RV Maintenance Tips
RV Maintenance is a type of issues all of us attempt to delay till we completely have to do it. There are some issues that even after we lastly get round to doing, most of us are doing unsuitable. There is one merchandise on this article that I didn’t even know we needed to do! The ice forming on the within of certainly one of our partitions might have been averted, and I’m going to inform you how.
It’s no secret by now that it doesn’t matter what you spent in your RV, the craftsmanship might be higher. That being stated, they do twist and bounce so much taking place the highway, which may result in issues loosening or shifting.
That actual situation is what led to ice actually forming on the within of our camper one January morning, after which having to take away the wall paneling and insulation. All of it might have been averted with an 8 Dollar tube of silicone, if I had recognized it wanted to be completed.
Seal Your Windows And Doors
Check for leaks, usually. One factor you are able to do to keep away from a leak within the first place is to reseal your window frames and door. RV Windows are a sandwich fashion body the place the inside and outside squeeze the window opening and are held along with screws.
Over time the screws will loosen inflicting the body to not squeeze the partitions as tightly as they did earlier than. Putting a small bead of clear silicone across the high and facet of every exterior window body and round your door can forestall water from getting inside your partitions.
In our case when the window body screws had loosened a bit, water acquired into the highest of the window body. It then ran down the within of the wall, soaking the insulation and the within and outdoors wall. When the chilly January air got here in, all of that water turned to ice. The frozen inside wall attracted moisture from the air to construct extra ice all through the night time.
The following morning is after we noticed our new snow flake wall paper subsequent to the sofa. This led to a number of days of eradicating the inside wall panels. Then eradicating all the insulation. Using followers for days to dry the outside wall panel from the within, and treating the mould that had apparently began rising contained in the wall a while in the past.
Checking Your RV Tire Pressure
Probably essentially the most generally ignored common upkeep job that all of us ought to be doing. I’m responsible of it myself actually. We have all been in a rush to get the place we’re going for the day and simply hit the highway whereas saying “eh, they’re spherical. Let’s go“.
Since going full time one factor I’ve discovered the arduous means is that it’s significantly better to waste a minute now than a day later. How lengthy does it actually take to verify the tire stress? Not very lengthy in any respect. We have 6 tires on our RV and it takes me lower than 5 minutes to manually verify all of them.
If we put it in park, we verify them earlier than we put it again in drive. That’s our present process, and it hasn’t ever as soon as bitten us within the ass. I want to verify my tires with a tire stress gauge manually. For one purpose I get to stretch my legs somewhat bit longer on the relaxation cease.
The different purpose, is that I get a visible of each single tire each single time. I do know guys that swear by their Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) and gained’t journey with out one. I’m not knocking them both.
Do You Need A TPMS
You ought to get an add on TPMS just like the one pictured right here and all the time have the peace of thoughts understanding your tires are the fitting stress even whereas taking place the highway. They are available in actually helpful for those who run one thing over after your final guide verify and have a tire beginning to go down in stress. You can catch it earlier than it goes flat and blows out taking RV Body Panels with it.
What a TPMS can’t inform you is how a lot tread is left in your tire, if the tread is carrying evenly, or if there’s a chunk lacking out of the sidewall from that curb you scuffed going across the nook. Don’t neglect to verify the Inside sidewall too! Perhaps the easiest way to do is is with a TPMS and a guide inspection each time you cease.
Pro Tip: Check the stress in your Spare Tire Too!
Did you understand that RV Tires have an expiration date?
RV Tires have a date stamped on them when they’re manufactured. Even for those who solely drive your RV to the campground on the opposite facet of city twice a yr, they will should be changed sooner or later. There are many opinions on how lengthy they final, my opinion is about 5 years. The quantity of solar publicity your RV tires get yearly will have an effect on this quantity.
Grease Your RV Wheel Bearings
Many of todays new Fifth Wheels and Travel Trailers include a straightforward to grease wheel bearing system. Under the middle cap of your wheel is a zerc becoming you could pop a grease gun on and fill your bearings with recent grease.
Most of us, IF we ever do grease our bearings, do it unsuitable. If you simply pop the middle cap off and pump some grease in there, certain it’s higher than nothing, nevertheless it isn’t the fitting technique to do it.
(Read: How To Improve Your RV Shower)
The proper technique to clean up your wheel bearing grease it to jack up the axle till the tire can rotate. Then pop your grease gun onto the becoming. Next, whereas pumping the grease gun, frequently rotate your tire, pumping till NEW grease begins to return out.
Don’t simply cease when SOME grease comes out. Rotating the tire whereas greasing will keep away from and dry spots or air pockets within the the bearings, in addition to be sure that new grease pushes all the previous grease out. You might have as much as a whole tube of grease for every wheel, relying on how effectively its been completed earlier than you bought your RV.
I really like the Lucas Red N Tacky. We simply did 9,500 miles on our final loop by the great ole USA, and with every clean up of the grease, might really feel an instantaneous distinction within the rolling resistance of our trailer. You ought to be changing your grease each 3,000 or so miles to maintain the whole lot rolling easy.