Maintenance approved

[Firstti4_12]

I'm looking for advice on how to do maintenance such such as recoating the roof. We are running into RV parks that do not allow maintenance on RVs. Does anyone know of places we can do maintenance on our rig? It should take me about 2-3 days to do it and we are currently in Missouri around Flemington. 

[2gypsies]

Escapee parks have let us do maintenance. Also, national forest campgrounds or boondocking on public lands.

[homelesshartshorns]

Boondock! 

 

[Kirk W]

2 hours ago, homelesshartshorns said:

Boondock! 

If you truly got out into the boondocks, it could be a long way to get parts. Of course you could dry camp at Walmart and stay close....   I suspect that some parking lot owners might object 

[RV_]

We did some axle greasing and bearing packing at one SKP coop but we had to convince them we would not leave a drop of oil or grease on the concrete. That was back in 1998, don't know about now.

[bigjim]

I am pretty sure that some skp parks have an area that you can do maint. It is probably limited as to  what they allow.

[sandsys]

Home improvement stores often allow overnighting in their lots and people work on rigs there where they have easy access to buying tools and materials but I'm not sure they'd let you stay 2-3 days. It costs nothing to ask, though.

Linda

 

[2gypsies]

2 hours ago, sandsys said:

Home improvement stores often allow overnighting in their lots and people work on rigs there where they have easy access to buying tools and materials but I'm not sure they'd let you stay 2-3 days. It costs nothing to ask, though.

Linda

 

To me, that would contribute to losing parking privileges if people start going to their lots to do repairs.

[Danandfreda]

That’s what I was thinking too. Find a friend or relatives house or a campground that will let you. Maybe get permission from a place out of business that has a lot to work in

[sandsys]

5 hours ago, 2gypsies said:

To me, that would contribute to losing parking privileges if people start going to their lots to do repairs.

It doesn't though. Apparently, they see having the RVers keep coming inside to buy the next item they need as good business. Just like Walmart knows most overnighters are going to come inside and shop. And Cracker Barrels knows most overnighters are going to come inside to eat. And all those groups are going to spread the word about the "free" parking.

Linda

[Kirk W]

7 hours ago, sandsys said:

It doesn't though. Apparently, they see having the RVers keep coming inside to buy the next item they need as good business.

Tell me more about this, and how you know if you wouldn't mind sharing? In my travels I can't recall seeing any significant amount of that activity and I only know a couple of people with such parking lots. Have I missed a good information source?

[Dutch_12078]

41 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

Tell me more about this, and how you know if you wouldn't mind sharing? In my travels I can't recall seeing any significant amount of that activity and I only know a couple of people with such parking lots. Have I missed a good information source?

"While we do not offer electrical service or accommodations typically necessary for RV customers, Walmart values RV travelers and considers them among our best customers. Consequently, we do permit RV parking on our store parking lots as we are able. Permission to park is extended by individual store managers, based on availability of parking space and local laws. Please contact management in each store to ensure accommodations before parking your RV."

https://corporate.walmart.com/frequently-asked-questions#:~:text=Can I park my RV,lots as we are able.

Home Depot and Lowes apparently do not have a corporate policy on RV parking. Some boondocking guides suggest that it's left up to the local managers. I have seen RV's parked overnight at both...

Edited July 24, 2021 by Dutch_12078

[Kirk W]

43 minutes ago, Dutch_12078 said:

I have seen RV's parked overnight at both...

My question was not about overnight parking but rather about doing maintenance in someone's parking lot. I too have quoted and linked to the Walmart page but it makes no mention of using their lot to repair the RV. I doubt minor repairs would be an issue, but when you get the wrenches out and start draining lubricants and such..................... ?

[lappir]

3 hours ago, Kirk W said:

My question was not about overnight parking but rather about doing maintenance in someone's parking lot. I too have quoted and linked to the Walmart page but it makes no mention of using their lot to repair the RV. I doubt minor repairs would be an issue, but when you get the wrenches out and start draining lubricants and such..................... ?

Several years ago on a trip back North from South Florida I had the misfortune of multiple tire blow outs. While I could not purchase the tires at the Walmart, I did have them remove the old tires from the rims and install the new. I had taken the wheels off in the parking lot and reinstalled in the same place. 

I more often see folks doing the minor repairs in the Auto Parts Store lots, sometimes with the assistance from one of the counter staff. 

Rod 

[sandsys]

5 hours ago, Kirk W said:

Tell me more about this, and how you know if you wouldn't mind sharing? In my travels I can't recall seeing any significant amount of that activity and I only know a couple of people with such parking lots. Have I missed a good information source?

Yes. Since you don't believe van dwellers are RVers. It is not unusual for at least part of a conversion to happen in a Lowes or Home Depot lot where you can run inside to get more screws if you need them. If you were changing fluids you'd be more likely to do that in an auto parts place but for constructions type repairs or maintenance, like plumbing, why wouldn't you want to be where the materials you might need are located? And why would the seller of such items want you to not shop there? And why would I not pour the DEF fluid I just bought into my tank while still at the place I bought it? Is that not maintenance?

Linda

[2gypsies]

RV parking abuse has closed down Whitehorse's WalMart to overnighters.  

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/whitehorse-walmart-rv-camping-stops-1.4752667

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/north/whitehorse-walmart-camping-parking-lot-1.5183815

[Kirk W]

3 hours ago, sandsys said:

…Since you don't believe van dwellers are RVers. 

That is completely untrue and I am sure that you know that. 
 

My advice remains, ask the manager before you spend the night or do any maintenance visible to those who pass by, no matter what sort of vehicle you have. And to remove any doubts created by fiction writers, in my view any vehicle could be made a recreational vehicle. At the just ending Escapade my job includes counting the RV’s and this year that count had pretty much all of them, as 2 trucks with a shell & camping gear, at least a dozen vans, 2 of which were home modified and 1 that shows no exterior modifications.

Edited July 24, 2021 by Kirk W

[sandsys]

25 minutes ago, Kirk W said:

That is completely untrue and I am sure that you know that. 

Every time I talk about van living you shoot me down. So, why would I think otherwise?

Linda

[Dutch_12078]

9 hours ago, Kirk W said:

My question was not about overnight parking but rather about doing maintenance in someone's parking lot. I too have quoted and linked to the Walmart page but it makes no mention of using their lot to repair the RV. I doubt minor repairs would be an issue, but when you get the wrenches out and start draining lubricants and such..................... ?

Right, I've only done that sort of maintenance in the parts store parking lots where I bought my supplies. Including most recently a Walmart lot shared by a NAPA store where I bought from both. With permission of course. Both stores also accept used oil, at least the Walmarts with auto centers do, as do most major auto parts chain stores. I've found auto parts stores are usually quite accommodating when their parking lot is large enough. And in one instance when their lot was fairly small, the manager arranged with an adjoining business to let me use their lot on promise not to make a mess. I purchased a bag of Speedi-Dri as a guarantee. It was many years ago, but I even did an engine swap in a Kmart parking lot once. It was just a simple 1968 VW Westfalia engine swap, but still...  

[homelesshartshorns]

In my limited experience I have decided that if I need permission to do something! I'm not going to be doing a lot of things I want to. 

[2gypsies]

18 hours ago, Dutch_12078 said:

 With permission of course. . . . . .  let me use their lot on promise not to make a mess. I purchased a bag of Speedi-Dri as a guarantee. 

You did it the right way rather than most who would just pull in and start draining their oil.  We've seen some remnants of oil changes.... not pretty ... plus, they even toss the containers for someone else to pick up.

[Dutch_12078]

6 hours ago, 2gypsies said:

You did it the right way rather than most who would just pull in and start draining their oil.  We've seen some remnants of oil changes.... not pretty ... plus, they even toss the containers for someone else to pick up.

Yeah, I've very rarely been turned down when I ask permission for something like that, and the stores are often quite good about offering assistance, loaning tools, etc. A few years ago I asked permission to do an oil change in I think it was an Advance Auto store lot and had a drain pan in my hands to buy. The manager told me not to buy it unless I really wanted one and brought out an obviously used pan from the back to use and bring back with the waste oil. Of course I bought the oil and filter there. It's the ones that don't ask and leave messes that make it harder on the ones trying to do the right thing.

Edited July 26, 2021 by Dutch_12078

[sandsys]

Yes, you should both ask permission and buy your parts there. Everyone I know who has done this has asked and been granted permission. There's a fellow named Glenn who built a bulkhead wall in a VW camper several years ago right in the store's lot and blogged about it. That's where I first heard about doing this. He wrote about how good it was to just keep walking into the store to buy what he needed next. Since van dwellers don't have a toad they can't just leave the project while they make a run for more parts so it makes sense to ask if you can do the work right there.

Linda

[lappir]

Not to derail the topic and I've only heard about them, not ever used one. There used to be a very few rental places that had lot's of equipment, lift's, jacks and tools all to rent so you could DIY many simple repairs and such. One I heard about even had a well experienced mechanic (no longer working) who would hang out and offer an expert opinion. 

If anyone still knows if these places still exist, maybe a list of cities and phone numbers could be compiled to offer in addition to the use of parking lots. 

 

Rod

[Kirk W]

1 hour ago, lappir said:

There used to be a very few rental places that had lot's of equipment, lift's, jacks and tools all to rent so you could DIY many simple repairs and such.

I was in a group discussion about that very type of shop, just 2 days ago. Other than on a military base, I have not seen one of those in years. The consensus was that liability insurance may have killed that business.