Buy New? Ain't Necessarily Necessary

RVs, are sadly like cars: Sooner or later you've got to replace something. And like cars, parts aren't usually cheap. But here's a little secret that many don't know about RVs: Also like cars, you don't always have to "buy new," when you need parts.

We don't suppose you've lain awake at night wondering where RV heaven is. Most folks never give a thought to where RVs go "at the end of the hunt." Like automobiles, there really are RV wrecking yards--okay, excuse us! RV recycling yards. They're scattered across the country, and they carry a fascinating array of parts: From roof vents to holding tanks, siding to windows, dinettes to dump valves, if you're looking for an RV part, there's probably an RV recycler that has what you need. But how do you find such an outfit?

You just need to point your browser to the Scavenger's Connection. It's a neat little database of RV salvage yards where you can search a variety of fields to locate a yard within reach. Or depending on your part, for a part within reach of the post office or UPS, as many yards will ship your part to you. We prefer to visit the yard when looking for parts. In the northwest, near Rochester, Washington, we often visit Singleton's RV Salvage yard. We've found it best to check out the part we need to ensure it really fits, looks like what we want, and will do what we need.

How much will you pay? The law of supply and demand seems to dictate: Popular parts like air conditioning units and refrigerators may run 70% or more of "new" prices. Lesser in demand stuff can run pennies on the dollar. And like "Uncle Bulgie's Wrecking Yard" of my youth, it can also depend on the mood of the yard owner at the time you stop in. Pay attention--it pays.

By the way, when you hit the Scavenger's Connection web site, you can simply click on "View and Search the Database" down at the bottom of the page. You don't need to register to look things over.

Keeping the RV Refrigerator Cool

RV refrigerators are a special breed of cat: They don't use mechanical pumps to move coolant, it's all handled by heat and gravity. While they do a great job in the real RV world, they aren't like home refrigerators. First, some operating tips that may alleviate problems:

Cool your refrigerator before packing it. Turn it on 24 hours before you plan to head out. When packing, always put COLD food in the unit--it won't like warm food.

Leave plenty of room around the stuff inside the refrigerator compartment--you need good air flow. To help that "in the box" cooling, for about $15 you can get a FridgeCool unit. Battery operated, it really can make a difference.


A door gasket that doesn't keep the cold in, and the hot out can be a problem. George can help. George who? George Washington! Open the reefer door and stick a dollar bill against the door frame edge, partly hanging out of the cooler box. Close the door and pull on the bill. If George makes an escape without resistance, the door gasket isn't up to snuff and should be replaced. Food particles and other guck can give a false impression, so be sure to clean the gasket and door frame with soapy water (and a ending rinse) before trying this trick. Be sure to make George work all the way around the door frame to ensure 100% gasket cooperation

Keep 'er level: An off-kilter refrigerator is not efficient, and the effects of operating an RV refrigerator off-level will accumulate and eventually KILL your refrigerator's cooling unit. Can you say "hundreds of dollars to replace"? Use a round level inside refrigerator and keep at least a half a bubble inside the center of the bull's eye.

Check out the roof vent, too. RV "reefers" have to liberate heat, and they do so through a roof vent directly above the reefer. Birds have been known to build nests in the vents, and obstructions like that will really cut down on cooling efficiency.

In hot weather, try and park with the wall area behind your reefer in the shade.

If it works on gas, but doesn't work on electric, or vice versa, there's usually nothing wrong with the cooling unit. If you don't get cooling on gas, inspect the gas burner (at the bottom of the vertical stack) to make sure crud from the chimney hasn't fallen down onto the burner, obstructing it or even causing the burner to not light. Blow the junk off the burner with a puff of air or carefully brush it off with a paint brush. Be sure to SHUT OFF the reefer first!

For great diagnostic info, check out the RV Mobile, Inc. website.

How Old Izzat Tire? And What Does It Matter?

Those expensive 'rubber donuts' we put on our RVs are far too often, neglected. After all, there's not much "attractive" or sensual about tires. Emelda Marcos didn't keep a garage full of them, and tire showrooms are generally noisy places that offer popcorn, not caviar, to shoppers.

We've blogged about keeping a close eye on your tire pressure, but that's not the only concern. Keeping your RV tires "fresh" is just as important--and more easily overlooked. After all, when did you last change out your RV tires? I can't tell you when I did--I only remember it was because we had an alignment problem and scuffed a couple of the poor beggars to death.

The RVIA (Recreational Vehicle Industry Association) warns that RV tires, unlike car "shoes," generally don't wear out--they 'date out.' Because we put so few miles on them, our RV tires are more likely to die of UV radiation poisoning than from road wear. The RVIA says, "Statistics indicate that the average life of an RV tire is five to seven years." After that, you're living on borrowed time and living dangerously.

So how old are your tires? Here's a picture of a tire sidewall stamp:

The so-called "DOT Code" lists the information we need. The last 4 digits, 2104 in this case, tell us the tire was built in the 21st week (21) of 2004 (04). That dates this tire manufacture at sometime in the middle of May 2004--about three years old, plenty of "age" left in it for an RV tire.

But notice too, a bit of "weather checking" on the sidewall near the rim. Caused by heat, age, ozone exposure, and (believe it or not) exposure to petroleum tire dressings, "sidewall weathering" can weaken the tire and your safety. If these cracks are more than 2/32" deep, replace the tire. And lay off the use of "tire dressings." They may make the tire shiny, but they'll eat up your investment.

Rotten Wood? Try Stabilizer.

Many RVs, particularly older ones, have a fair amount of wood in their support structure. And wood, sad to say, is subject to the rigors of life in a moisture filled environment. If not thoroughly protected, dry rot can be the result.

Our recently acquired truck camper "project" must have led a colorful life in some prior owner's hands. Read, "low branches" with a rubber roof, and you know what can happen there. Instead of using the right repair materials, the job was a half-baked thing that leaked, and there was a spot in the underlying plywood decking where water got in. A soft patch of decking, with the layers of plywood actually separating. What's to do?

Short of a major renovation including plywood removal, installation of a new roof, and all the attendant financial ramifications, we're trying a pilot project. The folks from Elmer's (of glue fame) have released a dry rot killer/wood stabilizer product and (on our own) we've undertaken to see if it will resolve our problem. After peeling back the EPDM rubber roofing material, we removed loose plywood, bored small holes throughout the area, and impregnated the plywood thoroughly with Elmer's Rotted Wood Stabilizer. We then temporarily ran screws throughout the area to bring the plywood layers together. After allowing 24 hours in warm air to try, we pulled the screws, spread layers of exterior wood filler, dried, sanded, and buttoned it up.

Immediate observations? The plywood is most decidedly hardened up--although we're not willing to risk walking on it--we never walk on our RV roof anyway. We'll keep an eye on it over time and report back. For more information on this interesting product, check out the Elmer's web site.