How long does a Jayco trailer last?

In this blog post, we will answer the following question: How long does a Jayco trailer last? We will discuss factors that influence the lifespan of a Jayco trailer and give you advice on how to extend the life of any trailer. 

How long does a Jayco trailer last?

A Jayco trailer can last up to 25 years, or even more, depending on how well it was maintained and cared for! Jayco travel trailers are known for their longevity and high-quality materials. 

Jayco RVs are completely designed for fast, efficient and safe family use. Jayco promises, indeed, arduous attention to plans and models that consider the use of a family with children. For this reason, many families who enjoy camping are definitely heading to Jayco for an RV.

But what do we mean by proper maintenance and care of a trailer? See the next section of the article.

Ten tricks to extend the life of your Jayco trailer

A motorhome or trailer, used or new, is always an important purchase for any family. It requires investments at the time of purchase and also afterwards, for repairs and ordinary and extraordinary maintenance, which is why we have prepared this post by listing ten tricks to extend the life of your camper.

Some of the things you will read will help save components and parts of your Jayco trailer, others will help you to keep the mechanics and the body in order, preventing infiltrations and breakdowns that can affect the life of your camper or ruin your vacation.

1. Tires, batteries, ignition. Once a week, you have to get into the habit of starting the camper by making it move, even if only for a few meters, but keeping it on for at least 20 minutes.

In this way you will avoid forcing and crushing the carcass of the tires, you will help the batteries to carry out the charge cycles that increase their duration over time, and you will avoid blocking problems on the starter motor, clutch and other mechanical components.

2. Weekly check. Make it a habit during your weekly visit, while you keep the camper in motion, to check the interior, checking for traces of humidity, ants, or traces of rats: try to take a walk around your camper to check its sealing and seals, if you find detachments in the former and stiffness and shortening in the latter, contact a specialized workshop immediately, or if you are able, immediately intervene with sealing and replacing the screw cover seals.

3. Avoid covering the trailer all the time! Many campers use tarps to cover the RV, but you shouldn’t do this unless the trailer is completely dry! Basically, the principle is wrong, as it prevents moisture from evaporating, both the external one, which collects on the surface of the camper and the internal one. 

Moulds often form, and we will have to deal with other troubles that we would like to avoid. It is true that the paint dulls and the adhesives fade, it is true that the rain comes into direct contact with the profiles and windows, but if the maintenance has been taken care of this will not lead to structural problems. 

Of course, those who have the opportunity to shelter the camper under a shed, or inside a shed (but always ventilated) will be able to preserve the freshness of the coatings and the duration of gaskets and plastic parts (seals, door locks, grids, porthole covers and vents, in addition to the fireplaces)

4. Empty the water system. Especially in winter, but out of good practice every time the camper is left stationary for a long time, it is advisable to empty the water system. 

The procedure is as follows: first empty the clean water tanks (the grey one and the toilet cistern, it is assumed that they have already been emptied), at the same time the boiler or stove boiler drain cock is opened, then the water pump turns on, opening all the taps, including the shower and toilet drain until no more water comes out.

 In this way, we will be able to save and extend the life of the pump, the taps, the quick couplings and the pipes. Every now and then clean the bottom of the tank, remove the sand and silt with a damp cloth, then rinse with clean water. Always periodically grease the gate that opens the grey water tank with lithium grease, and the toilet seals with Vaseline.

5. Dry the camper. When you come back from a weekend it is important to always air the camper, especially in winter. Prepare a dozen polystyrene blocks of 20 cm per side and use them to keep the mattresses raised during the first days after returning, so that the air can circulate around, MUST be completely ventilated, at least for an hour, by fully opening windows, doors and doors and portholes.  Postpone this operation only if the weather is particularly humid.

6. Take care of the windows and the blackout blinds. One of the most common (and dangerous) habits is to close the windows inside with roller blinds, to darken the camper. This is one of the fastest methods to damage the windows and the blinds themselves. 

Particularly in summer, if you close the glazed surface of the camper (windows and roof portholes) with blinds, we will create an insulated gap. The heat of the sun will penetrate into the gap between windows and blinds, swelling the air between the two layers of Plexiglas or methacrylate in the windows or portholes thanks to the greenhouse effect. This will cause a progressive micro-cracking of the surface layer of the window which will eventually break.

In other types of windows, there may be gaps between the two layers of the window and the outside may fly off. Furthermore, the blinds will lose their elasticity and will be damaged first at the edges and then also in the centre. Keeping the blinds always in tension will irreparably damage the internal springs by blocking them.

7. Pay attention to the gaskets. Every 5-6 years it is advisable to check the elasticity of the screw cover seals, replace them if they are rigid or if they are withdrawn or broken, if you do the job yourself it will cost you about fifty dollars of material and four hours of work.

During the operation, check the head of the screws. If you find it rusty, replace them with other small-headed screws, galvanized, NEVER in stainless steel! In fact, steel is fantastic against rust but fragile to twisting because it is not very elastic, so you risk breaking the screw while tightening it. We recommend, when replacing the screws, soak them in a polymeric polyurethane sealant, such as Sikaflex 521.

8. Periodic sealing. The black beast of campers is the infiltration of water into the internal parts of the walls, ceiling and floor of the camper. Please refer to the specific post that helps you discover them. To prevent them, it is advisable to carry out hygrometric checks at least once a year, and in any case, every 5 years it is advisable to renew the seals as a motorhome is subjected to expansion, twisting and thermal shock, which causes even the best sealants to deteriorate. 

It is advisable to have the operation carried out by a specialized company such as ABC Camper, both to guarantee a lasting and aesthetically valid result, and for the treatment to which the profiles and edges of the openings are subjected, before the actual sealing.

9. Get rid of the water on the roof of the trailer. During the winter break, in particular, but in any case when your camper is stopped for a long time, it is advisable to avoid water stagnating on your camper. This is because leaving seals, screws and gaskets to soak shortens their life, especially if this water becomes ice during the cold winter nights. In this case, the detachment of mastics and sealants, even the best and most expensive, is almost certain.

Therefore it is advisable to use the wheel chocks or to park the camper in areas where the road level difference allows the water to drain from the roof.

10. Use your trailer as often as possible! If you use your camper you will keep every single part that makes it moving, almost unconsciously carrying out most of the checks and mini-maintenance necessary to extend the life of your recreational vehicle.

Conclusions

Maintaining a travel trailer is not easy and time-consuming, of course. But, this vehicle allows you to live pleasant moments in the company of those who are dear to you, whether in your hometown or abroad. It is reasonable for you to take care of it so it lasts as long as possible!

If you have any questions or comments about the content, please let us know.

FAQ on How long does a Jayco trailer last?

How long does a travel trailer last?

A travel trailer can last up to 10 years, on average. However, the lifespan of a vehicle can vary considerably taking into account some essential aspects such as: how often you drive it if you live full-time in the trailer or not, if you do regular annual maintenance, if you take precautions when parking it long-term and in time what are you on the road.

Are Jayco caravans good?

According to many travel enthusiasts, Jayco caravans are indeed good motorhomes. The quality of Jayco products is what makes them particularly reliable. The materials and technology used in the design of their products are of the highest quality. The quality of Jayco products is what makes them particularly reliable. The materials and technology used in the design of their products are of the highest quality.

Do travel trailers hold their value?

Travel trailers do hold their value longer than RVs or caravans. A travel trailer can hold its value between five and 15 years, more or less regularly. 

Other FAQs about Travel Trailers that you may be interested in.

How many people does a Scamp 16 sleep?

How much does a 13-foot Scamp trailer weigh?

How much does a 16-foot Scamp camper weigh?

References

• How long to keep a Jayco? – Page 2 – Jayco RV Owners Forum
• How Long Does a Travel Trailer Last? – RVBlogger
• How many miles do RVs last? – Average lifespans for each class!