RVing
Women
March / April 2000 edition
Roof inspection and maintenance tips (metal and rubber)
Spring is the time to get out the stepladder and take a good look at the condition of
your RV's roof.
The membrane on a rubber roof is made of a very tough and durable material, but it is
fairly thin and can be punctured by a sharp object. You can carefully walk on the
surface - however, before stomping around up there - first check your shoes for embedded
stones and thorns that could do damage to the roof covering.
Under the rubber covering, there is usually a 3/16th to 1/2 inch plywood or particle
board sheeting that evenly supports your weight.
If your roof is metal, especially if it is the seamed type, (has crosswise seams every
48" or so), you'll need to lay a plywood strip or some wide boards (lengthwise) to
walk on. This way the boards span the roof rafters and distribute your weight
evenly.
Closely inspect the roof coat condition on every protruding fixture, any cracks or thin
spots can be touched up with the appropriate material. If the roof coat is peeling
or flaking in any way, then the old coating must be removed by scraping it off. On
metal roofs use a one inch wide scraper with a firm blade, like the ones used by auto
technicians for scraping off old gaskets. For rubber roofs use a plastic scraper
that won't cut the membrane. If you heat the old coating with a hot air gun, it will
come off fairly easily.
For metal roofs, use the aluminum roof coat, available in gray or white, and brush it
on about 1/8" thick. Stir very thoroughly and apply on a warm day for the best
results. For rubber, use elastomeric roof coating that is safe for rubber roofs or
the special self leveling sealant sold at RV supply stores for this purpose.
Never use a petroleum based product on a rubber roof as damage to the rubber membrane
will result. Also, while silicone caulking has a place in the RV, it has no place on
the roof. Silicone will not stick well and may damage the rubber, and on a metal
roof it will adhere to some places and not others, causing pockets that will trap water.
Tires, wheel bearing, suspension and brakes
Spring is the time to examine the RV tires closely, looking for cuts or other visible
damage on both sides of the sidewall. Inflate the tire to the proper pressure and
inspect closely for small cracks that occur due to constant exposure to the sun and other
weathering agents. Check the tread for uneven wear on one side or the other and for
other irregularities in the wear pattern that would indicate a possible alignment or wheel
balance problem.
You can check for excess wheel bearing play by first jacking the wheel off the ground,
then, facing the wheel, grasp it from both sides and check for in and out
"wobble." It's normal for the wheel to move slightly, maybeup to 1/8"
or so, but more than that is excessive. Because of the intermittent use and
long periods of storage, wheel bearings on a trailer should be inspected and repacked with
grease on a yearly basis. You can check the brakes on this wheel for operation by
pulling the breakaway pin on the hitch (you must have a charged battery hooked up).
The brakes should apply firmly and you will not be able to rotate the wheel by hand once
the brakes engage. The condition of the brake linings and the brake magnet should
also be checked on a yearly basis for wear and heat damage. As this involves pulling
the wheel bearings, unless you are a mechanical type, this job is better left to the
professionals.
Visually inspect the suspension components for looseness, bent or broken parts and
other obvious problems. The suspension system utilizes nylon bushing in all the
joints that will wear out over the miles and should be replaced periodically. Any
leakage from the shock absorbers, if so equipped, indicates that they are due for
replacement.
Propane system owner maintenance and leak test
The propane system is the most important and potentially deadly system in your RV.
Propane is a very safe and convenient fuel if all safety considerations are
followed and many regulations are in effect to enforce these safety measures. A
simple leak test can be preformed in a few minutes by a qualified RV Gasfitter, and the
cost is minimal. An effective "home" test can be done using an ordinary
spray bottle with a squirt or two of dish washing detergent mixed with water. Spray
this solution on each and every connection of your propane system, including all the
connections to every appliance and all the connections to your supply tanks and cylinders.
ANY bubbles (of any size) indicate that a leak is present and the system should be
shut down immediately. Be sure to wipe off any soapy residue.
Propane is heavier than air... that means that it will settle to the lowest point that
it can find... and will collect there if a constant leak is present. A mixture of 5
to 120 percent propane to air needs only an ignition source to explore with violent
results. I must stress the point that NO propane leak is tolerable.
The Water System
If you live in the colder climes, where annual winterizing with RV antifreeze is
required, you must flush the system thoroughly before use to get rid of the antifreeze.
While this antifreeze is non-toxic, it tastes really bad. Flush the water
system by following the steps below:
- Fill your on-board water tank 3/4 full and add one or two capfuls (not cupfuls) of
household bleach. Take the unit around the block to slosh the mixture to all parts
of the tank.
- Turn on the water pump and open all taps one by one to allow this solution to fill every
water line and flush out the antifreeze. Once this is done, let it sit overnight.
- Connect to your city water and flush every outlet for at least 5 minutes. Now
switch the water heater bypass to allow the water heater to fill. This procedure will
prevent the antifreeze from entering the hot water system. While this is not a
health problem, as such, the antifreeze will produce a foaming condition that can persist
for several days.
- Drain your fresh water storage tank and refill with fresh water. You can add a
capful of bleach every time you fill the water tank to keep it fresh and sanitary.
However, due to the unknown quality of campground water supplies, and the fact that the
water in your tank may stand for several days or weeks in the hot sun, you may wish to use
bottled water for drinking supplies.
- Now is a good time to check the operation of your dump valves. The slide mechanism
should operate smoothly with no sticking and should seal completely. Change any
suspect valve before a problem develops. There are not many things worse than
encountering a stuck or broken sewage dump valve, when the tanks are completely full.
Clearance Light Fix-its
One spring chore that inevitably crops up, especially on aging RVs, is the clearance
light shuffle. You repair one light and then shuffle your ladder, tools and other
paraphernalia to the next one.
The most common problem with clearance lights is the corrosion that builds up over time
on the electrical connections. Pop off or unscrew the lenses, and clean up the
connections on the bulbs and their contacts with fine sandpaper. A good tool for
this job is an emery coated fingernail file. Sometimes the round connection (the
return path for the electrical current) is supplied by the skin of the RV through
the clearance light mounting screw. If this screw is corroded or rusty, replace it
with a new one. If the screw is loose and cannot be tightened, then substitute a
slightly larger one. Remember that the screws are usually just penetrating the
aluminum skin with no backing behind them, so overtightening them will strip out the hole.
If this happens, you can move the screws slightly up or down to a fresh area as
long as the light will still cover the old holes. Once you have the light
operational, spray all the connections with WD40 or a similar product to help prevent
future corrosion. Snap on the lens and put a bead of silicone on the top and sides
of the lens-to-mount joint to prevent water penetration. Don't silicone the bottom
joint as this will plug up the drain holes and seal in moisture, turning the light fixture
into a mini-greenhouse.
Hitch and Wire Inspection
Check all mounting bolts for tightness and lubricate any parts that require it.
Spray the wiring plug on the trailer and the socket on the tow vehicle with a product like
WD40 - this will help clean out any build up of corrosion and will help prevent further
corrosion from happening.
Exterior (care and feeding)
The exterior can be washed with any automobile type car wash detergent or with a few
squirts of dishwasher liquid in a five-gallon bucket. Also the siding can be waxed
with a non-abrasive auto polish to brighten up the surface.
Battery Woes and Worries
If you have neglected your battery through the winter months, then the chances are that
it is in a severely discharged condition and therefore possibly damaged. A battery
will discharge slowly even when not being used and should be given a top-up charge about
once a month when in storage. Bring the battery back up to a fully charged state
with a trickle charger on it for several days. When being charged, a lead acid
battery will emit hydrogen gas which is explosive, so only charge in a well ventilated
area and well away from any ignition source. When unhooking the battery charger,
first unplug the charger and then disconnect the battery to prevent any disconnect
sparking. Most battery stores and RV service shops will be able to do a load test to
determine the battery capacity but the battery needs to be fully charged for this.
Check the water level in all cells and top up with distilled water only. Clean the
terminals with a wire brush and wipe off the case.
The Awning
The awning is one of those have-to-have accessories that at 3 am, with a howling wind,
you wish you didn't have. Who can remember the dozen or so steps required to lower
the thing under these conditions? Have you ever awakened after that midsummer
overnight thunderstorm and your awning is sagging alarmingly. Have you ever tried to
empty the hundred or so gallons of water that has collected in that sagging awning?
The awning is designed as a sunshade, period. If, perhaps, it starts to sprinkle
a bit and also kicks up a mild breeze - don't worry - your awning can handle that.
But if those dark clouds are building on the horizon and the birds are seeking shelter,
then you really should consider rolling up. And you really should consider rolling
up, NOW.
Practice rolling up your awning on a calm day until you have the procedure memorized.
Then do the same thing while blindfolded, with someone spraying a hose in your
face. This will simulate a typical emergency storm take-down. Except for the
wind, of course. For this simulation you will need three fairly burly guys, all
yanking the awning in a different direction at the same time. Once you have gone
through the preceding exercise, you will understand why the experienced camper will take
down the awning at the first sign of trouble.
After being rolled up and possibly damp for several months, your awning will appreciate
a good airing out and a bath with warm water and a mild detergent. Use a car wash
type brush to scrub the surface of both the top and the underside. A little WD40 on
the moving parts helps to free up and protect these components. Dry it thoroughly
before re-rolling it.
Lower one end of your open awning to allow rainwater to drain off. Peg down the
awning feet when the awning is free standing so that a gust of wind will not flip over the
awning. Also, the awning may be strapped down with the special awning straps
available at your local RV store. If you suspect a strong wind or storm is coming,
the safest thing to do is roll up the awning.
Gizmos and Gadgets
The new season is finally here and the call of the open road is strong. It's time
to head down to the RV place to see what new goodies are on display.
Don't forget to pick up your black water treatment chemicals and the RV toilet paper.
Oh, also, remember those burnt out light bulbs? Replace them with the
recommended bulbs to avoid discoloring the plastic lenses.
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