finished first trip. kinda a downer.

[thor293]

Originally Posted by JamieGeek

When I click the link it goes to Jerry's Post. However that fix is for an F-53 chassis the OP has a class C on E-Series frame which I don't think has had that issue (at least nobody on here has complained about that issue).

Sounds like it isnt an issue at all if he didnt have the Tow/Haul mode engaged.

[dogshowrv]

Originally Posted by Diemaster

well i just got back from our first trip 2 days ago and it (to me) wasn't the greatest.

this was the first time driving a rig this big (class c 32') i felt like a semi-truck and kept getting cut off. i just set the cruse control to 60 and drove in the right lane. just stayed with all the other semi-trucks.

we were heading to Payson AZ and while driving though the CA/AZ dessert of course it hit 110* on the hottest day of the week in the forcast. my little fur baby had water in the back but ended up having a heatstroke with temp of 104.5 in quartzite. after crossing the AZ border, we had to turn around and head back 30 miles into Blythe CA to a Veterinarian. ended up spending our first night in the RV park there. this was traveling in the dessert with just the cab a/c running. after her heatstroke, i didn't travel w/o the generator/coach A/C running too.

we got to payson AZ just fine after some mountain roads. this was a challenge. i couldn't get the "tap the brakes to downshift" to work so had to move the shiftier to downshift and do some careful braking. the actual campground was to put it in one word, disappointing. it was close to amenities (there was a Walmart 3 blocks away) but it was all dirt, on a hill, and the management felt money hungry. oh and it rained all night for the 3 nights we were there. i didn't bring any wood or blocks for the levelers so i was worried it would sink down in mud while we were trying to sleep. it did sink about 1/2 inch in the rear and 1/4 in the front. i went to a steak house and brought my mom back dinner since she couldn't get around well. (bad arthritis and bad knees.) also discovered the kitchen sink doesn't drain all the way and leaks out of the P trap.

all this time my mom is getting worse and worse and weaker. she couldn't get in bed or in the cab passenger seat w/o my help. i decided i had had enough. it wasn't relaxing or fun anymore so we left the campground and headed back. the trip back took 2 days and got home Sunday. almost 900 miles in a little under a week. overall not bad, but it defiantly could have been less stress and anxiety inducing.

This is what I’ve found - Older folks - and that’s anyone older than you -and younger folks-(kids) and fur babies require more planning. They won’t have your endurance and when the going gets tough, their adrenaline doesn’t kick in!

[Maxjr758]

Originally Posted by JamieGeek

Your first "mod" should be an alignment regardless of anything else you do. Especially now that you have a few miles on it.

Just throwing my 2 cent in, I had our 17 Challenger 37TB front end alligned, and it made a world of difference in the wandering, loose feel of the steering. It went from constantly working the steering wheel to keep it centered in my lane , to tracking straight down the center of the lane, hands off.
Still want to do the Cheap. Handling. Fix (CHF). I still want to add a Steering Stabilizer
for safety during a Blow Out if for no other reason.
I have found around the 65 MPH range is where our Challenger performs best, but your coach will have it's own "Sweet Spot" .
Dont get discouraged, heck the first night in our Challenger the bedroom slide wouldn't extend, then the next leg of our trip the wipers only worked on low, and the Battery Compartment Door skin separated, and folded back !
We were hoping to be able to take my mother in law on some short trips, and set up in a campground near her home, so she could come spend a couple of nights with us. Long story short, my wife had to take her home after the first night, as she said I think I just need to be home in my bed. Your mom may have been stressing, and having arthritis myself, I know that can cause it to flare up !
Try a short trip close to home, if you can, see if she does better.
Glad your dog made it. Check out the mods some have done adding a curtain behind the driver, passenger seat to help keep the cab cooler.
Hope things get better! At least your doors didn't blow off !

[PLBR]

Originally Posted by csseeker

Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy it. Sounds like my wife and I. We took a 2 night shake down and everything seemed ok. We left 2 weeks later for a trip from FL to VA. Our entire trip was hot as h#ll. AC wouldn't keep up at all. Couldn't even go outside it was so friggin hot every single day. We didn't like the RV at all. And the worst party was our cat hated it too. So when we got home after 11 days we traded it in (we owned it for 30 days). We are now 9 days in on a 6 week trip into the blue ridge mountains to get out of the FL heat. We are loving it. Having a good time with no where to go. The right RV and the right weather has made a huge difference. Even our cat is having a great time and very comfortable.
Good luck in the future!!

So what RV did you take your first trip in and what do you have now?

[DogLovers]

Rule number 3,783 when RV'ing for the first time, "Leave mom at home". Rule number 1.If you do something "not smart" with your dog don't tell it in here. Most of us have furry children and it would be a shame if we had to hunt you down.

[csseeker]

Originally Posted by PLBR

So what RV did you take your first trip in and what do you have now?

Our first one was a Coachman Prism 24M. It was not ergodynamic inside at all. Everything seemed set up completely backwards. Going down the road on the Mercedes sprinter chassis was like an earthquake all day. It was very loud on the road. We could barely talk to each other. It rocked up a storm. It lacked any good outside storage. The waste water set up was great. The diesel engine was 15mpg. It accelerated great.

After the first trip we traded for our current 2016 axis 25.2. we love it. Inside is set up near perfectly. Drives great. Rides great. Nice sound level inside while driving. Storage is very good. Waste water location is not great. Katie, our cat, is having a great time. She loves the huge dashboard.

We are 16 days into our first trip and wondering if we will ever go home.

[Bob Denman]

There is always a steep learning curve at the start of each new adventure.
But we learn; we adapt; and if it's important to us: we don't give up.

[RVMichael]

My wife and I started with only a one nighter at a full serve RV park about 10 miles away. Then we went to the closest state park for a 2 nighter. Since there are 7 state parks within 60 miles of where I live we went to just for 2 nights and then come home and make adjustments. The last trip was to a state park 100+ miles away, so we went for 2 state parks over 4 nights with replenishment between the 2 parks. Again adjustments (e.g. keep me out of the Walmart if you don't want a 2 hour shopping trip, LOL)

Next we will go to 4 state parks in 8 days with replenishments as needed. Yes, I am getting very good at setting up and taking down the campsite.

By the time we head out west, we should be old pro's. Well, at least the old part.

[CountryBoy]

Diemaster, first few trips can be disappointing because we expect everything to work from the factory. Being a jet pilot, I expected to have things that needed fixing. The good news is, that once you get everything just about right and your comfort and confidence levels up, it is extremely satisfying to go to awesome places “when” they are awesome!

[knucklehead]

Yes your right Bob, it will get better and your problems were nothing you could anticipate!! Our 1st night in our Axis 25.2 during my first shower, water came pouring out from under the outside wall. After drying off and removing the access panel I found the screw- on connection from the treaded downspout was installed in a bind and popped off and I could not retread it. I did fix it myself better than Thor designed it and never had an issues. Things will break, come loose, vibrate apart and this is RV living. Make a list of key things to check inside and out. Remember, you are driving a house that basically is enduring a 3.5 magnitude earthquake...Bob Trice

[99dart]

Diemaster, My wife & I have taken my mother out twice in 20 yrs... not the best experience. LOL The toilet paper roll thumping as it unrolls against the paper thin wall in the middle of the night is rather funny tho! Last year Labor day weekend we took her with us to my son's wedding (using our MH)... she rented her own room!

[SteviC]

Keep at it! It will get better. We have been camping for 50 yrs.+ and have had some stinkers of trips (one just a couple mths ago) but these stories are great to tell around the campfire.

[Mo_Mike]

Originally Posted by csseeker

Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy it. Sounds like my wife and I. We took a 2 night shake down and everything seemed ok. We left 2 weeks later for a trip from FL to VA. Our entire trip was hot as h#ll. AC wouldn't keep up at all. Couldn't even go outside it was so friggin hot every single day. We didn't like the RV at all. And the worst party was our cat hated it too. So when we got home after 11 days we traded it in (we owned it for 30 days). We are now 9 days in on a 6 week trip into the blue ridge mountains to get out of the FL heat. We are loving it. Having a good time with no where to go. The right RV and the right weather has made a huge difference. Even our cat is having a great time and very comfortable.
Good luck in the future!!

Just wondering what RV you traded, and what you have now.

[roy stone]

Can't wait to hear of your great misadventure, seems you had a rather routine but safe one..B safe, B well, and B prepared for the enjoyments of a life time.

[sutzy10]

We have a new Quantum RS26 and large lab who sits between the cab seats. I was shocked at how hot the floor and the side of the console got on a recent trip to the Smokies. Too hot to touch! I layer sheets of reflextics (that I made to fit the cab windows) with towels to reduce the heat until hubby can insulate the “doghouse”. Perhaps this added to your pups issue. Worth checking if he sits between the seats.