Maintenance, you vs. the dealership..
Just wondering, who does their own maintenance and who pays the dealership to do it? As for me, I do all of my own repairs and maintenance. But, I'm getting older and I know that I'll need to st...
Forum Discussion
Take heart Camper G. I'm dern near 72, had both knees replaced a couple or 3 years ago and was back doing my own maintenance 3 months after. Used to be a building contractor and worked in a few gas stations (back when we pumped the gas and washed the windshields)
In the past 5 years I've rebuilt the entire rear bathroom floor in a 85 Wilderness, resealed underside and rebuilt front wall of a '04 Tahoe, currently removing silicone caulking and re-caulking a 05 Trail Cruiser with Sikaflex 221, and up and down ladders. I do go up on the roof, very carefully. Plan to install a lot of insulation in the Cruiser, it has lots of wasted area under the bathroom area that lets a lot of cold in. I love the challenge of a difficult repair.
Replaced a fridge, furnace etc. etc. Maintain own brakes and bearings, fix every little thing on my "honey do" list, come up with novel new ways to do things and fix poor work and design by the manufacturer. I figure I'm going to fix it a lot better than any repair store cause its mine and I have to live with it.
As for the TV, I used to tow with a 1965 Chevy van into which I installed a 292 inline 6. After a friend removed the old 230 and dropped in the 292 with his cherry picker (which I don't have) done everything myself. Now tow with 94 Suburban 4wd. Never had a 4wd so had to have drive line specialist replace bearings and seals in both pumpkins and replace both front hubs. for tires & alignment just drop it off at the local Les Schwab. Do my own fluid changes except transmission.
Because I can't really kneel on my knees yet, to get on the creeper I have lean down and get my hands on the ground, then flip over onto the creeper. To get off I have to roll off the creeper and then do a push up to get back up. I will always figure out a way to do things when it seems impossible.
I think the only thing I had my local dealer do is replace the awning on the Tahoe. Too heavy for one guy and dealing with that stiff rewind spring scared me a bit, I'm also musician (cello, bass) and I am always worried about hurting my fingers.
As someone else said, trying to see things under the TT with bifocals is a pain, having to move head around to the right angle to see what I'm looking at.
In the past 5 years I've rebuilt the entire rear bathroom floor in a 85 Wilderness, resealed underside and rebuilt front wall of a '04 Tahoe, currently removing silicone caulking and re-caulking a 05 Trail Cruiser with Sikaflex 221, and up and down ladders. I do go up on the roof, very carefully. Plan to install a lot of insulation in the Cruiser, it has lots of wasted area under the bathroom area that lets a lot of cold in. I love the challenge of a difficult repair.
Replaced a fridge, furnace etc. etc. Maintain own brakes and bearings, fix every little thing on my "honey do" list, come up with novel new ways to do things and fix poor work and design by the manufacturer. I figure I'm going to fix it a lot better than any repair store cause its mine and I have to live with it.
As for the TV, I used to tow with a 1965 Chevy van into which I installed a 292 inline 6. After a friend removed the old 230 and dropped in the 292 with his cherry picker (which I don't have) done everything myself. Now tow with 94 Suburban 4wd. Never had a 4wd so had to have drive line specialist replace bearings and seals in both pumpkins and replace both front hubs. for tires & alignment just drop it off at the local Les Schwab. Do my own fluid changes except transmission.
Because I can't really kneel on my knees yet, to get on the creeper I have lean down and get my hands on the ground, then flip over onto the creeper. To get off I have to roll off the creeper and then do a push up to get back up. I will always figure out a way to do things when it seems impossible.
I think the only thing I had my local dealer do is replace the awning on the Tahoe. Too heavy for one guy and dealing with that stiff rewind spring scared me a bit, I'm also musician (cello, bass) and I am always worried about hurting my fingers.
As someone else said, trying to see things under the TT with bifocals is a pain, having to move head around to the right angle to see what I'm looking at.
