We all love the feeling of adventure when we head for new destinations in the bush. Camper trailers allow us to explore and experience, the best destinations that Australia has to offer for extended periods of time, and more often than not, will get you to and from your campsite without any dramas.

However, these hard-to-get-to destinations are naturally going to cause a fair bit of wear on your gear and your offroad camper trailer. Corrugations will put strain on your suspension, water will work its way into bearings, poor quality drinking water will taint tanks, and general wear and tear will happen. General maintenance is all part of owning a 4WD camper trailer, and dragging it through tough terrain can lead to other issues – for most of us it’s a worthy risk to get to that hidden hotspot of a lifetime with loved ones.

Maintenance, repairs and upgrades are all part of pre and post trip work, but knowing where to start and what to inspect can be a bit of a daunting process. To make it easier for everyone, we’ve put together this easy-to-follow 15 step guide on bringing your soft floor camper trailer, hard floor camper trailer or hybrid camper trailer back to new. Each maintenance step will tell you what to look for, how the damage occurs and how to fix the issue.

From junk to absolute gem – anyone can add value to their camper trailer, and it starts right here – so grab your tools, wheel the old girl into the shed and turn your camper trailer back to the pride and joy it should be!

STEP 1 – BEARINGS

For us off-roaders, water would have to be the biggest wheel bearing killer we come across. If the camper trailer hub assembly gets a mouthful of river water, the grease’s lubricating properties are severely affected. The early warning signs are unmistakable, as water contaminated grease tends to turn white and cake up in clumps. If you don’t check them fairly regularly, chances are you won’t know until it’s too late.

There are however, a few simple and easy preventative measures you can take to help your 4wd camper trailer bearings last the test of time. Start by installing marine grade hub seals, which are actually designed to handle the pressure of complete submersion under water. Swap out the hub’s old dust caps for a set of quality bearing protectors, which form a much tighter seal. Plus, they have a grease nipple so you can top the grease up without tearing the hub apart.

Always carry a spare set of greased bearings for your camper trailer. If you have a packed set sealed in a sandwich bag, they are always ready to install whenever you ever need them, and there is no need for you to grease them in the bush.

STEP 2 – WHEELS AND TYRES

There’s the obvious signs of wear and tear, such as tread running close to wear indicators, but make sure you inspect both tyres inside and out for slices, cuts and potential weak spots. With older 4×4 camper trailer tyres, check for sidewall fatigue, which can happen if the trailer’s been sitting in the front yard with low tyre pressures for too long.

Buying second hand tyres has to be done with caution. Quite often they’re cheap because they’ve been sitting round for a good while. The best to way check if they’re not too old is to test if the tread blocks are still soft.

Should you need to replace your tyres and wheels, why not put on a set to suit your 4WD setup? This essentially means you’re always carrying two spares wherever you go.

STEP 3 – SUSPENSION

Your suspension is arguably this most vital component of your 4WD camper trailer, and really needs to be given the correct attention.

With your shocks, inspect the shock mounts for cracks, then check if the shocks are leaking fluid or have any physical damage. Bent shocks are a common problem, and need to be replaced immediately.

Also have a good look at your bushes – if you think they might be getting old, it’s cheaper to replace them now before they fully give way, which can cause damage to more expensive components.

STEP 4 – TRAILER PLUGS

Quite often your camper trailer electrical plug sits right at the first point of contact on your tow bar, so when damage is common when towing through rugged terrain. Try remounting the plug up higher up – even on top of the tow bar is a smarter location. Regular maintenance is the key to keeping your plugs healthy. Give them a spray with WD40 or contact cleaner after every trip, and inspect the back of the plugs each time. The grommet here comes loose, so tape up if needed.

STEP 5 – RUST PROTECTION

Too often we see trailers come back from a big trip involving sand, only to sit there and rust away. Most offroad camper trailers are sprayed with paint or finishings that will eventually chip from the copious amount of stones being sent its way. Leaving bare metal exposed is exactly how rust infiltrates its way into your chassis.

The fix to corrosion really does depend on the severity of the rust. If you catch it early you should be able to rub it back to bare metal with a grinder and a wire brush. Your priority once you’re down to bare metal is to seal and protect it with paint – and a bare metal respray of the affected area is the best way to go. For the best results possible, used a rubber-based stone guard paint. It’s a tad more expensive but it’s perfect for this scenario.

Make sure you don’t miss part 2 of our guide to camper trailer maintenance for more essential tips!