Pik-A-Dilly RV Centre Service Department

In regards to maintenance, there are checklists with recommended time frames for checking certain items on your RV. These checklists are also going to depend on what type of RV you do own. When it comes to towing an RV, then the hitching of the trailer to a vehicle and the exterior lighting of that trailer are extremely important because if these were to fail it could cause an accident. These items should be checked every time you hook up and are heading out on the road. There are certain items that should be checked on an annual basis and these include wheel bearings, brakes and appliances. There are other things that need maintained regularly as well and that is to perform a visual inspection of the exterior seals and sealants to make sure there is no way for water to enter into your trailer.

Wheel bearings should be repacked and inspected every 10-12,000 miles or every 12 months. We recommend removing your wheels and have the bearings cleaned to make sure there are no scorch marks or no pits in the bearings. If there is either of these two things, then replace both the bearing as well as the race to prevent any breakdowns while traveling. Also check the brake shoes and magnets to make sure there are no problems. Make sure the brake shoes have plenty of thickness and again have no gouges or broken pieces from the shoes and make sure your magnets are not wearing unevenly. Make sure that any broken or worn pieces are replaced and all the proper adjustments are made.

The process of winterizing your RV requires draining all the water from the system and then either

1) blowing air through all the lines or

2) pumping antifreeze through the system. We recommend the latter of the two because then you are sure that all the water has been pushed out of the water lines. In some RV’s there are bypass valves in place to make the job easier. We recommend removing the line from the suction side of the water pump and putting on a spare piece of line that can be put inside an antifreeze jug. Then we need to eliminate the water heater from the system because we do not want antifreeze inside the water heater. Some units come with bypass valves to prevent this, older units the lines need to be removed from the tank and joined together so the antifreeze will go into both the hot and cold water lines. Turn on the water pump and then go to each faucet and turn on the tap until the antifreeze comes out pink. Make sure to flush the toilet and run the faucet at the exterior shower if you have one. Also make sure that you pour antifreeze down each one of the traps. The water pump can now be reconnected. The water heater can be left in bypass mode until spring. It can be left like this until after the system is flushed out and then reconnected. Always check for leaks.

The streaks on the trailer are usually due to the oxidization that happens on the roof of the trailer. It is recommended to wash the roof of your RV twice a year and that will help to minimize the streaks that occur on the sidewalls of your trailer. The black streaks are usually due to sap, bird droppings or just plain dirt and when it rains or there is dew outside it can run down and create these streaks. It is also recommended to wash the exterior of the RV with a good wash and wax soap and they will help prevent some of the streaks from building up.

Although there are different types of monitors systems in RV’s, the probe style is very common and can create false readings if there is something stuck on one of the probes inside the tank. The best recommendation for holding tanks is to use the proper type of toilet paper and toilet chemical as well. The proper type of toilet paper will break down inside the tank and the chemical will help that process as well. If you have a tank that is reading inaccurately then the tank will need to be flushed out. There are different methods to flush that tank

1) Fill the tank half full of water and chemical and take the trailer for a drive down the road. In this case you will get a sloshing effect that will help cleanse the tank.

2) Fill the tank completely with water and chemical and let it sit so that the chemical can help break down whatever happens to be in the tank.

3) Fill the tank half full of water and then add a bagful of ice cubes. This will also act as an agitator inside the tank to help cleanse. Unfortunately when this happens this in not a warrantable situation as this is referred to as maintenance.

Dry rot is a term used to describe wood that has decomposed and has no structural strength left. This can be caused by a plumbing leak within the water system of the RV or can be caused by a leak through the sidewall of the trailer. This could be through a window, moulding or any attachment on the exterior walls of the trailer. Some identifying signs can be stains on the inside of the unit or even softness on the ceiling or walls. Rusty and corroded screws/fasteners are another indication as well. Dry rot can spread throughout the trailer as long as water is still able to enter the trailer. Dry rot is very expensive to repair as it can be time consuming, so make sure that all attachments on the exterior of the trailer are sealed and sealed properly.

The battery on your RV needs maintenance as well. Make sure the water level is up in each one of the cells. Make sure that the battery posts are clean as well as the terminal ends. Make sure your battery case is clean as you can lose voltage through a dirty battery case. There are some tests that can be performed on your battery as well which include a battery load test and a specific gravity test to make sure there are no shorted cells in the battery. If your battery is in storage it is recommended to put a battery charger on once a month to keep the battery charged.