By Cheri Sicard
To be sure, RVing is not always stress-free. But in the video below, Izzy from Endless RVing, a channel that won one of our 2024 RV video awards, shares 12 tips to increase your chances of a stress-free RV trip.
Izzy says that before he and MJ start any long RV trip, they have a specific checklist they go through before leaving. They share that checklist in this video because paying attention to it can be the key to stress-free RV trips.
#1 Tires: This is important, as your tires are what will be keeping you and your RV on the road. Check tires on motorhomes, tow vehicles, and toads, too! Watch the video as Izzy goes over what it is you are looking for when doing an RV tire inspection.
#2 Check external safety features: These include your marker lights, turn signals, high beams, low beams, your windshield and its wipers, etc.
#3 Check your fluids: Make sure all essential fluids are at their appropriate levels: oil, transmission fluid, power steering fluid, wiper fluid, etc. Also, be sure to inspect the battery for signs of corrosion.
#4 If you have one, inspect your generator: Again, the video will demonstrate just what it is you are looking for when inspecting the generator.
#5 Check the HVAC system: Furnace, heat pumps, A/C, and the water heater, too. Again, watch the video for what to do. And be sure to check your propane levels, too.
#6 Test your appliances: The time to discover if a crucial appliance isn’t working is not on your trip!
#7 Dewinterize (if necessary): Izzy talks about how to check for leaks while preparing your plumbing for the new season.
#8 Inspect and test slides: Again, you don’t want to deal with a slide room problem on the road; test the slides before you leave.
#9 Awning: Izzy says theirs went out on the road, so he always tests at home before leaving.
#10 Levelers: Izzy and MJ’s levelers also went out on the road, leading to this item making their pre-trip checklists ever since.
#11 Check the chassis: If possible, Izzy recommends taking the RV out on a short drive before the long trip. That way, if anything is wrong, you are likely to hear it. Also, be sure to top off your tanks. Both for travel and for running generators, Izzy recommends never going below half a tank before refueling.
#12 External walk-around inspection: Before leaving, do a final all-around external inspection of your rig. Izzy shows what he looks for in the video.
Izzy and MJ hope sharing this will help others. Do you have other items on your pre-trip checklist? Be sure to share them in the comments below.
##RVDT2329
I always use a check list, especially when setting up at the campground and breaking down preparing to leave. Before the checklist days someone would invariably stop by and distract me and I’d forget something, no more.
Thank you, Cheri! This is all good advice before a trip of any length. We live much farther south than these guys and use our RV year ’round. We never winterize and have no propane, but otherwise do all the suggested checks. Thank you for sharing the video. Safe travels! 🙂