Preventative & Routine Maintenance for Your Recreational Vehicle

If you're an avid Canadian camper, then you'll likely already know that staying on top of your RV's maintenance is critical. However, when it comes to nailing down a checklist, ensuring that routine RV care is carried out, or categorizing the frequency of your preventative RV maintenance, we could all do with a quick refresher.

The variation between harsh, cold winters and hot summers require us here in Saskatoon to make a few special considerations when formulating this list. If minimizing costly repairs and ensuring year-round peace of mind are factors you value, then read on to find out the best preventative and routine maintenance methods for a recreational vehicle.

Check 1: Tires

The tires on your fifth wheel campers or travel trailers are a critical safety aspect for both you and those around you. Tires should be inflated to the recommended PSI. Underinflation could lead to excessive tread wear and lack of control, whereas overinflated tires could result in a blowout.

Check your tread depth and always make sure that it has no less than 4/32 inches. Get your tires rotated every season if possible, our service department at Sherwood RV can help you with tire rotation.

Check Frequency: Seasonally

Check 2: Wheels

When checking wheels you should keep an eye out for any irregular bends or buckles in the rim as damaged rims can lose air pressure over time, cause vibrations when in tow, or cause irregular tire wear.

Wheel bearing maintenance is every bit as important for your camper. These bearings are the parts that allow your travel trailer to steadily hold weight. Purchase some grease and grease your wheel bearings at least once every season. Get to know the different parts, such as the bearing assembly, cage, roller, and other components so that you can recognize when issues arise.

Make sure to repack the bearings entirely whenever you grease them. You will need a jack and jack stands so that you can remove the bearings. Carefully clean and grease them before reassembling them to the wheel. If you’re not familiar or uncomfortable tackling this on your own, our Service team can quickly and easily take care of this for you.

Check Frequency: Yearly

Check 3: Seals & Slideouts

An RV checklist wouldn't be complete without the mention of seals. Whether they be on the roof, vents, A/C units, or doors, your RV's seals are essential when it comes to keeping the elements out. During the hot summer months and cold winters, these seals expand and contract, causing them to become brittle and potentially fail over time. Failed seals could lead to water leaking in, which often results in significant damage and repair bills. Inspecting your seals on a regular basis will help catch any that are needing to be replaced before extensive interior damage is done.

While you are on the roof inspecting seals, take the opportunity to remove any debris and apply specialized products to clean and maintain the rubber roof coating.

The same can be applied to slide-outs, which may require periodic lubrication. Inspect all mechanisms and motors while cleaning out any trapped leaves or dirt that may inhibit moisture or interfere the mobility.

Check Frequency: Seasonally

Check 4: Cleaning

While you may not consider cleaning a vital part of RV maintenance, it is an often-overlooked aspect of routine RV care. Not only does a clean RV or Motorhome serve as a point of pride, getting rid of dirt and debris provides fewer opportunities for more significant issues to take hold.

Inside, a thorough deep clean will ensure any moisture or mold is kept at bay while preventing unpleasant smells from taking hold — especially important if you're planning on storing your RV for any period.
On the outside, keeping your RV's exterior clean can be a simple solution to prevent greater issues. Assuring nooks and crannies, such as wheel wells or around tanks, free of moisture-trapping dirt and road grime will prevent rust from forming. Protecting the exterior paintwork with a periodic application of wax is also a great step towards ensuring your RV's longevity.

You may consider getting the exterior of your camper professionally detailed every season. A yellowed, faded and cloudy exterior that you see on many older campers is due to a process called oxidization. Professional detail shops are able to clean and polish using special compounds which will reduce the risk of oxidization.

Check Frequency: Seasonally / Yearly

Check 5: Run Your Generator & Check Batteries

It's a good idea to run your generator once a month to ensure it continues to function correctly, as gas can go bad if left to stand for periods greater than a month. We recommend running your generator for two hours, under 50% load, to prevent any potential issues from surfacing.

At the same time, it's a good idea to check your batteries and add water to their cells if required. Remember only to use distilled water when topping them up, as the minerals in tap or drinking water can vastly reduce the battery's life-span.

Check Frequency: Monthly

While these are just a few of the most essential tips on preventative RV maintenance, they can go a long way in ensuring your safety while adding longevity to your camper.

If you're in doubt or think a helping hand would be useful when it comes to some of the more involved periodic checks, our team of trained specialists at Sherwood RV will be more than happy to help. Sherwood RV is a full-service dealership located in Saskatoon Auto Mall. Our RV consultants love to help out Canadian outdoor enthusiasts as we strive to keep you on the road and in the great outdoors.