UltraKen
Ohio
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Joined: 06/05/2007
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Several important steps to take.
1. You must know where you are in a lane. Your coach is wider than a car.
Go to a large parking lot as soon as you possibly can. Look for the double face-to-face parking slots away from other vehicles. Pull into one so that you take up just the first space leaving the end of the coach out of the space, AIMING to place yourself in the middle of the space.
Stop, set your parking brake, go to neutral, turn off your engine and go outside and look on both sides to make sure you are centered in the space on both sides. Correct if necessary by backing and pulling forward to get centered.
When you are satisfied that you are centered, sit behind the wheel and locate the parking space lines in the space in front of your space, and make a small mark on the lowest part of the windshield that you can see. A small dot of blue painter's tape works well, or a dot from a Magic Marker.
Next check your (lower - convex) side mirrors to locate the lines alongside the coach.
You now have visual references for where you are in the parking space. Lanes on the road are wider, but with these marks you can always keep road lines ahead slightly outside the windshield dots. This works for narrow spaces at slow speeds.
2. For highway driving, aim for the center of the lane as far ahead as you can see.
When passing, or being passed by a semi - don't stare at the semi, concentrate on your lane markers on the windshield and your side mirror to stay as close to the off-side lane marker as possible. Left when passing, right when being passed.
3. I always use the rear-camera. When passing a vehicle I know I can pull back in lane when I can see their front grill. Obviously you don't want to pull in as soon as you see the grill, but in an emergency you will know you are clear.
4. Defensive driving rules for a car are to stay 3 seconds behind the vehicle your are following (doesn't work well in dense traffic). In a motorhome you want to extend that to about 5 seconds.
It's easy to estimate. When the rear of the vehicle ahead passes some "landmark" such as a sign, start counting "one mississippi, two mississipi, etc. Stop counting when you cross that spot. Drop back or close up to maintain that 5 second gap. It gives you plenty of time to brake or take evasive action as traffic warrants.
5. For backing up, I have a small dot at the top of the rear camera monitor screen that shows me the exact aim point of the rear of the coach. Watch the rear camera AND the side mirrors, and use an outside spotter if possible to check for overhead obstacles, etc.
6. For turns, practice intially in that parking lot. Since the rear of the coach pivots around the rear wheels, anything beyond the rear wheels will swing out wider than the path of the wheels. Go slow, stop often and look to see where the front, side, and rear of your coach are located. When you get a feel for it trying turning past a light post. Do this VERY SLOWLY, watching the side mirror closest to the light pole. If you start getting close STOP. 
UltraKen
Ex - 1968 Ultra Van
NOW - 1996 Safari Sahara 35' - Model 3530 - Cat 300
Pictures of my Coach
A $93 Rear Camera System
My take on replacing tires
Used MH Checklist
Toad: Dodge Grand Caravan on Tow Dolly or 1981 Vespa on utility trailer
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watache55
Deland, Fl.
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Joined: 03/28/2010
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All good advice here. Keep in mind it's very likely heavier than your gas rig was - so learn and know your brake system - go get it weighed - start a maintenance record book and keep the maintenance up to snuff - oh....enjoy it!
"Hey look, it's a Harney!"
Doug & Patti
1999 Harney - 300 CAT
Martin D-28
Linux
AFCM (AW) US NAVY RET.
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Birddogman
Pennsylvania
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Joined: 08/02/2005
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Be prepared to be very, very happy. You will be wearing such a big grin that you may become exhausted.
2008 Winnebago Journey 39z DP
2004 Jeep Liberty toad
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FormerBoater
South Florida
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Joined: 02/08/2009
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ttsr4us wrote:Check the recalls have been done. I just bought a 2006 Allegro Bus (Cummins ISL 400) and found several that needed attending too. Also check out the service intervals on the engine and chassis and that filters/grease points have been attended too. Finally make sure you 'warm down' the engine before switching off.
Brian
PS - do not start with the parking brake on and ensure the suspension is aired up. READ THE MANUAL as others have said.
I do not get the PS in the above post at all. In my rig you must start the engine with the Parking Brake on in order to air up.
I think Brian means to release the Parking Brake before you start to roll!
As you are just getting started, I thought it important to clarify
Dave
Dave
1998 American Eagle 40EVS
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ttsr4us
Florida
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Joined: 10/17/2003
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Check the recalls have been done. I just bought a 2006 Allegro Bus (Cummins ISL 400) and found several that needed attending too. Also check out the service intervals on the engine and chassis and that filters/grease points have been attended too. Finally make sure you 'warm down' the engine before switching off.
Brian
PS - do not start with the parking brake on and ensure the suspension is aired up. READ THE MANUAL as others have said.
Brian/Esta + Sophie Blue Front 'amazing' Amazon Parrot
Allegro Bus 2006
Saturn Vue,BlueOx Aladdin,Roadmaster Addabrake
Nuvi465T
Was
Dolphin W22 Chassis
Ford Ex 4x4 6.0 PSD 2003, Hensley, Mountaineer 325FKBS
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brobox
Sunny SW. Florida
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Joined: 11/18/2003
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You will be enjoying the new ride so much, I don't think you will worry about anything else.
Chuck
02 Travel Supreme, 2 street side slides
09 Toyota Tacoma 2WD
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Just Bob
SD/CT/FL/WY
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Joined: 07/10/2007
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Former Boater wrote:-Perform a full air brake test while you are at it. Basically when your system is fully aired up, turn off the engine, release the parking brake and depress the brake pedal as many times as necessary to deplete the air supply. Once the tank pressure falls below 60 pounds or so the parking brake should automatically engage. After adjusting the slack adjusters and performing this test your will have the peace of mind that the brake system is performing as it should.
Couple of quick corrections:
Not necessary to turn off the engine, just make sure it's in Neutral.
The "low air" alarm and dash indicator will activate at 60psig.
The parking brake will automatically engage at or below 30psig.
Hope that helps.
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U295foretravel
Tampa, Fl.
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Joined: 02/02/2009
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When you start you diesel, let it idle a while before increasing throttle. This ensures good oil flow to the turbo before spinning it up. Inversely, don't just pull up after hiway driving and immediately shut down. Let her idle a while to cool the turbo and turbo bearings. She'll be happier that way.
Steve & Ginny Hill
Tampa
96 Foretravel U295
Jeep Wrangler
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wolfe10
Texas
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Joined: 10/08/2000
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U295foretravel wrote:When you start you diesel, let it idle a while before increasing throttle. This ensures good oil flow to the turbo before spinning it up. Inversely, don't just pull up after hiway driving and immediately shut down. Let her idle a while to cool the turbo and turbo bearings. She'll be happier that way.
Actually, you can start to move as soon as the temp gauge starts to move off the cold peg IF you are not immediately jumping on the freeway/heavy load.
And, yes, if you pull into a rest area at the top of a grade, let it idle for 3 minutes. If you have driven at slow speeds, then into a CG, your turbo is cooled off enough to turn it right off.
Brett Wolfe
1993 Foretravel 36' U-240
Cat 3116, Allison 3060
FMCA Forum: www.community.fmca.com/index
Caterpillar RV Engine Owner's Club: www.catrvclub.org
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Wildcants
Maurepas, Louisiana
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Joined: 03/31/2008
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Stay between the lines, don't back up. Use the old saying 'Drive by the seat of you pants'. Find that spot and put your behind their and you will stay in your lane.
Just a joke, but it is all true.
check out my blog
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