RV News and Stories

by Mark J.Polk

Yaw, more commonly known as sway in the RV industry, is a bad word for trailer owners. The definition of yaw or sway is a side-to-side movement. Nothing will ruin the way you feel about camping faster than the first time you experience trailer sway.

You have tent camped for years and now you’ve decide it’s time to move up to a pop-up. You go to your local dealership and find a pop-up with the perfect floor plan for you and your family. The sales person knows that it will be close to the maximum weight that your vehicle can tow. He or she really needs a sale because things have been slow. Rather than risk losing the sale the salesperson decides not to explain the added expense of the proper hitch work to safely tow your new trailer.......

When we filmed the RV Savvy segments for RVTV it was impossible to cover all of the information for each topic in three to four minutes. Our solution was to provide the viewers with an article that covered the topic more in depth. If you missed the first episode of RVTV the RV Savvy subject was on how to improve your RV refrigerators efficiency. This is the article I wrote for segment #1.

I receive a lot of emails with questions about how to make your RV refrigerator work more efficiently. RV refrigerators, for the most part, are efficient. In many cases it is something the owner does that makes the refrigerator less efficient. Before we talk about how to improve your RV refrigerators efficiency we need to have a basic understanding of how an RV refrigerator works....

Dr. Bloomfield is on the board of his local humane society in Truckee, Ca and is their vice president. He also writes a regular column for their newsletter, and helped to create the
Canine Companion Traveling Kit.

When traveling with pets, always carry copies of rabies certificates, and if you are traveling far, get a copy of the medical records to keep with you. Health certificates are required in some states and all other countries. It is your obligation to find out the requirements in the states you are visiting. If you can print them out (your vet likely has most of them but know exactly what you need and make any appointment as far in advance as possible to handle anything that comes up before departure) it will make it easier for the front staff to do the paperwork and make the right appointments....

For many people one of the primary reasons for buying and
traveling in an RV is so their pets can go with them. If you're
a pet owner new to RVing or an RVer with a new pet there are
many things to learn and consider to make traveling with your
pet a pleasant experience for both of you....

I recently received an email from someone that was considering purchasing an RV. After explaining their interest in RVing there was one short question. “Are RV’s dangerous to own and operate?” After giving this some thought I realized that this one short question covered a very large spectrum. There was no quick or easy response to this question. I responded by saying that in most cases it’s not the RV that is dangerous, but the individual that is operating the RV that is dangerous. I gave some examples of unsafe acts that I have witnessed like carrying a full spare LP gas bottle inside the RV, sleeping in the RV with the generator running and never weighing the RV or checking the inflation pressure in the tires....

Yaw, more commonly known as sway in the RV industry, is a bad word for trailer owners. The definition of yaw or sway is a side-to-side movement. Nothing will ruin the way you feel about camping faster than the first time you experience trailer sway.

You have tent camped for years and now you decide it’s time to move up to a pop-up. You go to your local dealership and find a pop-up with the perfect floor plan for you and your family. The sales person knows that it will be close to the maximum weight that your vehicle can tow. He really needs a sale because things have been slow. Rather than risk losing the sale he decides not to explain the added expense of the proper hitch work to safely tow your new trailer....

RV Education 101 highly promotes RV safety and recommends that every RVer should complete this program as a requirement to being on the road. The goal of this program is to incorporate the nine subject matters into an easy to use format with video footage and other supporting materials. Do you plan to tow an automobile behind a motorhome? There is a section that will guide you through the proper and safe way to do it. Do you know what to do if an emergency arises? You will after completing the program. Wouldn’t you like to see some driving techniques? All of the information is a cooperative effort between experienced RV operators, RV manufacturers and dealers, industry associates, and experts in the subject matters.
In addition to viewing any of our other video titles, this program will put your mind at ease, give you self-confidence and enhance your knowledge concerning any RV...

You’ve had a great year camping, now it’s time to put your RV away for the winter. What do I do? Where do I start? Don’t worry, you are not alone. These are common questions, ones that RV expert Mark Polk will answer for you in this specialized winterizing and storing video/DVD. Winterizing the RV protects the RVs water system, but what about the tires, batteries, generator, chassis storage, coach storage and other components that can be damaged if they are not properly prepared for short or long term storage? You will see detailed step by step instructions on how to properly winterize and store your RV. To make sure you remember what you need to do, and in what order, a printed checklist comes with your video/DVD. This checklist includes supplies needed and the steps to take for you to complete the project....

Operating a Class A Motorhome may appear to be a daunting task to a new owner. The Class A Motorhome 101 video/DVD makes it simple and fun by quickly providing you with a thorough understanding of how to operate your RV. Topics covered in this video include: weights, leveling, complete set up procedures, LP gas system, water system, electrical system, sewage system, generator, appliances, accessories, safety cautions and warnings and much more. Watching this production will put you light years ahead of where you would have been without it! Demonstration is shown on a Class A motorhome. Watch as RV expert Mark Polk gives you this personal orientation as many times as you need to!...

Whether you own your own Class C Motorhome or you are renting one, this Class C video/DVD will quickly provide you with a thorough understanding of how to operate your RV and eliminate those “uh oh’s” when you’re camping. Topics covered in this video include: maintenance checks, driving tips, towing, campground registration and complete set up procedures, LP gas, water, electric, appliances, accessories and safety cautions and warnings. Demonstration is shown on a Class C motorhome. Watch RV expert, Mark Polk, as he gives you a personal Class C walk thru. Watch as many times as you want!...