The vast majority of the roadside calls we get are for problems that a 30-minute pre-trip check would have caught in the driveway. Spending a little time before you leave beats sitting on the shoulder of I-65 in the heat waiting for help. Here's the checklist we'd run on your rig.
Tires and Wheels
Check the pressure on every tire, including the spare, and look hard at the sidewalls. RV and trailer tires age out in about five to seven years regardless of tread, so check the date codes — a tire that looks fine can blow simply because it's old. Make sure your lug nuts are tight.
Brakes, Bearings and Hitch
If you tow, test the trailer brakes and brake controller, feel the hubs for excess heat after a short drive, and make sure the hitch, safety chains and breakaway switch are all in good shape and properly connected. This is the running gear that keeps you and everyone around you safe.
Systems Check
- Batteries charged and holding, converter charging
- Propane on and appliances lighting (fridge, furnace, stove, water heater)
- Air conditioning cooling properly
- Slide-outs and awnings operating smoothly
- Lights, brake lights and turn signals working
- Roof seals intact, no soft spots or leaks
The Easy Way to Do It
If crawling around checking bearings and brakes isn't your idea of a good time, that's exactly what a pre-trip inspection is for. We'll go through the whole rig, catch the small problems while they're still small, and give you an honest list of anything that needs attention — so you leave town confident instead of hoping.
We do pre-trip inspections throughout White House and the north Nashville area. Book one a week or two before a big trip so there's time to fix anything we find.
FAQ
How far ahead should I get a pre-trip inspection?
A week or two before you leave is ideal. That leaves time to order any parts and make repairs without scrambling the day before departure.
What's the most common thing you catch?
Aged-out tires and neglected wheel bearings, followed by weak batteries and roof sealant that's starting to fail. All of them are cheap to address before a trip and expensive to deal with on the road.
📞 (618) 387-2229