Three summers ago, we accidentally became locked out of our motorcoach, while the engine was running. How it happened was bizarre. We had pulled into a casino in Oklahoma for a couple of nights. We both got out and walked over to the security guard to ask his advice on long-term parking and general rules. After we were directed to the long-term parking, we walked back to our coach. Yikes! I couldn’t open the door. It had locked. That was startling. It was odd that we had mentioned just days earlier that the door was getting harder to open and we should look at the mechanism.

Thank goodness we left a window unlocked, as we’d received this sage advice from full-timer friends. Now it was time to borrow a ladder so I could climb into our coach and open the door from within. It may have only been a brief time, but it was another learning lesson. At least I was able to open the door and we proceeded to our parking spot without incident. As you might guess, the next day we did a deep dive into the locking mechanism. At least we didn’t have to call a locksmith.

RV Doors

Motorhomes and RVs in general have solid, heavy doors. Besides temperature fluctuation, vibration takes a toll on hinges and moving metal parts. Our coach’s front door deadbolt lock began sticking and soon became harder to open the door. It was time to give it and the slide lock needed lubrication, just like we do to the keyholes for keys that stick now and again, weather dependent. We dismantled the padded lock mechanism cover and began looking at our lock. We wiped it down to remove excess dust and grime. We found it was dry and hard to move. My husband cleaned it thoroughly and applied white lithium grease. This lubricant has been popular to protect friction-moving parts like bearings, bolts, chains, hinges, brake lever systems and other metal-to-metal parts subject to friction.

Not all lubricants are the same

Aside from our motorcoach, my husband used white lithium grease on our airplane’s retractable gear and occasionally greased the track and wheels on our garage door. Some folks swear that WD40 is the omnipotent lubricant for everything. Not so. Compared to several lubricants specifically made for RVs, WD40 doesn’t have the longevity of emollients as does white lithium grease and other wet and dry lubricants. Auto mechanics like white lithium grease as it can withstand high temperatures as cars are subject to high heat indexes and temperature differentials. We also extensively used lithium grease on the shaft and steering cable linkages, brackets and winch gears on our ocean-going boat as salt water wreaks havoc on all metal, period.

Awning arm, hinge points and retracting stairs are subject to heat, moisture, dust and UV, all of which cause frictional degradation to moving parts. You can consult your RV maintenance manual for recommendations and points where lubrication is necessary.

Lubricate Jacks

Leveling jacks are the least item on my mind when parked. We just press the self-leveling button and voila, it is level and secure. But when it’s time to move, we do a deep cleaning and lubrication before retracting them for travel. First, my spouse uses a clean microfiber cloth to wipe each jack cylinder clean. Then he applies a good lubricant and wipes each cylinder again with a clean cloth. He will repeat this cycle to make sure the cloth is clean before applying the emollient and retracting the jacks.

While there are numerous brands on the market, we’ve been using Boeshield T-9 as for us, it does not attract dirt or dust and repels water. After decades as a pilot, my spouse witnessed other pilots using this lubricant on retractable gear on airplanes and other critical moving parts.

If you notice any small blemish or spot of corrosion on the jack cylinder, you might consider using a fine grit sandpaper, like 2500 and apply a lubricant (even WD40) on the sandpaper to wipe on the cylinder to remove any corrosion. Repeat your first wipe down and relubricate the clean, corrosion-free cylinder and you should be good to retract your jacks for travel.

Lubricate stairs and awning arms

Lubricate stair hinge (any point that moves) with a good emollient spray and wipe off any overspray. Extend and retract your stairs and awning after cleaning and lubricating to ensure you have friction free moving parts.

Your slide(s) track and gear needs tending occasionally. Your maintenance manual may point out stress points of your slide gear mechanism. Your slide’s track and rollers may need occasional cleaning and lubrication. Many purport using a dry lubricant for the track and gear mechanisms. Your maintenance manual may offer recommendations.

And don’t forget those silicone rubber seals. They need a little TLC as well. Others have written that baby powder is useful for slides and the rubber We typically use a fine silicone spray and wet a microfiber cloth so we can wipe both sides of the seal. Some lubricants also contain a UV protectant, which can be useful for protecting the drying of your seals due to excessive UV and heat.

Last, but not least, after wiping clean, spray a small amount of lubricant in the window track to ease the opening and closing of your windows. Read this published article here on FMCA Adventure: Lubricate Key Moving Parts In Your RV • FMCAdventure

Kate has been writing for more than 30 years in technical trade and general media to corporate communication. She has more than 50 articles on RVing from general interest to maintenance/repair, lifestyles, daily tips and gizmos/gadgets. You can read more articles like this on her blogsite: endlessvoyages.com and familyrvingmagazine.com. In her previous business, she and her spouse worked in and dealt with special projects within the military/government sector. Recently she published Masquerade: A Logan Scott Novel under the pen name Bryan Alexander, an espionage thriller now available in eBook and paperback on Amazon Masquerade – A Logan Scott Novel, Barnes & Noble and Apple iBooks.