Things you wish you had known...? (1 Viewer)

[JaM]

Hello,

All a bit new to this as only collected the MoHo last Friday and planning our first week away at end of the month. So, what do you know now that would have been really useful when starting out? Any brilliant ideas you wish someone had told you but you only found out the "Hard-Way"?

TIA

 

[Mousy]

Don't reverse without somebody guiding you back...

 

[Glandwr]

That it dumps all the water when the temp goes below 5-8 degs if the boiler is not on. 180 litres in our case!

Dick

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[Podney]

Have two weeks away.

 

[BobtheBass]

Be aware that the back end swings round when cornering enough to flatten pedestrians on the pavement if you don't allow for it!

 

[JaM]

That it dumps all the water when the temp goes below 5-8 degs if the boiler is not on. 180 litres in our case!

Dick

Oh? not heard that!

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[mike mcglynn]

Some motorhomes leak

 

[Richard n Ann]

I wish I knew the Suzuki Address had a kick start, is cheaper, lighter and more powerful than the Honda Vision

 

[Speve]

That tyres are date stamped and should be checked as they can blow out if to old and perished as happened to us on the M6.

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[Lenny HB]

Don't reverse without somebody guiding you back...

Even with a reversing camera, took me a few bumps to lean that. And make sure they use hand signals you can understand and explain to them if they can't see you in the mirrors you can't see them.

 

[Anthea M]

Make sure all cupboards and lockers and fridge and windws and hekis are all shut and locked before setting off.

 

[Lenny HB]

That it dumps all the water when the temp goes below 5-8 degs if the boiler is not on. 180 litres in our case!

Dick

A bit better on the newer ones with the mechanical dump valve - 3 deg.

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[gloworm]

What turns snow from white to yellow.

Eric

 

[magicsurfbus]

To carry a 10 litre plastic watering can for quick water top ups instead of faffing around with hoses, jerry cans and long waits at aire service points.

To carry a robust folding shopping trolley with a removable bag whose frame can be used for transporting jerry cans and bog cartridges to and from service points.

To check on the vehicle's maximum payload before a) purchasing and b) loading it up.

To fit a smart solar charge controller that is designed for specific battery types instead of the cheapest Chinese crap I could find on eBay.

 

[Polar bear]

Fill the fridge with cider when the wife is not looking.

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[davidbaldam]

Make sure the person guiding you into any tight spots looks up so that you don’t catch on any over hanging branches, which my darling wife did in a car park which nearly took our bathroom overhead window off.

 

[MillieMoocher]

Make sure all cupboards and lockers and fridge and windws and hekis are all shut and locked before setting off.

Wow Anthea thanks for that!

Been in the MH this morning doing stuff ahead of our trip next week and it was hot in the sun. So I opened a rooflight.

Been in the house half an hour, made coffee, picked up iPad and surfed the forum...read your post and remembered the rooflight was still open. Probably would have been like it for a few days if you’d not written what you did

 

[MillieMoocher]

Be aware that the back end swings round when cornering enough to flatten pedestrians on the pavement if you don't allow for it!

Or gateposts on campsites.. just ask Swmbo

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[mikebeaches]

Beware pitching on wet sloping grass, or indeed any grass in the winter. The front wheel drive traction on most vans is rubbish and combined with the weight of the van, very easy to get stuck.

 

[Sabino]

That you only get 5 or 6 posts before you become a Read Only Funster.
And that you need to pay your £15 membership fee before you can join in again.

 

[jollyrodger]

Do make sure the fridge door is shut properly before diving off .

Exploding can of flying beer makes a Bl#*&@ mess and is a waste

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[Jandek]

Wish we'd understood what payload meant before we bought our first! Just thought - big van so we can put loads in!!

 

[Lazyboy]

Remember to unplug your electric lead before driving off site!
Write yourself a short list of the most important things, laminate it and put it behind your sunvisor.

 

[Silver-Fox]

Make sure the person guiding you into any tight spots looks up so that you don’t catch on any over hanging branches, which my darling wife did in a car park which nearly took our bathroom overhead window off.

I won't mention the piece of conduit my wife fails to see on the ceiling in a multi storey in NZ then.
Fortunately the hire van looked like it had been "attacked" by various trees etc in the past.

Ohh and guess what it was my fault she didn't see it even after I had pointed it out before moving forward

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[Larby]

Do a dummy run week-end on your drive. Do it properly, cook, wash, live, etc.
Then when you realise you don't have a frying pan, crockery, or a can opener, or the gas runs out and you have no spare or spanner, etc. etc. you can go indoors and get one but go back to motorhome.
Keep a list and read the manuals.

Good luck and enjoy

 

[clanjones]

Switch your water pump off when you go out incase you have a leak in your pipe work, your pump will use to empty you water tank via!

If you are in areas with temps above 25 to 30 try if you can try to park so your fridge vents are not in direct sunlight or better still fit some fridge fans in the top vent. Loads of threads about what and how to do that.

 

[irnbru]

Don't put your glass cooker lid down when rings are still hot otherwise it might smash to pieces.

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[maison]

Don't leave a box of eggs on the kitchen worksurface when you move off.

 

[magicsurfbus]

Have a way of reminding yourself what's left up, attached or connected before you drive off.

If the satellite dish is up I leave a dish in front of the instrument display on the dashboard.
If the EHU is connected I leave a spare EHU plug next to the dish.
If it's up on the chocs I have a small wheel chock (for handbrake emergency or steep hill parking use) which I leave next to the dish and the EHU plug.

That way I have reminders to tidy things away that stop me from seeing the dashboard properly.

 

[Just smiffy]

Do a dummy run week-end on your drive. Do it properly, cook, wash, live, etc.
Then when you realise you don't have a frying pan, crockery, or a can opener, or the gas runs out and you have no spare or spanner, etc. etc. you can go indoors and get one but go back to motorhome.
Keep a list and read the manuals.

Good luck and enjoy

I would recommend everyone does this with a new to them van....

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