Top 7 Tips to Successfully Maintain Your RV

Though you may not use your RV as often as your car, this doesn’t mean that it doesn’t require some form of maintenance. Keeping your recreational vehicle in top shape shouldn’t be a struggle if you follow our advice. Here are some tips by expert mechanics and RV enthusiasts on RV repair. Have your RV ready for travel all year round!

1. Take care of your RV’s roof

The part of your RV that is almost always exposed to external conditions is its roof which is why it warrants special care. It is highly likely that your camper came with a roof cover-up which should definitely not be forgotten in the depths of your garage. However, covering up your RV when parked is not the only way to ensure your roof is in its best shape.

Climbing up the roof and carefully looking for little cracks and crevices should be a chore you do every couple of months. A leaky RV roof can be every trip’s downfall which is why it’s extremely important to notice the damage in its earliest stage.

2. Have your heaters maintained

Water and air heaters are important aspects of every RV. Most of us sleep in our RV when we travel and it’s important that this living space is warm and comfortable, particularly during winter escapades.

It is also important to invest in the best quality equipment for your RV, especially when it comes to the systems that affect the quality of the air you breathe when you’re cooped up in your vehicle for long stretches of time. This is why we recommend the best 12v heater for campervan, specifically Webasto heaters. They are also low-maintenance which is always a plus!

3. Always use a cover when not using your rv

It’s important to protect your RV when you’re not using it to ensure its long-term health. Always look for a seller who can provide you with a high-quality pop up camper cover at a reasonable price. Your RV can be protected from the harsh effects of rain, wind, and sun with the right cover. It never hurts to have a cover on your RV, no matter how durable it is.

4. Healthy tires are crucial

Taking care of your camper’s tires is a job that you should be already quite familiar with if you own a car. It truly isn’t much different. For example, inspecting the pressure in the tires before every trip is necessary for a safe ride. The exact value of pressure differs from camper to camper, so you should check the manual for specifics.

You should also ensure that the wheels’ lug nuts are tight because they often loosen up when the RV is in motion. If your vehicle’s lug nuts aren’t adequately tightened, you’re risking losing a wheel during your ride which is, needless to say, quite dangerous. 

5. Regularly change your camper’s oil

Similar to other vehicles, RVs also require oil replacement from time to time. This is required for the optimal health of its engine. If you didn’t know, having old oil in your engine can lead to your engine giving out and to huge costs. The oil is often changed based on the mileage of your camper. However, to provide the most adequate care to your own RV, you should look into the user manual that came with your vehicle.

6. Change the filters

Just like your RV requires annual engine oil replacement, it also needs to have the air, coolant, fuel, and hydraulic filters replaced from time to time. The expert advice is to have these filters inspected when you get the oil changed. Of course, if this part of your campervan is not taken care of, you risk significantly damaging its engine. A faulty engine can damage your wallet pretty hard, so it’s better to be safe than sorry.

7. Always check your brakes

Properly working brakes are essential for a safe trip. If your brakes quit on you, you can endanger both yourself, the people in your camper, and everyone else on the road. The wheel bearings should be nicely oiled up for your brakes to function. If you feel like your RV’s brakes are at the end of their life cycle, have them replaced immediately.