Essential Accessories for your RV

RV newbies frequently ask for a list of essential accessories for their RV, and we are happy to oblige. However, there are A LOT of RV accessories, so I’ve created this post and two other pages to cover all the important areas.

On this post, we will cover tire accessories, fire safety products, and first aid.

On the Essential RV Accessories page, we cover water system accessories, shore power accessories, and bedding.

Lastly, on the RV Accessories You Can’t Live Without page, we’ll explore some of the finer points like cooking tools, accessories, and appliances; RV pet care, TV reception, and Wi-Fi.

Essential RV Tire Accessories

RV tires have a rough life. They sit stationery for long periods, they are heavily loaded, and they time out long before they wear out. RV manufacturers put on the cheapest tires they can find to start with. For more detailed information, please visit this tire information page.

Tire Covers

RV tire covers are one of the first things you need. Non-moving tires just bake to death in the sun. Look for tiny cracks on the side walls.  If you see even one, it’s time to replace the tires. Take it from someone who didn’t.

For tandem tires, you should use tire covers that span both tires. This helps your skirting close off the underside of the vehicle to keep it warmer.

Never use “tire preservatives” like Armor All® or WD-40®, as these products will deteriorate the rubber of the tire.

RV and Travel Trailer Tires

See this page for details on tires for your RV. If they are 5-7 years old replace them, even if they look perfect.

Tools needed to change your tires

It’s a real bummer when a tire blows, because it usually causes a lot of damage to the underside of the RV. It’s even more of a bummer if you are stuck on the shoulder of the highway and can’t change it out with the spare.

Hydraulic Bottle Jack

Your RV weighs tons. A simple scissors jack will not be enough to lift it. You need a hydraulic bottle jack of sufficient strength like the one shown here.

Lug Nut Wrench

You will also need the correct size lug nut wrench to fit your tires. These nuts are usually larger than your car tire lug nuts, so check it carefully to make sure you get the right size.

Because hydraulic bottle jacks have a short lift span, you’ll need stabilizing jack pads to lift the jack high enough to reach the frame of the RV. You could just use blocks of wood as long as they are square and not warped.

Tire Pressure Gauge

A tire pressure tester is essential for any vehicle, but your RV might have dual wheels on the rear. To test the inner tire pressure, the tire pressure gauge has to have a long reach with a duel head air chuck like the one shown. $19.95* (click on link.)

Essential Accessories for Your RV Leveling

Getting your camper level is essential for the plumbing and refrigerator to work properly. It’s also critical for a good night’s sleep. Here are the basic accessories you’ll need:

The metal leveling jacks on your automatic system are absolutely integral to how your leveler’s function. Damaged jack feet can lead to all sorts of problems, from lackluster leveling and stability to catastrophic failures that can lead to much bigger problems.

Think of Snap Pad’s like big, durable “shoes” for your RV.

Sometimes a heavy rig with an automatic leveling system can cause chips, cracks, ruts, or rust stains to your driveway or campgrounds RV pad. In fact, this is the reason a lot of RV parks now require pads be placed under leveling jacks – they want to avoid the inevitable property damage that comes with unprotected jacks! At Lake Havasu City I’ve seen RV levelers melt right into the asphalt in the summer heat.

RV SnapPads is the ultimate jack pad option for this reason. Because they attach permanently, you never have to worry about damaging your property – or an RV park – again.

Follow the link to order and use this coupon code at checkout for a 10% discount: KEVINO6289

Interlocking RV Leveling Blocks

Stack the interlocking blocks to the desired height for safe and easy leveling, with each block adding a full inch to the stack height. These leveling blocks can be used with single wheels, double wheels, hydraulic jacks, tongue jacks, stabilizer jacks, 5th wheel jacks, and tandem axles.

These are great for my motor home, where I can set the parking brake for safety. But with a travel trailer, you’ll need to also block the tires so your rig won’t roll away.

RV Leveling Block Ramps Kit

Here’s another type of leveler that also blocks the tires from rolling.

The leveling blocks ramps kit is easy to use. Simply drive onto the black ramp until the vehicle reaches the desired height, then slide the red leveler under the black one and you are done. Leveled and chocked. See more details at Amazon.

X-Chock Wheel Stabilizer

The X-Chock Wheel Stabilizer can be used if you have a tandem-axle travel trailer. They fit between tandem tires, and it locks wheels by applying force to both tires.  People report that these are what you want to end the bouncy feeling when people are moving about the trailer.

For more on tire safety and tire replacement see this page: Tires for your tiny home

Accessories for Towing Safety

Good rear-view mirrors, a backup camera, and even walkie-talkies are must-have accessories for safely towing and backing up a large vehicle like a travel trailer.

See our picks for best rear-view mirrors, wireless backup cameras, towing and hitch accessories, and a How-To-Backup instruction video on this page: Best Rear View Mirrors for RV and Tiny Home Trailering

Overcome the logistics and physical challenges of towing a giant structure and backing safely into your driveway or camp spot with the tips and accessories on this page.

Fire Safety Products for Your RV

According to the National Fire Prevention Association, there are over 20,000 RV fires each year. The number one cause of RV fires is electrical issues in the engine compartment. Another big reason is propane refrigerators. An RV or travel trailer can burn to ash in just six to 10 minutes. See more on my fire safety page.

Three Fire Extinguishers

The NFPA strongly urges you to have three fire extinguishers handy at all times. One in the bedroom, one in the kitchen, and one in the tow vehicle or cab of the RV.  The manufacturers only need to supply one 2 lb. BC extinguisher. That’s just not big enough. These 5 lb. ABC Fire Extinguishers are recommended.

See some other unique fire suppression systems I recommend on this page.

First Aid Kit is an RV Essential

You should always have a basic first aid kit to bandage the cuts and scrapes often incurred around a campsite. Most kits will do as long as they contain an assortment of bandages, disinfectant, and anti-itch cream.

The kit on the left is Amazon’s best seller, reasonably priced, and has 64,000 good reviews. .

Set includes: Adhesive fabric and plastic bandages, antibiotic ointments, BZK antiseptic towelettes, burn cream packets, aspirin, ibrufen, gauze roll and pads, wound closures, cold pack, and other multi-use items for any potential emergency.

Survival Trauma First Aid Kit

For boondocking, your first aid kit needs to be a bit more extensive as you’ll be acting as your own first responder. The Emergency Response Trauma Bag shown on the right is my choice. It’s classified as a Survival Trauma First Aid Kit.  Includes a Basic Blood Pressure Cuff, Stethoscope, Gauze Pads, Burn Gel, Eye Wash, Triangle Bandages, & Multi Trauma Blood Stop Dressing.

Boondocking Essential Accessories

Boondocking will take you off the beaten path, far from emergency services. Visit this page of my website for more boondocking accessories.

The picture at the top of the page shows my favorite boondocking site.

Other pages of this website you’ll be interested in:

Essential RV Accessories Page One. Covers  water system accessories, shore power accessories, and bedding.

On page three of RV Accessories You Can’t Live Without
Comfortable Seating, Cooking, Pet Care