Full Timing Life Maintenance, Repair, Upgrades

Steven@147

T&S RV Adventures
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Tami and I have been catching up on the maintenance and repairs of our rig this spring. Our rig is now 5 years old which is about the time when most rigs start having more repairs and needing more maintenance to be done. We have only been full time 4 years. We deal with critical operational repairs immediately. Ongoing maintenance, repairs, upgrades that can wait we take care of in the spring like spring cleaning. It seems our list keeps growing.

Fridge door flapper repair = done
Fridge JC conversion to 12VDC = waiting till June arrival in Shipshewana Indiana
Replace burned out ceiling puck lights = done
Shower interior skylight frame clear lens separating = in work
Suspension leaf spring replacement = in work - left side done - awaiting muscle, back, knee, leg, skinned knuckle recuperation to do right side!
Front AC unit repair = done
Lithium battery upgrade = in work planning stage
Front closet cargo net mod to keep clothes from falling of shelves = done
WH anode rod replacement and flush = done
Slide seal flap and "D" treatment = waiting
Emergency brake away switch replacement (rusty) = waiting
Wash and wax rig = waiting
Items that I have forgotten = waiting

Its all a day in the life of living in an RV ! How is your list coming along?
 
Last edited:
Every item crossed off the list is replaced by three that are added.
 
Fridge JC conversion to 12VDC = waiting till June arrival in Shipshewana Indiana

We are SERIOUSLY wanting to do this (the absorption fridge in our 28BH is in the slideout and depending on sun and opening the doors will climb to high 40s)... the problem is that we're not going through Indiana until the end of our trip. Hope it works out well for you all!

obie
 
It seems there is always never ending list of things to do. Not much different than owning a home I suppose.

Like Steve, I too still have some things waiting.... never ending.....

At least, and for now, I've got it down to a short list of 'wants' as opposed to 'needs'.
 
It seems there is always never ending list of things to do. Not much different than owning a home I suppose.

Like Steve, I too still have some things waiting.... never ending.....

At least, and for now, I've got it down to a short list of 'wants' as opposed to 'needs'.

That is always my issue when people talk about how much work campers are. Our sticks and bricks was over 125 years old. The repairs and upkeep on that far out cost anything on the camper. And the camper is way easier to work on and maintain imo.
 
Maybe a 100+ yr old home..... but, would rather work on the 10yr old, or soon to be brand new stick built, than on my RV. The stick built wont leave me on the side of the highway waiting for parts, or need to be towed if the TV breaks down, or gets hit by a yahoo to poor to pay attention.

Sure, the DW and I love the idea of having the freedom to roam the earth like Caine in Kungfu, but he walked and didnt depend on any automation or rowdy walkers... Gonna stick with maybe 6mo at best get aways until we figure out were our next shaolin temple resides.;)
 
2 things i really, really, suck at. Buying property, and getting married.

I am and have been retired for going on 8 years now. Ill rv it, rent it, borrow it, but wont buy property. Ill commit to a relationship with a nice girl, but wont get married on paper.

This new to me 2020 reflections 273mk came to me used and mostly in great shape. But still gets overwhelming. At times, as im dealing with a couple things that should be sorted out soonish......... A slide is new to me, and iffff, a tree fell on it, i would pocket the insurance money and make the slide a no slide. Personal reasons, i know most people like a slide, or slides.

So yes, things get overwhelming, but when i calm down and the voices play nice, i can sort things out. Sometimes it takes a few try's, different approaches to sort things out, but it gets done.

I did try normal people living this past winter, I rented a nice apartment, and I found im not ready for it, so its back to fulltiming for me. I spent most my life, 32 years working on the east coast, NH and PA, and spent last winter hear in very, very, north western MN, and i enjoyed every -15 or colder, for the high, not including the wind chill, days, as i forgot what cold really is, and knew i wouldnt be doing it again for a number of years, maybe never.
 
I have a list of routine scheduled maintenance tasks that include the Fifth Wheel, the generator, and the tow vehicle. It's a pretty lengthly list. Each item is provide a best guess periodicity (or as recommended by a manufacturer). I keep up with it pretty much every week.

I also routinely do walk arounds including under the RV and up on the roof to inspect and identify issues as they emerge. I try to immediately address any issues right away.

I document everything I work on, observations I find and occasionally (but not too often) will ad another item to the routine task list. I do nearly all of my own work. Our RV has been to the dealer for a warranty repair twice (in the first year only) in four years of full-timing and I could have done those myself easily.

There are 64 routine periodic maintenance tasks on my list that range from every other week to every three years in periodicity. These include the RV, the generator, and the Tow Vehicle. I have also performed 57 modifications on the (some minor, some more involved) on the RV.

I document each task as it is performed - maintenance, repair or modification.

One task I don't like to do and typically hire some one to do is to wash/wax the RV.
 

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