Nothing will wear you down faster than a long day of RV driving with all sorts of banging and clanging going on behind you.
RV rattles and squeaks can drown out the radio (or conversations with your passengers) — and without even thinking about it, you just turn up the volume to compensate.
Most noises created by road travel can easily be quieted with a simple RV hack — and I’ll show you which hacks have worked the best during my many years of RVing.
Not all noises happen when you’re driving though. Some RV systems themselves are notorious for being noisy at all hours of the day and night. I’ve got some hacks to help with those things, too!
Following are useful RV hacks to quiet down the most common RV noises heard while driving…
Solutions For Loud RV Noises
#1 – Hand Towels & Washcloths
When stacked together, pots and pans tend to rattle loudly as you’re driving. Not only that, but all of that rubbing together can cause damage to the non-scratch surfaces. Simply place a washcloth between your pots & pans that are stacked together — to quiet them down and protect the surfaces.
#2 – Rubber Shelf Liner
RV shelf liner will quickly quiet the noise created by drinking glasses, dishes, and silverware clinking together in the cabinets. Choose your favorite color, thickness, and length. The best part: rubber shelf liner is easy to cut — so it fits perfectly in the spaces where you need it! In fact, it can even be used with your pots & pans in place of the towels and washcloths mentioned above.
#3 – Sound Deadening Insulation
Many motorhomes have the engine up front with a “dog house” between the driver and passenger. Some are insulated well — but others tend to generate a high level of noise at freeway speeds. Adding some sound deadening insulation will not only address the noise issue, but can also address a heat issue when heat radiates up into the coach while driving.
#4 – Rubber Stovetop Grommets
Rattling stovetop burner grates can be the most annoying noise of all! One-piece stove grills have rubber grommets in each corner. If yours are missing or damaged, you can easily find them at any RV dealer or online store. There are a couple different sizes or styles so be sure to take a sample with you. I always carry spares with me. (Individual burner grates usually have metal clips that keep them from rattling — and these too can be purchased.)
#5 – Grease Gun
A good lube job can cure a number of RV squeaks. For example, rear springs have shackles that move with pins that turn. When they’re left dry and not properly serviced, it can really be annoying when you drive over a rough stretch of highway! Carry a small grease gun with you to eliminate this issue.
#6 – Felt Or Silicone Pads
Self-adhesive felt pads and silicone pads can silence annoying rattles from cabinets, drawers, and doors — like that one cabinet door that seems to rattle on any type of pavement! There are a variety of different types and sizes to fit most applications.
#7 – Water System Accumulator
There’s one issue that I’ve heard complaints about repeatedly… the RV water pump cycling every 5 minutes or so when there is even the slightest amount of pressure drop in the water system! The key to resolving this issue is to install an accumulator — so you can use small amounts of water without the pump turning on every time. No more waking up in the middle of the night each time the water pump turns on for a few seconds!
#8 – RV Solar Power System
If you’re far away from other people but still need to run a generator, place it as far away from your RV as possible with the exhaust pointed away from the RV as well. Please don’t point it toward other RVers — that’s the quickest way to ruin any hope for a friendship with your neighbors! Still, a far better choice if you do alot of boondocking is to install a solar power system large enough to meet most of your electrical needs. Not only is this a silent way to make electricity, it’s also a completely environmentally conscientious way to handle your RV electrical needs.
The Bottom Line
There’s nothing more relaxing than cruising down the highway to some soft music and enjoying the wonderful scenery passing by — without a lot of noise coming from inside your RV.
Noise creates tension. You don’t even realize it until you’ve reached the end of the day and find yourself unable to sleep.
There is one particular route I drive regularly that has a wonderful calming radio station along most of the trip. It reminds me how nice it is to have a quiet RV!
Here are some tips for quieting other RV sounds.
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I’ve been involved in RVing for over 50 years — including camping, building, repairing, and even selling RVs and motorhomes. I’ve owned, used, and repaired almost every class and style of RV ever made. I do all of my own repair work. My other interests include cooking, living with an aging dog, and dealing with diabetic issues. If you can combine a grease monkey with a computer geek, throw in a touch of information nut and organization freak, combined with a little bit of storyteller… you’ve got a good idea of who I am. To date, I’ve shared my RV knowledge in over 300 articles here at The Fun Times Guide! Many of them have over 25K shares.
