The Smart RVer: DIY RV Maintenance and Repair

Safety First! Have you ever wondered why your LP or CO Detector just starts beeping for no apparent reason? It has died! They have a expiration date and as a safety precaution it lets you know when it is dying and that it is time to replace it. To many people hear a beeping CO or LP detector and consider it as an annoyance and they just take the batteries out or disconnect it all together! That is not a good move, they are installed for your safety. Since 1996 New RV’s were required by law to have an LP leak detector installed and in 2005 all New RV’s were required by law to have a CO and LP leak detector installed.If you purchase a new RV it will have both detectors already installed. If you purchase a used RV depending on the year it may have one or the other installed. If it is older than 2005 but not older than 1996 you will want to install a CO leak detector or replace the LP leak detector with a combination LP/CO leak detector. In any scenario you will want to have both leak detectors.It is important to have both the LP and CO leak detectors, they do save lives. A leak can come out of no where or a faulty furnace can create CO and it could cost a family or friend their life. There are many potential sources for CO poisoning and lives are lost each year due to Faulty CO detectors or negligence on the part of the owner. The same is true about fires that start from a leaking stove, furnace, oven, BBQ; LP fires spread quickly in an RV and an RV burns fairly rapidly making an escape sometimes difficult. Check the date code on your detector and see if it close the 5 year life that it has. Don’t mess around with this Important Safety Feature! Listen Now to the Entire Episode on CO and LP Safety! Shop Now for an LP and CO Leak Detector!The post ↓Episode 14 – When to Change & Why to Maintain LP & Carbon Monoxide Detectors appeared first on Radio Arizona RV.

Check Episodes 11 & 12 First – It will make better sense. The decision is yours! A RV Water Filter, Reverse Osmosis system, Water Softener? Do you need any of the aforementioned? Maybe just a Water Filter is all you need? In this episode I will explore the options of the 3 water systems that are widely used in RV’s to produce better water quality. Reverse Osmosis, Water Softeners and Water Filters are pretty simple systems within themselves and I will explore which might be best for you. At the bare minimum you will probably want a Dual Filter water filter system. A basic water filter system will at least make your water safe from the various bacteria’s and other microscopic living creatures found in most water supplies.When choosing the water system that will work for you there are several factors to consider. Do you the have the space for it, is it in your budget and what is your ultimate goal. The Reverse Osmosis System needs to be installed under the kitchen sink or in a compartment with a dedicated faucet installed at the kitchen sink. The RO System will produce clean water for drinking and cooking, it might be the best solution. A Water Softener has its advantages because it services the entire RV and not just one faucet. It will keep the entire plumbing system free from minerals that cause damage and eliminate hard water and the problems it creates. Your showers will feel better and if you have a washing machine your clothes will be cleaner. You will actually have pretty descent drinking water and most Water Softeners are compact and easy to store. A Dual Cartridge Water Filter is the basic system and for a lot of RV’ers this is the easiest to use, store and maintain. And it will serve the basic function of keeping your water clean. Read More of Episode 13 to Find Out More! Check Out Arizona RV Parts Center for Fresh Water SystemsThe post ↓Episode 13 – Water Softener, Reverse Osmosis or Water Filters, which is best for you? appeared first on Radio Arizona RV.

Today there are many Portable Water Softeners for the RV’er to choose from. At the end of the day they all virtually do the same thing just some with salt others with potassium. They are pretty simple to hook up and use and store when not in use. A Water Softener does just as its name implies, it softens the water by removing the minerals that make it hard. Hard water leaves water spots and has minerals that ruin appliances such as coffee makers and washing machines. The minerals also build up in pipes, faucets and ice makers. Even your shower is affected by hard water, the soap does not lather up. Hard water also leaves scale build up on shower, tubs, shower/tub doors and sinks making it much harder to keep clean. Portable RV Water Softeners are a great addition to improving your water quality.They are very easy to use and maintain making them very practical for most RV’ers. They will need to be recharged from time to time depending on your water usage. Most RV Water Softeners use either table salt or potassium and both are readily available and convenient. I personally would prefer Table Salt, you can always swipe the salt shakers from Denny’s or IHop. Just kidding. Listen to the Full Episode Now! Check Out Arizona RV Parts Center for Fresh Water SystemsThe post ↓Episode 12 – Water Softener Basics appeared first on Radio Arizona RV.

Reverse Osmosis Systems for RV’s can be a great addition if you have the space for it. For an RV the RO System is the same as a house for the most part, just a little smaller. An RO System is the proven way to remove salt from the water source and gives you fresh salt free water. It is a simple system to use and maintain although quite often it is hyped up to as a complex system. I am not sure the hype is true because it is very simple to install, understand and maintain. After the initial install it is a matter of replacing the filters when needed.This is a pretty simple system to understand. This is single faucet system, it does supply your entire RV. There are two pre-filters, one sediment and one carbon. After the filters the system will have a flow restrictor and the membrane. The membrane is many layers of materials that filters out all of the bad stuff that made it through the first two filters. And then there is a post filter to finish up the job. Finally the water ends up in a pressure tank that stops the flow of water when it is full, this keeps water from being wasted. RO systems have waste water that is not used and is ejected through the gray water plumbing, the amount is minimal but, you do need to know that. Listen to The Full Episode to Hear All of the Details Check Out Arizona RV Parts Center for Fresh Water SystemsThe post ↓Episode 11- Reverse Osmosis Systems for RV’s appeared first on Radio Arizona RV.

Seriously, You Need To Listen to This! Buying an appliance part should not be painful although quite often it is. Taking the right approach and going to the Parts Counter with the right information will simplify this sometimes painful process. Bring your Appliance Model Number to the RV Store and the parts guy should be able help you with ease.It happens everyday, someone needs a part and they do not have the Model Number. It is very difficult to figure out what the part number is unless us or any parts guy has the model number. For example: Dometic has hundreds off refrigerator models and a very small amount of parts are interchangeable. In other words one door handle might only fit 2 or 3 models out of hundreds. Or a furnace blower motor for example: Suburban has hundreds of different models of furnaces and almost as many different blower motors. Even bringing you motor to the store can be a challenge for the parts guy. He will try to physically match it up to the ones he has in stock and that can be tedious and quite often non-productive. He might not have all of the motors in stock and if he has to order it he will need the model number. get the picture?Listen to the Entire Episode Now, Help a Parts Guy Keep His Sanity!The post ↓Episode 10 – How to Properly Inquire into RV Appliance Parts appeared first on Radio Arizona RV.

The Portable Power Pack is a great tool to have to charge Cell Phones, Tablets, iPads, iPods, iPhones and any other device that requires charging. The best thing is, these Power Packs can jump start a Full Size PU Truck! I was very skeptical when these were first shown to me, I had to see real results and I did. The salesman jump started his suburban with the battery disconnected, he did it about 8 times. It is the real deal! They come in 2 sizes and are very compact and extremely portable.The other nice thing bout these Portable Power Packs is that they can easily be carried in a back pack, tool box, stored on an ATV for emergency purposes. Every ATV’er should be prepared for emergency situations that come out of nowhere. batteries go dead, light get left on and in the desert a dead battery can be a dangerous situation. The Portable Power Packs also have adapters to charge cell phones, tablets and more.Check Out the Full Story and Listen Now! The post ↓Episode 9 – Portable Battery Jump Starter about the Size of a Cell Phone appeared first on Radio Arizona RV.

RV Awning Drops and End Panels are a great way to create an outdoor space that actually expands the living area. You can create a shaded area to enjoy the sunny days or it can double as a wind barrier at night to create a warm space for enjoying the evening. The Awning Drops are easy to use, just slide it into the Utility Groove on the Awning Roller Tube. The End Panels attach to the Tension Rafter on Manual Awnings or on Electric Awnings they attach at the side of the RV to the awning hardware and out at the roller tube.Both Products are great for adding extra privacy and are extremely easy to use. The Awning Drops can be angled out to give you more room under the Awning while in use. We also make them with our ProZip zipper upgrade so the bottom section can be removed leaving the upper section on the roller tube. This makes it much easier to remove the lower section in windy conditions and then the Awning can be retracted and avoid any wind damage. Listen to the Full Episode for the Whole StoryLearn More About Sunpro Awning DropsLearn More About Sunpro Awning End PanelsThe post ↓Episode 8 – Managing the Sun by use of Awning Drops & End Panels appeared first on Radio Arizona RV.

Fender Covers are a simple way to cover your RV tires and protect them from the sun. Fender Covers are easier to put on than traditional vinyl tire covers and they look great. Either type of Tire Cover will protect the tires and reduce the potential for failure. Just make sure you cover them. Vinyl Tire Covers serve a purpose and that is to keep the sun off the tires to reduce damage and to extend their life. We sell Vinyl Tire Covers in White and Black. some RV’ers tend to think the black will make the tires hotter and ruin them. That is not the case, black tires get a little hotter but, not enough to cause damage.The difference between black and white is very minimal in terms of heat build up. Black will look nicer for a longer period of time. The best solution are Fender Covers that attach to the side of the RV. They are easier to put on and remove. They stay much cleaner than traditional tire covers and definitely look nicer. We make ours with our Suntex 90% sunshade material that blocks out 90% of the suns UV rays and light. Listen to The Rest of The Story NowCheck Out Our Fender Covers @ SunPro MfgThe post ↓Episode 7 – Tire Covers / Fender Covers appeared first on Radio Arizona RV.

Almost all RVs have a Patio/Main Awning installed to provide cover from the elements. If you are one of the many who enjoy using your RV Awning, you will need to maintain some part of it sooner or later. An awning can function properly for decades or until the parts become obsolete. The fabrics are the most common part of an awning to fail, and they are well worth the money to replace. RV Awnings are a great piece of equipment to have on an RV. A&E and Carefree of Colorado are the two most popular brands sold today. Zip Dee and Girard are two other quality manufacturers of awnings usually found on certain brands of RVs or high-End motorhomes. Our conversation is going to revolve around A&E and Carefree. They both are good awnings, whether it is electric or manual, and both have stood the test of time and have been used on RVs for decades. Either brand will need some maintenance and that is what this podcast is about. Check Out SunPro MFG for Dometic Awning Fabrics! Listen Now to Hear All of the Details

In this Episode I discuss the value of Slide Out Awnings and Replacing the Slide Out Fabrics. Sunpro Mfg offers 13 oz and 18 oz Slide Out Awning Fabrics for all brands of Slide Out Awnings. Sunpro has 7 different colors in the 13 oz and 2 colors in the 18 oz. With a 3 or 5 Year Warranty you can’t go wrong with a Sunpro Slide Out Awning Replacement Fabric. Slide Out Awnings are a great way to keep debris and who knows what out of your RV when you bring your slide out in.  Slide out awnings were never made to keep water out from leaking seals although, they do help in this regard. You should always repair a water leak and not let it to continue because a leak will usually get worse. The fabrics don’t last forever as some might think and they will need to be replaced at some point in time. The hardware will last for decades with Carefree Free of Colorado and A&E by Dometic. You might need to replace a part here and there but considering they are a pretty simple piece of equipment they hold up pretty good. Rather than reading my ramblings, Listen to the Entire Episode Now.Learn More About Sunpro Slide Out FabricsThe post ↓Episode 5 – RV Slide Out Awning Fabrics appeared first on Radio Arizona RV.

In this episode I get into the importance and simplicity of Travel Trailer Leaf Springs and the importance of inspecting them and being prepared to replace a damaged Leaf Spring before it leaves you stranded. Most Travel Trailers and 5th Wheels have leaf springs and this would also include Utility Trailers as well. Over the years I have listened to a lot of customers complain about their broken leaf springs or related parts and how now they are stranded until they get it repaired. In a lot of scenarios the breakdown could possibly have been avoided.One of the problems leaf springs or suspension problems create is they usually break while you are traveling and not parked. And it is not always easy to find the suspension parts you need on the road, it can be hard even when you are not on the road. Not all RV Parts stores carry suspension parts and they might not have what you need when you need it. It can create a real problem when you are not prepared for it. The worst situation is when your trailer is broken down on the side of the road somewhere, it is dangerous and an uncomfortable situation to find yourself in. It is a good idea to carry a spare leaf spring or two and some basic suspension parts and most importantly, do some Pre-Travel inspections. Listen to The Full Episode to See The Big Picture!The post ↓Episode 4 – Leaf Spring Maintenance & Repair appeared first on Radio Arizona RV.

In this episode, I discuss Trailer Tire Safety and how Trailer Tires are unique and require more attention than most other tires on the road. This is what most Rv’ers Don’t Know and Need to Know. Trailer Tires basically face the same issues or have the same problems regardless of what kind of trailer you have. They require specific maintenance steps and they are made for trailers and nothing else. Trailer tires also have an expiration date, in other words, those tires have that great-looking tread because you don’t use the trailer that often does not mean those tires are safe. Beware!  Let me explain. Trailer tires have a life span of about 5 years and for the average RV’er that is about 10,000 miles or 2,000 a year and that is not a lot of miles. The tires can break down on the outside from excessive wear and that is what we expect and understand. The other side of the coin is trailer tires also break down on the inside whether being used or not although, they do last longer if you use your trailer more often. Trailer tires are made to move and not sit, they get internally lubricated by rolling down the highway. Movement keeps them alive, just like a human.

In this episode, I discuss the importance of maintaining the Wheel Bearings and Brakes on Travel & 5th Wheel Trailers. It is extremely important to give attention to these 2 systems, failure can mean a breakdown on the highway leaving yourself and your family exposed to dangers. In this episode, it is gear towards trailer brakes on utility and recreational trailers and not so much for boat trailers. Boat trailer brakes and bearings get submerged and there are some differences in maintaining it. Trailer brakes will last 50 to 70 thousand miles and that is lot of miles for the average trailer.The brake magnet will probably fail first because they ware out or short out internally and stop functioning and in turn, the brakes on that wheel will not function. Brake magnets are expensive in comparison to a complete backing plate with hardware, brake shoes, and a new magnet. If your shoes or magnets need replacing I would highly recommend to just replacing the entire backing plate with all new hardware, 4 bolts connect 2 wires, and adjust the shoes and you are done.Wheel bearings are a common system to be ignored when it comes to maintenance. From my experience RV’ers have a tendency to ignore getting their wheel bearings repacked on regular intervals. When a wheel bearing burns up it can obviously ruin the bearing, bearing race and possible the spindle, hub or drum costing a lot more money than having the bearings repacked and grease seals replaced. It is also very unpleasant to be broken down on the side of the road. It can be a dangerous spot to be in. It is very wise to carry spare wheel bearings and even a hub or drum might not break the bank and it is cheap insurance.Listen to the Full Episode to Learn More

This episode introduces The Smart Rver Podcast, who we are, and how we are involved in the RV Industry. My name is Eric Stark, and I am the owner of Highway 93 RV located in Hamilton, MT. The Smart RVer is my creation, and the goal is to help RVers maintain their RVs and better understand the systems already on their RVs or those they might want to add. Each episode will be as short as possible, with minimal unnecessary conversation. I don’t get extremely technical, at least yet. I want to give you a direction to get started.There are a lot of subjects that can be covered, but they do not need a lot of technical details to get an understanding of whether you need to do it or if you want to do it. I am a parts guy and I explain a lot of stuff to a lot of people I know what it takes to give the information they need and what they don’t need. I have an episode about wheel bearing maintenance, and I cover the importance of checking and maintaining the wheel bearings and the consequences if you don’t. If you listen to the episode, it will motivate you to get your bearings checked by a professional or do it yourself if you have the expertise. At this point in time I don’t have step by step instructions, some things you do come with instructions and other things require a professional. Just Take a Few Minutes and Hear it For Yourself