Getting an RV Going After Months in Storage
Most RV roadside calls in the Panhandle are units that sat and were then asked to work immediately.
A great share of the RV work we do is on units that have been parked for months and then taken out expecting them to behave. They rarely do, and the failures are predictable enough to prevent.
Tires are the first thing
RV tires age out long before they wear out, because the unit sits. Sidewall cracking, flat-spotting and simple age are all real, and a tire that looks fine can be well past its safe life. Check the DOT date codes.
Also check pressure cold before every trip. An RV that sat all summer has almost certainly lost pressure, and an underinflated tire on a heavy unit in Florida heat is exactly the blowout scenario.
Bearings
Trailer and fifth-wheel bearings that sat all season with old grease are a common failure on the first long run. Repacking on schedule rather than on symptom is the whole prevention, and a hot hub at the first fuel stop is the warning.
Batteries and electrical
- House batteries that sat discharged have lost capacity permanently
- Corroded terminals and connections, particularly in coastal storage
- Rodent damage to wiring, which is far more common than owners expect
- Converter or inverter faults that only show under load
- Shore power connections and cords that have degraded
Systems that need waking up
- Propane system — check for leaks before lighting anything, and check regulator function.
- Water system — sanitise before use if it has been sitting, and check for freeze damage if it was stored with water in it.
- Roof and seals — the single largest source of expensive RV damage is a seal that failed while the unit sat.
- Slide-outs, operated slowly the first time.
- Awnings, checked for damage before extending.
- Appliances, one at a time rather than all at once.
Roof seals are the big one
Water intrusion through a failed roof or window seal does more damage to more RVs than anything else, and it does it silently while the unit is stored. Inspect seals before the season, not after a leak.
Dispatch answers 24 hours a day at (850) 495-0366. Tell us where you are and what the truck is doing.