Suggested Maintenance for Long Trip

[driftwood1]

I purchased a 2005 Safari 25 last summer. Was like new, not much road time on it. Have used it 8 times, all trips within 300 miles. Heading to Yellowstone from Alabama next month. This is my first travel trailer, so trying to assess what should be done maintenance-wise to prepare for the trip.

The tires have plenty of tread but are 9 yrs old- replace them?

Plan on repacking or replacing wheel bearings.

Anything need to be done to axle?

Any other suggestions or checklists anyone can provide?

I plan on taking it to Camping World (closest RV shop, but not an AS dealer any longer), but would like to have an idea of what they should check rather than giving them blank check.

Thanks

[Silvertwinkie]

-Repack bearings and replace grease seals. Axles themselves I don't believe are serviceable, other than the brakes, bearings, shocks, etc.

-Tires replacement recommendations vary widely, but as a general rule of thumb I replace mine about every 4 years. Someone pointed out to me that even if the tires look great on the outside, you can't see inside, plus, as they age, they slowly loose capacity. This is one reason my last tire upgrade I went to range E tires so as these age, I may safely get an additional year out of them. Tire brands and types are a Ford vs Chevy type discussion, so best I can say is do your research and select based on what you feel is the best fit for you.

- Brakes- check them and the magnets. Just cause you've been kind to it, doesn't mean the PO was and brakes are a vital component.

- Once you remove the tires from the hub, make sure you torque them properly and then after a few hundred miles, check the torque and then another 500 miles, check 'em again. Alum rims tend to need to be checked after removal compared to steel rims. Don't ask me why, I really don't know, but I can tell you having done this, I found a lug or two that fell out of torque specs at the specified miles I mentioned.

-Good coat of wax goes a long way to protecting the finish with all the bugs that are gonna splat all over the front.

- I also would strongly recommend you look at getting centramatic wheel balancers: Centramatic Wheel Balancer, Tire Balancers for DFW Trucks
They do make a big difference in ride quality.

- Check all running lights for functionality and bring spares bulbs with you.

[xrvr]

Tires are way over due for replacement. Just look at the long trip as a bunch of short trips tacked together. Axle should be okay, but bearings do need to be repacked and the brakes checked at the same time. Do not forget about tow vehicle maintenance, also. Have a good time. Jim

[xrvr]

Another thig, do not wait until the day of the trip to check lights, hitch and tire pressures for the trailer and tow vehicle. Fill the truck gas tank up before hitching up, eliminates an early stop. Jim

[driftwood1]

Thanks for the advice guys, very helpful!

[driftwood1]

Silver, just to be clear, the Centramatic balancers are for the trailer tires, not the TV, correct?

[pappy19]

If you have a 3/4-1 ton with 8 lugs, Centramatic also makes balancers for those trucks, but not 1/2 tons. I have Centramatics on both my AS and my TV. To add to the above, do not rely on ST tires for long trips. Many do and get away with it, but why take a chance? Move up to 16" LT tires if they will fit, otherwise, go to a D rated or E rated 15" LT tire. I am partial to Michelins, but there are some other good ones out there. Pack bearings and check the brakes. Also test your batteries and replace if needed. Have fun.

[switz]

Even though the Michelin tires are spin balanced on both the truck and trailer, I also installed the Centramatic wheel balancers on both vehicles long with a Dill TPMS system on the trailer.