Whether you are a new, or a seasoned RVer, you can’t wait to enjoy exciting getaways this summer. Or maybe you just signed the papers and your new RV finally belongs to you. The excitement of upcoming trips occupies every waking moment. Oh, if only you could get out right now to enjoy life on the move. What makes your purchase great is new RV’s (and pre-owned units for a limited time) come with a warranty period during break-in where everything or almost everything is taken care of by the dealer. But wait, you will probably still have this unit several years down the road when the warranty period is over - then you have to pay all the bills. By setting-up a simple maintenance schedule - appointments for service will be spaced over the year and no one maintenance appointment should become an expensive surprise. Besides this when you implement a regular schedule of preventive maintenance, your RV remains in tip-top shape. Planning for service instead of dealing with it when it happens is much less costly and stressful.
RV’s are designed to provide years of fun and enjoyment, and although maintenance is required on a regular basis, the good days far outnumber the bad. By following the suggestions in this article and the details in your manuals you should have many years of trouble free RVing ahead of you.
Just for info, tires have a life of four to five years - even if the tread is good and you have taken care of them, the sidewalls begin to crack at that age. John regularly cleans our battery connections with a baking soda/water solution and tops them up with distilled water each month but as we found out this summer batteries too need replacing in a similar four to five year time period.
Setting up a regular maintenance schedule for engine care is generally covered in most owner manuals. But, don’t forget to include all portions of your RV house in your preventive maintenance schedule as well. It may sit on wheels but it still develops problems just like your home on a foundation does.
No matter how long John and I have been RVing it seems our learning continues. I have always recommended that every RVer set up an Emergency Fund of about $5,000.00 to cover unexpected breakdowns on the road. John believes in extensive preventive maintenance so we never expect to use this fund and since we didn’t want to tie up non-invested cash, our ‘fund’ is a zero-balanced credit card. This way we can pay for problems and make minimum payments until we return home each summer to rearrange funds to cover the incident. However recently we discovered there is also value in setting-up a separate contingency fund to have money available to cover periodic expensive maintenance and upgrades. By adding an amount of a few hundred to an account each month, cash will be available for upgrades, new amenities and expensive repairs down the road - it will also be there for major component replacements as your RV matures.
Most years, our maintenance expenses for both vehicles is under the $3500.00 we budget, but every few years this amount doubles and then some. 2003 was been one of those high maintenance timeframes. Our tires and batteries had to be replaced plus appliances like the furnace, check valve on the water heater, the water pump and two florescent lights quit working plus the generator needed routine yet extensive maintenance plus a regular class B service on our diesel engine along with a few other minor expenses added to the overall amount. We also upgraded our tow-car this spring - the baseplate, new lighting and rewiring the motorhome added yet another costly outlay. If we had not set up our contingency fund a year ago this summer would have been devastating to say the least.
The following listings of routine maintenance on each vehicle may help you set up a planning schedule, but be sure to refer to your RV and vehicle maintenance manuals for more pertinent details. Your tow vehicle or the engine portion of a motorhome also needs preventive maintenance or repair. By planning for these expenses none will appear as a surprise. For the most part when RV’s break down during a set period, the dealer usually repairs the problem but regular maintenance still must become part of the equation.
All motorized units require an annual mechanical check-up (some reference books say every 5000 miles (8000 km) but we have always done this on an annual basis each spring). One thing non-fulltimers may not understand is each year John and I usually make only one trip. (Our annual average is less than 10,000 miles 16000 km). We do not go and return home several times a year. As a result most fulltimers do not clock up extensive miles. John takes care of maintenance each spring and we usually travel trouble free most winters.
The tune-up of our diesel pusher consists of Class B service that includes changing the oil and filter, all fuel filters, coolant filter if needed, a complete visual check of all systems including belts and a complete lubrication. This takes several hours and runs approximately $4-500.00 Cdn. We have recently found a service centre that follows a specific RV Inspection ‘check-list’ during our 'Class B' service. The tech examines all moving parts of the chassis, including brakes, to look for leaks or signs of wear. There was a slight charge for this extra service but we know all hoses, connections and fittings are sound when he is finished.
Two years ago we switched to synthetic transmission fluid and we now only have to change that fluid every 150,000 miles (242.000 km). Without the change to synthetic it would be necessary to flush the transmission every two years. Look for a Truck Service Center that specializes in the system you have on your present RV. (Cummins, Cat, Allison Transmission, Freightliner and Spartan chassis etc.). For tire rotation and replacement, look for a Michelin, Toya or a Goodyear dealer etc.
For repairs on the home portion of our RV we contact a local RV Dealer in the vicinity we are in, or we call in park service if we’re on the move. In a place new to us, we ask others where they go for service. Personal recommendations are important. When it was time to replace our tired carpet with vinyl planking several years ago, on the recommendations of others we found a flooring expert to complete the job.
Maintenance expenses will increase as RV’s age, the higher the purchase price the more upkeep it will cost to maintain your unit. ‘After-purchase’ service policies are available to pay for unexpected maintenance but they are quite expensive. Whether it is wise to acquire one of these policies is a judgment call. The maintenance that your RV needs may and may not qualify under the policy. Just for info, none of the costly repairs we’ve dealt with this summer would have been covered under an extended warrantee policy.
In ALL cases follow the maintenance advice of your chassis manufacturer and your RV dealer. Each manufacturer will supply an owner’s manual, which should include a maintenance schedule. Since we have never travelled in a towable unit, we asked friends to share their maintenance schedule. I gathered additional suggestions for various maintenance schedules on the Internet. A recap of mechanical service follows.
Motorhomes (gas/diesel)
| All batteries need to be topped up with water ALL fuel filters Brake fluid – check (gas) Check all fluids, (oil, brake, power steering) Differential fluid Propane leak test Tire rotation Air filter Air dryer (diesel) Brakes and air system (diesel) Coolant flush Spark plugs (gas) Transmission fluid and filter (gas) Transmission fluid and filters (diesel) Spark plug cables (gas) Oil change and filter and lubrication (gas) Oil change and filter and lubrication (diesel) Check tire pressure and thread wear Alternator, starter etc Check radiator hoses | Monthly Annual Annual Annual Annual Annual Annual or Mfgr suggestions One to two years 18 months Two years Two years Two years Two years Two years (synthetic150,000 miles) Four years 10,000 km 20,000 km Before each trip As needed Firm to the touch – after 10 minutes of engine operation. |
Tow vehicles (gas - diesel) or Car (towed) – gas powered vehicle require very little maintenance
| Battery(s) clean terminals/top-up with water Oil and filter change Check tire pressure and thread wear Check all fluids and air filters Check for cracked hoses/leaks Check brakes Fuel filters Rotate tires Clean, lubricate (car) tow-bar or trailer hitch Check radiator hoses | Monthly Three months (5000 km) Before each trip Three to six months Part of Oil change One to two years One to two years One to two years Periodically Firm to the touch – after 10 minutes of engine operation |
Towable RV – I asked a friend with a fiver for their maintenance schedule
| Battery(s) clean terminals/top-up with water Look underneath for leaks Wheel bearings – check and repack if reg’d Check brakes Inspect hitch system for cracks Check all bolts/loose hardware Check connections, seals and hoses. Check tire pressure and thread wear | Monthly 6 months Annual Annual Annual Annual Annual Before each trip |
Don’t forget to check vehicle lights, clean the vents/burner/flue on fridge, and clear intake vents and the exhaust of your furnace, make sure all door hinges and handles, locks are secure inside and out, check to see all appliances are in place. Test your CO monitor, propane monitor and change the batteries in your smoke alarms.
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