This page contains links to all the articles we’ve written about our favorite RV tech tips and that describe the many RV upgrades and modifications we’ve done to our rig. In addition, there are articles full of important RV maintenance tips as well as suggestions for things to consider when choosing and buying an RV.
From little RV maintenance tech tips to big RV upgrades, the article links are all on this page!
Ever since we began this website back in 2008 (after being on the road RVing full-time for a year), we have written lots of articles that are chock full of the many RV tech tips we’ve learned along the way.
Below you’ll find all the article links, grouped by subject, to make it easy for you to peruse our online library of RV tech tips, RV maintenance tips, modification ideas and RV upgrades.
For reference, you can see the various rigs we’ve owned, both for vacation purposes (before we started full-timing) and then for living in 24/7/365 once we took the plunge to go full-time.
CHOOSING and BUYING AN RV
- Learn About RVing in a Cheap Small RV – New to RVing? Don’t break the bank on your first RV!
- Choosing an RV for Full-time Living – Motorhome? Trailer? Here are the pros and cons of each
- What are the Most Important Features in a Full-time 5th Wheel? – After 10 years in our fifth wheel, here are our thoughts.
RV MAINTENANCE, CLEANING and DRIVING
- RV Tips & Tricks – An assortment of tips we’ve assembled through the years
- How to Defrost the RV Fridge in 20 Minutes – There’s an art to defrosting!
- RV Dump Station Tips – Doing the Dirty Deed doesn’t have to be dirty!
- RV Dump Tips for Women – What’s a Girl to do at the RV Dump Station?
- Repacking and Inspecting Trailer Wheel Bearings – Tips for this important annual maintenance task.
- How to Weigh Your RV – What is your rig’s current Gross Vehicle Weight (GVW)? Is it LESS than the GVWR??!!
- Cleaning RV Faucets, Shower Wands and Drains – Avoid putting toxic chemicals in the RV holding tank and dump station!
- Cleaning the Rig – Tips for keeping the exterior sparkling
- Cleaning the Rig in the Rain – Mother Nature helps out while boondocking
- How to Drive an RV in the Mountains – Tips for towing a big trailer through the Rockies. Most tips apply to motorhomes too.
RV MODIFICATIONS and UPGRADES (except SOLAR and BATTERIES…see below)
- Trailer Disc Brake Conversion – Unlike standard electric drum brakes, electric over hydraulic disc brakes stop on a dime!
- 5th Wheel Trailer Suspension Overhaul – Replacing the shocks and springs and moving the hangers too!
- How to Install a Vent-free Propane Heater – These heaters are awesome for boondockers who want to conserve electricity
- MORryde SRE4000 Equalizer Upgrade – Upgrading the trailer suspension with a rubberized equalizer
- Inspecting and Repacking Trailer Wheel Bearings – An important annual task
- RV Storage Tips – Increase your storage with a unique idea at the dining table
- RV Screen Door Modifications – Strengthen, winterize and puppy-proof your RV screen door!
- How to HEAT an RV in a Blizzard – Staying warm in a temperate climate is one thing, being toasty in a blizzard is another!
- Hitch Tighteners Stop the Rattle – Great for an RV or tow vehicle that has a bumper hitch receiver
- Bike Rack from Kuat – Carrying bikes on the back? A solid and well designed bike rack keeps them from getting damaged!
- RV Electrical System Upgrade – Overview of batteries, converter and inverter we upgraded to after 8 years off-the-grid…and WHY!
SOLAR POWER UPGRADE – INTRO and OVERVIEW of SOLAR POWER SYSTEMS
- RV (and Marine) Solar Power Made Simple - Overview of how solar power works on an RV or boat + small & big system designs
- Is RV Solar Power Affordable? - 3 solar power designs for RVs and boats, including parts lists and actual costs
- Which Solar Panels To Buy? - What's Best: Flexible or Rigid Panels? 12 or 24 volt? Mono- or Polycrystalline? And WHY?
- Installing Solar Power on a Sailboat - How to overcome the unique challenges of solar power on a sailboat
SOLAR POWER UPGRADE – TUTORIAL SERIES
- Solar Power Tutorial 1 - Basics - What makes up a solar power system and how does it work?
- Solar Power Tutorial 2 - Weekend/Vacation Systems - Everything needed for small "Weekending" and "Vacation" systems
- Solar Power Tutorial 3 - Full-Time Systems - Describes the design of a "Full-time" system
- Solar Power Tutorial 4 - Solar Panel Selection & Wiring - Design considerations for solar panel selection and wiring
BATTERY UPGRADE – ALL ABOUT BATTERIES and BATTERY CHARGING
- RV and Marine Battery Charging Basics - How do batteries get charged and what is the best charging method?
- Converters, Inverter/Chargers and Engine Alternators - No two battery charging systems do the job the same way.
- Solar Charge Controllers - A detailed examination of how three popular solar charge controllers work
- Solar Power and Shore Power Combined! - What happens when you're on solar and you plug into shore power?
- Wet Cell vs. AGM Batteries in an RV or Boat - Why we upgraded our RV house battery bank from flooded to AGM!
INVERTER UPGRADE – ALL ABOUT INVERTERS
- Power Inverters – Selection & Installation – What to look for in a power inverter for “house-like” off-grid RV living on 12 volts.
- How Much Inverter is Enough? – What happened when we accidentally killed our big inverter
CHOOSING and BUYING a TRUCK
- Buying a Truck – Things to consider: Which Make & Model? Single Rear Wheel or Dually? Long Bed or Short Bed?
- More on Choosing a Truck – With a link to the article Trailer Life Magazine asked us to write
TRUCK – UPGRADES and MAINTENANCE
- B&W Companion OEM 5th Wheel Hitch Installation – Hitch review and step-by-step guide for this easy DIY job
- Edge Evolution CS Engine Tuner Review – Provides peak truck performance
- More about Edge Tuners – Different models and driving modes plus an article written for Escapees Magazine
- Amp’d Throttle Booster Upgrade – An easy “fix” to the “dead pedal” syndrome
- How to Change the Inner Rear Wheel of a Dually Truck – Hopefully this will never happen to you!
- How to Put DEF (Diesel Exhaust Fluid) in a Truck – Without spilling a drop…
REPAIRS and CRISES ON THE ROAD
- Fifth Wheel Trailer Axle Replacement – We bent the spindle in Nova Scotia and replaced the axle in Maine
- RV Refrigerator Replacement – Our RV refrigerator died “on schedule” in Kentucky after 8 years of service
- Faucet, Toilet, Fresh Water Tank and Window Leak Repairs – OMG – So many plumbing and leak repairs at once in Kansas!
- 5th Wheel Suspension Replacement – A massive failure driving cross-country left the tires almost rubbing against each other
- RV Toilet Replacement – The hand we’re dealt in Colorado is a Royal Flush!
- RV Roof Repair – Rubber Roof Patch & Holding Tank Vent Cap Replacement – Quick & easy!
- How to install RV Roof Vents (after hail damage!) – A step-by-step tutorial for this easy DIY job
- RV Awning Repair and Installation – A step-by-step guide for doing this tricky job
- One Nut From Disaster – Miles from Nowhere in New Mexico, a critical nut falls off and must be replaced…with what?
- Fifth Wheel Trailer Rollover Accident – It wasn’t us, but it happened to good folks in a very similar rig in Texas
Companion indexes of other RV Tips articles:
You can find this page again by clicking on the “Tech Tips” item in the menu.
Happy Reading!
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