Truck
While there are arguments for any brand of truck, when truck shopping we were between the RAM and Ford. We've owned both brands before so we were comfortable with both. In the end, we just liked the Ford better. We liked the camera system, power mirrors (extension and folding), door keypad, etc. that RAM doesn't offer. But we're not brand loyalists with a “my brand is best your brand sucks” mentality. Lot's of good options out there across all the brands. You just have to do your own homework when it comes to towing a large fiver and NEVER trust the sales guy when it comes to the numbers. Study the specs yourself and check out our towing video.
We initially wanted to get the Ford Trailer TPMS to have everything in the dash. But the more we dug into it, the more complicated it got.
First, the sensors have to be installed into the rims (replacing the valve stems) and there was a lot of confusion about the size of the valve stems and compatibility with our wheels. Second, the system is not completely wireless with a simple repeater like the TST unit. For some reason, it requires wiring to the trailer. You can see the kit and all the wires here: accessories.ford.com…
On top of the complicated install, it’s much more expensive than the TST and doesn’t monitor temperature (only pressure). The bottom line is, it was more complicated and more expensive for a less capable system that can’t be easily moved to a new trailer.
Our mud flaps are from a great US Small business, DuraFlap!
They sell several stop options as well as customized mud flaps and are VERY solid and durable. They hang about an inch off the ground when towing and are a much nicer (in our opinion) option to something like rock tamers. Tara invoked her Veto option on rock tamers. 😳
Our first truck was a 2017 Ford F350 DRW (Dually) with the 6.7 liter PowerStroke Turbo Diesel V8 (with 3.55 axle). Crew Cab and full-size (8′) bed with Reese 27K hitch. We also added sulastic shackles and Loadlifter 7500 XL airbags (with the wireless air controller) to help make the ride smoother. We go over the truck and towing in this video.
Our current truck (purchased in the summer of 2022) is a 2022 F450 Platinum (6.7-liter PowerStroke Turbo Diesel V8 with 10 Speed Transmission and a 4.30:1 axle). While we primarily upgraded for the MUCH improved turn radius of the 450 vs 350, it also handles mountains a lot better with the 4.20 axle and 10 speed.
The toolbox is a Better Built 77213014 Deep Shotgun Tool Box. It has shotgun latches that don't interfere with the tonneau cover! Unfortunately, the SLE line from Better Built is being discontinued, but we hope they will change their mind. It's the only crossover/saddle style box we've found that plays nice with a tonneau cover! We found ours on eBay here: Item no longer available. If that listing is no longer available, search by part number on google.
Out tonneau cover used to be the Access Toolbox Edition Soft, Roll-Up. However, after a few trips with sharp turns, we realized that our pin box was hitting the rails. After about a year of this, the rails were trashed and we researched a different option with no rails.
We now have the Extang Solid Fold 2.0 Toolbox Tonneau Cover (84488). It fits perfectly with the toolbox and is much more secure than the soft cover was, with no rails. The drawback, however, is that it needs to be removed to tow the fifth wheel. So, we move it into our garage when we travel. That part is a bit of a pain, but it's not very heavy, and worth it when moving every 10 days to 2 weeks. If we moved more frequently, it might not be a good solution.
We got new tires for the truck in October of 2019. We chose Michelin Defender LTX M (LT245/75R17121/118RDFNDRLTXM). They aren’t as off-road aggressive as the stock tires were, but they ride nice and should be just as capable of light off-road use. They've been very good tires so far.
We used the Vantrue N2 Pro Uber Dual Dash Cam Dual with the GPS Suction Cup Mount for our first 4.5 years full time. When we got the new F450, we liked the Vantrue enough to buy its successor, the Vantrue N2S 4K Dash Cam, which has built-in GPS for location and speed stamped on the recording.
This camera records 2.5K both inside and in front of the vehicle. It records to a microSD card and creates a new file (one for inside and one for outside) every 5 minutes (configurable), deleting the oldest file as the card fills up. With a 256GB microSD card, this equates to about 20 hours of recordings.
We like the added peace of mind that if there is ever an accident, we have a record showing where we were, how fast we were going, and what was going on inside the cab (paying attention, etc). Note: this camera is strictly for security purposes. We have a different camera for recording for our videos. See: changinglanesrv.com…
The device mounts we use in the truck are from ProClip. See the full article and DISCOUNT!
To mount the GPS and some cameras, we use:
- Builtright Dash Mount: changinglanesrv.com…
- RAM Mounts: changinglanesrv.com…
- AMPS Plate: changinglanesrv.com…
On the bike, we use the Rokform handlebar mount and case. Very solid!
That's the “Snoozer Luxury High Back Console Pet Car Seat” – amzn.to/2MnglBj…
Daisy loves the high side walls much better than the mostly flat bed we had in the truck originally. It straps to the console as well as the floor of the truck, and has a tether you can clip to a harness.
Note: The dog bed has been in and out of stock a lot recently. If its out of stock, just keep checking back.
For our first year (2018), we used the CoPilot GPS app on our iPhones. It stores maps locally and allows you to input RV dimensions and weight in and will route accordingly. However, after an update to the app, it started doing some really crazy routing (get off this exit, do a U-turn and get back on, etc).
In February of 2019, we switched to the Rand McNally OverDryve 7 RV GPS and it was much better than CoPilot. However, after about 6 months, it started giving us some strange routing also. By this time, Eric and Tami (TechnoRV) had changed their recommendation to the Garmin units.
In October of 2019, we switched to the Garmin RV 890 and it is AWESOME! Great big display, voice prompts (that aren't overbearing), and it finds rest areas, service stations, etc along our route with ease! We will have a full review and comparison HERE.
Note: We also did some testing of the GPS feature of RVLIfe (RV Trip wizard) and, while we LOVE RV Trip Wizard, the GPS navigation is lacking. Its routes (compared to the Garmin) can sometimes be MUCH longer. This just solidifies the Garmin RV 890 as our #1 pick.
When we got the F450 with the 4.30:1 rear axle, we fully expected worse fuel mileage than our F350 with the 3.55:1 rear axle. But that wasn't the case at all and that's likely due to the 10-speed transmission in the F450 (the F350 had a 6-speed).
Towing at around 65MPH, BOTH trucks are getting around 8.5MPG towing which was a pleasant surprise! Around town driving (not towing), we're actually seeing BETTER MPG on the F450 at around 17-18MPG! The F350 would get 16-17MPG.
We've only had the F450 for a month, and I need to manually verify what the computer is telling me, but it was pretty accurate on the F350.
We have AAA Premier RV Plus Motorcycle which covers everything we have. It runs about $246/yr.
We've only used it once for the motorcycle, so we're not exactly experts on how well it works for the RV. But, we've had AAA for many years (pre RV) and the few times we've needed it AAA was on the ball.
Our F350 DRW is 4WD. We have needed it on a few occasions, like Lone Rock Beach (youtu.be/IVJx2T1WJC0…), and even one state park. Four-wheel drive isn't necessary most of the time, but it's one of those things that you don't need it till you NEED it. If we ever find ourselves in snow or ice, we might also want it. We like having it and do recommend it as a just-in-case. But, if you're only going to be in RV parks, it might not ever be needed.
Yes and no.. Yes, it can be more challenging to park. But, once you get used to it, it's not bat at all. Maneuverability is best in reverse, so we normally back into spots. This also allows the rear to hang over sometimes and back in farther. Even drive thrus areno problem.
Note: The 360 camera system is a HUGE help when parking!
We use the Ford Upfitter Switches (factory option) to power everything on our dash. The switches (in the cab) control relays under the hood that power wires under that relay box. These wires (from the relay box) need to be connected to another set of wires that pass through the firewall and terminate at the passenger kick plate on the right side of the truck.
From there (passenger kick plate wires), I wired up behind the dash and across to the center of the dash where the removable dash tray is located. For the dashcam, I used a hardwire kit and wired it directly to the wire bundle at the firewall/kick plate. For the other items I wired in DC power plugs (a.k.a. cigarette lighter) adapters, and just plugged in the GPS and Furrion power. Later, I put a splitter on one of those to also power the TPMS (via USB Charger Adapter).
The location of the under-the-hood devices (relay box and pass-thru bundle) varies by make, model, and year.
This is how our 2017 F350 was wired:
This is how our 2022 F450 was wired, which was much easier than the F350. (the video below will start at the dash wiring when played)
For both the F350 and F450, the adapters were wired under the dash by running a wire from the pass-thru (DC +) and grounding (DC -) to the piece of the frame under the dash tray.
Additionally, you can find a TON of videos on youtube that go into more detail.
No. Our 2017 F350 came with a 48 gallon tank, which is plenty for our style of travel. We try to never travel more than 300 miles in a day and prefer around 200 miles.
Yes and no. Yes, it does provide DC power at a low current (maybe around 3-5A DC). This would trickle charge the batteries if there were no load on them. However, we run our fridge via the inverter when traveling which draws about 45 Amps DC. Thus, the batteries still draw down while we travel.
Our F350 does have the extra alternator and could provide a lot more power, but we'd need to run dedicated cabling for that. That is on the wish list. We just haven't gotten to it yet.
Our 1 Ton F350 Dually is not exactly a luxury ride! To help improve things (even just a little), we made 3 mods to the truck:
- Airbags – We had the Air LIft 7500XL with the AIR LIFT 72000 Wireless Air Leveling Compressor installed. This takes some of the force off the springs and shocks.
- Helper Spring Stop Removal – Once we had the airbags, we really no longer need the helper springs. But removing them or replacing the leaf springs is a pain. So, I just removed the stops for the helper springs.
- Sulastic Shackles – These put a rubber shock in between your leaf spring and frame to help dampen the forces between the springs and truck.
These three things definitely help some. But, it's still a rough ride compared to any normal vehicle.
If we were made of money, we would get a full air suspension replacement installed. Something like Keldemann.
If you have steel valve stems and enough room for them, the flow through sensors are great! They make it much simpler to add or remove air.
We have flow-through on the RV and caps on the truck. The rims on the truck just don't leave enough space to be able to get an air chuck on them.
Another item of note on the cap sensors. Many of them come with an outer shell that just spins and you need to use a special wrench to get them on and off. This is an anti-theft feature, but it's also very annoying to use that little wrench. I removed and discarded our spinner shell – they just screw apart and come right off.
Short answer: It depends on the state.
There's a lot of confusion on this topic. Yes, some states have Class A CDL or some type of non-commercial endorsement requirements for RV's over certain weights. However, Florida (our home state), as well as about half of the other states, do not. In Florida, drivers of recreational vehicles are exempt from the requirement to obtain a commercial driver's license. section 322.53(2) (d), Florida Statutes. (www.flhsmv.gov…)
Since every state honors the driving and license requirements of every other state, we are perfectly legal to drive in all 50 states under our standard Florida license.
In regards to Federal CDL Requirements, see: www.fmcsa.dot.gov…
Question 3: Does part 383 apply to drivers of recreational vehicles?
Guidance: No, if the vehicle is used strictly for non-business purposes.
Here are a few articles that discuss the topic for each state:
www.campanda.com…
www.outdoorsy.com…
All of that said, our personal opinion is that rigs as large and heavy as ours should require some type of extra certification or endorsement as well as training.
We cover some of the CDL issues here if interested: youtu.be/EY0GfrZIxxs?t=496…
Yes. Our 2017 F350 came with a built-in 400 Watt inverter and 110 outlets in the front and rear of the truck.
Yes. We looked at that as well as the TPMS system that integrates. The trailer camera system is hard wired, requiring a wiring bundle be run all the way to the back of the RV from the bumper of the truck. That, combined with the price, makes it a non-starter for us. It's also not clear if the camera will operate in motion. We use our camera primarily while driving to get a view behind us and almost never for backing. Every other camera integrated shuts off when in motion, so we have no reason to believe this is different.
All in all, it's just way too expensive, too difficult to install, and has limited functionality.
In contrast, the furrion camera system we have was super easy to install (wireless), and runs in-motion, giving us a full time view behind the RV when driving.
RV
When we first started RV shopping, we had tankless water heater as a desired item and thought we might upgrade to one. However, after using our standard electric / propane tank (12 gal) water heater for over a year full time… we've never run out of hot water. Even with visitors staying with us. So, the Truma tankless fell to the nice to have but not necessary category. I have enough projects on the to-do list… ?
The 399TH was a strong candidate, making the top 2or 3. But on the 399, there were a couple of things that we weren't keen on:
One issue was internal accessibility with the slides in. We wanted to be able to get to our fridge, bathroom and bedroom at rest stops or the occasional location where we can't put out slides. On the 399 only the one rear bath is accessible and only if it's not blocked by something in the garage.
Another issue was the washer / dryer prep. We knew we wanted stackable units versus combo, and we wanted the dryer vented to the outside. In the 399TH, the W/D prep is in the middle of the garage making venting difficult. There are also controls on the wall above the prep, meaning they'd need to be relocated, or some sort of cabinet build around the washer/dryer. All doable but a lot of extra work. Plus we really like the W/D in the bedroom.
The third issue was the patio on the passenger side and all of the nice big windows being on the driver side, which has a lovely view of the front of our neighbors or, better yet, the back of their rig and poop hose. ? We also weren't sure how much we'd like the patio since it really only holds 2 people. If you want to watch a game or something outside and have more than that, some will be on the ground looking up over the rail. In reality this never happens as it's usually just two of us. But it was something we thought about.
Everyone has different priorities and there's no such thing as the “perfect” RV, just perfect enough for you. If we could have everything, our RV would be 75 feet long!
For us (and I think for most), the first step was finding the right floorplan for our needs. There were a couple of brands with similar floorplans but, to us, the Grand Designs just felt more solid with better construction than other's we looked at. Once we were leaning toward GDRV, we researched their warranty, customer service and support. We wanted to make sure that the warranty did not preclude full time living and also that they would work directly with us on any warranty issues, with a mobile tech or sending us parts directly. We also asked around on the Grand Design Owners Facebook page. All of that checked out and we went with it. We've not regretted our choice one bit! Our home has been wonderful and the minor issues we've had were handled directly as they promised.
If you're debating on which brand, what we recommend is to join owners groups for each on FaceBook, and ask the owners what they think. You'll get lot's of negative comments on every brand so be prepared for that. Any time you sell thousands of RV's you're going to have some haters. But I think you'll find that the Grand Design owners will also have lots and lots of positive to say.
Our decision to buy a fifth wheel toy hauler over a class A diesel pusher was primarily economic precipitated by weight. Bringing Lucile (our 2017 Indian Roadmaster) was a MUST.
Lucile weighs about 950lbs with fuel. Since we didn't want to deal with a trailer (and we wanted to flat tow a daily driver), we were looking at lift systems (like Hydralift). When you do the math on a 950lbs motorcycle plus a 400lb lift and factor in leverage based on the average distance from the rear axle to the bumper, it adds around 2000lbs to the rear axle. That put us in tag-axle territory, which starts getting WAY up in price. So, we had a choice between waiting another year to save more money , or investigating a plan B. So, we started looking at toy hauler options. The only Class A toy hauler we found was a Gas model by Thor. Nope.
Then we found fifth wheels! The more we looked at fifth wheel toy haulers the more we realized that, perhaps, it should have been our Plan A all along. A lot more living space when converting the garage to an office / guest suite, two full baths, kitchen with island, etc. And the financial aspect fit too. Class A option: Roughly $300K rig (tag axle) plus $30K daily driver plus around $10K for the lift, braking system, tow system, etc ($350K minimum). Fiver Toy Hauler option: $60K Truck plus $90K rig ($150K) AND we get more living space. That was an option we could fit in our budget and timeline. We've not regretted it a bit!
We initially wanted to get the Ford Trailer TPMS to have everything in the dash. But the more we dug into it, the more complicated it got.
First, the sensors have to be installed into the rims (replacing the valve stems) and there was a lot of confusion about the size of the valve stems and compatibility with our wheels. Second, the system is not completely wireless with a simple repeater like the TST unit. For some reason, it requires wiring to the trailer. You can see the kit and all the wires here: accessories.ford.com…
On top of the complicated install, it’s much more expensive than the TST and doesn’t monitor temperature (only pressure). The bottom line is, it was more complicated and more expensive for a less capable system that can’t be easily moved to a new trailer.
His name is Steve, and his number is (941) 650-6006. He worked on our Momentum 397TH twice over the years and will do some work on our 410THR soon. We were amazed at the high quality of repairs he can do with his mobile setup.
When we just do a quick overnight stay, we generally stay hooked up if we have room for it. Makes for easy departure the next day. If we are already fairly level, I will use the Lippert hydraulic leveler system and level manually, taking care to not put any odd stress on the hitch (no side/side or lifting).
We are on our second set of Westlake G rated tires. Our first set lasted over 27,000 miles and almost 3 years before our first blowout. We attribute that blowout to all of the potholes we hit that day in New York, but it's anyone's guess.
Since we were on our way to Elkhart for some work with Grand Design, we just opted for a new set of the same.
Wait… aren't Westlake tires all “China Bombs”???
The origin of the moniker “china bomb”, as near as we can tell, came about in 2016/2017 in reference to the E rated Westlake tires having a bad run of blowouts. We're not sure if it was a bad batch of tires, or if the tires were under-rated for the application (heavy toy haulers). Regardless, the name stuck and became tied to all Westlake tires even though the G rated Westlakes have a very good track record. Grand Design started putting the G rated tires on the Momentum line in 2017.
If we had to pick a different brand, we've heard great things about Sailun and Good Year.
The bottom line is, take care of your tires, inspect them regularly, and use a good TPMS.
We shopped around and found Progressive to be the best option for us. It's Full Timers with Total Loss Replacement/Purchase Price (got this instead of GAP coverage) and costs us about $1500/yr. If you full time, be up front with the insurance company and get appropriate coverage.
Our washer and dryer are both Splendide brand. The washer is model ARWXF129W and the dryer is TVM63F.
We DO like them a lot! Sure, they're not the giant full-sized LG's we had in our sticks and bricks, but they do a very good job and it's nice to be able to do laundry in our own home. It's also nice to have them as separate units versus a combo unit. Note: the dryer is vented to the outside. We've heard a lot of bad reviews about non-vented combo units.
We did not install them. We wanted to be able to do out own laundry on day one of RV life, so we negotiated them into the price and had them installed by our dealer (LazyDays youtu.be/fN1_igB-tDQ… ) prior to delivery. We also just didn't want that big of a project on day one! ?
These are the tiles: changinglanesrv.com…
I estimate I used about 10-12 tiles total (lots of cutting). I used our cordless circular saw with a masonry blade to cut them. Also, the tiles are self-adhesive, but I added a layer of 3M 77 spray adhesive to be sure we got a good stick. ??
We got tired of seeing sagging coroplast under the front half (drop-frame) of our RV. We even had one section come loose on one side at one point and had to re-attach it.
To fix the sagging and provide better support for the insulation under our RV, we used 1″ angle aluminum from Lowes as an added support mechanism. I cut it to a length to fit just inside the LED strips and bolted it directly to the frame using self-tapping stainless steel bolts. I pre-drilled holes in the angle aluminum and made starter holes in the frame.
Our awnings are Carefree brand, so we thought it best to buy the same brand of drop shade. We selected this one.
In comes in two parts with the short end (3′) connecting into the awning in the groove (just slides right in). That 3′ section stays on and gets rolled up with the awning. The long 9′ section sippers on and we bungee it down using stakes.
Installing the shade is super simple, but your awning does have to be designed for it. Most awnings have a channel built into the rolling part and the shade just slides right into it from either end.
We leave that main awning our all the time unless the forecast is for winds over 14MPH, or if we're expecting thunderstorms. All of our other awnings, we manage while we're there (pulling them in if they start to get strong winds), and retract when we leave. The awning on our main slide does auto-retrace if it detects buffeting from the wind, but we still bring it in when we leave.
For our first year (2018), we used the CoPilot GPS app on our iPhones. It stores maps locally and allows you to input RV dimensions and weight in and will route accordingly. However, after an update to the app, it started doing some really crazy routing (get off this exit, do a U-turn and get back on, etc).
In February of 2019, we switched to the Rand McNally OverDryve 7 RV GPS and it was much better than CoPilot. However, after about 6 months, it started giving us some strange routing also. By this time, Eric and Tami (TechnoRV) had changed their recommendation to the Garmin units.
In October of 2019, we switched to the Garmin RV 890 and it is AWESOME! Great big display, voice prompts (that aren't overbearing), and it finds rest areas, service stations, etc along our route with ease! We will have a full review and comparison HERE.
Note: We also did some testing of the GPS feature of RVLIfe (RV Trip wizard) and, while we LOVE RV Trip Wizard, the GPS navigation is lacking. Its routes (compared to the Garmin) can sometimes be MUCH longer. This just solidifies the Garmin RV 890 as our #1 pick.
Simple. Command Strips! We stock up on these and use them for everything! Our pictures, WiFi Ranger Router, Hotspots, Ring Alarm Keypads, Ring Video Doorbell, all using Command Strips.
We have some pictures that have been hanging for two years now with no issues.
We have AAA Premier RV Plus Motorcycle which covers everything we have. It runs about $246/yr.
We've only used it once for the motorcycle, so we're not exactly experts on how well it works for the RV. But, we've had AAA for many years (pre RV) and the few times we've needed it AAA was on the ball.
We have never used one, so we do not have any first hand experience. That said, we have seen images online of bent Andersen hitches, and a couple of viewers have sent us pics also. Our opinion on them is that we just don't trust it in a non-optimal situation like a hard braking or some kind of accident evading maneuver.
We started out using the Andersen Jack Blocks. We don't use them anymore because we've broken NINE of them (6 we bought and 4 replacements they sent us). Simply unreliable. The bottom edge would break off and they'd sink into the gravel/dirt/ whatever. They are rated for 6K, but broke way under that load. That experience was enough for us to just not trust our entire home (RV) to their engineering.
Many people do love them and they are definitely an easy hitch to manage. It's just not for us.
Our Dexter axles that were replaced when we did the MORryde Independent Suspension had an EZ-Lube system. While there is some controversy around using that versus removing and re-packing them, we did a mixture of both. The EZ-Lube is a nice and easy way to get new grease in as long as you're very careful to not blow out the rear seal.
Our new hubs on the MORryde system are re-pack only, so we will have a video on that when the time comes.
These are the curtains we used for both the back garage door area (in front of the 3 season doors) as well as for privacy between the living room and garage / guest suite. All super easy to install tension rods and they stay up during travel. Except for on I-90 / I-80 in Indiana! (worst road ever!) ?
✅ 3 season door tension rod
✅ 3 season door curtains
✅ Living / Garage door tension rod
✅ Living / Garage door curtain (1 panel)
While we've experimented with various things, we always come back to Happy Camper! It's biodegradable, environmentally friendly, septic tank friendly, and generally lasts about 2 weeks. Great stuff!
Currently, we have three 100Ah Battle Born batteries in parallel, giving us 300Ah. We plan on adding to this when we add solar.
The red “cans” under out jacks in some of our videos are Andersen Jack Blocks. We don't use them anymore because we've broken NINE of them (6 we bought and 4 replacements they sent us). Simply unreliable. The bottom edge would break off and they'd sink into the gravel / dirt / whatever.
We've switched to RV SnapPads and love them. They don't help lessen the jack extension like the Jack Blocks did, but they don't break and they stay on the rig, which is great when setting up and breaking down camp.
We've been using our RVSnapPads for several months now and really like them. They are much less expensive direct versus Amazon. changinglanesrv.com…
Note: The same company (RVSnapPad) is going to be coming out with a new product that will integrate with the SnapPads to help with the jack extension / stability this year. We will be helping them prototype those and will do do a video on them when they come out.
The manual recommends a low threshold of 10% below and a high threshold of 20-25% above your target pressure.
Thus, for our 110PSI tires (on the RV), we have a low of 99 PSI and a high of 135 PSI. We left the high temp setting at 158 degrees F.
When traveling, it's perfectly normal for the pressure to get into the 120s. In the summer, on the sunny side of the RV, we've even seen 130.
In many of our videos you will see a simplisafe alarm. We purchased that system thinking we could self-monitor, but simplisafe can only be remotely monitored, controlled, etc if you have their monitoring service. Alarm system monitoring is not possible when one moves every week or two, due to regulations around integration into the 911 system, etc. So, we couldn't actually arm it when leaving the RV. Sure, it would alarm, but there would be no way for us to be notified, no one to shut if off, and Daisy would go insane. We didn't know this when we bought it, so it was essentially just an expensive door chime for over a year
We've since switched to Ring for our security system and have a full article and video on that here.
We've heard this from several people (hence this FAQ entry). To be quite honest, we don't really understand why.
We read online all the time about condensation inside the RV windows, and the responses are usually recommending dual pane windows. To be fair, we've never had single pane windows, so we have no point of comparison. However, we can say that we've camped in all kinds of climates all over the US and have never had any condensation.
So, yes… We still stand behind our decision to order our dual pane windows and will have them on any future RV also.
UPDATE (May 2021)! We recently ran into viewers of ours in an RV park and somehow got on the topic of dual pane windows. They had an interesting situation where one of their windows needed to be replaced and it was erroneously replaced with a single pane window. Shortly thereafter, they saw they were getting condensation on the inside of that window. This picture clearly shows the difference dual pane windows can make in an RV!
Thank you to Brooke and Jeff (@behappedesigns) for allowing us to use their photo!
Our manual says the same thing. However, after consulting our RVIA Master Certified Tech (Todd), and a GDRV tech who worked on our RV recently, it's fine (and easier) to jack under the axle as long as you put the jack all the way out near the U-bolt. BUT, pay attention to the leaf springs. If they are getting compressed and you're getting a lot of resistance, use the frame. Another option (this tip came directly from the tech who worked on our RV) is to use the leveling system to just take a little pressure off the side on which you're working. Don't lift the whole set of tires off the ground.. just take a little pressure off and use the jack under the axle near the U-Bolt.
We have a filter in our wet bay and it filters all water coming into the RV, including the tanks. We do everything but drink it. For our drinking water, we use a Zero Water Dispenser to filter the water even more. We also plan on adding a triple-stage filter in the near future.
The MSRP for our RV as configured (we opted for most features) was around $127,000. We paid around $91,000. You can typically get 25-30% off MSRP. Grand Design has a build and price tool that was very helpful. We used that to build out the RV we wanted, then shopped the build around to get the best deal.
Our F350 Lariat was around $63K. Our F450 Platinum was $93K (which is MSRP) and we got $61,500 for our F350 trade-in.
Short answer: Not long enough! There a few things to factor in when asking how long something can run on an inverter…
First – Can the inverter run it at all? For that, we need to know how many watts an item uses. While some appliances publish this information, most do not or only publish the amperage. To convert Amps to Watts it's Amps x Voltage = Watts. A typical RV AC unit uses about 13 Amps. So, 13 Amps x 120 Volts = 1560 Watts. Also, consider a minimum of 10% power loss converting DC to AC (what the inverter does). So, that's about 1700 Watts. Considering that's not the only thing running at any given time, a 2000W Inverter will be cutting it close but a 3000W Inverter will do it just fine. Note: many inverters can also provide surge ability above their rated capacity for short periods of time, which can help with the initial surge from an AC start. The batteries also need to be able to handle this.
Second – Can your batteries supply enough DC Amps for your Inverter? For this, we use the same formula in reverse. Assuming a 3000W inverter, it's 3000Watts / 12Volts = 250Amps. So, the battery bank needs to be able to supply 250Amps Continuous to max out the inverter. Use the same formula for the AC: 1700Watts / 12Volts = 142Amps. A higher voltage battery system can also be used which will lower the amperage for inverting. This will, however, require a DC to DC converter to lower the voltage to 12V for the rest of the RV.
Third – How long can I run it? Batteries are typically rated for both Amps (how many Amps it can supply continuously) and Amp Hours (Ah) (how long it can provide those amps). Let's use the battery bank from our last Inverter video, which is ten 100Ah batteries in parallel. Now, we're dealing with a battery bank capable of 1000Ah. If we take the 1000Ah divided by the 142Amps, we get 7.04. With no other loads, we could run one AC for about 7 hours. Assuming the AC unit will cycle on and off, we are able to run our AC all night without issue.
So, as you can see, without a HUGE and expensive battery bank, running ACs on Inverter isn't very practical. Adding a ton of solar to offset some of that improves things, but it's still all about the batteries.
As chance would have it, our portable workbench fit perfectly inside our slide tray and our 22″ Blackstone Griddle fits perfectly on top of that. It's not mounted or anything, but just sits on top. This allows me to simply lift and remove the griddle if I need my whole workbench. The tray extends away from the RV plenty to avoid any heat on the RV and we leave it extended until the griddle cools before sliding the tray back in.
The seal was holding up really well, but we no longer have that door. 😳
When we were getting some work done with Grand Design RV and Lippert in September of 2020, we opted to test out Lippert's new “weatherproof” door: www.lci1.com….
This new door should negate the need for sealing, which is awesome! Time will tell if it lives up to expectations.
I should also note that it doesn't matter if we are hitched to the truck or not. The only time it might matter is if we need to raise the nose of the RV to lower the rear of the RV, making the ramp approach more shallow.
- Wheeldock – wheeldock.com…
- Locking Ratchet Soft-Tye Tie-Downs with Heavy-Duty Latch Hooks – amzn.to/2OnhHwL…
- Deluxe Simulated Sheepskin Thick/Plush Soft-Tye Covers – amzn.to/3etjqvg…
We use the AP Products Propane Tank Gas Level Indicators. Been using them since we got the RV and they work great. You can also get the sensors by themselves and use the phone app.
Honestly, we really can't tell a difference in towing. Both seem to mitigate any chucking and provide a nice ride. However, the MORRyde pin box is zero maintenance and is a little shorter and lighter. So, that give it a slight edge in our minds.
I use this Waterless RV Wash Wax Mop Kit and LOVE it! I can wash/wax the whole 44 foot rig in about two hours! Three hours if there are a lot of bugs on the cap. Maybe four, if I want to really detail beyond what I can do with the wedge tools in this kit. And it's a “dry” wash, so you can even use it in the majority of parks that don't allow washing, or charge extra to allow you to wash with water.
We've also had the rig cleaned twice at a truck wash. The first one was not a Blu Beacon and they scratched it up a bit (very light brush marks), after which we had it washed and waxed professionally to remove the scratches. Expensive mistake! More recently, the rig was VERY dirty from dust storms and we tried a Blue Beacon truck wash. That one did a great job on the rig AND truck for $44. Will use them again when we can, and maintain using our wash-wax-all kit.
This can be a hot-button topic online. Many say “no big deal we do it all the time for years and years”. And some say “you're going to burn up in a fiery death”.
Truth is, there's not a lot of data showing a preponderance of propane fires on the road. We also think that a big factor is how the propane lines are run in relation to the wheels. If the propane lines go over the wheels or are anywhere near the axles, it's a really good idea to shut off the propane while traveling. A blowout can tear things in the adjacent area up quite a bit! This is just our opinion.
It's definitely a safer move to shut off a fuel source while traveling regardless of line proximity to tires. That said, we traveled with our propane fridge on for about a year (our first year RVing) before we upgraded our batteries with enough Amp Hours to handle running the fridge on our inverter for a whole travel day. We now run on 120V AC via the inverter while we travel.
Short answer – we don't. It's fairly common for black tank sensors to become useless after only a couple of full black tank cycles. At first, this was frustrating as we really thought we'd need to know the status of our tanks all the time. In reality, you just dump once a week or when the toilet “burbs”. When completely full, the water in the toilet will release a gas bubble when flushed that becomes more and more pronounced as it gets more full. We haven't had accurate black tank sensors in over 3 years.
This upgrade was done for us by Grand Design and Lippert for us to test them out. From what we understand, to get the doors, you need to go through an RV dealer since it's not a simple DIY installation. There are some measurements that need to be taken to see if they will fit. Some RV's with the older model have the happijack system too far back to allow installation. For us, we barely made it and only because we had removed the benches from our happijack.
We'd recommend contacting Lippert directly to ask since availability and polices are always changing.
No. We have the stock Dexter 7K axles with electric drum brakes and Westlake G rated tires. Well over 15,000 miles so far with no issues. We take good care of them and monitor them with a TPMS.
Don't mistake the Westlake G rated for “china bombs”. I watch this issue very closely online. The E rated Westlakes had the bad reputation and were dubbed the “china bombs”. So, now, some just consider all Westlakes bad, but they're wrong. The only issue I've seen with Westlake G rated was a curb job.
The thing about an RV GPS is it's designed to find the best route from point A to point B based on the criteria entered (size of RV, road type preferences, etc). And most GPSs do this dynamically based on traffic and can also re-route you if you make a wrong turn.
If you export a fixed route from any piece of software (RV Trip Wizard included), you are taking away the dynamic routing ability of a GPS and dumbing it down to just be a fancy map. Additionally, if the software exports a “trip” as just the start and end points, it's no different than entering the same destination on the GPS. So, not a lot of added value unless you have a lot of stops, or are exporting your entire vacation as one trip. But that just gets messy.
For us, a GPS “trip” is one day's travel. We put a ton of stays (usually several months out) into RV Trip Wizard, but are only worried about navigating to the next location for that day. So, we have the location entered into the GPS the night before and just click go in the morning. And, since we have the same location already in RV Trip Wizard, we use the RVLife App as a secondary GPS. Just click on the destination and go. Simple one-day navigation in both apps, backing each other up in case one gets wonky.
We had originally thought we might want to install a dishwasher after seeing them in Class A RVs. It was one of those “let's see if we really miss it” kind of things. While it would be nice to have, we haven't missed it very much. Kind of keeps one motivated to wash them right away after a meal. We're not sure where we would install one even if we wanted to. Don't think it would fit anywhere.
Yes and no. Yes, it does provide DC power at a low current (maybe around 3-5A DC). This would trickle charge the batteries if there were no load on them. However, we run our fridge via the inverter when traveling which draws about 45 Amps DC. Thus, the batteries still draw down while we travel.
Our F350 does have the extra alternator and could provide a lot more power, but we'd need to run dedicated cabling for that. That is on the wish list. We just haven't gotten to it yet.
No. We've never had an issue at all. But, then again, we ride an Indian, not a Harley… 😳 Just kidding! But we really never have had any smells at all. In the event that ever changes, our garage does have vents in the front and rear of the garage that can be configured to force airflow through the garage when traveling.
Yes! You can't see our EMS because it's hard-wired inside the RV. We currently have the Progressive Industries HW50C Hardwired EMS installed. However, we might be switching to this surge guard soon (changinglanesrv.com…) to review it for TechnoRV. It's newer and the remote display is a lot better.
Pedestal version: (changinglanesrv.com…)
Beware of the basic surge protectors. They are much less expensive but don’t protect against what kills most RV air conditioners, which is low voltage. And low voltage is more common than is should be in RV parks. A good EMS will protect against Open Ground, Open Neutral, Reverse Polarity, Over/Under Voltage, Accidental 240V, and Bad A/C Frequencies.
If you want to go really deep into the topic of RV surge protection, our friends Eric and Tami at TechnoRV have put together this fantastic in-depth article.
While the king pin stabilizers look like they might do a good job, and we've never heard anything to the contrary, we don't use one. Our RV's 6 point hydraulics keep the rig pretty stable. For us, the added stabilization they might create is outweighed (pun intended) by the need to stow and carry them around.
That said, many people do swear by them. We recommend trying one out if you're having issues with the option to return the product if it doesn't help.
If you have steel valve stems and enough room for them, the flow through sensors are great! They make it much simpler to add or remove air.
We have flow-through on the RV and caps on the truck. The rims on the truck just don't leave enough space to be able to get an air chuck on them.
Another item of note on the cap sensors. Many of them come with an outer shell that just spins and you need to use a special wrench to get them on and off. This is an anti-theft feature, but it's also very annoying to use that little wrench. I removed and discarded our spinner shell – they just screw apart and come right off.
Short answer: It depends on the state.
There's a lot of confusion on this topic. Yes, some states have Class A CDL or some type of non-commercial endorsement requirements for RV's over certain weights. However, Florida (our home state), as well as about half of the other states, do not. In Florida, drivers of recreational vehicles are exempt from the requirement to obtain a commercial driver's license. section 322.53(2) (d), Florida Statutes. (www.flhsmv.gov…)
Since every state honors the driving and license requirements of every other state, we are perfectly legal to drive in all 50 states under our standard Florida license.
In regards to Federal CDL Requirements, see: www.fmcsa.dot.gov…
Question 3: Does part 383 apply to drivers of recreational vehicles?
Guidance: No, if the vehicle is used strictly for non-business purposes.
Here are a few articles that discuss the topic for each state:
www.campanda.com…
www.outdoorsy.com…
All of that said, our personal opinion is that rigs as large and heavy as ours should require some type of extra certification or endorsement as well as training.
We cover some of the CDL issues here if interested: youtu.be/EY0GfrZIxxs?t=496…
We have streamed everything since day one. We have unlimited internet and have AppleTV's hooked up to all four TVs in the RV. We use YoutTube TV as our “service provider” and for any Live TV we want to watch or DVR (YouTubeTV has cloud-based DVR).
Yes! However, we rarely use it for backing up. We use it primarily while driving to make sure we have enough clearance behind us when changing lanes and such. That said, be sure any camera you buy is not limited to just backing up. Furrion used to have an “observation” model (good while driving), and a “backup” one (just for backing). However, it seems they are all observation models now.
We have an older version of this specific one.
These newer models now have versions with side cameras also, but we've not tried those.
Installation note!: Many new RVs come with the mount for the Furrion camera pre-installed. However, many (like ours), have that wired to an always hot 12v connection. This means it's powered 24/7 and can drain your batteries when boondocking, or in storage. We chose to re-wire it to our running lights. This way the camera is only powered when the truck is connected and our lights are on. So, it also serves as a reminder to turn our lights on when towing.
We were in over 45 locations last year all over the East coast of the U.S. and 20 or so out West. We've never had an issue finding a site, and we've stayed in Campgrounds, RV Parks, State Parks, COE (Army Core Of Engineers) Sites, etc. We just plan ahead and make sure to call each site and confirm they can fit our RV. We also use RV Trip Wizard, which has a lot of great tools to find locations. National Parks are a lot more size restricted, but there are always great campgrounds and RV parks outside the national parks. We’ve only been in one or two sites where we didn’t have room for the patio.
The short answer to both is no. In our years on the road, we've been in all kinds of different climates and have never had condensation inside. While we attribute this to our dual pane windows, there's no way to be certain. But, we do know any future RV of ours will also have dual pane windows for sure!
UPDATE (May 2021)! We recently ran into viewers of ours in an RV park and somehow got on the topic of dual pane windows. They had an interesting situation where one of their windows needed to be replaced and it was erroneously replaced with a single pane window. Shortly thereafter, they saw they were getting condensation on the inside of that window. This picture clearly shows the difference dual pane windows can make in an RV!
Thank you to Brooke and Jeff (@behappedesigns) for allowing us to use their photo!
Short answer is NO. Those DOT weigh stations are for commercial traffic only. We've never stopped at one and have never seen an RV in one.
OMG YES! When we first got our RV, we thought the mattress was actually pretty decent. That lasted about a month before it was super flat. We decided to try Mattress Insider‘s 8″ Luxury Gel Foam RV Mattress w/Organic Cotton (our king is 72″ x 80″). LOVE IT!!! It has the option of flipping it over for a firmer feel also. We've slept on it every night for 5 years and it's still as awesome as the day we got it! They have every imaginable RV size and can make custom sizes.
We liked it so much, we got the 5.5″ queen for the guest bed.
If you use our LINK you will get 5% off your purchase!
Yes. We looked at that as well as the TPMS system that integrates. The trailer camera system is hard wired, requiring a wiring bundle be run all the way to the back of the RV from the bumper of the truck. That, combined with the price, makes it a non-starter for us. It's also not clear if the camera will operate in motion. We use our camera primarily while driving to get a view behind us and almost never for backing. Every other camera integrated shuts off when in motion, so we have no reason to believe this is different.
All in all, it's just way too expensive, too difficult to install, and has limited functionality.
In contrast, the furrion camera system we have was super easy to install (wireless), and runs in-motion, giving us a full time view behind the RV when driving.
We chose to not buy an extended warranty. We knew we’d almost never be near our “home” dealer, so a warranty from our dealer (LazyDays) was out right away. When researching other warranties, it was a mixed bag of reviews. Mostly negative. However, KYD (Keep Your Daydream) recommends Wholesale Warranties (wholesalewarranties.com…). While we have no experience with them, we do trust Marc and Trish on their assessment. Warranties sold by RV dealers are almost always WAY over-priced.
For us, we knew going into this that we wanted to learn everything we could about our home and fix everything possible ourselves. That was one major reason for choosing GDRV: they will work directly with us on warranty work, and send parts directly.
But, that's us. If you're not into DIY repairs, a warranty might be a great idea. If possible, be sure to get one that allows mobile techs even if you have to pay the service fee.
Yes and no… It's a bit complicated.
The short answer is no. The DOT sticker on the side of the RV does not change. So, from a technical standpoint, the heavier axles (higher UVW) and a fixed weight rating (GVWR) means you have less “official” cargo capacity. The Independent suspension adds approximately 300 lbs per axle. We're not sure what's involved with getting the DOT sticker updated, but knowing government bureaucracy, it's likely not a simple process.
That's the “official” answer. However, on the real-life practical side, the answer is sort of. 🙄
In reality, this added weight means nothing in terms of the actual capacity of the RV since it is the foundation of the RV itself adding the weight. In fact, I’d bet the actual capacity is increased by an amount at least as large as the increase in axle weight, maybe more. But, this is just an opinion based on some common sense. The only things really affected by the added weight are the tires. So, that is something to keep in mind.
For our personal setup, each of our axles (including the tires) are rated at 7K. That's 21K of capacity for a 20K RV. And, considering only 75-80% of the RV's weight rides on the axles, we have a lot more capacity than we need. Thus, our official unofficial opinion is that we're considering the extra weight to be neutral.
This is just our personal take. The added weight of the IS is certainly something to consider if you're not comfortable padding your numbers a bit in a very unofficial fashion.
The short answer is no. In fact, before we got our Ring Security System, we purchased a SimpliSafe before we ever got our RV. You can see it in our original RV tour video. The trouble is with monitoring. To have a monitored system, you need a permanent address (for police dispatch and such), which doesn't work when you move all the time. And, the SimpliSafe system is crippled without monitoring. This is from Simplisafe:
“While most of our customers opt for 24/7 Monitoring with either our Standard Monitoring ($14.99/mo) or our Interactive Monitoring ($24.99/mo) plan, you do have the option of monitoring the system yourself for no additional cost. Unfortunately, while self-monitoring your system there are many limitations. Without 24/7 Monitoring you would only be able to Live Stream and receive Push Notifications from the SimpliSafe cameras but not the SimpliSafe system.”
simplisafe.com…
The Ring Security System, however, can be completely self-monitored. We've been using it for a couple of years now, and it's been great! It does require you have internet access.
We wondered the same thing when we saw the clear style grease cap on our installation. This is MORryde's response: “Yes, there is an oil bath option- however, we don’t recommend it for RV applications. RV’s typically will be parked for a period of time, which isn’t good for oil bath applications. DRV offered oil bath as part of the IS a few years ago and the incident rate wasn’t very good so they went back to grease. It is very, very rare that we install oil bath and we simply don’t recommend it.”
This has been a bit of a moving target, but this is the current status as of 2020-12-15. GDRV offers an 8K suspension upgrade on the build form. This is NOT the Independent suspension, but rather a standard set of axles and leaf springs rated at 8K versus the standard 7K.
The MORryde Independent Suspension can be installed prior to delivery from the factory to the dealer. However, it is no longer done as an option directly through Grand Design (where GDRV pays MORryde and invoices the dealer on the build) due to liability issues. Thus, you will not see it on the build and price tool.
Instead, GDRV will transport the RV to MORryde post-build (for a nominal fee) prior to going to transport (to the dealer). Long story short: It is possible, but MORryde needs to be paid directly by the customer. This should be coordinated by the customer with the dealer, GDRV, and MORryde.
Products
When we originally purchased our 2000W Inverter in 2017, there was a fairly decent price jump from the 2KW to the 3KW and the 3KW did not include the remote display. Since 2KW was plenty for what we needed (TV, Computers, Coffee), we went with that.
Sometime in early 2019, our Inverter blew an internal component and needed to be replaced under warranty. When talking to support, we asked if we could pay the difference and upgrade to the 3KW. We still didn't really NEED 3KW, but the price difference had narrowed, and paying the difference now for the extra capacity seemed like a good option since it needed to be replaced anyway. As it turned out, GoPower said: “don't worry about the difference, we'll just send you the 3KW model as the replacement”. SWEET!
Currently (May 2020), the price difference is negligible even when adding the remote panel separately. So, we recommend going straight to the 3KW if there's any chance you'll want that capacity at some point.
✅ Go Power GP-IC3000-12
✅ Go Power GP-ICR-50 Inverter Charger Remote
First, a real quick note on using campground or RV Park Wifi, wifi boosters, etc. Don't waste your time or money. In our 2.5 years on the road thus far, we have never found wifi worth connecting to. This is why we use cellular exclusively.
Right now (July 2020), our entry-level recommendation is the Pepwave MAX BR1 MINI! At around $300, it's not much more than just a plain hotspot. Like you might have seen in our recent Internet video, hotspots are carrier locked and the wifi they generate can be inferior.
The MINI is NOT carrier locked, has much better wifi, and has an ethernet port for wired connectivity. It's Pepwave's entry-level device and it can accept SIM cards for AT&T or Verizon (and T-Mobile). In fact, it accepts TWO SIM cards at the same time, allowing you to switch back and forth at will, or set up automatic failover (fail-over can take a minute or so). Pair the Mini with an unlimited data plan and you've got a little more flexibility if you plan on using two carriers as we do, or if you might want two carriers in the future.
If you're not sure what to get, reach out to MobileMustHave (please click our link first) and they can help get you into a solution that fits your needs! ??
These are just a couple of basic options, but there are a whole lot more at Mobile Must Have! We'll be testing out some higher-end gear soon and, of course, there will be a video!
We use a WheelDock (wheeldock.com…) and four straps.
The WheelDock has a piston you trigger with your foot to lock in the wheel versus having to rock it in and out. We don't bolt it in at all, it just sits on the floor and I strap Lucile down on the front forks and rear bars.
We demonstrate it a bit here youtu.be/_X-LAY8Fwlw?t=1341…,
then later here youtu.be/uPXNmS0IBRQ?t=1268…
and even more here: youtu.be/f56_8ecCTaI?t=777…
Our washer and dryer are both Splendide brand. The washer is model ARWXF129W and the dryer is TVM63F.
We DO like them a lot! Sure, they're not the giant full-sized LG's we had in our sticks and bricks, but they do a very good job and it's nice to be able to do laundry in our own home. It's also nice to have them as separate units versus a combo unit. Note: the dryer is vented to the outside. We've heard a lot of bad reviews about non-vented combo units.
We did not install them. We wanted to be able to do out own laundry on day one of RV life, so we negotiated them into the price and had them installed by our dealer (LazyDays youtu.be/fN1_igB-tDQ… ) prior to delivery. We also just didn't want that big of a project on day one! ?
The toolbox is a Better Built 77213014 Deep Shotgun Tool Box. It has shotgun latches that don't interfere with the tonneau cover! Unfortunately, the SLE line from Better Built is being discontinued, but we hope they will change their mind. It's the only crossover/saddle style box we've found that plays nice with a tonneau cover! We found ours on eBay here: Item no longer available. If that listing is no longer available, search by part number on google.
Out tonneau cover used to be the Access Toolbox Edition Soft, Roll-Up. However, after a few trips with sharp turns, we realized that our pin box was hitting the rails. After about a year of this, the rails were trashed and we researched a different option with no rails.
We now have the Extang Solid Fold 2.0 Toolbox Tonneau Cover (84488). It fits perfectly with the toolbox and is much more secure than the soft cover was, with no rails. The drawback, however, is that it needs to be removed to tow the fifth wheel. So, we move it into our garage when we travel. That part is a bit of a pain, but it's not very heavy, and worth it when moving every 10 days to 2 weeks. If we moved more frequently, it might not be a good solution.
We got them from Crazy Al's Biker Helmets (changinglanesrv.com…). We're on our second set of SOA Inspired DOT Beanie Helmets and LOVE them! First set just got beat up after a few years. VERY comfortable and DOT Approved. Yes, we know they don't offer the same protection as a full face helmet but it's definitely better than NO helmet! ?
The device mounts we use in the truck are from ProClip. See the full article and DISCOUNT!
To mount the GPS and some cameras, we use:
- Builtright Dash Mount: changinglanesrv.com…
- RAM Mounts: changinglanesrv.com…
- AMPS Plate: changinglanesrv.com…
On the bike, we use the Rokform handlebar mount and case. Very solid!
We both wear Sena Smart Cycling Helmets. They connect using Bluetooth and have amazing noise cancellation! Even while riding, we're able to just talk to each other without the wind noise. We also recommend the optional Visor.
Our awnings are Carefree brand, so we thought it best to buy the same brand of drop shade. We selected this one.
In comes in two parts with the short end (3′) connecting into the awning in the groove (just slides right in). That 3′ section stays on and gets rolled up with the awning. The long 9′ section sippers on and we bungee it down using stakes.
Installing the shade is super simple, but your awning does have to be designed for it. Most awnings have a channel built into the rolling part and the shade just slides right into it from either end.
We leave that main awning our all the time unless the forecast is for winds over 14MPH, or if we're expecting thunderstorms. All of our other awnings, we manage while we're there (pulling them in if they start to get strong winds), and retract when we leave. The awning on our main slide does auto-retrace if it detects buffeting from the wind, but we still bring it in when we leave.
That is our Solo Stove Bonfire! This thing is so much better than a standard fire pit or campfire! It has a double-wall design with vents in the right places for maximum airflow. This means it burns super clean and is almost smokeless! We can now hang out by the fire without smelling like smoke and needing a shower after! We have a lot more fires now… The Bonfire is usually much less expensive direct versus Amazon: changinglanesrv.com…
That's the “Snoozer Luxury High Back Console Pet Car Seat” – amzn.to/2MnglBj…
Daisy loves the high side walls much better than the mostly flat bed we had in the truck originally. It straps to the console as well as the floor of the truck, and has a tether you can clip to a harness.
Note: The dog bed has been in and out of stock a lot recently. If its out of stock, just keep checking back.
For our first year (2018), we used the CoPilot GPS app on our iPhones. It stores maps locally and allows you to input RV dimensions and weight in and will route accordingly. However, after an update to the app, it started doing some really crazy routing (get off this exit, do a U-turn and get back on, etc).
In February of 2019, we switched to the Rand McNally OverDryve 7 RV GPS and it was much better than CoPilot. However, after about 6 months, it started giving us some strange routing also. By this time, Eric and Tami (TechnoRV) had changed their recommendation to the Garmin units.
In October of 2019, we switched to the Garmin RV 890 and it is AWESOME! Great big display, voice prompts (that aren't overbearing), and it finds rest areas, service stations, etc along our route with ease! We will have a full review and comparison HERE.
Note: We also did some testing of the GPS feature of RVLIfe (RV Trip wizard) and, while we LOVE RV Trip Wizard, the GPS navigation is lacking. Its routes (compared to the Garmin) can sometimes be MUCH longer. This just solidifies the Garmin RV 890 as our #1 pick.
We have never used one, so we do not have any first hand experience. That said, we have seen images online of bent Andersen hitches, and a couple of viewers have sent us pics also. Our opinion on them is that we just don't trust it in a non-optimal situation like a hard braking or some kind of accident evading maneuver.
We started out using the Andersen Jack Blocks. We don't use them anymore because we've broken NINE of them (6 we bought and 4 replacements they sent us). Simply unreliable. The bottom edge would break off and they'd sink into the gravel/dirt/ whatever. They are rated for 6K, but broke way under that load. That experience was enough for us to just not trust our entire home (RV) to their engineering.
Many people do love them and they are definitely an easy hitch to manage. It's just not for us.
So far, we just ride them out. We've been in bad storms with winds up to 60Mph with no issues other than it being super noisy. Luckily no hail to date (fingers crossed). We do keep a weather radio / warning system mounted behind our TV that's on all the time and we double check it if storms are coming. We also have a portable radio for the truck.
When we get to each new location, we also make note of shelters so we have a plan in the event of a sudden severe storm or tornado. In the event of a hurricane, we can just pack up and leave the area. We never travel with wind over 30mph.
These are the curtains we used for both the back garage door area (in front of the 3 season doors) as well as for privacy between the living room and garage / guest suite. All super easy to install tension rods and they stay up during travel. Except for on I-90 / I-80 in Indiana! (worst road ever!) ?
✅ 3 season door tension rod
✅ 3 season door curtains
✅ Living / Garage door tension rod
✅ Living / Garage door curtain (1 panel)
Our primary camera is a Canon R5 Full Frame Mirrorless with RF 13-35mm F2.8 and RF 24-105mm F4 and the Rode Video Mic Pro Plus (VMP+). We mount this on a DJI Ronin RSC 2 (gimbal) whenever practical (almost never) to get smooth footage.
We use 4 GoPros (2x Hero 10 and 2x Hero 9) (one with the Media Mod) for some vlog-mode shots and as a secondary angle camera when using the Canon if the light is good. When we're walking around filming something like an RV show, the Canon / Ronin, and GoPro 9 are what we use most. We use Go Pro Jaws Flex Clamps to mount them in various locations on the truck and RV.
On the motorcycle (Lucille), we use the four GoPros mounted in various locations using Go Pro Jaws Flex Clamps as well as some hard mounts. We also have one GoPro Hero 7 mounted in a Karma Grip (Tara manually filming).
For aerial (drone) shots, we use the DJI Mavic Air 2.
For voice audio, when we need to cut out external noise, we use the Rode Microphones Wireless GO II Dual Channel Wireless Microphone System.
We've also recently added some Peak Design gear to our inventory. We have the Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod as well as the Capture Camera Clip and Camera Strap. The Capture Camera Clip has been AWESOME on hikes, attached to the Camelback Backpack.
All of our camera equipment is here in our Amazon store (changinglanesrv.com…) also, including things that we don't use anymore (things we started out with) but still recommend.
The red “cans” under out jacks in some of our videos are Andersen Jack Blocks. We don't use them anymore because we've broken NINE of them (6 we bought and 4 replacements they sent us). Simply unreliable. The bottom edge would break off and they'd sink into the gravel / dirt / whatever.
We've switched to RV SnapPads and love them. They don't help lessen the jack extension like the Jack Blocks did, but they don't break and they stay on the rig, which is great when setting up and breaking down camp.
We've been using our RVSnapPads for several months now and really like them. They are much less expensive direct versus Amazon. changinglanesrv.com…
Note: The same company (RVSnapPad) is going to be coming out with a new product that will integrate with the SnapPads to help with the jack extension / stability this year. We will be helping them prototype those and will do do a video on them when they come out.
In many of our videos you will see a simplisafe alarm. We purchased that system thinking we could self-monitor, but simplisafe can only be remotely monitored, controlled, etc if you have their monitoring service. Alarm system monitoring is not possible when one moves every week or two, due to regulations around integration into the 911 system, etc. So, we couldn't actually arm it when leaving the RV. Sure, it would alarm, but there would be no way for us to be notified, no one to shut if off, and Daisy would go insane. We didn't know this when we bought it, so it was essentially just an expensive door chime for over a year
We've since switched to Ring for our security system and have a full article and video on that here.
I'll get to the point… It's not cheap! But, it's also much less expensive than it was even 6 months ago with Pepwave's release of the Max Transit Duo! Prior to that, dual modem cellular embedded routers were double or triple the price. That said, here's what the prices are today (2020-Jul-29):
✅ Ultimate Road Warrior Bundle with MobileMark Antenna (Our Kit): $1345
✅ MMH Dual Carrier Unlimited Data: $189 (First Month) $250/mo thereafter
✅ Pepwave AP One AC Mini (Interior WiFi Access Point): $149
✅ XPOL High Gain LTE MIMO Antenna: $182
✅ WeBoost 25′ Telescoping Mounting Pole: $130
✅ NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged PoE Switch ~$80
✅ APC 600VA UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector~$65
Add in maybe $100 in miscellaneous costs like ethernet cabling, roof junction, etc… We're looking at around $2300 initial investment and $250/mo for data. That's a lot and we get that. But we, like many others on the road full time, use the internet for our livelihood. Considering we're talking about home-like internet strapped to a box that moves all over the country, that's not too bad!
Another consideration is, you don't need all of this stuff at once. We did, so we could test all of it. One could easily start out with just the main kit and data plans for around $1500, and add the rest on later, if ever.
I should also note that it doesn't matter if we are hitched to the truck or not. The only time it might matter is if we need to raise the nose of the RV to lower the rear of the RV, making the ramp approach more shallow.
- Wheeldock – wheeldock.com…
- Locking Ratchet Soft-Tye Tie-Downs with Heavy-Duty Latch Hooks – amzn.to/2OnhHwL…
- Deluxe Simulated Sheepskin Thick/Plush Soft-Tye Covers – amzn.to/3etjqvg…
We use the AP Products Propane Tank Gas Level Indicators. Been using them since we got the RV and they work great. You can also get the sensors by themselves and use the phone app.
I use this Waterless RV Wash Wax Mop Kit and LOVE it! I can wash/wax the whole 44 foot rig in about two hours! Three hours if there are a lot of bugs on the cap. Maybe four, if I want to really detail beyond what I can do with the wedge tools in this kit. And it's a “dry” wash, so you can even use it in the majority of parks that don't allow washing, or charge extra to allow you to wash with water.
We've also had the rig cleaned twice at a truck wash. The first one was not a Blu Beacon and they scratched it up a bit (very light brush marks), after which we had it washed and waxed professionally to remove the scratches. Expensive mistake! More recently, the rig was VERY dirty from dust storms and we tried a Blue Beacon truck wash. That one did a great job on the rig AND truck for $44. Will use them again when we can, and maintain using our wash-wax-all kit.
We never leave her unless we're on full hookups and can leave the AC / Heat Pump on. No different than when we lived in a house. However, RV park power being what it is (sometimes unreliable), we use MarCELL to keep an eye on Daisy's environment when we're not home.
It monitors power, temperature, and humidity. It does require service, which is $99/yr. You set thresholds (high and low) online for both temperature and humidity and define notification methods (text/email) all online. Then, when anything is amiss with anything, both Tara and I get emailed and texted immediately. You can also check the temp and humidity online. The MarCELL has been very reliable.
Additionally, since we have reliable internet, we've been testing the Govee WiFi Temperature Humidity Monitor (amzn.to/3antyDz…). Since it uses our existing wifi, there are no extra fees. So far, it seems good, but we need to test the notifications a bit more. We will update this FAQ and maybe produce a video once we're done testing.
Yes! You can't see our EMS because it's hard-wired inside the RV. We currently have the Progressive Industries HW50C Hardwired EMS installed. However, we might be switching to this surge guard soon (changinglanesrv.com…) to review it for TechnoRV. It's newer and the remote display is a lot better.
Pedestal version: (changinglanesrv.com…)
Beware of the basic surge protectors. They are much less expensive but don’t protect against what kills most RV air conditioners, which is low voltage. And low voltage is more common than is should be in RV parks. A good EMS will protect against Open Ground, Open Neutral, Reverse Polarity, Over/Under Voltage, Accidental 240V, and Bad A/C Frequencies.
If you want to go really deep into the topic of RV surge protection, our friends Eric and Tami at TechnoRV have put together this fantastic in-depth article.
Short answer… No. We thought we'd save money by purchasing a Dyson-like vacuum, but it died after a year. We've since purchased this Dyson Cyclone V10 Animal Lightweight Cordless Stick Vacuum Cleaner and it has so much more power than the Moosoo did. I guess the old adage “you get what you pay for” definitely came into play here!
If you have steel valve stems and enough room for them, the flow through sensors are great! They make it much simpler to add or remove air.
We have flow-through on the RV and caps on the truck. The rims on the truck just don't leave enough space to be able to get an air chuck on them.
Another item of note on the cap sensors. Many of them come with an outer shell that just spins and you need to use a special wrench to get them on and off. This is an anti-theft feature, but it's also very annoying to use that little wrench. I removed and discarded our spinner shell – they just screw apart and come right off.
The short answer is.. meh. It's an okay kayak. It colapses nicely for storage and is very sturdy. It tracks well and we stay dry. But, there's just something missing. It's not as solid as a hard shell, and paddling over the inflated sides is not as easy as a hard side kayak. Long story short, those little things make it not quite as fun, which leads to us just not using it very much. It feels like paddling a raft and not a kayak. Additionally, at some point, while sitting in the bed of our truck, it got a hole in it. It's a simple patch to do, but the motivation just isn't there to fix it and take it out. We ended up giving it to Tara's brother to try out.
Right now, we have been using the Oru Haven (changinglanesrv.com…), and it's absolutely amazing! It is a bit expensive, but it fits the bill very nicely! When set up, it's VERY sturdy and feels like a regular kayak. So far, we love it. But, we won't make a video until we thoroughly test it and they have more in stock.
Note: ORU is going to be releasing a Gen 2 of the Haven and we will test that out and make a video, but that will likely be in late spring / early summer. You might be able to find a refurbished Gen 1, however.
Yes! However, we rarely use it for backing up. We use it primarily while driving to make sure we have enough clearance behind us when changing lanes and such. That said, be sure any camera you buy is not limited to just backing up. Furrion used to have an “observation” model (good while driving), and a “backup” one (just for backing). However, it seems they are all observation models now.
We have an older version of this specific one.
These newer models now have versions with side cameras also, but we've not tried those.
Installation note!: Many new RVs come with the mount for the Furrion camera pre-installed. However, many (like ours), have that wired to an always hot 12v connection. This means it's powered 24/7 and can drain your batteries when boondocking, or in storage. We chose to re-wire it to our running lights. This way the camera is only powered when the truck is connected and our lights are on. So, it also serves as a reminder to turn our lights on when towing.
OMG YES! When we first got our RV, we thought the mattress was actually pretty decent. That lasted about a month before it was super flat. We decided to try Mattress Insider‘s 8″ Luxury Gel Foam RV Mattress w/Organic Cotton (our king is 72″ x 80″). LOVE IT!!! It has the option of flipping it over for a firmer feel also. We've slept on it every night for 5 years and it's still as awesome as the day we got it! They have every imaginable RV size and can make custom sizes.
We liked it so much, we got the 5.5″ queen for the guest bed.
If you use our LINK you will get 5% off your purchase!
Yes and no… It's a bit complicated.
The short answer is no. The DOT sticker on the side of the RV does not change. So, from a technical standpoint, the heavier axles (higher UVW) and a fixed weight rating (GVWR) means you have less “official” cargo capacity. The Independent suspension adds approximately 300 lbs per axle. We're not sure what's involved with getting the DOT sticker updated, but knowing government bureaucracy, it's likely not a simple process.
That's the “official” answer. However, on the real-life practical side, the answer is sort of. 🙄
In reality, this added weight means nothing in terms of the actual capacity of the RV since it is the foundation of the RV itself adding the weight. In fact, I’d bet the actual capacity is increased by an amount at least as large as the increase in axle weight, maybe more. But, this is just an opinion based on some common sense. The only things really affected by the added weight are the tires. So, that is something to keep in mind.
For our personal setup, each of our axles (including the tires) are rated at 7K. That's 21K of capacity for a 20K RV. And, considering only 75-80% of the RV's weight rides on the axles, we have a lot more capacity than we need. Thus, our official unofficial opinion is that we're considering the extra weight to be neutral.
This is just our personal take. The added weight of the IS is certainly something to consider if you're not comfortable padding your numbers a bit in a very unofficial fashion.
The short answer is no. In fact, before we got our Ring Security System, we purchased a SimpliSafe before we ever got our RV. You can see it in our original RV tour video. The trouble is with monitoring. To have a monitored system, you need a permanent address (for police dispatch and such), which doesn't work when you move all the time. And, the SimpliSafe system is crippled without monitoring. This is from Simplisafe:
“While most of our customers opt for 24/7 Monitoring with either our Standard Monitoring ($14.99/mo) or our Interactive Monitoring ($24.99/mo) plan, you do have the option of monitoring the system yourself for no additional cost. Unfortunately, while self-monitoring your system there are many limitations. Without 24/7 Monitoring you would only be able to Live Stream and receive Push Notifications from the SimpliSafe cameras but not the SimpliSafe system.”
simplisafe.com…
The Ring Security System, however, can be completely self-monitored. We've been using it for a couple of years now, and it's been great! It does require you have internet access.
Motorcycle
We got them at “militarypoloshirts.com”, but it appears that the site is unfortunately no longer operational.
Maybe this search will help.
We got those from PPI (www.thepropad.com…). Very high quality and the owner, Mike, is a great guy. We met him at the Sturgis Rally.
We use a WheelDock (wheeldock.com…) and four straps.
The WheelDock has a piston you trigger with your foot to lock in the wheel versus having to rock it in and out. We don't bolt it in at all, it just sits on the floor and I strap Lucile down on the front forks and rear bars.
We demonstrate it a bit here youtu.be/_X-LAY8Fwlw?t=1341…,
then later here youtu.be/uPXNmS0IBRQ?t=1268…
and even more here: youtu.be/f56_8ecCTaI?t=777…
We got them from Crazy Al's Biker Helmets (changinglanesrv.com…). We're on our second set of SOA Inspired DOT Beanie Helmets and LOVE them! First set just got beat up after a few years. VERY comfortable and DOT Approved. Yes, we know they don't offer the same protection as a full face helmet but it's definitely better than NO helmet! ?
We have AAA Premier RV Plus Motorcycle which covers everything we have. It runs about $246/yr.
We've only used it once for the motorcycle, so we're not exactly experts on how well it works for the RV. But, we've had AAA for many years (pre RV) and the few times we've needed it AAA was on the ball.
I should also note that it doesn't matter if we are hitched to the truck or not. The only time it might matter is if we need to raise the nose of the RV to lower the rear of the RV, making the ramp approach more shallow.
- Wheeldock – wheeldock.com…
- Locking Ratchet Soft-Tye Tie-Downs with Heavy-Duty Latch Hooks – amzn.to/2OnhHwL…
- Deluxe Simulated Sheepskin Thick/Plush Soft-Tye Covers – amzn.to/3etjqvg…
No. We've never had an issue at all. But, then again, we ride an Indian, not a Harley… 😳 Just kidding! But we really never have had any smells at all. In the event that ever changes, our garage does have vents in the front and rear of the garage that can be configured to force airflow through the garage when traveling.
While we have heard of some RV parks not allowing motorcycles in the park, we have not encountered any. We did see one when researching an area for places to stay before, but that one didn't make the cut for obvious reasons…
Some do have a policy to only ride in and out of the park from your site and not “cruise” the park. We completely understand that. Most RV parks and campgrounds are completely fine with motorcycles, even if you have two. We see it all the time.
Mobile Internet
The constantly changing landscape of the 3rd party mobile data market (more like underground) makes it impossible to answer this question today and have it be accurate tomorrow. Staying on top of all of the changes is a full-time job. Luckily, the Mobile Internet Resource Center does just that.
We VERY highly recommend the MIA (Mobile Internet Aficionados) membership in the Mobile Internet Resource Center. Check out the Full Blog Post here (with DISCOUNT CODE!). They maintain guides on the latest plans available. Note: We are not affiliated and make no money from recommending their membership. We just believe it's well worth the money to have someone else track this and provide alerts when new plans come and go. Of course, their site is also a wealth of information on EVERYTHING mobile internet.
In fact, they made their Cellular Data Plans Top Picks article FREE! So, check that out for the latest available!
First, a real quick note on using campground or RV Park Wifi, wifi boosters, etc. Don't waste your time or money. In our 2.5 years on the road thus far, we have never found wifi worth connecting to. This is why we use cellular exclusively.
Right now (July 2020), our entry-level recommendation is the Pepwave MAX BR1 MINI! At around $300, it's not much more than just a plain hotspot. Like you might have seen in our recent Internet video, hotspots are carrier locked and the wifi they generate can be inferior.
The MINI is NOT carrier locked, has much better wifi, and has an ethernet port for wired connectivity. It's Pepwave's entry-level device and it can accept SIM cards for AT&T or Verizon (and T-Mobile). In fact, it accepts TWO SIM cards at the same time, allowing you to switch back and forth at will, or set up automatic failover (fail-over can take a minute or so). Pair the Mini with an unlimited data plan and you've got a little more flexibility if you plan on using two carriers as we do, or if you might want two carriers in the future.
If you're not sure what to get, reach out to MobileMustHave (please click our link first) and they can help get you into a solution that fits your needs! ??
These are just a couple of basic options, but there are a whole lot more at Mobile Must Have! We'll be testing out some higher-end gear soon and, of course, there will be a video!
Currently, we have four data plans:
Grandfathered AT&T Unlimited Plus HotSpot Plan ($20/mo) – We've had this plan since November of 2017 when our MIA Membership paid off in a big way by warning us that this plan would be going away. And, if we wanted a good unlimited AT&T plan to grab a hotspot before it goes away. We did, and we still have this true unlimited plan today even though it went away in late 2017.
Verizon Unlimited Plan via EZ Mobile Data ($120/mo) – This is the 3rd party data broker that MobileMustHave used to use before they started brokering plans directly. We've always had good service.
Sprint Unlimited (800GB fair use cap) Plan via Mobile Must Have ($120/mo) – MMH only recently started offering this plan and we jumped on it! When it works, it works great! But, that's just the nature of Sprint / T-Mobile. The coverage isn't nearly as good nationwide as AT&T and Verizon, but it can save your bacon when it does work and our primaries don't.
NOTE: This plan is only available if you purchased your router hardware from Mobile Must Have.
Starlink ($135/mo) – While not cellular, Starlink is a part of our data lineup.
To see how we use all of these at the same time, see: Starlink, 5G, and New Routers! (Mobile Internet 3.0)!
The thing with the unlimited wireless plans is they are all 3rd party plans living on the edge of each cellular carrier's terms of service. Resellers come and go and prices go up and down as supply and demand change. That supply can be hugely interrupted by the carrier shutting down an entire provider. It is a constant game of cat and mouse. We are on our third Verizon plan and second AT&T plan. When you find a good plan, snag it! But also know that any 3rd party plan might only last a year or two.
Additionally, you will find that many of the “unlimited” plans now have “fair use” data caps on them. This usually happens when the carrier comes down on the 3rd party reseller for using too much data. So the 3rd parties put their own limits on to stay in good graces with the carrier. Any data cap obviously contradicts the title “unlimited” and we strongly feel having “unlimited” in the name is misleading. Unfortunately, they all seem to do this, including our partner MMH. Be sure to always read the fine print! Even with the cellular carriers themselves.
I'll get to the point… It's not cheap! But, it's also much less expensive than it was even 6 months ago with Pepwave's release of the Max Transit Duo! Prior to that, dual modem cellular embedded routers were double or triple the price. That said, here's what the prices are today (2020-Jul-29):
✅ Ultimate Road Warrior Bundle with MobileMark Antenna (Our Kit): $1345
✅ MMH Dual Carrier Unlimited Data: $189 (First Month) $250/mo thereafter
✅ Pepwave AP One AC Mini (Interior WiFi Access Point): $149
✅ XPOL High Gain LTE MIMO Antenna: $182
✅ WeBoost 25′ Telescoping Mounting Pole: $130
✅ NETGEAR 8-Port Gigabit Ethernet Unmanaged PoE Switch ~$80
✅ APC 600VA UPS Battery Backup & Surge Protector~$65
Add in maybe $100 in miscellaneous costs like ethernet cabling, roof junction, etc… We're looking at around $2300 initial investment and $250/mo for data. That's a lot and we get that. But we, like many others on the road full time, use the internet for our livelihood. Considering we're talking about home-like internet strapped to a box that moves all over the country, that's not too bad!
Another consideration is, you don't need all of this stuff at once. We did, so we could test all of it. One could easily start out with just the main kit and data plans for around $1500, and add the rest on later, if ever.
The mobile internet landscape (plans, devices, etc) is constantly changing and impossible to stay on top of. That's why we VERY highly recommend the MIA (Mobile Internet Aficionados) membership in the Mobile Internet Resource Center. Check out the Full Blog Post here (with DISCOUNT CODE!)
Well.. the bottom line is that you need to tell a little white lie… 😳 This is what worked for us:
- Look at the Starlink coverage map and find an area not waitlisted.
- Open google maps and find that area.
- Drop a pin somewhere not on someone else's address. We used a field in Kansas.
- Click the GPS coordinates link (for the pin you just dropped) at the bottom of the screen on google maps.
- This will bring up that location's details on the left. Copy the google plus code that looks like 85XX+CV7 Glasco, Kansas
- Go to the main Starlink page and paste that plus code into the service address box and click order now.
- Ship the gear to wherever you want.
- When you get it, set it up and add the Portability option (in your account settings).
- Once it is set up and running, you can try to change your service address to your physical location or home base. Doing so will bring you to normal priority versus deprioritized (outside home area with portability).
We must convey that this process worked for us in April of 2022, then again in June of 2022 (for the cabin). We make no guarantees this still works. Use at your own risk.
Like everything “mobile internet”, it depends… We do have, and have used, a WeBoost Booster and even have a video on it. The catch with boosters is they only boost a single channel which breaks the MIMO (Multiple Input Multiple Output) functionalities of most modern cellular data equipment.
Knowing that, a booster should only be used as a last resort. Running a booster all the time will, in most cases, reduce internet speeds. There are some exceptions to this. It can sometimes improve upload speed.
Since we upgraded to a roof antenna and our pepwave max transit duo, we very rarely need to deploy anything “extra”. When we do, we try our Poynting XPOL first which is a MIMO antenna that connects directly to our pepwave router (replacing the roof antenna for one of the two modems in our system).
While there may be a situation with out new setup that might benefit from the WeBoost, we have not encountered it. Our WeBoost has been stowed for almost a year now.
Our recommendation is to build and add on as needed and save the booster till you KNOW you'll be on the fringes of coverage. That way you might be able to test it and still return it if it isn't needed.
Miscellaneous
Yes. I (Chad) am a veteran, but I never bothered with getting into the VA system. Until just a year or so ago, a veteran needed to be active duty, retired, or disabled from the military to have base access. However, now, any disability rating from 0 to 100 qualifies for base access, including camping. But, I still need to get into the system and navigate the endless bureaucracy.
His name is Steve, and his number is (941) 650-6006. He worked on our Momentum 397TH twice over the years and will do some work on our 410THR soon. We were amazed at the high quality of repairs he can do with his mobile setup.
For our security and privacy, we don't make our travel details public. Just the general area sometimes.
We have memberships with Xscapers (Escapees), Good Sam and KOA. They pay for themselves fairly quickly after a few nights. However, weekly and longer rates are almost always lower than the discounted nightly rate. But sometimes a combination of weekly and nightly can be used when not staying an exact multiple of 7 nights.
We've looked into Thousand Trails, but it seems you have to use them a LOT for it to make sense and we don't want to base our travel around Thousand Trails locations.
We get asked fairly often about how to get the music in our videos. We use EpidemicSound.com, Musicbed.com, and Artlist.io for all of our music under a creator's license (royalty-free). We know that some of the tracks are in iTunes, but many are not. The best way to find out is to use the Shazam app or ask Siri “what's this song” (Siri uses Shazam) as the music part plays in our video. If it's available, Shazam should recognize it and show you where you can download it.
She's the cutest kind, thanks for asking! 🐶 😀 Daisy is a “Morkie”, which is a mix between Maltese and Yorkie. She's hypoallergenic (doesn't shed), and very rarely barks. She's the perfect little travel dog at 3.5lbs!
We keep a waterproof and fireproof safe on board with all of our important documents (passports, daisy's records, marriage certificate, etc).
So far, we just ride them out. We've been in bad storms with winds up to 60Mph with no issues other than it being super noisy. Luckily no hail to date (fingers crossed). We do keep a weather radio / warning system mounted behind our TV that's on all the time and we double check it if storms are coming. We also have a portable radio for the truck.
When we get to each new location, we also make note of shelters so we have a plan in the event of a sudden severe storm or tornado. In the event of a hurricane, we can just pack up and leave the area. We never travel with wind over 30mph.
We have memberships with Good Sam and KOA. They pay for themselves fairly quickly after a few nights. However, weekly and longer rates are almost always lower than the discounted nightly rate. But sometimes a combination of weekly and nightly can be used when not staying an exact multiple of 7 nights. They are also good for overnight stays while traveling.
We've looked into Thousand Trails, but it seems you have to use them a LOT for it to make sense and we don't want to base our locations around Thousand Trails locations. Additionally, the few times we've stayed at a Thousand Trails park by coincidence, they have not been the nicest parks.
Our friends Jason and Rae (Getaway Couple) have a few videos in favor of Thousand Trails: www.youtube.com…
And, our friends Phil and Stacy (You, Me & the RV) have this one against: youtu.be/5zQxKYDD2OQ…
I was active duty in the U.S. Navy from 1986-1992. I worked as an AT (Aviation Electronics Tech) on E2-C Hawkeyes (big frisbee on top) in VAW-120, then VAW-124. In VAW-124, we deployed on the U.S.S. Theodore Roosevelt for Desert Shield and Desert Storm.
Pilot and Flying J had a contract conflict with Good Sam and their RV fuel card (which is only good at Pilot / Flying-J), so that discount was removed or reduced. This discount may come back in the future when the good sam contract expires and TSD can try to renegotiate, but there's no way to tell.
These discounts are negotiated regularly and will come and go for various fuel stations. However, the card WILL still work at ALL of the truck stops. What we do is use the app to see if a station on our route has better discounts and we try to use it. Sometimes location and convenience trumps discounts, but we go for a discount when we can.
This question stems from our Save Big on RV Diesel in the Truck Lanes.
From the TSD FAQ Here: Why do you need my Social Security Number? Answer: We do not do a credit check. We ask for your social security number in the event that we cannot collect a payment, we need this number to file a claim.
Since the card is not a credit card, TSD has no recourse if you decide to not pay. Having your SSN gives them a way to at least put a negative mark on your credit file if you default on the balance.
We have personally referred over 3000 accounts, and we've never heard of a single issue from anyone. Additionally, we have never had an issue ourselves. We trust that our (and your) information is safe with TSD Logistics. 👍🏼
Our video files are super important to us. Not only the videos waiting to be edited but also our past source media and project files. Sometimes we talk about a place or event long after that video is released, and it's nice to have access to that footage for B-Roll in a current video. But that's TONS of data (currently about 70TB and growing constantly), and we live on cellular data. It's definitely a challenge to make sure we always make sure we have two copies of everything in separate locations. This is the process we've come up with:
- After every shooting day, the contents of our SD cards are copied to our 60TB Synology NAS (48TB effective) Files are organized as:
/YYYYMMDD-Location(or Event)/MMDD-Event/CameraName (e.g.
20190523-MesaVerde/0525-RideToDurago/(GoPro1, GoPro2, Canon, etc.)) (1 copy but on NAS which has redundant drives) - The NAS is Synced (using a script) to my laptop into a Dropbox folder. This starts the process of syncing to Dropbox automatically. (3 copies – NAS, Laptop, Dropbox)
- Once Dropbox has finished syncing, I mark the folder(s) as “offline only.” This free's up space on my local laptop, but files still appear to be local. (2 copies – NAS, Dropbox)
- Once the footage is used in a video, it is moved to an “Archive X” (X being a sequential number) folder (still on Dropbox but outside the “Active” footage folder). This move is done on my laptop (and Dropbox) and the NAS. The “Active” and “Archive X” folders are always identical. (2 copies – NAS, Dropbox)
- Once “Archive X” reaches just under 4TB, it is copied (from the NAS) to an external drive (WD portable hard drive). The NAS Copy is deleted, and my local (Dropbox) folder is marked to not sync. The files stay in dropbox. (2 copies – Portable HD, Dropbox). A new folder, “Archive X+1” is created for the next round.
This process ensures we have location-diverse local copies while the footage is new or recently used and cloud (Dropbox) copies of everything all the time. We also store our Final Cut project (FCPX) files for future use.
First and foremost, we are not tax professionals. Please consult a CPA for advice on your specific tax situation.
That said, as we understand it, it's really no different than living in a sticks and bricks and is all based on your domicile. We “live” in Florida. That's our permanent address. So, we file as such.
Many people “move” their domicile when they go full time. Escapees has a great article on this topic.
Also see this related FAQ Topic.
We have received one jury duty summons while living on the road full time. Being a thousand miles away is a perfectly valid excuse to get out of it. For us, in Florida, I simply called and explained that we would be out of town because we travel full time.
There are several online mailbox options for full time RVers who need a real physical address for license, domicile, etc.
We use Traveling Mailbox. All mail that arrives gets scanned (just the front of the envelope) and shows up in our Inbox online. From there, we can request an open and scan, so the contents can also be viewed online. Or we can have one or more pieces of mail forwarded if it's something like a check, vehicle registration, etc.
We can have packages sent there also, but it doesn't make sense to pay postage twice. So, when we order from Amazon Prime (or whatever), we just have things shipped to wherever we are. If we're a couple days from moving camp, we just ship to our next location. About half of the places we've stayed have packages waiting for us when we get there.. ?
If you require an address in your home state, you may have to shop around for a mail service that has an address in your state. If you can “move” because your employer doesn't care where you live, or you're retired, many chose to move their domicile to a tax-friendly state like Florida, Texas, or South Dakota. Escapees has a great article on how to accomplish that.
We get asked all of the time about how to find telecommuting jobs. But, since my job was already telecommute for many years, we don't really have any experience in that area. That said, you might try flexjobs.com. Also, Tom and Cheri (EnjoyTheJourney.Life) have a great video on making money while RVing here: youtu.be/x3jDWgYGjZ8…
The thing about an RV GPS is it's designed to find the best route from point A to point B based on the criteria entered (size of RV, road type preferences, etc). And most GPSs do this dynamically based on traffic and can also re-route you if you make a wrong turn.
If you export a fixed route from any piece of software (RV Trip Wizard included), you are taking away the dynamic routing ability of a GPS and dumbing it down to just be a fancy map. Additionally, if the software exports a “trip” as just the start and end points, it's no different than entering the same destination on the GPS. So, not a lot of added value unless you have a lot of stops, or are exporting your entire vacation as one trip. But that just gets messy.
For us, a GPS “trip” is one day's travel. We put a ton of stays (usually several months out) into RV Trip Wizard, but are only worried about navigating to the next location for that day. So, we have the location entered into the GPS the night before and just click go in the morning. And, since we have the same location already in RV Trip Wizard, we use the RVLife App as a secondary GPS. Just click on the destination and go. Simple one-day navigation in both apps, backing each other up in case one gets wonky.
We have not done a video on that topic. Primarily because we're not very good at budgets. But, also, because most of our stays (when were filming a location) are business expenses and we sometimes spend more on a location than we normally would if we were not running a youtube channel.
Prices for RV parks, campgrounds, state parks, etc vary greatly and there are lots of choices if you're willing to stay farther away from prime locations in prime season, or go places offseason. Staying longer and getting weekly or monthly rates can help too. There are also a ton of free camping on BLM (Beaurou of Land Management) land, and the like, if you're willing to boondock (no hookups).
When we started out (and hadn't launched our channel), we wanted to keep our nightly average around $35, that average including everything from $120 a night to free. Our first year, that turned out to be closer to $43. That's just RV Parks and such and does not include fuel, maintenance, etc.
That said, here are some things to consider about full-time RV expenses…
There are also ways to stay free and even get paid at some places as camp hosts. These require varying degrees of work and stay durations, but it can take expenses to almost zero if you're willing to work within those parameters. We've made friends with people who jump from gig to gig and save a lot of money in the process.
In regards to travel expenses like fuel and maintenance, those can be variable also by just staying longer in each place and not moving as often.
Our point in all of this is that expenses vary greatly depending on the style of travel and camping you do.
We never leave her unless we're on full hookups and can leave the AC / Heat Pump on. No different than when we lived in a house. However, RV park power being what it is (sometimes unreliable), we use MarCELL to keep an eye on Daisy's environment when we're not home.
It monitors power, temperature, and humidity. It does require service, which is $99/yr. You set thresholds (high and low) online for both temperature and humidity and define notification methods (text/email) all online. Then, when anything is amiss with anything, both Tara and I get emailed and texted immediately. You can also check the temp and humidity online. The MarCELL has been very reliable.
Additionally, since we have reliable internet, we've been testing the Govee WiFi Temperature Humidity Monitor (amzn.to/3antyDz…). Since it uses our existing wifi, there are no extra fees. So far, it seems good, but we need to test the notifications a bit more. We will update this FAQ and maybe produce a video once we're done testing.
Definitely not! It gets quite bouncy in the RV when traveling, which doesn't bode well for physical (spinning platter) hard drives. So, as part of our morning of departure checklist, it gets powered down.
Additionally, I have it sitting on 1″ weather stripping (stuck to the bottom) to absorb shock.
We have streamed everything since day one. We have unlimited internet and have AppleTV's hooked up to all four TVs in the RV. We use YoutTube TV as our “service provider” and for any Live TV we want to watch or DVR (YouTubeTV has cloud-based DVR).
We were in over 45 locations last year all over the East coast of the U.S. and 20 or so out West. We've never had an issue finding a site, and we've stayed in Campgrounds, RV Parks, State Parks, COE (Army Core Of Engineers) Sites, etc. We just plan ahead and make sure to call each site and confirm they can fit our RV. We also use RV Trip Wizard, which has a lot of great tools to find locations. National Parks are a lot more size restricted, but there are always great campgrounds and RV parks outside the national parks. We’ve only been in one or two sites where we didn’t have room for the patio.
Changing Lanes
Creating new content every week is challenging and the only way to do it is to have a backlog from which to pull. While we could be closer to real-time (3-4 weeks behind) by creating only vlog-style content and putting everything out in order, that's just not how we wanted to present our content.
We like to keep our educational videos in their own category and separate from our travel videos. That makes it easier to find the video about a specific RV topic versus trying to find it buried in a location video and means you don't have to sift through location content to try to find a helpful tip.
The result of this is that our location content gets backlogged by a few months in the summer but starts to catch up in the winter when we're not traveling to as many places. We like to take a couple of months and just visit family and not film as much. Having a backlog of content “in the can” allows us to still publish content. Our travel videos will almost always be in chronological order unless there's a good reason to mix in a more recent location. The balloon fiesta videos are a good example of this. We wanted to get that information out before registration opened for the next year.
For your convenience, we put all of our content here in categories and you can find a link to those at the bottom of the page. You can also find out Location and Educational videos linked in the content menu above.
We used Design Hill to make our logo as well as recent modifications to it. It's a pretty cool platform where you outline your specifications in a contest, then a bunch of designers will send you mock-ups to try to “win” your business. You get to interact with your favorite designers and, in the end, pick one to make your final design. If you're interested, we do have an affiliate link for them where you get 15% off: changinglanesrv.com…
For aerial (drone) shots, we use the DJI Mavic Air 2 (Fly More Combo). We've had it since it came out and it's a great drone!
Yes, I (Chad) have my part-107 commercial license. This is mandatory for any monetized Youtube channel.
We're using WordPress host at siteground.com. We've found wordpress to be the most flexible platform with tons and tons of themes and plug-ins for just about any need.
This FAQ is a plugin, in fact. 👍🏼
We get asked fairly often about how to get the music in our videos. We use EpidemicSound.com, Musicbed.com, and Artlist.io for all of our music under a creator's license (royalty-free). We know that some of the tracks are in iTunes, but many are not. The best way to find out is to use the Shazam app or ask Siri “what's this song” (Siri uses Shazam) as the music part plays in our video. If it's available, Shazam should recognize it and show you where you can download it.
We use Final Cut Pro X for our primary editing and Apple Motion for our stinger / intro.
As of Feb 2021, we both work full-time on the channel, which is about 60 hours a week each. Chad used to work from the road in IT (systems integration and automation development) but resigned from his position once the channel was providing enough income. While there are many ways to earn money with a successful youtube channel, we choose to focus on the content. Income from that content comes from ad revenue (YouTube) as well as affiliate marketing. Our policy on marketing is that we only promote products we use ourselves and can stand behind.
Our primary camera is a Canon R5 Full Frame Mirrorless with RF 13-35mm F2.8 and RF 24-105mm F4 and the Rode Video Mic Pro Plus (VMP+). We mount this on a DJI Ronin RSC 2 (gimbal) whenever practical (almost never) to get smooth footage.
We use 4 GoPros (2x Hero 10 and 2x Hero 9) (one with the Media Mod) for some vlog-mode shots and as a secondary angle camera when using the Canon if the light is good. When we're walking around filming something like an RV show, the Canon / Ronin, and GoPro 9 are what we use most. We use Go Pro Jaws Flex Clamps to mount them in various locations on the truck and RV.
On the motorcycle (Lucille), we use the four GoPros mounted in various locations using Go Pro Jaws Flex Clamps as well as some hard mounts. We also have one GoPro Hero 7 mounted in a Karma Grip (Tara manually filming).
For aerial (drone) shots, we use the DJI Mavic Air 2.
For voice audio, when we need to cut out external noise, we use the Rode Microphones Wireless GO II Dual Channel Wireless Microphone System.
We've also recently added some Peak Design gear to our inventory. We have the Carbon Fiber Travel Tripod as well as the Capture Camera Clip and Camera Strap. The Capture Camera Clip has been AWESOME on hikes, attached to the Camelback Backpack.
All of our camera equipment is here in our Amazon store (changinglanesrv.com…) also, including things that we don't use anymore (things we started out with) but still recommend.
Editing is one of the most time-consuming aspects of running a youtube channel for sure! Editing will take more or less time depending on how particular one is about audio, color grading, timing, etc. Most professional editors will say about 1 to 1.5 hours per minute of edited video, and that's about right. For us, a 30-minute video takes about 40 hours of editing. If you don't know, Tara does all of our editing and takes great pride in the quality of our videos. She has gotten faster over the last couple of years, but it just takes a lot of time to make a good video! I've seen Tara spend a whole day just finding the right music! But, editing is only part of the equation when it comes to an overall channel.
Every video starts with a plan. That plan can take between an hour and up to several hours depending on the detail and research involved.
Follow that with several hours of filming, depending on what it is. Sometimes the filming takes place over several days for projects and such. Sometimes the video is filmed while we're out seeing a new place, going on a ride, etc. Even that takes time to set up. We run 4 cameras for every ride! Then the “talk” portion has to be filmed also.
Once everything is “in the can”, Tara starts the editing process to tell the story of what we're trying to convey. That part is a real art, and she has gotten better and better over time in my humble opinion! That process usually includes 2-3 watch-thru sessions with both of us, making tweaks, then a final watch before uploading.
After upload comes writing the blog post and description for youtube, adding all of the metadata, links and so on. Then, the video, blog post, and social media posts are written and everything is scheduled for release.
Once a video is released, we read every comment, reply where appropriate, answer emails, comments on social media, etc. That part goes on every day, but is most busy on Monday, after a video release. About 20 hours a week is spent just managing social media. More if we make posts during the week.
Those are just the things related to a video. There's a lot more involved on the business side (partnerships, etc).
Long story short, when we're not out doing “stuff”, we're working on the Channel. Always trying to do just a little bit better than last week! I (chad) work a 9-5 during the week, working on the channel on breaks, lunch, and after work till around 9 or 10 at night. Tara gets up way before I do ? , and works all day editing, resting when she needs to (for her chronic Lyme). All told, we put over 100 hours a week between the two of us into the channel and we hope to make it our primary income at some point where I can quit the 9-5 and focus on the channel. ?
Our video files are super important to us. Not only the videos waiting to be edited but also our past source media and project files. Sometimes we talk about a place or event long after that video is released, and it's nice to have access to that footage for B-Roll in a current video. But that's TONS of data (currently about 70TB and growing constantly), and we live on cellular data. It's definitely a challenge to make sure we always make sure we have two copies of everything in separate locations. This is the process we've come up with:
- After every shooting day, the contents of our SD cards are copied to our 60TB Synology NAS (48TB effective) Files are organized as:
/YYYYMMDD-Location(or Event)/MMDD-Event/CameraName (e.g.
20190523-MesaVerde/0525-RideToDurago/(GoPro1, GoPro2, Canon, etc.)) (1 copy but on NAS which has redundant drives) - The NAS is Synced (using a script) to my laptop into a Dropbox folder. This starts the process of syncing to Dropbox automatically. (3 copies – NAS, Laptop, Dropbox)
- Once Dropbox has finished syncing, I mark the folder(s) as “offline only.” This free's up space on my local laptop, but files still appear to be local. (2 copies – NAS, Dropbox)
- Once the footage is used in a video, it is moved to an “Archive X” (X being a sequential number) folder (still on Dropbox but outside the “Active” footage folder). This move is done on my laptop (and Dropbox) and the NAS. The “Active” and “Archive X” folders are always identical. (2 copies – NAS, Dropbox)
- Once “Archive X” reaches just under 4TB, it is copied (from the NAS) to an external drive (WD portable hard drive). The NAS Copy is deleted, and my local (Dropbox) folder is marked to not sync. The files stay in dropbox. (2 copies – Portable HD, Dropbox). A new folder, “Archive X+1” is created for the next round.
This process ensures we have location-diverse local copies while the footage is new or recently used and cloud (Dropbox) copies of everything all the time. We also store our Final Cut project (FCPX) files for future use.
Definitely not! It gets quite bouncy in the RV when traveling, which doesn't bode well for physical (spinning platter) hard drives. So, as part of our morning of departure checklist, it gets powered down.
Additionally, I have it sitting on 1″ weather stripping (stuck to the bottom) to absorb shock.
Due to some recent health issues and upcoming treatments, we're scaling back on things this year and decided to pull the plug on our insider program… We're not sure if or when we'll re-launch it. Right now, we're just focusing on our video content. 👍🏼
