How to prepare your camper trailer in spring

When the weather starts to warm up and the snow begins to melt, it’s time to take your camper out of hibernation and prepare it for the summer. Just as you took steps to winterize your fifth wheel in the fall, it’s also necessary to de-winterize your trailer to get it in prime working condition. Here’s an overview of what you need to do.

Inspect and inflate your tires

While in storage, your camper’s tires lose two to three PSI per month and even more if you live in a cold climate. Driving on deflated tires results in poor handling, reduced fuel efficiency and increases your risk of a blowout or crash while towing large loads.

Check for damage

Walk around your camper and look for cracks in the walls or loose weatherstripping around the windows and doors. You should also inspect the roof. Snow accumulation can lead to leaks over the winter. Moreover, check the trailer hitch for signs of rust and replace any parts if necessary.

Charge the battery

Your battery will lose some of its charge over the winter. Therefore, check the voltage with a multimeter. It should read 12.7 volts. Any reading of 12 or under means the battery needs to be charged. Use a battery charger to power it up. While you’re at it, check the water level and refill with distilled water if required.

Flush and sanitize the water system

Next, flush out the anti-freeze you added to the water system to prevent damage to the pipes during winter. You can do this by:

• Draining the fresh water tank and fill it with potable water

• Turning on the water pump

• Opening all the faucets and flushing the toilets until the water runs clear

• Turning off the pump

• Taking the water heater out of bypass mode

• Replacing all the water filters

After flushing the system:

• Measure about 60 millilitres of bleach to every 60 litres your water tank holds

• Dilute the bleach and add it to the tank

• Top up the tank, turn on the pump and open all faucets and showers until you start to smell bleach

• Let the solution sit in the pipes for 12 hours and then drain the tank and fill it with potable water

• Give it another flush and run water through the pnes again until the bleach smell is gone

Check the gas system

Fill your propane tanks and connect them to the hose lines. Check for leaks by covering the connections with soapy water. Bubbles indicate a leak that needs to be repaired. Lastly, check that your propane appliances work.

Towing and trailer hitches in the GTA

At Hitch City, we specialize in towing and trailer hitches, as well as truck accessories. Besides hitches, we also carry sport racks and bike carriers. To learn more about our products and services, contact us today at one of our three locations in the GTA.