Posted: 4/5/2024 5:06:51 PM EDT
|
For someone new to the RV life, what things would you warn me to be prepared for and what tools would you recommend having on hand? Right now, 10 years away from retirement, we're thinking it will be a travel trailer pulled behind SUV or one ton truck for a year or two checking out the country. By most accounts these things encounter issues along the journey. I'm no mechanic by any stretch but have been known to get myself from immobile to limping in a pinch. Take me to school, funny stories welcomed! 
|
|
Keeping weight in mind, if something breaks, 2 is 1 and 1 is not enough. Spare tire and a decent tool kit have been primary tools for resolution of emergency. When you have a flat, you use the spare and that leaves to open to being shut down without an extra. My CO/propane detector failed on a trip, so tools kept me from that incessant chirp. Spare hoses and water filters Anode rod for WH The above suggestion about greasing axles is a great idea. I do it every year and rotate the spare into running. It gives you a good chance to check the tires as well for damage. There are so many things, I can’t even think right now. I’m sure others more experienced will chime in with great suggestions |
|
Tires, Tires, Tires Get good tires for the trailer, I have been using GoodYear Endurance, they track well, wear well, US made, good quality. Pay attention to your tire pressures. Should be a sticker on the trailer somewhere. Watch the wear on the tires. If you start to see an edge wear, you have a problem to look at. Consider a tire minder set, but not necessary. Check your spare and make sure it is not flat Trailers sit a lot, so the tires get a different abuse than car tires. Check the date code on your tires, every 4-5 years, I would replace them. I do. |
|
I keep a few sharkbite unions and end caps in case of a plumbing issue. Some rubber rubber roof repair tape in case of a falling branch in the campground. Digital multimeter, electrical tape, zip ties etc. I have an RV Vivair compressor and a 125 piece toolkit in the truck. So far, I have not anything break, just a couple things that needed to be tightened. We have a 2020 Winnebago 2500fl travel trailer and use it from April to November with the longest trip being Kentucky to Yellowstone and back. |
|
After a flat last summer on the original China bombs, I replaced all 4 tires and both spares with the Goodyear Endurance and bought THIS tpms. Make sure you get metal stems when you get the tires replaced as they are required by this system. When the China bomb blew, it damaged the undercarriage and siding a little, so be proactive on tires Attached File I had rotated the tires the trip before the one this happened on and all tires were fine. When I took them off to be replaced, every tire was warped and out of round, including the spare I had used |
|
Two spare tires Ramp to change tire without jack Jack(s) Water pressure regulator Spare cord end, 30/50A receptacle Spare fuses Roof sealant Water hose, washer, repair Sewer supplies Many more but having RV supplies covers an emergency to wait until we get home. |
I survived the cockpocalypse of 11/21/2012.
Bacon grease, the Muslim approved .mil lubricant.
Bacon grease, the Muslim approved .mil lubricant.
|
Originally Posted By lizARdman15: After a flat last summer on the original China bombs, I replaced all 4 tires and both spares with the Goodyear Endurance and bought THIS tpms. Make sure you get metal stems when you get the tires replaced as they are required by this system. When the China bomb blew, it damaged the undercarriage and siding a little, so be proactive on tires https://www.ar15.com/media/mediaFiles/58321/IMG_4435_jpeg-3179891.JPG I had rotated the tires the trip before the one this happened on and all tires were fine. When I took them off to be replaced, every tire was warped and out of round, including the spare I had used fuuuuuuuuu-dge |
| If you’re going to campgrounds with electrical hookups I’d recommend a surge protector. I didn’t have one and I woke up to the smell of burning electronics around 3 am. An auto resetting surge protector would have saved me a day of repairs, and a very hot trip home since I didn’t want to plug in or run anything like the air conditioner. |
|
For your AC, depending on you AC's setup, get a couple of capacitors (mine has one for blower and one for the compressor. My blower capacitor went out this weekend, I pulled the cover off and started the fan by hand and then never turned it off until we left the campground. They are easy to replace, not expensive and can save a camping trip. |
|
Does it have a powered awning? If so, bring a cordless drill with the correct size socket. If the awning won’t retract (broken wire, faulty switch, etc), you can use the drill to manually retract it. There is a nut on the top end of the awning arm to place a socket on and wind it up. Using a ratchet wrench will take quite a while. Also, if it has a slide, look and see what it takes to retract the slide manually. Our previous trailer had a rack and pinion gear which jumped out of the track. Our new camper has the cable system. |
|
Tires have been mentioned, but make sure you have the stuff to change a tire. Like a jack and a wrench that will fit your trailer lugs. Your trailer won't come with one and your truck jack probably won't get it done. I carry a 8 ton bottle jack and some cribbing with is also the pad I use for the tongue jack. Lots of different systems to level your trailer side to side. Kind of comes down to personal preference. I've got a set of these Anderson ramps https://a.co/d/0irNvvVx And these Gamco blocks. https://a.co/d/0ieUczwB Make sure you have a drinking water hose and a separate hose for flushing your black tank. I also carry a hose splitter. Use one end to run the water hose to the camper and the other to the flush hose. Then I can use the black tank flush hose to put out the campfire. A longer sewer hose than you think you need. Electrical adapters. I've got a 50amp trailer. I've got an adapter to 30amp and one to 15 Amp. I use the 15 Amp so I can plug it in at the house. Won't run the AC but I can run everything else. Gloves for when you are dealing with the sewage hose. |
| Not necessarily a repair item, but a dust buster-type vacuum is invaluable. |
"What is socialism? The most difficult and tortuous way to progress from capitalism to capitalism." -Stated at an intel conference, East Berlin, Oct. 1988
"Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods." -H.L. Mencken
"Every election is a sort of advance auction sale of stolen goods." -H.L. Mencken
|
Originally Posted By Urimaginaryfrnd: Hav the wheel bearings greased, I burned up a set |
Never bring a green and orange water pistol to a gunfight. Old_Painless
|
I have a 36" breaker bar and a socket for the lugnuts in every car. I also have a socket one size larger in the opposite scale (metric vs sae). Get a socket for the trailer lugnuts. Get a socket for EVERY but and bolt on the trailer. Build a pex repair kit (crimper, crimp(s), cutter, elbows, double male, plugs, valves, etc. Superglue Woodglue Screws Fuses Screwdriver (my camper has square head) Zip ties. |
I dont think this is a brains type of operation.
|
Originally Posted By NotMrWizard: Does it have a powered awning? If so, bring a cordless drill with the correct size socket. If the awning won’t retract (broken wire, faulty switch, etc), you can use the drill to manually retract it. There is a nut on the top end of the awning arm to place a socket on and wind it up. Using a ratchet wrench will take quite a while. Also, if it has a slide, look and see what it takes to retract the slide manually. Our previous trailer had a rack and pinion gear which jumped out of the track. Our new camper has the cable system. This is great advice. Just about every camper has a similar setup, so finding a demo or troubleshooting on YouTube makes life easy. |