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Subject:
Wood verses Metal Frame
Question:
Like your site! Would you recommend staying away from purchasing a 1988 23' because of wood vs steel frame?
Answer:
Not really. Wooden frames supporting the side walls and roof -- like the ribs found in the early Aero Cruisers --
are common in the industry today. I don't know of anybody in the club who has had problems with either a wood or
metal frame specifically. The biggest potential problem is with leaks. If you have a leak it should be fixed
as soon as possible. Wood frames and floors can get dry-rot while the metal frame will rust out. In
short, it's a toss up. Many motor home and trailer manufactures use wood frames today. The Aero Cruiser
switched from the wooden ribs used in the "Vironex" chassis to the metal ribs found in the "LSG" chassis in 1990.
The "LSG" chassis are better in that they fix a number of front end weakness; however,
if you don't have a front end problem then it doesn't matter.
Keep on Cruisin', Tom Heald
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Subject: Emergency Exits in an Aero Cruiser
Tip:
If you don't have a driver and passenger side doors in your rig; there are other
emegercy exits available. The driver side window over the couch or dinette
and the rear window over the bed both open as emergency exits. So if
the rig tips onto the passenger side, you can exit via the side window or the
rear window over the bed.
Keep on Cruisin', Tom Heald
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Subject:
Passenger Capacity and Seat Belts
Question:
I am looking at purchasing a '89 - 23' with capacity for only two people. It has only two seat belts,
and they are in the cab area. It has the two free standing chairs for a dinette area, and no way of
belting anyone in there. We are moving into retirement and the kids are now on there own. This will
be my first motorhome. My questions and concerns are: How much of a concern is it to be able to carry
passengers? Do other Areo Cruiser owners have this situation and is it
a concern for them? Thank you
Answer:
A standard Aero Cruiser has seat belts for 5 or 6. Each of the seats has a belt, 3 in the Rear Bed and
Rear Bath models and 2 in the Twin Bed model. There are also 3 other seat belts for the couch
or dinette. Check the Floor Plans on our public web
site. It sounds like the one you are looking at has been modified or the missing belts
are tucked below the seats. Ask the owner.
Keep on Cruisin', Tom Heald
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Subject: Aero Cruiser Club Name Badges for
Rallies.
Tip: The Club has a vender that
produces Name Badges for members. They have the Club Logo on then with
your name below. For more information or to order a badge contact
Elizabeth Haynes, Phone: 626-451-0506 or send an e-mail to eahaynes@hotmail.com
with a Subject of: Name Badges.
From the newsletter
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Subject: What is a Motor Home?
Tip: What's the definition of a Motor Home? 
It's a vehicle that renders a large section of your driveway unusable, 
that you must keep feeding time and money
so it will go where you want to go 
most
of the time! 
Happy trails. 
Keep on cruising, Tom Heald
So what's your definition?
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Subject: Aero
Cruiser Insurance
Question: For
Insurance purposes we would like to know what is the value of a 1990 - 23 foot
Aero Cruiser? Thank you, our best, Steve and Danielle
Answer: When you
have a 17 year old rig, condition is everything. I have seen good ones sell in the
20K range. Basically you are talking about a restored antique. The important
thing is what will the Insurance co. pay out if you total it. If you want
to insure it for more than you paid for it, you may need to
get a written statement from the insurance company that they will cover it up to the
value placed on it. In this case they may require an inspection. Otherwise the
agents 20K value they base your premium on
may turn into the adjusters 1K pay out.
That said, I also have a 1990 23 footer with a standard insurance package. If
I total it, all I expect is a fight from the insurance co. My preference
has been to go with an Insurance company that specializes in Motor Homes such as Good
Sam or Camping World. Their
price was right and the package covered more motor home related items
such as interior contents. The packages change from time to time so check
it out before putting bucks on the line.
This is my personal opinion, you need to consult a lawyer for a definitive
opinion.
Keep on Cruisin' -- Tom Heald
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Subject:
Spring Checkup -- Before you hit the road.
Tip:
Spring is here and we
are all eager to get on
the road but before you
do, especially if your
RV was in storage, check the following
as a minimum:
- Engine: drive belts
- Radiator and transmission: hoses & clamps
- Brakes: front pads and rear shoes
- All fluids: radiator, brake, power steering, transmission
- Tires: most failures occur on motor
homes which have 50% or
more tread remaining. These failures
are a result of side wall
breakdown due to non-flexing or
improper inflation with respect to
the load. The common term of
weather checking is simply hardening
and drying out of the rubber
due to nonuse (flexing). The
key to long tire life is inflation,
loading, and use. Any measures
to reduce tire rubber from drying
out will extend tire life. Tire
manufacturers recommend any
good tire dressing made solely
for that purpose. Do not use
products such as Armorall.
George Kinnison
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Subject:
How to use the Message "Search" function to get Help!
Tip:
Lots of problems have been discussed in the Aero Cruiser Group
-- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aerocruiser/ -- over the years. To
search all of the old messages for a particular problem, go to the top of
the messages on the club home page, fill in a "keyword" and click on "Search" to
see if there are any answers to your question.
There are also a lot of good information on the Aero Cruiser Help Public help site. Go to --
http://autos.groups.yahoo.com/group/aerocruiserhelp/ -- and search the public archive also.
There is now a search function in the Club's Shared
Knowledge Base if you don't want to step through the indexes.
Keep on Cruisin', Tom Heald
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Subject: How to point to a PICTURE in your Message to the Group
Tip:
When you ask a question in the Club's
Aero Cruiser Group on Yahoo that refers to a picture the best way to get people
to look at it is to post a pointer to it in the message. For
example:
- Post your picture on the yahoo site or any picture
site.
- Display the picture on your browser.
- Copy the address line on your browser.
- Paste the pointer to the picture into your
message.
Here is a picture of my rig from our web page::
http://fl-ink.com/images/fall-rv-5x3.jpg
It's the same idea no mater where the picture is posted. If it is
posted in the Club's Aero Cruiser Group on Yahoo
the address will be a lot longer.
Keep on Cruisin', Tom Heald
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Subject:
Aero Cruiser Derivability, Wandering and Towing
Question:
Can you tell me how the Aero Cruiser drives? Are they hard to control at 60 - 70 mph? Do
they tend to wander around on the road at all? Is there any adverse changes when towing something?
Thanks again, and I'll try to let you know. Hoping to be cruising soon, Mark
Answer:
The biggest derivability / wander-around-the-road factor is the tire pressure. I keep the
Tire Pressure at: Front 60 lb., Rear 75 lb. Check with your tire manufacture. The proper tire
pressure depends on the tires you purchase and the weight on the Front and Rear axles.
Note: if
you over-inflate the front tires the unit may tend to wander on the highway and you may have a
tendency to over steer. If you under-inflate, you will get poor tire wear and you may blow a tire.
When my wife and I first started driving the Aero Cruiser it took a while to get use to it.
We
had a tendency to over correct but soon got use to it. No problem after the first hour or so.
I
don't drive it at 60-70 mph but my wife says it's no problem.
I tow a car from time to time without any problems. It will cost you about 1 mile per gallon in extra fuel burned.
Keep on Cruisin' -- Tom Heald
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Subject:
Hard to find RV Parts and Helpful Web Sites
Tip 1:
If you need hard to find RV parts,
the place to look may be “The RV Junky” in
Hemet, CA. George reports that he was able
to find a variety of stuff, some he didn’t even
know he needed until he saw it.
Tip 2: Don't forget the Internet.
There are lots of sites you can look at and order on line or order over the
phone.
The original manufacturer of our Control Cables
Deeper Transmission Oil Pan
Starter Motors
Best Converter for (PDI) Inteli-Power 4600 series
Walts RV Supplies
Arizona RV Salvage inc.
All-Right RV Custom Exterior Components Manufacturing
Fire extinguisher Info for RVer's
Road King MH shocks.
Here is a list of places all over the country - RV Salvage Sources
Do you have your favorite source? If so, send it in and I will post
it.
Keep on Cruisin', Tom Heald
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Subject:
Dealing with Dodge Dealers
Tip:
If you need parts or service
from Dodge dealers, don’t tell them “it’s a motor
home”. That’ll just confuse them. Tell them it’s a
D350, 1 ton Dodge truck. The year of engine
manufacture can be found on the metal tag
inside the engine compartment. LH designator
means it’s an industrial engine.
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Subject:
Blue Book Value
Tip:
The Aero Cruiser holds its
value better than most coaches. According to Rick, the
Blue Book listing is under Sun Rader and does not
include $17,000 or more worth of options.
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Subject:
Don't use Steering Wheel to enter Coach
Tip:
If you have the driver’s door on your coach and you
are in the habit of using your steering wheel to pull
yourself up into the coach, you may want to find a
different method of getting in. Wright was using his
steering wheel to pull himself in and in doing so
broke the steering wheel tilting mechanism. It took
$600 to repair but that was only half the problem.
The other half was finding someone to do the repair
since Chrysler dealer refused to do it until George
Kennison intervened on his behalf through
Chrysler’s industrial division.
#435 Benson
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Subject: Winterizing your Rig and Cold Camping
Question:
May be a dumb question, but how do I keep the gray water and black water tanks from freezing
when dry camping in below freezing weather. Also will the water heater freeze when
not lit? Mine will not stay lit while we are driving. I have thought about installing
a "Hot Stick" but have not yet done it, mainly because I'm not sure how to get 110v to it.
Walter
Answer 1: Living in a mild
climate, I
don't have a lot of experience with winter camping; however, I have been out
several times where my black and gray water lines froze so I could not
drain them. When I drove into warmer temperatures they thawed out and I was able
to drain them at my next stop. I have never camped for an extended period
in freezing temperatures.
Winterizing for storage in freezing areas
Just as there is a
drain valve for the fresh water tank, there are hot and
cold drain valves in the water system. In my 1990, 23 foot Rear Bath model they
are located under the drawer on the left below the bed. Open them up and use
compressed air through the
city water connector to
blow the water out. Then open the faucets over both sinks
to let the rest of the water drain out. If needed you can add a little "Red Pop" antifreeze to
the system as explained in Answer 3
below.
Note:
Winterizing your Hot Water Heater
The Water Heater is designed to fill from the bottom through a check-valve that
will not allow the hot water to drain out. The tank is also designed with an
air bubble at the top for expansion so it may survive a light freeze, but to be safe you want to
blow the water out with compressed air as explained above. If you
winterize your system with "Red Pop" antifreeze,
you want to make sure you run enough through the 5 gallon hot water heater to
protect it. One way to do this is to turn on the hot water faucet at the sink and
run the water into a small watering can. When the can is full, pour the
treated water back into the external water fill line.
If you don't Winterize your Water System
When at home between trips in an area that only has occasional freezes and you
want to keep fresh water in your tank, you can put a light bulb by the tank,
pump and water lines that could frieze up. Be sure not to
rest the light bulb on the carpet or place it near anything flammable. Use
a caged drop light with a low wattage bulb, 60 watts or less is usually ok but as an extra precaution, put
it on top of an inverted pie tin or something similar for added insulation.
You only need to plug in the lights when the temperature dips below freezing, or
you can hook the lights up to a thermostat to switch them on when needed.
If you are in an area the has hard freezes then refer to Answer 2
and 3 below.
Here are some dos and
don'ts that I use when camping for a night or two in freezing
temperatures but spend most of the trip in non-freezing conditions. See
Answer 2 for camping in snow country and winter conditioning for people who
live in snow country.
1) When you get to a campground in freezing temperatures, dump your tank when you get
there, close the valves when not in use (you don't want them to freeze open!)
and dump the tanks again after you use them in the evening before they freeze
up. The waste lines you use to dump the tanks will freeze and get stiff if you leave them out!
It is best to store then when not in use even though it is a pain.
Note: If your dump valves do freeze
open, don't hit the road until you thaw them out or they are bound to start
dripping or let lose when a cop car is right behind you. 
Imagine trying to explain to a pissed-on cop or a judge why you were dumping
your waste on the street.
In the cold winter it is always best to travel with a woman! Preferably
one who brought her hair-drier with her!
If you are dry camping for some time in below freezing weather, winterize your
water system as explained in Answer 2 and carry drinking water separately.
If you want to use your freshwater system you can look into using after market
heating blankets or heat tape keep the tanks and drain lines warm but they take
lots of power, so you need AC power or you need to run your generator. If you
have alternatives -- like at a ski lodge -- eat out and use their toilets etc,
so you don't need water. Only make light meals and sleep in the rig.
2) When running off the fresh water tank make sure you turn the pump off when
not using it, then turn a faucet on to relieve the pressure so if it does freeze
it won't split the pipe or pop a joint. Make sure you
turn the
faucet back off so it won't start running when you turn the pump back on.
3) Keep your hot water tank heater running when stopped. On the road it
should not be a problem if it is warm when you start.
4) For the inside water lines, open the cabinet doors by the sinks and any
places where the water pipes run next to an outside walls (especially at night).
This should keep water lines inside ok; however, the ones outside the cabin may
freeze. If you will be in below freezing temperatures for a day or two you can
look into after market heating blankets or heat tape keep the water tanks and
sections of fresh water tubing warm if you have power.
Keep on Cruisin', Tom Heald
Answer 2: Winterizing your Rig
in Cold Country
I have a different solution
for winter camping. First... My water system
is always winterized in below freezing temperatures. I have done the next
step two different ways. I put enough Red Pop (see below for
explanation) into
the fresh water tank to flush the toilet or I run a line from a bottle of Red
Pop to the to the water pump depending on the length of my trip. I can now use
the pump
to flush the toilet and keep a bottle of hand sanitizer close at hand. For drinking, some light cooking and dish washing, and emergency hand washing I
use water in bottles and plastic dish tubs in the sinks. When I need some worm
or hot water I heat it on the stove or sometimes in the microwave.
Works fine... Been doing it for years.
Enjoy...
Jerry
Answer 3: What is Red Pop?
It is a red colored, bio-safe antifreeze commonly found at Wal-Mart and most camping
stores. Regular antifreeze for your car is massively toxic. 0.4 ounces is
enough to be fatal.
This red stuff, while nasty tasting, is safe and will winterize your water system
and can be flushed out easily for summer use.
I usually run compressed air through the inlet on my city water connector to
blow water out, then flush the red stuff through the p traps and s traps, with a
bit in the tanks for safety. See the note on Winterizing
your Hot Water Heater.
Rick
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Subject:
HouseAtosis -- It really stinks!
Tip:
Does your RV accumulate offensive odors during
storage? One easy way to remove them is to place
scented fabric softener sheets used in cloths dryers
and place them throughout the coach. A couple of
sheets on the sofa and one or two sheets on other
fabric areas. Five to seven sheets should cover even
the 29er. Leave the coach closed for a couple of days
and the freshness will be there when you return.
#212 Petrovich
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