RV Maintenance is About More Than Just Tire Pressure and Oil Changes

Posted on by sjc

Getting out on that first RV trip of the year is exciting, but as you prepare, take the time to review a few key travel rules and guidelines for RV owners. By following these, you can help keep yourself and your family safe out on the road. Consider it RV maintenance for your vehicle and yourself.

Rather than trying to pack in a 12-hour driving day to get to your destination, consider keeping the daily mileage short, arriving early and staying longer at each destination. Experienced RV enthusiasts say it makes trips far more enjoyable.

For those who are new to RV travel, hauling down the road for extended periods can be taxing, which is why it is important to consider using a 2/2/2 guideline:

  • Travel no more than 200 miles per day
  • Reach your destination by 2 p.m.
  • Stay there for at least two days


If you’ve got a little more stamina, you could also consider a 3/3/3 guideline, which seems to be the sweet spot with the majority of travelers:

  • Travel a maximum of 300 miles per day
  • Reach your campsite by 3 p.m.
  • Stay at your site for a minimum of three days


For more experienced travelers there is a 4/4/4 guideline may come into play:

  • Drive a maximum of 400 miles each day
  • Reach your destination by 4 p.m.
  • Stay at your site for a minimum of four days


Why should I only drive 200-400 miles per day? Driving a big RV or a truck towing a 5th wheel can be stressful. Bad weather conditions only add to the stress. But even when the weather is perfect, most people tend to lose focus after six hours behind the wheel of an RV, and that number can be less depending on the person. Driving an RV takes more focus than driving a car, so it’s vitally important to be sharp and attentive at all times.

Why the early arrival times? Unless you’ve made arrangements in advance, you might need to communicate with an RV grounds attendant when you arrive, and most attendants work from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Arriving later than that can be an inconvenience.

Another reason to arrive early is that you’ll have plenty of time to get level, pull out your sides, prepare a meal and enjoy the waning hours of sunlight while kicking back and relaxing.

But why stay for two to four nights? Experience shows that packing up, which can be a bit of an arduous process, is best done as few times as possible. Plus, sticking around for more than just a night gives you a chance to familiarize yourself with the site, get to know neighboring RVers, explore and enjoy the new surroundings.

If you’ve got questions about RV maintenance, contact us at Gray Diesel & Equipment Services. We’ll get you sorted out before you hit the road.