Items for doing maintenance outside the RV
Having full-time RVed for nearly five years now, I’ve tried out dozens of various maintenance products. Doing my own maintenance tasks to keep the rig in tip top condition can save us boatloads of money today and down the road. We plan to keep our Cougar fifth wheel hopefully for many years to come. I … Read more
Recently we went through some typical socked in rainy west coast weather. Day after day of drizzle, rain and sometimes pounding rain. It’s the tradeoff for living in the emerald beauty that is the Pacific Northwest. While huddled in the rig waiting for the sun’s return, I couldn’t help but think about leaks and what … Read more
Introduction I like to do most of my own repairs and maintenance on my RV. I also enjoy making many modifications and upgrades to it. So, being a sort of DIY type guy and a full-time RVer I carry a decent assortment of tools. Recently a company called Vampire Tools offered to send me a … Read more
Love Your RV! Review Lately, I have been contacted by many companies offering to send products for me to try out and possibly review. If they are not RV related or something I don’t think I would want to use I decline the offer. Recently there have been several that strike my fancy and I … Read more
What the Heck is that Noise? A couple days ago I noticed a faint whistling noise every once in a while in the rig. It would come and go apparently at random. Then yesterday it got very loud and it was easy to track it down. Our Suburban SW6DE water heater was singing to us. … Read more
Introduction We are preparing for our 2014 snowbird season and one thing I like to do is make sure our 1994 Ford F350 tow vehicle is in tip top shape. As they say “An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure”. This is particularly true when it comes to extended RV trips. None … Read more
How I Lubricate My Fifth Wheel Trailer Usually twice a year I will go through the fifth wheel mechanisms and give them a good lubrication. I find that lubing my fifth wheel trailer and hitch regularly really helps it perform better for me. Everything works smoothly and as it should. Keeping the moving parts properly … Read more
Torque Wrench for RV Maintenance Tip As a full timer, snowbird and even a regular vacation type RV user it’s a good idea to carry and know how to use a torque wrench to maintain proper tightness on critical nuts and bolts. As our motorhomes, trucks, tow vehicles, and trailers are rolling and sometimes bouncing … Read more
RV Hot Water Electrical Repair – Bad Switch The other morning while breaking camp to head out to the next destination I noticed the electrical on/off switch for my Suburban SW6DE Water Heater was a little stiff and it required a lot of force to turn it off. It is a little rocker switch located … Read more
Found During Routine Service My 2011 Keystone Cougar 276RLS went in for routine service last week at Triangle RV in Sidney BC. The work to be done was an axle bearing inspection, clean and grease repack. Also new seals were to be installed and if necessary new bearings. While they were at it I instructed … Read more
RV Waste Tank Valve Replacement A little while ago when running some wiring to install a headphone jack in the Cougar I decided to have a peek inside all areas of the underbelly. As I inspected the area where the gray and black tank valves are located I noticed the black tank valve was developing … Read more
In the summer after a winter spent down south as a snowbird doing lot of boondocking my pair of 73536i Champion Generators need some tender loving care. I like to pick a nice sunny day, strip off the covers and perform the manufacturer’s suggested maintenance. This includes: Changing the oil Cleaning the fuel filter Cleaning … Read more
I’m often asked what tools and maintenance items I carry along while pursuing the Full Time RV Life. While organizing the RV this spring I pulled out all my tools and thought this would be a good time to show to you the stuff I carry. When RVing there is always the balance between carrying … Read more
Introduction Every six months or so I wash, wax and detail the RV. Occasionally between, it may get a quick wash if it gets very dirty or dusty, usually after a couple of rainy drives or a desert windstorm. Below you will learn the methods, tools, and products I use to carry out the task. … Read more
For lifting your heavy tandem wheel trailer to change a tire or check bearings and brakes nothing is as easy as using the Trailer Aid Plus. I picked up one to use on my 9000 lb Keystone Cougar fifth wheel trailer. It makes it easy to check the brakes and bearings and change a flat. Just … Read more