Must-Have Toolbox Items and Maintenance Schedule for your Hybrid Camper Trailer

Written by ModCon Campers | Oct 5, 2021 11:43:44 PM

One of the most important items for a trouble-free holiday in any hybrid camper trailer is a well stocked toolkit.

There’s nothing worse than being stuck in the middle of nowhere all for the want of a spanner or a zip tie!

Now I’m not suggesting you need to take a whole workshop full of tools with you, but here are some items I certainly wouldn’t leave home without.

So, I’ll start with the obvious:

Consumables

Tape – gaffa/duct, electrical and plumbers/thread tape don’t take up much room and can prove invaluable on the road
Zip ties – take an assortment of lengths and thicknesses. I take a pair of flush cut zip tie cutters as well. They're certainly not essential, but after you've snagged yourself on the end of a zip tie or two, you'll be glad you have them!
Assortment of nuts, bolts and screws
Silicone spray – use a non-staining, food-grade silicone such as Helmar H4000 Silicone spray
Super glue - Assortment of batteries for your multi-meter, torches etc.
Rope
Bungee cords
Assortment of electrical “quick connect” connectors and fuses - spare cigarette-style plugs, Anderson plugs and a small length of 2-pole electrical wire

Top Tip: To ensure you get the most out of your camper batteries, check out our video on Battery Management Systems.

Tools

Torque wrench – one of the most important tools in your kit. When travelling the outback you should torque your wheel nuts, suspension nuts etc. daily. See our maintenance schedule below.

Screwdriver set – take a good range of both Philips head and flat blade screwdrivers. To cut down on space a screwdriver with interchangeable heads can be handy, the upside is the bits can also be used with your drill.
Socket set – make sure your socket set matches the bolts of your camper/car. An SAE set won’t be very useful if your hybrid camper/car is metric!
Allen key set – a small set with both SAE and metric Allen keys is invaluable.
Spanner set – A ratchet spanner set takes up little room and is just so useful.
Hammer and a large mallet
Pliers – I take both long-nose and flat pliers
Wire cutters or side cutters
Wire stripper – although if you’re talented enough (which I’m not) and you’ve got nice sharp side cutters you may not need these.
Wire crimper – for quick connect electrical connectors
Multi-grips and a shifting spanner – sometimes you’ve just got to use them!
Pocket knife or box cutter
Scissors
Cordless drill or impact driver – remember to take the charger for and/or extra batteries with you
Headlamp
Multi-meter
Soldering iron and solder – I use a Butane soldering iron, not necessarily a must-have but can come in very useful.
Hatchet or small axe

The Off-Road Toolbox

If you’re looking at doing a little off-road travel here are a few extras that will come in very useful:

Tyre repair kit
Portable air compressor
Tyre deflation tool
Tyre gauge
Snatch strap and shackles
Maxtrax or equivalent

Read Your Guide to Bush and National Park Camping with an Off-Road Camper here

Hybrid Camper Trailer Maintenance Schedule

Just as ensuring you have the right tools in your toolkit is important, so is checking that your rig is in good working order before you head off on your adventure. Following a proper maintenance schedule is cheap insurance for a stress-free holiday

Maintenance Component	Frequency	Maintenance Activity
Wheel Bearings	Yearly and before long trips Every time you stop	Jack up one side of your trailer Grasp the tyre and give it a rock, if there is movement, your wheel bearings need maintenance Repeat the with other side of the trailer Watch “How to – Replace Trailer Wheel Bearings” by Supercheap Auto” at https://youtu.be/PSbVSD6YCFE It is a good habit to get into that whenever you make a stop during your trip, you place the palm of your hand lightly on the hub of the trailer wheels – it should feel warm, but not so hot that you can’t touch it!
Load Mass	Every trip	Ensure your load is under your limit Check the trailer’s suspension – does it look right Check the trailer is evenly balanced/level
Brakes	Every trip	Perform a couple of low-speed brake tests to make sure your brakes are functioning properly
Trailer Rear Lights	Every time you hitch up the trailer	Check brakes Left and right turning signal Park lights
Internal Lights	Every trip	Ensure all the lights are in good working order Ensure all lights are off when the trailer is closed, as they can produce heat which may start a fire in your canvas whilst the trailer is closed up
Tyres	Every trip 5-6 years	Ensure tyres are at 40 psi for most bitumen surfaces Inspect tyres for deterioration and wear Tyres need to be replaced every 5-6 years no matter how worn they are – as they harden and become unsafe
Trailer Coupling	Every trip Yearly	Ensure coupling and chains are securely fastened Ensure that you cross the 2 safety chains under the drawbar Grease Coupling with grease gun via grease nipples on side of the coupling
Shackles	Every trip	Ensure shackles are in good order and have adequate strength to hold the ball weight
Battery	2-3 weeks 6 months	Charge your batteries every 2-3 weeks (or if you have a smart charger with a maintenance program leave the batteries on charge all the time) Inspect the batteries to ensure that there is no corrosion on the terminals There are no outward signs of damage such as swelling etc. That the batteries are holding charge
Gas Bottles	6 months or when changing a bottle	Ensure that all gas lines and connections are not leaking, by spraying with some soapy water. If there is a leak, new bubbles will continue to appear in the soapy water.
Seals	Yearly or if you detect a leak	Inspect the seal to ensure there are no tears or other damage to the seal Check that the seal is compressed enough – the pinch weld “bulb” should not be compressed by more than 20-25% Adjusting the latch position down will pull the door closer (tighter) and going up will loosen it.
Water Tanks	Every trip 6 Months to flush tank To refresh tank	Drain the tanks and leave them empty whilst the trailer is not in use Add ½ cup baking soda to 5 litres of water, add to tank and half fill the tank, add 1 litre vinegar, leave the cap off and taps open, drive around, empty and then rinse with fresh water Add a small bottle of vanilla essence to a half-full tank. Leave this sit for a few hours. Drain tanks.
Gas Struts	Yearly	With a toothbrush - clean the entry point of the shaft into the body of the strut to prevent dirt from getting into the seal Spray with silicone spray as needed
Hinges	As needed	Grease hinges
Bolts	6 months	Check bolts underbody of the trailer and tighten as required
Wheel nuts	Each trip	Torque wheel nuts with a torque wrench to 110 foot-pounds before each trip, or daily if travelling over rough terrain
Suspension	At least yearly and before any major trips	Make sure all suspension bolts are tightened to 190 foot-pounds Check rubber mounts are in good condition Check shock absorbers for signs of oozing fluid down the side, dented outer bodies and ability to shake and rattle the upper and lower mounting points (which means the bushes are worn out)
Stabilisers	Yearly	Grease stabilisers Spray with silicone, spray to ensure easy movement of the swingarm

One Final Tip:

Whether you’re planning a highway holiday or an outback adventure, you’ll be ready to set off with your kitted out toolbox and maintenance schedule in place.

There’s one more item that I have to mention - a multitool slipped into the glovebox of your car is definitely a must-have and it will probably become your most used tool.

Ready to Make Tracks?

If you’re looking for a camper built to withstand Australia’s harsh environment with all the comforts of home look no further than the Modcon “C” range of hybrid campers.

Click here to download our latest brochure. If you’d like to see the level of quality you can expect from Modcon RV for yourself, visit us at your nearest showroom. We’d love for you to stop by. Click here to get in touch with us today.

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