“Expect the best, plan for the worst, and prepare to be surprised.” – Denis Waitley
It’s important to have a positive outlook and to welcome surprises when they come. However, if we’ve learned anything this year, nothing is for certain and we need to be prepared for anything. RVers are folks who are used to being prepared, who are used to being flexible and having contingency plans. But, even the most prepared RVers have experiences that “just happen.”
How we react makes a big difference in how we get through situations. When things go awry, we don’t need to stew…. we can take action and try to make the best of things.
There’s a flat tire.
This can be one of the worst things to happen, mainly because of the risk of fire and the risk of losing control of the RV or tow vehicle. Since a flat tire on an RV puts stress on the carriage, it’s important to fix that tire immediately, whether that’s changing the tire roadside or getting a tow to the nearest service provider. An experienced RVer knows where the extra tire is located, how to reach it, and have the tools on hand necessary to make the switch. If you experience a flat tire, it’s important to react calmly and quickly. Checking the tires for wear and tear routinely, and keeping them properly inflated, will help reduce the risk of a blowout happening on the road.
The slide-outs won’t work.
Sometimes, those slide-outs just don’t cooperate, and that can be very frustrating. You can’t travel with slides that are stuck out, and you can’t enjoy camping with the slides crowding the interior space of the RV. The simple reasons for the slide-outs not working properly are (1) you’re not plugged into shore power and the house batteries aren’t fully charged; (2) the path for the slide-out is obstructed, such as something wedged in the slide -out; or (3) the slide locks haven’t been removed.
Your slide-outs work either mechanically or hydraulically. This information is readily available in your owner’s manual.
For mechanical slide-outs, follow these steps to troubleshoot: check for blown fuses or any disconnects in the wiring; check that the house batteries are completely charged; push the button for the slide-outs and if you hear the motor running but the slide-out doesn’t move, the shear pins may be the culprit. If the RV passes all these tests, then the control board may be faulty, which requires the assistance of a professional service provider.
For hydraulic slide-outs, check the lines for leaks; check the pressure of the pump; check that the hydraulic valve is good. Be aware of any noises when trying to extend or retract, which could be an indication of a problem with the hydraulic pump.
Although it varies from RV to RV, you may be able to manually extend or retract slide-outs. It’s important to do this carefully so as to now strip the gears in the system.
The battery is dead.
RV batteries are expensive to replace, and sometimes it’s overlooking the simplest maintenance that led to their needing to be replaced. In an RV, there can be two batteries, one for the engine and one for the house. A dead battery can be due to different factors: a slow drain of the charge due to headlights being left on, exterior lights, the engine left on auxiliary mode, front audio systems, or forgetting to turn on the generator while parked. The house battery can drain from the house lights, fans, or appliances being left on.
Sometimes, a battery can end up dead if it is overcharged, which can result in overheating. Monitor the battery levels once a week using a battery monitoring device, if the RV is in storage. It’s important to unhook and remove batteries and store them in a coo, dry place; and plug the RV into shore power at least eight hours a week. Sometimes, a battery can lead to sulfuric acid forming in the interior metal plates and getting too large to break down when the battery is left at low charge for too long. Make sure the battery is kept charged.
What do you do if you have a dead battery? You can try jumpstarting the chassis battery from another vehicle, but you should be familiar with your RV’s engine to do this appropriately. You may find otherwise that you need to, after all, replace a battery.
Your reservations are wrong or missing.
What if you reach your destination campground and find that your reservation doesn’t exist? What if you realize that your confirmation is for a different weekend, or a different campground by a similar name?
Mistakes happen, so it’s important to buffer your time, meaning you arrive at the campground in daylight and as close to the check-in time as possible. This ensures that you have time to find the information, for the campground to accommodate you on a different site, or to find a nearby campground that can take you for the night.
In this situation, it’s important to be graceful and considerate. These campgrounds depend on campers to visit and want to offer you an excellent experience. They will try their best to work with you.
You’re lost.
It seems almost impossible to get lost these days with all the technology at our fingertips. However, technology has its glitches and service in some areas isn’t the best. It’s a good idea to keep a regular, old paper road atlas handy in case you get lost.
Being able to explore is a common reason many people get into RVing in the first place. Still, taking off willy-nilly can get you and your RV in a tight spot, whether it’s a small town with tight turns, a low bridge you can’t go under, or a single-lane road with two-way traffic. When it comes to traveling in an RV, plan your route as much as possible – and have it printed or written out.
It can be fun to explore and get lost – that’s how we can experience surprises – but use the toad or tow vehicle instead of the RV, if you can.