Good Friends and Regular RV Inspections
Recently, I wrote about finding a broken spring clip on the suspension of our fifth wheel.
Like most people, I have someone I can call to bounce ideas off of or ask for advice when something doesn’t seem quite right. For me, that person is Joe, a lifelong friend who has always been willing to lend a hand or offer another perspective.
As we prepare for our upcoming trip to Yellowstone, Joe and his wife, Kathy, will be traveling with us. After discovering the broken spring clip, I gave Joe a call to see if he had ever experienced a similar problem.
Over the years, we’ve owned several different trailers, including a tent trailer and a double axle snowmobile trailer. Despite all those miles, we had never experienced a suspension problem. Joe has owned a variety of trailers as well, and he couldn’t remember ever having a spring clip fail.
After our conversation, Joe decided to inspect the suspension on his own fifth wheel.
His spring clips were all in place, but he discovered something else.
One of his suspension shackles was badly worn and needed immediate attention before we headed west.
When he sent me a picture of the worn shackle, I immediately went back out and gave our suspension another thorough inspection. Thankfully, everything on our trailer looked good.
Joe took his trailer to North Country RV in Ham Lake, Minnesota, and they had the repairs completed the very next day.
It was a good reminder that routine inspections really do pay off.
Preparing for a trip isn’t just about making reservations, packing clothes, and stocking the refrigerator. It’s also about taking the time to inspect your RV and become familiar with what “normal” looks like.
When you know what your RV is supposed to look like, unusual wear, loose hardware, broken parts, or small cracks are much easier to spot before they become expensive repairs or ruin a trip.
A few minutes spent crawling under your RV before each trip can save hours of frustration on the side of the road.
This time, a simple phone call between friends helped both of us.
Safe travels, and don’t forget to give your RV a good inspection before your next adventure.