Your RV’s Patio Mat Can Be A Total Lifesaver When Making Repairs

Most RVs have two things in common: tires and a patio mat. Sooner or later, the tires and/or items associated with them that spin (brakes, wheels, bearings, etc) will fail you, which should be considered just part of the adventure known as RVing. When this happens, your RV patio mat can come in handy.

Spread out your patio mat in front of the tire/wheel assembly needing attention, and then drive the RV onto the mat, leaving enough room for you to kneel next to (or crawl under) the RV while accessing the item needing attention. The mat makes a great working surface in the dirt, mud or gravel. Not only does it keep you clean, but it also makes it easier to keep track of your tools and small parts that you will inevitably drop.

When tire/wheel troubles overwhelm you on hot asphalt, don’t despair. Your RV mat serves as a great insulator between you and the hot asphalt. Once you have completed your repair, just drive off the mat, give it a shake, fold it up, and return it to its storage location in the RV. I once needed to adjust the brakes on all four wheels of my travel trailer. By laying my mat perpendicular to the trailer, I was able to drive onto it with plenty of room to access the back of all four brake assemblies without re-positioning the trailer. It was fast, easy, and I stayed clean!

So the next time your RV doesn’t want to roll or stop as it should, remember the trusty RV mat stored in your RVs compartment. It can be your best friend in times of trouble.

Dave Helgeson

Dave Helgeson’s many roles in the RV industry started before he even had a driver’s license. His grandparents and father owned an RV dealership before the term “RV” had been coined, and Dave played a pivotal role in nearly every position of an RV dealership. He and his wife Cheri launched their own RV dealership in the Pacific Northwest. The duo also spent 29 years overseeing regional RV shows. Dave has also served as President of a local chapter of the Recreational Vehicle Dealers Association (RVDA), worked on the board of advisors for the RV Technician Program of a local technical college, and served as a board member of the Manufactured Home and RV Association. Dave’s reputation earned him the title of “The foremost expert on boondocking,” bestowed by RV industry icon, the late Gary Bunzer (The RV Doctor). When he’s not out boondocking, you’ll find Dave in the spotlight at RV shows across the country, giving seminars about all things RVing. He and Cheri currently roam in their fifth travel trailer, with Dave doing all the service, repair and modifications to his own unit.