By Steve Savage
RV Mobility Services
For all you do-it-yourselfers out there, here’s something important to remember: Not even those of us who work on RVs for a living know how everything we work on is assembled. It’s a sure bet you don’t either. Most of the calls I’ve received recently have been the result of someone correctly diagnosing what was wrong, but after repairs were made the unit failed to work. Why? On reassembly it wasn’t put back together correctly.
I carry a digital camera right along with my other tools and I never hesitate to snap pictures when I’m working on something I haven’t seen before. I also shoot pictures when I have to remove a part and order a replacement, and may not get back to the job for several days.
Plenty of things in an RV can be assembled incorrectly and yet everything will still fit — screw holes line up correctly, and so forth. It takes me much longer to repair something that’s been taken apart by someone else, and it’s harder to be on the lookout for things I would never expect to find. Remember, too: Make some repairs on your RV incorrectly and it can be dangerous.
Here are some simple steps to follow on your next RV repair project: Pay attention when you take something apart. Take pictures of the item intact and as you disassemble it. Download the service manual for the correct procedure. Doing these things will save you time and money and keep you safe, as well.
