Shopping List: Auto, Towing, & Safety

Jumper Cables seem like an obvious item to have, but if you have just bought a new vehicle, you may forget. We went with a  set long enough to make jumps from the RV battery possible. Thankfully, we haven’t had to use this item but we always keep it in the bed of the truck.

This tire pressure monitoring system (TPMS) is a little pricey, but we have heard so many horror stories of blow outs on the road. We really rely on this system to keep an eye on our tire’s temperature and pressure while we drive. It’s amazing how much can change as we drive in different climates and over long distances.

We use this spray on the tires every couple months (more in the Summer) to protect it from the sun and the UV rays. It also makes the tires look newer, but hopefully it’ll keep them from aging and wearing down from the sun exposure.

This portable air compressor has been used many times, as we see the need to increase or decrease air pressure in our tires as we have driven through big changes in climate (or when it’s freezing in the morning but warms up throughout the day). We also use this to air up our tires after driving off-road. This unit connects to the truck’s battery for power, and is strong enough to fill both the truck and RV tires.

These particular cones collapse nicely for easy traveling. We actually use some cones we had already at home, but we would buy these if we needed some because they take up less space. It’s not used that often, but if you have to pull over on the side of the road, you’ll want to give other drivers some warning. You can also use these to keep other cars from getting too close to your rig when parked in a large parking lot.

This anti-sway and weight distribution hitch has worked really well for our GMC truck and 32 foot trailer. We can back up and go around sharp turns without a problem. This unit is very sturdy and easy to use. We added some tape on the chains so we know which to set in the crank.

One of the first things we did was add screens to keep bug nesting away from exterior holes (sizes depend on your rig). Here is what we used to cover furnace and water heater vents.

Here are the screens we used to cover the refrigerator vents. Check the sizing to make sure it will fit your dimensions.

X-Chocks are easy to use and help take some sway out of the parked trailer (not applicable for single axle trailers). We used these whenever we parked the trailer in addition to the Wheel Chocks above. You’ll need to measure the distance between your wheels and order the correct size.

After just picking up a nail in one of our tires, we decided to add this tire repair and plug kit to our emergency safety list and always keep it in the truck. Whether you drive off road or not, your tow vehicle or RV could pick up a nail or screw, and this can help repair it.

GasStop is a device that can stop the flow of propane from your tank if a major leak is detected. This adds a little backup plan for those extreme unplanned issues, whether its a vehicle accident while driving or one of those marmots out West try to chew through your gas line. Like a fire extinguisher, you only need it when you need it… and if you don’t have it, you’ll wish you did.

Just like in your home, you want to keep your traveling home as safe as possible. There is often only one smoke detector in an RV, so you’ll want to add others, in the storage area, the outdoor kitchen, and outside all bedrooms. In addition, they usually have a very small fire extinguisher, but you will probably want one with a higher capacity and better rating, and you’ll probably want more than one.