May 29, 2010 by Rick and Tinka.

Most of the plastic covers that are on the roof of RV’s are manufactured with designed obsolescence in mind.  The vents that crank open for ventilation, the range hood vent door, and many light lenses are made of material that has a low tolerance for  exposure to the sun.  They simply deteriorate, becoming very brittle and cracking.  We have had to replace all of the roof vents on our Montana and have also added Maxi-Vent covers to help protect them in the future.

No different are the mushroom vent covers that allow for pressure equalization and ventilation of the “attic” area between the roof and the indoor ceiling. (Click on Photo for Close-Up)

At least this vent offers a simple solution.  New vents are available at various RV stores for somewhere between $9.00 and $18.00, depending on the dealer’s particular gouge factor.

Simply unscrew the cap from the old assembly in a counterclockwise motion and replace it with the cap from the new one.  If the portion under the cap is damaged, simply replace the entire vent by removing the four nuts and installing the new one.  Don’t forget to use some plumber’s tape to protect from leaks.

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April 19, 2010 by Rick and Tinka.

Now that you’re finished struggling with your 2009 taxes.  Obama promises to make it easier on everyone next year.  Here is a preliminary release of next year’s new form 1040.

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April 5, 2010 by Rick and Tinka.

Time comes in the life of people and appliances where they reach a point of reduced function.

The 27-inch TV that has graced the living room of our 5th wheel finally developed a group of horizontal lines that threatened to do nothing but get worse.  I guess that you can’t blame it after bouncing down thousands of miles of the worst roads in the US and Mexico. (Picture is from better days.)

The decision was made to find a suitable replacement.  FYI, that old TV weighs a ton.  I needed help to move it out.

The problem with the new televisions is that they don’t quite fit the same space and are so much lighter.  I elected to try to hang the TV on a swing bracket that would allow the entire TV to sit on the outside of the box and then let it swing in to the box to secure it for travel.

Unlike your standard house, the walls aren’t nearly as solidly constructed.  Mainly to reduce weight.  Therefore, it was necessary to beef up the wall.  To the side wall, I decided to attach a 3/4 inch sheet of “clear board”, which is a solid wood panel.

Note the black box in the upper left hand corner.  That is the rectangular HDTV antenna for receiving local channels.  It is attached to the wall with Velcro. Routed through our Direct TV  receiver, it provides excellent reception.

I coated the back side with nearly a full tube of liquid nails and then held it in place with about 30 nails from a pneumatic nail gun.  There is only one accessible stud behind the wall.  The three black washers and 2-inch self tapping screws secured the board solidly to the stud and wall. I then drilled four holes and secured the outer edges of the board to the wall with toggle bolts.

For a little extra support, I used angle brackets at the bottom and flat brackets at the top.

Next I attached a 2 X 4 to the wall and board with more toggle bolts.

The bracket was mounted to the 2 X 4 and will allow the TV free movement outside of the box for viewing and against the supported wall for travel.

Here’s the new TV being mounted to the bracket.

The finished product worked like a champ.

The TV is a Vizio 32-inch 1080p Full HD, with Dolby digital and Surround Sound.

We have not switched our Direct TV box to the HDTV version yet, therefore, the best result for TV reception and sound quality, surprisingly, comes from our new off-air antenna.

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February 5, 2010 by Rick and Tinka.

As we grow older, it is good to know that we are still on the same page.

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December 26, 2009 by Rick and Tinka.

The Santas up North don’t know how to behave!!!!

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