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Have spent the morning catching up on my reading. One topic I've not seen covered (maybe it has but I've just not come across it, and my search efforts have come up dry), is this:
Once we acquire our Coach, which we hope to do sometime in the next six to eight months - I'd like to have ready a list of spare parts to carry on the road with us. I've seen mentions of everything from windshield wiper blades to various nuts and bolts, and everything in between. Realizing that it's not feasible to carry a replacement for every little thing that might fail out there, I'm wondering what replacement parts others have decided are important enough to keep with them when traveling. Also, has anyone come up with a creative means of storing and organizing their "inventory" of spare parts? From your suggestions I'm thinking I can put together a shopping list that will serve as a good start! As always, thanks for your wisdom!
As fulltimers with 3 yrs on the road, I have a small assortment of nuts & bolts. The only spare part item we carry is a water pump. Everything else you may need is either at WalMart, Lowes, or on Amazon.
For engine and drive train; Fuel filter, fuel water separator, air dryer filter, 1 gallon of coolant 1 gallon of oil, 1 quart of Dexron 3, air hoses and related adapters
For the house; small assortment of PVC and fittings, small assortment of Pex tubing and fittings, a moderate selection of wood screws, self taping metal screws and nuts and bolts, duct tape, metal plumbers tape, Teflon tape, cabinet hinges. A large assortment of hand tools and several power tools.
I have several small parts cabinets to keep most of the smaller items and 2 rubber made tubes for the larger items.
Thought about carrying a spare slide motor and gear box until I found out the cost. Not a problem with them in 10 years.
I've probably missed half of the stuff we carry and a lot of the stuff (spare parts) you'll pick up as you need it. Pick up 2 instead of 1, the just in case scenario.
I do most of my own work so I may carry more than most.
I think if you parked next to Ken you would have it covered. LOL! If I need fuses or relays I'll usually get two, there was a reason you got the first one. Other than that, nuts, bolts, screws, hose clamps etc. Bill of Bill and Linda says to carry a spare water pump and converter. He says you can make do without other things but not those.
I think if you parked next to Ken you would have it covered. LOL! If I need fuses or relays I'll usually get two, there was a reason you got the first one. Other than that, nuts, bolts, screws, hose clamps etc. Bill of Bill and Linda says to carry a spare water pump and converter. He says you can make do without other things but not those.
Great Suggestions so far, I'm making a list!
-- Edited by Offtosmelltheroses on Sunday 12th of July 2015 04:53:42 PM
Well I can't speak to spare parts specifically, but as a former Navy Storekeeper I can offer this perspective. On ships, space is at a premium and the Navy in its wisdom prioritizes onboard spares according to critical failures. Along this line, anything that could constitute a serious problem if it failed on the road could be considered a critical item. I'd agree water pumps can and will fail and likely when you most need them. A bad tankful of fuel will ruin your day in a hurry so a fuel filter would an item I'd carry it you are mechanically inclined. Windshield wipers, important but they typically wear out in a degrading performance way and with routine inspections can be replaced as needed and therefore are not critical. IF you use that process you'll find the list is probably fairly short. Various screws, Fuses, nuts and bolts (if you are DIY type you'll invariably drop or lose one in the process of fixing or repairing something) in small quantities sound like good ideas, items for patching holes or leaks also good. Spare light bulbs also worthy. Be wary of items that decay or have limited shelf life. Many fluids fall into this category. If you carry it, use it to top off levels during periodic inspections and replace quantities in the smallest size available as needed. Again with routine maintenance and inspections most items will be readily available at Walmart, Ace, HomeDepot or online and can be obtained before a critical failure occurs as there usually warning signs that failure is appoaching or imminent.
Be it a US Navy ship or an RV or an ordinary automobile..... Never, ever ever be without Duct Tape. It will get you through almost any situation until you can fix something properly.
Oh Man! I forgot about the fuses.....yes I do have those as well. No matter what you start out with it'll never be the one item you need. I can't tell you how many Lowes and Home Depots we have visited all across the country.
I think if you parked next to Ken you would have it covered. LOL! If I need fuses or relays I'll usually get two, there was a reason you got the first one. Other than that, nuts, bolts, screws, hose clamps etc. Bill of Bill and Linda says to carry a spare water pump and converter. He says you can make do without other things but not those.
The reason I say an extra water pump and converter for 12 volts is:
1) No water pump no toilet.Ask the DW if that is a “mission critical: item;
2) No 12 volts “no nothing” in almost all rigs.Even if the slides are hydraulic you need 12 volts to run the pump.No 12 volts – no fridge if it’s an RV refer; no 12 volts no lights in most rigs, etc. No 12 volts no landing legs. I think you get the picture.
I also carry the “soft start” kits for the air conditioners. Some say that is over kill until you need one.Naturally you have to know how to change those out.But losing an AC unit in the summer can be very uncomfortable.Had to replace two of those on the road.
Along with the nuts and bolts and fuses, rescue tape, etc. I carry anything that isn’t heavy that either has gone bad or can go bad including hydraulic lines for the levelers which in my case are the landing legs as well. (Had to replace one line on the road.) Also hydraulic fluid for them which is the same as ATF so just carry whatever your truck / MH uses.A spare thermostat for the hot water tank.(Yep, had to replace that on the road.)Also a spare regulator for the LP tanks.(Yep, had one of those go bad on the road as well while boondocking in Arches National Park.)
Some of the decisions have to do with your mode of travel.Do you travel or just reside in the RV close to a shop with parts and how much trouble / time are you willing to take to get things fixed and have your travel interrupted.
Finally, how comfortable are you with fixing things.The cost of most of these items is fairly small in most cases.So having them is just insurance – like a spare tire – IMO.
Just trying to give you a bit of an overview as to how to think about these things.Then again, we’re in Tok, Alaska coming up the Alcan and that “encourages” my spare parts supply.
We have found that no matter how many things we have, there is always something that we don't have that necessitates a trip to Lowes/Home Depot or an auto parts store.
Barb
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Barb & Dave O'Keeffe
2002 Alpine 36 MDDS (Figment II), 2018 Ford C-Max HYBRID
Hose clamps, hose clamps, hose clamps! I'm only so enthusiastic about them because we've never really made it a point to carry them but Hubby tossed one into his tool box on a trip this past week that saved the day.
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Reminds me of my safari in Africa. Somebody forgot the corkscrew and for several days we had to live on nothing but food and water.
If you have a solar system for battery charging then a converter may not be a mission critical part, however if you only use a generator or FHU campsites then I can see how it might be. Instead of a spare converter, I carry a 10A battery charger, which can serve as a converter in an emergency, plus can be easily used to charge other batteries, such as my TV and bike batteries. I also carry spare wheel bearings, seals and grease as well as a few spare lug nuts. No one has yet mentioned a spare tire (or two), lug wrench and compressor for inflation. I also carry a Volt Ohm Meter and spare electrical wiring, bailing wire and pipe strapping (for tying up loose things till they can be fixed correctly.) I also have extra toilet chemicals, a can of WD-40 or silicone lube and chain lube for the motorbikes, cotter pins and hitch pins, epoxy glue, JB Weld, distilled water for the battery (if you don't have a AGM or gel cell type) and some emery cloth for cleaning corrosion. I carry a tube of Dicor or Sikaflex for leaks too. I always carry a water thief (the hose device, not a person), a portable water transfer pump, extra fresh water hose, extra batteries, extra extension cords and 2 extra wheel chocks too. When I was in the Army we had a saying, "Two is one; one is none."
Chip
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1999 National Tropical Class A gasser
Toad - 2.4l Chevy Cobalt SS with 400k miles and counting.
Hose clamps, hose clamps, hose clamps! I'm only so enthusiastic about them because we've never really made it a point to carry them but Hubby tossed one into his tool box on a trip this past week that saved the day.
I went through a stage with the s/b house a couple years ago, where it seemed like I was running to the hardware store every weekend for another hose clamp. I finally got smart, went to Harbor Freight and purchased not one, but two boxes of hose clamps in assorted sizes. To this day, they're both still unopened and in the original sealed wrappers. Go figure! Haven't needed one since, so at least one of them will be assigned to the MH!
I will likely end up pulling a 53' semi-trailer behind, packed right full to the rafters with every tool and every supply can think of........
That's what happens when used to doing all my own mechanical repairs. I would have a hard time to have to take the coach in for a shop to even do an oil change. Going to be hard to break the habit.
I will likely end up pulling a 53' semi-trailer behind, packed right full to the rafters with every tool and every supply can think of........ That's what happens when used to doing all my own mechanical repairs. I would have a hard time to have to take the coach in for a shop to even do an oil change. Going to be hard to break the habit.
Sell the coach, buy a big sleepcab toterhome semi that's RV certified, then... yep... get the 53' trailer and the special oversize rig permit and you'll be fine!!!
We have found that no matter how many things we have, there is always something that we don't have that necessitates a trip to Lowes/Home Depot or an auto parts store.
Barb
Yup....I have found if I have a spare part, the part never breaks.....Only the parts that I don't have spares for break.
From your suggestions I'm thinking I can put together a shopping list that will serve as a good start! As always, thanks for your wisdom!
It will get you through almost any situation until you can fix something properly.
Haven't needed one since, so at least one of them will be assigned to the MH!
