short term storage

[Sir Traveller]

Hello everyone

I have a 2003 Ford V10 ( 4 winds hurricane ), staying in South California . I want to know the best tips for short term storage ( around 4 months ), regarding batteries ( keep connected or disconnect ) and any other tips, I am very new to RVs so any tips will help.  

[Kirk W]

If you plan to leave it where it is then you probably do not have any need to worry about freezing, but I would still drain the water tank, water heater, and open all of the gravity drains for the water system. I would leave at least 5 gallons of water in both waste tanks, 10 gallons if they are large, just to keep things from drying up inside. If you have a waste tank flush system, use that to get them as free from coatings on the sides as possible so that it won't dry there. I would fill the toilet bowl pretty near full and then cover it with saran wrap to minimize the evaporation. The drain traps will probably dry up so flush them well with the hottest water you can find. 

If it is to be summertime you will need to provide some ventilation which is easy if you have one of the vent covers to keep the weather out. 

Make sure your tires are properly inflated and positioned so that no moisture will stay in contact for long. If parked on a concrete pad, put a barrier between the concrete and the tires as concrete and moisture will damage the tire belts. I use plastic pads available from most RV shops, but you can also use some cheap cutting boards. If not parked on concrete it is still a good idea to put your tires on some sort of moisture barrier to prevent moisture from standing against the tires. If you have leveling jacks, lower them so that it relieves a good share of the weight from the chassis and stabilizes it against movement. If outdoors, cover the tires and wiper blades to protect from sun.