Wheel bearing service is necessary only if you put lots of milage on your trailer, say 10K miles. Most folks don't even put half that much, which means you can put off the axle service without any problems. One thing you don't mention for annual service is battery maintenance, very important to service the battery's every year...
Thanks for watching. I still prefer to open mine up and inspect yearly even if I don’t repack the grease. Yes good point on the battery…I didn’t get into batteries because I can’t speak from first hand knowledge. I have always had a Dragonfly Lithium Iron Phosphate battery installed that has its own BMS and needs no servicing. Appreciate the comment and stopping by 👍🏼
You have good tips , On the Electric Brake Operation - with drums off , if you pull the break away you will not see any movement with the magnet or brake arm. When magnet gets energized (Power and Ground being present) you can verify magnet operation with a screw driver laying across magnet and feel the pull as you attempt to remove it. For brakes to apply Drum needs to be on and rotating. Magnet get energized - and pulled to inside of the drum - Drum rotates - causing arm to move - which pushes top of brake shoes outward - causing brake shoes to contact brake drum. Hope this Helps.
Your videos are awesome! You are extremely thorough. Anyone following you will definitely have a massively improved experience. RVing. I'm a retired automotive engineer (55 now... Retired at 50...🎉) That now RVs full time. I have maintenance schedules and chores that I follow (of course on a spreadsheet....lol). I love your channel because you tell it the way it is. No extra fluff and a lot of sense. Thank you for creating content. You're awesome!
Thanks Chris. You have done a great job in presenting the tasks that need to be performed IF you want to safely operate and maintain your RV over time. I wish we had all of this great information 15 years ago when we first started hauling our 5th wheel. BEARINGS: After one year of pulling a brand-new 5th wheel we pulled the bearings to find that rust chips from the middle of the hub/drums had migrated into the bearings. Many of the bearings were scored. This was a nightmare in the making and could have been a roadside disaster. We also found a casting crack in one of the aluminum diecast wheels. Performing your own work or inspections is a great idea. HINTS: Double nut or Jam-nut those axle wheel bolts AND protect or re-route the electric brake wiring inside of the axle. Thanks Again
There are a number of things I don't mind doing myself but at one point in my life I just said to heck with it, I'm never doing bearings myself unless I just have too and I started paying to have that job done LOL!! It was one thing doing them when we had a nice shop to pull into but in a campground, I just drew the line. All good info as always.
Hahaha I hear you Dave. I’m getting close to that point with the sealant job on the sides of the RV, I hate doing that job. Thanks for watching bud, safe travels out there.
Just wanted to say a huge thank you, it’s our first year and your videos were a tremendous help to get everything up and running well this spring ; best wishes - William - Edmonton, AB
Man, I can tell you are an old Army guy too. (I think) You remind me of that old Platoon Sergeant I had when I was stationed in Germany who loved to keep us in the Motor pool even though we were Aviation. He was a stickler on vehicle maintenance and one the areas I absolutely hated was breaking down 5 ton tires, and removing and repacking bearings. Whew! That was some tough work. One thing for sure as you always seem to insinuate to us through your channel is if you take care of your Vehicle/RV it will take care of you. Great video and I will be sure to share this with others in hopes they will see it and learn from it like me. I need to go and check out your “How To” video on bearing maintenance so I can know how to do mine before the time comes since I have never had to do it on any of our RVs. So I said to myself “Why Wait”, I Might as well save myself some money and make sure it is done right. Thanks! Hooah!
Thanks bud I appreciate you watching. Not former Army just currently a Merchant Marine. Same thing on our tugboats though, constant preventative maintenance is key out here on the water. My older son is currently in the Army and all of my family as well as my wife’s family are military. Thanks for watching the channel and yup, these RVs weren’t really designed to be lived in so taking care of them is pretty important. Safe travels out there 🇺🇸👍🏼
Sure thing. Just a good time of the year to remind people about some of the basic maintenance that can easily be forgotten about. Appreciate you watching 😄👍🏼
In other words, you can't trust a shop to do what is right! That's encouraging! What about the headache of jacking up your trailer and doing this yourself?
It definitely just depends on your skill level and what you’re comfortable with, or factors like do you full time RV and taking the RV to a shop is a major headache if you do. For me I explain in my bearings video how I do it, I just use my hydraulics to lift one side at a time and only till the wheels come about one inch off the ground. Then I only take one wheel off at a time as I do the project. So it’s not a difficult process. But everybody’s situation will be different.
Hi Chris. Great info as always. A few of my thoughts. I use my ez-lube grease fittings occasionally but the number 1 rule is be sure you have the tire off the ground and spin the tire while greasing. As for the brake magnets, you can also have someone pull the breakaway pin and hold a screwdriver or wrench up to the magnet. If it sticks, you're good. I had eternabond tape installed on the roof of my 5th wheel a few years ago. Still holding strong. 👍 Safe travels. 🇺🇸
Great tips Rick. I’m definitely not concerned about the Eternabond sticking but if I ever need to take it off to say replace a fan or skylight how difficult will it be getting it off 😂😂 Appreciate you stopping by and watching. 👍🏼
I agree with opening up the hub for inspection purposes, but the Dexter EZ axles are designed to, and will, expel the old grease. It's the folks that don't spin the tire as they slowly pump new grease in that blow the seal out.
This is true. You can definitely repack both ways but like you say it’s still good practice to open things up and get eyes on everything. Thanks for watching 👍🏼
Hey Chris did you buy the 4" tape when you did the roof edges? I was watching your video on that earlier and I'm going to buy a couple rolls , looks awesome
I found a crack in my brakeaway box. It was bad - replaced it. You can check the circuit in the junction box. Also do a pull test on the RV before raising the legs.
Yes if you have a standard fifth wheel hitch a pull test is defiantly necessary, we have never had to do that, benefit of a Reese goose neck! We do always do a trailer brake test though when we leave a site by manually engaging the trailer brake gain all the way when going about 15mph, it should pretty much stop the truck. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏼👍🏼
I’ve done 4 of the 5 this spring. Doing the a/c when we get back from Blue Ridge. I actually enjoy doing the maintenance side of things except crawling under the rig. I see you’re running Hercules tires. I put a new set of them on my Momentum last spring and love them so far.
Hey Bruce! 👋🏼 Same here, most of these projects are satisfying and feel good when you get them done. Glad those tires are working out for you, I had never heard of them before I got mine but been happy with them as well. Enjoy the mountains and safe travels! 😁
Am really getting a lot out of your videos. We have been camping about 3 years and camp about 9 months out of the year but we traded our first two campers before they needed any maintenance. Now we are in a 42ft 5th wheel which we've had a little over a year and following your videos to do most of the maintenance. Love it. We also started a RUclips channel a few months ago, mostly on our various travels but a few how-tos, campround reviews, and other things thrown in too.
Awesome, I really appreciate you guys checking it out. Preventive maintenance is definitely key to making these RVs last especially when you live in them. I’ll go check out your channel too 😃👍🏼😂
Oh wow! Thanks, we really appreciate the comment. Definitely lots to watch and some helpful information in our channel. Feel free to reach out with questions anytime and I’ll try my best to get back to you. Thanks again for watching 👍🏼
I “bulletproofed” the roof seams with eternabond also around 2 years ago and so far so good. I still inspect it monthly. So definitely recommend doing it. Great video and tips 👍
Thanks man! Congrats on the RV. Preventive maintenance is definitely key to these things. Lots of useful stuff on our channel. Appreciate you watching 👍🏼
Great info Chris. I will be doing the sanitize and cleaning the A/C units pretty soon. We don't have an anode rod in our water heater, but I still flush it out once a year.
@@WhyWait I don't leave it outside. You should check out my setup. I have a heavy string with a ring that attaches to a hook behind fridge in case it falls.
An amp clamp will not show current if the wire is broken somewhere. It will show current if the circuit is shorted to ground though. But, the release of smoke pixies will tell you that's the case as well.
It was in the video description…no big deal. Here’s the link for you 👍🏼 Thanks for watching. RV A/C Modification that will DOUBLE the Output & BOOST Performance! ruclips.net/video/fBAUuMoD-ec/видео.html
April 1st pulling mine out of storage. This is provided the snow melts. Thank you for the 5 steps. I'll be doing each for sure and using your other videos to do them. I'm excited to do the AC duct modification.
Good deal. Hopefully you can do the AC modification, not all units are designed for it but you will know when you open it up and look inside there. Let me know if you have any questions. 👍🏼👍🏼
My work trailer has 100,000 miles on it. ive never repacked the bearings. Its time to do the brakes though, so they will be getting done. its value is also much less than the camper.
This is true, it’s probably not as heavy or has everything you own in it either hahaha. You might want to open them up and check them out though 🤷🏻♂️ Thanks for watching.
@@WhyWait For sure. I will be checking the ones on my new to me 2016 Premier very soon. It needs new tires, so I will do everything at once. appreciate the how to videos!
Nothing on the brake magnet will move if the drum is not on and spinning, but you can see if the magnet sticks to metal or not. That’s how you can test.
Yes Grand Design roofs are TPO. Very low maintenance roofs actually to wash. Per the grand design manual they just recommend washing with basic soap and water and even mention products like simple green and dawn. We prefer to use Gabe’s Pride RV Streaker. Higher quality product and really good stuff, also approved by Grand Design. Here’s a link. ruclips.net/video/ZD3Rbqkp0c4/видео.htmlsi=UyP7VQB1gQ8cnlhT
Man it sounds like there's running water in that intro, I had to mute like 20 times before finding out it wasn't me hahahaha. So question: slide's cabling, do you do any maintence there? I know grand design doesn't use "cables" persay, but any maintence tips on those?
Hahaha yup, there was a creek right behind me. I have to be honest with you I’ve never seen a cable slide out up close and have no idea how they are setup. I’m assuming though that some Boeshield T-9 on any and all moving parts would be a good idea. Keep all things lubed up and rust free 👍🏼 Thanks for watching.
New subscriber here. Your videos look very informative. One question, I thought when checking the rv brakes with the wheel and hub off, the magnet only moves or slides up if the wheel is spinning. When not spinning, you can check the magnet by hanging a wrench on it to see if it sticks. Also, when checking the wiring for electricity its 13-14 "volts", not amps. I'm not an expert and know these can get confusing. Great video as I'm getting ready to pull my travel trailer out for spring maintenance and 2 new axles. Thanks
You are absolutely correct. I just always assumed it would. When I do my bearings I’ve always just spun my tire once it’s up off the ground and pulled the breakaway cable. 👍🏼 and yes somebody else pointed out the volt/amp thing, that’s just me fast talking and misspeaking. It always sucks because you can’t edit things once posted and believe me I flub words all the time. Appreciate you watching 👍🏼
The anode is just a cheaper way to build! The have always used alum tanks and no anode but the went steel the rust really quick that’s the reason the use and sacrifice a anode rod. So if I was buying a new camper and had a steel tank I would not buy if they are going to cheap out that steel tank this not hood .
As user manual for your RV? Well they are suppose to come with one. If not you can type in your rv model online and possible download it. Other than that contacting your manufacturer I suppose. 🤷🏻♂️
If you read current with the meter, your brakes are engaging. If there are connection issues, you will not read that current flow. Now, with that in mind… the amount of current will also show how many are engaging just as well. I was offered a penny for my thoughts, but gave 2 cents. 😂
Not too often, usually only during temperature swings from hot to cold weather outside. I know I could just add fork oil to my hydraulic reservoir to take care of it, just haven’t.
Can be. Or might not be. Some RVs have Suburban water heaters that require anode rods some have Atwood aluminum water heaters that don’t require anode rods. Just depends on the manufacturer mor than it does fifth wheel vs travel trailer.
I’m not at my RV right now so I can’t recall the exact numbers off the top of my head but I know they are Hercules and pretty sure they are 235/75R 17.5/18 Been really happy with them. 👍🏼
The Hercules 901's are some of the best tires out there. My new camper came with Goodyear Endurance, but when it's time for new tires, it's back to Hercules for me.
Hey Chris do you mail order your 901 tires ? If not where do you get them or who carries them. I’ve been running endurance they are 5 years old with around 28,000 not one issue, I also want to run the Hercules. Thanks
@@markfrancies8356 I actually got them unplanned in New Mexico after our axel broke on the road. It’s just what the shop happen to have at the time. I’ve been happy with them though.
Interesting story, I had never heard of them before I purchased them. We broke an axel in New Mexico and were pretty much stranded there. When it was getting repaired I told them to replace all the leaf springs and tires as well. It’s all they had on short notice but the guy highly recommended them. Turns out they are American made and I’ve been happy with them. Heard some other people since say the same. Thanks for watching 👍🏼
I imagine 90% of RV’ers don’t do all of this and shorten the life of their RV and have avoidable problems, but I imagine they also have a lot more life outside of rv’ing.
Thanks, I appreciate that. Some people out there really hate the idea of Eternabond tape (I think mostly old timers and RV repair shops) but the con people always talk about is how hard it is to remove. Well that sounds like a pro not a con in my book. 🤷🏻♂️
Your description of how your electric brakes works is flawed. That magnet when activated will do nothing with the brakes unless the wheel is turning. The magnet grabs the rotating drum and and then applies force to the brake shoes through a lever. one other item a cheap amp clamp is for AC power not DC. The brake system is DC power. So if you have an expensive DC amp clamp checking the power flow in a DC brake circuit procedure will work.
Thanks appreciate those tips. Always just spun my tire when off the ground and had somebody pull the breakaway. Just assumed if the tire was off and everything opened up you’d see those parts move too if you pulled it.
Nope it’s not aluminum. I have an Anode Rod for my Suburban water heater tank and change it every year. Atwood water tanks are usually aluminum and don’t require a anode rod.
If you think you should repack your bearing once a year. Do you repack your bearings on your truck and all your cars. they have bearing also. BET NOT. things that make you think.
Wheel bearings on most modern cars and trucks are a sealed unit to the wheel hub. The bearings on a trailer are not considered a "sealed unit". Which is why a wheel bearing on a car is $150+, and a set of bearings/seal for a trailer is $20. That’s why vehicle bearings are better quality, better sealed and in most cases, have lower rotation speed (larger radius, lower rpm, less heat) than trailer bearings. Also most trailers are much closer to the weight limit of the axles than cars are, which the bearing heat stresses the grease more and lastly grease does not do well sitting around once its used. Many people only use the trailer once a year. I think it’s just an overall good practice and checking everything out inside there to find any potential problems before a major problem happen…but yes you can definitely get away with going longer than a year. Thanks for watching.
What in the world are you talking about? My truck has exactly the same wheel bearings as my trailer and at 200000 miles they are still ok. Maintenance? Which? I checked them when doing my brakes at 70.000 and they were perfectly ok. Now, I go on vacations twice a year for about 1000 miles each trip. My 2019 trailer has 1900 miles on it. Unless you travel all the time I could still go 20 years before needing to re-pack those bearings. Break away switch. Check each trip. Water, thanks for wasting my time talking about it and having to watch another video. Water heater, ok, They sell a hole set at Amazon. However what you need to get the calcium out is a cloth hanger which you use to knock off calcium until no more comes out of the opening. The roof is new to me, thanks for the tip. Although I really think that the sealing should last at least 10 years, such as you porch at home at least. The tape sounds great. AC modification is great, however mine still drops water inside the trailer when the Texas heat is extreme. Any ideas?
Wheel bearings on most modern cars and trucks are a sealed unit to the wheel hub. The bearings on a trailer are not considered a "sealed unit". Which is why a wheel bearing on a car is $150+, and a set of bearings/seal for a trailer is $20. That’s why vehicle bearings are better quality, better sealed and in most cases, have lower rotation speed (larger radius, lower rpm, less heat) than trailer bearings. Also most trailers are much closer to the weight limit of the axles than cars are, which the bearing heat stresses the grease more and lastly grease does not do well sitting around once its used. Many people only use the trailer once a year. I think it’s just an overall good practice and checking everything out inside there to find any potential problems before a major problem happen…but yes you can definitely get away with going longer than a year. As far as AC drip…The most common source of RV air conditioner leaks is blocked drain holes. Fortunately, this is the easiest to repair on your air conditioning system as well. If the drain line is clogged it will prevent your drain pan from draining properly. Your drain pan will then fill up, resulting in water dripping inside. If any of the components that make up your air conditioner are broken, worn, or not functioning properly (such as a fan motor or condenser coil), this can cause water to drip inside as well. Hope any of this helps and thanks for watching 👍🏼
I often see this recommendation. Once a year or 10-12K miles. Nobody provides any science for the recommendation. I’m a science guy so hearing “that’s the way I do it” or “just to be safe” doesn’t cut it for me. I recently repacked my utility trailer bearings after 20 years. They looked to be in perfect condition. Old grease works fine. To say wheel bearings need to be re-packed every year when you only put a couple of thousand miles on your travel trailer is nonsense, IMHO. Happy to do it if there was some real science supporting the recommendation. So, where is the science behind this recommendation? Pull your drums off and inspect the brakes. Sure. I’m all for it. Bearings? Show me why.
The grease used in bearings gradually degrades due to heat, moisture, and usage, losing its ability to lubricate effectively even though it may “look” fine to you. Even if your trailer is not in use, the grease breaks down from condensation in the bearings and causes corrosion to build up. You should repack RV bearings yearly because over time, the grease inside the bearings breaks down, losing its lubricating ability, which can lead to increased friction, potential overheating, and ultimately, wheel seizure if not properly maintained; this could result in a dangerous situation while driving, making annual repacking a crucial safety measure for your RV To each their own though, i totally respect people doing whatever they believe in 👍🏼👍🏼
Shop all of our favorite RV gear on our Amazon Store! From maintenance products to storage and organizing gear! 👉🏼
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Hand packing bearings brings back memoires as a kid learning from my dad and uncle truly esoteric.
That is awesome. A trip down memory lane.
Wheel bearing service is necessary only if you put lots of milage on your trailer, say 10K miles. Most folks don't even put half that much, which means you can put off the axle service without any problems. One thing you don't mention for annual service is battery maintenance, very important to service the battery's every year...
Thanks for watching. I still prefer to open mine up and inspect yearly even if I don’t repack the grease. Yes good point on the battery…I didn’t get into batteries because I can’t speak from first hand knowledge. I have always had a Dragonfly Lithium Iron Phosphate battery installed that has its own BMS and needs no servicing. Appreciate the comment and stopping by 👍🏼
You have good tips , On the Electric Brake Operation - with drums off , if you pull the break away you will not see any movement with the magnet or brake arm. When magnet gets energized (Power and Ground being present) you can verify magnet operation with a screw driver laying across magnet and feel the pull as you attempt to remove it. For brakes to apply Drum needs to be on and rotating. Magnet get energized - and pulled to inside of the drum - Drum rotates - causing arm to move - which pushes top of brake shoes outward - causing brake shoes to contact brake drum. Hope this Helps.
Nice! Thanks. Always just used a compass or spun the tire off the ground and pulled the cable. Appreciate you watching. 👍🏼
My thoughts exactly. Magnet will not move when energized if wheel is not on and rotating
Your videos are awesome! You are extremely thorough. Anyone following you will definitely have a massively improved experience. RVing. I'm a retired automotive engineer (55 now... Retired at 50...🎉) That now RVs full time. I have maintenance schedules and chores that I follow (of course on a spreadsheet....lol). I love your channel because you tell it the way it is. No extra fluff and a lot of sense. Thank you for creating content. You're awesome!
Thanks! Really means a lot and hearing stuff like this keeps me motivated to try and keep putting out good content. Appreciate you watching. 👍🏼👍🏼
Thanks Chris. You have done a great job in presenting the tasks that need to be performed IF you want to safely operate and maintain your RV over time. I wish we had all of this great information 15 years ago when we first started hauling our 5th wheel. BEARINGS: After one year of pulling a brand-new 5th wheel we pulled the bearings to find that rust chips from the middle of the hub/drums had migrated into the bearings. Many of the bearings were scored. This was a nightmare in the making and could have been a roadside disaster. We also found a casting crack in one of the aluminum diecast wheels. Performing your own work or inspections is a great idea. HINTS: Double nut or Jam-nut those axle wheel bolts AND protect or re-route the electric brake wiring inside of the axle. Thanks Again
Appreciate the comments and checking out the channel. Great tips by the way too! Especially the wiring into the axle. 👍🏼
I did the Eternabond thing AND Liquid Rubber (our trailer is 2010).
Good deal 👍🏼
There are a number of things I don't mind doing myself but at one point in my life I just said to heck with it, I'm never doing bearings myself unless I just have too and I started paying to have that job done LOL!! It was one thing doing them when we had a nice shop to pull into but in a campground, I just drew the line. All good info as always.
Hahaha I hear you Dave. I’m getting close to that point with the sealant job on the sides of the RV, I hate doing that job. Thanks for watching bud, safe travels out there.
Just wanted to say a huge thank you, it’s our first year and your videos were a tremendous help to get everything up and running well this spring ; best wishes - William - Edmonton, AB
Awesome. Definitely appreciate you watching William! Safe travels out there 👍🏼
Man, I can tell you are an old Army guy too. (I think) You remind me of that old Platoon Sergeant I had when I was stationed in Germany who loved to keep us in the Motor pool even though we were Aviation. He was a stickler on vehicle maintenance and one the areas I absolutely hated was breaking down 5 ton tires, and removing and repacking bearings. Whew! That was some tough work. One thing for sure as you always seem to insinuate to us through your channel is if you take care of your Vehicle/RV it will take care of you. Great video and I will be sure to share this with others in hopes they will see it and learn from it like me. I need to go and check out your “How To” video on bearing maintenance so I can know how to do mine before the time comes since I have never had to do it on any of our RVs. So I said to myself “Why Wait”, I Might as well save myself some money and make sure it is done right. Thanks! Hooah!
Thanks bud I appreciate you watching. Not former Army just currently a Merchant Marine. Same thing on our tugboats though, constant preventative maintenance is key out here on the water. My older son is currently in the Army and all of my family as well as my wife’s family are military. Thanks for watching the channel and yup, these RVs weren’t really designed to be lived in so taking care of them is pretty important. Safe travels out there 🇺🇸👍🏼
I was Army stationed in Germany 74-76 and was always taught preventive maintenance I still try to explain that to people today
I’m amazed at the people that don’t do their bearings annually. Thanks for putting this out there.
Sure thing. Just a good time of the year to remind people about some of the basic maintenance that can easily be forgotten about. Appreciate you watching 😄👍🏼
I thought it was millage based. Is it not?
@@fannygo6673 12 months or 12K miles whichever comes first is the normal recommendation.
@@thelonewolf666 most manufacturers recommend 12 months or 12000 miles.
In other words, you can't trust a shop to do what is right! That's encouraging! What about the headache of jacking up your trailer and doing this yourself?
It definitely just depends on your skill level and what you’re comfortable with, or factors like do you full time RV and taking the RV to a shop is a major headache if you do. For me I explain in my bearings video how I do it, I just use my hydraulics to lift one side at a time and only till the wheels come about one inch off the ground. Then I only take one wheel off at a time as I do the project. So it’s not a difficult process. But everybody’s situation will be different.
Hi Chris. Great info as always. A few of my thoughts. I use my ez-lube grease fittings occasionally but the number 1 rule is be sure you have the tire off the ground and spin the tire while greasing. As for the brake magnets, you can also have someone pull the breakaway pin and hold a screwdriver or wrench up to the magnet. If it sticks, you're good. I had eternabond tape installed on the roof of my 5th wheel a few years ago. Still holding strong. 👍 Safe travels. 🇺🇸
Great tips Rick. I’m definitely not concerned about the Eternabond sticking but if I ever need to take it off to say replace a fan or skylight how difficult will it be getting it off 😂😂 Appreciate you stopping by and watching. 👍🏼
I agree with opening up the hub for inspection purposes, but the Dexter EZ axles are designed to, and will, expel the old grease. It's the folks that don't spin the tire as they slowly pump new grease in that blow the seal out.
This is true. You can definitely repack both ways but like you say it’s still good practice to open things up and get eyes on everything. Thanks for watching 👍🏼
Hey Chris did you buy the 4" tape when you did the roof edges? I was watching your video on that earlier and I'm going to buy a couple rolls , looks awesome
Yes, I thought the 4 inch tape was just right 👍🏼 Take your time and go slow. It’s hard to work with.
amzn.to/3tkd0rC
I found a crack in my brakeaway box. It was bad - replaced it. You can check the circuit in the junction box. Also do a pull test on the RV before raising the legs.
Yes if you have a standard fifth wheel hitch a pull test is defiantly necessary, we have never had to do that, benefit of a Reese goose neck! We do always do a trailer brake test though when we leave a site by manually engaging the trailer brake gain all the way when going about 15mph, it should pretty much stop the truck. Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏼👍🏼
Great tips, i am replacing my brakes, bearing, and shackle right now before our trip this summer. Larry
Awesome. Getting upgrades on everything ourselves in a few weeks too. Looking forward to a better ride and safety.
I’ve done 4 of the 5 this spring. Doing the a/c when we get back from Blue Ridge. I actually enjoy doing the maintenance side of things except crawling under the rig. I see you’re running Hercules tires. I put a new set of them on my Momentum last spring and love them so far.
Hey Bruce! 👋🏼 Same here, most of these projects are satisfying and feel good when you get them done. Glad those tires are working out for you, I had never heard of them before I got mine but been happy with them as well. Enjoy the mountains and safe travels! 😁
Am really getting a lot out of your videos. We have been camping about 3 years and camp about 9 months out of the year but we traded our first two campers before they needed any maintenance. Now we are in a 42ft 5th wheel which we've had a little over a year and following your videos to do most of the maintenance. Love it. We also started a RUclips channel a few months ago, mostly on our various travels but a few how-tos, campround reviews, and other things thrown in too.
Awesome, I really appreciate you guys checking it out. Preventive maintenance is definitely key to making these RVs last especially when you live in them. I’ll go check out your channel too 😃👍🏼😂
This is so good. I'm so glad I found your channel. I'm going to watch every video. So informative.
Oh wow! Thanks, we really appreciate the comment. Definitely lots to watch and some helpful information in our channel. Feel free to reach out with questions anytime and I’ll try my best to get back to you. Thanks again for watching 👍🏼
I went eternabond years ago. I still check quarterly and add tape as needed.
Right on. I’ve been meaning to do it for two years myself. This spring I will be knocking it out. Thanks for stopping by and watching. 👍🏼
I “bulletproofed” the roof seams with eternabond also around 2 years ago and so far so good. I still inspect it monthly. So definitely recommend doing it. Great video and tips 👍
@@andresd9146 thanks! Definitely appreciate that
Excellent channel bro! I just got my first RV trailer! Your channel is gonna help me a lot! Thank you! 👏
Thanks man! Congrats on the RV. Preventive maintenance is definitely key to these things. Lots of useful stuff on our channel. Appreciate you watching 👍🏼
Great info Chris. I will be doing the sanitize and cleaning the A/C units pretty soon. We don't have an anode rod in our water heater, but I still flush it out once a year.
Thanks! Just did my AC units yesterday too. Appreciate you stopping by and watching 👍🏼
@@WhyWait You always have good info. My flagpole suction cup holder came out well and even used it for outside TV
@@WeSometimesRV outside rv!!? That’s ballsy hahaha they will fall over time or with wet weather sometimes. Just be careful.
@@WhyWait I don't leave it outside. You should check out my setup. I have a heavy string with a ring that attaches to a hook behind fridge in case it falls.
An amp clamp will not show current if the wire is broken somewhere. It will show current if the circuit is shorted to ground though. But, the release of smoke pixies will tell you that's the case as well.
Cool. Thanks for the tip. Makes sense👍🏼
100% correct. Any master tech will tell you it’s best to have the bearing in your hand.
Agreed 👍🏼
Great info as always Chris. Can you get up to the Hershey show this September?
Thanks. We are actually discussing it. I will be getting off work that day so it’s possible. I’ll give you a call sometime and catch up 👍🏼
I used the Eternabond tape on our old camper and found the it puckered the roofing.
Where is the AC link for improvement of the AC air. Or I maybe missing it? Thank you
It was in the video description…no big deal. Here’s the link for you 👍🏼 Thanks for watching.
RV A/C Modification that will DOUBLE the Output & BOOST Performance!
ruclips.net/video/fBAUuMoD-ec/видео.html
April 1st pulling mine out of storage. This is provided the snow melts. Thank you for the 5 steps. I'll be doing each for sure and using your other videos to do them. I'm excited to do the AC duct modification.
Good deal. Hopefully you can do the AC modification, not all units are designed for it but you will know when you open it up and look inside there. Let me know if you have any questions. 👍🏼👍🏼
My work trailer has 100,000 miles on it. ive never repacked the bearings. Its time to do the brakes though, so they will be getting done. its value is also much less than the camper.
This is true, it’s probably not as heavy or has everything you own in it either hahaha. You might want to open them up and check them out though 🤷🏻♂️ Thanks for watching.
@@WhyWait For sure. I will be checking the ones on my new to me 2016 Premier very soon. It needs new tires, so I will do everything at once. appreciate the how to videos!
Very helpful, thank you! Looks like I have some more videos to go watch now lol
Thanks. Yeah, we have lots of helpful videos on our channel. Reach out with questions anytime. Definitely appreciate you watching 👍🏼
Well-put together video. Thank you!
Thanks! Definitely appreciate you watching 👍🏼👍🏼
Love the videos just info for the mind 12 to 13 volts on the meter sir not amps
Thanks Billy 👍🏼 Appreciate you watching.
Nothing on the brake magnet will move if the drum is not on and spinning, but you can see if the magnet sticks to metal or not. That’s how you can test.
Question do you have a super flex TPO roof? if so what products do you use to wash it with? I know Alpha super flex can be specific
Yes Grand Design roofs are TPO. Very low maintenance roofs actually to wash. Per the grand design manual they just recommend washing with basic soap and water and even mention products like simple green and dawn. We prefer to use Gabe’s Pride RV Streaker. Higher quality product and really good stuff, also approved by Grand Design. Here’s a link.
ruclips.net/video/ZD3Rbqkp0c4/видео.htmlsi=UyP7VQB1gQ8cnlhT
Man it sounds like there's running water in that intro, I had to mute like 20 times before finding out it wasn't me hahahaha.
So question: slide's cabling, do you do any maintence there? I know grand design doesn't use "cables" persay, but any maintence tips on those?
Hahaha yup, there was a creek right behind me.
I have to be honest with you I’ve never seen a cable slide out up close and have no idea how they are setup. I’m assuming though that some Boeshield T-9 on any and all moving parts would be a good idea. Keep all things lubed up and rust free 👍🏼 Thanks for watching.
What kind of bike rack do you have?
Swagman. Few years now going strong. Check it out in our video here.
BEST RV BIKE RACK | Full Time RV Life
ruclips.net/video/8LdS6Y2EgFA/видео.html
New subscriber here. Your videos look very informative. One question, I thought when checking the rv brakes with the wheel and hub off, the magnet only moves or slides up if the wheel is spinning. When not spinning, you can check the magnet by hanging a wrench on it to see if it sticks. Also, when checking the wiring for electricity its 13-14 "volts", not amps. I'm not an expert and know these can get confusing. Great video as I'm getting ready to pull my travel trailer out for spring maintenance and 2 new axles. Thanks
You are absolutely correct. I just always assumed it would. When I do my bearings I’ve always just spun my tire once it’s up off the ground and pulled the breakaway cable. 👍🏼 and yes somebody else pointed out the volt/amp thing, that’s just me fast talking and misspeaking. It always sucks because you can’t edit things once posted and believe me I flub words all the time. Appreciate you watching 👍🏼
@@WhyWait all good brother, just started watching your how to and maintenance videos. always looking for new info for diy. thanks
The anode is just a cheaper way to build! The have always used alum tanks and no anode but the went steel the rust really quick that’s the reason the use and sacrifice a anode rod. So if I was buying a new camper and had a steel tank I would not buy if they are going to cheap out that steel tank this not hood .
Do you know where I can find a user manual?
As user manual for your RV? Well they are suppose to come with one. If not you can type in your rv model online and possible download it. Other than that contacting your manufacturer I suppose. 🤷🏻♂️
If you read current with the meter, your brakes are engaging. If there are connection issues, you will not read that current flow. Now, with that in mind… the amount of current will also show how many are engaging just as well.
I was offered a penny for my thoughts, but gave 2 cents. 😂
Good tip 👍🏼
Thanks, I want to do the eternabond thing also 👍🇺🇲
Nice. Check out my buddy Ross over on his channel at RVTips and Travels if you haven’t already. Good video on the project.
👍🏼
@Why Wait yeah I watch that guy also he's pretty good
If people pack their own trailer wheel bearings, very important know how to adjust the breaks afterwards.
Indeed. 👍🏼Appreciate you watching!
are you still having problems with your hydraulic jacks popping
Not too often, usually only during temperature swings from hot to cold weather outside. I know I could just add fork oil to my hydraulic reservoir to take care of it, just haven’t.
I was staying next to you in va a couple years ago and they were popping
How do you work on RVs without an amp clamp meter?
Don’t know but I’ve been getting by haha, maybe it’s time to look into one 🤔🤔
How many cans of spray should it take to do 2 A/C units
One can of each and you should have enough leftover for next year. I just did mine this year and used my cans from last year 👍🏼
So ? Is the water heater the same on a travel trailer?
Can be. Or might not be. Some RVs have Suburban water heaters that require anode rods some have Atwood aluminum water heaters that don’t require anode rods. Just depends on the manufacturer mor than it does fifth wheel vs travel trailer.
Thank you
Great video thanks for your time
Sure thing. Appreciate you stopping by and watching 👍🏼👍🏼
Thanks for ur videos it helped out alot sir
Sure thing, glad to hear it. Feel free to reach out with questions anytime and I’ll do my best to get back or answer best I can. 👍🏼Thanks for watching
Love your vids tho bro!
Right on! Really appreciate you watching 👍🏼
Nice Job!! Subscribed !
Thank you! Hopefully this helps out and we have tons of other maintenance and DIY videos as well. 👍🏼
Great video!
Glad you enjoyed it and Hope some it helped you out. Appreciate you watching 👍🏼
Sure don’t disagree bout eterna bond. Go for it. There’s another you tuber whom did just as you are saying.
I know my buddy Ross over on his channel RV Tips and Travels did the Eternabond. We talked about it and he’s happy with it. Thanks for watching 👍🏼
Excellent video. Very helpful. Thank you.
Glad it was helpful! Preventive maintenance will go a long ways with extending the life of everything in these RVs
What happens if I sanitized my water heater by accident
Shouldn’t be that big of a deal. It’s more of a concern if the bleach mixture sits in there for an extended period of time from what I understand. 👍🏼
Great information 👍
Thank you. Hope some of it helped. I definitely appreciate you watching. 👍🏼
If only I had time to prevent every little what if situation
Hey Chris! What is the company of your fifth wheel tire and the size ? They look pretty strong, I got goodyear Endurance.
I’m not at my RV right now so I can’t recall the exact numbers off the top of my head but I know they are Hercules and pretty sure they are 235/75R 17.5/18
Been really happy with them. 👍🏼
The Hercules 901's are some of the best tires out there. My new camper came with Goodyear Endurance, but when it's time for new tires, it's back to Hercules for me.
Hey Chris do you mail order your 901 tires ? If not where do you get them or who carries them. I’ve been running endurance they are 5 years old with around 28,000 not one issue, I also want to run the Hercules. Thanks
@@markfrancies8356 I actually got them unplanned in New Mexico after our axel broke on the road. It’s just what the shop happen to have at the time. I’ve been happy with them though.
Good information. Nice
Thanks Tim. It’s always something keeping these RVs running smoothly.
Thank you for your videos!!
Sure thing! I appreciate you stopping by and checking them out. It really helps support the channel 👍🏼
Great videos thank you!!!
Sure thing! Appreciate you stopping by and checking it out. 👍🏼👍🏼
Great advice
Appreciate that 👍🏼 Thanks for stopping by and checking it out.
Love your flsg
Walmart has it...
Great Vid. What led you to go with the Hercules tires?
Interesting story, I had never heard of them before I purchased them. We broke an axel in New Mexico and were pretty much stranded there. When it was getting repaired I told them to replace all the leaf springs and tires as well. It’s all they had on short notice but the guy highly recommended them. Turns out they are American made and I’ve been happy with them. Heard some other people since say the same. Thanks for watching 👍🏼
I imagine 90% of RV’ers don’t do all of this and shorten the life of their RV and have avoidable problems, but I imagine they also have a lot more life outside of rv’ing.
Indeed. Lots of these tips are for full time RVers like us who are basically taking care of their homes. Thanks for watching 👍🏼
Gadsden flag = instant subscribe 😎🇺🇸
Right on brother 👍🏼🇺🇸
Why is it controversial ? Thanx for the post def going to check out your links and be a new subscriber
Thanks, I appreciate that. Some people out there really hate the idea of Eternabond tape (I think mostly old timers and RV repair shops) but the con people always talk about is how hard it is to remove. Well that sounds like a pro not a con in my book. 🤷🏻♂️
Like and a follow. 2nd year with a camper and trying to keep it nice! Also I appreciate the flag on your camper!
Awesome! Thank you! Preventive maintenance is definitely key with these things 👍🏼
Your description of how your electric brakes works is flawed. That magnet when activated will do nothing with the brakes unless the wheel is turning. The magnet grabs the rotating drum and and then applies force to the brake shoes through a lever. one other item a cheap amp clamp is for AC power not DC. The brake system is DC power. So if you have an expensive DC amp clamp checking the power flow in a DC brake circuit procedure will work.
Thanks appreciate those tips. Always just spun my tire when off the ground and had somebody pull the breakaway. Just assumed if the tire was off and everything opened up you’d see those parts move too if you pulled it.
Watch on double speed
You know I didn’t know you could do that. I just tried it out and it’s not a bad way to get through the video faster 😂
Your trailer would have an aluminum water tank I would think….
No anode required
Nope it’s not aluminum. I have an Anode Rod for my Suburban water heater tank and change it every year. Atwood water tanks are usually aluminum and don’t require a anode rod.
EternaBond tape isn’t “controversial.” It’s the way to go, so you never have to use Dicor Self-leveling Sealant again.
I agree…always been a fan but there is definitely some old timers out there who will argue you to death about it lol
Thanks for watching! 👍🏼
If you think you should repack your bearing once a year. Do you repack your bearings on your truck and all your cars. they have bearing also. BET NOT. things that make you think.
Wheel bearings on most modern cars and trucks are a sealed unit to the wheel hub. The bearings on a trailer are not considered a "sealed unit". Which is why a wheel bearing on a car is $150+, and a set of bearings/seal for a trailer is $20.
That’s why vehicle bearings are better quality, better sealed and in most cases, have lower rotation speed (larger radius, lower rpm, less heat) than trailer bearings. Also most trailers are much closer to the weight limit of the axles than cars are, which the bearing heat stresses the grease more and lastly grease does not do well sitting around once its used. Many people only use the trailer once a year. I think it’s just an overall good practice and checking everything out inside there to find any potential problems before a major problem happen…but yes you can definitely get away with going longer than a year. Thanks for watching.
What in the world are you talking about? My truck has exactly the same wheel bearings as my trailer and at 200000 miles they are still ok. Maintenance? Which? I checked them when doing my brakes at 70.000 and they were perfectly ok. Now, I go on vacations twice a year for about 1000 miles each trip. My 2019 trailer has 1900 miles on it. Unless you travel all the time I could still go 20 years before needing to re-pack those bearings. Break away switch. Check each trip. Water, thanks for wasting my time talking about it and having to watch another video. Water heater, ok, They sell a hole set at Amazon. However what you need to get the calcium out is a cloth hanger which you use to knock off calcium until no more comes out of the opening. The roof is new to me, thanks for the tip. Although I really think that the sealing should last at least 10 years, such as you porch at home at least. The tape sounds great. AC modification is great, however mine still drops water inside the trailer when the Texas heat is extreme. Any ideas?
Wheel bearings on most modern cars and trucks are a sealed unit to the wheel hub. The bearings on a trailer are not considered a "sealed unit". Which is why a wheel bearing on a car is $150+, and a set of bearings/seal for a trailer is $20.
That’s why vehicle bearings are better quality, better sealed and in most cases, have lower rotation speed (larger radius, lower rpm, less heat) than trailer bearings. Also most trailers are much closer to the weight limit of the axles than cars are, which the bearing heat stresses the grease more and lastly grease does not do well sitting around once its used. Many people only use the trailer once a year. I think it’s just an overall good practice and checking everything out inside there to find any potential problems before a major problem happen…but yes you can definitely get away with going longer than a year.
As far as AC drip…The most common source of RV air conditioner leaks is blocked drain holes. Fortunately, this is the easiest to repair on your air conditioning system as well.
If the drain line is clogged it will prevent your drain pan from draining properly. Your drain pan will then fill up, resulting in water dripping inside. If any of the components that make up your air conditioner are broken, worn, or not functioning properly (such as a fan motor or condenser coil), this can cause water to drip inside as well. Hope any of this helps and thanks for watching 👍🏼
I often see this recommendation. Once a year or 10-12K miles. Nobody provides any science for the recommendation. I’m a science guy so hearing “that’s the way I do it” or “just to be safe” doesn’t cut it for me. I recently repacked my utility trailer bearings after 20 years. They looked to be in perfect condition. Old grease works fine. To say wheel bearings need to be re-packed every year when you only put a couple of thousand miles on your travel trailer is nonsense, IMHO. Happy to do it if there was some real science supporting the recommendation. So, where is the science behind this recommendation? Pull your drums off and inspect the brakes. Sure. I’m all for it. Bearings? Show me why.
The grease used in bearings gradually degrades due to heat, moisture, and usage, losing its ability to lubricate effectively even though it may “look” fine to you. Even if your trailer is not in use, the grease breaks down from condensation in the bearings and causes corrosion to build up.
You should repack RV bearings yearly because over time, the grease inside the bearings breaks down, losing its lubricating ability, which can lead to increased friction, potential overheating, and ultimately, wheel seizure if not properly maintained; this could result in a dangerous situation while driving, making annual repacking a crucial safety measure for your RV
To each their own though, i totally respect people doing whatever they believe in 👍🏼👍🏼
Trimming your beard a little once a year is good practice.
Once a year!!! Man I trim this thing once a month!
Great videos and advice!
Thanks 😃 Definitely appreciate you stopping by and watching! 👍🏼