Maintenance Expectations

[stutch]

Hi All.... I own a 2015 Dutch Star 4018. It has 48K miles on it. We cross country from Maine to CA every year..so far!

Question is.. When can I expect to:

- Change my tires out
- Replace House Batteries
- Replace Chassis Batteries
- Have a front end alignment (we all know the beating the front end takes)
- Major cleaning of fresh water tank.. (I always think about this!)
- ANYTHING ELSE I FORGOT!

Thanks

[jacwjames]

Tires are based on wear and/or age. Rule of thumb is 7 years max, depending on your tolerance for risk.

A motorhome is one big maintenance machine, glad you are thinking about it. I pretty much follow the schedules in my manuals and common sense type time frame.



If you tires are wearing good, no play, vibration, or wander in the steering I wouldn't worry about wheel alignment.



Batteries can last a long time if they are taken care of. I've replaced my 2002 Windsor house batteries once, in 2010. I checked them last year with a hydrometer and did a load test on them and they still appear good.
I replaced the original chassis battery in 2012, but then it failed again in 2014 but not sure what caused this. Current battery is 6 years old.



I usually completely drain my water tank when I winterize and then when I get ready to use it the next year sanitize it and the whole water system with bleach and then drain everything and flush.



If you continually use your RV and it has a standard water heater it may pay to drain and flush it as mine build up a decent amount of crud every year.



Pays to check you roof AC's and blow out the condenser coils and vacuum out the evaporator coils if you can reach it using a soft bristle brush head.



Engine air filters may last 3 years
Dryer filter for compressed air circuit 3 years
Belts on engine probably 4-6 years but depends on miles and where you are at.



One thing that alot of people don't do is to check the wiring connections to make sure they are tight, breakers, transfer switches etc.

[atreis]

IMO ...

Originally Posted by stutch

Hi All.... I own a 2015 Dutch Star 4018. It has 48K miles on it. We cross country from Maine to CA every year..so far!

Question is.. When can I expect to:

- Change my tires out
If they're original, they're due this year. Replace tires as needed according to wear, or when they're 6 years old if mileage is low.

- Replace House Batteries
If they're original, they're past due. Generally speaking, 4-6 years. That's assuming you actually use them. Not everyone makes significant use of the house batteries. If you don't run off them much, then there's likely no need until they become a problem.

- Replace Chassis Batteries
If they're original, they're getting close to being due. I wouldn't replace until needed, but generally speaking that would be around 5-6 years.

- Have a front end alignment (we all know the beating the front end takes)
- Major cleaning of fresh water tank.. (I always think about this!)
Uhh... Sanitize once a year when dewinterizing. Not sure what constitutes a major cleaning...

- ANYTHING ELSE I FORGOT!

Thanks

[Mr_D]

No "rule of thumb" on tires. Michelin says the older the tire the more chance of needing to be changed. They also state that tires should be professionally inspected every year starting at 5 yrs and absolutely replace at 10 yrs old. I went 9 years on my last set and they looked absolutely perfect inside and out.
Here is a picture of the chart Michelin uses to determine carcass suitability for retreading

[Unplanned Tourist]

Lube the chassis, that means grease the front end, u-joints, check transmission and diff oil levels.

Have the brakes checked by a reliable mechanic.

Do regular oil and filter changes. If in doubt, do it early.

[Sandy12]

Don’t know much about most of your questions but this one caught my eye.
“Major cleaning of fresh water tank.. (I always think about this!)”. We’ve been drinking the water out of RV tanks for decades and we are still here. I would think every time you fill it up and empty it, you are cleaning it, especially if it’s city water.

Yes, if it’s sat for 6 months I know he drains the water and fills with fresh, change the filters, and flush the lines.

[awol50]

Tires? 10 years unless condition shows otherwise. I've run tires 15+ years on my rv and other vehicles with no problems. But the tires all looked like new excepting treadwear.
Not everyone will agree with my high standards. I mostly wear tires out, but not always.