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It doesn't matter whether you own a pop-up or a diesel
pusher, when you made the decision to purchase an RV it was a major
investment. Like any other major investment there are certain things we
must do to protect our investment so we can enjoy it. Your RV needs to
be maintained just like your house and automobiles need to be
maintained. There are three basic types of maintenance for your RV,
preventive maintenance, scheduled maintenance and emergency maintenance.
Check out our “RV Care and Maintennace” e-book
http://www.rveducation101.com/ebooks.htm?siteID=0
- Preventive Maintenance is maintenance you perform on your RV before a problem exists. These checks are designed to prevent
or identify potential problems that could lead to mechanical breakdown,
malfunction or failure of a component or system on your RV. Preventive
maintenance consists of cleaning, inspecting, lubricating, adjusting
and servicing your RV.
- Scheduled Maintenance
or routine maintenance is performed in intervals normally based on
time, mileage or hours. Scheduled maintenance is designed to keep your
RV in top operating condition and prevent untimely breakdowns and
repairs. It is absolutely essential that you read your owner's manual
and warranty information in regards to who is responsible for what when
it comes to scheduled maintenance. Scheduled maintenance that is
required by the manufacturer and not performed can void your warranty.
- Emergency Maintenance - Maintenance and / or repairs required when you least expect it due to component, system or mechanical failure.
The lack of preventive
maintenance and / or scheduled maintenance will eventually result in
emergency maintenance. If you don't check the air pressure in your
tires (preventive maintenance) the under-inflated tire over heats and
prematurely fails resulting in emergency maintenance.
Preventive maintenance is
really nothing more than common sense maintenance. If you're going to
take a thousand mile trip in your automobile common sense tells us at a
minimum to check all of the fluid levels, tires and lights. Too
often we assume that all of the fluid levels are fine, that there are
no leaks and when you look at the tires they look like they are
inflated properly. In many cases this is why we have an unexpected
break down, because we failed to do a little preventive maintenance.
Now consider an RV. It's
larger and heavier than your automobile and its not just the chassis
you need to be concerned about, it's your entire house sitting on top
of the chassis. The bottom line is an RV requires more preventive
maintenance than an automobile. The good news is the average RV owner
can perform the required preventive maintenance and prevent untimely
break downs and costly repairs (emergency maintenance).
Before you take your next
trip put some time aside to perform some preventive maintenance. It
could be the difference between a safe and enjoyable trip and a costly
disastrous one. How does the old saying go, an ounce of prevention is
worth a pound of cure! To help make the chore of checking out your RV a
little easier I am including a short checklist. Start your preventive
maintenance program with these checks and over time add some of your
own checks and without even realizing it you will be identifying and
preventing potential problems before they exist.
Vehicle Chassis Checklist:
Always check your
owner's manual for routine and scheduled maintenance intervals. Service
your vehicle as recommended by the manufacturer.
Check all fluid levels: engine oil, transmission, power steering, brakes and windshield washer fluid.
Check the air filter. A clean air filter helps your engine perform better and improves fuel economy.
Check for any leaks:
Look under the RV and or tow vehicle for any indications of leaks.
Locate the source of the leak and have it repaired. Transmission fluid
leaks contribute to vehicle fires.
Check radiator
coolant: Check the level, condition & concentration of anti-freeze.
Antifreeze not only protects the engine in cold temperatures, it helps
the engine run cooler in hot temperatures. NEVER CHECK WHEN HOT!!
Check radiator hoses & clamps: Look for worn, cracked, brittle or soft spots in the hoses. Replace as required.
Check heater hoses & clamps: Look for worn, cracked, or soft spots in the hoses.
Check all belts: Look
for signs of wear and for any cracks in the belt. Check the belts for
proper tension. It's a good idea to take spare belts with you on your
trip.
Check all lights.
Check wiper blades for wear and poor operation. It's too late once it starts raining.
Check the starting
battery state of charge, water level, cables and connections. If you're
not familiar with working around lead acid batteries have them checked
at a qualified service center.
Check the condition of
your tires: Look for uneven wear, tread depth and check for proper tire
inflation. Check the tire pressure when the tires are cold, before
traveling more than one mile.
Start the engine and
allow it to warm up. Check all gauges for proper operation. Monitor
your gauges while driving. If a guage is out of the normal range pull
over as soon as it is safe and call for assistance.
Check the dash air for
proper operation. Whether you're pulling a pop up a travel trailer or
driving a motor home try to avoid using the dash air when the engine is
under a strain, such as on an upgrade.
Check your emergency kit for a flashlight, extra batteries, jumper cables, first aid kit, basic hand tools, and warning devices.
In addition to this if
you have a pop up or travel trailer the wheel bearings and brakes (if
equipped) should be inspected at least once annually. Inspect any
canvas for dry rot and tears; inspect all hitch work and the coupler
for damage. Inspect the breakaway switch and pigtail for proper
operation.
Coach Checklist:
Test the roof air conditioner(s). Clean or replace A/C filters. Clean filters will help the A/C work more efficiently.
Test the refrigerator in A/C & LP gas mode. Install a thermostatically controlled refrigerator vent fan.
In hot weather strategically park your RV to take advantage of shade. This can
Make the refrigerator and roof A/C more efficient.
Install Maxx Air vent covers over roof vents to allow ventilation.
Check the auxiliary
battery(s) state of charge, water level, cables and connections. If
you're not familiar with lead acid batteries have them checked by an
authorized service center.
Check operation of the
generator under load. Check generator engine oil & all filters.
Service the generator as recommended by the manufacturer.
Check all appliances, electric and gas, for proper operation.
Thoroughly flush out the holding tanks every time you dump them.
Check all 12-volt interior lights and accessories
Check fire extinguishers, smoke alarm, carbon monoxide and LP gas leak detector.
Inspect the operation of the awning and check the awning fabric.
Check the campground electric for proper voltage and polarity before plugging the RV in.
Drain the water out of the water system when you're not using the RV.
Now that you performed
your preventive maintenance checks go and have a good time and enjoy
the fact that there is much less chance of encountering the need for
any emergency maintenance during your trip.
Happy Camping,
Mark
Copyright 2000 - 2008 by Mark J. Polk owner of RV Education 101. Reprinted with permission.
RV Expert Mark Polk, seen on TV, is the producer & host of
America's most highly regarded series of DVD's, videos, books, and
e-books.http://www.rveducation101.com/
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