RVing season is gearing up! As the weather starts to warm up, more exciting experiences appear on the horizon.  But don’t leave just yet! If your rig has been sitting in your driveway or storage facility for a couple of weeks or even months, it’s time to give your RV some love by doing some much-needed maintenance. In this blog, we’ll go over some important maintenance items and cleaning tips for success on the road ahead:

Road Ready Checklist

This comprehensive checklist is just what you need to make sure your first spring RV trip is a great one. It’s essential you give your rig seasonal maintenance to preserve your investment for years to come. Additionally, preventative maintenance is key in order to avoid unwanted breakdowns down the road. If you don’t have a lot of time to do a complete check, keep this list handy for the top items to take care of.

Unfortunately, we’d be remiss if we didn’t let you know that even the most lovingly maintained rig will eventually need a repair. When that moment comes, get an extra layer of protection with a warranty. This will save your wallet and most importantly, your RV!

Check Your Tires

Your tires do a lot of work. They are able to take your motorhome to places that are thousands of miles away, taking the brunt of the weight and pressure of a comfortable home-on-wheels. Before you leave, check the tire pressure, and keep an eye on signs of wear & tear, cracks, or punctures. Your motorhome’s tires can lose 2-3 psi a month while your RV is on vacation. Having very low tire pressure can be dangerous. Check the tire pressure in all tires, based on your RVs manufacturer’s recommendation. Your tire pressure should abide by the restrictions of the type of load and weight your RV carries. Failure to maintain correct tire pressure can lead to faster wear and tear, uneven wear, and excessive heat build-up.

For more information on the weight of your motorhome and what it means, check out this blog! 

RV Batteries

Next up, check your engine battery! Discovering a dead battery when you have somewhere to be is never ideal. The condition of batteries is dependent on how well they were cared for over the off-season. Over time, batteries in storage will lose a percentage of current through internal leakage. Checking your batteries periodically and recharging them while in storage will be helpful. If you don’t feel comfortable taking out and reinstalling your battery, you can always take your rig to a trusted repair facility for this work.

RV Engine

Your RV engine is extremely important and you’ll want to be diligent in staying on top of maintenance. If you have a towable, make sure to check your tow vehicle’s engine too! Think of your engine as the heart of your journey, we want to keep it healthy. Keep an eye on oil levels. Top off all of your fluids and oils. Make sure there are no leaks. You should change your oil every 3,000 miles or so, depending on your rig’s manufacturer’s guidelines. Check your transmission, power steering, engine coolant, engine oil, windshield washer, brake fluid, and generator oil. Then, do a visual inspection of belts and hoses, looking specifically for holes, corrosion, and cracks. Lastly, filters: oil, air, and fuel filters can cause problems if they are not clean or need a replacement.

Time for Spring Cleaning

Now that you got the three most important maintenance items out of the way, it’s time to clean your rig! Having a clean RV inside and out will preserve the look and feel of your motorhome or towable RV. When things look good, you feel good!

For exterior cleaning, make sure to clean your awning, windows, and headlights. When you’re cleaning your awning, this is a good time to check for tears, dry-rotting, or unstable supports. Headlights tend to get foggy over the years. Clean them in order to have your lights shine bright at night time, a key safety factor many travelers ignore.

Next, check your seals and seams. Get on top of your RV, safely, and do a routine check of your roof. Check for any leaks or cracks. Unnoticed leaks can lead to damaging mold, so make sure to run this check after heavy rainstorms as well as a regular checkup.

For interior cleaning, clean out your cabinets, wipe down your furniture and high-touch surfaces, and clean your floors. Rid your living space of dust and dander to prevent allergies, and generally make for a more comfortable living environment.

Time to Adventure

We get it, you’re ready for adventure, and we’re over here discussing a maintenance and cleaning checklist. While this might not sound too exciting, these items are necessary in order for you to do what you love, travel, and explore! Taking care of your home-on-wheels is also our top priority, that’s why we want you to be protected from unexpected breakdowns and repairs. When you have this checklist on hand, you’re ready for just about anything!

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