The RV Handbook: Essential How-To Guide for the RV Owner

by Bill Estes

-- RV owners in the U.S. number over 7 million-- Expanded coverage on how to buy, maintain, and optimize RVs-- Checklists, photos, schematic designs and charts, and hundreds of useful tips and techniques to save time and money

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0934798664
• ISBN13: 9780934798662
• Release Date: March 2001
• Publisher: Trailer Life Publications
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 1.55 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 8.4" x 11.0"

Customer Reviews

Great companion for our first RV experience

Had taken a local community college course in RV'ing and this book was one of the recommended readings/references. Our first RV experience was a rental on a trip to Grand Teton and Yellowstone National Parks. Read much of this book before we went and carried it with us on the trip. Had several occasions to reference it and re-read many portions. Was a great companion and was a much better reference than the materials that the rental facility provided. Recommend it to anyone renting an RV for the first time. Can't speak to how good it is to those who are seasoned RV'ers.

Helpful Guide for RVers

Experienced or a beginner, RVers must learn a lot to care for their investment in a motorhome, fifth-wheel or trailer. This book has some advice I haven't seen elsewhere. It tells how to weigh the different RVs on a scale, tire care (aging and ozone cracking), selecting a tow vehicle, understanding propane, and troubleshooting electrical systems. It includes some checklists which come in handy: *Dinghy Towing Inspection checklist *Ignition-System Checklist for Gasoline Engines *Diesel Engine Prestart Checklist *Short-Term Storage Checklist *Return Trip Checklist *Steps for Dumping a Holding Tank The graphics are well-drawn, clearly labeled and helpful. A troubleshooting diesel engines flowchart and one for gasoline engines really lays out the options clearly.

Don't leave home without this book! Start here first!

This book is an excellent reference. The author covers many topics in this book: The basics of rving, with information on waste systems, outfitting the rig, towing, setting up camp, leaving camp; improving fuel economy and performance; troubleshooting rv engines; rv electronic systems; weight, handling, and safety; tire care; selecting a tow vehicle; towing safety, and much, much more. The level of detail in this book was not covered in any of the other books we read. In addition, the author puts helpful checklists into the book as well: 'Used-Vehicle Evaluation Checklist'; 'Dinghy Towing Inspection Checklist'; 'A Propane System Checklist'; basic rv equipment lists; 'Return-Trip Checklist' and many more checklists. The information in this book is VERY helpful and VERY necessary for a first timer. This author not only wants to make you knowledgeable; he wants to make you SAFE, too. Thanks to the author for an easy to read book on all the important points.

An essential guide for any RV'er.. Expert or Dummy.

This revised edition contains a wealtlh (with a capital W) of extremely useful information on the care and feeding of most (if not all) major systems and appliances founds in today's RV. If you've ever wondered just how the heck does that RV refrigerator work with either Propane or electrical power, or why it needs to be kept level, this book will explain it. It covers maintaining a Satellite dish or amplified TV antenna, Solar panels for charging batteries, motorhome leveling jack systems, rubber roofs, generators, awnings, etc, etc. If it's bolted on or in your RV, or being towed, this book will likely cover it.As a new RV owner, the detailed and comprehensive information contained in this book will do much towards keeping me out of serious trouble. The book is written at just the right level to be easily understood by most who will use it, not filled with "techno-babble" that only a fully trained mechanic can understand. Many photo's and schematic diagrams are included as well. Whether I'm out on the road, or just in the driveway getting ready for that next great "road warrior" trip, this excellent book with not stray too far from me. The information it contains is far too valuable and useful to be without it.