Camper vans require a lot of simple DIY maintenance – and it’s a lot more rewarding and budget-friendly to do that maintenance yourself.
Life on the road requires a high-performance van. We build our Lifestyle Vehicles with high quality parts and user-friendly design to make sure your adventures run smoothly. And while we pride ourselves on the durability of each vehicle we send out into the world, wear–and-tear happens. Plus, regardless of how well you take care of your van, regular maintenance is a must.
Fortunately, you can do a lot of DIY camper van maintenance. By performing routine maintenance yourself, you’ll gain a more complete understanding of your house on wheels. As an added bonus, you’ll save a ton of cash by not paying for professional labor for every little fix.
In this article, we will explain not only how to take care of your camper van, but why regular maintenance is important, as well as some common concerns and issues that may arise while you’re out on the road.
Essential Tools for DIY Camper Van Maintenance
Machines wear out—that’s just how the cookie crumbles. Knowing this, it’s critical to keep around a selection of tools to perform maintenance to help your things last longer and/or repair the inevitable mishap.
General must-have tools for RV maintenance and repair
- Phillips and flathead screwdrivers
- Scissors
- Headlamp
- Allen key set
- Tape measure
- Pliers
- Socket wrench set
- Cordless drill and bit set
- Cordless impact driver and bit set
- Extra battery and battery charger
- Multi-tool
- Sewing kit
- Duct tape
Tools for the plumbing system
- Plumbers tape
- A couple of hose clamps
Tools for the electrical system
- Electrical tape
- Wire stripper and crimper tool
- Multimeter
- Extra fuses
Tools for setting up camp
- Hatchet or axe
- Campfire cooking grate and utensils
- Hand saw
How to store your tools in a compact space
Tools take up space, but if we’re being honest, it’s space well spent. In fact, we even include it in our list of camper van essentials for all vanlifers. That’s because the peace of mind from having what you need on-hand —especially when out in the wilderness—is worth it.
When it comes to tool storage, here are some guidelines:
- Accessibility is key. If you can’t reach your tools easily, you won’t use them as often.
- Store all tools in one place. So you know where to find them.
- Keep things portable. You need to be able to easily move tools around.
Toolboxes or pack-out tool storage systems are the best way to achieve accessibility, compactness, and portability. We recommend investing in a solid toolbox or pack-out system so you can have all your tools ready to go and in one place.
The size, make, or model of your selected tool kit will depend on your preferences. Regardless of what you purchase, the gearage underneath the sleeping platform in your DM Van is the perfect place to keep your tools.
Routine Checks and Inspections
Regular maintenance checks and inspections prevent costly breakdowns. If you can stay on top of routine maintenance, you’ll avoid a premature meltdown.
For example, if you fail to routinely monitor your oil levels, you risk running your engine with dangerously low oil levels, which can cause catastrophic damage to the engine. The faster you can establish good habits regarding monitoring oil levels, the better off you’ll be. The most convenient way to do this is to check your oil levels every time you fuel your van. It’s best to avoid waiting until the oil-level engine light goes off.
Essential routine checks you can perform to monitor the health of your van
Crossing off this checklist at the fuel station will not only bring you peace of mind, but can improve your van’s efficiency and reduce the costs of life on the road.
Tires
- Check tire pressure with a tire gauge. Add or remove air whenever necessary.
- Monitor wear and tear on tire treads. Rotate tires to evenly wear out your tires and completely replace them whenever necessary.
Brakes
- Inspect brake pads. Replace as necessary.
- Inspect the parking brake. Routinely use the parking brake even on flat ground.
Fluid levels
- Monitor windshield wiper fluid, especially before and during winter weather.
- Routinely check your oil levels and top off your oil whenever necessary, even before your next scheduled oil change.
- Monitor engine coolant. Top off whenever necessary.
- Periodically add some fuel additive to prevent gunky build-up in your fuel system.
Air Filters
- Monitor the condition of the engine air filter. Replace as necessary.
- Check the cabin air filter and replace it as necessary, especially when spending a lot of time on off-highway roads.
Battery
- Inspect the battery and clean and tighten terminals as required.
Changing Oil and Filters
Ram Promasters are durable and reliable vans. Apart from the recommended maintenance schedule for big-ticket repairs, Promasters pretty much take care of themselves. However, you’ll need to change the oil and oil filter regularly.
According to the Promaster owner’s manual, you should replace the oil and filter about every 5,000 miles. Under no circumstances should oil change intervals exceed 10,000 miles (16,000 km), twelve months, or 350 hours of engine run time, whichever comes first.
Step-by-step instructions for changing the oil and oil filter
You can pay an expert mechanic to change your oil and filter. However, oil changes may be a job you can do yourself. Typically, doing it yourself costs less than paying a qualified mechanic. Plus, you can directly control the oil product that goes into your beloved van.
- Open the driver’s side door.
- Pull the hood release.
- Open the hood and lock the hood arm in place.
- Remove the oil fill cap.
- Place oil in pan (needs to be at least 6 quarts or larger).
- Loosen the 12mm oil plug bolt with a socket wrench and then finish unscrewing by hand.
- Loosen the oil filter cap. Finish unscrewing and remove the cap by hand.
- Remove the old oil filter.
- Replace it with a new filter (including a new o-ring) and tighten it until it is snug by hand. Then, finish tightening with a 24mm wrench.
- Replace the oil plug bolt by hand and then tighten it with a wrench.
- Place a funnel in the oil fill tube.
- Add 5 quarts of fresh engine oil.
- Check the oil level using the dipstick.
- If it’s still low on oil, add ½ quart more and check again. If it is towards the high end, don’t add more oil.
- Replace the oil fill cap.
- Run the engine to circulate the oil.
- Check the oil level once again with the dipstick.
- If the oil level is low, add ½ quart until it becomes close to the max level on the dipstick.
- Pour the old oil into a container and recycle it at an approved location.
- Reset your trip odometer or oil reminder.
Electrical System Basics
Every DM Van comes equipped with a standard, solar-powered electrical system. The built-in electrical system that we install is separate from the vehicle’s primary electrical system.
The primary electrical system in a Ram Promaster provides power to electrical systems like the audio system and instrumentation components.
The secondary electrical system that we install in our vans powers the electrical system within the living space of your van: lights, any devices or appliances you plug into outlets, the electric cooktop in the kitchen, and the water pump.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of electricity capacity in each of our DM Vans.
| Electrical System in a DM Van | ||
| LV3 | LV5 | LV7 |
| x2 – 100 ah Lithium Batteries x2 – 160-watt Solar Panel 3,000-watt inverter 30 amp shore power hook up + AC/DC converter 50 amp DC-DC + MPPT charger Integrated battery monitor 1 x 4 Port USB outlets 2 x 2 Port 120v outlets Battery box with extra storage | LV5.1 x2 – 100 ah Lithium Batteries x2 – 160-watt Solar Panel LV5.2 x4 – 100 ah Lithium Batteries x2 – 160-watt Solar Panel 3,000-watt inverterShore power hook up + AC/DC converter 50 amp DC-DC + MPPT charger Integrated battery monitor 1 x 4 Port USB outlets 2 x 2 Port 120v outlets Battery box with extra storage | LV7.1 x2 – 100 ah Lithium Batteriesx2 – 160-watt Solar Panel LV7.2 x4 – 100 ah Lithium Batteriesx2 – 160-watt Solar Panel 3,000-watt inverter Shore power hook up + AC/DC converter 50 amp DC-DC + MPPT charger Integrated battery monitor 1 x 4 Port USB outlets 2 x 2 Port 120v outlets Battery box with extra storage |
Maintenance tips for extending the lifespan of your battery
After oil, gas, and other vehicle fluids, the electrical power within your van is second in line in order of importance. To extend the lifespan of your batteries as long as possible, it’s important to keep your vehicle’s batteries in good condition.
- Charge your battery the right amount: Use the integrated battery monitor in your van to supervise your battery’s charge. In general, try to avoid completely depleting your battery and overcharging it.
- Plug into shore power whenever possible: If you spend time in front country campgrounds with electrical hookups, it’s a good idea to plug in to reduce the wear on your batteries.
- Regularly clean the battery terminals: Keeping your batteries clean from rust build-up can be tricky. Luckily, we install them in battery boxes to protect them and help keep them cleaner.
- Limit your inverter usage: Converting power from 12 volts to 240 volts stresses your batteries more than just using them regularly. So, be sparing with how much you use your inverter to run appliances. (Unless, of course, you’re connected to shore power, then go for it!)
Diagnosing and fixing minor electrical problems
When it comes to potential electrical problems that may arise with your Promaster’s primary electrical system, the owner’s manual is where you will find the best guidance. For example, if a check engine light pops up on your dashboard, the owner’s manual will be able to tell you what the light signifies and how to go about resolving the issue.
Apart from that, if you experience issues with the secondary electrical system that is responsible for your living quarters, that’s where we come in. We’re happy to help you troubleshoot and diagnose minor electrical problems that may arise with your camper van.
If you’re local, drop by the workshop. Otherwise, if you are thousands of miles away in Timbuktu but still have cell service, give us a ring, and we’ll do our best to help.
Have a question? Need some help? Call us!
Brake Pad Replacement
It’s cool when your car has powerful acceleration and can go fast, but it’s more important that it brakes rapidly and reliably. This is especially true in a camper van because it’s so much heavier.
The fact is heavier vehicles wear out their brakes faster than lightweight vehicles, especially heavier vehicles that see a lot of drive time, like camper vans.
Many anecdotal recommendations for brake pad replacement from other van lifers clock in between 30,000 and 70,000 miles. However, the Ram Promaster Owner’s Manual recommends inspecting the brakes and replacing them (if necessary) every 20,000 miles, or every two years.
Ultimately, how often you service your brakes will depend on your driving habits.
Maintenance Tips for Interior Surfaces
Besides the routine inspections and maintenance we’ve talked about thus far, we also recommend routinely cleaning the interior of your camper van. (Regularly washing your solar panels is also a good idea, especially if you spend time in dusty environments.)
Recommend products that are camper-friendly and easy to store
- Multi-surface cleaner to wipe down the kitchenette surfaces, floors, and storage compartments
- Window cleaner to clear the windshield, passenger windows, mirrors, and solar panels
- Washable, reusable microfiber rags to clean with an efficient and eco-friendly alternative to paper towels.
- Seat covers to protect the stock upholstery from wear and tear and stains
- Upholstery spray or wipes to deodorize your upholstery and keep everything smelling fresh.
Regarding cleaning supplies, we recommend having a built-out tote containing all your favorite products. That way, when it’s time to clean, you know where everything is, and you can quickly get to work.
What is the best part about cleaning a DM Van? It hardly takes any time at all–hooray for compact spaces!
Emergency Repairs on the Road
Van life is full of adventures. Sometimes unfortunate things happen, like flat tires or other emergencies, that force you to pull over and make a repair. For that reason, we think every van lifer should have a roadside emergency safety kit in their van.
No two unexpected roadside emergencies are ever the same. Therefore, it can be hard to figure out what to include in your safety kit. What you pack will depend on your preferences, but it should cater to your travel plans and the places you go.
Here are some ideas to get you started.
Safety equipment
- Reflective vests
- Road flares
- Reflective safety triangles
- Personal protective equipment like eyewear and gloves
- First aid kit with medicine and CPR equipment
- Fire extinguisher
Emergency repair equipment
- Jumper cables
- Towing straps
- Headlamp or flashlight
- Tool kit
- Window breaker escape tool
- Miniature air compressor
A Better Journey Awaits with a DM Van
Going on a road trip or transitioning into full-time van life is an awesome experience. You get to enjoy all of the benefits of owning a (small) home while traveling to different parts of the world.
But, like owning any property, it requires maintenance and care.
Fortunately, you can do a lot of the maintenance and repair yourself. DIY camper van maintenance is an empowering way to care for your stuff, learn new skills, and save money while doing it.
So don’t let the trials and tribulations that may come with owning a van dissuade you from taking the leap. Compared to epic sunsets on the open road, backcountry trails and wonderful campgrounds, repairs come around less often.
See you on the road.
-Dave and Matt
P.S. If you’ve tried your best with these tips and DIY van repair, and you need to spend some money and hire a professional to fix something that has gone wrong– that’s totally cool. Don’t let cost deter you from replacing something. After all, you’d rather spend a few hours at the shop than have your road adventure cut short.
