RV Wiper Blades

People often ask about replacing wiper blades. So we thought it might be a good topic to write an article to answer those questions. RV wiper blades 101 will be helpful in giving answers.

If one wants to ensure the optimal driving visibility while it is raining, one must admit having great windshield wipers makes it much safer. If one is like me, you do not replace them, and then when it is raining ask oneself why did not replace those the last time it rained.

No one does it, but one should check them more frequently than one does. Here are some great tips.

Inspect them once every other month. Nobody does this, but it will solve the problem of not having great wiper blades when needed. One can have them checked by a technician when you are getting routine maintenance done. When one is at a RV dealership or the gas station when one is getting fuel or getting rv parts and accessories.

Change them at least twice a year. More than use, elements can damage your blades. Heat, wind, humidity, ice, dry storage are among the many things that can damage your wiper blades. Using them is usually not what wears them out.

Clean the rubber element every time you get fuel, or wash your vehicle. This little practice will extend their life. Please do not use them as ice scrapers. Many people use them to get rid of ice off the windshield. This shortens the life of wiper blades extremely fast. Use an ice scraper and one will reap the benefits of a longer life of your blades, save money, and have better visibility when you need it.

One probably need new wiper blades when you notice any of the following things. You notice uneven wiping on the windshield. Streaking or chattering when they are in use. You can visually see when the rubber blades get split or torn.

The best-known windshield wipers are made by a company called Tru-Vision. They produce wiper blades for recreational vehicles, buses, and other commercial vehicles. Usually you can find these at any recreational vehicle dealership or repair center.

The bottom line in regards to this maintenance is to check them more frequently than you do. You will never regret having better ones on your vehicle when it comes time to use them.They are very easily found online and at RV dealerships Best wishes for happy camping and great visibility.

National Park Vacations

Have you spent time daydreaming of where you might like to go or see? Are you searching for an idea for a dream vacation for you and your family? A vacation that is more than the visit to the water park or theme park? Are you looking for a vacation that could be labeled better as an experience you will never forget? Are you looking for a vacation idea that will let you tell stories of the trip to friends and new generations not yet here? If so I hope this article will give you an idea you have not really thought about that much. I hope this article will create a desire to see natural beauty at its best!

If you and your family have not visited any of our national parks in our great nation you can’t imagine what you are missing. If you or your family have not visited our most wonderful and unique national parks then it is time to start. When it comes to beauty in natural settings, these are the places to visit. For breathtaking views and absolute amazement in our national parks, must see parks include Grand Canyon National Park and Yellowstone. Both of these parks offer miles and miles of beautiful views and extensive wildlife as well. They have a way of giving us a bold statement without saying a word. Good camping areas are available at both parks as well. This makes planning your trip a whole lot easier.

There are of course many other national parks to visit and each has their own unique beauty. You could end up at Glacier National Park where winter clothing is a must. There are over sixty parks that are included under the national park moniker. This means that it would take a lot of vacations and traveling to see them all. Many of the parks are huge and would not be able to be explored in one trip alone. Water, sand, caves, mountains, and volcanoes can all be found at different parks in this system.

You will be able to find lodging and other needed services near most parks. The internet makes a great tool for looking up the areas where the parks are located. This will allow you to plan as much of the mundane tasks that are part of vacationing before you leave and let you have more time visiting the park you have chosen. Many of the national parks have their own lodging options including camping. This will bring you even closer to nature and lets you feel like you are a part of the ecosystem.

The national park system offers such a wide choice of things for people to do. Wow, how much better can it get than this for the one really interested and has a passion for photography! The places to hike are unbelievable whether it be for the beginner of the most experienced.What about the people that love to just sit and gaze through natures window? Their choices of views are unlimited.

These parks are an important reminder of the natural world that we have left behind and sharing this with our families can be some of the most rewarding times of our lives.Lastly, I believe when one visits a national park they leave with a new attitude toward responsibility. We all have a huge responsibility to preserve these most wonderful gifts to mankind for generations to come. It is my hope that we will each have the opportunity to visit as many national parks as we can and make lifetime memories for all of us and our families.

A great way to travel might be in an RV. There are many great camping areas within the park system.

You can find plenty of information at us-parks.com. You can also find travel trailer information and rv parts at rvpartsdealer.com.

Bunkhouse Travel Trailers

A bunk house travel trailer is a house on wheels and a dream come true for everyone who likes traveling. If you like to camp and still have children a bunk house travel trailer is one of the best options available for the camping family.

A bunk house travel trailer is basically a compact house that has wheels and can always be on the move or be placed at your favorite permanent campsite. It is a classic combination of a vehicle and a house. Different types of bunk house travel trailers are created by companies all around the world. One of the largest is Thor Industries which owns Dutchmen-RV. A Dutchmen bunk house travel trailer allows the camping family to choose a multiple sleeping arrangement in an RV that best suits their needs. These trailers have different combinations of amenities and depending on how many people and their age group, a customer can choose his trailer from one of the many available floor plans. We used to sell Wildwood Travel Trailers, but found Dutchmens to be a better value.

Dutchmen bunk house travel trailers are available in a wide range of sizes. Some of them are meant only for comfort while some are also meant for luxury.The general things available in a trailer are: Multiple sleeping arrangements, gas oven and range, refrigerator that works on gas or electric, flat screen televisions, a sofa and dining table that makes extra beds, air conditioning, awning, microwave, television antenna or satellite, power tongue jack, power or non power stabilizer jacks, outside showers, multiple windows, automatic ignition water heaters, chrome wheels instead of the standard white wheels, and much, much more. A Dutchmen 315 bunk house is their most popular bunk model that has a slide in their line up.

The stabilizers are one of the most important parts of a bunk house travel trailer as all RV’s need to be level for the refrigerator to operate properly and for the unit not to rock incessantly as you move around in it. Power stabilizers are the new thing, but standard leveling jacks can be easily put down manually, and incredibly easier and faster with the help of a drill.

Safety precautions are given tremendous importance in all the bunk house travel trailers as most often families with kids buys these. It is essential that kids of all age groups remain safe and hence multiple precautionary measures are adopted in terms of the electrical connections, side railings of the beds, fixed windows and appropriately made wall connections. The television set and other appliances are attached to the main frame of the trailer so that they don’t fall off.

A person can enhance the travel trailer by special ordering their unit. This is an option for everyone but is rarely used and I don’t why other than a lack of planning. A lack of planning let’s one get the unit they see right now, but must take it as they see it other than dealer installed options. With proper planning you can order a unit with the options and color you want and not have to pay for unnecessary options that you don’t need or want. This can not only save you money but also make your camping experiences more enjoyable.The starting price of these trailers is around $10-12,000 and can go up quite a bit if you are really looking at a luxury unit.. A person can buy a used one also. If you choose to do this it is usually to spend less than it takes to buy a new one. If this is the case I highly recommend buying one from a reputable RV dealer. If you buy one from an individual you are generally buying it as is, which means you run the risk of finding multiple problems you had no idea existed. When you buy from a dealer it is usually one that has been checked out before you take it and all necessary repairs have been made. This is generally true unless you are buying it as is from the dealer, which is common for the person looking for a fix it up project. Today, it is even possible to rent a bunk house travel trailer instead of buying it. This option is very beneficial to somebody who has never camped before and want to try the experience before they buy one.

Some of the most important things you can do is to do your homework on what it is you are looking for, don’t accept less than your minimum requirements, and if at all possible, buy from a reputable dealer or an individual you really trust. Make sure you also make sure that RV parts are very available for whatever you buy. Best wishes and happy camping.

Roger Dale Lee is the mgr of Lee’s Country RV that sells Dutchmen Travel Trailers and Dutchmen 315BHDS’s and can be contacted at leescountryrv.com

Well That Time Is Here Again

The season here in the Midwest will now begin to slowly slow down. As it does, the new product will begin to be seen at the dealer show in Elkhart and then later in Louisville.

When we go to Elkhart we will see the all new and improved floor plans as we always do and then in Louisville we we see the new and improved over that. We saw last year the units with remote key locks and the upgraded dinettes. Both of which were great improvements. It’s a vicious cycle. We will also see the latest and greatest in RV Parts and Accessories.

The good news for the consumer is that dealers will really discount their new units in stock so as to make room for the ones they purchase at the show. If you are in the market, now is a great time to buy a new RV whether it be from us here at Lee’s or at another dealer.

The fact of the new units coming in and the season slowing will give you the opportunity to buy a new Dutchmen Travel trailer or something like it at a great price. Let us know if we can be of any help.

We will also be looking at the Wildwood Travel Trailers again.

Types of Recreational Vehicles

There seems to be a lot of confusion when using the word RV and what it describes. It is my hope that this simple little article will help in understanding all that the letters RV encapsulate.

First RV is short for Recreational Vehicle. To many, the RV is a motorhome, but while that is true it also covers other types of recreational vehicles. The main categories would be Motorhomes which covers Class A motorhomes, Class C motorhomes, B+ motor homes, and even a couple of other areas such as the toy hauler motor homes, B class motor homes, and Super C’s. Then there are the Towables category which represents all travel trailers, hybrids toys, v-fronts, work and, fifth wheels.

As you can tell the letters RV covers a huge arena of products of which I named above. When you add brands and niches to all of the above it becomes a giant and hard to understand and even harder to make a decision on what to purchase. Questions like what type would work best for me? What size would work best? What is the difference between the brands? Do I have the right tow vehicle? I know I want a towable type but should I get a travel trailer or a fifth wheel? Should I get a bunkhouse camper or a mom and pop style? Should I buy a Sandpiper Fifth wheel by Forest River Inc or a Wyoming Fifth wheel by Coachmen? Should I buy a Wildwood Travel Trailers by Forest River Inc or an Autumn Ridge by Starcraft RV?

These are all great questions and we are writing articles almost everyday to add to our article directory. The decision on what type of rv to purchase rest entirely with the individual. Yet to help make that decision here are some things to consider. Do I want to drive my rv or pull it with a tow vehicle. Is it going to be set permanently. If so definitely a Lodge park trailer would best fit this need. One of the best tips I could give is to visit a rv dealer and sit down with a sales consultant and talk your needs through with them or visit a rv dealers web site and look through the product and then e-mail them with questions. You should also look to see what kind of RV Parts and Accessories are available for it.

I wish you the best in all your rv adventures. Happy Camping!

Find travel trailers at LeesCountryRV.Com and RV Parts at RVParts Dealer.Com.

 

Keystone Puts Its Money To Do Good

One of the most perplexing issues facing the RV industry is the shortage of certified technicians and even more so with master certified guys. This is an issue that has been discussed now for many years. The following is a press release I read and found it worthy of re-posting it here. Keystone is doing more than talking about it!

 Keystone RV said it will launch a $250,000 scholarship program for Keystone and Dutchmen dealers in conjunction with the RVIA/RVDA technician training program. The initiative is designed to help assure the availability of certified RV technicians now and into the future.

According to Randy Mast, Keystone vice president of customer service, “Our substantial commitment emphasizes the importance we place on certified technicians to customer satisfaction and the long term success of our industry. Keystone’s experience has shown that well-educated technicians diagnose and perform repairs correctly the first time leading to less down time for the customer and few returns for repeat repairs. A satisfied customer results in repeat sales for Keystone and our approximately 900 dealers throughout the United States and Canada.”

The creation of this scholarship fund is welcome news for RVDA, Keystone said.

“One can only stand up and applaud exemplary leadership demonstrated by Keystone and Dutchmen,” said RVDA Chairman of the Board Jeff Hirsch of Campers Inn. “Recognizing the importance of certified and re-certified technicians, they have made an investment on behalf of their customers. Our livelihoods are hinged on a good customer experience. Matt Zimmerman, president of Keystone and Dutchmen, has committed two-hundred and fifty thousand dollars to their dealer network to further educate technicians. I believe this shows extraordinary vision on behalf of our industry.”

RVIA president Richard Coon also commended Keystone. “RVIA has worked tirelessly in pursuit of expanding the number of certified RV technicians across the RV industry, and this new scholarship program announced by Keystone and Dutchmen for their dealers is exciting news and a huge boost to our industry’s efforts,” said Coon. “This is an unprecedented show of manufacturer support for the industry’s RVST program, and hopefully it will spur others to pursue similar initiatives.”

Applications will be accepted Sept. 3 through Oct. 4. Contact Keystone RV at 877/886-7783 or dealerservice@keystonerv.com.

As a Dutchmen Travel Trailer dealer I applaud their efforts. RV Parts Dealer sell RV Table Legs that fit either flush or surface mounted bases. They also sell RV Door Locks and RV Portable Waste Tanks.

 

An Accomplishment Worth Mentioning

The management and staff of Entegra Coach, a division of Jayco Inc., recently commemorated the production of its 1,000th motorcoach with a division-wide celebration at its manufacturing plant.

This worth mentioning on any RV site. Jayco is a great company.

 

Employees from the office and assembly line took time off to hear from executives including Wilbur Bontrager, chairman of the board, Derald Bontrager, CEO and John Ganyard, general manager and vice president of the motorized division. The employees enjoyed a catered lunch after the speeches were finished.

“The celebration was a success. We were able to congratulate all the members of our Entegra Coach team for reaching this milestone and encourage them to keep up the great work,” said Ganyard. “Jayco established Entegra Coach in 2009 as its flagship motorhome division and today we have more than 150 employees. We think it’s important that we make it clear to all of them; they each play an important role in our success.”

Citing Statistical Surveys Inc., the company said it experienced a 28 percent rise in year-over-year sales during May for Entegra Coach. As a result of growing demand for its motorcoaches, Entegra Coach completed a 77,752-square-foot expansion of its manufacturing facility in July. The assembly line has fully moved into the new facility and is producing more motorhomes per week than at any time in the company’s history.

You can find rv table legs and rv door locks for the Entegra on these links.

Types Of RV Cabinet Hardware

When one is looking for RV cabinet hardware, there are five categories that fit that description. This article will help the one trying to explain what it is they are looking to get. The five types of hardware are catches, hinges, latches, struts, and knobs.

RV cabinet catches are available in various types. Among them are magnetic, concealed, barrel, roller, and positive catches. While there are a few more, these would be the most popular. When one searches for this product it is easy to determine what kind by images on a part site.

Magnetic catches are just that. A magnetic catch will have a magnet on one end and a piece of metal on the other. The concealed catches are much bulkier and come in various sizes. They will be an exceptionally identifiable style, but one must get the proper length. The barrel catch is a commonly used catch. Again, very identifiable because it will usually have two round barrels with a metal piece that snaps over it. Roller catches are also easy to identify because they have rollers. Positive catches are a little harder to describe than the barrel catches, but will be easy to discern on a site with images.

RV Cabinet Hinges are a little easier to get the correct ones. Once again with all the images that are available on RV parts sites it will be easy for one to find the correct hinges. They are usually available in three colors and various styles.

RV Cabinet Latches are going to be like the catches we discussed earlier. They come in various styles and colors. The main difference between the two is that the latches usually require a thumb or finger to operate it.

RV Cabinet Struts and supports will be much longer and round. The most common use of this hardware would be on cabinet doors that are often up when open. The strut or support will then hold the cabinet door in the up position until one puts it down.

Knobs are probably the easiest to identify. They are also the easiest to remove and replace. If one cannot find the same exact knob, it will be easy to find one close. With the ease of replacement, one can choose to replace all the knobs if one wants them to be identical.

The great thing about RV cabinet hardware is that almost all RV websites sell this product. They will have excellent images to help identify what one needs.

Roger Dale Lee sells RV Cabinet Hardware and Dutchmen Travel Trailers.

The RV Industry Is Recovering From The Great Recession

Recreational Vehicle manufacturers are producing more travel trailers now than they have since 2007. With an increase of approximately ten percent in 2012 and a forecast for a gain of another 4 percent in 2013, the RV industry is on a positive move upward.

Recreational vehicle manufacturers and dealers alike had become amused, happy, and successful with RV shipments reaching over three hundred and fifty thousand units. Some dealers grew unusually fast while others became complacent. Then the housing crash occurred as well as the stock market.

The credit that was so easy to get, became next to impossible find at dealer lots. Customers making their way to the dealers lots became smaller and smaller than before.. Dealers’ inventories were packed full, and no one was ordering product.

RV manufacturers began lowering their workforce. The industry had reached a number of approximately 530,000 people. By the time, the crash had hit its peak that number had fallen to less than 250,000.

RV’s had reached a high of 350,000 in 2007 and had fallen to less than 166,000 units. Let us face it. It was a catastrophe for the RV industry. Many manufacturers and dealers went bankrupt. Others survived but had lost most of what they had gained in a life time of work.

Today,the stock market has recovered and hit new heights. There are signs that the housing industry while still fragile, is beginning to recover. With it, the RV industry is on a definite move upward.

The industry’s workforce has made it way from a low of 250,000 to today being at approximately 375,000. Manufactures build time has product being harder to get without waiting six to eight weeks to get an ordered unit. Dealers inventories have increased, customers are showing up at shows, and the dealer’s lot. Credit has eased, and sales have improved dramatically. From a low of 165,000 units being produced in 2009, the recovery of the RV industry now will produce about 280,000 units.

While all is going in the right direction, caution by everyone is still in the air. We have made the trip back from the disaster, but that does not mean relax. It will take years for some to regain their life’s work in regards to financial worth. Sadly, for others it will never happen.

The RV parts section of the market has shown significant improvements also. Simple things like replacing rv table legs and bases help to continue to move forward. Also showing a big increase is rv portable waste tanks.

The RV industry survived the Great Recession, but not without casualties. Cheers to those who survived. Gods speed to those who are now trying to recover.

Roger Dale Lee is an avid camper that sells Travel Trailers and new Dutchmen Travel Trailers

Campgrounds Making Big Changes

Almost everyone knows recreational time is a needed commodity in our lives. It is also quite cherished. In our lives, there are quite simply such a broad spectrum of recreation it’s hard to choose one. A vast amount of the human race has found camping to be a great way to recreate ones self. The beauty of nature and the excitement that one might experience while camping is immeasurable. The camping trip success largely can sometimes be determined by the choice of where one chooses to stay. If one does not like heat and tons of sun, a trip to the beach may not be the answer.

Many people are turning to pulling a travel trailer or using some form of recreational vehicle to fill their need for the ultimate in camping experiences. Some rent one while others choose to purchase one so that can use it any time. One of the great features of ownership is the simplicity in not having to load and unload it. This in itself improves the experience.

The number of people choosing this pastime to meet their recreational needs is growing rapidly. This is causing a dramatic change in many of the campgrounds across America. We are seeing campgrounds upgraded to looking like a resort.

Why are these campgrounds going in that direction? First people have bought nicer and nicer RV’s. They are finding it much easier and more affordable than renting a house at the resort. Yet, they would still like to have the amenities. Thus, the campgrounds are moving more in that direction so as to catch the new modern camper.

So when you go to a campground that has made the changes, you will find more than a gravel drive to park your rig on, and a place to plug it in. You will find in some things such as paved parking pads, cable tv hook ups, sewer and water, and electric that now can reach 50 amps. Many of them are now selling RV Parts.

For those of you looking for the upgraded facilities, one might investigate on the internet before choosing which campground to choose. Others that still like the old style campgrounds don’t worry. There are plenty of choices still remaining for you top choose from. You too will be better served by doing some research before you select a campground to stay in. I wish you the best in all your travels. I am sure you will be happy either way. Happy Camping!!

RV Parts Dealer sells RV Table Legs and bases and RV Door Locks