They say that timing is everything, and for some reason whenever an RVer is getting ready to hit the road, the gremlins decide that is the perfect time to mess with you. You don’t have to be an RV tech to be able to do some quick fixes to solve a lot of problems so you can get on the road in a timely manner.
Here is one example – we have had a recurring problem with our right rear leveling jack. It deploys fine when we get to a campground, but every so often when it’s time to leave it seems to take forever for the jack to fully retract. It starts to go up but then when it gets about an inch or two from being fully stowed in the travel position, it stops. I’ve had to run it up and down two or three times to get it to retract all the way. And while I’m sure we could safely drive with it that way, the noisy Jacks Down alarm gets aggravating real quick.
On occasion we’ve also had the alarm go off while we’re driving down the highway and it indicates that that same right rear jack is down. When that happens, I just turn on the switch for the jacks, then turn it back off and it seems to solve the problem.
When we got ready to leave the Daytona Beach RV Resort in Port Orange Florida the other day, once again that same jack would not go up all the way. So Miss Terry sprayed Strike Hold on the shafts of all four jacks, and then it went right up and stowed with no problem, and it’s worked fine ever since.
We first discovered this wonder product at an Escapade RV rally a few years ago, and it is nothing short of amazing. Strike Hold prevents rust, works great for dry-lubing firearms and other mechanical things, and cleaning electrical contacts. I spray the prongs on our motorhome’s power cord a couple of times a year before I plug into a campground pedestal. My buddy Greg White has even used it to repair contacts in their Amazon Kindle and in computers. If you don’t have any of this stuff in your RV’s storage bay or on your workbench, you really need to get some!
We were driving up Interstate 95 when Terry noticed a section of our Winnebago’s fiberglass fender right in front of the wheel well flapping in the wind. Investigation revealed that whatever adhesive Winnebago uses to attach the panel had failed. What, you didn’t know that all that RV fiberglass is held on with adhesives? It’s the industrial version of spit and bailing wire.
When we got to the Elks Lodge campground in St. Augustine, Terry used some double-sided 3M automotive molding tape to secure the panel, and now it’s just like new. Heck, it’s probably better than new!
Another item every RVer should have in his or her fix-it arsenal is Rescue Tape. It would take a month to list all of the things this amazing silicone tape can do. Have you got a leaking water hose or sewer hose? No problem, it will seal it in a jiffy! Got a wire harness that is sagging? Wrap it up with Rescue Tape! Terry has never actually used it for this purpose but a time or two she threatened to tape my hands together to keep me from grabbing things off the shelf and throwing them in the cart at the grocery store.
Something else you should have handy at all times are nylon cable ties. Again, these things have endless uses, from securing wires and cables (who knew), to attaching a license plate if it loses its bolt, making a flexible loop to hang things on, and whatever else you can imagine. I suspect Terry keeps a couple of them in her purse for when I get in trouble at the grocery store, as well.
And last, but certainly not least, are ball bungees. I firmly believe that they should be issued with the keys and title anytime you purchase an RV. I use them to keep my water hoses and extension cords bundled neatly, to attach the mast for our cell phone signal booster to our motorhome’s awning arm, to hang our banners at the back of our booth when we are vending at RV rallies, and a lot more.
None of this stuff costs very much money, but it’s invaluable when the gremlins come to call and you need it. Of course, the most invaluable “fix it” asset in our motorhome is Miss Terry. But they only made one of her and I’m not sharing, so you’re on your own!
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Nick Russell
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I bought Return to Dogs Run as soon as you announced it was available late Wednesday night and stayed up until 2:30 reading it. I went back to it right back after breakfast and read it nonstop to the end. I didn’t plan it that way but I just could not put it down. Wow and double wow! The end blew me away. Loved every word of it. Please, please tell me that will be a sequel to the sequel! Is that called a threequel? 🙂
Nick,
I believe that your second best quick fix (right after Terry) is having Greg’s and Chris’ phone numbers on speed dial.
Butch
Great tips! Just ordered the ball bungees and rescue tape. We’re just starting out and it’s much appreciated to get tips like this from folks like you that have been at it for a long time.
Spooky…our RR jack does the exact same thing Nick. I spray the heck out of it with WD40 and it works better for a few times.
I will now try the Strike-Hold next.
Thanks for the tip.