Something that always surprises me when we are out RVing is that lots of RV owners I see at the campground do not take a minute or two to check the fluid levels in their RV or tow vehicle before leaving on their next days journey. I'm sure some owners did check their vehicles and I just missed it, but what I am saying is I see very few people with the hood up checking fluid levels prior to leaving. Now I'll be the first one to admit when I am on a shorter trip, say 1,000 miles or less, I don't always check the fluid levels or tire pressure every day before traveling. But, when we are driving at elevations of 7,000 feet plus I think it’s important to check a few things before leaving each day. Driving through mountainous terrain in hot temperatures can be hard on the engine, transmission and tires.
At a minimum I like to make the following Preventive Maintenance travel checks before each travel day.
1) Check the tow vehicle or motorhome fluid levels. This includes engine oil, transmission fluid, power steering, coolant level and windshield washer fluid levels. Adjust all fluid levels according to the owner manual instructions.
2) Check the generator oil and generator exhaust system. When it’s hot outside we usually run the generator while traveling so we can use the roof air conditioner and other electrical devices.
3) Tire pressure, I use a Tire Pressure Monitoring System (TPMS) so I can monitor the tire pressure and tire temperature while traveling. If you don't use a TPMS you should check the tire pressure with a quality tire inflation gauge.
4) Hitch work, lights and brakes on the towed trailer or towed vehicle.
5) Check for any leaks. Look under the vehicle for any evidence of leaks. Have any leaks checked out and repaired prior to traveling.
Keep in mind that this list does not replace any pre-trip checks that you might make before traveling each day. It is simply a short list of some daily preventive maintenance travel checks you can make to help prevent potential problems and untimely breakdowns.
Our best-selling Checklists for RVers e-book has over 90 pages of checklists on all aspects of RVing.
Happy RV Learning,
Mark Polk
RV Education 101
4) Hitch work, lights and brakes on the towed trailer or towed vehicle.
5) Check for any leaks. Look under the vehicle for any evidence of leaks. Have any leaks checked out and repaired prior to traveling.
Keep in mind that this list does not replace any pre-trip checks that you might make before traveling each day. It is simply a short list of some daily preventive maintenance travel checks you can make to help prevent potential problems and untimely breakdowns.
Our best-selling Checklists for RVers e-book has over 90 pages of checklists on all aspects of RVing.
Happy RV Learning,
Mark Polk
RV Education 101
No comments:
Post a Comment