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Daily pre trip

How many folks do a pre trip check every day before a long run? Open the back and check fluids and look things over with a flashlight, check tire pressure with a gauge! I sometimes think im obsessive about it.
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country

Re: Daily pre trip

Reply #1 –
I do at the beginning of a trip and if driving for a few days or if there are any long hard climbs I'll check every few days or so.
I'll also do a walk around after an hour or so if towing and shoot my tire and brake temperatures.
Forest & Cindy Olivier
1987 log cabin
2011 Roadtrek C210P
no longer 1999 36' U320 build #5522
2013 Rzr 570 & 2018 Ranger XP1000
2006 Lexus GX470
2011 Tahoe LT 4x4
Previous 1998 45' 2 slide Newell, 1993 39' Newell

Re: Daily pre trip

Reply #2 –
Bruce,

That is being smart not obsessive. 

We do our morning check tires, fluids, belts, hoses, and look for anything loose, leaking, or out of the ordinary. We make sure that we have plenty of fluid intake for breakfast so after about an hour of travel we will have a chance to do a warmed up walkaround.

Mike
Pamela & Mike 97 U 320

"It's not what happens to you, but how you react to it that matters."

Re: Daily pre trip

Reply #3 –
I check fluid levels (engine oil, tranny fluid) at the end of the driving day (after coach is parked and leveled).  Tranny fluid before I shut engine down, engine oil 10 minutes after shutdown.  Open air tank water drains and check for moisture after checking engine oil level.

I check cold tire pressures every morning before departure by viewing the TPMS screen.

In the morning before starting engine, I open the engine hatch.  Check for stray cats sleeping on the cylinder head.  Found one - once in 5 years.  After I start the engine, I walk back and verify the proper operation of the accessory drive belts and the cooling fans.  Check for proper idle RPM fuel pressure on engine compartment gauge.  I wait for the air dryer to purge the first time and check wet tank (system) air pressure on engine compartment gauge, then I close the engine hatch.

After that I make one circuit around the coach.  Check all air bags properly inflated, awnings all stowed, TV antenna stowed, cargo hatches locked, portable EMS and water filter collected and stowed, no wandering toddlers or dogs from neighboring RV sleeping under the wheels.  Then we are ready to pull out.

5-10 miles down the road, we stop and check the hold-down strap tension on our tow dolly.

May sound (to some) like a lot of "checking" stuff, but doing a proper pre-flight makes me happy.  Residual habit from flying days...
1993 U280 SE 40' WTBI, Build: 4359
C8.3 300hp, 6-Speed, Exhaust Brake
960 watts on the roof (6 x 160)
Sorento (or BOLT) on a Kar Kaddy SS
"Nature abhors a vacuum"

Re: Daily pre trip

Reply #4 –
While not as an "extensive" of a list as Chuck's...... I check all the fluids daily, either at the end of a long days drive or before starting out for the day.  It depends on how late it is when I stop. I will do a walk around at every rest stop to check tires and for "drips" under the coach. With no drips -(fluids should be ok) and tire temps all ok it's back on the road. OCD ? Maybe ?..... but I "feel" more comfortable knowing all appears "good" and it's on to the next destination. 
Justin & Cathy Byrd
1995 U280 "Old Faithful"
36' Build #4673
C8.3 Cummins
Allison MD3060R 6 speed - retarder
Powertech 10KW  4cyl Kubota

Re: Daily pre trip

Reply #5 –
Well looks like I'm not OCD after all. I also do the run for about an hour and stop for a walk around.
Bruce, Linda, and Macy
Zoey RIP 1/20/19
1999 U295 40' build #5400
2017 silver Jeep Wrangler, 1260 watts of solar on top
Moving around the country

Re: Daily pre trip

Reply #6 –
It might seem obsessive but I check fluids, look at the belts, look for anything that does not looks normal, look for leaks, check every awning latch, double check all of the towing connections and lights even if we didn't disconnect over night, check the front lights and check the TPMS.  I check the actual tire pressures before we leave after we have been somewhere for a while.  In seven years I have  had tire pressure sensor batteries fail, replaced them, and replaced 3 of 10 sensors.  Pretty reliable.

I like to do a walk around when we stop at a rest stop or for fuel as well.

If is a good habit to get into.  Lots of this can be done the day before you leave.  It only takes a few minutes and in the rush to get ready to go it forces you to slow down and methodically do your walk around and checks. 

We were at Camp FT a month ago and I watched someone drive off with no right side rear corner lights, well, maybe he just didn't use his turn signal.  I couldn't catch him.  He should have checked.
Roger Engdahl and Susan Green
2001 U320 3610 #5879 (Home2) - 2014 Jeep Cherokee or 2018 F150
Hastings, MN

Re: Daily pre trip

Reply #7 –
Every time we stop, at a rest area especially, we also check the tow car for any mischief from others.  Hey, it happens! 
Joe & Dottie Allen
Sold!  December 2023.      2000 U320; build # 5645
Our coach " Maxine"
Motorcade #  15922;  Escapee 150950; FMCA F330833; Boondockers Welcome;  Harvest Hosts;  Thousand Trails
'98 U320 from 2000-'06
USAF '62-'66

"Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for." ―Epicurus

Re: Daily pre trip

Reply #8 –
Only thing I do different is I don't check air every day with a gauge. I do bump my tires two or more times a day with a hammer. Once a month or so I check pressure with a gauge because with my luck doing it every day I would bogger up a valve core and cause my own flat tire. After trucking for 50 years I have come to know the sound of a tire that is under inflated.. Not saying I can get within 10 lbs of air but I can satisfy myself.. Wont hear me critisize one who checks pressure with a gauge daily, this is just me.
Dub McBride 1996 270

Re: Daily pre trip

Reply #9 –
And, many many of us have gone to a TPMS (Tire Pressure Monitor System).  Checking tire pressure is as easy as scrolling through the monitor screen.  Even though the system does have an alarm for significant loss of PSI, I do check pressure with the monitor every couple of hours while in the road as well as before starting in the morning.

Can't fathom running an RV without a TPMS.
Brett Wolfe
EX: 1993 U240
Moderator, ForeForum 2001-
Moderator Diesel RV Club 2002-
Moderator, FMCA Forum 2009-2020
Chairman FMCA Technical Advisory Committee 2011-2020

Re: Daily pre trip

Reply #10 –
Check to see if the antenna is down before moving the coach. Nice to have a flag or something. Our neighbor did it twice and had expensive repairs.

Yes, check tow dolly as the straps are famous for being a little loose after rough roads. We run the toad engine for 5 minutes (per manual) to lube tranny every 300 miles.

We always lock the toad when stopped and when unlocking, make sure the key is back in the steering column unlock position. I forgot once when late at night and tired. Put some wear on front tires but didn't like them anyway.

Buy a good tire gauge as many will cause a valve leak when checking the tires. The pin in the middle is too long and bends the valve actuator. Also make sure to have the metal slotted stem caps installed so you can change/tighten the valve. They only cost a couple of bucks for a set of four.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Daily pre trip

Reply #11 –
I have a pretty extensive list.

Re: Daily pre trip

Reply #13 –
 I designed , built and flew my own ultralight ..;Gretchen, Ogren Mike Ogren ultralight - YouTube
  The air purge is on the list , tires are on the list .  I am the only one that needs to know exactly what the list means.
 MY TV antenna does not extend.  We seldom watch TV and usually run the mobley.

Re: Daily pre trip

Reply #14 –
Quote from: Protech Racing –
I designed , built and flew my own ultralight ..;Gretchen, Ogren Mike Ogren ultralight - YouTube
  The air purge is on the list , tires are on the list .  I am the only one that needs to know exactly what the list means.
 MY TV antenna does not extend.  We seldom watch TV and usually run the mobley.
Nice design. Have not seen an ultralight like yours before. I had a VW powered Quickie 2 with a couple of wings. Also had to use vortex generators but at two different angles or it would go into a dive in the rain (the old airfoil) and a quick 180 was the only way to recover.

Use a iPhone/Samsung at high resolution. The world needs to see your plane at least at 1080P. Perfect otherwise.

Pierce
Pierce and Gaylie Stewart
'93 U300/36 WTBI
Detroit 6V-92TA Jake
1140 watts on the roof
SBFD (ret)

Re: Daily pre trip

Reply #15 –
I don't fly but I did spend decades running the desert Southwest in the 70"s on where any kind of help would be 300 miles away so I became quiet deligint in keeping eyes nose and ears on my unit.... it was my only way home. No such thing as taking to much precaution.
Dub McBride 1996 270

Re: Daily pre trip

Reply #16 –
 The video is  pretty bad . Shot on  Sonycam by my Son hanging out the roof on my VW Jetta driven by my Dad. Family outing..
  We did a lot of tuft testing verifying that it would not  kill me  by shooting the same way . 10 hrs or more .  Both, my Dad and Son flew it up the 7000 ft runway.  I am the only one to fly it  off site or turn it out of ground effect.  It flew very well and cruises about 55+-. I correlated the design  with some other engineers and was told that it was the best flying tandem in the bunch , so I was happy.  I measured the lift off speed at  38 MPH  and one guy called me and said that it should lift at 33mph .  When I corrected the speedo to the GPS, it was 34MPH. 
I drew it based upon known good values of the Flying Flea family , but moved some moments to improve some  weak areas. Most importantly the pitch moment arm .  I was too close on the rudder tho and needed to tip plate it for enough power to keep me happy. 
Burt's  Tandem wings and this share a lot  of design points.  Mostly the stalling of the front wing leading to a soft recovery in my case ,
and a weak recovery in the Quikie's case .
 

Re: Daily pre trip

Reply #17 –
opic: Daily pre trip

Once a B-52 pilot, always a pilot ( even if piloting a Foretravel)
1993 U300, 6v92
build 4366
USAF retired, Flight Engineer, C124, C130
 ATP, A & E.  & ex AI