Main precautions for traveling in a motorhome without incident:

The objective of this post is to help with some advice on the main precautions to take into account in order to enjoy an incident-free trip. Whether with one of our Challenger motorhomes with automatic transmission or with any other, I hope it will be of help to you, especially to travelers with less experience in tourism on wheels.

On our YouTube channel www.youtube.com/@rimovan1154 we also have videos explaining the operation of our motorhomes, as well as some tips.

BEFORE YOU START TRAVELING

Before starting the trip, beyond checking the tire pressure (5.5 bar), oil, coolant, etc., we must check a series of things that, although they may seem obvious, it is easy to get confused and that we overlook.

First of all, we must check that we do not have anything on the table, the kitchen counter or any high surface since, once in operation, it could easily fall to the floor, causing damage to the surface.

As for the doors and storage drawers, they all have a fixing system so that they do not open during the trip and we must check that they are correctly placed if we do not want them to open in a curve, potentially breaking the hinges and even falling what there may be inside.

Another thing to check when it comes to the interior is that all the windows and skylights are closed and the blinds and mosquito nets are open. The reason is that when traveling at high speed with the blinds closed, they take in air and become deformed, especially those in the skylight, which suffer the most.

As for the exterior, it is advisable to check the surroundings before leaving. Trees, nearby vehicles that may have been placed later. Parking maneuvers are the main causes of impact on the bodywork. Although the exit is easier than the parking, be very careful with the rear overhang, since the vehicle is very long. We must keep in mind that when we maneuver to the right the rear part moves to the left.

Finally, it is important to be clear about what our next destination and the route will be so as not to have any surprises. We recommend the Park4night application, although there are many similar applications that are surely also useful. Pay close attention to the reviews and their comments as some places may be optimal for parking campers, but not motorhomes.

DURING THE TRIP

Once we are on the road, the main precautions that we must take have to do with the size of the motorhome. You have to keep the height in mind since a blow to the top can mean a very high cost and the total loss of the deposit. Our models have a height of 3.10 meters. Therefore, we can pass any signal that is 3.2 or above without problem. Always pay attention to the height sign when you go through a tunnel.

We must also be careful not to enter streets that are narrow and difficult to maneuver. To prevent this from happening to us, it is very helpful to look at the signs in the towns. When we see that they prohibit the entry of vehicles weighing 3,500 kg or less, we should not and cannot enter since, beyond the fact that we could be fined for driving, it is possible that a vehicle of this size will not be able to maneuver if we enter those streets.

We must also avoid rural roads since they are not suitable for motorhomes, especially those roads, whether rural or not, that have trees with branches that can hit and scratch the windows and body of the motorhome. In the event that without being able to avoid it we find that we can touch branches with the bodywork, it is always better to go slowly and even, if possible, have someone move the branches away while the driver passes through them.

As for the maneuver, we must always keep in mind that we must open wide when we have to turn since the rear part of the vehicle closes a lot and if we do not do so we will end up crashing into the side. Side blows are very common for this reason. It is very important to look at the awning above as it protrudes and must be taken into account.

As far as driving is concerned, sudden movements should be avoided if we do not want to hit everything that is being carried inside the motorhome, especially the refrigerator and the dishes. Therefore, avoid braking by maintaining a speed and distance that allows progressive braking. Also, of course, sharp turns should be avoided since a motorhome does not have the stability of a car and we also carry the motorhome on our backs. Finally, it is very common nowadays to find speed bumps on the road. Here it is important to enter little by little since the back of the motorhome is very long and if you pass at high speed it can go down and not give you time to get back on. climb, thus breaking the bumper.

PARKING LOT

As mentioned before, it is important to be clear about where to park before leaving. Even so, there can always be surprises when you arrive at the place, whether because the area is full of motorhomes or for any other reason. This point, the parking area, is the one with the main accident rate when driving motorhomes and, generally, it is due to not following the following advice:

As soon as we arrive at the parking area, first of all see where we are going to park, if there is not much free space and the place is narrow, my recommendation is that someone first take a look before entering the parking area. Once you have located the space, analyze your surroundings to make sure that there are no trees, signs, mounds of sand or any object that could hit the motorhome when parking. If the area is clean, we can park without problems with the help of the reversing camera if we have it, it is always advisable to park with the rear end, and then exit from the front.

Otherwise, that is, if there are objects that could hit the motorhome, we advise you to always and without exception have someone get out to look since when parking there are many blind spots that neither the reversing camera nor the mirrors can see. As we said, most of the hits come from the parking lot and in all of them no one came down to look to guide him in the parking lot. Hits on the top by trees and especially on the bumper by mounds of sand or any object that cannot be clearly seen in the motorhome can cause a repair to be made that results in losing the total amount of the deposit.

When parking, we must also think about others, that is, leave enough space for the vehicles on our sides to maneuver, since, if we do not do so, we may find that they are the ones who hit the motorhome and depend on the good faith of this to notify us and be able to take part.

Finally, if we use the awning, we always recommend picking it up if we are going to go out anywhere and not leaving it assembled as a storm or wind source may come and, if we are not in the place, we cannot pick it up and the awning may break. awning.

CONCLUSIONS.

By following these tips, it is unlikely that, for our part, we will have incidents that ruin our vacation. Still, human error is always there. But with this post what we are looking for is to minimize the probability of it happening so that you can enjoy a fully satisfactory motorhome adventure without setbacks.