Camper Trailer Maintenance
Now that you’ve “Got The Best Behind You” lets keep it that way.
This maintenance checklist should help guide you to maintaining your own camper. Not all Camper’s will need every bit of maintenance on this list, and some tasks won’t have to be performed as often as suggested.
This is merely a reference to help get you started with regular maintenance.
Importance of Maintenance
The biggest motivator for most people to stay on top of maintenance is money. No one likes paying for expensive repairs, and maintenance is significantly cheaper than repairs
Aside from protecting your investment, maintenance is a critical part of protecting yourself and your camping crew. As with cars, camper accidents can be dangerous and harmful. A well-maintained camper has a lower chance of failure that could lead to injury or death.
Maintenance Checklist
Campers have many sections and systems. At first glance it can seem like a number of components to care for. Let’s break this down into 6 categories.
Exterior
Roof
Chassis/undercarriage
Interior
Plumbing system
Electrical system
The Exterior
Windows: Inspect all caulk seams and the gaskets around every window. Old, cracking caulk needs to be thoroughly scraped away and replaced with a new bead. Look for cracking or holes that could let in moisture or insects. Test functions of windows, cleaning and lubing areas that feel difficult to move.
Doors: Inspect door seams in the same way as windows. Check hinges for sagging or signs that the door is becoming off square in the door frame. Replace bulb gaskets and weather stripping when existing pieces show signs of degradation.
Walls: Carefully inspect walls for cracks and holes that could be an entry point for rodents and insects. Fill small penetrations with caulk. Large penetrations should be repaired by Top Tier Trailers. Use a soft-bristled brush to clean exterior walls with soap and water, applying a wax coat if desired.
Shore power: Check external shore power plug for small insects, dirt, and debris. Clean as needed. Never use metal tools to clean charged electrical components.
Lights: Test that all external lights are in working order. Replace bulbs and LEDs as necessary. Lights that are still non-operable after a bulb replacement will need to have a wiring inspection performed. Have someone hop in the driver seat while you check that turning signals and brake lights are fully operational.
Camper roof
When working on a Camper’s roof, always use a sturdy ladder. Wear grippy shoes and have a towel ready to dry wet sections of the roof. A wet roof can be incredibly slippery and can easily cause harmful falls.
Seals: While crawling on the roof, inspect seals around the air conditioner, ventilation fans, exhaust pipes, and any other roof penetration. Reapply caulk as needed.
Air conditioner (A/C): Clean dirty air conditioner filters, allowing to dry completely before reinstalling in the A/C. Replace air filters annually.
Roof: Carefully inspect the entire roof for signs of water leakage. Puddle stains might indicate a low spot in the roof that could develop leaks in the future. Immediately fix any leaks found and make a note to check the interior for water damage.
Solar panels: Regularly clean the main surface of all solar panels to promote maximum panel efficiency. A dirty solar panel will not generate electricity as quickly as a clean one. Visually inspect solar panel wiring, fixing wire problems as needed.
Chassis/undercarriage
An undercarriage is the section of a vehicle that is under the main cabin. The undercarriage contains many mechanical parts, wiring, fluid lines, and the vehicle chassis.
Due to its proximity to the surface of the road, the undercarriage of a Camper is very susceptible to damage. Regular inspections should be performed on the undercarriage to ensure maximum mechanical performance.
Mechanics: Give all mechanical components of the camper a visual inspection, paying particularly close attention to the brake assembly. Brake pads on a Camper trailer should be replaced every 1-2 years or every 15,000-25,000 kilometres.
Wiring: Inspect all wires and wire harnesses for damage to wire casing. Tie loose wires up with cable ties, being careful to avoid moving parts.
Chassis: Look for signs of cracking, bending, or buckling on the main chassis members. Any visual damage is a sign that the structural integrity of the chassis is compromised and must be repaired. Any rust that is found needs to be treated fully to prevent future degradation of the frame. Treat chassis rust by sanding it all the rust away, washing the chassis with isopropyl alcohol, and applying a coat of rust protection and paint.
Wheels: While down on the ground, give the Camper wheels a glance, looking for any signs of damage. Check tire pressure and add more air if necessary. Check for signs of uneven wear on the tire treads that could indicate the need for a suspension alignment. Inconsistent tire pressure can lead to uneven tire wear.
If a Camper has sat in storage for multiple months, make sure to perform a chassis and undercarriage inspection before your next trip. Idle Campers lose tire pressure, develop rust, and become critter housing quickly.
Interior
Appliances: Consult the owner’s manual for all the various appliances in your Camper. This will include your water heater, water pump, smoke detector, stove, refrigerator, and roof vents. Perform any maintenance or inspections detailed in the owner’s manual, recording what maintenance tasks were performed in a maintenance log.
Walls: Over time, Camper walls build up hard to see grime and weird camp odour. Clean interior walls with a soft rag and biodegradable multi-purpose spray to keep the grime away.
Floors: Sweep, mop, or vacuum as needed, regularly. Dirty floors are welcoming to critters, especially dirty carpet. Machine-wash any washable rugs as soon as visible dirt accumulates. Check carpet and rugs for signs of mold.
Mattress: Rotate mattress occasionally, carefully inspecting for signs of mold and mildew as you do. Camper mattresses are notorious for mold growth and need to be checked often.
Windows: Clean inner surface of all windows with glass cleaner. Brush and vacuum dirt, pollen, and other debris out of window screens whenever it accumulates. Clean screens help keep allergens out.
Cabinetry: Clean interior of cabinets with multipurpose spray, focusing on cabinetry that holds food. Inspect for signs of rodents and pests. Lubricate squeaky or sticky hinges and slides.
Plumbing
Plumbing maintenance is more important than almost any other system or component in a Camper. If you fall behind on plumbing maintenance, you risk unwanted sewer odour entering your Camper, failure of holding tank parts, and harmful bacterial growth in the freshwater tank and lines.
Grey tank: The grey tank in a camper needs to be dumped regularly but does not need additional water or tank treatment pods. Clean your grey tank after long trips or any extended period of disuse.
Freshwater tank: Sanitize your freshwater tank as often as you can. Install an inline water filter to run incoming water through. Replace filters often. Water treatment tablets can be added to a freshwater tank for purification purposes.
Dumping station equipment: Immediately wash and sanitize dump hoses, potable water hose, and any other equipment used to empty holding tanks. This reduces risk of faecal contamination and keeps odours at bay.
Interior plumbing: Clean P-traps and sink drains often, clearing out built up gunk and algae growth. Never dump grease, fat, or cooking oil into Camper drains. Doing so will clog your pipes.
Shower: Use a drain snake to remove hair from the shower drain. Clean and disinfect the interior of shower walls. Shower heads clogged with limescale can be cleaned with a distilled white vinegar soak.
Electrical
Electrical systems in Campers do not need a whole lot of maintenance beyond the occasional inspection for damage and replacement of old parts.
Wiring: Visually inspect all accessible wiring for signs of damage. Torn wire casing can be repaired with a wrap of electrical tape. Damage to the metal in a wire must be repaired by Top Tier Trailers
Fuses: Check all fuses in the 12-volt fuse block, replacing as needed. NEVER replace a blown fuse with a fuse that has a higher voltage rating. If you do so, you can burn your whole camper down.
Batteries: Replace batteries every 5 to 7 years. Clean corroded battery terminals with battery cleaner. Always fully disconnect the battery from the camper system before performing maintenance. Wear rubber gloves, use no metal tools, and be careful. If given the opportunity, an auto battery can and will kill you via electrocution.
LED strips: Visually inspect LED strip lights for signs of overheating. Replace overheated LEDs and consult Top Tier Trailers to determine the cause.
Predict the future
Protect your investment
Maintenance schedule
These Camper maintenance tips aren’t that helpful if you don’t know how often to carry out these tasks!
This wouldn’t be the ultimate Camper maintenance checklist without a maintenance schedule included.
Here’s a breakdown of when to tackle these projects.
Monthly RV maintenance
Waste tanks need to be dumped, cleaned, and inspected monthly. More than any other set of tasks, stay on top of these ones.
Depending upon frequency of Camper use, a cleaning of interior walls, rugs, kitchen, and sink drains should be performed every month or so to discourage pests from taking up home in your camper.
Inspect for exterior holes, cracks, and potential leak spots. Replace carbon monoxide and smoke detector batteries. Test and inspect all other Camper safety equipment.
Bi-annual Camper maintenance
Twice a year you should perform a thorough visual inspection of the whole rig, looking for leaks in the roof and rust in the undercarriage. This inspection is a good time to deep clean the exterior
Yearly Camper maintenance
Schedule an appointment with Top Tier Trailers every six months so a licensed professional can inspect the brakes, electrical, LPG system, and safety systems in the Camper.
Check batteries and clean corroded terminals at least twice a year.
A deep clean of your Camper black and grey tank should be performed at least once a year.
Regardless of how the seams and seals on my Camper look, always give the rig a once over with a caulk gun every year.
Rust builds up slow enough that it’s only necessary to check for chassis, transmission, and exhaust rust every six months.
Extending Camper life
The best way to extend the life of your Camper is to store it inside of a building, away from the damaging effects of weather and wildlife. If you do not have a building large enough to house your Camper when it is not in use, many storage companies offer long-term Camper storage.