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Chapter
4: Learning To Love The Motorhome While Hating Its Parts.
Motorhomes, as you will inevitably discover, can have lots of problems. Think about it this way: The motorhome is a truck and a house. Anything that can go wrong with a truck will go wrong with your motorhome. Anything that can go wrong with a house will go wrong with your motorhome. Ummm - in case you haven't already thought of it, this is a truck that you live in, and house that you drag along the highway at 60+ miles per hour! To keep from becoming fixated on the cost and immanence of repairs and upkeep, it is essential that you learn to separate the joys of travel in the motorhome from the annoyance of maintaining the beast. After several years of trials, Annabelle and I have only begun to achieve that plateau of joy. Joining groups like FMCA and Escapees (see Appendix 1 for links) is one step that can help you focus on the "joy" component, but be careful because FMCA and Good Sam publications dedicate lots of space to complaints from owners of costly new RVs. When reading these, keep in mind that you are not hearing from the hundreds of thousands of satisfied owners who have no complaints. Maintenance and upkeep should be broken down [forgive the pun] into chassis, coach, and appliance issues. The chassis includes all of the running gear. Unless you are a competent mechanic, your best bet is to find a garage that is competent and dependable. Ask other motorhome owners in your area. I've made too many mistakes myself to be deluded into thinking that I know how to identify a good garage. I suggest that you have a "frank and honest" face to face discussion with the owner of the facility. Point out to him (rarely "her") that this is not just another truck - THIS IS (MY) HOME!!! If this frightens him (her) into turning down your job, that is just fine - you have no business going to this outfit anyway! Coach upkeep and maintenance is very similar to "do it yourself" work around the house. The construction (doors, windows, walls, floors) is different, but not so outlandish that you can't figure it out. Don't expect much (if any) help from the coach builder; these butterflies flit from one megacorporation to another and often die without warning. Did the builder of your bricks & sticks house give you an Owners Manual? Appliances include refigerator, furnace, water pump, power supply system(s) [converter and motor-generator set], interior lighting, toilet, stove --- and so forth. You should have a binder containing original installation and maintenance publications for most of these "devices." If not, grab your notepad and flashlight and crawl around making a record of nameplate information for everything, then contact the manufacturers wherever possible, to obtain that information. About 95% of the folks who made the "appliances" in my 1977 King's Highway (Dodge chassis) are still in business, or a successor firm has parts and information. Nearly all of these firms will try to help in any way they can. If some component is truly an orphan, you can either tackle repairs by seeking parts through home appliance and hardware sources, or replace the old appliances with current models. There is no reason not to make at least some of the upkeep pleasurable. Cleaning and "treating" the exterior of your motorhome is exercise and instantly rewarding. You will note that I did not say "good" exercise? In all except perfect weather it can be painful exercise, and as the average motorhome has 2 acres of exterior surface, it can be deadly boring. As a positive hint, I will tell you that I've discovered that a spray-on automotive product called "Son-of-a-Gun Protectant" and a microfiber sponge called "Mr. Clean Magic Eraser". After lightly wiping with the "eraser" polish with a old cotton t-shirt or bath towel remnant. I do a square yard at a time, without even first washing unless the surface is coated with mud. You must test this on an unobtrusive area to be sure that the surface finish of your motorhome will tolerate this process. If you share your motorhome with a spouse / co-driver, it is very important to engage that person in loving the Motorhome. Many males are numb when it comes to interior decorating and color coordination, so this is a great way to involve the female component of a Motorhoming family. Guys, it is important that once committed to this course you keep your mouth tightly closed -- in a smile! Your responsibility is to make sure that (1) it will fit, and (2) you can anchor it so that it doesn't move or fly open on the road. Elsewise, shut up. Ladies; be certain that the male partner doesn't hog the fun by doing all the driving. Reminder: Many school bus drivers are average size women. |
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Chapter 1: What is this thing called motorhome? |
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Chapter
2: Contemplating the spirit of the Motorhome
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Chapter
3: Grasping the soul of the Motorhome
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Chapter
5: Shakespeare on Motorhome Maintenance
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Chapter
6: "If winter comes, can spring be far behind?"
(Shelly, Ozymandias 1.65) |
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Appendix
1: Links to further knowledge
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