When transporting a RV, there are many things you must do to prepare your RV for transport. There are three major areas that you must look after before transporting it: the interior, exterior, and the mechanics of the vehicle.
There are many things you need to prepare on the interior of your RV before it is being transported. First of all, you must secure all of the latches on doors, windows, and cabinets, if they don’t latch, simply tape them shut. Furthermore, you should secure or take down all of the items that are hanging on the walls of the vehicle. Another important step would be to ensure that all appliances are unplugged, and to disconnect power and gas lines. If you have loose items found throughout the RV, it is recommended you stow it within appropriate compartments. Finally, make sure you do a final sweep of the RV for any loose items within the RV.
Much like the interior of the vehicle, the exterior must also be prepared for moving the vehicle. First of all, make sure that all parking, brake, turn signal, and indicator lights are functioning. Furthermore, one should latch and secure all cargo doors, chains, and pop ups before your departure. The final step would be to lock slide-outs if the RV has them.
Before transporting your RV, the final major area you must check would be to look into the mechanics of it. This is an area that you may not feel comfortable doing yourself if you have limited experience on working with engines. If this is the case simply take it to where you would typically get the RV serviced, and have them conduct a routine service. However, if you plan on doing the checkup yourself, you should begin with checking the fluid levels of the engine oil, transmission fluid, coolant, power steering fluid, or anything else that may leak. Also, you should secure the tow bar and hitch, and double check to make sure they are installed and latched properly. This is an area that some people may forget to conduct a thorough inspection, and it may be one of the most important.
From purchasing the RV to finding a company to move it, there are a lot of things you have to remember to do before you can actually move it. Here is a list of a few tips to remember when you are preparing for the move.
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Safety Precautions
- Moving a vehicle of this magnitude can be extremely dangerous if not done correctly. In order to make sure the transport is safe, start by checking the pressure in all tires and inspect for cracks and excessive tread wear.
- Another major important piece would be to verify that service and the parking brakes function normally, and if there are air brakes, the air pressure is good.
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Weather Conditions
When you are actually planning on the move, you should check the weather along the route. Make sure you fill up on freshwater tanks with antifreeze and any other precautionary measures.
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Keys
Make sure you give the transporter a full set of keys and to note any special operating instructions.
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Instructions
Provide the transporting company with emergency procedures and shut off locations for batteries, generator, LP/propane tanks and manual overrides in case of any issues.
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Owners Manual
If you are unsure on any specific area, simply refer to the owner’s manual for any clarifications.
Transporting a RV has many different moving parts that makes the move much more difficult. Aside from the logistical standpoint of conducting the move, you also have to prepare the RV for travel. This includes ensuring that everything is safely latched and secure on the interior, you must ensure that the moving parts of the exterior are working properly, and everything is working smoothly on the mechanics side as well. If you are starting to think about transporting your RV, follow the steps highlighted within this article to have a peace of mind. Ship A Car transport coordinators are available 7 days a week to provide you with a quote to transport your RV and educate you on the entire transport process.
