INTRO

Eric Stark: Three maintenance projects you should have done by now. Roof maintenance, inspecting the freshwater system, and giving the chassis a thorough once over. That's what we're going to talk about today.

We are staying on the road and enjoying the RV live segment. We'll also discuss the comprehensive guide we have on our website on when to sell your RV.

Then, we will visit the extraordinary moon craters in Idaho at the Next Stop. And then, in RV Envy, we will talk about the new international MV 607 windshield cover that Sunpro manufacturing has just come online with.

So, I want to welcome everybody to the show today. This is Eric Stark with TheSmartRVer Podcast, delivering the smarts.

You need to enjoy the freedom of the RV lifestyle without the fear of breaking down. Let's talk about everything RV today. We're in episode 153, and let's dig right into it. Alexis is here today. How are you doing?

Alexis: I'm doing swell, Eric.

Eric Stark: We are doing swell. Right on. Like Dennis the menace or leave it the beaver. Well, that's nice. That's cute. No?

Before we dig into it, I want to share a friendly reminder with everybody. When you have work done on your RV, pick it up before you pay and ensure it has been done on the RV.

When they pick up the RV and get home, they find that what they took needs to be fixed. They're frustrated, so they call the dealership and say, "Well, there's nothing wrong with it when it was here," or something like that.

But yet, they charge them for repair. How this plays out is all over the board.

You can only check some things thoroughly when you pick up your RV, but you must ensure that they've done the work right at some level.

You need to hold them to the fire on this. Walk out to the RV with the service rider or whoever and make sure they've done something, especially the things you took it in for. They'll often get other things done, things you should have considered. Perhaps they saw, and you said, "Yeah, go ahead and do that."

They'll get that stuff done differently from what you wanted. What's the point of leaving your RV there for a week, two weeks, three months, six months, whatever it might be?

As I said, we hear this quite often in the store. It's one of the little things I wrote down to ensure we discuss it. So, make sure the work is done.

I know here that when people pick up their RV, we give them a little tour of it, showing them what we RV before they ever pay for it. So that way, they're happy, understand what was done, where we're at, and everything's good.

I know only some people do that, but you want to get something like that done to ensure that. All right, so enough of that. Let's get into enjoying the RV life. Now, Alexis will give us a comprehensive lesson on when to sell your RV.

And we're not talking about just the time of year. There are reasons you should sell your RV; things change in your life. But go ahead, Alexis.

Alexis: I will only discuss some of these points. There are seven points here, but you can read more about them on the website.

But we were talking about how sometimes personal preferences and financial considerations change. You've got different goals now, and the RV or travel trailer doesn't fit that.

You need to consider selling it and getting something that fits your life. The first thing is that your lifestyle might change. You might need more amenities or less amenities.

You should go somewhere smaller so you can visit more places. It's up to you. The other thing is maintenance costs.

If you have something on your hand that's a little older, it may need some more repairs. More things are going wrong, and more things are breaking down. That might be something to consider because it is.

You could be burdened financially, so you want to think about that—two, upgrade technology. We talk about this in RV and Be; sometimes, we want to.

We want to get innovative things that might be new.

And I'm not saying you have to get a brand new RV, but maybe something else with different upgrades than yours did that you think would be helpful in your life. That might be something to consider.

Eric Stark: Those are some great points. Technology is good, and it changes quite a bit. Be cautious, though. Some of the new technology sounds good until it breaks.

Alexis: Exactly.

Eric Stark: You're stranded in the middle of nowhere with a broken RV because one little piece of technology broke. So that's where coming in and understanding your RV comes in. Yeah, and I'm not listening to the nonsense they give you at the dealership.

Oh, no. These things last 50 years and have a 400-year warranty. You're good. You just know that's an exaggeration. Another thing that caught my attention here was the maintenance cost.

Like Alexis said, there's more to this list and what we're going through. But you know, if you buy, let's say, a new RV Etsy on a Freightliner chassis, well, that's a diesel chassis, that's a truck chassis.

So that's like having a van chassis or something like that. You know, Ford v ten type chassis. That's the real deal. So your maintenance now is different. You're not taking it to a Lubin tomb for an oil change.

There are more things you have to do, and oil changes much; there are. You know, you do not have to walk for $30 anymore. So consider those things when you're buying something like that.

Whatever they are, they're not cheap. You know, they can be costly, and they don't last forever. Transmissions, maintenance.

So keep that in mind. Trailers in your introductory class and motorhomes can be much cheaper, depending on the chassis. And I'm not knocking it. If you can afford it, go ahead and do it. But consider that. Yeah, exactly.

When you go to the dealership, wait to ask them about maintenance. Instead, go to a Freightliner dealer or whoever makes that chassis.

Check the chassis and determine the maintenance cost if it's a diesel pusher. You might be surprised at how much more it is than you think. Right?

And you know, when a transmission breaks, a new truck, a transmission breaks, it could be $10,000; for one of these diesel pushers, it could be 20, $30,000, or much more. So be ready for that is all I'm getting at. You know, think it through before you make that big purchase. But all these other things are great.

You know, you're having problems. Sometimes, you just have to get rid of the RV, whatever it is. Financial things, market trends. Yeah, things are going to be smaller RVs now.

You know, freight or the class A's are not a dying breed, but they're less popular than they used to be a little less popular. Yeah, it's changing. The dynamics are changing just like everything else. All right, so that gives us some insight.

If you go to TheSmartRVer.com under enjoying the RV life, you'll find the complete guide on when to sell your RV. You might understand all this, but it's nice to read it.

Good reminders in there might also get you thinking in a different direction. We always need more brain data, sometimes pushing us in a different direction.

Alexis: Yeah.

Eric Stark: Discuss the three maintenance projects you should have completed. Considering where we are, we're past spring. We're in summer, right?

Alexis: Yes.

Eric Stark: So that's the roof maintenance, inspecting the freshwater system, and giving the chassis a thorough once-over. So that's staying on the road today. Now, let's get into this.

So, when you think about your roof maintenance, and I talk about that quite a bit, these three things are regular subjects here. It's an intelligent rver. Our customer base drives this stuff. You know, what we sell in the store, what customers ask us.

Alexis, how many times a day does someone ask about roof maintenance?

Alexis: Oh, my gosh. That's the biggest question we get. Yeah.

Eric Stark: If we sold lap sealant and it was like coffee, it would be like a lap sealant coffee shop.

Alexis: Yes, it would.

Eric Stark: We sell so much of it that stuff just goes out the door, and there are always questions about it.

Alexis: Yep.

Eric Stark: It's good because the people here are taking care of their RVs, and that's what we want. They're taking care of their roof, which protects that entire investment. If you have a bad roof, you have a terrible RV.

Alexis: Yeah. Yep.

Eric Stark: You know, and so for resale, no stains on the roof. You see, it's a bonus. And we hear it all the time. We just bought an RV, and the roof—you know, the owner said they, RV, some leaks, but it's still leaking and leaking over here. You see, it wasn't maintained. So, the value of that RV diminishes rapidly. And sometimes, you know, it can just be a lousy investment period.

If the roof leaks long, the frame and structure can be wrong, so you want to be careful. But anyway, that's another subject: maintaining the roof. You have to get on the roof to do this.

You can't do this from the ground, and you can get on a ladder and go around the side of the RV and look and stuff, but when you get up on the RV roof, you're there, man, you can see it. And sometimes, it's a hassle getting up and down off on the roof of an RV.

What ladders you have your age, all these things, you know, if you can't do it yourself, then find a trusted professional that you. That can do it. Because, you know, there's the sealant up there, like the lap sealant I mentioned, that cracks.

And it doesn't always need to be like the whole vent. Let's say there are cracks on, but that doesn't mean the entire vent has to be there. It's ju, but that's where it needs the, where the cracks are.

So you would apply the sealant there, but it's also essential to wash the roof and put a UV guard on it to ensure it's in good shape and protected. You can also use a rubber roof cleaner.

If you have a rubber roof, it works better for cleaning than other things, like Dawn dishwashing detergent, which works on everything. Yeah, it should be Dawn Universal Detergent. I'm going to buy that. Rebottle it. How's that?

Alexis: There you go.

Eric Stark: You can drink it, whatever. But anyway, what's made for the roof is better to use than something that's not made for the roof.

But getting up there and doing that, and not only now or in the springtime, you want to do it about three times a year.

You know, you might wash your RV two or three times a year, and you want to check it then for sure because there's usually a reasonable distance of time between the two—first washing and second washing—unless you live in an area where you have to wash it more.

Some places, you know, you don't have to wash it all or if it's covered, you know, if it's inside, you don't have to do as much with it because the maintenance just doesn't have to be done inside. So, maintenance is essential, such as staying up on that roof. And, you know, it's more than just around the vents and the seams.

You might have a ladder that goes up there.

Those stanchions sometimes can get loose and need to be tightened down if possible, but keeping that sealed up is excellent; anything on that roof needs to be sealed. Vents, you know, the air conditioner shouldn't be leaking into the RV. If that is leaking, then you take care of that. You know, you're on the roof.

Think about the clearance lights as well. They're often on the side of the RV and up on a front cap or something, but they're good RVaces for water leaks, you know?

So include that in your roof maintenance.

So wash the RV, then put on the roof UV guard; whether it's Dicor, Thetford, or whichever brand you prefer, Dicor uses something to protect the roof.

Alexis: Yeah.

Eric Stark: Something made for it. Sometimes, other products need to be made for them or need the label. They may be from the automotive industry or something similar. That's fine. If it does the same thing, it doesn't hurt the roof. But be cautious.

Sometimes, people use things that aren't cool on rubber roughs. For example, someone told me yesterday that they used brake cleaner to clean their rubber roof. A clean break is harmless, but it dries everything out.

Alexis: Yeah.

Eric Stark: Spray it on your hand. It just sucks the oils right out of it, you know?

Alexis: Right.

Eric Stark: So that roof that's good for that roof was old, but where she sprayed the brake clean. Oh, man, it was spotless clean, you know?

Alexis: Oh, Boyden.

Eric Stark: She was probably wiping white with it, taking the rubber off as she cleaned it. So you don't want just to use anything. Use things made for the roof, such as roof cleaner, UV guard, and lap sealant.

There's only so much else out there. But like I said, sometimes people find little things that work, and that's fine. Just be cautious. I like to stick with what's made for things because, you know, it's going to work rather than some, I don't know, DIY. Yeah. Some whole brew, you know? Yeah, exactly. That's what I do. This is what I do.

Alexis: Nice.

Eric Stark: Three parts acetone, one part beer. I am still determining what beer I drink. No, I don't know. But anyway, going backward here a little, just pay attention to the roof that maintenance not only needs to be done before the summer season starts but at the end of the season, somewhere in between, if you can, and if it's stored outside, if it's inside, not so much. You don't have to worry about as much. The end of the season or the beginning of the season, whatever works for you.

Then, you go from the roof to the freshwater system. So here's another essential thing. The freshwater system is like the lifeblood of the RV on the inside because, without water, it can get pretty RVly.

You might not use it for drinking water but for doing dishes, taking showers, and flushing the toilet. Those are important things; you want to ensure they're working because a bathroom that doesn't flush can ruin a trip. Water: You can't use the kitchen faucet because it leaks. That ruins the trip. So, make sure everything works.

And, you know, sometimes with, well, like anything on an RV or even a car, sometimes you can do all the inspection RV in the world. But when you get out camping, something fails. But inspecting it first can eliminate some of those problems. Don't leave the house with a leak that could become a much worse situation. Checking and double-checking are essential, but they also familiarize you with the water system.

As you familiarize yourself with it, consider what fittings you need in an emergency. What tools would you need? How hard would it be to replace your water pump? And I'm not saying carry a spare water pump because, you know, water pumps can last for years.

And so buying a spare one is kind of over the top, I think, unless you are suspect, your water pump that's going to fail any day now, then, yeah, having a spare on hand, if you're out, that's great, you know, but looking at how hard it can be, get to get to things can help you mentally on. Hmm. What do I need to do if this breaks? Can I do this at a campground somewhere, or would I have to do this at home?

Is there somewhere that only gets changed sometimes for the freshwater system because it's such a nightmare to replace? I recommend passing it. Just take it out of the system and put it in line. Do not use that filter; place one on the outside.

If you have a leaking faucet, get rid of that headache. Remember, most faucets and RVs are plastic. If it's leaking today, it will probably break tomorrow, so replace it.

Faucets, especially kitchen faucets, can be a hassle because they are sometimes under a counter. You have to reach up to use them.

But it's better to do it at home, where you have all the tools and the time, than out in the campground someplace or on the road somewhere. So it's staying on top of it.

But also, as I said, it's understanding your system and becoming familiar with it, and then that helps you realize or make a list of the items you need to bring with you, like on our website, sunpro mfg.com. It just led right into this, didn't it?

We have several different kits, like emergency kits for buying fittings. Two of our most recent ones were about the best Pex and eco poly fittings that use crimp tools.

To put them on, you need crimp rings, but there's also a clamp called a Pex lock on that part of those kits. You only need a pair of channel locks, so it's not a unique tool.

Channel locks require some strength because they are hard to squeeze, but they're a great little plastic clamp and reusable. We have a video on that, and we will include it in the link to the descriptions here.

And, you know, it's not so much trying to sell you this, of course. If you buy one, great. But it's seeing what we have in a kit, and maybe you go, "This is what I need to have."

And even if, you know, you camp close to home, having these kits is pretty handy.

Alexis: Oh, yeah.

Eric Stark: I have fittings in my RV, and I should have more, but I have a store, and that's what he said: I got a store. It doesn't matter. If I'm three hours away, it's going to matter. And there are only so many things you can fake. You know, you can't fake a fitting—a lot of times.

Alexis: No.

Eric Stark: You know, so give that some extra thought. Do you need more fittings? More tools?

Do you have the tools to work on your Howm, which generally takes little? You know, a square-tip screwdriver, a drill, and pliers are nice. You know, if you have fttandthat's what is nice you prefer, to make sure you have Flare-it fittings.

If you've got the crimp style, that's what you prefer. Make sure you have extra tubing. Some RVs have the rigid pex tube RVs some have.

They also have a flexible line with the best Pex and eco-poly fittings. It works with flared fittings with a suitable connector or nut to tighten it down.

Many of those things are wrong, so you must ensure you're not just copying. Bad.

There have been some bad practices. There have been years of manufacturers putting stuff in, using things they shouldn't, and using clamps in areas where they shouldn't. You know, regular screw clamps, which you can use on some of the flexible lines, but never on pex tube lines; it won't work, but check it and out, make sure it's in good shape. And if you're already into summer, you've already done that. If you haven't, take some time.

When you return from a trip, maybe check the faucets—just some basic things. Get a flashlight and shine it in there—just the basic system things to ensure you're good.

And then just be prepared on the road if something happens. Also, sometimes people cancel a trip.

Or come home early because their freshwater system quits working because of a quiet filter screen on the water pump. You can take those out of the system for the weekend and put the water line into the pump.

You know, if that's what you need to do, that's what you need to do. Just replace it when you get home. And that is a part.

If you had a spare, that wouldn't be the worst thing in the world because those things need to be replaced occasionally. Yeah, they crack; they get nasty. The screen is beyond cleaning, but just keep that in mind. All right, so you got the roof done.

Now that you've completed the freshwater system, we're almost ready. Let's discuss the chassis, which is divided into two areas.

We have motorhome chassis and trailer chassis—two different animals, right?

So, if you have a motorhome, you have a mechanic, or you're doing it yourself, but you're staying up on that maintenance.

It's not running away from you because it has an engine, a drive train, tires, brakes, and everything under the sun; it's just like a truck. It will also need maintenance, so you want to stay on top. And, you know, don't go cheap regarding tires.

Don't chintzy out on that. Oh, I can squeak another trip out of this.

Alexis: Right.

Eric Stark: When a tire blows, it's a nightmare.

Alexis: Yeah.

Eric Stark: If it doesn't cause two or cause, you know, or create $2,000 with the damage, it makes a lot of headaches, especially for some RVs. You can't change out on the road by yourself. You got a call of service to come out and do it.

So, like your car or truck, ensure your motorhome's chassis is in excellent shape. But you can also inspect things before you leave.

You can check the oil on the engine, the transmission fluid, the radiator fluid, power steering, and all that type e of stuff. You can go around, look at the tires, and get underneath. Just look at the underneath. Is there? Is there any obvious bracket hanging, falling off, or oil leaking somewhere?? Check your belts, hoses, and some of the basic stuff. That’s still pretty easy to do.

Alexis: Yeah.

Eric Stark: So she, like, on Freightliners international freight liners hood that just lifts out of the way. The engines are all right there, much more accessible than others.

But now, if you have a trailer, your chassis is slightly different. It's simpler. You have a couple of axles, four tires, wheels, and that's it.

Yeah, but you have your propane tanks and lines running underneath them, and you have some wiring. So you're in the same situation, just less complex.

You can also check your tires and ensure they're in good shape, the tread isn't splitting, and they're not cracking. Also, consider their age. If they're five years old, they're probably time to replace.

Even though they might have good tread, they wear out from the inside. That's how they break down. And, you know, you get one flat on it, one tire blows out on a trailer, and more likely, another one will go.

Another one, another one. Until they're all replaced, and you've done it four times, so stay ahead.

After five years on them, I would replace them, especially if you're in hot areas like Arizona, places like that, New Mexico, or Utah; you want to do it. Colder areas last slightly longer, but you're pushing it to five years. I'm sure you'll be watching them if you stay local. You can do it, but it's better to be done with it.

Also, on the trailer chassis, when you're underneath there, depending on the chassis and when it was made, everything might be in the belly pan: all the wiring, the heater ducting, everything, the plumbing. So it's lying in there. So make sure your belly pan is secure and not falling. Nothing is hanging out of it. If you have the material type, like Tyvek-type material, make sure this is all taped up.

Everything's the way it should be. There are no holes in it.

There are places for rodents to get in, but also just wear and tear from the highway when you're going down the road if it's wet out, muddy, or something like that. Check the leaf springs. Make sure the wiring is good. Then, go to the brakes. Check your brakes.

You know, hook it up to your tow vehicle and make sure those brakes work right. You can also put 12 volts on the trailer connector's bottom two pins—one to the ground and one to the brakes. You can do that.

You can click, click, and then noise if you hear noise. Those brakes are probably working okay—not 100%, but probably. So check your brakes and make sure everything's working well.

You know, there are basic things here. The chassis is only complex if you have problems, which could be the case.

But for many of these, you can do it yourself if you have the do-it-yourself capabilities. That's what this show is all about. You know, even if you don't have the ability, you gain the confidence to do it.

You can learn these things independently, like Alexis, just by listening to the show. Now, she's a full-fledged, triple-A RV technician. Master technique.

Alexis: He lies.

Eric Stark: Maybe not, but.

Alexis: But I know a lot more.

Eric Stark: Right?

Alexis: Yeah.

Eric Stark: She will know everything if she goes camping with her husband.

Alexis: I do feel more confident.

Eric Stark: Yeah, there you go. You know, you can learn, and sometimes our skill set won't allow us to do certain things, and that's fine. You just take it to a pro, though.

And a good pro, not a. Not a fake pro.

Alexis: Take it to Eric Stark.

Eric Stark: There you go. So, many things are out there, but many things can happen, and you have to be ready for them.

All right, you've done all three of those things. If you still need to, there's still time. And, you know, just keep up on it.

As the season progresses and we get closer to winter, ensure you've been doing all these things. Then we'll talk about what you're going to do. Come coming this fall around that time.

Alexis: Yep.

Eric Stark: If you have any questions I can answer in a future episode, please text or email them. You can call me if you go to smartartreader.com. All of our information is on the Contact Us page.

I'll answer the question that I'll turn into a segment of our podcast, but I'll answer your question beforehand, so you do not have to wait two weeks, four weeks, six weeks, eight weeks, or anything like that. I'll answer the question right away, usually within a day or two, but then I want to use that and turn it into an episode or part of it.

So if you have anything that needs to be answered or that you're unsure about, even if you feel it's a dumb question, there are no stupid questions, right? Let me know if you have a question, and we'll handle it. All right. So now we're going to move on to the next stop.

As I said, we will visit the Moon Park craters and preserve in southern Idaho. So, Alexis, what caught your eye about this?

Alexis: The name? It's so cool. And I don't know that I've been there. We've been around that area, but I want to go since we're close.

But it's fantastic. It's excellent for rivers. There are many RV parks, and you can see many natural things from it.

So, if you're interested in earth science, this would be cool. Yeah, there are distinct geological features, lots of exploration, and lots of hiking. You can get out and do extraordinary things for photographers.

Just google it and check out some pictures of it. It's cool. But as I said, there are many RV parks and accommodations for riders.

So it's a great place to go with the family.

Eric Stark: It is. So it's very close to us.

Alexis: Yes.

Eric Stark: So Alexis, not being there is like living in, let's say, Hollywood and never going to Disneyland.

Alexis: Yeah, I know. I should have.

Eric Stark: What a loser, right? Yeah. So it is very unique.

What's cool about craters on the moon is that you can stay there, but there are also towns nearby or things nearby, like Arco, which is—I need to remember how many miles away—a place to eat called pickles. Ooh, I forgot.

Yeah, they serve hamburgers but make their sauces and, hopefully, pickles seasoning. And they sell it. It's a cool little place magnet, all the cool little trinkets you buy.

Alexis: Yeah.

Eric Stark: So that's a fantastic little place. Arco's pretty cool. There's a lot of things to see there. I think.

Arco is where the kids graduate every year. They paint that year on the rocks on the hill or put a rock up there.

Alexis: Huh.

Eric Stark: You might be against that, but it looks fantastic. Yeah, it's incredible. And then there's Chalice, which is pretty close.

Alexis: Ah, that's neat.

Eric Stark: That's two hours away, so you could make day trips, stay in Chalice, or do whatever you want. But there's a ton of stuff there.

Alexis: There is.

Eric Stark: There's a lot around it. And, you know, you go at the right time of year, and you'll see the place with snow on the ground or, you know, no snow.

You can see it both ways, but it is an excellent place to go, so put that on your list—one more thing. Since you're so close to Victor, Montana, you could come by and see us.

You know, we're always lovely to guess.

Alexis: Yeah.

Eric Stark: You stop by and get a free pen and a sticker.

Alexis: Yeah.

Eric Stark: That makes it worthwhile. Right there.

Alexis: Yeah, right there.

Eric Stark: We just don't give those out to anybody. They have to be approved.

Alexis: That's right.

Eric Stark: All right, that wraps up with the next stop. So go to our website, thesmartveryear.com. Everything's there again. It'll whet your appetite, get you looking at a map, and probably find somewhere else to go. Let's discuss our latest windshield cover family addition from Sunpro Manufacturing.

Alexis: Yes.

Eric Stark: That'll take you there. You can see this thing for yourself. It's similar to a Freightliner M two and S two RV windshield cover, except this is a one-piece.

But it just fits perfectly. It's like the ideal motorhome. Freight liners are also suitable for windshield covers. They just look so good on them. It's like it was part of the RV when they built it.

Alexis: Looks excellent.

Eric Stark: We have it in the 90% material, which is a sunshade material. The big thing is that when that windshield cover is on at night, you can see through it because of the lighting issues. It's all about lights during the day. It gives you that extra privacy, but we also have it in the 100% blockout.

You can't see in or out during the day or night, which is what many people love. We have that for the Internet or the Freightliner as well. So we have that new addition to international—the international MV 607. Let them know if you don't have one and know someone does. They'll love you for it. It's a great product.

Alright, that concludes our show. One final thing: Go to our YouTube channel, YouTube.com, and view all our incredible videos there.

As I mentioned, there'll be one about the international MV 607 among all the other awesome videos. So next week, we will talk about on-demand water heaters, tankless water heaters, instant water heaters, whatever you want to call them.

We're going to be talking about the RV versions of that. We're going to cover the gamut. Phagati Lippert, suburban Gerard, your mama's water heater, whatever. We're going to talk about them all.

It's been a great show today. Thank you for coming by. This is Eric Stark with TheSmartRVer podcast. It's been great hanging out with you.

If I don't see you on the road, let's connect at TheSmartRVer.com.