Author: Chelsea Barron
Fixing Your RV Yourself can be the best way to go for a number of reasons.
We are all well aware of just how awesome owning an RV can be. Having access to a motorhome or travel trailer means you can hit the road whenever the urge may strike. It gives you the freedom to explore without spending ridiculous amounts of money, and allows you to have a comfy bed, full kitchen, and even a bathroom no matter where you may roam.
All that said, RVs are far from perfect, and this means traveling in one comes with its own set of problems. The vast majority of these problems are issues with the motorhome or trailer itself.
You see, RVs are not always the most well-made pieces of equipment. They’re thrown together quite quickly in most cases, and even those that are well made go through quite a bit of abuse.
No, we aren’t suggesting that you are a destructive RV owner. However, every single time you drive your rig down the road, you’re putting that little home-on-wheels through what is essentially an earthquake. This rocking and rolling will eventually cause things to break, and having a way to get those things fixed is crucial.
Many RV owners are pretty quick to turn their rig over to a professional repair person when something goes wrong. However, this is not always the best course of action. In fact, I’d even go so far as to say it isn’t even usually the best course of action.
That’s right: The vast majority of the time, it’s probably best that RV owners take matters into their own hands and “DIY†those repairs.
Here’s why.
First and foremost, I must point something out that may surprise many of you: Repairing an RV is not usually all that difficult. I am completely unskilled when it comes to handyperson work, and yet I’ve been able to do a multitude of repairs on our trailer in the past 5 years.
From fixing a cracked gray tank to replacing a light fixture and beyond, I’ve taught myself the skills needed to get the job done, and it actually hasn’t been too difficult.
Why is this? Well, as mentioned before, RVs are usually built very quickly. This means that the simpler manufacturers can design their rigs, the better off they’ll be. This is great for the amateur repair person, as it means figuring out how to patch and repair the motorhome or trailer is usually as simple as it gets.
Related Read: Easy RV Repairs You Can Do Yourself!
Of course, you will need to know where to get the information you need to do repairs. My first stop is always YouTube. Generally speaking, if you’re having a problem with your RV, hundreds of others have had the same issue, and a few of them have made videos about how they’ve taken care of those problems.
I tend to watch three or four of these videos, order the parts I need, and dive right in.
One of the biggest benefits to doing your own RV repairs is the fact that you will get to know your RV really well. This may not seem like a big deal to you. However, it really can be incredibly helpful for a couple of reasons:
First, knowing your RV inside and out makes it much easier to make repairs on down the line. For instance, if you’ve already closely examined your water heater in order to find the right fuse to replace, you likely also noticed where the propane line could potentially become clogged. This gives you an idea of what to look for should the propane side of your water heater ever stop working.
Secondly, and probably even more importantly, knowing your motorhome or trailer inside and out will help you spot a problem as soon as it comes up. If you’ve looked over every square inch of your home-on-wheels, you are much more likely to notice when the wallpaper develops a crease due to a leak. Likewise, if you’ve worked on the plumbing over and over again, a slow drain or slower tap will be much easier to spot, giving you an opportunity to repair the problem before it gets worse.
Another awesome benefit of doing some DIY work on your RV? The cost savings, of course!
While you will be able to order most RV parts online without taking too much of a financial hit, paying someone else to put those same parts in could cost a small fortune. And since small problems and general maintenance tasks come up so often, this can add up quickly.
In my opinion, one of the biggest reasons to keep an RV is to be able to travel on the cheap, so paying for professional work to be done on the RV on a regular basis feels pretty counterproductive.
Related Read: Tips for Fixing Leaky RV Roofs
The cost savings benefit is pretty obvious. However, another major bonus to doing your own work is one many people don’t think about: time savings.
RV shops and mobile repair people tend to get booked up pretty quickly. This is especially true during the busy summer season, when you’re most likely to need help.
For this reason, taking matters into your own hands and teaching yourself to make the repair could save you tons of time, allowing you to get more use out of your RV and possibly even saving your vacation entirely.
Even considering all of the awesome pros to doing your own RV repair work, there are times when calling in a professional is necessary. The trick is knowing where to draw the line.
Below are a few good rules of thumb:
If a project involves electricity or propane lines and you are not 100% sure of what you’re doing, call in a pro.
If a project will take more than one day and you won’t be able to take off work to complete it, you probably want to hand the task over.
If axles, wheel bearings, or wheels need work and you don’t have the proper equipment to make the repairs, head to a shop.
If your motorhome needs repairs made under the hood and you don’t have experience working on vehicles, it’s probably best to see a mechanic.