Waking Up Your Camping Rig for the Upcoming Season.

Phil Martin

As the temps warm, the sun comes out, and the days get longer; avid campers are eager to prep the rig and venture back outdoors. Brisk morning walks with dew on the grass and robins playing in the backyard are signs of pleasant days ahead in the coming weeks. Just as we prep our homes with spring cleaning and wake up our lazy bodies for the upcoming season, we must wake up our beloved trailers for the first travel use and safe ventures. Here are some things that we can do to prepare.

Check Your Tires; So You Don’t Slow Your Roll

Trailer tires are different than standard automobile tires on our daily drivers. Our daily vehicle tires are generally driven often and don’t sit as much. Take your standard tire warranty – four years and 50,000 miles. The assumption is that you will drive 12,000 miles per year and your tires will wear properly with rotations down to the wear line. In that time a manufacturer will assume that the tires will wear out before any rot issues or sidewall damage occur. Trailer tires are different under the circumstances that our rigs can sit for weeks or months at a time in harsh weather conditions. It is important that you check the date your tire was made. It will be a four digit code close to the DOT code more than likely. For example, the code might say 1518. This means it was made in the fifteenth week of the year 2018. We have a 2019 travel trailer which was built in 2018 and purchased in 2019. Throw in two very aggressive camping seasons in 2019 and 2020 with thousands of miles on the road, and a harsh 2021 winter, well, the tires are definitely getting my attention this spring. Our date codes put our tires at three years old and are also a non-standard brand. I would hate for my next post to be about changing a camper tire on the interstate. Visually, the tires look good, but they are on my radar to change as soon as I can. While you are looking at your tires, check the tire pressure and make sure they are inflated properly. Our tires are set to 55 psi from the factory and I have maintained that pressure. An under/over inflated tire will lead to uneven wear, a worse ride, and perhaps even a blow out on the road.

Give it a Good Wash

Spring is a good time to give your trailer a nice wash. It's always nice to reconnect to your rig as the newness wears off and check for any flaws as you wash. If you have a ladder and equipment to wash by hand, please do so! A nice low pressure wash will allow you to inspect for winter damage while cleaning your trailer. Be careful around windows, doors, cargo storage, etc and look for damaged seals. A good seal conditioner can be applied at this time to your seals to prevent cracking and peeling. If you have a ladder or can get on top of your camper, wash the roof with a rubber roof cleaner and look for leaks. Also, save that receipt of your roof cleaner purchase or document when you cleaned your roof. A roof warranty may or may not be covered if you did not document and clean your roof as directed.

Open All the Doors (Including Drawers) Let it Breathe

Spring is also a time where nature becomes our friend and enemy at the same time. When we open up the doors on the outside and inside and let the air flow, it allows the rig to calibrate to outer humidity levels and air out any musty air that might still be inside. By opening all your internal doors and spaces, you are able to investigate for unwanted winter occupants and clean/repair if needed. Nothing ruins a great camping weekend like finding a dead mouse in a kitchen cabinet!

Dump the Pink Stuff

If you live in most of the USA, camper winterization is a requirement to prevent damage. Personally, I use a combination of using a small air compressor to blow out the water lines and keeping some RV Antifreeze in the traps and the blank tank/toilet. The antifreeze allows seals to be conditioned and helps to prevent water seals from drying out or cracking. When you arrive at your first destination, make sure to run a decent amount of water through the system to get pressurization and water moving to the black and grey tanks. This is also a good time to move water into your water heater and make sure it is working properly.

Ice, Ice Baby

Speaking of black tanks….When you get gas before your first trip, grab a couple bags of ice and dump them down your toilet directly into your black tank. The movement of your trailer along with the hard nature of the ice will break down waste buildup along the sides of the tank and could help if you have the poop pyramid built up in your black tank. Lubrication Makes it Easier. At Least on Your Hitch

Use this time to get a white silicon lubricant and liberally apply it to your hitch ball and trailer tongue. Your trailer will be more quiet and less likely to distract you will you are navigating down the highway. This can also prevent early damage to your towing setup. If you have a weight distribution hitch or other setup, please look at your manufacturing documents to determine where your equipment should be lubricated, or NOT lubricated. That's just a few helpful tips to ensure you get on the road safely and prepared! Thanks for reading and let us know in the comments if you have any must have spring tips or tricks!