snail powered Posted April 13, 2015 Share Posted April 13, 2015 Finished epoxying in more blocking against the fiberglass in my Sunrader. It is on the wall that has the cabinet for the stove and sink. I have new blocking along the horizontal areas where the bottom of the upper cabinets are secured plus a couple of strips to secure things like magnet bars, towel holders, plate racks, etc. After I was done adding the new foam board insulation that has foil facing against the fiberglass shell I added a layer of aluminum tape over the foam board and the blocking that faces towards the stove. I am wishing I had done that to all the foam board in other wall areas I previously closed up as it is very easy to do. This morning I had finally decided the best way to approach establishing a reference surface for creating accurate measurements and fabrication of the cabinets in my Sunrader was to build a couple of nicely squared up boxes that would sit on the floor. Then I could tack them in place, use them for baseline measurements and have an accurate 90 degree from the floor surface vertical support to clamp my face frame to. Since I will be doing a lot of the work on my own I need that assistance to hold the pieces still while I install them. There is no other reference surface in a Sunrader other than the floor that you can take measurements off of to square up things. The side walls are sloped as well as a bit warped in places and they curve at the doorway and at the back corners, the ceiling is curved, the wheel well are not perfectly shaped as they warp coming out of the mold they were laid up in and they don't seem to be installed perfectly square to the walls. I put down a new floor layer last fall that was coated with fiberglass cloth on both surfaces. Its not dead flat but will be close enough with a little minor shimming here and there under the boxes if needed. I have 8' long straight aluminum T channel to check the floor flatness against as well as some shorter sections to check it side to side across the width. I thought I was going to have to purchase a sheet of plywood to build my reference surface box shapes but as I drove up to the parking space outside the yard where I keep my Sunrader sitting on the sidewalk was a well built cabinet someone had put out as freebie. I grabbed it as I could cut it in two. It is made from 3/4" plywood, nice and strong and the two ends are perfectly square to the back of the cabinet. I had to take the shelf out of one half so I could split it around the middle. Good thing I had my jigsaw and saw horses with me. Also a good thing a neighbor was onsite in the yard to tote it in and boost it up on the saw horses as sturdy means hefty! So now I can get started on building lower cabinets and have reasonable expectations of their looking straight and level. Plus I will be able to clamp the face frames to them then custom build the side pieces and cabinet dividers back to the wall to match those oddly shaped side walls. Photo below is my free cabinet find sitting on the saw horses as seen before I cut it apart. I love free materials! When I am done I will salvage some of the plywood from the boxes and pass it on to a friend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kayakthecoast Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 I was disgusted with my water pump giving out! But when I pulled it the Shurflo pump date was 1986! Over 26 years of service!! Heck I went out and bought the exact same pump and Installed it. Man is it quiet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 I was disgusted with my water pump giving out! But when I pulled it the Shurflo pump date was 1986! Over 26 years of service!! Heck I went out and bought the exact same pump and Installed it. Man is it quiet. Mine is on the list to replace this spring as part of the replace all the plumbing job. Its 6 years older than yours and still working so you had a lot of years left on yours! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 Went over to the rig to work today but realized it was too cold for doing the small fiberglass job I had decided on. Too cold all together to do anything. I will take my Mr. Buddy heater over there next time I go. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back East Don Posted April 14, 2015 Share Posted April 14, 2015 I started a real expensive mess. I stripped down the roof to assess how I want to tackle it. I've got all new vents on order along with lap seal. I've decided on the liquid roof solution and have that on the way along with the primer. A photo is available at RV Makeover of the initial tearing down. I've finished scrapping all the seams and tearing out the old patch jobs. I've since done a quick wire brushing with a fine cup on the right angle grinder to remove oxidation and old coatings. Weather is not so great today. Tarp is back up and I'll have to wait till I have another day off with nice weather. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DanDanLongDan Posted April 15, 2015 Share Posted April 15, 2015 6 new tires 195/75/14 Kelly Explorer Plus Tires. Rated for 1400lbs each 92S. New Monroe GasMatic shocks front and rear. New front sway bar end links with new bushings. Steering stabilizer to go on tomorrow. Have to order a missing front bumpstop. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Put in some spray foam support under my Sunrader one piece bathroom floor. That floor was too flexible where you step into the bath area just in front of the toilet. I have seen several postings on the forum where people had the floor crack on them in that area. I got tired of worrying about the possibility of more cracks in the floor so I fixed the issue, now the plastic floor is better supported and stable. I got the idea for the spray foam from what contractors do before they install fiberglass tubs. They put down spots of spray foam under the tub then drop the tub in place before the foam starts to cure. The spray foam supports the tub so that the bottom of the tub does not flex when someone stands in it. After I bought my motorhome I discovered my shower pan was cracked where the toilet sits because it was not supported under that area. It had also cracked the plastic flange the toilet bolt go through. I repaired that area with fiberglass last year and also did what the RV store repair guy told me to do which was put wood blocking between the plywood floor and the fiberglass shroud next to hole in the shower pan where the toilet bolts in. The height was right at 3.5" so a 2 x 4's on edge worked fine as blocking supports.That took the stress off the fiberglass and transferred the weight of a person sitting there on down to the floor. Next bathroom project is to move the shower faucet to the back wall so I quit knocking into it. I will fill up the old holes. I will be putting in all new plumbing this summer as part of the interior remodel so it is a good time to move the faucet. There is plenty of room behind the bathroom for the water lines but I do have to take the medicine cabinet out to reach the screw back fittings on the faucet to water line connection but that is easy enough to do. I bought a new quarter turn faucet for the shower control. It is nice looking but as my friend Don who is product designer observed why did they use an antique style font for the H and C on a modern faucet? I can live with it since I really like quarter turn versus standing there turning a knob around and around to turn a faucet off and on. http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/31tUXymaMJL.jpg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passman Posted April 19, 2015 Share Posted April 19, 2015 Oil change, vacuum hoses change, and had enough time left to change the front shocks, I'll get to the rear next weekend weather permitting. Shocks look original.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Roy in Jax Posted April 20, 2015 Share Posted April 20, 2015 @ Karen, I have been wanting to move my shower valves but had no idea where to move them inside the small bathroom. They are a pain where they are located in the Sunraders. I think your idea of moving them to the back wall is a good one. Where can I purchase a new faucet that has the 1/4 turns. I have seen these used on hose bibs for outside use but never seen this inside faucet in the stores. Who sells them. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 @ Karen, I have been wanting to move my shower valves but had no idea where to move them inside the small bathroom. They are a pain where they are located in the Sunraders. I think your idea of moving them to the back wall is a good one. Where can I purchase a new faucet that has the 1/4 turns. I have seen these used on hose bibs for outside use but never seen this inside faucet in the stores. Who sells them. I am locating the faucet just below the area where the medicine cabinet is. That makes it really easy to reach the connections when you remove the medicine cabinet. Since it is recessed back from that face on the wall your body won't bump into the faucet. Just leave enough clearance space above and to the side so your hand is not cramped when you go to turn the faucet. The quarter turn faucet I am using is relatively new on the market. I spent a lot of time looking for a quarter turn last summer but this one was not available then. A lot of people are now selling this new faucet so you can search for the best deal. I chose the link to Amazon soley because it had a good photo but it is selling for as little as $12.00 on other sites so shop around. I ordered from a company on Ebay. Phoenix makes a lot of different RV stuff. http://www.amazon.com/Phoenix-R0477-I-White-Shower-Valve/dp/B000OKT6DS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Working on some pieces for my new cabinets. This long piece of aluminum will be used at the floor to secure the face frames for the kitchen side cabinet. Wood would be a little less expensive but heavier and it is difficult to find a straight piece of it nowadays. My folding sawhorse along with my work bench stool which is an adjustable height drummer's throne allowed me to sit down at the perfect height for the cutting job. I have a bad back so I have no choice but avoiding bending whenever I can. As the sawhorse is made with an I beam cross bar it is very easy to clamp to it for this kind of cross cutting to length job. The stool was a garage sale find last summer. This summer I will keep an eye out at the yard sales for a back for it from Ebay or one I can scavenge from an inexpensive office chair. I like it because the seat can swivel, the legs fold up, the top comes off so it will fit into a cabinet out of the way if needed and since there are three legs it is stable when used outdoors on uneven surfaces. Nice sunny weather but rain is coming again. At least I got the winter mold washed off yesterday, the rig looks a lot more presentable now. A few chores to do on the exterior before I put wax on it. I cut a cover plate to put over the hole where the stove vent was but it needs to be painted first. Another free material piece from my friend's stash, its thin fiberglass, a scrap piece of circuit board material that came from Boeing Surplus a number of years ago. We did not have a suitable piece of aluminum on hand but this will do the job just fine. Next small chore up, the metal catch piece that the lock on my propane tank door was bent over and fractured off when trying to straighten it. So I need to fabricate a small piece to pop rivet into place to do the job. I want to put a keyed lock on that door as it has been converted to storage and other stuff. Good place to keep the little bar-b-que grill, potable water hose, etc. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Good idea for you to be able to lock your converted propane compartment. Bad idea for other folks with a real propane compartment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted April 21, 2015 Share Posted April 21, 2015 Good idea for you to be able to lock your converted propane compartment. Bad idea for other folks with a real propane compartment. agree !!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 Picked up my will call order of 6' long aluminum angle from Online Metals this morning, less than half the cost of getting the materials at the local hardware store . My friend came over and helped me get one piece up along the wall as the ledge that will secure the kitchen counter. Then we put in another piece on the floor that will secure the lower edge of the cabinet's front face. The hard part in a Sunrader is to get them relatively parallel to each other so that the cabinet will come out relatively square in height and depth. Perfection is not an achievable goal as the floor is not perfectly level and the wall is not straight. But a few shims and some slotted holes will make it all come right in my Toyhome world by allowing me to average out the small variations in distance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WME Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 If you think a 30 year old rv is out of true, try redoing and patching a wood floor of a 100 year old house and adding crown molding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted April 23, 2015 Share Posted April 23, 2015 If you think a 30 year old rv is out of true, try redoing and patching a wood floor of a 100 year old house and adding crown molding. been there, done that on the house before last that I owned and remodeled Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passman Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Got the rear shocks installed between rain storms, now onto the interior...oh joy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek up North Posted April 26, 2015 Share Posted April 26, 2015 Wow, colour coordinated helper springs and shocks. Very Martha Stewart! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passman Posted April 27, 2015 Share Posted April 27, 2015 Wow, colour coordinated helper springs and shocks. Very Martha Stewart! Yes it's the little things that make a house a home Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyPatches Posted April 28, 2015 Share Posted April 28, 2015 Took the tarp off and started getting the roof up to snuff. Lots of old caulk removed and replaced with new top notch stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passman Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Removed the stove/oven and refrigerator, started to take the overcab apart and noticed the sag in roof panel (can move it up and down an inch or two just by pushing on it) Let the fun begin! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphinite no longer here Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 So, are you removing this stuff to sell it? If so, I'm interested in the refrigerator. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
passman Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 So, are you removing this stuff to sell it? If so, I'm interested in the refrigerator. John If you are in Washington state and around the Shelton area you can have it, as long as you pick it up, I will not ship it anywhere. I'm removing them because they're not going to be used in my final plans for the sunrader. Fridge has seen better days but I know it runs on both 110 and 12 volt, never tried it on propane. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Almost done with my aluminum sub frame for the kitchen cabinet. It needs a few more cross bars.One more cross bar at the top which will support the narrow area left between the stove top and the sink cutouts. Not sure where that will land as I have not made paper patterns for those cutouts. It also needs cross bars to support a plywood base for the new 12v/110 fridge that will fit over the fresh water tank. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphinite no longer here Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Passman, I sent you a private message. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dolphinite no longer here Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Also, today I walked up to the Dolphin and checked my tires. They looked okay. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
linda s Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 Also, today I walked up to the Dolphin and checked my tires. They looked okay. John You kill me. Linda S Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Back East Don Posted May 11, 2015 Share Posted May 11, 2015 This weekend due to getting done work early on Friday, I came home and installed the new shocks and steering stabilizer. Motorhome has sat for the last two summers so lots of things to flush and check. Cleaned out a rodent nest in the air cleaner. Need to wire screen that up. Another project. Yesterday in between morning errands and having the In-laws over I managed to get a box tube brace installed in the berth and then finished sealing up the entire front back up. Then went out and picked up two new batteries and installed them. I pulled the tires out of the garage and managed to get them back on the RV and get it off of the blocks just as the first guests arrived. Got the motorhome out of the way for parking and had just enough time to grab a quick shower and change. Wife's family stayed till 3AM. I barely managed to stay awake. I got tons done this weekend ending with giving the now water tight 87 Itasca a good bath. New liquid roof is at day 7 of cure time and I couldn't be happier with it. Put the registration renewal sticker on the plate and am almost ready to take it out to get inspected. Still plenty remaining like painting the edge trim and building a new dinette but I finally feel like I am making progress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted May 25, 2015 Share Posted May 25, 2015 Rough day. Bought lunch for my friend in exchange for his doing the bending work of removing my old water pump and converter. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whyverne14 Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 Well I can no longer say that I have two broken ankles, now I have two badly damaged ankles. But yesterday I managed to take my walker and hobble up the hill and across the road to my Dolphin. First time in two months! I did have somebody start it twice in that interval. So I turned on the coach battery and it fired right up. I moved it around a bit. Pressing on the brake didn't hurt too too much. Then I got out and clambered into the back. I wasn't too surprised that it was quite easy to move around in, it's so narrow that there's lots of things to hold on to. So I started thinking "Hey, handicapped camping. Why not?" Put the wheelchair and the walker in there and go! Ah, by the time I figure out all the logistics of all that, I'll probably just need the walker. But you're never too old to dream. To make things even more interesting, the Yoda is my only driver. Right before the accident that broke my ankles, I had decided that my good old Buick wasn't worth fixing up for inspection. Too much rust underneath. Another perfectly good car killed by road salt. All I can do now is look at Craigslist. But no biggie, the Toy is so small that my physical therapist doesn't see any problems with me driving it. If I can make it to the grocery store by this weekend, I'll be thrilled. I won't have to beg people to do that for me any more. Still love my Dolphin. By this time I had planned to have on all the new vacuum hoses, they're still laying here. And I wanted to put another coat on the roof. Don't know if it really needs it but it would make me feel better. The Silver Seal that the last guy put on is showing small cracks. And so it goes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pete1122 Posted May 26, 2015 Share Posted May 26, 2015 I decided to upgrade my injectors on my 1989 Warrior, I went with 4 hole refurbished "Flamethrower" injectors. They have great reviews on YotaTech. While I had the upper plenum off I decided to put new valve cover gaskets on. As luck would have it, 3 of the 4 fuel rail studs broke so I had to order some replacements. I cant wait to get everything back together and take her for a spin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted May 27, 2015 Share Posted May 27, 2015 Pretty much done now with my aluminum support frames for my lower cabinets. Today I built the aluminum support frame for the rear recliner/ dining seat/bed/low workbench. It has to perform lots of functions including storage underneath. I gained a lot of storage space getting rid of the traditional rear dinette layout. The other week when I was in the hardware store I noticed some large steel shelf brackets from Fast Cap. I checked them out with a high quality square as to their accuracy of being bent at exactly 90 degree angles and they were spot on. I got the 8 inch by 12 inch Speed Brace Brackets. They have made the task of getting the framing installed nice and vertical so much easier. No helper needed! I screw the bottom to the floor in the position where I want to stand up the framing and then clamp the frame to the upright part of the shelf brackets. In the inside corner they have a notch that is meant to fit over a 2 x 2 and that allows me clearance to drill holes for the pop rivets that hold the aluminum frames together. When I am done I fill in the screw holes in the plywood floor with epoxy putty, which for this back bench framing job was only two screw holes. The brackets are very strong. So now I have almost 18 linear feet of workbench surfaces installed plus storage space underneath as well as my tall closet full of drawers done. One 5' long bench, one 6' long and one 6'6" long. It won't be a struggle anymore to find a good place to work while I make all the wood face frames for the cabinets as well as building the overhead cabinets. Next up I am taking a break from creating the cabinets to take advantage of the good weather to the cab interior refurbished. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 The temperature is rising so I got my Sunrader properly set up to help beat the heat. Price was right as I already had everything on hand. Reflectix went back over the outside of the windows on the south and west sides. A 20" box fan is on my workbench in front of the sliding window. As the workbench top is only an inch below the window opening it is very easy to position the fan to direct the air flow to where I am working. I have a smaller fan for up in the overcab area. Don't laugh at my new roof vent fan too much. It works great, it moves a lot of air and I can still walk under it. Remember its just a temporary setup for this summer's remodel work. A couple of zip ties,the kind with built in screw holes, is all it took to hang it up there. I can still reach up and open and close the vent with the crank as the fan is not a wide as the vent opening. The twin motor, 110v fan is made for putting in window openings. It was sitting in the garage gathering dust so I might as well get some use out of it. This fan has a switch on both sides so you can turn it around to direct air in or out. I have it set up as an exhaust fan. Even without the cabinets finished the motorhome is earning its keep as a good place to work in with lots of tool storage space and big enough work surfaces. Plus I have a reclining backrest now setup on my rear bench. I lay down on that bench seat that goes all the way across the rig lengthwise and I use it like a lounge chair with my back propped up at various angles depending on what I am doing. It will likely take a half dozen prototypes to get the back support cushion contoured just right for my personal needs. The drummer's throne with backrest I got is proving to be a good, adjustable height workbench chair that is not a big space hog. Air conditioning would be nice but I am "borrowing" power from the neighbor's building next to where I keep the motorhome. I can't run up the bill too high so no air conditioner. I paid for this summer and fall electric use by trading him my 1980 vintage converter so he can create a mini camper in his truck's canopy cover. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snail powered Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Great progress today. It was the annual rummage sale at the marina in honor of national marina day. I bought a Honda 1000i generator with only a few hours on it for $400.00. I never dreamed I might get one for that kind of price so I am doing a happy dance. As it is a gasoline generator it was not something the boat owners were interested in. Sometimes you do get lucky Working on spray painting all the trim and panel in my cab. Should finish up with all the removable pieces today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
whyverne14 Posted June 13, 2015 Share Posted June 13, 2015 Great progress today. It was the annual rummage sale at the marina in honor of national marina day. I bought a Honda 1000i generator with only a few hours on it for $400.00. I never dreamed I might get one for that kind of price so I am doing a happy dance. As it is a gasoline generator it was not something the boat owners were interested in. Sometimes you do get lucky Working on spray painting all the trim and panel in my cab. Should finish up with all the removable pieces today. Yeah that's big time. Always wanted one on those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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