There are way too many RV parts and accessories to list in a single article. The list would be endless and would undoubtedly be out of date by the time I could click the "publish" button, let alone by the time you read it. However, there are some traditional parts and accessories that are worth mentioning and watching for bargains on.
So what is the difference between "parts" and "accessories"? You can think of "parts" as essential components of your RV and "accessories" as optional features or gadgets that add convenience or fun. Even if you don't have an immediate need for some of these things, you might want to snag them while they're available if you come across them at a good price. For years I've "stockpiled" some frequently needed RV parts and accessories so I have them on hand when I need them. Things that could be used as replacement parts on your current RV should be high on your list. For example, I grabbed a complete Chevrolet P-30 instrument cluster on ebay.com . Turns out I then moved on to a Gillig-based Holiday Rambler so I didn't think I'd probably never use it, but when I owned several P-30 based motorhomes, I had a spare in case of failure. Now I have another P-30 based motorhome so it may yet come in handy. I got it on ebay at a very reasonable price so it didn't involve tying up a ton of money. Gathering parts for older motorhomes before they become scarce is something to think about. You also may want to consider investing in interesting accessories you might want to add or to have on hand for a subsequent RV if the price is right and you can both afford it and have a place to safely store it until you can use it. No point storing a set of RV dinette cushions if they're going to be susceptible to deterioration due to weather, sunlight, insects, vermin, or humidity. On the other hand, disposable items or things that tend to need to be replaced often are always good to stock up on. I still have a spare motor for the electric steps on my motorhome.
Roof vents and covers. Because of nearly constant exposure to sunlight, plastic roof vents and covers tend to deteriorate over time and have to be replaced every few years. Covers for many 14x14 vents are interchangeable and ANY 14x14 vent can be fairly easily removed and replaced by another brand. When buying replacement covers, make sure they will fit your existing vents. Different brands have slightly different designs that make them incompatible with each other. Since changing the cover itself is much easier and cheaper than changing a whole vent, having a few extra matching covers on hand has saved me a lot of time, frustration, and money over the years. In some cases I bought whole new vents and have always found a good use for them. Some roof vents include 12 volt fans. The least expensive versions have small vans mounted within normal 14x14 vents. More powerful models, like the Fantastic vents, have large 10 or 12", multi-blade fans than move LOTS of air. Most vents are or can be wired to be reversible so they can be used to exhaust hot inside air or draw in outside air. Simply reversing the polarity of the 12-volt dc connections will usually do the trick and you can do this by cross-wiring the fan to a DPDT (Double Pole Double Throw) switch so you can swap hot and ground wires going to the fan. The more expensive powered vent models usually have multiple fan speeds and may even have rain sensors and thermostats to automatically control the fan and close the vent when needed. You may need to consider the thickness of your roof in order to get vents and interior trim that will fit. Most vents allow quite a bite of flexibility, but if you have a particularly thick roof (like some vehicles with ducted A/C in the ceiling) standard vents might not be deep enough to fit.
Another thing I've found useful to stockpile are lenses for various RV light fixtures. This includes tail lights, clearance lights, porch lights, and interior lights. These light weight plastic lenses are easily damaged and it is handy to have a supply of replacements on hand -- especially if you can get them at bargain prices. I look for closeouts at RV and auto parts stores as well as good deals on ebay and other online sites. For older units look for items described as "NOS" (New Old Stock). I also keep several complete light fixtures on hand in case one fails -- or I want to add one to a new rig.
Salvage yard bargains. Some things you might want to pick up from a "retired" RV at a salvage yard (if the price is right) might include windows, converters and water pumps. I've had to replace enough of them over the years to know that having them already in inventory can save me a lot of time and money. They have also provided a resource to build up the capabilities of my enclosed motorcycle trailer. I have also been able to get really good deals on a furnace from an old camper and a roof air conditioner from a motorhome, both of which found their way into my motorcycle trailers over time.
12 volt fans have several useful functions in an RV. Mounted at the windshield, they can help reduce fogging in damp, cold weather. On warmer days they can provide a cooling breeze to the driver and co-pilot. Installed near the seating, dining, or sleeping areas, they can help make those areas more comfortable. Portable models, equipped with spring clamps, can be plugged into 12-volt sockets (like cigarette lighter sockets) and moved about as needed. You can sometimes find these fans on sale in auto stores and department stores like K-mart and Walmart. I like to have a couple of backup fans on hand and keep my eyes open for good deals. If you shop for them online, be sure to include the shipping cost when you compare the price to local stores. Sometimes shipping and handling will push the price way above what you can get it for locally. And never assume an auction price will be lower than retail. I frequently see people bidding way high on items that are readily available in local stores. For example, I recently saw a bid of $32 for a standard trailer/BBQ sized propane tank, and shipping of such a heavy and bulky item will push the cost even higher. Similar tanks are routinely available at Home Depot for around $29.97 -- and you get it right away and you don't have to pay shipping when you pick it up at the store. Make sure any bulk propane tank you buy meets current standards. That means a portable tank must have an OPD (Overfill Protection Device). It is not legal to refill the older tanks anymore. If you have one that still has some fuel in it you can probably use it up on your camper or BBQ but you won't be able to refill it. I've seen kits that can be used to convert retired propane tanks to compressed air tanks so that might be a useful option.
Awnings are always nice to have, both large patio awnings and smaller window awnings. As they can be quite expensive, it is good to watch for bargains on them. Both ebay and craigslist are good sources for possible candidates. I haven't found it economically practical to "stockpile" awnings, but I have been able to equip several vehicles with window awnings at a fraction of the regular retail price as needed using ebay. I have usually had to settle for plain white awnings instead of color coordinating them with the RV paint scheme like you would if you bought them at an RV store, but, at least to me, the savings was well worth it. I've also gotten a couple of used patio awnings for my enclosed motorcycle trailers at bargain prices. If the awning color doesn't meet your needs, you can usually paint them any color you choose using vinyl paint. I changed one from magenta to blue and again to brown that way to match changing color schemes on my enclosed motorcycle trailer.
Lighting options are as varied as your imagination. There are many choices for both interior and exterior lights. LED lights have the advantage of saving battery power, but the bulbs are quite expensive. Typical 12-volt incandescent automotive type bulbs used in traditional RV fixtures are typically under $1.00 each. You'll pay about 5-10 times that for LED replacements. Of course they will last much longer than regular bulbs and will conserve battery power -- definitely an advantage when boondocking. LEDs last a very long time and over their lifetime will be cheaper than continuously replacing damaged or burned out incandescent bulbs. To ensure you gain the financial benefits, consider how long YOU will be able to use the LEDs, not just how long they are rated to last. If you trade RVs every 3 years or so or don't expect to keep your RV, you'll never see the savings. Immediate benefits of upgrading to LED lights are clear, bright illumination and reduced battery drain.
Kitchen accessories. The list of gadgets promoted for use in RV galleys is endless and growing every day. And you certainly aren't limited to what you find in camping and RV stores. You can find useful items many other places, like your favorite grocery store, department stores, even dollar stores. We found a clever little single beater mixer at Dollar Tree. It works like a push drill. Each push of the handle rotates the beater about 10 times. It is made of plastic and isn't designed for heavy use so you wouldn't want to try mixing bread dough with it, but it is small and light so it is easy to transport and store and works very well for mixing smoothies and other single-serving beverages and other light mixing tasks like scrambling eggs. And it requires no power, except a little muscle power. Anything that conserves power when boondocking is an advantage. High end RVs often have built in power centers for mixers, food processors, and a variety of attachments. Nutone is one popular built in brand whose attachments include blenders, mixers, can openers, knife sharpeners, and ice crushers. If your RV isn't equipped with one, you can sometimes find them on ebay. You'll probably have to run 120 volt power under the counter for it unless there is already an outlet inside the cabinet. The benefits of such systems include convenience and not having to carry separate appliances, but the attachments can take up quite a lot of room. Expect to pay $600 - $700 for a complete Nutone system.
RV ladders often do more than provide access to the roof. Watch for attachments to carry camp chairs and bicycles. These handy racks attach to your RV ladder, providing a convenient location to carry bulky, light weight items like camp chairs and bicycles. When using them make sure the items don't cover your tail lights. I added some PVC sleeves to my ladder to hold the pole for a 500-watt halogen floodlight for when we need a lot of campground illumination.
Storage options, like roof pods or racks that mount in your trailer hitch are worth watching for. There are also hitch-mounted "trunks" that provide enclosed external storage. Since these items tend to be kind of pricey, you'll want to watch for sales, closeouts, and good deals on used items.
Dress up items, like wheel liners, are a nice addition to any RV that has ordinary steel wheels and wheel covers. Not only do they provide a modern, upgraded appearance, the bolt-on versions eliminate the rattle that sometimes is found with wheel covers. Other dress up items include upgraded rear view mirrors, roof or windshield post mounted search lights, and air horns. I always added bumper guards to the van bumpers on my Class B RVs. Driving and fog lights can improve visibility and safety as well as dress things up a bit. I have a set of combination driving lights on my current Class A motorhome. Each light has a split lens, half yellow (for fog lights) and half clear (for driving lights). Fog and driving lights can be purchased at any auto parts store or the automotive department of any department store. Be sure you wire them in accordance with state laws. Some states only allow driving lights to be used in conjunction with low-beams. Others require driving lights to be dimmed like high beams when approaching another vehicle. In any case, take care to align fog and driving lights to give you maximum lighting of the road WITHOUT shining in the eyes of approaching drivers. This usually means aiming them somewhat low and to the right.
Compasses, altimeters, and clinometers are also useful additions to most motorhomes and tow vehicles. You may also find them helpful when car camping. My favorite compass is a monster called a RoadMaster, but I don't think it is still available new. You might find an older one on ebay. It can be wired into your dash lights for nighttime viewing. Altimeters tell you altitude. A clinometer indicates the attitude of the vehicle -- front to back and side to side. This can be helpful in finding the most level spot in your campsite. They are also sometimes used in off-road vehicles to measure extreme positions and (hopefully) avoid roll overs. Standard glass-vial bubble levels are inexpensive, easy to install, and let you get a pretty precise leveling of your unit -- IF you install them correctly with the vehicle level in the first place. The ones designed for cockpit use are each about 3" long but you can get huge versions to mount on the front of a trailer so you can see it in your rear view mirror. Always make sure the vehicle is level before you install bubble levels.
GPS and navigation devices are still a bit pricey, but provide wonderful functionality in helping you through unfamiliar territory. I've had built in navigation systems in my daily driver but would never do that again. A portable or hand held unit, is much more flexible as you can use it in multiple vehicles. Most current models provide visual and voice turn-by-turn directions as well as lat/long coordinates. Some even accept voice commands so they can be used hands free.
If you need RV parts, I've found the folks at Winnebago Outdoor to be especially helpful. Many RV manufacturers use the same parts so you may find what you need even if your RV isn't a Winnebago brand.
Accessorize!
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