Coast to Coast members are the experts on RV living. To take advantage of that knowledge,
since the 1980s we've published members' travel hints and RVing tips in Coast to Coast Magazine. Over the
years many members have suggested that we compile these tips, so we're taking advantage of our Web site to
do just that. What follows are some of the most recent submissions to Coast to Coast Magazine's tips section,
Reader Exchange.
If you'd like to submit a tip of your own, mail it to Reader Exchange, Coast to Coast Magazine, 2575 Vista del
Mar Drive, Ventura, California 93001. Please include a drawing or photo illustrating your tip, plus your Coast
to Coast ID number. If your tip is selected for publication, you'll receive $25. Although we screen each item
with care, Coast to Coast does not test or endorse these practices.
TURN THE TABLES
I have lots of kitchen cupboard space in my fifth wheel, but some of it's hard to reach. So I bought
plastic turntables (less than $5 apiece), and I store spices and other items on them. To keep things from sliding off,
I tape shirt cardboard to the sides of the turntables.
- Janet Galligan, Southern Leisure, Louisiana
NO SMOKING
I put a rubber glove over the ceiling smoke alarm to keep it quiet when I'm cooking. The glove
stretches to make it easy to position on the alarm, and it hangs down enough to remind me to take it off when the
cooking is done.
- Anita Curtis, Lake Cove Resort, Tennessee
LET IT ALL HANG OUT
Here's how to make a great RV clothesline. Cut 1-inch-diameter PVC pipe to make one 6-foot section,
one 4-foot section, two 3-foot sections and two 2-foot sections. Glue the 2-foot pieces into a T fitting. Drill 1/4-inch
holes in the 3-foot pieces to thread the clothesline through. Slip the frame together with elbows and insert the
clothesline. To use, slip pieces together and attach to your RV ladder with bungee cord. This solar dryer takes
little space to store when not in use and makes lots of useable drying space.
- Henry Knapp, Hart Ranch Camping Resort Club, South Dakota
WHAT A DISH!
Our freestanding satellite dish was hard to store safely when traveling. I dismantled the dish,
drilled four 3/16-inch holes through the soldered indents, filed the areas smooth, and reassembled the dish with
3/16-inch bolts. I used a locking nut on the bolt in the rear holes and snugged the bolt up. With just a bit of
pressure, the arm swivels down to lie against he PVC pipe for storage. Make a cover for the head out of Styrofoam
or slip a plastic cup over the head. When ready to use, I insert a 3/16-inch bolt through the front holes and tighten
with a wing nut.
- Stanley Tymm, Elite Resorts at Salt Springs, Florida
GIVE US A BRAKE
Motorhomes built on older Chevy chassis may develop a brake problem that comes with old age.
One or both front brakes pull and smoke, and the brake rotor overheats. The problem is caused by rust where the brake
line passes through a crimped metal bracket along the upper A-frame. As rust develops, it pinches the brake line,
restricting brake-fluid flow. To correct this, simply pry the bracket open and remove the rust-normal brake action is
restored.
- William Stiglich, Family Leisure Resort, Georgia
JACK IT UP
Ever envied trailer owners with power stabilizers? Well, you may already have them and not know it. Just
bend a piece of 1/4-inch iron rod into an L shape and use your cordless drill for power. If your stabilizers have a nut on
the end, use the right-size socket wrench with a 1/4-inch extension.
- Peter Panattoni, Catalina Spa and RV Resort, California
KEEP DRY
Time and vibration can cause the bolts that secure your awning(s) to your RV to loosen. If this happens,
there's danger of a water leak that will go undetected for a long period of time. The result is water damage and dry rot.
Remove the bolts one at a time, use a generous amount of sealant, then snug up the bolts. Repeat every two or three years.
- James Doherty, QRA-Redwood Trails, California
TINY BUBBLES MEAN TROUBLE
Can't find that spray bottle of water and dish soap when you want to check the propane system for leaks?
There's always a damp sponge on the sink. Wet the sponge, add a few drops of dish soap and squeeze some of it on each
propane connection. If it bubbles, you've got a leak.
- Walt and Evie Fillmore, Western Horizons Resorts, Arizona
UNDER MY THUMB
Instead of using paper clips to keep our paper towel from unrolling, we just stick a thumbtack into the roll.
- Ralph Bruce, Colorado River Adventures, Arizona
SAY "CHEESE"
When we went full-timing, I missed all the photos of our family we had throughout our house. When I found
this multiple-photo frame, I knew I had the answer. It folds for storage when we're on the move and sets up quickly in camp.
- Esther Farley, Hidden Cove Outdoor Resort, Alabama
HINGE FIX
When our screen door began dragging its heels, we checked the hinges closely and discovered all the
hinges had worn down a small bearing washer. We made six "circlips" from washers bought at the hardware store-notice the
clip out of each washer-and then slipped them in place below each bearing washer. No more dragging, and the cost was almost
zero.
- Earl Blayney, OMNI-Lakeside Resort, Virginia
CHEAP TOOLBOX
We took a Tide soapbox, cleaned it out and spray-painted it. Result: a lightweight, inexpensive toolbox.
- Joe and Margaret Lista, The Oaks at Point South, South Carolina
DON'T FORGET
Several times I forgot to shut off the propane to the water heater when we were ready to travel.
That can be dangerous. Now when I light the water heater, I slip a brightly colored key tab over the latch. I can see
it when I do my walk around prior to hitting the road. While we're traveling, the tab rides inside the water-heater
compartment.
- Robert and Barbara Cunningham, American Campgrounds Resort, New York
WATCH YOUR HEAD
After hitting my head on the awning arm for the umpteenth time, I bought two rolls of vinyl tape,
one black and the other yellow. I ran a strip of the yellow tape the length of the arm. Then I cut 1-inch sections of
the black tape and applied them in the pattern shown. Even I can see the arms now.
- Bruce Rolfe, Country Village RV Resort
POST IT
Need a bulletin board but don't have space to hang one? Replace the decorative front panel of your RV's
refrigerator with the bulletin-board material from a discount center. The brown color looks good with most RV interiors,
and the cost is reasonable. This provides a handy place for posting lists, messages and photos.
- Coleen Sykora, Indian Nation Resort, Oklahoma
OUT-OF-THE-WAY PANTRY
To create space in our motorhome for storing canned goods, I bought an inexpensive oak bathroom cabinet
and a strip of oak trim at a Home Depot. I removed and discarded the cabinet's doors and hinges, then I cut the trim into
three pieces of the right length and fastened them in place as retaining rails for each shelf. I screwed the cabinet to the
wall under our dining table. It's inexpensive, handy and out of the way.
- Chuck Hershiser, Maple Grove RV Resort, Washington
HOOD SAVER
Driving cars and pickups with sloping hoods can be a problem for short drivers. Where's the bumper? To
protect the front bumper-and the garage wall and other cars-I attached a steel rod to the bumper and put a white rubber
tip on the top end. No more guessing, and no more strong words between driver and passenger.
- Jack Nuttall, Holiday Park Resort, British Columbia
CLEAN UP YOUR ACT
There's an easy way to clean mold and dulling residue from the vinyl/plastic trim on your RV. Use a
little acetone with a soft rag to wipe the trim. But be extremely careful: If you get acetone on any painted surface, it
will take off the paint. Don't saturate the cloth; just moisten it lightly. This way there will be no drips on the paint.
- Paula Hammer, Country Lakes-Pride Resort, Georgia
GO BANANAS
If you have trouble keeping bananas from turning black, store them in a homemade vacuum bag. Place the
bananas in a large Ziplock bag, stick a soda straw in the opening and close the bag. Suck the air out and carefully seal
the opening. Bananas will keep fresh for a week.
- Carolyn Cullingford, Briarcliffe RV Resort, South Carolina
EASY-TO-RETRIEVE JACK BLOCKS
Leveling blocks work better if we use blocks to keep them from sinking into soft surfaces. But retrieving
those blocks when the ground is wet (or the hinges in our back aren't working so well) can be a bit more than we want. To
make it easier, Use two large screw eyes to fasten a short length of heavy cord or light rope to each block.
- Hans and Catherine Keller, Sturbridge Camping Club, Massachusetts
OPEN, SESAME
Some black-water valves are hard to reach or just hard to open. Instead of pronouncing magic words,
make yourself a valve lever. I fastened one end of a 1/8-inch-by-1-inch-by-24-inch steel strap around the black-water
pipe and clamped it tight with a 1/4-inch bolt. Then I drilled a hole in the end of the strap and attached another
1/8-inch-by-1-inch strap, long enough to reach the outer edge of the RV. Now I have a lever that makes it easy to open
and close the valve.
- Conrad Fink, Lost Valley Lake Resort, Missouri
NO VACANCY
Small birds are attracted to our sewer-hose bumpers. When cleaning the hose bumper out became
too much of a chore, I simply attached a spring clothespin to each hole. Now the birds can't get in.
- Foster Drowne, Chinook Bend RV Resort, Oregon
STABILIZER WRENCH
When I got tired of hand-cranking the stabilizers up and down, I cut the head off a large 50-penny spike
nail. (A piece of 1/4-inch rod would work well, too.) Then I ground three flat surfaces at one end of the spike to fit the
chuck on my cordless drill. Next I bent the end of the spike at 90 degrees to match the end of the stabilizer handle. Now
the stabilizers go up and down with ease.
- Leland Roberson, Camperworld-Pleasant Creek Ranch, Utah
UP AND AT 'EM
To clean the windshield on our class C, I had to use a stepladder, but there's no space to carry a ladder
in our RV. So I fastened a rubber-covered handle to the cab just below the center of the windshield. (Be sure you place the
handle so that the hood can still be fully opened.) Nonskid strips were added to the top of the bumper. Now I can step on
top of the bumper and hold the handle with one hand while I wash the windshield with the other hand.
- Ray Goforth, Five Star Resort, Mississippi
ON A ROLL
I'm a little on the short side and had trouble reaching the top shelves in our pantry. My husband
installed rollout shelf/baskets, available at the hardware store. Now things are more easily seen and reached. He also
installed stick-on brackets on the inside of the pantry door for small items such as spices.
- Judy Schoonover, Sun Resorts, Florida
LINT REMOVER
For years I tried different ways to clean the lint from my hair dryer, but nothing worked very well.
Then I tried using an old toothbrush. Just a few soft strokes across the vent screen, and it's clean.
- Christine Vite, Pride Resort, North Carolina
SOAP SAVER
Our one-piece shower is great except for one thing. The soap won't stay on the built-in soap dish.
We solved the problem by applying a thick bead of silicone sealant across the front edge of the dish leaving a couple of
small openings for water to escape.
- Paula Harmer, Pride Resorts-Country Lakes, Georgia
BIG BOX OFFICE
Like everyone else, we needed more storage. We also needed an easy way to reach overhead cabinets. We
built a box with 3/4-inch plywood sides and bottom and a 1/2-inch Melamine top. We stained the wood to match the kitchen
cabinets and found handles that matched the cabinet handles. Felt strips on the bottom make it easy to move around. You
can make yours to fit the space available.
- Elizabeth and Earl Blayney, Lakeside Resort, Viginia
EASY-BAKE OVEN
I got tired of baking cakes with burned bottoms and tops that were only half-cooked. So I bought seven
6-inch unglazed ceramic tiles at Home Depot. They cut the tiles that needed to be cut at no charge. I loosely positioned
the tiles on the bottom of the oven, and now cakes bake to a golden brown.
- Ava Norman, Catalina Spa and RV Resort, California
HOOKING UP SAFELY
When connecting or disconnecting electrical power at the campground, first move the circuit breaker to
the "off" position. This eliminates arcing and burning of your service plug and campground power plug. Also, always check
the voltage level and polarity of campground power before connecting the power cord. Test units are reasonably priced at
camping-supply and hardware stores. Their regular use can prevent serious damage to your RV.
- Leona Doherty, QRA-Redwood Trails, California
RAZOR'S EDGE
If you're tired of dropping the razor in the shower every time you make a move, add a simple razor holder
inside the shower stall. Buy a shower hose ring and fasten it to the wall with two screws. Be sure to place a dab of
bathtub sealer in each screw hole. Now my razor drips dry and doesn't have to be stored in a drawer when we're traveling.
- Coleen Sykora, Indian Nation RV Resort, Oklahoma
BRIGHT IDEA
You know how those little screws that hold the shade on your wall-mounted light fixtures keep loosening
while you travel? Ours don't anymore. We removed the shade and placed a wide rubber band around the base of it. When the
shade's repositioned, the screws tighten onto the rubber band and don't come loose anymore.
- John and Dot Speicher, San Jo Cove, Texas
LET IT RAIN!
Our bedroom window on our new trailer is right below the gutter spout. When it rains, the water hits
the window all night long-drip, drip, drip, drip-and keeps us awake. Now we place two spring-type clothespins together
onto the gutter spout so the rainwater is carried off on the clothespins and doesn't drip on the window.
- Robert Scott, HTR-Leisure Campground, Alberta
STEERING YOU RIGHT
Due to my arthritis, I found it painful to grip the narrow steering wheel. I bought two sheepskin
steering-wheel covers and placed one directly on the steering wheel and the other on top of the first one. This really helps.
- Lila Oster, Timber Lodge RV Resort, Texas
PET STEP
Our collie was getting old and found it difficult to climb into our motorhome. I built a ramp using
a piece of 1/2-inch plywood hinged to 2x4 legs with a length of 2x4 across the top to keep the ramp from sliding away.
Cover the plywood with a piece of carpet to keep your pet's paws from slipping.
- Ralph Fredlund, Hart Ranch Camping Resort Club, South Dakota
SAFE STAIRS
Stepping out of our trailer at night is sometimes a challenge because the steps are dark, especially
when we're parked on blacktop. To remedy this, I took a roll of 1-inch-wide white reflective tape and ran a strip across
the top outer edge of each step. Even in the dimmest light, the steps are now visible.
- Bruce Rolfe, Country Village RV Resort, Colorado
LAUNDRY DAY
I've made doing laundry simpler by taking four plastic grocery bags and sorting laundry daily. I've got a
bag for whites, one for wash and wear (such as shirts and sweaters), one for heavy darks (jeans, etc.), and one for towels
and sheets. As soon as a couple of bags are full, it's time to make a laundry run.
- James Doherty, QRA-Redwood Trails, California
CLUTTER BUSTER
We made an organizer board for the bathroom by cutting a piece of 1/2-inch-by-1 3/4-inch board to fit
inside the cabinet. (This could also be done just under the cabinet.) Drill pilot holes 1/2 inch from the bottom of the
wood strip and about 2 inches apart. After staining and mounting the board, insert cup hooks in the holes. For thicker
items such as hairbrushes, cut off the tip of the cup hooks.
- Bill and Watts, Cochise Terrace RV Resort, Arizona
WEIGHTY ISSUE
A quick and easy way to make an anchor weight for an awning or TV satellite dish is to fill a plastic
milk container or an ice-cream pail with ready-mix concrete. Insert a short piece of chain as a handle. The chain also
works as a place to tie your awning ropes.
- Hugh and Mary Thomson, Five Star Resort, Mississippi
