We all see the incredible pictures on social media of families out enjoying the RV lifestyle. Whether they are beach camping, heading out to a national park, or simply tucked in a beautiful mountain site by a bubbling stream, all this is true and obtainable in the RV lifestyle.
But what about if something in the RV breaks? I don’t even know if I should use an If, it’s more like when. The number one reality for all RVers is things are going to break, period. It doesn’t matter if you bought brand new or rebuilt a 20-year-old rig. These RVsare moving homes rolling down this nation’s highways. Pothole after pothole, jarring loose screws, nuts and wires. So, what to do when the inevitable happens? Let me share my experience and how it changed my RVing forever.
Like most RVers, I’ve had to deal with many minor repair issues. I’ve had my sewer hose cut by a lawn mower, I’ve lost a sewer connection cap and I’ve had AC fuses blow and then blow again. None of that phased me, not that I was preparedbut those unexpected RV repairs were nothing compared to the toilet issue. Where do I start?
One Broken Toilet Changed My Mind…
Before I begin, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I’m a 6 foot 3, 280-poundformer NFL offensive lineman. I spent 11 years battling in the trenches of the NFL.
I can handle most things thrown at me. I personally can handle small repair issues around the house, but I would never claim to be a “handy”, or “fix-it” type of husband. Now when it comes to computers and electronics, I’m your guy. Car engine trouble, plumbing, etc., you need to call a professional. But knowing that RVs tend to have repair issues, I decided to try to learn more about my RV. I enrolled in a RV inspection course, not because I wanted to become an RV inspector.
But because they claimed they could teach me how to handle about 90% of the repair issues that most RVers face. So, I took the course, passed with flying colors, and learned a ton about RVs.
We have 1 1/2 baths our RV and we love the convenience of having that extra toilet. The ½ bath is useful but tucked into a rather small space. One day, my wife was doing something in the 1/2 bath and knocked one of the command hooks (don’t we RVers love our command hooks?) into the toilet. The toilet has an electric flush with a macerator. Somehow the switch was hit and all you could hear was the terrible sound of the macerator trying to chew up the metal part of the hook. By the time I got to the toilet, it was too late. I could tell that the metal of the command hook was stuck in the toilet macerator. Keep in mind; we are at a campground in the middle of the Smoky Mountains. Oh, and did I mention it was a Sunday? All I could think about was how much a mobile RV tech would charge. So, I sat outside in my favorite camping chair stewing about the pain of this upcoming bill.
Time to Step Up
Then and there I decided to take a stand. I had been through some training; I thought I could handle the issue, or at least try. I went in and assessed the situation; the toilet would have to come out if there was any chance to remove the metal hook. Now for the real question…do I have the tools to remove the toilet? Of course I didn’t, but one of the things I love the most about the RV community is its willingness to help. I checked with a few neighbors and one of them had the tools I needed. Note to self: make sure you have the right tools to handle minor issues.
Now that I had the right tools, I dove right in. I was able to loosen and remove the nuts and bolts and lift the toilet up. Keep in mind how small this space is, and you’ll understand how I felt like I was crammed into a closet as I wrestled with the toilet.
Sweating and my back aching, I was able to reach down into the macerator and remove the metal command hook.
I can’t tell you the sense of relief I felt as I set the toilet back down in its place. After tightening the last nut, I felt those nervous butterflies in my stomach.
Would the toilet still work? Had I made any mistakes? I knew I got the hook out, but was there further damage that I had not noticed? Only one way to tell – hit the flush button. So, I reached out and pushed the button…the sound of a flushing toilet was never sweeter. Success, I”t worked” had successfully fixed the problem and it hadn’t cost me $100/hour for a RV tech. You want to know the best part? My father-in-law was a handyman and could fix or do anything from electrical work to remodeling an entire kitchen; he was your man. My wife learned a ton from her father and I admit it’s always intimidated me that she knows so much about repairs. But after I fixed the toilet, she was really proud of my effort and me. That meant the world to me…and I’m now confident and ready to tackle the next issue that creeps up.
My 6 Major Lessons Learned….
- The “Must – Haves”– Having some of what I call the “must have”tools on board can be a lifesaver. While there are Home Depot’s and Lowe’s all across this nation, you may be in the one location where a big hardware store is inaccessible or just simply closed.
- The pre-camping season checkupI recommend a full system test for all the systems in the RV. If you don’t store your RV at your house, bring the RV home to your driveway. Do a complete test of every system – heating, cooling, propane, etc. Try to schedule this run through a few weeks prior to your 1st camping trip of the season. That will hopefully allow some time for you to schedule any needed repairs with your local dealership.
- Pre-trip check-in – We use our RV much more than the typical RV owner’s 30 days per year, but I still check up on my RV prior to departing. I’ll say it again, things do break in RVs. Spending an hour or two testing each system, checking tire pressures, and checking battery water levels can save you so much hassle and stress.
- Have extras– I’ve learned that all RVs are not made the same. It’s no different in many things we buy today. Keeping a few extra key items in your RV as backups can keep an unfortunate issue from ruining an entire vacation.
- Tip– Check out Road & Home’s Ready for the Road Checklist and stock up on all the essential items all RVers should have on hand. Having these easy-to-replaceparts on hand could save you a trip to the store and headache down the road. And it might just make you a hero for at least that day!
- If you are not that handy – or just not confident in your repair skills, take a course. There are plenty of places you can expand your knowledge of how RVs work, whether you check our seminars at FMCA rallies, use online tools, or even take the class I took, NRVIA, you won’t be sorry.
Keith Sims – Soulful RV Family – soulfulrvfamily.com
*Special thanks to Road & Home for sponsoring this post and allowing me to share my toilet repair story. You may not be able to stop a 300-poundefensive lineman in his track, but you can learn to handle many of the repairs in your RV. I hope my story inspires some of you to learn to handle more of your RV repair issues*
