Average cumulative yearly maintenance?

adamTabOwner

Hi everyone! I am a new owner of a 2022 Tab 400 Boondock. I am trying to put together e budget for maintenance. We have a decent estimate number of miles well travel (~2000/year) and we’re trying to convert that into a monthly line item. Does anyone have reliable numbers on yearly expenses?

Dutch061

A large part of this will depend on who is doing the maintenance. 

We have a 2020 400 BDL and have put right at 11,000 miles on it in nearly 2 years, I have done all of the maintenance.

My estimate for supplies that I have purchased including anti-freeze for winterization is $25.00.

I need to change the glycol for the Alde this spring, so that will be another $250.00 for materials to do the job including the glycol. There have been posts where people have paid up to $750.00 for this work. 

If you put $25 to $50 per month to the side, you will be fine, even if you need to pay someone to do these things for you.

Brad

P.S. You will likely spend way more on your tow vehicle for additional maintenance than the 400.

Denny16

There isn’t that much maintenance on a TaB400: 

1. monthly check glycol fluid level (cost is a gallon of glycol to have on hand)

2. The Annual wheel/brake inspection and lube wheel bearings (any good trailer shop can do this.
3. Annual winter lay up, draining water system, adding RV antifreeze.
4. Bi-annual replacement of glycol in Alde system (this is the most expensive maintenance item, cost is $250-400 depending on the dealer shop rate.  You will already have the new glycol, so only need to do a drain/pump out old glycol and pump in new glycol.  With the new dual drain/inlet setup on the Alde, this is best done by a TaB (nuCamp) dealer or an Airstream/Alde service center.
5. Every three to five years, depending on unit of use, replace tires, which suffer from side rot even if low mileage on tread. (Edit: Added to complete list)
cheers

RCB

I budget $500 per year, and seem to spend that amount. I pay for brake and bearing maintenance and the rest i do myself. Alde fluid change has occurred on alternate years from the break and bearing maintenance. If you budget a reasonable amount you are more likely to look after issues that require periodic / preventative maintenance.

N7SHG_Ham

Need to add tires into long term costs, likely will time out way before tread is gone. I am replacing my Tab 400 tires at three year mark, still lots of tread. That is probably a bit conservative, 5-6 years is probably a safe bet, over seven is a gamble and they are for sure non serviceable at 10 years. The problem is you don't really know, one tire failure at speed likely will do more damage to your trailer than the cost of two new tires. I would budget accordingly depending on your risk level. I will be about $500 for two OEM Boondock tires installed, so for me that is $167 a year on a three year cycle.

Wheel hub annual service is around $200 if you have a shop do the work, probably around $50 if you do the work. It is recommended every 12k miles OR annually regardless, so even low yearly miles requires this expense.

Alde service as mentioned is another larger expense, again variable costs depending on labor.

All in, I would say around $50 a month would be a good budget number to cover maintenance. Of course as unit ages there will be other stuff pop up.

adamTabOwner

Thanks everyone for the advice. I will try to remember to come back with an update in a couple of years.

WayneW

It’s not the annual maintenance costs that get me. I do most of my own so that keeps the costs down. 

It’s all the great mods that other people on this forum come up with and then I need to do that too!! 

Mouseketab

I would add to that various caulking. I empty mine down to the bare wood once a year, and clean, check all seals by having one stay inside in the dark, and the other climbing around with a flashlight. If any light comes in, plug the hole.