that what any given RV dealer happens to keep in stock is the best value.) 2) Depending upon the component parts, a surge protector can deteriorate considerably over the course of a year or two---because some of those parts experience "wear" and age. Others may give their lives blocking some types of surges (although you can't always assume that the protection device will notify you of this.) 3) Don't trust a surge protector at the RV entry point to protect the entire system. For example, lightning strikes in the area induce currents quite easily in any wire between the surge protector and the device you wish to protect. (Unfortunately, lightning strikes nearby tend to defeat and overwhelm most protection devices---although lightning arrestors can certainly save people and animals from serious injury in many cases.) Also, surge protector manufacturers would point out that other devices/appliances within the RV can be the cause of major damage. So don't forget to use individual surge protectors with computers and other electronics. (A surge protector for such devices should at least include "voltage smoothing", anti-spike capabilities. Don't assumes that your expensive UPS unit is necessarily doing great filtering when not operating in battery mode.) 4) If allowing for #3, be careful about what types of surge protectors and UPS devices are used in series within the RV. Why? I'll avoid getting into the technicalities but, for example, make sure a protection device which outputs a square wave doesn't power something which must have a sine wave feed. 5) As some have mentioned, low-voltage power or rapidly fluctuating brown-outs can do even more damage than a spike---especially on big motor devices like washers, dryers, some refrigerators, and AC units. An anecdote comes to mind: I awakened one morning right as a thunderstorm came into the area and lightning struck a tree about 100 yards from me. Even though my portable fan was entirely unplugged, its motor coils provided effectively little "antennas" for the EM induction and I was startled at the sparks which emerged. (Nevertheless, it is still worth unplugging everything you can when you know that a lightning storm is in the area. Just realize that you may not be able to stop the damage of a close hit.) As far as volts/amps displays, I recommend going for the most cost-effective solution and simply buy a $20 "Kill-a-watt" and similar devices and use it to determine what each device/appliance draws in a typical hour or day of use. (Of course, once you know the general numbers, you might want to leave it on the AC circuit so that you can monitor your long term KWH per month, etc. Same with a dehumidifier unit.) Yes, finding the best value on circuit protection devices requires some research of professional/industrial reviews. (Personally, I don't put my trust in the average mainstream consumer-retail product. I've seen too many over-priced and nearly worthless units which failed the most basic laboratory testing regimens.) It is definitely worth finding out if your RV park hookup is "noisy" (full of spikes and interference) and especially low-voltage conditions. I do recommend a protection device with an audible alarm for blackouts and brownouts (but both under user control.) But that's just me. Everybody has to draw their own lines in the sand as to risk-reward ratios.351Views0likes0CommentsRe: Best way to tie down 5th-wheel against high winds?
The tarps are for UV protection and shading. (They have nothing to do with high winds other than possibly taking advantage of some of the cables.) If high winds are forecast, I will take down my sun sails and shade tarps. Obviously, the main anchoring is at the chassis/wheels.5.5KViews0likes0CommentsRe: Best way to tie down 5th-wheel against high winds?
>I would not let anything touch a rubber roof during storage or any >other time. I'm curious about that because I've gotten a wide range of advice. Some people have told me that as long as I allow for vent air movement and "breathing", they recommended using aluminum "tubing frame" or even things like plastic gallon jugs tied together to space a tarp over a rubber roof. If a rubber roof is strong enough to walk on it and moisture is not being trapped, what is the main danger/risk you are warning against? (Obviously, if outdoors, one must always allow for rain to drain without pooling. I've seen that done quite effectively with draped tarps over plastic milk jugs tied together in heaped-clusters. What is the down side?) (Thank you all for your helpful posts.)5.5KViews0likes0CommentsBest way to tie down 5th-wheel against high winds?
Any suggestions for the best way to secure a fifth-wheel against dangerous winds in a long-term, semi-permanent setting? I would wish that I could use stake-secured cabling over the top (so that the cables could also support shade & winter wind-break tarps) but I can't think of an easy way to do that without producing tension-marks on the roof. But perhaps some sort of metal-work structure resting on the roof could also allow for the necessary air gaps to allow venting under the tarp shade. Perhaps there are photos of various solutions online? Do many simply put chains through the wheels and stake the chains to the ground? (I suppose that could double as additional drive-away theft deterrent.) Thanks for any suggestions.22KViews0likes11CommentsRe: Luxury toy hauler?
OldBird1965, I think I know what you mean: most of the toy haulers one sees are not necessarily decked out with the maximum luxury options. But, frankly, I prefer that but those are the very options which tend to be high margin items. I bought a toy hauler NOT for hauling toys (because I don't have any) but because I suddenly realized that virtually every furniture/structure item in my Thor Tahoe could be removed so that I could have maximum open floor space. As a result, I feel like I have a 38' house and not just an RV. Indeed, I preferred not having all of my non-bedroom/non-bathroom living space taken up by kitchen. And the toy room is like having a nice 10x8 separate room in the back (with its own door into the living room and its own entry door---as well as its own drop down cargo ramp which also converts to its own "porch" complete with screening and gazebo!) Of course, I don't know exactly what you mean by luxury items. If you mean lots of slide-outs, I realize that some toy haulers go with fewer. (I decided I was OK with that because of superior noise and thermal insulation properties because I lived full-time in mine and don't travel in it. It truly is my house, yet has no property taxes on it.) Of course, if you buy new, you can customize for anything you want. But for what you save on a used luxury model, you can easily afford the $3/mile transport few you might have to pay on the great deal you find in another state online. I used that strategy and got exactly what I wanted and only paid an extra $400 on top of complimentary delivery (which I think had a mileage limit of something like 100 miles.) I do wish you well in your search. If you take your time, you might be surprised at what you eventually find listed online which is worth your making a visit to check it out. (And don't forget Youtube as a source of basic research in touring various possible models, even if those specific RVs are no longer for sale.)352Views0likes0CommentsRe: Purchasing a Fifth Wheel
I know that you prefer to buy new, but I just want to mention that with careful dealer selection---where you may find excellent trade-ins which the dealer wants to covert to cash very quickly---you can get a very good deal. (After all, the best dealers would prefer to get rid of the old RV so that that lot space can be allocated to a brand new model with a MUCH bigger price tag and profit margin.) That is how I got myself a 10-year old Thor toy hauler at under five figures. I don't have any toys to haul but I found that the layout gives me the feel of living in a house, not an RV. I had never even considered toy haulers until I saw that every item of furniture could be moved and converted to open-space. So I have a lot more options than I had with any other RV---and without the kitchen taking up all of the space. So, I'd be surprised if a new RV is your only option on a great price. (Yes, we all have our preferences. But I prefer to let the previous owner/owners pay the first $30,000 to $50,000 and then I come along and buy that same RV for $9,000. OK, I found a couple of torn screens and some bent venetian blinds. But otherwise it looks like new. Even after sales taxes and misc fees, I still bought myself a 38' "house" for under $10,000. To each his own.)490Views0likes0CommentsRV insurance for a one-rural-site, never-moves fifth-wheel?
I got tired of paying property taxes and all the expenses of my big house and yards--and sold it all and bought myself a ten-years-old 38' fifth-wheel that is now my sole domicile on the Texas ranch of a relative. I have no plans to ever move the RV and it simply rests on its wheels next. (It has its own permitted septic field and is in compliance with all state and county code.) Perhaps the $9,000 cost of such an old RV is not cost-effective to insure. (?? I don't know so I'm asking.) But I would at least want to have the usual "homeowner's liability coverage" so that if some visitor stubs their toe on the step inside, I would have the usual protections. Where do I start in looking for insurance? Some have told me that "full-timing" in a RV that never goes on the road is usually treated as an add-on to a homeowner's policy--but I no longer have a conventional home. The RV is where I live and I don't even commute anymore because I'm retired. Legally, my RV is not treated as a "mobile home" because it remains portable and the only steady connection is my electricity cable. I only connect to a small rainwater-gutter capture system every few days and only drain to a septic attachment when my tank is full. So I don't technically fit the definition of a fixed structure or have a separate utility account. Some people have told me to keep my trailer plate and tag current but I don't know if that impacts the insurance situation or not. I suppose I could legally take it on the road if I wished to take it in for repairs but in Texas I could get a short-term permit for that as an alternative. So what would you suggest?2.5KViews0likes10Comments
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