One of the first problems that I encountered the first time that I took my rig out was opening the coach door to find the entire roll of paper towels in a heap on the floor. Needless to say, spending 10 minutes rewinding the roll was not a fun way to start my camping trip. Of course, I could have always removed the roll from the holder but I preferred a solution that would keep the roll in place and yet not allow it to unroll from the vibrations of the moving coach. I found two solutions that worked well for this problem. The first was a short bungy cord wrapped around the roll however, I found that depending on the amount of paper still on the roll, this did not work well all of the time. I went back to my RV store and found some long velcro ties. These work really well since they are easily adjusted to the size of the roll, do not crush the roll, yet keep it from unraveling during travel. A great solution for this most annoying problem.
RV Jacks – Are you prepared to Lift your Rig?
Having a flat tire on your 5th wheel or large trailer can be a frustrating experience if you are not prepared for it. Small truck jacks may not be powerful enough or extend high enough to lift your rig should you need to change a tire. As you are getting ready for summer outings in your RV, be sure to make sure you have the proper size hydrolic jack and jack stands to allow you to easily change your tire. If you only take your rig into well populated areas, perhaps roadside service can help but if you do venture out in the wild, changing your own tire may get you back on the road quickly and with minimal cost and delay. Jacks are readily available at places like Pep Boys and other auto stores so better to be safe than sorry. My own jack is a 20 ton jack and my rig is about 13,500 pounds which more than serves my purpose. Checking your spare’s air and wear is also a good plan before heading out so that you can minimize the risk of problems on the road.