Broken, lost or forgotten items can put a damper on or even end an RV trip. After more than six years of full-timing, there are a few spare items we always carry in our RV. Extra weight should always be taken into consideration, but there are a few things that are showstoppers if we don’t have an extra or something to fix the one that broke.
Water/sewer
- Sewer hose – We started keeping an extra after we found some very thirsty critters in the hot desert sun who had chewed through the sewer hose. Thank goodness we were only dumping the gray water.
- Water regulator – The adjustable one stopped working and we had a spare non-adjustable one on hand. Good thing, as water pressure was well over 80!
- Water hose – This is good when a broken or damaged hose just can’t be repaired or the faucet is too far away.
- Sewer hose elbow – Cracked is not good! We carry an extra one now!
- Spare water pump – While this is usually not needed when hooked up to city water, the water pump is essential when dry camping.
- Washers – They get old and fall out!
- Toilet water valve – This one is in waiting for the existing one to fail… again.
- Soap pump dispensers – After searching and returning several built-in soap dispenser bottles from Amazon, once I finally found the right one I bought two!
- Hose menders – The little critters that chewed through our sewer hose also tried to refresh themselves on the water line. Connector ends leaking? No need to toss the whole hose.
- Several hose quick-connect ends – We use these all the time for the water hoses but sometimes they just get worn out and leak.
- Pipe tape and pipe adhesive – For all those easy and not-so-easy repairs along the way.
Electrical spare items
- Adapters – We carry an extra 30 amp to 50 amp, 30 amp to 110v, and 110v to 30 amp.
- LED bulbs – Unfortunately, our factory-installed ones flicker and when I can’t stand it anymore, we change them out.
- Heavy-duty extension cords – These are useful when our electric pedestal went kaput in 101-degree temps. We could at least plug in a fan from an adjacent pedestal until fixed.
- Fuses – We haven’t needed them (yet), but we are ready in case we do!
- Electrical tape – Oh, we have fixed more than electrical connections with this tape!
- Coaxial cable and connectors – For satellite and RV park connections. It is amazing how often they are lost or the cable just doesn’t work.
Leveling
- Plastic leveling blocks – We use these for everything from leveling the RV to leveling sewer hose.
- Extra wood blocks – Having extra is useful when we have driven off and left them or they crack in half.
Awning
- Extra awning pole – We keep one on each side of the motorhome. Good to pull out leveling blocks, fish stuff out from under the RV as well on the awnings. Several have been left on a campground picnic table more times than I would like to mention.
AC and heat pump
- Interior air filters – I keep an extra set so one can be installed and one set washed.
- Squirrel cage – Unfortunately, the AC squirrel cage shatters at the most inopportune times.
Bug spray
- Mosquito, fly, ant and rodent spray – Just needed to run out of bug spray once when assaulted by a mass of flies and mosquitos. We learned our lesson!
Towing
- Tow pins – We’re not going anywhere if we can’t hitch up the car. Found that out the hard way…
Fix it up
- Gaffers tape – We have taped up, held down and patched more stuff than I would like.
- Glues, caulk and velcro– Just like the gaffers tape, we have used these more times than I could have imagined. I particularly like the Gorilla glues, especially this slender tip, micro precise Gorilla Super Glue. That glue is currently holding our rear motorhome lens cover on and has held over some of the worst highways and gravel roads in the country!
- White removable artist’s tape – I use this for marking propane tanks, casserole dishes at a potluck, labeling spices and medicine bottles.
- Screws, nails, nuts and bolts – We have an assortment of purchased ones and also ones that fall out and we have no idea where they came from.
- Way too many tools – Self-explanatory!
There are a few items we have collected along the way that we are hauling along, just in case, to replace/repair parts that may never give out but I don’t have the courage to toss. Remember Murphy’s Law?
##RVT1024
Great list! I would also like to add this stuff called Sugru. It is moldable plastic clay that hardens with exposure to air, handy to have on hand.
extra slide out solenoid, JB weld, frog tape, awning tape, batteries
Silicon tape for electrical work.
If I were to stock my RV with all of these spare items, I wouldn’t have room for my day to day camping needs. I say you have to pick and choose.
Agreed.
so far we have never camped far enough off the grid to worry about extras on much of anything – heck, Wally world is everywhere!. That said I do have extras of lots of stuff in our camping storage room at home so if a problem on an outing it is easily replaced (& reordered)
It’s a good thing we have a trailer hitch, ’cause I’m gonna need it to haul all of that around.
LOL 🙂
We keep many of these items on hand and also spare filters such as engine oil, fuel and fuel water separator on hand. If driving a gas rig it’s easy to find an auto parts store but getting the correct filters a hundred miles from nowhere for a diesel can be difficult. I always felt that if I’m prepared I won’t need them!
These days with only one belt driving your alternator,water pump, power steering, and ac compressor, I would consider a spare serpentine belt. Even if you were not capable of replacing it yourself at least you would have one for the mobile tech.
Can’t tell you how many tools are on my plumbing work truck that I only used a couple of times, but saved my butt in an emergency service call. Probably make up half the weight my truck carries.
I think everyone should carry a portable air compressor. I have a Worx Battery operated one and it will do for what ever you may need, with no kind of extension cord needed to power it..
Washers fall out? Then I realised you mean faucet washers.
Seems like a lot of weight and room used up.
Like most things , you may never use them but, just in case.
Probably means the little rubber gaskets you use to get a sealed connection on water hoses. They not only fall out, they wear out, definitely keep a little baggie full of them.
new to this rv living thing very, very soon(in 3 weeks) full time…when it comes to electrical issues, spend the $ on quality stuff, especially butt splices and zip ties, not the cheap crap from your local hardware or auto store. recommend environmental splices and Ty-rap cable ties and also the proper tools for the job when possible…save yourselves from doing it over again.
So, which built-in soap dispenser bottle did you settle on? I’ve gone through too many…
Quit buying China crap soap dispensers and buy a brand name one like Kohler, you’ll be happier.
But, Nanci, aren’t your safety items the most important , always have on hand, items? I’m thinking fire extinguishers, road flares, and ALWAYS, ALWAYS, battery backup chargers for your cell phone, to name a few. It’s nice to be able to fix problems on the go, but the MOST IMPORTANT thing is to be able to survive them. Safety equipment belongs on everyone’s get-ready list. Not only should we be sure we have it, we need to be sure it is maintained and working.
I carry a couple of cheap white plastic shower curtains to use as quick tarps to cover firewood and my Coleman grill from the occasional shower while out exploring. Work great, Walmart for about $1.25 and last longer than the usual “blue tarps”.
As 12 year fulltimers & counting, I try to keep many spare parts on hand, that have saved my butt many times. But when I have to replace an item in the rv, I don’t throw the failed item away. I take it apart & try to fix it. Many times I’m able to rehab, or clean up the failed item & re-use it when the replacement item fails in the future. I continue recycling these item & save lots of $s over time.
A 12 volt battery charger. If the inverter fails you can keep the lights on and run the furnace. I have loaned mine out more times than anything else I carry. Don’t forget a decent first aid kit and a box of good sized band aids, too. The older I get the more I need them.
I have a extra thermostat. Had 1 go bad so now I have a spare
Nanci, re: forgotten awning poles. I tie a piece of fluorescent surveyors tape on my awning rod as well as my fireplace poker. Hard to miss.
I also put a piece of tape on the awning pole that marks how far the slide goes out. That way we can make sure there is room before settling in.
We do a final walk-around check and site cleanup. Haven’t left anything in 20 years. PS: I carry engine fan belts, hoses, headlite and a cheese box of misc. bolts, nuts, screws etc. – and the venerable “Duct Tape” and “WD-40”! Never leave home without them!! Happy trails…..
Yep, to everything you listed. FWIW-RV’ing since mid 1980’s, so what she said is a list to start from. Round out yours specific to type of RV/Brand/Model and type of camping you do. An externatl surge protector is a must for us, cheaper than replacing built in one if bad things happen.
Extra corkscrew and church key!
An absolute must have, front door and back. 😉
Silly article … ridiculous amount of stuff to drag along. Pick up the $40 tool kit from Harbor Freight, throw some gorilla duct tape in your junk drawer and be on your way… an extra sewer hose? Come on!
The sewer hose I just used two days ago split 1/3 of the way around. Thankfully
it was the gray water. Glad I picked up that extra sewer hose last week before
we headed out.
Another spare I carry is metal replacement handles for the dump valves. Just
broke my third plastic handle. Now all the valves will have metal ones.
Yes, we carry a lot of extra stuff but we full-time so I don’t have anywhere
else to keep it.
Way too much stuff to enjoy camping. That’s what the tow vehicle is for….
And where are we supposed to make room for all these items?
Don’t forget to pack a few “shark bites” use Mr Google Pants to find out what those are for.
I also carry “Some” extra parts. One you forgot was bring extra windshield wipers!! Most don’t remember when they changed them & in a Rain storm, you can’t drive with broken ones………
We now carry a spare step motor because ours went kaput twice in a 6 month period. We also have a spare water pump, a variety of screws and fasteners, tapes, lubes…. A test light has proven invaluable in diagnosing electrical problems.
Sometimes I look at what I carry and wonder what I could do without. Two years ago I broke a clamp on the air intake on the turbo charger. Luck lots of room to pull off. Long weekend lots of traffic. I called the mobile mechanic that does work for me and he drove fifty miles in heavy traffic to bring and install a new one. The cost of the clamp $29.00 plus service fee total $1400.00. I was lucky the BCAA travel insurance covered everything except the parts. I bought three extra clamps. Plus will replace the existing clamps. You only wish you carried more when you don’t have the part you need. Next time I can fix it myself. I use the premise easier to bring back then to go get it.