Why Alignment Should be on Your RV Maintenance Checklist

As winter sets in, much of the RV maintenance guidance circulating focuses on essentials such as selecting the proper fuel, using additives and keeping up with oil changes. However, far less attention is given to wheel alignment—an often-overlooked yet critical factor in ensuring your RV remains safe, stable and roadworthy throughout the season.

Why Alignment Is Important

When alignment is properly maintained, it helps extend the life of your tires, improves fuel efficiency, and ensures safer, more predictable driving, making regular alignment checks a vital part of responsible RV maintenance. Alignment impacts numerous components of your RV, including:

• Tire Wear
  RV tires are costly. Improper alignment leads to uneven wear on your tires.
• Fuel Efficiency
  Misaligned wheels create drag that makes your engine work harder and burn through more fuel.
• Suspension
  Replacing bushings, shocks and steering components is part of long-term ownership of an RV, but if your alignment is correct, you’ll get more out of these parts.
• Smooth Driving
  When you’re cruising down the road, you want your RV tracking straight. Bad alignment leads to driver fatigue as they fight to keep the vehicle between the lines.

Getting Your RV Aligned

When you check into your local mechanic for RV maintenance, they’ll have a qualified and certified team using industry-specific tools to check your alignment and make the needed adjustments.

Most alignments can be accomplished in the course of a normal work day, but if your RV is found to have extensive mechanical issues, it could be a multi-day situation.

The big question on everyone’s mind is “how much will it cost me?” A standard alignment on a Class C or smaller Class A will cost between $150 and $250, though prices will vary depending on the vehicle and region. Look to pay upwards of $400 for work on a larger Class A coach, which typically have heavier suspension systems.

When to get an Alignment

The telltale signs that your RV needs an adjustment are when it pulls to one side, the steering feels loose or the tires show uneven wear. Did you recently hit a massive pothole or clip a curb? These jarring incidents can also knock the alignment loose.

It’s important to note that when you’re experiencing issues, you’ve probably waited too long. A good rule of thumb is to have this item on your annual RV maintenance list. Your mechanic can spot subtle issues that you might not even feel when driving and save your RV from more extensive mechanical work later.

At Gray Diesel & Equipment Services, we’re RV maintenance experts. Our experienced mechanics have worked on RVs from antiques to massive and modern rigs. Our state-of-the-art shops are equipped to manage every item on your maintenance checklist, including alignment. Contact us and make an appointment today.