Maintenance - Blog

  Kwik Lube (Step), H.D. (6.6%) Silicone, Corrosion Block (2 Sizes), Slide-Out Rubber Seal &... [read more]

I receive many inquiries from older motorhome owners or those that have an orphaned coach in which parts are not available from the original RV manufacturer. These RVers are looking for a... [read more]

In this Technical Tip, I will address some of the questions that are posed when people call us looking for a lighting solution for their RV. In the next one I will address where to find common... [read more]

With new Technology making its way into our coaches, there is one component that has not caught up – the Roof Top Air Conditioner. Many coaches are equipped with digital glass dash displays... [read more]

In the previous Technical Tip, I demonstrated the difference between the two headlight configurations available in the USA. Modern cars and trucks use a standard that provides lighting similar... [read more]

I often hear this question when I present seminars about L.E.D. bulb replacements on RVs. Frequently RVers mentioned that their new coaches have headlights worse than their older ones. As it... [read more]

This is the third of what was planned to be two Technical Tips which provide a viable option to converting an RV refrigerator from an absorption to a ‘residential’ refrigerator. In the... [read more]

I recently read an article in Family RVing (May 2018, Page 40) that listed a number of Specialty Products for RVs . I looked at the list and thought: Wow that is a lot!  ... [read more]

  Sometimes taking a different approach to solving an issue yields results that have eluded those using traditional approaches. This Tech Tip details a story of an ongoing issue that... [read more]

In Technical Tip 103, I began this two-part article. What follows will give you some background and if you have not read Technical Tip #103 you will find it helpful to read it before this one.... [read more]

I have presented seminars on travelling to Alaska and the Yukon and afterwards I am asked: "How do I (or did you) prepare (y)our coach for that trip?” That’s a great question and one that is... [read more]

With more and more vehicle makers requiring some method of maintaining the battery in a towed vehicle while it is being towed, it seemed like it was a good time to bring this topic forward in a... [read more]

The RV community is known for sharing ideas which solve or deal with situations. The willingness of others to pass along their experience is what makes it easier for those new to the RV... [read more]

While attending a RV Rally about a year ago, my wife turned on our front (over the dash) TV and heard a loud ‘pop’ sound. The TV did not come on and when I returned to the coach, I tried to... [read more]

While attending a RV Rally recently, a few attendees commented on the failure of their towing systems. Before going into details, I’d like to thank Bob Young of the Mid America Bounders Chapter... [read more]

On a cross country trip this summer, we stopped for the night and discovered that our satellite TV Antenna was not working and that we had no TV reception. We confirmed that the receiver and... [read more]

During a cross-country trip in which we boondocked (or dry camped) many nights, in addition to staying at a selection of RV parks, I reflected upon the equipment we use while RVing. Like many,... [read more]

We recently removed an SMI Air Force One from our 8-year old Saturn Vue and re-installed, after refurbishing it, in our new Buick Envision. The refurbishing involved completely checking out all... [read more]

Many RVs are equipped with a combined washer and dryer made by Splendide. Our 2009 American Coach Allegiance 40X has a 2000 series, which has been replaced by the 2100 model in newer RVs where a... [read more]

Many RVer’s occasionally experience a slideout that fails to move when the switch is depressed. We had this situation occur on our last major trip and just as many before have experienced, the... [read more]

In Technical Tip #92, I detailed how we determined that our RV’s Automatic Transfer Switch had failed and that it was contained within an integrated Transfer Switch and Electrical System Protection... [read more]

Our RV came equipped from the factory with an integrated Transfer Switch and Electrical System Protection (ESP) unit supplied by TRC... [read more]

Most new cars and light-duty trucks come with a Tire Pressure Monitoring System as standard equipment. Many higher end motorized RV have such a system as standard equipment or as an option.... [read more]

Upg rading RV Exterior Lights to L.E.D.’s In TechTip #85, I discussed upgrading the rear incandescent light fixtures on our RV to L.E.D. ones. With that improvement completed... [read more]

Every so often people contact me with information they found useful in repairing their RV and they send it along to me. Such was the case with this set of instructions for servicing and... [read more]

With more and more orphaned RV’s and the many used RV’s that just need a standardized part at a fraction of the cost of a new one, the Used RV Parts business is flourishing. The challenge for... [read more]

With an increasing number of people joining the ranks of RV owners, some of the basics need to be passed along to provide safety while travelling. One basic precept is proper tire maintenance... [read more]

A question, RVers frequently ask in the fall when planning to store their coaches over the winter, is: What is the best way to store my RV’s batteries? Generally speaking, it is always... [read more]

RV Leveling Systems: Most RVs are equipped with a leveling system which allows the RV to be levelled prior to extending slide-outs. There are two common styles: Electrically operated and... [read more]

I have included a series of photos in a PDF file that you can refer to as you read this blog posting. Shade Repair Photos   It should add some clarity to a number of... [read more]

Replacing a Side View Camera   There are a number of situations where the side view cameras on our RV’s fail and need to be replaced. While these cameras can be physically damaged... [read more]

Horst Miracle Probes that make conventional RV tank monitoring systems read accurately, are available once again. When the original inventor shuttered his company, it looked like these... [read more]

I receive many questions from RVers that are investigating whether they can repair the Day-Night blinds in their RV. We sell the United Blind First Aid Kit for blinds, however many want... [read more]

Introduction:   Lubricant analysis is a new service option available to RVers now. Many large vehicle fleet operators have taken advantage of this service and they have enjoyed more... [read more]

As towing and braking systems have evolved to be mainstays of the RV experience, maintenance of these systems becomes part of the regimen of using the towbars and braking systems. Braking... [read more]

Sometimes it seems that it takes a long time to get a RV out of storage and ready for a season of RVing. From my experience, and that of many others, proper preparation before storage reduces... [read more]

With my last post I spent a lot of it dealing with items that relate to motorized RV’s. This Blog Posting will cover both motorized and non-motorized RV’s interior systems. So far we have... [read more]

In my last posting I walked through some exterior items to look at after a long, cold winter. Let’s turn to the inside next. While I am biased, many RVers have found our book:  ” All the... [read more]

It looks like the long and cold winter is finally behind us. For those living in "snow country”, we no longer need to worry about digging out our RV, however if it was stored outside this past... [read more]

    Case Study 2   Dead Chassis Batteries   The second case involved a RV that had experienced "dead” Chassis/Starting batteries even though all batteries... [read more]

Foggy Window Repairs Part 1   One constant issue with RVs over the years since double pane were introduced in 1994 has been their propensity to "fog up” or lose their seal.... [read more]

Lubricant Analysis   Introduction:   Lubricant analysis is a new service option available to RVers now. Many large vehicle fleet operators have taken advantage of... [read more]

I have always been a do-it-yourself RV owner, preferring to carry out the routine maintenance of our RV myself. That approach has proved cost effective over the years and allowed me to understand... [read more]

Technical Tips #63      Notes And Updates: The contact information for the REV Group, Fleetwood RV Parts and... [read more]

Technical Tips #62    Paint or Restripe? One of the decisions older Bounder owners face as their Bounder ages is "Should I replace the vinyl accent stripes or should I... [read more]

Technical Tips #61    VELVAC ® MIRROR REPLACEMENT AND ADJUSTMENT Since Velvac ® brand exterior rear view mirrors are standard equipment on most Bounders, I thought... [read more]

Technical Tips #60    Slide Topper Replacement After seven years of use, I noticed that my slide-out awning cover known as a Slide Topper was deteriorating. The fabric section... [read more]

Technical Tips #59    Holding Tank Monitoring After installing the Horst Miracle Probes on my coach, I discovered that the wiring to my Holding Tank Monitor System was... [read more]

Technical Tips #58    Accurate Holding Tank Levels - Horst Miracle Probe Installation Last month I highlighted a new product that simply provided accurate holding tank levels... [read more]

Technical Tips #57    Finally! Simple, Accurate Holding Tank Levels Every month, I receive a collection of trade journals that layout the industry trends, RV related business... [read more]

Technical Tips #54    Back to Basics: RV Refrigerators Does anyone remember the old style RV refrigerators which were a giant leap from the ice boxes we had in our pop-up... [read more]

Technical Tips #52    Electrical connections that don't work I have received email requests for information on various electrical components that seem to be acting in an... [read more]

Technical Tips #51    Slide-Out's That Don't I have received a few requests for information about Slide-out rooms (slides) that do not slide out or come back in when the... [read more]

Technical Tips #50    Whistling Grilles With the restyling of the Bounder and the new front cap design, there have been reports of various whistling sounds emanating from the... [read more]

Technical Tips #49    Day-Night Shade Adjustment & Repair Most late model coaches are equipped with pleated window shades, commonly known as "day-night blinds" with a... [read more]

Technical Tips #47    Let's Get Ready for Another Summer of Travel! With Spring here, most of us are ready for another season of traveling. Now is the time to carry out some... [read more]

Technical Tips #46    "Ground" Maintenance, Auxiliary Start, and Generator Start Tips I have often read messages on the Bounder "Yahoo Group" about a vehicle or a generator... [read more]

Technical Tips #45      Notes And Updates: Since more and more SUV's and pickups are being towed the "Drop"... [read more]

Technical Tips #44    Storage Compartment Door Maintenance The basis of Bounder's claim to fame is the basement which, when introduced, changed the way motorhomes were built.... [read more]

Technical Tips #41      Notes And Updates: We no longer have an online parts catalogue. Check with your RV... [read more]

Technical Tips #37      Notes And Updates: The link to the Bounder Yahoo Group is... [read more]

Technical Tips #35      Notes And Updates: The link to the Bounder Yahoo Group is... [read more]

Technical Tips #32      Notes And Updates: For a Copy of the Seminar Notes which included color photos and... [read more]

Technical Tips #31    Signal Flashers - Again! This past summer I experienced a situation with my Bounder, built on a Ford F53 chassis, that gave me cause for concern and for... [read more]

Technical Tips #29      Notes And Updates: The battery powered fans are no longer sold by RV Parts Plus. Check... [read more]

Technical Tips #28    Brakes While some of you have a Chevrolet/Workhorse Chassis, the following information may be of use not only to you, but also to many which have a... [read more]

Technical Tips #26    Exhaust Leaks One of our members called during Spring Break to ask about replacing an exhaust manifold, and cylinder head on their engine. Apparently... [read more]

Technical Tips #25    Bounder and Tow Car Electrical Problems A reader wrote that his 1996 Bounder four way hazard flasher works for about five minutes then quits. The... [read more]

Technical Tips #24      Notes And Updates: The part numbers contained in this article may have been superceded... [read more]

Technical Tips #23    Problem Windows on Early Production 1994 Bounders There were two problems with the "rectangular windows" found on early production 1994 Bounders. These... [read more]

Technical Tips #22     Notes And Updates: Bounder Classic RV's mentioned in this TechTip refer to the original... [read more]

Technical Tips #21    Fuses & Relays, Circuit Breakers & Signal Flashers: (Part 1) As a result of receiving an E-mail regarding the location of the fuse for the solar... [read more]

Technical Tips #18    BOA International Rally at Amishville, (Berne) Indiana (continued) This is the third article on events at the Rally. Bounder Armrest Removal: Have you... [read more]

Technical Tips #16      Notes And Updates: Kwikee no longer supports direct consumer contact. If this kit is... [read more]

Technical Tips #15    Miscellaneous # 2 This is the second article on those problems that occur with our Bounders that have elusive solutions. I present these solutions to... [read more]

Technical Tips #14    Miscellaneous # 1 With the onset of spring and summer many Chapter members attending the Rallies have time to discuss some quirks or problems that have... [read more]

Technical Tips #13      Notes And Updates: We no longer have the order forms for the product mentioned in this... [read more]

Technical Tips #12      Notes And Updates: We recommend using Corrosion Block® rather than Di-electric... [read more]

Technical Tips #10    Paxinos Technical Seminar Overview (#3)  The Fall BOA Rally in Paxinos covered many seminars about our Bounders. The following is some additional... [read more]

Technical Tips #9      Notes And Updates: Modern RV's are equipped with elecrtrical systems that automatically... [read more]

Technical Tips #8      Notes And Updates: Furnaces in present day RV's are equipped with sealed Limit switches.... [read more]

Technical Tips #7    Dometic Refrigerator Door Adjustment One of our Chapter members obtained the following information while at a winter rally. He discovered that if you do... [read more]

Technical Tips #6    Instruments & Gauges (Part 2) The Transmission Temperature gauge is a valuable instrument, protecting one of the most delicate components in the... [read more]

Technical Tips #5    Instruments & Gauges (Part 1) One of the questions asked by Bounder owners is "How accurate are my gauges?" This often leads to a follow-up question:... [read more]

Technical Tips #2    Transmission Oil Change: Most of us know that the automatic transmission fluid should be changed periodically (i.e. every 24 months or 20,000 miles/30,000... [read more]

  Technical Tips #1    Beginning in the fall of 1996, when I was appointed as the 1st Canadian Bounder of America Chapter Technical Representative, I began writing... [read more]