January 22nd, 2010 | 
Author: Over the years, PPL has sold several step stools to the RV’er. During that time our customers have always asked questions pertaining to differences in step stools or folding step stools. While I was at a convention in San Antonio I spoke with Paul Huffman with Safety Step. Paul provided me an article on what to look for when buying a R.V. step stool. The article seemed to address the common questions our customers had about stools and I thought I would share the article. The following is the article and a link to the Safety Step stools on our web site:
Folding Step by Safety Step
Safety Features To Look For When Buying a R.V. Step Stool:
One of the biggest potential mishaps that exist which can bring a vacation in your R.V. to an untimely and unpleasant end is either falling or slipping when making that step into or out of your R.V. or having a homemade or plastic step stool slip out from under you or even break when you step on it. How many times have you experienced, witnessed or heard of this occurring to another camper? Perhaps your own camping experience has been less pleasurable because the lot you parked on requires you to make a running leap to reach the first step. Not exactly the safest way to get your daily exercise.
All of these situations can be avoided by making sure you have a safe, durable and well engineered step stool as standard equipment in your R.V. There are many step stools available on the market today, the challenge is to select one that meets your need and is designed with 4 key safety features.
Feature 1: Anti-Tip Design
A quick visual check can help you determine if the step stool has an anti-tip design. The legs should angle out at a sufficient angle to prevent tipping if you step on any edge. Be sure the Step cannot tip in any of the 4 directions. Physically step on the step stools corners and edges to be sure it will not tip over and stays firmly in place.
Feature 2: Deck Area Size
Be sure the deck is roomy enough to step and move on but not so large that it becomes a storage issue. Too small a deck size can be a safety hazard when exiting your RV. Sizes of platforms do vary, but a 14” x 19” platform gives most enough room without being too bulky.
Feature 3: Non-Skid / Non-Slip
A properly designed deck will have non-skid strips to prevent slipping when the step stool gets wet. Your Step is exposed to the elements and will also collect dirt and debris. Without some type of slip resistant material the chances of slipping are greatly increased. Another plus of this feature is abrasive strips will remove mud and dirt from your shoes keeping it outside and not in your R.V.
In order to prevent your step stool from slipping from underneath you it needs to have rubber feet or tips for traction. Step stools without some type of non-slip material on the feet are likely to slip on any surface, but especially on asphalt. Also, make sure the non-skid feet have a snug fit so there is no danger of them falling off or getting stuck in mud. The material should be compounded for wear resistance. Be cautious of purchasing Steps with metal or plastic feet.
Steps with folding legs should have a locking leg feature. Without this safety feature the legs of the step could potentially collapse when in use.
Feature 4: Durability
A good indication of durability is the weight rating of the product. Steps constructed from plastic can fracture especially in colder weather conditions. Steel is strong but can rust rapidly in wet conditions. Full aluminum construction will give you the best combination of strength, corrosion resistance and product weight. For metal Steps, welds should be fully structural and not spot welds. Ask your dealer if the Step manufacturer performs testing on the product.
Posted in 
The US Park Service has a very neat website that can help you find a perfect national park for your next RV adventure. This Find a National Park tool should be added to your favorites if you plan on doing a lot of RV Traveling. A neat feature is that you can click on any state on the map provided and you will access information on the national parks inthe state. A complete description of the park is included for each park.
I think that it is one of the best National Park Directory services that I have seen. Traveling by RV to the National Parks has always been one of my favorite trips. Rocky Mountain National Park is Colorado is outstanding and I could visit this park over and over.
The RV Show is the only recreational vehicle show in Houston. Therefore, this will be your only opportunity to see over 600 new recreational vehicles in the climate controlled comfort of one of the nations top entertainment venues, the multimillion dollar Reliant Center, located at Loop 610 & Kirby Drive. PPL Motor Homes will participate in the show providing information about our very sucessful RV Consignments. The show dates are February 10th – 14th, 2010.
The show is sponsored by the Houston Chapter of the Recreational Vehicle Dealers of Texas (R.V.D.O.T.). This will be the 46 th Annual Houston RV Show.
The Houston RV Show provides a worthwhile activity for the whole family. Come out and learn about the RV Lifestyle.
As RVers, we are always interested in seeing that the National Parks are imporved and kept in great shape.
The $787 billion stimulus law, signed by Pres. Barack Obama in February, assigned $750 million to the National Park Services for renovations and repairs.
Acting National Park Service Director Dan Wenk said the agency will fix trails and roads, improve visitor centers and complete overdue maintenance on buildings and roads.
‘‘We will be as careful stewards of the American people’s money as we are of their parks,’’ Wenk said.
Since many parks were created and improved by the WPA and CCC during the Great Depression, the improvements paid by stimulus funds are welcomed. National Parks have always been the highlight of my own travels in an RV. If you too want to look at RVs to travel to the many very beautiful parks, check out the used RVs for Sale at PPL Motor Homes.
How many times have you driven right past the State visitor centers and, if you did stop, quickly used the facilities then hit the road again? I recently stopped in Orange, Texas at the Texas visitor center and left there with so much important information on parks, events and sights right here in my home state. It was early January and their shelves were loaded with important campground guides, travel directories and more. Next time you pass one of these centers, even if it’s in your home state, make a point to stop. You will be pleasantly surprised.
It’s tax time and we are all thinking of ways to save money on our taxes. If you own an RV and you are still paying for it, don’t forget that the interest on your loan may be tax deductible. If your RV serves as a second home, and for most of us it is our home away from home, it can be utilized as an itemized deduction, but only if contains a toilet, cooking facilities, and sleeping accommodations. There are also other deductions you may want to consider before you file your taxes. Talk to your accountant about deducting your sales tax and even possibly writing off a portion of your RV if you operate a business on the road. It’s certainly worth looking into!
The Golden Age Passport is for US citizens or permanent residents of the United States who are age 62 or older.
Golden Age Passport
The real bargain of the Golden Age Passport is that it is a lifetime entrance pass to national parks, monuments, historic sites, recreation areas, and national wildlife refuges that charge an entrance fee. The Golden Age Passport admits the pass signee and any accompanying passengers in a private vehicle (that includes Motor Homes and RVs) if a park has a per vehicle entrance fee. Where a per person entrance fee is charged, the Golden Age Passport admits the pass signee, spouse, and children.
The Golden Age Passport also provides a 50% discount on federal use fees charged for facilities and services such as camping, swimming, parking, boat launching, and tours. In some cases where use fees are charged, only the pass signee will be given the 50% price reduction. The Passport is nontransferable and does NOT cover or reduce special recreation permit fees or fees charged by concessioners. A Golden Age Passport must be obtained in person at a federal area where an entrance fee is charged. There is a one-time $10 processing charge to obtain the Golden Age Passport. It is available only to citizens or permanent residents of the United States who are 62 years of age or older. You must show proof of age, such as a state driver’s license, birth certificate, or similar document.
I urge everyone to obtain this real bargain before Congress or the President changes the rules or eliminates this bargain. Even if you are not an RVer, this lifetime pass is well worth the small charge. For example, on a recent trip to Colorado, we saved $22. We wanted to drive accross Rocky Mountain Park Trail Ridge Road in a rental car and the normal charge would have been $22. However, with the Golden Age Passport, it was free. For additonal information go to the US Parks website. After you have a Golden Age Pass, you can buy an RV at PPL Motor Homes to get maximum use out of your Golden Age Passport. Enjoy.
PPL is pleased to announce a new video all about PPL’s unique RV Consignment Dealership. The video is an interesting look at why PPL has been the RV Consignment Leader since 1972. The reasons why the PPL Consignment program has been selling 100 to 150 RVs a month all year round are included. Many of the little known aspects of selling an RV are explained. The special considerations when selling an RV with a lien are covered. The video even explains how PPL can assist you with trading your RV for a different one. Anyone that is even thinking about selling or trading their RV should view this RV Consignment Selling – Trading Video.
Whether you are selling or buying a used RV, you will want to know its fair market value. You will need to find data on the sales prices of comparable RVs. You can start your research looking for 3 types of data:
- Used RV sales data
- The NADA Guide
- Asking prices of comparable RVs for sale
The RV Selling Data on actual sales at the PPL RV Consignment dealership is a good source. Two years of data from sales at the PPL RV Consignment dealership can be accessed.
The NADA Guide is also a source of RV pricing data. However, RV book values are not as reliable as automobile NADA guides. Book values for autos are established by analyzing a vast amount of actual used care sales data. Book values for used RVs are mostly determined by taking a percentage of the original MSRP.
There are many websites that advertise RVs for sale. Doing a Google search on you specific vehicle should help you locate similar ones for sale. The asking prices will provide information on the maximum price your RV is worth. However, the fair market value may be lower since the asking prices may not always be realistic. Of course the condition of your RV is also an important factor in determining the fair market value of your RV.
Please visit RV Pricing on PPL’s website for additional information and suggestions concerning RV appraisals and selling your RV.
Toilets are not the most glamorous thing to talk about in our RV, but I think we have a solution to a water leak problem in our toilet. The toilet bowl simply would not hold water for more than a few minutes so I did some research. After being told everything from replace gaskets to replace toilet, I found a handy inexpensive solution. Put on your rubber gloves and grab an old toothbrush and start scrubbing. I used Thetford’s Aqua Clean and cleaned the gasket around the ball shape closure. Now it closes tight and no more water leak. I was told by a fellow camper that this can be caused by a hard water build up or even tissue that dries on the gasket. No matter what caused it, this product and a little elbow grease solved the drip.