Some General Repair Tips For RVs, Boats, and Camping

RVs, boats, OHVs, and various camping gear and equipment are all going to require repairs from time to time.  Whether you're facing a major project like rebuilding the engine in your RV or tow vehicle, or just replacing a worn pump gasket on a camp stove, there are some basic principles you should follow.  If you don't work on the specific equipment you're tackling quite regularly, you're going to need to keep track of parts as you go -- where they come from, and where you put them -- so you can put it all back together.  All too often, repairs to recreational equipment tend to get pushed to the bottom of our "to do" lists, making it even harder to remember where things went when we finally get do around to completing the task.  We often have to disassemble things before we can figure out what parts are needed for the repair, then it takes time to get the new parts, introducing delays before we can put them back together.  The less familiar you are with the equipment or the specific repair, the more careful and detailed you need to be as you take it apart.  Small boxes and plastic containers (like old margarine cups) are handy.  Small parts can be saved in plastic bags and labeled so you know exactly where they came from.   Diagrams or photos can also be helpful.  Be sure to take advantage of the camera in your smart phone!  It may seem like overkill when you're taking something apart, but you'll really be glad you did it when you try to put it back together a month or so later.   Sometimes it is a good idea to number parts as you take them off so you can put them back in the same order when you put it back together.   Internet access provides a wonderful source of information for many unfamiliar projects.  You can often find a Youtube video that will take you through common repairs step by step.  If  you can't find ready made help you may be able to ask for assistance in a relevant forum.

Take some pictures.  With today's digital cameras and even cameras in cell phones it is really easy to take photos of a project BEFORE you take things apart.  These BEFORE photos can be invaluable when it comes time to put it back together.   Modern vehicles, even OHVs, contain a maze of tubes, cables, wires, and connectors that can be extremely frustrating to put back together if you're not familiar with them, especially if your project extends past a day or two or you experience a "senior moment" now and then.  Photos or even hand-drawn diagrams and notes will be worth more than their weight in gold.   Or invest in some labels to attach to both sides of a connection so you KNOW easily and exactly where it goes when the time comes.  Or make your own labels from little pieces of masking tape.  I prefer to use blue painter's tape so it comes off easily when I'm ready and it doesn't leave residual adhesive on the components.  Shop manuals are available for most vehicles, some even free of charge on the Internet.  Most offer helpful tips about dis-assembly and reassembly as well as necessary technical specifications such as tightening patterns and torque specs.  Wiring diagrams and vacuum hose routing layouts can aid in diagnosis and save a lot of time putting things back together.

Organize your parts and fasteners as you remove them.   I like to clean all the nuts and bolts and small parts as I take them off and keep them in a plastic container like a margarine cup so they don't get lost.  Plastic bags are another good way to keep things straight.  You can write a description of the contents directly on the bag or on a label attached to the bag.   Cleaning them before you store them keeps dirty parts from contaminating not so dirty parts and makes putting things back together easier. It also gives you chance to examine the threads, look for wear, cracks, etc, and determine if any of the small parts need to be replaced.  Why waste time fighting a bolt with damaged threads or a stripped head.   Items like that can usually be replaced without much cost and will save a lot of assembly time and frustration and ensure proper assembly, fit,  and performance.  Rusty, damaged, or corroded bolts will prevent you from getting a proper torque measurement when tightened and attempting to reinstall them may cause early failure or further damage to the components they attach.

Keep your work are neat and clean.  There are often spilled fluids when working on RVs and OHVs and even some camping equipment.  Clean it up right away so it doesn't create a slip hazard or contaminate other components or equipment.   Some fluids present slip hazards and some may be toxic.  Some emit toxic or flammable vapors.   Use boxes or bins to organize and store related parts as you disassemble things.   It helps keep them clean, keeps all the related parts together, and avoids them getting lost.  If you mop up spilled cleaning fluids, like gasoline or solvent, be sure to dispose of the rags safely.   Left in a pile they can spontaneously ignite.   Put them in an air tight container, burn them right away, or hang them out to dry in a well-ventilated area.

Keep your tools clean and organized.   I highly recommend putting them away at the end of each work period, even if you plan to return to the project fairly soon.  It only takes a few minutes and, whether you get back to the project right away or not, your tools are properly stored for any task that may come up.  Its a lot easier to remember where things normally "live" than to remember where you left them last.   This practice also helps you avoid losing tools.  If something has been misplaced, it is usually easier to locate it right away when you remember where you were using it instead of searching for it hours, days, weeks, or months later.  I keep my tools out while I'm actively working on a project, but if I have to leave, even for an hour or so, I like to put everything away.  My kids think I'm OCD about it, but it works.

Some tasks require specialized tools.  Sometimes they are quite expensive so you probably won't be adding them to your own toolbox.  Many auto parts chain stores offer free use of specialized tools for mechanical repairs.  For other situations you may have to canvas your friends and associates to see if anyone has what you need or give in to having a professional do the job.  Having the right tools makes almost any job relatively pleasant while having the wrong tools can turn even the simplest task into a nightmare.

Inspect all parts as you disassemble something for repairs.  You may find components that are worn, damaged, bent, or out of adjustment.  You might as well replace them now since it won't take any additional labor -- and it will improve the overall results.

Use proper adhesives and lubrication when re-assembling things.  Your results will be much better.  Things will go back together easier and function better.   Simple things, like soaking the leather gasket for a lantern or camp stove pump in oil before installing it, will make a world of difference in how well it works.  Gasket adhesive will hold gaskets in place and avoid them slipping and being damaged during assembly as well as adding an extra layer of sealing.

Pay close attention to specifications.  Torque fasteners to the correct rating and in the right pattern. Using the wrong pattern or torque when tightening head bolts can result in a warped head.  Make proper adjustments to moving parts.  Adjustments may require specialized measuring tools to get them right.  Make sure all moving parts are properly lubricated.

Tent, awning, and sleeping bag repairs usually require little dis-assembly, but keep track of all components, like tent poles and stakes.  Repairing tears in fabrics may require adding a patch to reinforce the damaged area.   This is especially necessary if the edges of the tear have begun to unravel.   Some small tears can be quickly repaired with self-adhesive patches but larger ones will require sewing.  Heavy material may require the use of an awl to make holes for stitches.  On tents and awnings, apply waterproof seam sealer to any new stitching.

Seek professional advice.  These days you can get help on almost any subject via the Internet.  You may have to pay a modest fee to get a response from a qualified technician, but it is often well worth it.  Their tips can save lots of time and avoid damaging components when you don't know the proper dis-assembly procedures. 

When working on a boat take appropriate precautions to avoid dropping parts or tools into the water.  While things dropped onto the ground are sometimes hard to find, things dropped into the water are often permanently lost.

One last thing:  don't wait for catastrophic failure before making repairs.  Many times repairs will be easier and far less expensive if you catch the problem early.  A classic example is brakes. Replacing the pads on disc brakes is fairly quick, easy, and inexpensive, but if you let it go until the pads wear down to metal, they will damage the rotors which then will have to be turned or replaced. Drum brakes require a little more expertise to service, but the same principle applies: replacing the shoes BEFORE they damage the drums will be a LOT less expensive.  Letting problems go, especially on things like brakes or tires, also creates a safety hazard.  You might think metal-to-metal will still stop your vehicle, but it won't. Brakes convert the kinetic energy of the vehicle movement into heat, and metal-to-metal doesn't do that very effectively.   That is also why "riding your brakes" will reduce stopping power (sometimes to zero!).  They get so hot they can't absorb any more heat and they glaze over, making the surface of the friction material (pads or shoes) slick so they don't work at all.

Fix it right!