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Some of my RV’s awning stitching is gone. Should I try to seal it or restitch it?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, My RV's awning stitching is coming apart on both edges. The awning itself is in great shape. Should I try to seal the...

The RV’s macerator pump quit, valve is leaking, black tank is full. Help!

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, My macerator pump motor failed and needs to be replaced. The problem now is a leaking waste valve and a full black tank....

Why are RV wheel lug holes collapsing toward brake drum?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  I have a 19-foot Springdale travel trailer with 14 x 5.5 Dexstar modular steel wheels on two 3500 lb. axles. I have always...

RV’s house and chassis batteries drain fast during storage. What causes this?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, I went out to move the motorhome and discovered all three batteries were dead: the chassis (at 4V) and coach (both at 9V)...

Trail of Confusion: Navigating the crossroads of trailer safety chain hookup

Dave Solberg -
There have been several discussions on proper connection of trailer safety chains. A recent article regarding the connection of the safety chains to a...

My RV’s refrigerator outside fans are not working. Why not?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  The outside fans for my RV's refrigerator stopped working. Why? —Ray, 2021 Palomino Columbus fifth wheel Dear Ray, According to the spec sheet, the Columbus...

Will water left in bottom of RV’s water heater corrode the tank?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, After a camping event, I usually pull the water heater anode to drain and flush the tank, leaving the tank close to empty....

Schwintek slide room woes continue: Damaging RV’s vinyl flooring!

Dave Solberg -
Hi, Dave, We have opposing Schwintek slides in our living room. We enjoy the space and the open feeling provided when expanded. Earlier this year...

Why does my RV drop like a rock when hydraulic jacks are retracted?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, My Class C will level easily when using auto level, but when it is time to retract, the motorhome drops like a rock....

RV 120-volt/LP water heater: Check the heating element yearly!

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, Ever since my sister had to replace all the faucets in her RV because the anode rod in the water heater had totally...

Are SnapPads on the RV’s jacks a good idea?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  What's your opinion on using the rubber SnapPads on leveling jacks, on almost all types of ground surfaces? Thanks. —Bill Byerly, 2019 Winnebago Sightseer...

Why does heat of RV’s roof air come from ceiling ducts but not the floor?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, We have a Coleman-Mach ducted A/C and heater. When we turn on the heat we get warm air out of the ceiling ducts,...

I’m looking at getting a Class A RV, but I hear they’re not as safe as a Class C

Dave Solberg -
Hi Dave, I have a Class C and was looking into getting a Class A RV but I heard that these style motorhomes are not...

The 86V batteries in my Super C RV are dead. What charger should I use?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, I have a Super C motorhome with the Detroit diesel in it. I have 86V coach batteries that are tied together in series...

My RV’s slide room flap won’t “flip,” so I use a stick to pull it out

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  You’ve answered several questions for me—many thanks. Today’s question is: The wipers on my RV's slide rooms do not extend all the way...

Can I mount a flagpole to the ladder on my RV?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, In general, how safe is it to mount a flagpole or anything to the ladder? I would think the vibrations from a flagpole...

My RV needs a new roof. What are the pros and cons of PVC vs. TPO?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, I have to get a new roof on my RV, scheduled for September. The RVgeeks recently did an article on TPO (what I...

My RV’s absorption fridge quit. Can I replace cooling unit with 12-volt model?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, I am the original owner of a Jayco Eagle 308RLS travel trailer. The Norcold fridge (N611RT) has finally given up. The freezer still...

How can I tighten up my RV’s lock mechanism?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, The deadbolt lock (top lock on the door) is sloppy and I have a hard time locking and unlocking it with the key...

My RV’s shower floor has cracks. Can I repair them?

Dave Solberg -
Hi Dave, As you can see in the photo I attached, there are two cracks in the shower floor! The first one was repaired with...

Will RV’s house batteries ‘play nice together’ if I replace chassis battery with lithium?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, It's just about time for a new battery in the truck portion of my motorhome. I've been thinking of upgrading to lithium. I...

Conflicting articles on whether or not to get on RV roof. Which is it?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, I see frequent answers that include the term "get on the roof" to find and/or fix a problem on an RV. It appears...

My RV’s undercarriage is covered in rust. Should I sandblast and undercoat it?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  I purchased my 32-foot 5th wheel RV new last year, and fixed several issues myself. I tried to get a warranty on the...

No leveling jacks on RV, so can I just use a block on the outside dual wheel?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, I am going to downsize from a 35-foot Fleetwood Class A to a 26-foot Fleetwood Class A that does not have jacks. Do...

Are cleaning, reconditioning and spot sealing part of state safety inspection for RV?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, After simply asking for a Virginia state inspection for my RV ($20), a "reputable" RV service center gave me an estimate for replacing...

We found water under the RV’s bunks. Will mildew paint take care of it?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  We found water inside a cubbyhole underneath the bunk beds. Underneath the rug was tile and under that we cut the tile and...

I just bought a used RV. There’s no water in it, so do I need to winterize it?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  I just bought this RV and haven't used it yet. There's no water to the units. Do I need to add RV antifreeze...

My RV bathroom has sewer flies even with tank valves closed. Help!

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, The RV's gray and black tank valves are closed, so how am I getting black sewer flies in my bathroom? How do I...

What is the best jack to change a trailer tire, and where do you place it?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  I have seen multiple articles on how NOT to jack up a RV trailer to change a flat, but none on how it...

My RV’s black tank valve used to trickle when taking cover off; now it gushes!

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  Whenever I dump the RV's black water tank, usually a small amount comes out when I remove the cap. Because of this I...

Fuel nozzle shuts off before RV’s gas tank is full, but never at Buc-ee’s. Why?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, In the nearly 20 years we have owned our RV and during countless trips around North America, we have had trouble filling our...

Are there any ‘good’ alternatives to a traditional RV roof air conditioner?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, What is a "good" alternative to an RV rooftop air conditioner? The more I look at it, the more confusing it gets. I...

Why are RV’s taillights different brightness, and no brake lights?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, Our issue is when the back lights on our RV go on, the left one is brighter than the right. But the bigger...

Why doesn’t my RV’s generator charge the house battery?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, We did not know until we had a generator problem that our generator only charges our motorhome when we plug in the power...

RV’s sinks are plugged but the shower drains, P-traps not clogged. Now what?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, My RV's kitchen sinks and bathroom sink are plugged, but the shower drain works fine. The P-traps are not clogged. I sealed the...

Can lithium batteries start my RV’s onboard generator?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, I just read your article about dead batteries not starting an Onan 6500 diesel generator. You said you replaced them with TWO lithium...

Why does my RV’s generator stop running while driving?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, I have a 2022 Thor A.C.E. Class A motorhome and the generator shuts off while traveling. I checked all items: oil, cables, batteries,...

I found a seemingly hollow area on my RV’s roof. Should I investigate?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, I found what seems to be a hollow area on (under) the roof after washing the RV yesterday. I could not find any...

What seemed to be a shower leak in RV was something totally different!

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  We purchased a used RV. On the first outing, water appeared to be leaking from near/under the shower and soaking the carpet going...

My generator only starts with RV engine running. What should I check?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, Our Tiffin 32BA FRED carries an onboard diesel 6000w Onan generator in a compartment. It can activate with a switch on the generator...

RV’s batteries are dead. Do I have to replace them if always on shoreline power?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, We are no longer towing from place to place and are in a permanent location (snowbirds in AZ) October to May, then back...

RV’s retracted slide room blocks bedroom. OK to extend it partially?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, When traveling and pulling into an overnight stop we have no access to the bedroom without putting out the slide. I was told...

Why won’t air blow through RV’s A/C ceiling ducts?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  I had a loose wire in the RV's rear air conditioner and had to remove the duct from the A/C downdraft to...

Soft floor in front of RV’s kitchen sink. How do we fix it?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  Our RV's sink had a cracked pipe and when we turned the water on it went everywhere. We shut it off immediately. But...

RV roof air conditioner efficiency – Teaching an old dog new tricks

Dave Solberg -
Recently I posted a question from an RVtravel.com reader and my response regarding RV air conditioner troubleshooting (see below). I suggested that the typical...

Why do my RV’s lights only work for a few minutes when unplugged or with generator off?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave,  When my RV isn't plugged into shoreline power, the lights only work when I'm running the engine or generator. If those are off,...

Can I tow a 2023 Coachmen Catalina with my F-150? Show me the math

Dave Solberg -
Hi Dave, I have a 2019 Ford F-150 Lariat, 145 wheelbase, 3.5L V6, 4x4 super crew, 3175 lbs. GVWR. Can I tow a 2023 Coachmen...

What Class B would you buy? How about a B-plus?

Dave Solberg -
Hey Dave, What type of Class B RV would you buy? Thanks. —Brenda Hi Brenda, It depends on many variables, such as how long you are going...

Why can’t I recharge my RV’s roof air conditioner like truck or house A/C?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, Why is it that I can add refrigerant to my truck A/C and to my house A/C but not the rooftop A/Cs on...

Dealer did a hack job on RV furnace during PDI. Wonder what else is wrong?

Dave Solberg -
Dear Dave, This is my RV's heater. The dealer said they found a bad board during Pre Delivery Inspection (PDI). This is what I found...
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