Our outdoor recreational equipment often represents a significant investment and we will want to protect that investment so we get as many years use from it as we can. Lack of maintenance or improper maintenance can quickly result in premature wear and tear and/or complete failure of equipment and gear.
No matter what form your outdoor recreation takes, you have to invest a little time and effort and sometimes a little money to keep it all going so you can use it when you want to. Motorized equipment usually requires the most effort and attention but even non-motorized camping equipment needs a little attention now and then to keep it in top shape and extend its useful life. If you let things go, sooner or later it will catch up with you and your equipment will let you down -- usually at the worst possible time and place! You might be surprised how little effort it actually takes to keep things in good shape. Pretty much always a lot less time, effort, and money, not to mention inconvenience, than it takes to fix things once they break down.
Preventative Maintenance is the term usually used to describe what we do to keep our gear and equipment in top condition. It consists primarily of performing required cleaning, lubrication and adjustments and is usually done before any problems have begun to show up. Taking care of apparent problems falls under the category of repair rather than Preventative Maintenance. Proper Preventative Maintenance can usually prevent many problems from every reaching the level where repair or replacement is required.
Motorized equipment (RVs, boats, OHVs) usually have owners manuals to guide you in required maintenance. If yours didn't come with one you can usually purchase one from the dealer or find one online. Lacking any owner's manual basic, some basic regular maintenance needed is to change the oil, oil filter, air filter and fuel filter. Most vehicles also required regular chassis lubrication. Chain driven vehicles like motorcycles and ATVs need to have the chains cleaned regularly and lubricated before every ride. Air cooled vehicles need to have the cooling fins cleaned and any air access ways kept clear. Liquid cooled vehicles need to have the coolant level checked frequently (before any trip in an RV and before any ride in an OHV) and changed according to vehicle and or coolant manufacturer's recommendations. Coolant does break down and it can also get polluted by oil or engine gases. Low coolant, caused by leakage, can result in catastrophic overheating which is usually VERY expensive to repair. Radiators need to be kept free from dirt and debris and checked for leaks.
RVs and many boats are equipped with convenience systems that also required periodic maintenance. Whenever your unit has a stove, furnace, refrigerator, water heater, water system, air conditioner, or any kind of electronic navigation or entertainment systems they will also need to be inspected and serviced as needed. Owner's manuals for each device or system are the best source of maintenance schedules and procedures. If you don't have owner's manuals for all your systems and equipment plan on inspecting and evaluating every one at least once a year, more if they get a lot of use. Some things to check include any electrical or fuel connections, condition of burners on stoves, water heaters, and even gas refrigerators, lubricating any moving parts, and proper operation of on/off switches and safety devices. Furnaces and air conditioners may have filters that need to be cleaned regularly. Refrigerator cooling cools need to be clean and have nothing blocking the normal air flow required for cooling. Water systems need to be checked for leaks. Fresh water tanks may need to be purged and sanitized. Waste water tanks need to be dumped and cleaned regularly and proper chemical levels maintained. Electronic devices may have wiring or connectors that need to be inspected. Any frayed wiring or loose connectors should be repaired or replaced ASAP. Damaged circuits may not only degrade performance but may cause loads that can burn out internal components or even cause a fire.
Any vehicle with wheels and tires will need to have the wheels and tires checked before every trip and wheel bearings service according to manufacturer's specifications or at least once a year. Tires need to be checked for proper inflation, adequate tread, and inspected for any sidewall damage. Tires with inadequate tread or sidewall damage need to be replaced ASAP. Proper inflation is necessary for comfort, performance and safety. Of course this includes boat trailers as well as RVs, camping trailers, and tow vehicles -- as well as your daily driver!
Most motorized equipment needs to be exercised regularly to keep it in good shape. If possible, it is best to take your RV, trailer, or ATV for a shore drive or ride at least once a month while it is in "storage" during the off season. If that isn't possible, just starting the engine and running it for 10 or 15 minutes to let it warm up and shifting through the gears will help lubricate at least the engine and transmission. When running your ATV, be sure to turn off the gas and let it burn up all the fuel in the system before storing it again. Today's ethanol containing fuels go bad and gum up the fuel system pretty quickly if you let fuel sit there for a while.
Boat have their own special maintenance needs. Motorboats have engines and drive trains that require service; sailboats have masts, rigging, and sails to take care of and often have auxiliary engines too. In order to get the most of of any boat, you will have to keep it in good condition. Not only that, you must keep them in good condition for safety! Mechanical failures out on the water can be far more vexing and dangerous than in a camper or OHV on land.
Non-motorized camping equipment still needs to be inspected and taken care of on a regular basis. Burners on appliances such as camp stoves and lanterns need to be cleaned at last once a year. Pumps on liquid fuel appliances need to be checked and properly cleaned and lubricated periodically. A few drops of oil on the leather gasket on lanterns and stoves will help keep it from getting dried out and stiff. Fabric items, such as tents, awnings, packs, and sleeping bags need to be kept clean and stored where they are protected from moisture, sunlight, and pests. Any tears or other damage should be repaired as quickly as possible. Zippers on sleeping bags and packs need to be checked and possibly lubricated. Tent poles and stakes need to be inspected and any damaged items repaired or replaced. Tools need to be inspected and properly serviced according to the needs of each tool. Axes, hatchets, and knives need to be sharpened. Wood tool handles should be kept smooth and lightly oiled. Metal parts of all tools should be lightly coated with oil to prevent rust or corrosion while in storage.
Disposable provisions can be both perishable and non-perishable. Perishable items are usually removed after and replenished again for the next trip. Non-perishable provisions, such as cleaning supplies and many first aid items need to be regularly inspected to make sure they are still serviceable. Some items may have marked expiration dates, some may get used up, some may get worn out, and some, like Bandaids and adhesive tapes may lose their ability to stick. All non-perishable items should be checked at least once a year and doing it more often (like before every trip!) will likely save you a lot of disappointment and aggravation. Depleted provisions, sundries, cleaning supplies, camping supplies, automotive supplies, first aid supplies, etc., should be replenished before each trip. Some specific things to check might include shampoo, dish soap, lantern mantles, motor oil, and spray lubricants. Also be sure to check out any medicines (OTC as well as prescriptions) to make sure you have enough for each trip and they are not expired or contaminated.
Battery powered devices may be subject to battery failure or even corrosion. Always remove ordinary batteries from flashlights and other devices before leaving them in storage for any extended length of time. Check all battery powered devices and replace or recharge dead batteries prior to each trip. If you find corrosion, clean it out as quickly and thoroughly as you can and put in new batteries. A trick to prevent batteries from discharging excessively in storage is to flip one of the batteries in a multiple battery system around. That lets you keep the batteries in the device but it can't get accidentally turned on. Some LED flashlights depend on correct battery orientation and flipping batteries in them might damage the circuitry so exercise extra caution.
Things like camping chairs and beach umbrellas usually need very little maintenance but they can benefit from regular cleaning and occasionally the hardware may need to be adjusted and/or lubricated. Greasy stains or bird droppings may speed deterioration or attract insects that can damage fabric. Bent, rusted, or poorly lubricated components can cause excessive wear and premature failure. Often even aluminum chair frames have steel components that can rust and could fail at the most inconvenient moment and leave you sitting on the ground! Bent components might be carefully straightened but bent parts are likely need to be replaced eventually as bending (and straightening) them will have weakened the component.
Tools, like axes, hatchets, hammers, saws, and shovels should be inspected and kept properly sharpened. Believe it or not, sharp tools are actually safer than dull ones. Handles should always be smooth and tight. All the tools in your tool box(es) should be checked regularly so make sure they are still there and are in usable condition. Unpainted metal items should be protected by coating of light oil like WD-40. Wooden handles usually benefit greatly from being rubbed with linseed oil.
Cooking utensils should always be kept clean and inspected for damage, such as loose handles or ragged edges. Damaged items should be repaired or replaced. Knives should be kept sharp and edges protected in storage both to maintain sharpness and to prevent you getting injured getting things out of the drawer or compartment.
Camp clothing should be cleaned and inspected. Repairable items should be properly repaired as soon as it is reasonable to do so. Often you can patch camp clothing in ways that are quite attractive and the patches themselves can become part of the camp ambiance. Decorative patches or even recycled military insignia can often be used to make attractive repairs. Worn out or unrepairable items should be discarded and replaced. No sense letting useless stuff take up valuable room in your valuable and limited space! Some worn clothing might be recycled as cleaning rags or, if you are really crafty, braided into rugs!
Keep it going!
