shandamac

Brother Allen, Along with the "Primitive Rocking Ritual", the higher powers soon require modal chants followed by the circling, gyrating "Toy Dance" (only acceptable if done with wild abandon). Wishing you a peaceful journey, Sister Shanda Fellowship of the Toy

Hi Gilly, Welcome to the forum! Well, I highly recommend Sunrader. (2 piece, fiberglass construction., less opportunities for leaks) However, I wouldn't recommend an 18 foot for 5 people (even if 3 of the 5 are relatively small). The motorhome you want is 21' or larger. (Not sure how many sizes of Sunrader were made.) Happy hunting. shanda

Sadie had same issues. Was the carburator. Old bad gas is nasty stuff.

Oh that was way fun!!! Sadie and I need to make a road trip to Sacramento just to meet Dr. George. The light cover wall: Totally psychedelic!!!!! shanda

Hi Vicki, Welcome to the forum!!!! First of all, you'll need to assess what kind of "rearend" your new motorhome has. Does it have 5 lugs or 6? Are you sure it's the original chassis light duty rearend or has it been already modified? This forum is chocked full of past posts regarding the rear axle issue and suggestions on where and how and what. I was able to post pictures of my rear wheels, and these guys set me straight. Maybe you can do that too if there's any question. Shanda

Hey, check it out. As bear suggested, I pulled up a Winnie catalog in PDF. http://netfev.org/rialta/winnebago/winneba...ies_catalog.pdf There are lots of latches. Still trying to figure out which one works for the water heater compartment door......and then I got sidetracked scrolling down and looking at all the cool mh gizmos. Will attempt to focus. s oh, Gayla.....don't be surprised if the handles for your black or grey water drains are missing. Sadie has the same issue. There might be a rod or two that look like they might have had a handle or something. No need to twist, and if it's been sittin a while, it might be a little hard to pull......(pull like you would if you were checking the oil...straight out) it should slide.....might need to hang on with pliers. Should be one for the black water (Sadie's is driver's side.) and one for the gray (Passenger side rear?) Be careful the first time......just in case the previous owners have left.....a......um.......residuals....Better yet.....Pour a gallon of water down the sink and try emptying the gray side first to get the hang of it. have fun.

That little latch that broke, sounds like the door to the hot water heater pilot light. Too funny. I did the very same thing, and then lost the pieces. The hard plastic parts on the outsides of the older motorhomes are so brittle. I've rigged mine until I have time to shop for parts. I bent a small piece of heavy guage wire in half, pulled it through the inside loop, back to front, then bent the ends so it wouldn't pull all the way through...I then spread the bent section into a loop....rather an egg shape. To close the door to the hotwater heater, I just basically line up the egg shaped loop with the opening in the door, the egg wire pops through, and I twist on a piece of wire to keep the door shut. Not fancy, but at least I can drive it around until I can fix it properly. Any other ideas guys?

I'll be honest. I've been driving Sadie without a sway bar. (I didn't know about the mounting differences with those until after I'd shipped in the axle and the mechanic asked me about it. We left it off (didn't wanna spring for another UPS bill), she's doing just fine without it. Much sturdier with the one ton rearend, than the light duty with the sway bar. So, you're sure the one you're looking at has the 5 lug light duty rearend??? $250 is a steal, and Dallas is a nice little road trip from anywhere in Okla. Not sure about mounting differences from the newer models. Maybe Greg or Turtle can help there. I know there are past posts. Wishing you the best.

Yeah!!!! Great Job!!!!

Plan for the axle swap to cost around $2000 to $2500. That's the salvaged 1 ton, dually, rearend (plus brake lines and sway bar), shipping and installation. If you can find one here in OK, that would be so cool!!! Remember, you're not looking for a 1 ton Toyota "motohome" rearend assembly, you're looking for a 1 ton toyota chassis made during the years ______ to ______? (Toy gurus, you'll have to help...my memory is worthless.) They were usually made into box trucks or moving vans. I found Sadie's rearend in Phoenix, at toyotasalvage.com. They were really great to work with. Per my request, they emailed pictures (on the chassis) so I could make sure it was the 6 lug, one ton. When I told them I was really serious and had contacted UPS LTL regarding shipping (had UPS fax me a bid and a request for pick up in Phoenix) and my axle mechanic regarding receiving (drop off location), I asked them to email me pics of it on the pallet. They did. I overnighted the UPS shipping request and a cashier's check. They next day, they called UPS for pick up, and in about a week it was sitting at the mechanic's shop. I had tried to find one locally, and called many salvages around central OK, but was always dissapointed. Of course, I might not have been asking the right questions, or they just didn't want to mess with a girl. You may have better luck. Anyhoo, above all, this forum has been invaluable, and the help received....priceless! Hope this helps. shanda

How exciting!!! Another Okie!!! Hi Matt!! I bought Sadie before I knew anything about anything. Paid $1200 initially, and been through it all: re-carpet, re-upholstry, new one ton rearend, flush the gas tank, rebuild the carb, new fuel lines, tweak this, tweak that, and add another $3000. I'd do it again in a heartbeat!!!! I'm proud to have given the little motorhome a 2nd chance; a new life. She's repaid me a hundred fold. You say the engine runs great! Awesome!! You've got this forum to help with questions on everything, even the axle swap (if you've find your's has the dreaded 5 lug). All the cons you mention are fixable. We build a special bond with these toys. Trust me. You'll learn as you go, like we all do. I say: Don't give up on the deal. At least you're going in with your eyes open. Best wishes, shanda (steppin' down off her soap box).

"To do" lists are like weeds, they just keep growing. White potable water hoses: Walmart $14 or so. Reseal windows: I suggest you take them out, clean them up, and re-butyl or putty them prior to putting them back in. Several good posts here, keep reading. AC hood: I've seen them online at several locations - depending on type size, will probably run $100 to $200. Just like WME says, (and I paraphrase) "One small bite at a time." You'll be fixin' and learnin' all at the same time. It's all a part of the fun. Post pictures soon. shanda

Blokeman, Long stories are perfectly acceptable here! I want to hear more about the trip home. Did you give the little Odyssey a name? Do you have pictures?? shanda

Sandra, Congratulations! Don't forget to keep us posted on your progess. Fun! Fun! Happy Birthday too! shanda

Jocko, Sadie's pump takes awhile to fill the hotwater heater and the pressure to build up. Do you have an evaporative cooler or a/c? I had an issue with the water pump running continually while filling up the reservior in her cooler. Once pressurized it should shut off the pump. Of course, everytime you turn on the water, it'll kick back on, but that's normal. I've heard of some owners installing special pre-holding tanks (not sure exactly what they're called ) to hold pressure so that the pump doesn't run as often. Best of luck. shanda

Hi Gary, Welcome to the forum. I'm not able to help you with answering your questions but can help by getting you back in the loop. If I understand right, no new toyota motorhomes are available, only pre-owned and pre-loved (some more loved than others). I'm note sure at what point toyota stopped selling their chassis to motorhome manufacturers, but from what I can tell, the later models seem to have more features. Happy hunting. shanda

Looks great T! I'm sure the "Nooker" is most grateful. It's a good thing you do shanda

The only difference that I've been able to "see" is cosmetic. All models need regular maintenance, windows resealed occasionally, batteries charged, oil changed, engines checked.... The Sunrader has a 2 piece fiberglass shell. One piece is screwed down over the other so there are less places to spring potential leaks. (In Sadie's case, it also meant a smoother surface for me to paint. ) I think if you find a well maintained toy within your price range, you're gonna love it no matter what the model. Happy Hunting, shanda

Ken, pulled up several sites for new tanks on google this one looked good. http://www.watertanks.com/category/16/ this one too (but seemed pretty large) http://www.pplmotorhomes.com/parts/waste-t...Holding%20Tanks The only "used" holding tanks I've seen so far online are the portable ones. Maybe someone else on this forum has some better references. best of luck. shanda

Hey BB, Sharp little ride. How would you go about shuffling weight? Just curious. Found a neat hitch mounted motorcycle carrier at http://www.discountramps.com/hitch-mounted...cle-carrier.htm shanda

Helloooooo Sandra!!!! Keep reading past posts. You're on the right track. (I actually have a binder of printed past posts and notes on sage advice gleaned from the wonderful toy gurus that frequent this forum.) What might not be relevant now, might be later. Anyhoo. You've come to the right place. Rearend - number one issue...figure that out and go from there. If it's 5 lug, then you're next question will be....To invest or not to invest? That's a start. Welcome to the forum. Shanda

Slim, Re: Insurance Rules differ from State to State and Company to Company. After many years in the business, no where have I seen guidelines exclude makes and models of motorhomes. (Only high performance bikes and autos.) Your best bet would be to call your agent and ask if they have any restrictions on types of MH they will insure. More than anything, I think "stated value" under the rare and restored classification is the trickiest part of insuring our little toys, (for those of us that want to protect our little motorhomes for what $ we put into them.) shanda

Hi Turi, Here's my 2 cents: A motorhome is not usually driven as much as a personal auto, so it's very possible that 60K is original. My little 81 had 78K, which at the time I thought was pretty good, but after reading past posts, I'm amazed at how low the mileage can be on some of the little toys that are scooped up by our members. Saying that, at $10K, you'll want to make sure the MH you're looking at has the full floating, 6 lug dually rear axles, (I never can remember at what year they started catching that big error) and the home is in better than decent shape. Look for buckled or warped paneling under all the windows and in the bottom corners of the upper sleeping deck. Don't be afraid to pull out the cushions and check. Wouldn't hurt to have a mechanic look under the hood, and there are lots of past posts on coach batteries and appliances (heater, water heater, fridge, stove) maintenance and particulars. If possible, it might be nice to have the current owner hook up city water and electric to check all appliances and plumbing (maybe even a short tutorial on usage), and quasi fill the potable water tank to check for leaks. See if he'll let you watch him light the stove and hot water heater. Take notes. He shouldn't mind. I'm not selling her, but if I did, I'd want Sadie's next owner to take very good care of her and that would mean knowing all her little quirks. At $10,000, I wouldn't think there'd be many, and you should start out by having a fun and happy little home. Best Wishes, shanda

I caught it right off.....but you know.....being the modest sort..... Best of luck with your stripy fish. shanda

Wow Greg! Sounds like the the little G had more than one skeleton. I know you'll get the a/c working beautifully, and that radio power set up is amazing. About that little guy with the red flag: I know that guy....He's a real bore. Can't wait to hear the rest of the story. shanda