Newbie - what is annual maintenance for a TT ???

[cwmoser]

I am a total newbie on Travel Trailers.
Been looking at them and getting close to pulling the trigger
on an R-Pod 180 or Real-Lite.

I was though wondering what am I taking on - do I have the
ability and knowledge to do what I should do to keep my TT
in great condition. I am not the kind of person who would take
it to an RV center and have them do annual maintenance - I like
to do the work/repairs myself assuming I know how.

What am I getting in to??? Thanks.

[humblerb]

arush19 wrote:
My biggest trailer expense is storage. $160/month.

I solved that problem by selling my $200k house and buying a different one for $350k that has a 1200 sq/ft shop with room for the trailer.
See how much money I am saving?
🙂

[arush19]

My biggest trailer expense is storage. $160/month.

[Community Alumni]

You don't have to be an expert to perform most maintenance on trailers. The most valuable skills you need to possess is being observant. You can catch and repair most problems before they turn into big problems that require big money and specialist tools. If you have a basic working knowledge of plumbing, carpentry, electrical, mechanics, etc and are motivate to do things yourself then there's a good chance that you'd rarely have bring your trailer to a dealer for work. However sometimes you have to realize when you'll be in over your head and bring it to the pros instead of making a mess of things.

Most things on a trailer can be maintained or repaired with basic hand and power tools. If you wrench on your own car or make repairs around the house then you'll start to see the similarities between those systems and your trailer. A willingness to ask questions is also a valuable skill. The internet can provide a wealth of information. Often times you can ask a dealer or the manufacturer for guidance. Surprisingly plenty are willing to help without taking your money. But as K9 HANDLER said, don't blindly accept the advice. Even the experts are wrong sometimes. After a failure don't look to just repair or replace, but improve the failed system.

[fitznj]

This is my procedure - I've had a TT for 20 years
After every trip:
Wash the outside
Clean the inside
Check tire pressure and check wheel nuts
Do a quick walk around and fix anything that may have come loose
Adjust brake if required
Check all bulbs

Every year:
Winterize in December
Crawl underneath and check everything
Spray the frame with Oil/WD40
Check wheel bearings and brakes (usually every other year)
Check tires for age/cracking

Does not take that long and gives you piece of mind that things are working
properly.

My 10 year old TT still looks brand new and everything works.

[cbshoestring]

Figure you have a road worthy "vehicle" that is also a "house". So, you will need to do basic house and vehicle maintenance. Depending on where you live, you may also have open/closing maintenance similar to that of a summer home/camp.

For me....

Spring brings and opening regiment that includes an inspection of ALL household type appliances/devices. Water, electric, sewage, and making sure all doors, drawers, etc... are in working order. It also includes "vehicle" type maintenance to make sure bearings, tires, lights, etc... are in working order. Typically this involves a complete inspection, inside and out, as well as a good cleaning to get off the winter grime. Relatively simple for the average DIYer, and most can be learned on sites like this one, as well as thru videos.

During the camping season, basic lights, battery, brake stuff everytime we hook up. Plus, minor repairs as they pop up.

End of season requires a winterizing process (again, easy to learn) and another cleaning of the interior to make sure that nothing is left behind that might feed a hungry critter during the cold, bleak months to come.

Basic hand tools and some common sense normally does the trick. Just remember, if you need to ask...plenty on here can point you toward a good video, or give sound advise on "how to". Trust me, the opinions vary, cover or not, blow out the lines or antifreeze, etc....Take it all in...then do what you feel is best for your situation.

[nineoaks2004]

Get a good book on RV inspection and repair. It will give you a good list and explain the how and why. There are several good ones available. Check on for some, CW for some etc.amazon.com. BTW most items are pretty easy to do and some are easy but time consuming..

[Crazy_Ray]

2XX with SoundGuy.

[SoundGuy]

garyemunson wrote:
A quick fix is applying a bead of silicone after a thorough cleaning ...

Sorry, disagree completely as would many others ... never use silicone anywhere on the exterior of the trailer. Not only is it next to impossible to get completely off later you'll never get anything to stick to it later, including more silicone. Rather, on the roof use a caulking such as Dicor self leveling lap sealant and on any vertical surfaces a non-sag lap sealant such as Geocel Proflex.

[Fireballsocal]

Topping off battery distilled water every six months or so, checking air pressure in the tires every trip and replacing the tires at 4 years, the roof as mentioned. If you keep the trailer clean or under a cover, it will stay looking good however if you leave it without washing, black streaks going down the sides will take a lot of elbow grease to get off. Greasing the suspension pivots if applicable once a year. Sanitizing the fresh water system with a half cup of bleach if the trailer has been sitting (No need if the trailer is used every six months or so.

I myself don't advocate doing bearings every year. I think that is going far and above what is necessary and if the owner doesn't set the axle nut to the right tightness, can cause premature bearing wear.

[garyemunson]

Ditto on the roof inspection. Also pair that with a careful look at the caulking around the windows and door. It dries out over time and allows water to get inside the walls and ruin the structure. A quick fix is applying a bead of silicone after a thorough cleaning but it's better to take the time to remove the window (not difficult, just time consuming) and installing new rope caulk. That preferred way will fix things for close to 10 years as opposed to annual caulking on the outside. Also be sure to repack the wheel bearings. This also lets you look at the brake lining. The campers that the owners keep ahead of leaks are the ones you see that look like new inside after 30 years. Water intrusion is the death of TTs. Bad caulking is one of those things that's not obvious just by looking. Assume that if the TT is over 10 years old it needs it done. Any unit over 10 should be CAREFULLY examined as the damage really is difficult to determine as it is hidden in the walls.

[gbopp]

One big thing, whatever RV you own, check the roof for leaks or potential leaks a couple times a year.

A small leak can do a lot of damage if not repaired quickly. A little PM will save you a lot of grief...

[K-9_HANDLER]

There are some great folks on here that are more then willing to share their knowledge but dont take any one persons response as the end all be all. Its great your are doing research to make an educated decision. If you can tow one of these and set it up and use it you can do the maintenance its not hard. It would help to hook with an experienced friend, neighbor or coworker that has a trailer to watch and see what they do.