How to extend the life of your camper trailer tent
How to extend the life of your Camper Trailer Tent Is there anything else like sleeping under canvas? The sound of rain helping you drift off to sleep. It’s amazing. That is until you see some mould! Here are some practical tips to improve the life of your camper trailer tent. Keeping your tent canvas clean This may sound obvious – but simply keeping your tent clean will greatly extend its life in top condition. One great way to keep your canvas looking good and free of odours is to give it a regular spray with a garden hose. You should aim to give your camper a very thorough hose down at least once a year, this will keep dirt from becoming ingrained. Regularly clean off, and clear out bird droppings, tree sap, and other debris. To avoid damaging the fabric, don’t use soap, detergent or solvents to remove them – instead, use a clean cloth or soft-to-medium brush and cold to lukewarm water. Mould and mildew Got caught in a storm, and the inside of your tent has gotten wet? Make sure when you get home you air it out and let it dry before packing down. If you do discover mould, be very careful with solvents or other mould killers as this can interfere with your tent’s weatherproofing and protection. The best way to kill mould, dab it with a mix of nine parts water to one part vinegar. Let the canvas dry completely and then remove all traces of mould using a brush and vacuum cleaner. Pre-trip care After you purchase your camper trailer, it is a good idea to pre-condition the canvas prior to your first trip. This simply involves setting it up outside for at least 24 hours to expose it to humidity. (You can also help this along by spraying it with your garden hose) This will make the fibres expand and contract, becoming more water-resistant. Post-trip care After your trip and you arrive home – it is a good idea to give the trailer a hose down, for the reasons above. Make sure metal items such as tent pegs are packed away separately because they can corrode and stain the canvas. Repairing the canvas Got a small rip or tear in the canvas? Panic! No, no – don’t panic – this is an easy fix! Most camping stores sell patches that can be sewn onto the tent’s inside surface. Alternatively, you can buy repair tape if your sewing machine skills aren’t up to scratch.
5 Maintenance Tips for your Camper Trailer
Platinum Campers 5 Maintenance Tips for your Camper Trailer Tips for Extending the Life of Your Trailer Learn More Like any vehicle you own – Camper Trailers do require servicing. Ensuring your home on wheels is always ready to go, you need to perform periodic general maintenance. To extend the life of your camper trailer – follow these simple steps to keep your Camper running smoothly. For a more complete guide on caring for your Camper – check out your manual. 1 – Wheel Bearings Where to begin? We here at Platinum Campers always recommend starting from the bottom and working your way up. A camper’s wheel bearings may be one of the most important parts – well they do keep you attached to the ground – so, they are important and require special attention. We recommend you check your bearings before and after every single trip you make. For a quick inspection, rotate each wheel while it’s jacked up and off the ground. Each wheel should rotate smoothly without any grinding noises or notchy feelings. While you’re there, wriggle the wheel from top to bottom and side to side to detect any excessive free-play. You can pop the bearing cap off the hub to see what the condition of the grease is like too. 2 – CLEAN WATER STORAGE Platinum Campers recommends keeping your water tank full during long periods of storage. This means there will be less oxygen is stored in the tank, slowing down the production of algae and bacteria. It’s when you notice any odours coming from the water that it’s time to sanitize the tanks.There are so many products on the market for this available at your local camping store or Bunnings But for a quick and easy solution you can clean with bleach. This will need to be heavily diluted; about ¼ cup of bleach to roughly 55L of water should do the trick! For a less abrasive option Bicarbonate Soda solution works a treat as well. Remember to flush the entire system from the filler pipe to each water outlet, and don’t forget the hot water system if you’ve got one too. 3 – Caring For Your Canvas The best thing you can do for your new canvas is weather it. This will help make the canvas more flexible and easier to put up and take down. A regular hosing down with clean tap water will will prevent things like bird droppings and acidic seeds from penetrating and damaging the coatings that are applied at our factory. You should Never pack your canvas if it is still damp or wet. Platinum Campers say that most of the cuts, rips or tears discovered in the tents canvas actually happen while the tent is being packed away. It’s also a good idea to zip the windows closed, which helps to protect the insect mesh inside as well. 3 – Lube It Up Regular greasing of any grease nipples not only keeps things lubricated, but the grease actually helps create a protective barrier which keeps water out of internal components as well. Anything that locks, latches, hinges, swings, slides, rotates or even moves can benefit from some spray-on lubricant as well. 4 – LPG Checks Platinum Campers will ensure your gas is permanently plumbed to your accessories, which makes setting up much quicker and easier in the long run, but this also means any repairs should legally be carried out by a qualified technician. You still need to check things over regularly for leaks, just in case. To do this spray over any connections or fittings with soapy water, and if bubbles appear from any of the connections, it can indicate a possible gas leak. If you discover any leaks – call a qualified gas technician asap “How often should you check wheel bearings? Although tedious – we recommend you check your bearings before and after every single trip you make. “ 5 – EASY ELECTRICAL MAINTENANCE With all the dirt, water, mud and everything else we throw at Camper Trailers it’s no wonder the electrics can sometimes become a little problematic. Cleaning your tail lights, Auxillary plugs, Anderson Plug connection with some contact cleaner. Doing this simple maintenance after a trip will ensure you are always powered while on the road. If you have been off-road or on bumpy terrain it may also be worth checking your battery terminals. We can think of nothing worse than a 30KG battery tipping over mid trip. What’s Next? If you need help choosing the next camper trailer or are thinking about upgrading your existing one, contact the Platinum Campers team today. We’d be happy to help and answer any inquiries you have about your camper trailers.