Page 4 - Explore Your AAA – AAA Southern Pennsylvania – March/April 2019
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Your Membership
With the arrival of spring and warmer days peeking around the corner, you might be starting to think about upcoming summer road trips or camping adventures in the family RV. But after months of being stored away for the winter, it’s a smart idea to give your vehicle a little check-up before you hit the open road.
Check the exterior for potential leaks
It’s beneficial to start by thoroughly washing your RV to remove any dirt or grime built up from last year, making it easier to inspect the exterior for any issues. Starting at the roof and working your way down the body of the rig to the windows, doors, vents, and other seams, check for any damage to the caulking, as water can leak into the smallest cracks and cause damage. Those who take the preventative measures to inspect, remove old sealant, and reseal with an RV compatible sealant once or twice a year, are less likely to have leaks.
Inspect the tires
Examine the tires for proper tire pressure and adequate tire tread, along with looking for signs of dry rot or any cracks, bulges or wear in the sidewalls or in between treads. Inspect and adjust the brakes and wheel bearing. Lastly, tighten lug nuts on all the wheels before your travels.
Check the engine
Start by making sure the fluid levels for power steering, transmission, engine coolant, brakes, and windshield are filled. Keep in mind throughout the RV season that fluids should be serviced on a regular basis.
Check that all gauges and lights are working properly.
Prepare the water system
When you winterized your RV, you may have added RV antifreeze to the plumbing system or the fresh water tank to prevent
it from freezing. The easiest method of removing antifreeze from the plumbing system is to flush the antifreeze out by running water through the system. Open all faucets and run fresh water through it until it runs clear.
Before hitting the open road, make sure you have the right coverage for your RV and motorcycle with AAA Plus RV® and AAA Premier RV®.
You don’t want to ingest any chemical remnants,
so if you put RV antifreeze in the fresh water tank, you’ll want to drain the holding tank before adding clean water to
the fresh water tank. Next, you’ll want to sanitize the water system to make it safe for drinking.
Test appliances
Test all gas fire appliances to make sure they are in good working condition. Inspect the tanks, connections, value and firing operation. If you suspect something isn’t working properly, it’s best to have a professional look at it. If you have refillable gas tanks, check the expiration date and,
if needed, have them recertified for safety.
Investigate safety items
Fire extinguishers, smoke and carbon monoxide detectors, and PL gas leak detectors should all be inspected and updated with new batteries or replaced, if needed.
Before hitting the open road, make sure you have the right coverage for your RV and motorcycle with AAA Plus RV® and AAA Premier RV®. Adding this valuable protection to your membership, expands on the benefits offered by AAA Plus and AAA Premier respectively by extending your Roadside Assistance to RVs, trailers, motorcycles and other eligible vehicles.
• RV and motorcycle tow benefits for up to 100 driving miles for Plus RV
• RV and motorcycle tow benefits for up
to 200 driving miles for Premier RV (entitled to one 200 mile tow per family, per membership year)
• Assistance for RVs, recreational trailers, or motorcycles that you own, borrow, or rent
• Benefits extend across the U.S. and Canada
For more information contact your local AAA at 1-800-222-1469, stop by a AAA office, or visit AAA.com/RV.
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MARCH/APRIL 2019