When it comes to packing up your everyday vehicle and hitting the open road, it’s pretty easy to tell when you’ve overdone it. Pile the truck and the backseat with all of your extra travel items and suddenly the bumper is mere inches from the ground and the back tires look like they could burst any moment. However, when packing up your RV, you may find yourself overdoing it without getting those same physical indications. Remember that just because it doesn’t actually look like your RV is overfull doesn’t mean that it isn’t. The last thing you want to do is surpass the safe weight and put the safety of your family at risk.
As we find new ways to increase storage on an RV, it’s important to also be mindful of how we most commonly overload our space:
Dishes and Kitchen Appliances – When planning to camp for an extended period of time or simply enjoy a weekend away with a group of friends, you may be tempted to pack extra plates, bowls, cups, etc. just in case. On top of this, many RV owners also choose to pack a number of kitchen appliances, such as blenders, crockpots, and more. While we understand the sentiment behind it, keep in mind that you don’t have to fill up every extra inch of kitchen space with the entire contents of your home kitchen. Chances are you won’t even end up using most of it.
Water – Of course, you’re going to want to have an adequate supply of water stored up on your RV in case of an emergency, but bear in mind that every gallon of water accounts for over eight pounds of extra weight. On top of that, you should also be taking the water weight of your waste tanks – all of this together can really add up. Remember this when it comes to piling all of your other items on the RV for your next trip.
Adding Extra Batteries – While adding an extra 12 volt battery to your RV sounds great when it comes to operating longer without a power hookup or running more electronic gadgets at once, it can also add a lot of extra weight. If you believe that you will absolutely need the extra power, you’ll have to make sacrifices somewhere else on your RV.
Failing to take the overall weight of your RV into consideration after packing it up can have serious consequences. For example, you may cause wear down the suspension and frame, cause your tires to pop and even degrade the handling features of the RV. Make it a point to familiarize yourself with your RV’s weight specifications and stay at least 10 percent the maximum weight.
For more information, contact Hemet Valley RV today!