RV FEATURE
Corinna Pinnock of RV & Caravan Centre , NSW
Corinna says a service is really about “ preventative maintenance rather than being a reactive experience ”. This means discovering problems before they are serious issues .
According to Corinna , there is some pre-emptive work caravanners can do between annual services . “ A moisture meter is a good tool to have in the toolbox because you can check all the corners where the roof meets the wall and actually test if there is any moisture on the inside after rain ,” she said .
She says that a moisture reading of more than 15 per cent indicates a leak might be starting to become an issue . That means instead of waiting to discover water damage , the caravanner can proactively look for a potential cause of a leak before it causes any damage .
Corinna says owners need to remember that getting a regular service is important for more than just finding leaks .
“ If you do big trip after big trip , things like wheel bearings need to be repacked , and so many other things need to be investigated – things like brake drums need to be checked to
make sure that they are safe so that when you do apply your brakes they are actually working correctly .”
She recommends getting your van serviced professionally before a long trip to check for cracks in the chassis , broken springs , that the brake magnets are working correctly and more .
Regular servicing is not just about eliminating a benign squeak – it is a safety issue .
“ Those that don ’ t maintain the underbody and suspension , they ’ re the ones we find on the side of the road . You want to be able to know that when you go away , you ’ re safe and the van ’ s right ,” Corinna said .
Then , when considering that a regular service might prevent something serious like a wheel coming off your van while travelling , her trademark easy-going nature turns serious and she insists that a service is about “ your safety , and the safety of others as well .”
A new hot water service anode compared to an old one – note how ' used ' the old anode is .
A wheel bearing change is an inevitable caravan service item .
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