Pre-Trip Inspection
Do Them. Every Time.
Pre-trip inspections.
Do them.
Every time.
We’re leaving today on what will probably be our longest trip yet with our fifth wheel—a two-week adventure through southern Minnesota and South Dakota.
We’ve been looking forward to this trip for months. The first stop is a family gathering. Between Pat’s family and mine, our blended family has grown to 28 people. Getting everyone together in one place is an accomplishment in itself.
Last week, however, we weren’t sure the trip was going to happen.
Our tow vehicle, a Ford F-350 diesel, suddenly displayed an engine warning light. With today’s shortages of technicians, parts, and service appointments, we weren’t optimistic about getting it repaired before our departure date.
Fortunately, everything came together, the truck was repaired in time, and we were back on schedule.
Travel Day
Because we can’t store our fifth wheel at home, our departure routine is a little different than most people’s.
Our storage lot is close by, but the trailers are parked too close together to do much maintenance. Before putting it away after each trip, I clean it and inspect everything so I know it’s ready for the next outing—or I know what needs attention before we leave again.
The morning of our departure, I picked up the trailer around 8:00 a.m. and parked it on the street in front of the house so we could load food, clothes, and everything else for the trip.
This trip comes with one additional challenge.
We’re bringing our Honda Gold Wing motorcycle for the South Dakota portion of the trip.
Since triple towing isn’t legal along our route and I couldn’t find motorcycle transportation that fit our schedule, I’ll be riding the Gold Wing while Pat tows the fifth wheel.
She’s driven the combination before, so this isn’t completely new to her, but it will be her longest towing trip yet.
The plan was simple.
Finish loading the RV and pull out around 12:30.
Then our pre-trip inspection changed everything.
Five Pounds That Mattered
As part of my routine, I connected the Tire Linc TPMS app to check the tire pressures.
One tire immediately caught my attention.
It was about five pounds lower than the others.
Five pounds isn’t much, but it was enough to tell me something wasn’t right.
A closer inspection revealed the problem.
A nail.
Change of Plans
Instead of heading down the highway, we shifted into tire-changing mode.
We stabilized the trailer, removed the tire, and I headed to the nearest Tires Plus store.
The timing couldn’t have been better.
Just a few days earlier, I had purchased a battery-powered lug wrench for the trip.
It earned its keep before we had even left town.
The technician at Tires Plus inspected the tire and said it could be repaired, but there were several customers ahead of me. It would likely be about three hours before it was finished.
Fair enough.
Everyone else’s tire problem was just as important as mine.
While we waited, we finished packing, grabbed some lunch, and I had time to write this blog post.
A Good Reminder
It would have been easy to assume everything was fine.
After all, we’d just returned from a camping trip with the grandkids a few days earlier, and everything had worked perfectly.
Had I skipped the pre-trip inspection, that nail could have turned into a flat tire—or worse—a blowout somewhere on the highway.
Instead, we found the problem while sitting in front of our house.
Much better.
One Last Thought
A good pre-trip inspection doesn’t guarantee you won’t have problems on the road.
But it greatly improves your chances of finding the small ones before they become big ones.
Take a few extra minutes before every trip.
Check your tires.
Check your lights.
Check your hitch.
Walk around your rig one more time.
Those few minutes could save you hours of frustration—or even prevent an accident.
Do them. Every time.