13 essentials to play it safe in your RV, whether you’re in a drive or park.
A long time ago—in the increasingly ancient but still awesome 1980s— Michelin captured our attention with the tagline, “Because so much is riding on your tires.” We might be dating ourselves a bit (that’s happened before), but that line still comes to mind every time we start planning a big RV road trip. And it should because for an RV in particular, preparing to travel safely across the country goes far beyond tires. Sure, there are some things that we shouldn’t have to say here but we will. I mean, you have RV insurance, right? And no one would park without wheel chocks. (We hope.) As for your RV tires themselves, we’re sure you remember Mike Pescitelli’s awesome—and comprehensive—article’s last issue. (Keep that one for life.) So what else does that leave us? Tons, my friend. So let’s dive into some safety essentials that help give you an edge against Murphy’s Law as you travel with the people you treasure most.
Safety for the Road
Prep for when you hit the pavement.
The Hub Saver
F O R W H E N YO U ACT U A L LY
LOSE YOUR BEARINGS. Imagine a scenario where part of your wheel bearing disintegrates. This happens. And when it does your hub and wheel can fly off—as you’re driving. However, with Hub Saver installed, your hub and wheel assembly are kept on their axles (where they belong). And that buys you valuable time to find an exit and a repair shop.
TireMinder A1AS TPMS
TIRE PRESSURE MONITORING ON CRUISE CONTROL.
Anything that’s going on with your tires—yeah, you wanna know about that. Like immediately. On a screen. Not on the side of the road with your family after you’ve had a blowout Having a tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is nonnegotiable. The A1AS is top-of-the-line that not only monitors your PSI but also your tire temp.
Tekonsha P3 Trailer Brake Controller
SHOW WHO’S IN CONTROL BACK THERE.
To control your trailer is to control its brakes. And the P3 maximizes control of up to four axles with big, fat, simple buttons that are easy to find and use while driving. The screen is equally easy to read. Which gives you even more time to act.
B&W Companion Fifth Wheel Hitch
MADE IN THE U.S.A. AND HELD TO HIGHER STANDARDS.
There are recommended practices for manufacturers testing trailer hitches before they go to market. B&W blows those standards out of the water for a simple reason: They’re on the road too. Trailers should be safe. And B&W makes it so.
Equal-i-zer OnTarget Towing Tool
FASTER WEIGHT DISTRO CALCULATIONS.
Weight distribution isn’t the kind of thing you want to figure out as you’re swaying down the road. So you have two options: 1) Grab a pen and make a manual calculation, or 2) Use the
OnTarget towing tool and ditch the math. We like one option better than the other, and not just because it’s easier. Weight distro impacts your driving, and you need to get it right.
Safe-T-Plus Steering Control
KICK WHITE KNUCKLES TO THE CURB.
When you’re out on the highway, guess what? There’s gonna be wind. And semi trucks. And potholes. If you’re always swaying, get ready for a lot of white-knuckling with your fam along for the ride. So, smooth your cruise. Do a simple one-hour install and let the Safe-T-Plus steering control unit take all that pressure off.
Protection While in Park
For less worry and easier sleep.
Gas Stop
PROPANE’S PERFECT OFF SWITCH.
For lots of us camping out there, propane is our life blood—in the RV and out. Leaks can be dangerous, but Gas Stop enables you to instantly and automatically shut off the supply. You can even test for minor leaks, and a gauge gives you an idea of when your tank is getting low.
REESE Towpower Hitch Lock
N ICE TRY, RV VILLAIN. NOT THIS TRAILER.
While we admit that we might enjoy stirring a little RV envy, we all want to live in a world where no one would ever steal another person’s trailer. But sadly, we don’t live in that world. Having a solid trailer hitch lock at least removes the opportunity for theft when you make a stop.
Bauer NE Bluetooth
MORE SECURE. NEVER LOCKED OUT.
RV locks aren’t exactly Fort Knox. Even so, don’t even think about losing that key. The Bauer NE Bluetooth fixes both problems. Secure, encrypted, and easily paired with a mobile device, it even keeps track of its locking/unlocking history. Say goodbye to all fear of getting locked out.
Midland WR120 NOAA Weather Alert Radio
WARNINGS WHEN SECONDS MATTER MOST.
It’s easy to simply rely on those pocket computers we call cell phones to warn us about dangerous weather. But the problem is that our phones rely on cell towers—which dangerous weather can knock down. With Midland WR120, you get weather watches and warnings from the National Weather Service for your area—whether there’s cell service or not. And that can make all the difference.
Voyager Camera System
CAREFUL. YOUR RV HAS A BADONKADONK.
Backing up the RV can be a big joke … until it’s not. Being able to see where your RV’s massive rear end is going can have big consequences for life, limbs, and property. Voyager has several RV camera systems that can act as your virtual rear-view mirror.
Camco Power Grip Voltage Protector
PROTECT THE PEOPLE’S POWER.
We all love shore power, but the truth is that you can’t always trust it. Without a voltage protector, your entire electronic suite is living dangerously, just hoping one heavy jolt doesn’t wipe everything out. The Power Grip protects against faults for reverse polarity and automatically disconnects when dangerous conditions occur (and reconnects when normal conditions are restored).
Byrna BGR Max
A N D A L I T T L E P E P IN YOUR STEP
Kind of like OFF! spray for bigger pests.
