Posts by Matt Burt

Recent statistics show nearly two thirds of RVs exceed one or more of their load ratings and excess weight is one of the leading causes of RV accidents. This can affect your licensing, insurance and make RVers more likely to be stopped by police. Even a slight overload or unequal weight distribution can seriously restrict braking and steering, dramatically increase fuel consumption, and cause sudden blowouts or breakdowns. An overweight RV is also in danger of creating early failure in your rig’s tires, brakes, wheels, drive train and other components. In addition, late model RVs are getting heavier with all the new amenities including multiple slides and larger fluid tanks; fresh, grey and black water. Full tanks can easily add between 1,000-2,000 pounds (450-900 Kg)! Imagine all that fluid sloshing about as you go down the road.
One way to put your RV on a diet is to make sure that you carry minimal water in your tanks, only carry items that you need and always store heavy items lower in the storage and close to the axles.
Most commercial campgrounds have sewer hookups where you can dump your tanks before you leave for home, but that is not always the case if you camp at forest service sites, Provincial parks or just boon docking on crown lands or in wilderness. The challenge has always been finding the closest place to empty your tanks before you embark on the long road home.

Founder John Clarke and his partner KC Chavda have faced these issues numerous times as they crisscrossed Canada and US and decided to do something about it. They have been busy creating a free web site for RVers to locate the nearest RV dumping station. With over 11,000 sites and growing at 37% per year, making it the largest known database of dumping stations, chances are you bound to find one close by according to KC. Their overarching goal is to point you to a RV dump station within 10 miles of you location.

Every month over 10,000 visitors come to www.sanidumps.com to use our database of RV dump stations says John Clarke.

According to Chris Clarke, customer service, The entire site is designed to make it simple to use. Just select the Country, State or Province and scroll down to the nearest city/town and you will get a list of RV dump stations, driving directions, a map, GPS coordinates (when available) and other details like fees and dates open. You can then print your customized listing and take it with you.
The site depends on fellow RVers to provide updates and add new sites by simply filling out an online form or calling Chris and her team will do the rest. We add and or update several thousand sites every quarter according to Chris.

Remember a lighter RV not only keeps you legal and safe but it can also save you as much as 10-15% on your fuel bill and that is good for the environment as well as your wallet with todays fuel prices says KC.

If you’d like more information about this topic, or to schedule an interview with KC Chavda, please call Chris Clarke at 250-454-6585 or e-mail KC at kc@sanidumps.com

Zip Dee awnings have long been recognized by their classic silver hardware and bright red logo. While most other awnings look alike, you can spot a Zip Dee from across the RV Park. For over 40 years Zip Dee awnings have been made in Elk Grove Village, a suburb of Chicago. They have been hand crafted out of high quality steel and aluminum and have always had that trademark metal finish. Until now.

As the RV industry changes, so goes the awning industry. For the first time in their 40 plus year history, Awnings By Zip Dee is offering metal hardware in a variety of colors. The bright and satin finished metal hardware will still be available but the changing times have dictated that two choices are just not enough.

We are looking to get into new markets. Says the national sales manager Kent Silbert. There just is not a whole lot of room for awnings that are silver where we want to go. The paint-jobs on Class A motorhomes have become so extravagant that we needed to offer different colors to keep the design teams happy. For the most part the Class A market seems to lean toward the black awnings.

This summer Foretravel, Dynamax, and Featherlite all started offering Zip Dee awning packages with black hardware and they are not the only ones.

The high end luxury coach market that has long been championed by Awnings by Zip Dee is losing ground to the sheer volume of the Class C and towable markets. Ehrhardts Trailer Sales of Des Plaines, Il recently sold a Nomad trailer equipped with the first white Zip Dee patio awning.

The vehicles in these markets are mostly white so it makes sense that the awnings are white as well remarked VP Ron Mullins, when asked about the need for colored awnings. Whichever color the different RV markets favor down the road we will be well equipped to handle the change in demand.

For information: www.zipdeeinc.com
Or
jmullins@zipdeeinc.com
800-338-2378