Maintenance for Parked Trailer

[NancyLH]

We upgraded from a 1984 travel trailer to a 2017 35' Cherokee BH as our lake getaway here in Minnesota. The trailer will be parked at the lake year-round, although we may take a road trip with it occasionally.

We will not use it in the winter, so we have drained all water and put about 6 gallons of antifreeze in the system. We also pulled the batteries and put a cover on the trailer and the tires.

Other maintenance we plan is annual waxing and roof coating.

So I think I have a simple question ... are there other things we need to think about for regular maintenance to make sure it's road worthy if we choose to take hit the road in awhile?

[SeaDog]

This is just me if I had the setup you are talking about I would lift the rig to take the weight off the suspension and tires.

[Cost4133]

Originally Posted by SeaDog

This is just me if I had the setup you are talking about I would lift the rig to take the weight off the suspension and tires.

around here we go the opposite and raise the stabilizers/levelers That way if/when the ground heaves it doesnt put as much twist on the trailer

[Iwritecode]

Originally Posted by SeaDog

This is just me if I had the setup you are talking about I would lift the rig to take the weight off the suspension and tires.

As a seasonal I've never done that and don't know anyone else that has either.

The tires hold the majority of the weight of the trailer. Blocks around the trailer work to stabilize it. I wouldn't want the blocks to hold the entire weight of the trailer.


For the tires, just put some decent tire covers over them and check them regularly. Also be sure to do the regular maintenance of the seals and roof.

[Stlcaly]

Two additions....before covering tires, spray sidewalls with uv repellent. I recommend 903 brands on amazon......no one mentioned battery maintenance or security of your battery. I take mine home and hook up a battery stabilizer after checking battery fluid level and charge. Battery maintainers do just that, no a trickle charges. However I have great luck with the very inexpensive models sold at Harbor Freight. I also cable lock propane tanks.

[Scrapper]

I've had 3 different TT's on seasonal sites year round since 2000. I leveled the TT's by placing 2" x 6" x 6 foot pressure treated boards under the tires to prevent the tires from sinking in the ground. I used concrete blocks on each corner then in front of and behind the axles, 4 pillars each side, plus the tongue jack. The current TT had two 2" x 8" x 6 foot on one side and one on the other for level and blocks placed at the same 8 places. With all 3 in privately owned campgrounds I never worried about securing the battery or LP tanks from theft.

[Larry-NC]

Originally Posted by NancyLH

We upgraded from a 1984 travel trailer to a 2017 35' Cherokee BH as our lake getaway here in Minnesota. The trailer will be parked at the lake year-round, although we may take a road trip with it occasionally.

We will not use it in the winter, so we have drained all water and put about 6 gallons of antifreeze in the system. We also pulled the batteries and put a cover on the trailer and the tires.

Other maintenance we plan is annual waxing and roof coating.

So I think I have a simple question ... are there other things we need to think about for regular maintenance to make sure it's road worthy if we choose to take hit the road in awhile?

We leave a small (30 pt.) dehumidifier running all the time. We put it in the shower, without the collector tank. (You have to wedge the tank switch On.) We open the gray tank valve and let the collected water out, so it doesn't freeze in the waste pipe. This keeps the trailer fresh and mildew-free all year.

For the trailer at home, we just let the water out on the drive. For the trailer on a campground site, we connect the sewage tote and let the water collect there.

Most modern dehumidifiers (including our two) won't run when the air temperature gets below 50 or 60F, so they aren't damaged by frigid winters.

Did you say six gallons? That's a lot for winterizing. Did you bypass the water heater first?

[Tiguan Tow r]

Our trailer sits in a seasonal park. The other thing I do is place a few Moisture Grabber pouches around on the floor for moisture. You can buy them from HomeDepot or Lowes.