Spare Parts To Carry

[Pirate1]

Just when does it end? From past experience I carry a generator board, HWH pump, HWH misc. parts, spare tire, starter, AC unit caps, Lord knows how many tools I probably don't need, etc. I carry so many parts that I had to make a list of them and keep it in the parts bin as I just can't recall how many parts I have. When does it end? Today the topic I just read was water pumps. Do I need to carry a spare water pump as I don't want to be without water? Some places I camp are far from decent supply places.

[bluwtr49]

I have found over a lot of years boating and RVing that the only spare parts you will need is what you don't have. In my experience the most common repairs are electrical based and if you have a modest supply of connectors, 12 ga wire in black and/or red, basic tools and a multimeter over 90 percent of the on road issues can be resolved. Anything that would result in an on the road breakdown is best left to professionals.

I don't even carry a serpentine belt but do change it every 5 years as a maintenance item. This is a very low failure rate item and, on my Cat, only drives the AC compressor and alternator. Both of these I can do without for a reasonable period of time.

As has been said, basic hand tools, Duct Tape, some other multi-use supplies, good roadside assistance service, credit card, and a fistfull of dollars should handle most anything you will encounter.

Also, by not cluttering the bays with useless stuff you will be able to find what you do need. To that end I completely empty and clean the bays after every season and sort out accumulated clutter.

[RLS7201]

Surely some one going to say "I only carry an American Express credit card". GRIN

2 of every thing
Richard

[Kayteg1]

With technology making parts more and more complicated and rare, almost any part is hard to find locally for newer vehicles.
I needed alternator brushes for our Mercedes sedan.
Even paying premium price at dealer would not get them faster than 4 days and I have 5 dealers in 20 miles radius.
So I put old, but still working brushes back and waited 2 weeks for internet order. Years ago I had to wait 3 days in Las Vegas for a tire for our SUV. :S
Will not even go far into the story, when years ago driving older motorhome with rare engine I had to abound it in Ottawa and buy another one on my vacations.
So if you use your RV for business that require timely showing up at destination, have a back up plan as you never know if the RV might be waiting for part for several days.

[msmith1199]

I carry tools but almost zero spare parts. In fact the only spare I can even think of is fuses. I don't even carry a spare tire. I do have a box with spare screws and bolts in it. And oh yeah, I did put some spare shear pins in the tool box for the slides.

[mabynack]

I've got a toolbox in my RV that's accumulated bits and pieces over the years. Eterna-bond tape, wiring connectors and fuses, plumbing fixtures, sheet metal screws, electrical tape, etc. When something breaks, I usually buy extra hardware in case it breaks again.

[MrWizard]

Fuses, wire, tools, bulbs for the brakes and turn signals
Tsunami 12v air compressor, oil, hydraulic fluid, 5 ton bottle jack
This is a DP, electrical I can handle
Mechanical means a tow truck or a mobile mechanic

[Matt_Colie]

I grew up on the water and still spend a lot of time undersail in any given year. Spares are heavy. Carry only what you can't get (either basic availability or rarity) in a day's travel. That makes it about 75 miles by boat or 500 miles in the coach. You might have guessed I don't carry much except tools and basic stuff like wire and tape.

Matt

[OLYLEN]

The older I get the less I carry, a few spares, fuses, tools, gorrila tape, a few testers, glues. Figure if I'm in that much trouble TOW ME. Now if I could order a few spare parts for me??????

LEN

[RayChez]

All I carry as spare parts is a 2 micron fuel filter, serpentine and regular generator belts.
I carry a good set of tools like sockets, screw drivers. I also carry a roll of Eternabond tape, duct tape, a grease gun with grease. I also carry a metal strap oil filter remover.

In thirteen years I have had minimal problems with this coach. It has been a very good, well built coach in comparison to other coaches I have had.

[2gypsies1]

I guess we lived on the edge for 16 years of full-timing and traveling constantly. We never carried any spare parts - even for our summer to Alaska. We also stayed in the boonies quite often.

As far as a spare water pump....we always carried at least a 1/2 tank of water and if we were going off the grid for one or two weeks - a full tank which would last us for two weeks.

All the tools we carried fit into a canvas bag approx. 2'x 1' - wrenches, hammer, screw drivers, etc. Oh...and an electric drill.

[tropical36]

Pirate wrote:
Just when does it end? From past experience I carry a generator board, HWH pump, HWH misc. parts, spare tire, starter, AC unit caps, Lord knows how many tools I probably don't need, etc. I carry so many parts that I had to make a list of them and keep it in the parts bin as I just can't recall how many parts I have. When does it end? Today the topic I just read was water pumps. Do I need to carry a spare water pump as I don't want to be without water? Some places I camp are far from decent supply places.

In my experience, water pumps are almost bullet proof and usually only require disassembly, cleaning, some silicone or Vaseline on the gaskets and then being sure to tighten the screws up evenly during reassembly. Be sure to check the pressure sw. for grim as well. Neighbor changed one out recently while on the road and leaking. Gave it to me. Did my thing on it, as well as my old one that I kept for a spare, just in case.
This on my old coach, retired and for sale.

[tinkerer]

I have a tool box with sockets, wrenches and screwdriver of different sizes. One item that really comes in handy is a basic multi-meter so you can check voltage etc. 🙂

[rgatijnet1]

I carry a serpentine belt, radiator hoses, a coach water pump, a spare GFI outlet, circuit breaker, chassis fuses, and an unmounted spare tire.
The serpentine belt takes me 15 minutes to change on the side of the interstate and everything but the spare tire and radiator hoses can be changed in less time then that.

[darsben1]

The reason to carry spare parts is as follows.
The parts you carry spares for a therefore guaranteed never to fail.
One of Murphy's laws

[Kayteg1]

I had to clean my garage this spring.
8 oil filters for vehicles I no longer own.
5 serpentine belts for vehicles I no longer own.
Set of Bosch platinum spark plugs. How da heck they got here as for last 15 years I drive diesels???
I have 2 spare CPS for one car we still own and 4 CPS for vehicle we no longer have.
Anyone needs CPS for Ford 7.3?
Ask me about voltage regulators.