3 Maintenance Tips To Keep Your RV Running Smoothly

The season is almost upon us for heading out on the open road with your RV. We are going to go over three great maintenance tips to keep your RV running great. These will help you be on your way for your next big trip.

Tip 1

If you have a motor home (aka an RV), that is not a fifth wheel or travel trailer then the engine is the brains and blood of your home on wheels. With this being said then an oil change is a must, the next step is to check your transmission, check all of the fluids under the hood, and checking all of your belts and hoses. The worst thing to happen is for a hose to bust or a belt to break out on the road. If they look worn then it is best to have them replaced. The other outside tip to add in here is to check your tires. This is a safety issue as well as a gas mileage issue. Improper air pressure can lead to a popped tire and fluctuations in your gas mileage. The tires on an RV should be replaced every five years from the year of manufacture regardless if it has been used or not. It’s important to learn everything about how an RV works to fully enjoy your home on wheels.

Tip 2

Keeping the generator up and running is an important part of your RV, travel trailer, or fifth wheel. The generator is a great back up when you do not have shore power or you are boondocking. The generator depending on size can run almost everything in your coach, however, not all at once.

The first step here is to change the oil. In your owner’s manual for the generator, you will find what type of oil filter to use and where to drain the oil from. The other item that is important is the fuel filter. This will need to be replaced with the appropriate size. If you are finding that the generator is not running smoothly you can use a carburetor cleaner.

If you are wondering where to buy carb cleaner check out some RV parts and service places. Sea Foam is one that can be used. When searching where to buy carb cleaner, is always best to find businesses that are solely servicing RVs. This way you can get the correct type of carb cleaner.

The timing of this maintenance will be according to how many hours the generator has run. A generator when in storage needs to be cranked and let run for two hours per month. This is when the generator is not being used as much to keep everything running smoothly. If you are storing it for six months or longer fuel stabilizers are used. Check for any bee nest’s or even bird nest’s around your generator if it is not stored in an enclosed place. These nests can lead to fire hazardous and can cause improper running of your generator.

Tip 3

The often-overlooked air conditioning unit. The A/C unit is one of those areas that until it stops working you may not even think about it. A regular inspect of the a/c unit will keep you cool and save you money. The a/c unit is almost always located on the top of your coach. The main workings of the unit are under a shroud. The shroud itself should be inspected for cracks or holes.

Once you remove the shroud you will see the mechanical workings of your a/c. One of the most important even tho small things look for is bee nests. If you are doing this during summer or late spring be careful. Clear any nests or dirt-dobber nests from around the a/c unit.

Check the fins for the a/c unit. The fins if bent cause a loss of airflow which makes the unit work even harder. A fin straightener can be bought at a place that has RV parts and service. When performing this be careful not to puncture the tubing or break off the fins. Check for water intrusion that could happen if the seal around the housing is failing.

The final step is to go inside and remove the plastic shield that covers the inside of the a/c unit. You will find a filter that needs to be cleaned with hot soapy water and allow to dry before reinstalling. Visual inspection can also bring to light where the air is escaping which causes loss of cool air. A type of HVAC tape can be used to seal off lost airflow.

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