How To Drive Your RV Safely Like A Pro? Update 2017

When driving your RV, the most important thing you need is to drive your car safely, particularly while ascending a higher altitude or mountain passes. If you are navigating up the steep grades, you may feel nervous or stressed. It would be best if you remembered that you are responsible for the safety of the passengers in your RV and the passengers of other vehicles.

Therefore, you should be well-versed in specific tips to make your trip comfortable and enjoyable. You can then drive your RV like a Pro.

1. Go Slowly

This is the first and foremost precaution you should take to avoid any chance of an accident. Keep our RV under your absolute control.

2. Drive Defensively

Some drivers may race ahead of you and come to your lane abruptly. Anticipating this action, you should be prepared to put your brake.

3. Keep Extra Distance

Photo Credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysDdZWrMeb4

RVs are more prominent and heavier and take extra distance to come to a stop. Avoid riding on the brakes because they may stop working by getting hot.

4. Beware of Blind Spot

To reduce the blind spot, position the mirrors and backup cameras properly.

5. Practice Maneuvering

Fine-tune you’re driving and maneuvering skills by going in for more and more practice, particularly for backing up your RV. Try turning in the opposite direction you desire to go. If you want your trailer to go to the right, turn your wheel to the left. Inspect the campsite before backing. Take care that there are no overhead branches.

6. Co-Pilot

You can take your spouse or grown-up offspring as a co-pilot. Besides helping you navigate, they can assist you by directing you to the campsite. Practice this in a parking lot.

7. Don’t Cut the Corner

Since the size of your RV is significant, you should take a wide path while making the turns. If you don’t do this, there is a chance that you hit anything or someone at the corner.

8. Know the Height of Your RV

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You may be confronted with height issues if you have a Class A motorhome or a large fifth wheel. While planning your trip, ensure enough overhead clearance is on the way. The RV-specific GPS can sort out this issue.

9. Thorough Check

Ensure the trailer is connected to the hitch and the brake lights and signals are working correctly. The tongue on the trailer needs to be attached to the hitch with the locking mechanism. You can check it by pulling the connection. There should be two chains between the trailer and the vehicle.

10. Be Patient

As you are required to drive slowly, you may get impatient. Know that other drivers are expecting you to move slowly. Turn your hazard lights to alert other drivers, say between 20 to 30 mph, that you are going extra slowly.

11. Downshift before Ascending

Before going up the hill, downshift to a lower gear so you have extra power.

12. Use Tow Haul Mode

This mode uses different gear shifting to keep your engine in optimal range.

13. Descend Slowly

While going down a mountain pass, reduce the speed to 30 mph and stay in the Tow Haul Mode. You can use more engine braking and can increase your speed safely.

14. Downshift before Descending

Press the brake firmly to force the transmission downshift if your RV does not downshift automatically. The engine will do some braking, thus minimizing the time required to use your brakes.

15. Minimize Braking

Photo Credit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UZo5_eamQoU

While braking, press the pedal only for 15 to 20 seconds each time and allow time in between so that your brake is not cooked.

The above tips will take a long way in maintaining safety and inner tranquility while driving your RV. Equally important is the equipment for the RV toolbox. However well-maintained your RV is, some eventuality may require tightening, loosening, pounding flat, cutting, or prying. The following are some basics that may help you deal with unexpected events.

Set of standard and metric Socket wrenches to tighten and loosen bolts or nuts.
Large, medium, and small Philips head and flat bladed Screw Drivers
Standard Pliers to hold machine nuts for removing or installing items together.
Medium and large Channel-lock Pliers to deal with over-sized machine nuts
Set of Small Drill Bit sizes 1/6 inches to ¼ inches to deal with metal and wood items.
Cordless Drill to drill the drill bits, which make holes
Sturdy Claw Hammer for straightening, driving nails, and pulling them again.
Pocket Knife to cut rope and twine or to cut wire insulation
Hobby Knife, incredibly sharp with blade protector and extra blade to make exact cuts on canvas, plastic, paper, wood, or vinyl
Wire Cutters to cut electrical wires or to turn metal coat hangers into marshmallow skewers.
Mini Hacksaw to cut twisted bolts and damaged metalwork where knife does not work.
FoldingTree Saw to cut trees that have fallen across the road
A bundle of removable plastic zip ties for clinching things together.
Spare Cabinet Door catches to prevent toiletries from flying throughout the bathroom.
A miniature Voltmeter to trace shorts and measure your battery’s voltages.
Head-mounted Flash Light to work in the dark.
A dozen pieces of latex or rubber gloves
Wire Brush for cleaning lug nut threads on the wheels of your RV
Battery Charger of sizes between AAA to D
Fire Extinguisher, fully charged
Spare Tire
Hydraulic Jack heavy duty for lifting your RV for changing the tires.
Lug Wrench for changing tires
Compressed Air Tank to add air to the tires
Spare Bulbs and Fuses

Your RV is your home while you are going out camping. But, the inside of your RV collects dust and dirt while moving. Therefore, it needs regular cleaning by the best RV vacuum cleaner. There are different kinds of vacuum cleaners. You should first identify the kind of vacuum cleaner that you need. The most important factors are the carpeting area and flooring area of your RV. Other factors for consideration are durability, ease of use, performance, storage, filtration, the level of noise, and cost. The high-level fibers with HEPA marks trap microscopic particles such as pollen and dust mites. You can choose from any of the following brands of vacuum cleaners.

Shark Rocket Corded Hand Vacuum (HV292), Dyson DC 44 Animal Digital Slim MK2, H-P Products 9614 Black, Stanely Black and Decker FHV 1200W, Shark Rocket( HV292).