As the frost melts and the days get warmer, the great outdoors will become too attractive to miss. That means it's about time to get your RV adventure-ready for your annual road trip. If a smooth vacation leaving stress behind is your goal, you want to make sure you're not the lone road warrior out there who wasn't prepared. Do yourself a favor and get your RV summer-ready with these springtime maintenance tips from The Motorcoach Store.
It's time to make sure the exterior is as ready as the interior. Perform an inspection of the exterior of your RV, paying close attention to seams and sealants as leaks are known to have a mind of their own. Reseal any sealants or seams that show signs of separation or cracking - it's a good idea to inspect and reseal seams and sealants at least twice a year, and possibly more depending on the conditions you store your RV. Again, be sure to consult your owner's manual to determine what sealants are compatible with the different types of materials you're trying to seal or have an authorized service facility perform the maintenance themselves.
Even though they're meant to roam the road, a lot of your RV's time will be spent parked. Even though it's not moving, an RV can lose up to 3 PSI in each tire every month it sits. This greatly affects your driving control and fuel economy, so if safety isn't a concern, maybe the monetary savings will motivate you.
Just like any other vehicle, proper fluid levels need to be maintained during the life of the RV. The engine oil and coolant are vital to check, but don't forget the other vital fluid systems your RV depends on: power steering, brakes, transmission, and even windshield wiper fluid should be topped off for your RV to run optimally. Be sure you consult your owner's manual about proper levels. If your engine needs to be serviced, now's the time.
Few worse tragedies come to mind than an annual road-trip ruined by a plumbing emergency in the middle of nowhere. Stay ahead of the curve and check those pipes before you venture off. The tried-and-true method to doing this is to fill your fresh water holding tank, turn on the water pump, and pressurize the water system until the pump shuts down. If your pump restarts during the procedure, there's a good chance you have a leak. If you used antifreeze or any other kind of winterizing or stabilizing fluid, be sure to run fresh water through the system to clear out any artifacts of the fluid from the water supply. Be sure to check every shower head and faucet, and hot water tank if it wasn't bypassed.
This is not only easy to accomplish, it's also a no-brainer. Close all your drains and install your drain plugs, before you take a quarter-cup of bleach for every 15 gallons of water your fresh water tank holds, and mix the bleach with water into a one-gallon container. Pour the solution into the fresh water tank, and fill the tank with potable water. Turn the water pump on to run water through all hot and cold faucets until you smell bleach. Once you do, close the faucets and let your RV sit for twelve hours. Drain all of the water and re-fill the tank afterward with potable water. Then, turn the water pump back on and open all your faucets, running the water until you no longer smell any bleach. Repeat as necessary until all signs of bleach are eliminated.
Start by checking out the oil level in your generator, and service it according to specified intervals you'll find in the owner's manual. Before starting the generator, inspect the exhaust system for any damage - NEVER run a generator if its exhaust system is damaged. If your generator has been cold all these months (and you didn't exercise it over the winter), start and operate it for about two hours with at least a half-rated load - again, check your owner's manual for load ratings. If it won't start or continues to surge after startup, you'll need to have it diagnosed and repaired by an authorized service facility.
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