| Well you've bought the beast and it sits in the side yard just waiting to go out for it's next adventure. However towards the end of your last trip you started to notice some things that you thought needed attention. The first question you have to ask yourself is whether or not you should even attempt some of the maintenance items yourself. Are you ready, or qualified, for do it yourself RV repairs? Unless properly trained and prepared, RV owners should simply not attempt to make repairs or perform service on any RV, product |
Types of Repairs
There are basically two types of RV service; crisis repairs and preventive maintenance. Preventive maintenance can include such items as the following: checking and sealing the roof, windows, storage compartments and doors, cleaning, flushing and servicing the LP appliances, changing the oil in the generator and chassis engine and checking all fluid levels, cleaning the filters in the roof air conditioners, cleaning and treating your holding tanks, flushing and sanitizing your fresh water system, performing battery maintenance. These can be considered something you do now to prevent something worse from happening later. Call it insurance if you like. Crisis repairs, on the other hand, offer no options. The problem is staring you right in the face and if you want to get back on the road it has to be handled now!! A few examples of crisis repairs would be an abnormally worn tire, a blocked cooling unit on the refrigerator, a blown engine, a burned out roof top air conditioner compressor.
Fortunately preventive maintenance will go a long way towards minimizing the frequency and the degree of crisis-type repairs. Routine tire inspection and careful study of inflation pressures, checking and cleaning the refrigerator components and checking the LP pressure, regular oil changes, and periodic cleaning of the air conditioner filters can all prevent the above crisis repairs from happening. Remeber the old adage..Penny foolish.Pound Wise.
Do It Yourself?
Oh yeah, remember that warranty you got along with the vehicle the day you shelled out the bucks? Read it carefully before you even attempt to loosen a screw. In some cases, warranties may be voided or manufacturer liability lessened if unauthorized repairs are performed Some maintenance items, though mandated by the product manufacturer, may not be covered by new or extended warranties. Some items are simply destined to be the sole responsibility of the RV owner. Rarely are maintenance items ever covered under warranty. The key is knowing when to actively participate and when to simply make an appointment at your local service facility.
So the warranty is run out and you are in the garage getting the tools out. There a few more considerations to ponder before you dive in.
Am I physically fit and machanically inclined? - Buck up and realize your limitations. Ask yourself, "Can I physically perform the steps necessary to do this?" Many items in, under, on and around motorhomes require physical dexterity. Physical limitations may prohibit some of us from performing certain maintenance items. If the subject at hand is truly over your head then it's ok to back off and call a pro. You definitely do not want to risk converting a simple maintenance task into a costly crisis repair! It will cost substantially more to undo an error than to simply make an appointment with a service center if the subject is beyond your scope. (Again I offer my dad's phone number to anyone who doubts this.)
C. Lunsford
Master of all trades...Master of none.