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The what did you do to your toyhome today thread


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  • 2 weeks later...
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Took it in for my first PA inspection. I was worried they might find some wicked problem. Nothing wrong! Just that I should start saving up for those Bilstein shocks for next year. Hoorah!

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  • 2 weeks later...

Just removed rt rear tire, has a drywall screw in it, and installed spare. Wasn't leaking, yet, but have not seen a drywall screw short enough to not go deep enough to be a problem. And yes regular readers will remember that was the same location as the last drywall screw not too long ago. Guess it's better than getting one in the front, tho that would be easier to change :)

vanman

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New member,

First post.

Just picked up my 1990 Sunrader last weekend, 56K miles 3.0 V6. I'm buffing it out this weekend, so far so good. Drove it from North California to Las Vegas and was able to get 15.25mpg @ 65-67 and 15.75mpg @ 60.

Getting all cushions recovered

New tires are ordered.

Changed Lamps to LED

New Retro Fridge ordered

New Cook-Top ordered

Retro Microwave ordered

Installing 20" Samsung an arm bracket above Fridge

Playstation going in for kiddies

Honda EU3000 going on rear hitch rack

Really love this set up. Getting ready for a cross country trip during Thanksgiving week.

Gas prices are going in the right direction.

Looking forward to reading and learning

Thanks,

Steve

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  • 3 weeks later...

Today I installed Bilstein shocks on the front axle. The passenger side shock was an old Toyota one that was completely gone. No resistance. The nut on top of the shock was welded and would not budge. A multi-tool cut the nut in half and then it backed off fairly easily. The driver side shock was still OK, but why change only one shock?

The Toyota wheel jack is handy for convincing the new shocks to retract in order to insert and tighten the two bolts that hold the base of the shock in place.

A 17 mm ratcheting wrench is handy for tightening the top nut down. Bilstein put a cavity for a hex key in the top of the shock. With a 1/4 inch hex, the rod does not turn while tightening.

Next, I'm going to order the rear Bilstein shocks, most likely from Amazon, $75 a piece, free shipping.

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A little paint. Since we had an unusually warm day here in PA, I decided to try my little paint idea. I noticed that Target sells these little 8 oz. jars of paint. There supposed to be samples but I figured they'd go pretty far in the ToyHome. I wanted to do the one side of the entrance way, it was pretty funky, just the old original marred wood. It did work out well. It's nice thick paint, I didn't even put anything down on the floor. The little jar is easy to hold. I put two coats on and decided that I really don't like that color. Well, I'm only out 6 bucks.

Next time I'll try another section with a different color. Maybe the first color will grow on me. Or I'll cover it when I find a color that I like. I think it's a good idea for folks like me who don't have much time for big projects.

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The first time the handle spring broke, my local shop sold me an old handle for five bucks. That spring lasted about a year.

This time, the spring came from a pen. Drilled a tiny hole in the handle and threaded it in. The mount screw anchors the spring nicely.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Installed Bilstein shock absorbers on the rear axle of the Warrior. The passenger side shock was an easy job, maybe 30 minutes to undo the two bolts, knock the shock off the pins with a 2X4 and hammer and install the new Bilstein.

The driver side job was much harder due to the muffler assembly and some poorly placed air bag hoses. Trying to mount the new shock was really difficult due to the confined location, reaching up and around the muffler to try to push the Bilstein onto the mount. The key to success was a five inch C clamp with 2X4. The pressure of the C clamp "convinced" the shock to move onto the mount - first top and then bottom.

One of the old rear shocks was getting weak. It had about 50% of the resistance to contraction that the Bilstein or even its mate had.

My speed on the last trip was limited to 60 mph due to vibration. The tire on the passenger side front was showing uneven wear on the inner edge. Coincidentally, this was the same location as the completely useless front shock, a Toyota, which may have been the original factory part. I'm hoping the new shocks will resolve the vibration problem.

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  • 2 months later...

Hooray! Its finally time to get back to work on the Sunrader. The temperatures are going to be in the low to mid 60's for daytime highs so I can work comfortably without adding any heat. My Sunrader came though the winter in the storage yard just fine, no leaks! So today I went over and got back to work on the interior.

There were some very strong wind storms this winter. Last summer I had cut some reflectix to fit over the outside of the windows to keep the inside cool on the west facing side. I used some 3M type of VHB (very high bond) adhesive tape to install black industrial velcro stips onto the aluminum window frame and onto the reflectix to keep the pieces in place. I decided to leave it the covers in place on the outside over the winter to see how well it would hold up in the wind, rain and cold. It did fantastic, not one piece reflectix came loose in the wind. I don't plan to drive around with them in place but I did not want to have to take them off on days when the winds kicked up while doing long stays. They will come down for now since I need the solar gain at this time of year to warm things up inside.

I am going to temporarily install my new 6 foot long workbench into the rig this weekend which will be a big help with working on the projects.

For additional work surface I had ordered a second folding sawhorse to match the one I got a few years ago so I can expand my work area outside when its not raining. I need something easy to set up and take down since I can't leave things outside the rig if I am not around. They are light enough to go into the overhead bin above my rear window. I will also carry a piece of lightweight Baltic plywood to lay over them to act as a picnic table or work surface. The plywood will store under my over-cab bed mattress. The link shows how fast it is to set these up and how strong they are. They are a lot more stable than plastic sawhorses. http://youtu.be/PsLNL9Y82Qs

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I cut to length my 6' long workbench top and did a temporary install in the motorhome. It is an inch and a half or so higher than its final position. I left room under it so I can build the cabinets in place and still have the workbench top in use while I fit and install them under it. Once the cabinets are done it will be lowered down and secured to the cabinets. One of the jobs I have already done was to fiberglass to the interior walls of my Sunrader's shell some solid wood blocking behind the wall panels so I would have good support for securing the cabinets and this workbench top. Along the back and side edges this workbench top is now resting on cleats screwed into that blocking. I will have temporary legs on the front edge for now as I don't want the workbench top to get bowed in the middle before I fix it into its permanent location.

So now that I have my new floor to ceiling storage closet with its drawer bins functioning and the work bench also functional I can get started on the rest of the interior work for the remodel. It will go slow as my back is pretty bad which limits how much I can do in a day. I fortunately had a helper for the half hour it took to level the cleats up. The leveling app on the I-phone was a big help in making sure both ends were at the same slope, the rear window frame was used as the reference surface for that. Nothing level or square to use for reference inside a Sunrader and that makes remodeling the interior a challenging puzzle of custom shaped pieces to fit together.

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I'm putting in a fantastic fan. Install will be in the bath area. Got the old vent-fan out now have to clean the mounting area.

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That's nice work, Karen. What are you going to make with the chop saw? I thought you only did miniatures.

John

The chop saw is there because I am in the process of building the cabinets and cutting trim pieces. That 8" Makita is a nice saw, a good size for the cabinet work. But it won't be traveling with me. This Japanese hand saw system will travel with me since it does not weigh much and it can make better miter finish cuts than the Makita saw plus you can do rip cuts with it. Perfect for an off grid workshop :)https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0d9EEd2GVxA

Tried out a new product yesterday, Rust Oleum Ultimate Wood Stain. Dries quickly, looks nice too and does not have a strong odor. This will speed things up! I got the color called "Wheat" it is a nice warm brown, not too dark, pretty close to a golden oak color. It covers in one coat since it has micro pigments in it. Just brush on, let sit 2 or 3 minutes, wipe off the excess. Ready to put polyurethane over it in only 1 hour! Of course at this time of year in cool and humid Seattle make that 2 hours.

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Completed the Fan Tastic fan install. Everything went well :greedy: . Boy does it move some air.

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As I am working on my Sunrader remodel in a storage yard facility there are various people who drive and walk by it. I wanted to put up some temporary window coverings to keep people from seeing in. Too risky putting up the good window coverings until I am done with slinging sawdust, varnish and paint around. I put up the curtain rods that eventually will get installed to the bottom of the upper cabinets. They are from Ikea and they have an option for hanging the curtains with small clips which is what I chose to do. I needed a curtain material that was inexpensive, no sewing required. I can sews but did not want to take the time for temporary work. I wanted to let in a lot of light but not let people see inside. So when I was showering the other day and saw the light coming through my shower curtain I realized the answer. I purchased a couple of inexpensive white vinyl curtains that were 71 inches wide and 70 inches long. As they were folded evenly that it made it quick and easy to trim off the 24 inch tall sections needing only to cut across a small width by cutting through all the folds at once. Just a few snips and I had a wide curtain section. One of the leftover is on the door window. When I put up the rods for the over cab windows I will put up curtains to cover those windows too.

As you can see in the photo the light transmission is excellent, it is almost as bright with them closed as it is with them open. There is a small pattern molded into the plastic that acts like miniature Fresnel lenses amplifying the light instead of reducing it. The impressed pattern also breaks up the image of what is on the inside of the curtains. The pieces won't go to waste later when I put up the real curtains as they will make good picnic table covers or drop cloths for other projects.

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Next up is making a flat aluminum cover plate to install on the exterior over the area where my stove vent used to be. I have decided not to install a new stove vent in my remodel at this point in time but want to leave the option to change my mind about that in the future. I was knocking my skull into the corner of the old stove vent and that is the incentive enough for doing without one. I do plan on adding a Fantastic Fan so that should handle any moisture or smells.

The curtain rod system is Ikea Kvartal. The spring clips are called Riktig, they are normally used with the curtain wire system but also work with the rollers for the Kvartal rods. It will be easy to add a space blanket reflective material behind the regular curtains if I want to do so. If you want cloth curtains and can't sew Ikea also sells rolls of iron on adhesive tape for hemming curtain materials.

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I've been away from site for sometime just got married moved to wife's house
finally got sometime to work on some projects

Made 4 2x2ft cement slabs to park rv on in back yard

Scrapped off old roof caulk and resealed vents and seams

replaced old toilet to a dometic 300 (picked up new for $50). Old one would not hold water & fill up tank if I had water in rv..

now time to go camping!!!!

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I've been away from site for sometime just got married moved to wife's house

finally got sometime to work on some projects

Made 4 2x2ft cement slabs to park rv on in back yard

Scrapped off old roof caulk and resealed vents and seams

replaced old toilet to a dometic 300 (picked up new for $50). Old one would not hold water & fill up tank if I had water in rv..

now time to go camping!!!!

Just curious sdboltdude... did you use a portable cement mixer for those pads or hand stir into forms? I was thinking of doing same thing but maybe will 6 pads for jacking.

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I had a mixer but just stirred into forms was a real ez job

Just curious sdboltdude... did you use a portable cement mixer for those pads or hand stir into forms? I was thinking of doing same thing but maybe will 6 pads for jacking.

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Installed polyurethane sway bar bushings by Energy Suspension and new polyurethane shock bushings. Don't know why but I installed Brillstein shocks two years ago, 19,000 miles, and now the upper mount rubber is shot. Maybe I got them to tight. It does seem that the steering is more responsive. Also the front end seems to be harder riding when a bump is hit.

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Today I installed a custom-fabricated support for the cab-over. Two steel rods were welded onto small brackets in the doorjam, which was then also welded to 3" steel plate. The steel plate ran the width of the fiberglass, and was screwed into the existing metal support. The wood and foam from the cab-over interior was destroyed by water damage, so it was all ripped out and replaced with new high-grade lumber, foam, and plywood. All in all, I'm very happy with the results and shouldn't ever have water problems in this area again.

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I installed a door under the lavatory sink to the right of the one already there. There was space

behind that you couldn't see. So, I put a door there and gained a little more room. I lay it down

instead of having hinges on the side. It wasn't like the ones already there but it served the purpose.

I will poly urethane it to match the other ones that were stained and faded that I put polyurethane on.

homer

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post-3517-0-75489100-1427948587_thumb.jpI also replaced the mirror glass because it was distorted. The original was thinner than the new one . I had to cut the backer board smaller in order for it to fit back.. I put the little glass fasteners back in to hold the glass in and the backer boards. Then put wood putty around the back side perimeter to finish it. I took the picture with camera sideways in order for it to fit the frame.

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Nice job you did.

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Thanks Darrel. I saw the potential a yr. or two before actually doing it .

( Something to consider for stabilizing your rig , if you don't already have one )

I fixed two stabilizer brackets for the rear that the stabilizers can be slid onto the bumper brace to stabilize the toyohome while camping, just slide them off and put inside while traveling. I bought 2 scissor jacks from HARBOR FREIGHT while they were on sale for $19 each. Cut a flat piece of steel 1/8" thick, and 7/8" wide and 2" long with a 1/2" hole drilled in the center. I bought two 3/8" self drilling bolts and after drilling out the required size hole (normally a little smaller) where the bolt goes, proceeded to self tap the bolt hole. Then unscrewed the bolt and placed in the 1/2" hole and proceeded to bolt it on the placed for it to go. This sounds confusing but the pictures can explain it better. It takes a little of knowledge mechanics and ingenuity to figure it out. The top of the jack swivels and is easy to slide the holder into the bracket . Be sure to leave the bracket on the brace a little loose in order for it to slide in the jack bracket on top.

If you have a welder ..... drill out the hole in the bumper brace and weld a nut over the hole so the bolt has more to hold it in than a thin sheet of metal that the brace is made of..

I plan to paint the new work and all the 'RUSTY' things hopefully before camping. I'm thinking about using Rust-Oleum brand 'Cold Galvanizing Compound' Paint # 7585.

Material needed

2- self-drilling 3/8" bolts (Note.. You can use self drilling screws the size you need and not have to pre drill the holes, just use a cordless drill and screw the plate on )
2- flat steel 1/8" thick X 7/8" wide X 2" long; it would probably work with 1/4" aluminum piece

2- stabilizer jacks

A can of any kind of paint or none at all

3/8" cordless drill and bits

socket set if you use a bolt instead of screws. It is a possibility your mini-motor home doesn't have braces for the bumper to be fastened too,

But that was where I had to stabilize it because the bumpers are too flimsy. Our Mini-Motorhome is a 1986 Sunland Express . I didn't realize that it was so rusty underneath !

It's a possibility that I could have left a thing or two out, that's not my intention. But if it helps you out then my effort has been rewarding.

'homer'

PS. next to last pict shows where the bumper and brace are joined. Enlarge the picts and you can see a lot better .

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I was adding some more blocking behind the walls above my stove area. I needed to do that before I start building cabinets, a do it now or regret not doing it later task.

I can work off my new work bench top. Its height is limited by the height of the bottom of the windows. I knew going into it that it would be a bit low for some stand up task while a good height for others.

Today I came across a video for a small workbench height riser that only requires one 8' long 2 x 4 that I will go ahead and make. He designed it as a challenge project of something useful that can be made with a single 2 x 4.

I can use it outside on top of a picnic table or clamp it to my portable saw horses. In addition it is plenty strong for use as a step stool. When not it use I can put it in the back of the workbench as a small riser shelf.

Here is the video for constructing it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zZBIwjX6IDU

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