Maintenance Needed?

thegrindstaffs wrote:
We have a 2010 268RL that was purchased about 6 months ago. We've finally fixed a most of the little things that were broken, added a 2nd 12v battery, led lights, one MaxxAir vent, and cleaned it up. Now that I feel like I have made some headway on the camper I wanted to address the maintenance side of things. Everything works just fine as far as I know. We've used it a handful of times since we got it, but I have nothing to compare it to since it's our first TT. I read about bearings and axles and flipping tires, etc. but honestly I have no idea what that means and if it's necessary for someone like me who will camp for 20 nights a year and take one 1,000 mile trip a year. What do you guys recommend that I put on my list to do? I am willing and able to do the work. Thank you guys and gals for all your help. The info on this site has been a huge help.

1. check the age of the tires-- first 2 numbers represent the week and the last 2 numbers represent the year the tire was mfg. I buy new tires every 41/2 to max of 5yrs. regardless of how many miles I put on them or how they look. Tires are rated for load capacity-- C D E G, the higher the letter the greater capacity the tires will support. I use the highest rated LT (light truck) tire that will fit on my 5th. wheel.
2. I take my trailer to my local Tire shop "Les Schwab" to have the bearings packed and inspected for wear. If a bearing needs replacing, or brakes need replacing, they have the parts right there. Inflate the tires to the max PSI as indicated on the side of the tire.
3. Check the age of your batteries, the age of the batteries can be found by looking for the punched out numbers or numbers embossed on the tip. Make sure the post are clean, free of any corrosionm filled with distilled h20. Any battery 5 yrs. or older, I replace them.
4. replace the air filter and fuel filter as indicated by the mfg. on a regular basis.
5. Have all your fan belts checked for any wear or cracks.
6. Have your radiator checked to see if your anti freeze needs replacing.
7. Buy a Emergency Road Side Service policy. I don't recommend AAA because their services vary depending on where you are located. i.e county to county , state to state etc.
8. Hit the RV road and enjoy!

If you have a mobile RV repair service within a reasonable distance of you, find out what they would charge to repack your bearings. My local guy is only 3 miles away. I used to do my bearings on a single axle trailer we had, but I didn't like doing them. Now that we have two axles, I really don't want to do them.

My local guy charges $55/wheel. That's $220 total. I can get them done cheaper, but I have to take the trailer to them. This guy does it right in my back yard. I just get them done every other year, though, since we don't travel great distances. When I had the bearings done the first time, he climbed up on the roof afterwards and showed me how to check for areas that needed caulking, and how he does that. He went over the whole roof with me with his tube of Dicor and touched up any suspicious areas. No extra charge for that, even though that service is normally extra.

If you can learn to do most things yourself, you can save a lot of money in maintenance. I choose to spend money on the bearings, but do everything else myself.

Check the spring shackles for wear. By this time they will be worn and may need replacement. If they fail going down the road the spring will collapse and the tire may contact the bottom of the trailer.This failure can be catastrophic.
If you get Trailer Life magazine there is a couple of pictures in this months mag of to look for.

If everything is working OK, and there are no leaks, just have your bearings repacked and check your tires like mentioned above, they're probably due. Those 2 things can stop you in your tracks. You don't need to flip your axles BTW.

Sounds like to me that your going to serious about maint...

If you haven't done so already get the owners manual for every component you have. Also get manufactures owners manual if possible, just for giggles. Many say in so many words to "follow manufactures directions" The maint requirements should be listed and also gives an "exploded" view that helps with fixing things. Print out and make your own file for what you have and carry in your RV. Crawl underneath and find axle model and find out if you have ez-lube or never-lube or whatever to learn how to service them.

After you get on top of your maint... for me twice a year (spring and fall) I can do about everything in 3 or 4 hours (and I have a very long list and have 2 RV's.) I enjoy it and find it so much better going down the road what is going on the my unit. And don't get taken advantage of by RV fix it places to often.

If you now nothing about which end of screw driver to use, join a RV club, go out with them and they are either eating, talking about somebody's RV's or fixing them, chance to learn a lot.

Hope this helps.

take a hose and wet it down real good and do a leak test. esp on the roof

Check the date code on the tires. I can't recall off hand how to read it, but most likely you'll want new tires. Generally ST trailer tires should be changed every 5-6 years even if they look like new.

Check all the seals, around the windows, everywhere there is a panel joint, every external hatch, climb on the roof and check all seals there too. Caulk them as needed. Don't even leave small cracks or shrinkage go.

First. If the tire have not been replaced. I'd go ahead and do that. They are now 5 or 6 years old. Past their time. And of course grease the bearings. If it has been stored out in the sun. You may want to put some roof treatment on it.

After that. Just wash, and wax it, and you should be good to go.