The Smart RVer: DIY RV Maintenance and Repair

 Not sure of what tools you should carry in your RV Tool Box ? As an RV’er you never know when your RV is going to need a repair whether it is on the road or camping at your favorite get away. The one thing you do know is that you will experience problems that will require repairs. The other unknown is if it will happen when it is convenient with your local repair shop open for business or wi...

Episode 34 is about Solera RV Awnings by Lippert Components and the quality that has made Solera my new favorite RV Awning. In the past I expressed a low opinion of Lippert Components and now I changed my view point as time has passed. Not only have they become a better company, they are providing a great line of RV Awnings. The Solera brand has proven to be a Rock Star for my customers and o...

Ford V10 Engine Rebuild Due to Spark Plugs Blowing Out! In this episode I explain the Spark Plug problem that Ford V10 Engines experience and how a spark plug problem turned into an engine rebuild on a Ford E350 Super Duty Van. I explain the overall process I went through and why I did it. I could have possibly just spent 800 bucks and maybe got by with a Time Sert/Helicloi type of fix but, I...

Episode 32 explores the possibilities of using new technology to make computing in an RV easier while expanding potential possibilities. See the simple way to add a second monitor to any PC or Mac. The living space in an RV can become a little tight at times and being able to use a Compact Wireless Keyboard with iPads and Android Devices can be extremely helpful. Many RV’ers find that just recharg...

Epsisode 31 breaks down the basic Annual or as needed maintenance for RV Water Heaters. Atwood and Suburban need to have the Tanks Flushed, Anode Rods replaced and the Pressure Relief Valves replaced as needed. I delve into each area for Atwood and Suburban Water Heaters on what to check, how often and the tools needed along with parts. I also have created 3 Landing Pages on our E Commerce Site ww...

You have this Saturday marked on you calendar to do some long needed repairs on your RV. Do you shop at the Local RV Parts Store or go online and try to snag a super deal and have the parts in time for the Saturday set aside to get the RV ready for the next trip? In most cases, you won’t snag a super deal online for RV Parts, at best it will be a good deal. A good deal is alright if you save...

In this Episode I answer the questions Randy submitted via email. My rig is a 50 amp, 2 a/c units and wondering what I would need for a generator to operate 5th wheel safely when we are away from campgrounds and what brand. Ok another question, don’t know if you deal with tires. My new 2017 Forest River Rockwood Signature Ultra Lite 5th wheel has Castle Rock ST225/75R15 tires and I read numerous p...

In this Episode Eric Stark explains in simple terms the steps you should take to get an accurate price quote and what brand Eric prefers. Eric also explains why there could large gaps in price quotes if you are price shopping. Some points might seem to be elementary but I base my information on and how questions related to Slide Out Awnings are asked. I also find if the question is not asked right...

Today we see that the automotive industry does everything in it’s power to build a better product and provide a customer service experience that will make you want to be a loyal customer. Where as, the RV Industry is building RV’s with more electronics and taking advantage of new technologies and giving the perception of building a better product. The RV Manufacturer has long been known for cuttin...

The purchase of Power Gear by Lippert Components took place in June of 2014 and has resulted in a decline in customer service for dealers and RV’ers alike. Power Gear was a good company to work with before being purchased by Lippert Components. Although Power Gear did raise their prices substantially before the purchase. We experienced 20%-40% price increases. For example: A power Gear motor that...

The big deal about the small projector is that you can connect it to just about any Computer, iPad, iPod, iPhone and Android device with simple and inexpensive adapters. You have the technology to connect to an awesome projector. Here is the other plus to using a projector. You can now get out of the RV and move outside to watch movies with as many friends and family members you can pack around yo...

Sniff n Stop is a product that works and in this Episode I break down how well it works based on my own personal experience with it. Sniff n Stop is distributed by Valterra Products to the RV Industry and they offer some of the best products in the industry and Valterra is an honest and trusted company that has withstood the test of time and has served the RV Industry for decades. Not to ment...

In this Episode I talk about safety and how to Identify and explain what you are looking for when you go to the parts guy. Quite often the terminology makes it hard for you to explain and harder for the Parts Guy to see your vision. I lay it out in simple terms. I also explain certain things that have to work in specific ways for additional appliances to work properly. LP Fitting and Adapter Catal...

This is Part 1 of the LP Fitting episodes. The point of this episode is to help RV’ers to keep safety at the forefront when repairing their LP system. The proper tools should always be used along with properly checking for leaks after any repair that is done. The simple way is to use the liquid leak detector that bubbles up. You can buy it ready made or make your own with dish soap and water. It i...

RV’ers everywhere stay in well kept, safe and secure RV Parks.  Rv’ers everywhere bring their bicycles with them and should take advantage of the security found in most RV Parks. To ride a bike on a busy street takes the fun right out of it and it creates a situation that is not safe nor inviting. In my area the roads are very rough along the shoulder and there are tractors, buses and large p...

Wasp Action Cameras  are nice way to capture those moments on your ATV, 4 Wheel Drive, Pedal Driven Bicycle or whatever your passion is. This is a great product available at reasonable prices. GoPro is the Gold Standard but Wasp is the undisputed Champion for providing quality at affordable prices for the the guy who just wants to record some footage without the price tag and complicated equi...

Introducing High Quality Window Awning Fabrics at Low, Affordable Prices. These are available from Sunpro Mfg and come in 7 Solid Colors with a 3 Year Warranty. The high quality 13oz material is will last for many years to come. Sunpro Mfg makes them to fit all Carefree of Colorado and A&E Window Awnings.  Low Prices & Free Shipping! Learn More about Sunpro RV Window Awning Fabri...

T his episode is the last of a 3 part series about Repairing, Cleaning and Treating an RV Rubber Roof. Treating the Rubber Roof is the final step of the 3 main steps to Maintaining and Extending the life of the RV Rubber Roof. Treating the Rubber Roof comes in at the end of the cleaning and repair stages. Before you treat the Rubber Roof you will want to recheck the roof for any minor re...

 If you are going to clean your Rubber Roof you might as well wash your RV at the same time, it is more work but, it is easier to do it all at once in most instances. I recommend using a cleaner that is made for rubber roofs such as Dicors Rubber Roof Cleaner, it is designed to clean the rubber better than a product not made for cleaning rubber roofs. If you don’t want to buy a product made f...

This is Part 1 of a Multi-Part series about Rubber Roof Maintenance and Care. This episode is about Rubber Roof inspections and finding problems before they become disasters. Rubber roofs are a great roof for any kind of RV and there are many reasons why. They do not create Black Streaks, they do not create Mold, the Rubber itself does not leak unless it is torn or a leak develops from a roof...

This Podcast explains why at the beginning of 2015 UPS and Fedex not only raised their rates but, at the same time introduced Dimensional Shipping Rates (DSR). DSR has been created to offset additional shipping costs created by companies like Amazon. Amazon will ship an iPhone in a box that can hold 100 iPhones thus, UPS and Fedex are shipping big boxes that way nothing and take up a lot of space....

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...

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 Fil...

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 mi...

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 sur...