Full timing and repairs

[MAwolcott]

Have a quick question for the full timers. If something happens to your rig; ie blow a tire and take out the skirting, or whatever. How long do are you expected to wait for repairs? Do you have the parts ordered and still live in the rig (provided its still safe to do so), then when the parts come in take it down and have it repaired? We're not full timing yet, but we have been waiting over a month for the parts to come in on a rig that is still in production. My wife is really nervous now in case this happens to us when we do hit the road full time. Thanks!

[Fiesta]

In 51 years driving, about 1.5 million miles, I've broken down 4 times. 2 were tire blow outs, carb issue, and a fan belt broke. I've always carried tools. I had spare parts with me for the breakdowns. I see breakdowns all the time along side the road, when was the last time they serviced their vehicle?
You take care of your vehicle it will take care of you.
Then I got smart. I quit buying American made cars

[Fiesta]

In 51 years driving, about 1.5 million miles, I've broken down 4 times. 2 were tire blow outs, carb issue, and a fan belt broke. I've always carried tools. I had spare parts with me for the breakdowns. I see breakdowns all the time along side the road, when was the last time they serviced their vehicle?
You take care of your vehicle it will take care of you.
Then I got smart. I quit buying American made.

[N7SJN]

I have always been able to get the help that I needed. As we have full timed from coast to coast it has required making several phone calls when we have been out in the sticks. There has always been an RV Tech to come to the rescue.

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

Three times over the past two years someone has said "Why do you carry a torque wrench?"

Twice I've had it out adjusting the weight distribution hitch. The other was to rotate the tires on the trailer and repack the bearings.

I carry one because if I need it - I will have it.

Nothing is more useless than a tool I need sitting in my daughter's garage 1,000+ miles away.

[Geocritter]

Typically when things break on the road I repair it myself. However, to keep that from happening I do certain things.

Before a trip I crawl underneath my RV and check things out such as fluid levels in the rear end, universal joints, and just visually look for problems.

I have a set of tire minders that monitor tire pressure and temperature. What’s nice is that they not only monitor the tires but the brakes as well since if you have dragging calipers the extra heat from friction will show up in the adjoining tire monitor.

Before I head out I check all fluid levels and poke my head under the front end looking for leaking power steering fluid, brake fluid, engine and transmission seals, whatever. If it needs repairing I repair it.

Whenever I stop, and I mean whenever… I walk around the RV and tow dolly and do a quick tire inspection. I don’t have tire minders on the tow dolly (but will soon) in the mean time I shoot the tow dolly wheel hubs with an infrared thermometer to see if there is any unusual heat buildup from a possible failing wheel bearing (I almost lost a tow dolly wheel 2 years ago and am a bit paranoid, even though I’ve since replaced all the bearings and races in the tow dolly).

While I’m driving I stay very aware of any odd mechanical sounds as well as odors. Typically parts don’t suddenly fail, your machine will tell you it has a problem, you just have to listen and respond.

Hopefully, my mindfulness will keep me out of trouble but if not I carry an excellent tool kit and shop manuals. Driving older vehicles all my life has made an expert at get-me-home repairs.

Steve

[PawPaw_n_Gram]

We just spent 31 days without our trailer due to a hub failure caused by a broken axle weld. Actually replacing the two axles only took a few hours - less than a full business day. Waiting for the extended warranty company to decide if the repair was covered, waiting for the company to get a set of axles ready for our rig and shipping took a month.

We were lucky the failure happened only a few miles from ExploreUSA in Mesquite/ Dallas - where we bought the trailer. Their company has a policy that if you bought the rig from them, it goes to the head of the line for repairs/ diagnostics, etc.

We stayed with my daughter, three of her children and two dogs.

We didn't plan for that - just got lucky and avoided paying for a motel for a month.

If we weren't in Dallas, likely we would have taken the rig to a park where we could stay several weeks and wait on parts. It would have been expensive to move.

Over the years, I've found that for most general repairs - a Mobile RV Tech is best. Simply because he gets paid when he finishes the job. Those guys can't have twenty rigs sitting on the lot waiting for parts, or a slow day to get to a couple.

I've replaced a water pump, a hot water heater under warranty, and had a couple other things - all done quickly and efficiently by a mobile repair guy. From Fort Lauderdale to Connecticut to the San Antonio area.

[catkins]

Insurance generally only covers expenses for a specific time in the case of an accident, not due to repairs nor breakdowns.

You have no choice but to go with the flow. Expedite the part and pay the shipping if you can.............was not possible with a new differential that would have broken the bank to try and expedite. UGH.

Many larger repair shops have a few RV spaces where you can stay wile they work on the RV or wait for parts/ depends upon the repair required but many can make it work for those extra days. Mobile repair guys are great for small repairs.

Something is always shaking loose, wearing out, going out of adjustment or breaking. Just make it part of the adventure when you cannot fix it yourself. Worrying in advance or during a repair wait just makes RVing miserable and it is SO worth it all! ENJOY!

[BarbaraOK]

2oldman wrote:
Do all you can to keep your rig in road-worthy condition. Don't run tires until they blow, don't wring every last volt out of your batteries, and do your scheduled maintenance.

The hardest part of being laid up is the realization that you yourself could have prevented it.

No, we all just run them in to the ground with no thought to making sure all maintenance is done, we have extra fluid/filters on board, we never check batteries or tires, never do walk arounds before pulling out, never do light checks to make sure they are working correctly. 😛

Sorry for being sarcastic, but REALLY!

[2chiefsRus]

2oldman wrote:
Do all you can to keep your rig in road-worthy condition. Don't run tires until they blow, don't wring every last volt out of your batteries, and do your scheduled maintenance.

The hardest part of being laid up is the realization that you yourself could have prevented it.

X2

I will also add that sometimes things do happen. Knock on wood, we have been lucky to not have that problem. On the other hand, when you buy a sticks and bricks house, you don't worry about what if there is a fire and I can't live in my house? What if the roof is ripped off in a storm?

Try to keep your level of worry just high enough to take care of those preventive maintenance items that need attention but not so high as to have a negative impact on your new lifestyle.

[Nutinelse2do]

If anything should ever happen with our rig, our insurance coverage provides a hotel expenditure.

[chiefneon]

Howdy!

We have dealt with numerous repair over our nine plus years of fulltiming. There are plenty of RV repair places that will work with you so you can remain in the RV. You will be out of it during the day while the work on it but stay in it over night. We have only been displaced once when we had a tire tread damage a large slide. We could not stay in our RV as the large slide had to be removed to repair it. We stayed in a hotel nearby. Such thing could happen to you while living in sticks & bricks so you just deal with life. One thing you must plan for when having any repair work done is remove anything you don't want to lose, theft is a ongoing problem so don't think it want happen to you.

"Happy Trails.
Chiefneon

[whizbang]

In two years of full timing, we had two problems with our diesel pusher, a fluid leak, and a blown turbo. Our leak fix in Texas was a day job. The same spot leaked a second time. We got it fixed in Denver and had to stay overnight in a motel. Our turbo blew just outside NYC. This was also a one night motel stay.

I agree with the other posts that routine maintenance will prevent lots of problems. Sometimes though, stuff breaks.

Our diesel pusher had a caterpillar engine. We had all our work performed by Freightliner Truck service centers. There was simply no way to camp out at the shops, or have them come to us at a campground.

You just need to plan and budget for the occasional repair job.

[jorbill2or]

I have seen many answers in the past motel , extended stay hotel , use the time to fly out and visit relatives.... etc or any combination. Which is why it's important to have a $$ fund to cover such "Opportunities" with the proper attitude lemonade can be made 🙂

[rockhillmanor]

MAwolcott wrote:
Have a quick question for the full timers. If something happens to your rig; ie blow a tire and take out the skirting, or whatever. How long do are you expected to wait for repairs? Do you have the parts ordered and still live in the rig (provided its still safe to do so), then when the parts come in take it down and have it repaired? We're not full timing yet, but we have been waiting over a month for the parts to come in on a rig that is still in production. My wife is really nervous now in case this happens to us when we do hit the road full time. Thanks!

RV Mobile Repair.

I full time. I have all my repairs AND maintenance done right at a CG site. I use RV mobile Repair. The CG manager will usually have a list of those that they use and recommend.

7 years on the road and from small to big repairs it has NEVER taken more than one day to get parts. They call it in and they pick it up or it is shipped to them the next day and then come out and do the repair. Actually these RV mobile guys have 99% of any part you might need right on their trucks. Since 99% of all parts of an RV are universal.

You don't have to be at a CG for them to come out. You can be right at your house. Call a local CG near you and ask who they use for RV Mobile Repair and get the phone number. Or just go to that local CG and make a nice weekend of it. That sure would be a change for repairs eh? Sit back in a lawn chair with a cold one and watch your RV being repaired.:C

Better qualified service tech AND at half the price AND you don't have to drive anywhere and leave your RV for weeks on end.

There is NO part that can't be shipped or picked up the next day. That's dealership bs. :C