what are the most common things that break?

pnichols, I just went over your list, you do realize that all of those items come in at about 250 lbs don't you? I don't have the spare capacity, I guess now I know why people on this forum are always recommending a 3500!

I do have a basic tool box including a multimeter. Today I asked my mobile repair man what is the percentage of repairs is utilities? His response was 80%. We got a new toilet today. Our RV is 17 years old. You are going to have failures with utilities as they all have the same ones. Most of these failures are just a replacement deal. Glad to have a great mobile man. Cheaper than the RV places too.

just to add a little levity

I have found the most common thing to break on a recreational vehicle
is

the bank!

:W

jb

pnichols wrote:

Gjac wrote:
Pnickels put together a very good list. In addition to his list I carry the plug kit for tires ....

Gary,

A tire plugging kit is an outstanding RV emergency equipment idea! I'd like to add one to my RV carry-along equipment.

Where can I get a good quality heavy-duty trucker's type tire plugging kit? I'll buy one as soon as I can find the right one ... I'm hesitant to just go out and spend money on one of the common sedan/SUV kits you find in the auto stores.

. To be honest with you I bought mine at Harbor freight on sale for two dollars it was the best two dollars I ever spent. I keep a kit in each car also, the glue will dry out after four years in a hot trunk so I just replace them every so often.

Dining chairs. Screws loosen. Chair becomes wobbly. Most are behind the wood plugs. So remove plugs, restore screw hole put back together using glue as well as the screws. Still over time this has to be done again. Have now resorted to drilling and inserting dowels. Really helps. We'll see how long the dowel fix holds up.

A wrench/socket combination to fit the water heater plug... and I have a spare plug too. That socket and ratchet handle stays in the compartment with my other water stuff... never goes in with other tools.. so is always handy. so I will never fight to get the plug out from behind the pipe that is really in the way of easy access.

Sometimes I wish I could tow the Snap On truck behind me but that won't happen.

Gjac wrote:
Pnickels put together a very good list. In addition to his list I carry the plug kit for tires ....

Gary,

A tire plugging kit is an outstanding RV emergency equipment idea! I'd like to add one to my RV carry-along equipment.

Where can I get a good quality heavy-duty trucker's type tire plugging kit? I'll buy one as soon as I can find the right one ... I'm hesitant to just go out and spend money on one of the common sedan/SUV kits you find in the auto stores.

dave54 wrote:
More importantly -- what breaks when you are out in the boondocks miles from the nearest hardware store?

I have repaired the bicycles, the grill, tinkered with the gennies, and loaned tools and gave parts to neighbors more often than repairing my RV out in the woods. It seems I am always fixing, tightening, or adjusting something on it while at home, so I don't have many problems out in the sticks.

This is the one that is hard to predict. In 80,000 miles I have been broken down about 4 times. In Alaska my Autopark failed and had to remove the reservoir and clean out filter and drive tow car 50 miles to nearest Chevy dealer to buy a pressure switch. Emergency brakes were left partially on in the tow car, had to change rear brakes and springs in a Walmart parking lot in the Yukon. Muffler bracket rusted and dropped muffler in Banff NP, made new bracket on side of the road from metal strips. Picked up a large screw in tire when crossing railroad tracks coming from Ontario back to US. Used a cheap HF plug kit to repair along with pump to fill tire to get on the road again. Repair lasted about 4 years before new tires. Burned relays and corroded cables prevented engine starts in Fla. but were quickly fixed along with a corroded battery disconnect switch. So far I have been lucky not to have to call road service to get me moving again. Pnickels put together a very good list. In addition to his list I carry the plug kit for tires and electrical connectors, and several HF multi meters. I made many other repairs for the refer,WH,HWH jacks etc but not along side of the road in an emergency situation.

More importantly -- what breaks when you are out in the boondocks miles from the nearest hardware store?

I have repaired the bicycles, the grill, tinkered with the gennies, and loaned tools and gave parts to neighbors more often than repairing my RV out in the woods. It seems I am always fixing, tightening, or adjusting something on it while at home, so I don't have many problems out in the sticks.