PackRat
Senior Member
I know some of you are nearly year-round users of your campers. Others of us are seasonal. This is probably more aimed at those getting ready for the camping season who don't use it that much. f you covered the camper for winter or just didn't use it then with the temps in the high 70s and low 80s that is a hint that summer is right around the corner. Just a few things to attend to, some major and some minor.
1) Fill water tank and add a little bleach, go for drive to slosh it around and let it sit over night. Drain and refill. Be sure to run some of that mixture through the faucet hose and let that flush out the sink drain. If it has a chlorine taste, drain and refill again. Check the hose for leaks at any connections.
2) Raise and lower the top a few times and check for any oil leaks or split tubes on all four corners. Repair or replace as needed. When were the O-rings last replaced by the way?
3) With the top DOWN, check the reservoir and top off if needed.
4) Air out the camper during a hot/warm day and remove any cushions and set them outside during the day to air out. Wipe down all surfaces with your choice of cleaning products according to what you have (laminate, fiberglass, wood). Pay special attention to the various nooks and crannies where bugs/spiders may have set up house during the winter.
5) If you have sliding windows, remove them and clean them, checking the felt weather stripping and replacing it if need be. Clean screens also. Clean the tracks slide on, removing dirt and debris. Reinstall. Wash all windows inside and out finishing up with a little Windex or ammonia based glass cleaner.
6) Check any weather stripping around the rear door and replace after carefully removing any of the old one and remaining sticky stuff.
7) Plug in the camper to shore power and test all lights and Edison plugs. Test all appliances. If you have a 120V fridge, plug in the camper and run it a good 24 hours to see if it is getting cold. If it is propane, run it all day while you are working on the camper. Test your 12-volt running lights and out door rear light. Charge your house battery(s) and if you have solar, let the sun shine down and test it as per mfgers instructions.
8) Clean the interior out and all gasket surfaces and allow them to dry BEFORE testing cooling options. If it is an ice box, pour some water through the drain and hose to see if it is plugged or critters live in there. Maybe a little amount of water and bleach mixed a bit stronger will not only clean them out but remove crud in there. Rinse with clean water, check for leaks.
9) Check how much propane you have in your tank, check the flexi-hose and fittings to see if they are leaking. Leave a propane detector in the camper with everything closed up and the tank installed and turned on overnight. Check before going to bed and in the am. If no leaks are detected, check all burners to see if they work as they should.
10) Time to ask yourself if you should change the Pirelli seals and replace any older roof vent, window frame and rain gutter butyl with new, adding Pro-Flex afterwards. Clean the roof vent screens from inside and from above with a stiff brush to remove webs, bugs, etc. and check the vent gasket and replace if necessary for a good tight fit.
If the camper has stayed mounted, check to see if it is sitting in the truck bed as it should be and if your tie-down system is loose.
If you have been using eyebolts, consider adding some gusset plated inside the camper and outside to spread the lateral pull as the camper tries to move when you are bouncing around on less than perfect road surfaces. If you have a Reico-Titan system (or another), give them a run through also if they are mounted on the camper all the time.
11) If you have a toilet, remove it, clean it and check if you have any Chem stuff aboard for it.
12) Remove all cushions and air them out. If you have left any bedding or towels, etc. time to remove them, maybe wash and replace after cabinets have been cleaned out. Same for all cooking/eating items; remove, wash inside the house and put back when dry. Check things like condiments/spices that you may have left last time out.
13) Lucky Thirteen....that is your truck. Time for a Service Check. Oil change, coolant change, tires maybe need replacing or maybe just checking air pressure. Brakes, trans fluids, lights, fan belts, anything your newer truck requires under maintenance requirements for the warrantee.
Plenty more on the campers as each mfger has some things I don't know about (I am familiar with older Alaskans) or their newer on-board equipment.
Please do not hesitate to add your own Spring Cleaning and Maintenance items to the post.
Hmm....gonna be HOT today, it's about 80F now at 11:30am....I'd better get to work on some of this myself!
1) Fill water tank and add a little bleach, go for drive to slosh it around and let it sit over night. Drain and refill. Be sure to run some of that mixture through the faucet hose and let that flush out the sink drain. If it has a chlorine taste, drain and refill again. Check the hose for leaks at any connections.
2) Raise and lower the top a few times and check for any oil leaks or split tubes on all four corners. Repair or replace as needed. When were the O-rings last replaced by the way?
3) With the top DOWN, check the reservoir and top off if needed.
4) Air out the camper during a hot/warm day and remove any cushions and set them outside during the day to air out. Wipe down all surfaces with your choice of cleaning products according to what you have (laminate, fiberglass, wood). Pay special attention to the various nooks and crannies where bugs/spiders may have set up house during the winter.
5) If you have sliding windows, remove them and clean them, checking the felt weather stripping and replacing it if need be. Clean screens also. Clean the tracks slide on, removing dirt and debris. Reinstall. Wash all windows inside and out finishing up with a little Windex or ammonia based glass cleaner.
6) Check any weather stripping around the rear door and replace after carefully removing any of the old one and remaining sticky stuff.
7) Plug in the camper to shore power and test all lights and Edison plugs. Test all appliances. If you have a 120V fridge, plug in the camper and run it a good 24 hours to see if it is getting cold. If it is propane, run it all day while you are working on the camper. Test your 12-volt running lights and out door rear light. Charge your house battery(s) and if you have solar, let the sun shine down and test it as per mfgers instructions.
8) Clean the interior out and all gasket surfaces and allow them to dry BEFORE testing cooling options. If it is an ice box, pour some water through the drain and hose to see if it is plugged or critters live in there. Maybe a little amount of water and bleach mixed a bit stronger will not only clean them out but remove crud in there. Rinse with clean water, check for leaks.
9) Check how much propane you have in your tank, check the flexi-hose and fittings to see if they are leaking. Leave a propane detector in the camper with everything closed up and the tank installed and turned on overnight. Check before going to bed and in the am. If no leaks are detected, check all burners to see if they work as they should.
10) Time to ask yourself if you should change the Pirelli seals and replace any older roof vent, window frame and rain gutter butyl with new, adding Pro-Flex afterwards. Clean the roof vent screens from inside and from above with a stiff brush to remove webs, bugs, etc. and check the vent gasket and replace if necessary for a good tight fit.
If the camper has stayed mounted, check to see if it is sitting in the truck bed as it should be and if your tie-down system is loose.
If you have been using eyebolts, consider adding some gusset plated inside the camper and outside to spread the lateral pull as the camper tries to move when you are bouncing around on less than perfect road surfaces. If you have a Reico-Titan system (or another), give them a run through also if they are mounted on the camper all the time.
11) If you have a toilet, remove it, clean it and check if you have any Chem stuff aboard for it.
12) Remove all cushions and air them out. If you have left any bedding or towels, etc. time to remove them, maybe wash and replace after cabinets have been cleaned out. Same for all cooking/eating items; remove, wash inside the house and put back when dry. Check things like condiments/spices that you may have left last time out.
13) Lucky Thirteen....that is your truck. Time for a Service Check. Oil change, coolant change, tires maybe need replacing or maybe just checking air pressure. Brakes, trans fluids, lights, fan belts, anything your newer truck requires under maintenance requirements for the warrantee.
Plenty more on the campers as each mfger has some things I don't know about (I am familiar with older Alaskans) or their newer on-board equipment.
Please do not hesitate to add your own Spring Cleaning and Maintenance items to the post.
Hmm....gonna be HOT today, it's about 80F now at 11:30am....I'd better get to work on some of this myself!
