Common RV Glossary Terms, Vocabulary, Acronyms & More

Posted: April 26th, 2021

Whether you are new to RVing, an avid and seasoned RVer, or somewhere in between, it is always a good idea to brush up on your RV terms and vocabulary. If you have found yourself at a campsite and hear lingo being used you don’t understand it can be a confusing experience. The world of RVing and RV (recreational vehicle) camping is vast. Below you will find a list of some of the most common terms, acronyms, and abbreviations used in the world of RVing. You’ll be up-to-date on RV terms and speaking the RV language in no time. 

Types of RVs

  • Airstream - Popular choice of RV, distinguished by its shiny aluminum-like appearance
  • Camper - Commonly used as another name for an RV. Some use this term for specific types of RVs, however it technically relates to any vehicle that can be camped in
  • Class A Motorhome - The largest type of motorhome with a commercial truck or bus chassis and average length ranging from 21-45 ft.
  • Class B Motorhome - Smallest of the three types, with a van chassis type and average length ranging from 17-24 ft.
  • Class C Motorhome - Medium sized motor home with a truck or cutaway van chassis and average length ranging from 20-35 ft.
  • Diesel Puller - A type of diesel RV where the engine is located in the front of the motorhome
  • Diesel Pusher - A type of diesel RV where the engine is located in the rear or back of the motorhome
  • Fifth Wheel - A large camping trailer that attaches to the back of a large towing vehicle like a truck
  • Fiver/5er - Slang term used for a fifth-wheel trailer
  • Motorhome - RV that is driven, as opposed to being towed
  • Pop-Up Camper - Travel trailer typically made from canvas that pops up and expands
  • Truck Camper - RV that attaches to and/or sites over the bed of a truck
  • Vintage Camper - Any type of RV (trailer, motorhome, etc.) that is twenty-five years or older

Types of RVers

  • Newbie - An individual who is brand new to RVing
  • Part-Timer - An individual who travels for a few months out of the year, while still maintaining a brick and mortar home and living in it for a portion of the year
  • Full-Timer - An individual who lives in their RV year-round, whether it be traveling or stationary
  • Snowbird - An individual who usually lives in their brick and mortar home during the summer months, and travels to a warmer locations in their RV during the winter months.

RV Components

  • Basement - Also referred to as bays or under-storage, this is the storage area below the main living area of the RV. It stores all tanks, supplies, gear, etc.
  • Batwing - Usually located on the roof, this is a TV antenna that resembles a pair of wings.
  • Black Water - Wastewater from the toilet
  • Black Water Tank - Tank where the waste from the toilet is held.
  • Cabin/Cockpit - The area in the front of the motorhome where the driver sits, this area typically includes a passenger chair as well
  • Chassis - Essentially, the chassis is the framework on which the RV was built. Commonly refers to engine, transmissions and other engine/mechanical parts
  • Fresh Water Tank - A tank that stores fresh water
  • Gray Water - Wastewater from the sink and shower
  • Gray Water Tank - A tank where wastewater from the sinks and shower is held, typically soapy water
  • Holding Tanks - Tanks that store fresh water, black water, and gray water
  • Leveling Jacks - A stabilizing mechanism that extends out from underneath the RV, its purpose is to keep the RV leveled while parked
  • LP - Technically LP stands for liquid petroleum but is known by the majority of RVers as propane, which powers the stove, oven, heaters etc.
  • Slideout - A component built into the RV which allows for a section of the RV to ‘slide out’ and extend the living space of the RV. Depending on the RV there may be 1 slideout or as many as 5!
  • Undercarriage - Everything underneath the RC including holding tanks, pipes, mechanical parts, and more.

RV Supplies

  • Dinghy/Toad - The vehicle that is towed behind the motorhome on four-wheels - also known as flat towing
  • Dually - A pick-up truck with 6 tires total, 4 in the rear which can pull large motorhomes like fifth wheels (fivers) or large travel trailers
  • HoneyWagon - a trailer or a truck that can pump the waste out of the black and grey holding tanks, these are usually located at campsites with a sewer hookup
  • Pull-Through Site - A campsite that allows you to pull in without having to disconnect the toad.
  • Rig - Another slang term for RV, may refer to travel trailer, motorhome, fifth wheel, camper, etc.
  • Tow Dolly - A platform used to tow a vehicle that cannot be flat towed
  • Wheel Chocks - Blocks that are used to keep the wheels of the RV in place and to prevent it from rolling when it is parked

Styles/Types of Camping

  • Boondocking - The definition of this term is somewhat up for debate: to some, it means camping without and hookups (electric, sewer, water, etc.) to others it mean camping away from civilization in the wilderness
  • Dry Camping - Camping without hookups (water, electric, sewer)
  • Full Hookups (FHU) - Camping at an RV park and campground that have hookups for electric, water, and sewer - disposal of gray and black holding tank waste
  • Partial Hookups - A campsite that has some hookups but not all, typically electric only or sometimes electric and water
  • Moochdocking - Camping in a family member or friends driveway or property, with hookups being available or not
  • Primitive Camping - Camping without hookups
  • Wallydocking - Dry camping in a Walmart parking lot
  • Workamping - A type of camping that involves an exchange, typically the RV receives a place to park their RV for doing some type of task at the campsite, additional pay may or may not be included

Other/Miscellaneous Terms

  • Brick & Mortar - A stationery business that has one specific physical location
  • Coach - A common slang term for a Class A motorhome
  • Coupler - The part of the trailer that hooks onto the hitch ball
  • Dump Station/Sani-Dump - A place, the only place, you are legally allowed to dump your gray and black holding tanks
  • Hitch - Fastening unit that attaches an RV to the vehicle that is pulling it.
  • Shore Power - Electricity received from electrical hook-ups only
  • Triple Tow - A term for towing 2 different vessels at the same time. For example, a motorhome towing a trailer and a toad or a fifth-wheel towing a trailer and a boat. This can be rather dangerous though, and it is actually illegal in some states like New York, other states have variations and length limitations, so check with state laws before attempting to triple tow.
  • Wheelbase - Distance between the wheels on a motorhome/RV - in other words, it is the width of the RV

RV Acronyms

  • FHU - Full Hook-Up Campsite or RV park
  • BLM - Bureau of Land Management
  • NPS - National Park Service
  • GAWR - Gross Axle Weight Rating
  • GVWR - Gross Axle Vehicle Weight Rating
  • GVW - Gross Vehicle Weight
  • UVW - Unloaded Vehicle Weight
  • CCC - Cargo Carrying Capacity

We wish you the best of luck in your camping and RVing endeavors, you can use this RV term glossary as a reference and you will have the lingo down in no time!

 

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