Maintenance on the road

[puddintang]

Sorry not sure where to post this but anyway, How do you handle maintenace on long trips, oil change and so forth? We are planning a 12k mile trip and not sure about service, take the supplies and do it yourself or what? If you do what do you do with old oil and filters?

[CLIFFTALL]

Originally Posted by puddintang

Sorry not sure where to post this but anyway, How do you handle maintenace on long trips, oil change and so forth? We are planning a 12k mile trip and not sure about service, take the supplies and do it yourself or what? If you do what do you do with old oil and filters?

I buy 6 qts of oil and filter from Walmart and go to a truck shop. They change and lube chassis for $25-$40.

[MaverickBBD]

As I am a firm believer in factory service I usually plan a stop at the factory in conjunction with travel plans.

[LVJ58]

Not sure about filters, but many auto parts stores will take oil in for recycling.

[Bob and Inga]

I buy the 5 qt oil containers and put the used oil back in, then return it to any Walmart that has an auto service facility.

Bob

[jzick]

We research a dealer/maintenance facility near our travel route, make an appointment, and go for service. We either wait at the facility (many have nice areas to wait, dog included) or take the towd and the dog for a day trip.

[bucks2]

It will all depend on your situation. If I carry 6 quarts of oil and a filter, I'm still 28 quarts low on oil when I'm done putting in 6 quarts, and that's not counting the genset and the toad. And, that's a lot of funneling and potential for spillage putting it back into 4 or 5 quart containers. Buying oil in 5 gallon pails and using them for the used is much easier.

Many parks, national, state and local forbid any maintenance work, as do most private parks. So, finding a work area could be problematic in many areas.

Finding a reliable mechanic to change oil and lube ALL the fittings is sometimes a hit or miss option while on the road. Getting recommendations from others is often a great way to avoid disappoitment. Factory service or dealer service is an option. Most of the time it will be top dollar prices. If you always get top quality service then that would be a good option. Some engine or transmission dealerships are not familiar with the RV lifestyle and may not be in tune with our needs. If the ratio of crawler tractors to over the road vehicles is more than 2 to 1, then you might want to keep driving.

Whichever type of rig you have, you have to decide how you want to get it done. Some will be easier than others.


Ken

[Barbaraok]

Since we have a Cummins DP, we used the Cummins Coach Care facility that is near us when it is time for service. Yes, it is expensive, but they also do any updates and look for fault codes while we are there, etc. If you have a DP you can also have service done at Speedco.

Barb

[sdennislee]

You might find this link useful, it is a review site for RV service centers. You can sort by state.
RV Service Review

[PyrateSilly]

Thom does as much work as he can on the MH and/or engine of it. He's worked on engines and done lots of work on electrical things. He's one of those rare people that can do lots of things. I found a good guy and am gonna keep him Oh he also cooks, cleans, does stage combat and has directed shows along with his regular jobs.

[Arch Hoagland]

I take oil & filter and change them myself at relatives homes on the other side of the country. They know where to dispose of the oil near them.

[Hipshot]

I take oil, filter and grease gun and do my own. I paid one of the largest Fleetwood dealers in Texas to service my Bounder when I got it 2700 miles. At 8000 miles Ford replaced the rear bearings and seals under warranty, the bearings came out in pieces, rear end only had about 4 quarts of oil in it, No signs of leaks. When I worked in service stations and garages as a kid it was standard practice to check the rear end as part of every oil change. Even walmart checks the rear end in my toad. I DO NOT TRUST ANY DEALER.

[rigmover]

I drive a truck for a living and unless I have the time to do the service & lube myself I swear by Speedco and have seen gas and diesel RVs in them getting serviced.

Yes the factory service is good, bit if you want in & out on the same day, I wish you the best of luck! As for the codes, if you check with Harbor Freight, they can help you get the right OBD scanner for your rig, they are very easy to read and see exactly what is going on under the hood as far as the dozens of sensors are concerned. This will also help should your warning lights come on 10 miles south of Nowhere and you have to go to a shop you do not know about....you'll quickly find out if they are honest and want to fix the 50 dollar problem or rip you off with unnecessarry work.

As for updates to engine/transmission computer codes, I have made it habit to check the Cummins website for service buletins relating to my Signature 600HP motor, and if something comes up I take it to the shop.

Hope this helped a little.

[rigmover]

P.S. Most WalMart lube shops will take your used motor oil for free.