There are sure must-have RV instruments that each one RVers want. Unlike emergency necessities you need to preserve in your RV, these instruments aid you camp smarter.
Some of those RV instruments will assist in an emergency, however most are designed for routine upkeep. Don’t imagine us? – Take the recommendation of skilled campers.
Before diving into this RV instrument guidelines, obtain our buyer reference handbook to trace your RV’s seasonal and annual upkeep wants. Keeping up with RV upkeep helps you take pleasure in secure adventures whereas maximizing your RV’s resale worth in the event you ultimately determine to improve.
Use the Good Sam Valuator to test your RV’s market worth in seconds.
Must-Have RV Tools for Safe Travels
Without additional adieu, right here’s your guidelines of must-have RV instruments.
Tire Gauge
Maintaining the right strain in your motorhome or trailer tires is crucial to secure travels. Most RV tires have a 5-6 yr lifespan, however that may lower considerably in the event you don’t preserve your tires appropriately.
Keeping a tire gauge in your RV makes it straightforward to test tire strain earlier than and after every journey. Tire strain must also be checked earlier than winterizing your RV and through the dewinterizing course of within the spring.
Explore these assets to be taught extra about correct RV tire care:
Check out this TireMinder High Precision RV Tire Pressure Gauge.
Portable Air Compressor or Tire Inflator
A tire gauge means that you can test tire strain, however what if it’s essential to add air? You can cease and pay for air at a fuel station. Or you’ll be able to preserve a tire inflator onboard and have free air at any time when wanted.
A transportable air compressor or tire inflator is crucial in the event you’re all in favour of boondocking. The probabilities for tire points enhance when navigating unmaintained grime roads. As you discover additional off the overwhelmed path, your want for this RV instrument will increase. Learn extra about moveable air compressors to your RV.
Portable Fuel Tank
Honestly, you will get away with out this RV instrument in the event you’re solely planning RV staycation journeys and touring a brief distance. But a transportable gasoline tank is crucial for lengthy highway journeys, particularly in the event you plan on boondocking.
An additional 2-5 gallons of gasoline will aid you keep away from working out earlier than reaching the following fuel station. Plus, it’ll provide you with peace of thoughts understanding you might have a backup gasoline provide when your tank’s Empty mild comes on.
Tie-down Straps & Bungee Cords
If you’re new to RVing, we hope you don’t must be taught this lesson the onerous means: whenever you’re driving an RV, something unsecured inside will shift, bounce, fall, and presumably be irreparably broken.
That’s why tie-down straps and bungee cords are so important. They discover probably the most use securing objects on cargo carriers or tying down energy sports activities gear in a toy hauler, however there’s no predicting what number of makes use of you’ll discover in the event you preserve them stocked. But you may be positive you’ll end up wanting in the event you don’t.
Here are just a few helpful articles on loading your RV:
Check out Camping World’s collection of tie-down straps and bungee cords.
Windshield Wipers
Some RVers keep away from driving in inclement climate, however sustaining visibility when it’s precipitating is important in the event you’re pushing to succeed in your vacation spot. Windshield wipers are a sensible merchandise to inventory in your RV toolkit so you’ll be able to shortly substitute them as wanted.
Of course, windshield wipers can be particular to your motorhome or tow automobile, so seek the advice of your proprietor’s handbook for wiper alternative suggestions.
Find alternative windshield wipers to your motorhome.
Jump Starter
Jumper cables are one thing that each one motorists ought to stick with it the highway, however you’ll be able to take issues a step additional with a leap starter. Successful RVing requires embracing self-sufficiency, and the power to jump-start lifeless RV batteries with no second automobile can prevent whenever you over-discharge your battery on an off-grid tenting journey.
Technician Tip: You should choose a leap starter of enough measurement and high quality to crank your engine, ideally with a LiFePO4 (lithium iron phosphate) battery.
Explore our collection of leap starters for RV batteries.
Replacement Light Bulbs
Nobody likes when the lights exit on a tenting journey. That refers to headlights, taillights, brake lights, working lights, inside lights, and patio lights. All mix to make sure a secure, illuminating RV expertise.
Take word of the bulb sorts to your RV’s lighting fixtures and inventory replacements. If you occur to have moveable lights – flashlights, lanterns, or headlamps – that require batteries, inventory these too.
Stock alternative mild bulbs to your motorhome or journey trailer.
Multimeter
A digital multimeter (DMM) helps you take a look at AC and DC voltage, continuity, and different vital metrics of your RV’s electrical system. Having a multimeter, and understanding tips on how to use it, can prevent money and time by correctly figuring out and remedying electrical points. To maximize its usefulness, a top quality DMM have to be a real RMS (root imply sq.) with an AC/DC clamp.
Disclaimer: You ought to perceive how RV electrical methods work, know tips on how to function a multimeter, and know the right security precautions to take when troubleshooting your RV’s electrical system. Here are just a few useful assets, however your producer or proprietor’s handbook must also be consulted:
Check out this Southwire RV Tool Kit, which features a multimeter.
Hand Tools
Hand instruments are additionally important for RV upkeep and secure travels. From tightening screws on cupboard handles to eradicating lug nuts on a tire, numerous upkeep and restore duties can be a lot simpler with the right hand instruments.
Here’s a fast guidelines of some hand instruments to maintain in your RV:
- #2 sq. bit (aka, a Robertson bit)
- Bottle jack rated for the RV that’s being lifted and jack stands (by no means use a jack with no jack stand)
- Battery terminal cleaner
- Bubble stage
- Breaker bar
- Caulking gun
- Channel locks
- Cordless drill
- Cordless influence driver
- Drill bit set
- Hammer and/or mallet
- Multi-bit screwdriver
- Multi-tool
- Oil filter wrench and oil drain pan
- Pipe wrench
- Plier Set
- Polarity/GFCI tester
- Pry bar
- Putty knife
- Socket and ratchet set
- Tape measure
- Thermometer
- Torque Wrench
- Tread depth gauge
- Utility knife
- Vise grips
- Wire brush
- Wire cutters
- Wire crimpers
- Wire strippers
- Wrenches (Adjustable, Allen, Lug, Metric, and Standard)
Discover hand instruments you’ll be able to add to your RV toolkit.
Other RV Maintenance Supplies
Prepared RVers additionally inventory different provides that may’t fairly be thought of instruments. Still, these RV upkeep provides are good to maintain in case you want them as a substitute of getting to trace them down when the necessity arises. Here are some examples:
- 3m cleaner or denatured alcohol
- Dry silicone lube
- Duct tape
- Electrical tape
- Foaming window cleaner (ammonia-free)
- Fuses
- Filters (air, oil, and gasoline – as required)
- Lap sealant (as advisable by the producer to your RV’s roof kind)
- Lighter
- Lubricants for rubbing surfaces, corresponding to slideouts
- Replacement fluids (engine oil, coolant, energy steering fluid, brake fluid, windshield washer answer, DEF fluid – if required)
- Safety glasses
- Shop towels/rags
- Silicone sealant
- Slide seal conditioner
- Super glue
- Thread seal tape (one rated for LP fuel and one rated for potable water)
- WD-40
- Wire connectors
- Work gloves
- Zip ties
Where to Keep RV Tools and Supplies
Things will get fairly messy in the event you don’t have a devoted place to your must-have RV instruments and upkeep provides. You’ll want the precise instrument field to maintain all the pieces organized and simply accessible.
Explore Camping World’s instrument field stock for RV instrument storage.
Depending in your abilities and expertise, there are different specialty instruments you’ll be able to put money into to deal with DIY RV upkeep. However, even the precise instrument may be ineffective in the event you’re not sure tips on how to work safely in your RV.
And keep in mind that any modifications you make could void any present warranties in your unit. So it’s finest to grasp your guarantee coverage and contact a Camping World Service Center in the event you’re not 100% sure of the service job you’re about to carry out.
What different RV instruments do you retain in your motorhome or journey trailer? Share within the feedback under.
Tucker Ballister is our Technical Content Writer. He’s a lover of the open highway and the proud proprietor of a 2021 Sunlite Classic journey trailer (his third RV thus far). Check out extra of his RV adventures, gear evaluations, and out of doors recommendation at thebackpackguide.com.