Life Span of Travel Trailer Equipment

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Assuming you are living in your TT full time, what would
be the life span of the following equipment?

1. Water heater
2. A/C
3. Frig
4. Tires
5. Bearings

I'm trying to get a better idea as to what the cost of
TT ownership would be over a 10 to 15 year period.

Doing my homework,

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Good questions. I'll be interested to know what you find out overall. Tires, of course, depend on how many miles you travel, type of roads, and care. That will be pretty much like your tow vehicle, I would think.

I don't know how much traveling my '89 has done over the course of it's life as I only purchased it this year. From the looks of it, it was well used but not necessarily abused. However, all of the equipment you mentioned, except for the tires (and probably bearings although we opted to repack rather than replace as they were in good condition), is original.

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Tom, I don't think anyone can answer that question reliably. I've never heard any "averages" because there are so many variables.

I do know this ... if an RV appliance is defective for whatever reason, it's going to be subject to what's known as "early hour failure" ... meaning it will break during the first few on / off cycles ... and obviously be covered under warranty. (Warranty on most new parts on new trailers are now two to three years)

If you make it through the warranty period without something breaking ... and most of us do ... and most stuff does ... things like refrigerators, water heaters, a/c last a good long while, as long as they are properly serviced, and you replace the water heater anode tube regularly, etc. etc.

Having said that, Morgan had a converter go bad just out of warranty ... so it can happen.

Most RV tires should be replaced after four years of service ... regardless of mileage or thread ... because trailers spend so much time sitting around without flexing, they are prone to deterioration by the sun. You can extend their life by covering with tire covers. But I still replace after 4 years of service.

Having said that, I have a good friend who had original tires on a 20 year old trailer and said he'd replace them when they popped or fell apart.

Bearings, properly serviced, can last a good long while also.

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well, I had a ref. one of those large two way two door variaties that went bad after 4 years, lots of use. Bubba didn't seemed surprised. gave the impressition they do that sometimes. more then we would like. Looking back I think it had a bobber nest in the wrong place. It seemed to attract them like crazy. The one in my 27 year old trailer looks original and still works. its a three way one door little biddy thing. but I have to go out side to change it over, I don't like that.
water heater. had to replace the MH one after 6 years. forgot it had water in it. it burst. didn't work

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Jana,
What in the world is a bobber?:o

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A mud dauber?

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>>bobber

Naw, it's one of those little statues for the back of a car, you know, the ones where the little head bobs up and down ... a bobber.

Somehow one of those little statues must have been stuck down the vent. Probably vandalism.:)

My real guess is a small bird and it's nest

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bobber dobber
I read and reread, and I still make mistakes. :colors I ment the one that makes mud houses and lookes like a black wasp. A dirt dobber. (never could spell) good guess Mary, and bet the rest of you knew, you just didn't want me to know you knew.:wiggly
the bird lived under the edge of my car port.

bobber is one of those things you use when fishing to know if you got a fish.