ToyoGuy
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Posts posted by ToyoGuy
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Would hate to put the old discolored stuff back. Does anyone know where to get this type of trim/weatherseal?
Not sure if it's used on other types of rigs.
Here it is installed:
Sized like this:
Thanks,
Toyoguy
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Wow, Yost, your ride is taking on some epic shades of palacial splendor! Is that the library I see under the sleeper loft?
Very nice work, I am currently pulling out of a stall and laying out new bracing for the flooring.
BTW, I can appreciate how many times you've moved that couch. Since I couldn't get my shower out the door, it has become a constant companion moving from one end of the coach to the other. I am actually going to have it re-gelcoated white (it's pink now) inside the coach, when I finish the floor and before the panelling. Where'd you get your panels, they look better and sound thinner than the luan door skins I figured on....
Keep up the awesome work, I can't wait to see pictures of the end product! Are you having a maiden voyage party?
Toyoguy
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Just saw this today. (Sacramento listing)
950280189@craigslist.org
Pricey, but looks to be in good serviceable shape with key. BTW, the retrofit / work on my Rader to a regular Bargman RV lockset made this look cheap.
BR,
ToyoGuy
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Couldn't find the photos of the new deadbolt setup under your previous post, did you ever take any ?
Thx TG
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Anyone out there tried to re-route the filler hose and breather to the wheel-well instead ? Not sure if there's enough rise to do it, or if it's legal, but it sure would be nice not to have a fuel line running under the kitchen sink or stove. Also, not sure if anyone else noticed, but apparently, at the factory, they sawed right through a main floor support to cut the hole for the hoses. Hence, so many sagging or soft floors in front of the shower and wardrobe. It seems like the floor almost sits on top of the tank, so it could use the full support of that missing brace.
Thanks for any input
Toyoguy
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About to take the plunge. My hardware(and door) are "hosed". The Bargman L-300 is the only game in town as far as I've read in these posts and others. Has anyone done this retrofit ? Any showstoppers? I will be doing fiberglass work to fix the door anyway, so that doesn't scare me. Seems like the left side of the door will need to be mortised. Just don't want to order the lockset if it's not a do-able thing.
Thanks,
Toyoguy
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Just thought I'd add my 2 cents, I weighed my gutted 85' 18ft. 4WD with absolutely nothing but the fiberglass shell and one seat with 1/4 tank of gas and the weight was 3,840 lbs. It'll be interesting to watch that number grow as I correct various engineering "oversights" and add cabinets etc.
My Garner sticker shows a GVWR of 4,650, Toyota sticker shows GVWR of 4,800. Go figure. An auto shipping website shows a stock 85' Toy 4x4 (not a Rader, 4 wheels) weighing about 3,415.
It's an interesting topic.
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Thanks to both of you guys for your speedy reply. I got sidetracked by an unforseen medical issue. It truely is a luxury having the benefit of another guy's sucesses ( and defeats)
ToyoGuy
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Sounds good, how abrasive is the stuff?
Would be interested in finding out the best way to remove the old baked-on striping decals etc. I was going to try using a "judicious" amount of heat from a heat gun and a new razor blade. I look forward to your pictures. Also, what's the party line on cleaning off oxidized paint and wax? My guess is the first order of business is buying a low RPM buffer. I have also heard of using a marine product called Penetrol to revitalize the gel coat and seal it once it's clean. Anybody done this ?
Thanks,
ToyoGuy
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A work of inspired art for sure. Cool that the shower strips worked out. Looked at the inside picture and saw what seem to be some screw heads on the bracing across the back and possibly near the front vent. Did you screw them from the outside the coach in some places ?
Whats your plan for inside decor ?
I am going to put some 3/4" PVC tubing along an upper corner of my coach, before I panel it, so I can pull stereo or other wires through later without tearing up the walls.
After cutting out the original bracing, I bought steel for the cross-bracing under my 18' coach. Two sticks, (2"w x 3/4"h x 1/8" thick, rectangular tubing, 73" long ), then lifted the coach and set them under it. The rear one is fine, but the middle one near the dinette hole bent a bit. (This is with an almost empty coach except for the A/C on top) Looks like I'll have to gusset-weld it. Nice having a straight floor though. I gotta come up with a plan for bracing in front of the wheel wells too. Love the tractor shots, a surfing farmer, ...wow !
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Finally got word back from this custom 4x4 RV guy. Here's what I'm going to use.
I'll probably double-wall, one layer on the fibergalss and one layer against the paneling back in the walls.
(It's comparativeley cheap supposedly)
Here's the contact NFO if you're interested. Sorry it took so long.
TG
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Hmmm..... I must have the earlier version, here's mine:
No threads I can find, just this big rubber flange with a "slip-fit". Gotta heat up the top of the tank to straighten it out where it's puckered though.
Oh yeah...
Here's the stock straps for the tank:
TG
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Wow, what a difference ! So much cleaner looking. Robert, you missed your calling. Any tips for those of us aspiring to do re-carpeting/upholstering in the future ? Are you going to use the existing carpets for patterns to do the cab floor ?
BR,
TG
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My 2 cents...
My toilet was sealed with caulking and it wasn't liquid tight. I'm going to do it right this time (whatever it takes).
I suspect, as with all plumbing, if all new seals are installed and the the outer surface / flange where the "throne" sticks down into the tank is nice and clean, (0000 steel wool ?) it should't leak. All that said, the floor vibrates etc., so make sure the tank is in tight, up against the floor and the seat tight against the flange. As I recall, you removed the shower, so I don't know what the bottom of the throne is sitting on.
Usually, I'm not a fan of silicone for compression fitting in common plumbing, but it takes what it takes. I haven't looked for new seals yet, I'd try an RV supply.
As to the other,
I just removed the tanks (both) on mine and they both had stock straps that were about 1" wide of thin steel strapping with fender washers under the nuts. Definately not plumbing tape. I would think having banding with holes in it wouldn't be a good thing what with undercarriage exposure and all. You probably don't want to do this more than once.
The black water tank is a little bit of a hassle to get out because of the vent pipe though, I had to cut mine about 1/2 way up the wall and I'll splice it.
Hope this helps,
ToyoGuy / Paul
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Hey Yostfmx,
That picture I thought was maybe your rig was actually a guy in the group called bajadulce. I didn't put it together until I was digging thru some strings tonight .
ANyway, he has a topic called: "put the sawzall down". It has some good pics of his rader surf-rig along with his roof-raising / insulation solution. Maybe you can get some ideas, anyway, interesting project. As far as insulation for me, I am going to check in with a guy I saw who had a Ford van 4x4 that was very "tech'd-out". He used a very thin product that was very flexible with a supposedly very high R rating. Not sure of the price. I'll check back when I get the info.
ToyoGuy (Paul)
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Hey Robert,
A little hard to "read" the picture, but it sure does sound like your previous guy did some upgrade attempts. I really wouldn't mind sealing my cabover if I had the time, but I need to attend to the main floor first.
I am getting the idea after talking with yostfmx and looking at LOTS of rader pictures, that even on the best kept specimens, there is at least a bit of warp to the floor. Seems like the more moisture exposure, the more warping can happen. I notice that in most of the interior Sunrader pictures I see, in the front back shot looking at the rear window, the stove almost always tilts back towards the entry-door wall. (It straddled the wheel-well on mine)Also, in the stripped-out coach pictures, the wheel well humps always seem to be slumping down some at the outside edge.
Oh well, busy, busy, busy.......
I will say that nothing I did to clean up my coach did more than getting rid of the old rug, it's probably at a hazardous waste site by now.
Keep up the good work !
Cheers,
ToyoGuy
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Thanks WME. Where can I purchase these metal guides? I have 107,000 on mine but so far so good.
Hey Guys,
Saw your post and wanted to say, I have replaced guides on several motors now with these from DOA racing. (http://www.doaracingengines.com) I have ton's of miles on the very first install with absolutely no problems. I have been driving 22R powered vehicles for about 30 yrs now and my experience is, don't put stock one's back in, if you pull the chain cover. The kit is about $80.00 and worth every penny in my opinion. I will purchase the gear and chain setup/kit all together next time. They used to sell a "prolonged high-rev" RV 22R long block, but I don't see it on their web site anymore.
What happens is, the plastic guides wear (the sometimes broken off pieces fall down into the oil pan) , the timing gears wear, the chain wears and stretches, then the "looser" chain starts to slap the inside of the timing chain cover wall, making noise, cutting a set of grooves in it and putting nasty aluminum stuff in the oil sump. Usually you hear it most when the engine starts from cold and the hydraulic tensioner has not yet been stiffened up by the oil pressure. Unless it's really bad, it quiets down some as the motor warms up and the oil pressure goes up. Junk yards have lots of these kicking around to see and usually some that are worn right through to the outside world. Check these DOA guys out, their guides are steel with a quality hardened rubber backing. PS, they got other cool stuff.
Good luck,
ToyoGuy
ToyoGuy
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Sorry I took so long to post, have dialup so its a pain to post pictures..."
Hey Yostfmx,
Thanks for taking the time to shoot me the photos, it's helpful to see how you and your old man did it. It looks like we pretty much had the same idea, right down to the materials / steel. Did you get the right and left sides of the floor up high enough to straighten out or level the tops of the wheel wells ? I don't know if they ever were straight across, even when new, and i'm wondering if it'll fracture the walls if I push too hard to bring them into level.
I got almost all the stuff out except for the ceiling panels, A/C (rooftop), and top galley shelves. Since my floor is worse, I am taking out the side windows (2nd time), and using a a 4x4 thru the windows braced against the top, (front and back), will lift the whole coach off the frame. (4 tall hydraulic jacks @ Harbor freight for $30 apiece )That way I'll be able to adjust and fine tune angles get all new floor in. My current plan is: 1/16" aluminium (underfacing), 3/4" foam filler with cross-bracing and perimeter bracing, then 3/8" marine ply with glass-coved sides and corners and 1 layer of glass cloth on top to strengthen / seal it.
Whew huh ?
Man, your shop is sweet ! I really like the cool spacer-blocks, they almost look like they belong there permanent. Are you going to put any windows in the sides or front while you're at it ? Also, was wondering if you're only leaving the shower in. BTW, have you considered putting in any bracing in the roof ?
Someone told me if you want to carry a reasonable amount of stuff on top, it's the right thing to do.
Here's a closeup of the end bracket a guy sent me:
In your picture of the side, on the inside, there are wooden rails along the roof and in the sides near the windows. Did you put those in ? If so, how, and if not did they just "gunk" them on with some resin and solka flock, or with a layer of glass over the top ?
My '84 has nothing to mount stuff to on the sides and I need to do that.
Thanks,
ToyoGuy
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" I cannot figure out how to remove the wood paneling on the sides without damaging it. It almost feel like it is glued in, my only other guess is to remove the window frame on the sides, if that holds it in. If I can get the side panels out I can really see what is going on with the wrap arounds."
I understand...............
In my coach (18'), the panels are held in by, 1# A big wood screw that comes thru the outside moulding (See photo below, mine was leaking, rusted and the wood it went into was rotten, so it had no pupose but to let water in), #2. The window frames, which might need to be removed anyway if the putty is cracked around the outside sealing edge, and #3. on the left side, facing front in the coach, the cabover paneling extends back behind the shower and holds all of it by being connected, so I had to CAREFULLY cut mine with a utility knife at the adjoining shower wall corner. The stuff is thin and mine was "punky".
I didn't care because I am doing a total re-do on the coach, but, with care, I feel someone could CAREFULLY pull out the 1/4 round moulding in the shower/left-wall corner, and using several passes with a sharp knife (knowing there is wiring behind it, above the window-probably-) and using some fixit moxy, glue it back in. The window flange is the main holding force IMHO anyway.
Here's some photos from the deconstruction that may be helpful.
Note: I was/am continually amazed how they expected these to stay together for very long !
Below:
Here's why I pulled mine:
Below:
left side panel, no window, I figured I'd rather have some room, so I went for the gusto and removed it right after this !
Below:
seal / gasket surface looking down (with panel still intact, inside)
Below:
right side, panel halfway removed, showing 'big wood retaining screw":
Below:
Left side window, panel backside, front portion removed, back edge cut with utility knife:
Hope this helps,
Keep the faith,
ToyoGuy
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did you replace the window seals or clean them, and re-use it?
Hey Supurcar,
I reused them, but mine cleaned up pretty good. For the record, the profile on both windows versus that of the shell is not an exact fit at all on mine. As a matter of fact, I had to do some gap filling at the top of the windows where there was about a 3/16" gap between the mating edge of the window and the seal. One of the windows is a bit big and when pushed into the seal, it "puckers' a bit.
Also, I am convinced that the angles of the bend in the windows is close, but not exactly the same as the coach. I was going to trim the window ( I work with the stuff all day long), but before I did that, I looked at pictures on the web and saw a lot of other raders with the same issue. (Plus, I was really tired after setting up, pulling, buffing and re-installing them in one day !)
When everything is clean and lubed up with soap, with someone's help you can tug a bit here and push a bit there and sort of average out the fit of the windows and spread out the inconsistancies. Plus, it seems when the'yre clean, and you nudge them in as best as you can where you want 'em, rinse 'em, let 'em dry, then caulk them, WOW, they stay put !
I believe one fella was saying he pulled his about every 5 yrs. to clean and re-seal.
I am just a stickler for details and MANY times find others who got away with doing less on stuff.
BUT, ...................I don't like sleeping wet, and someone once told me "Do the job right, and you'll only cuss once"
ToyoGuy
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"I was thinking of buying a tube of silicon and pulling the seal back and laying a large amount of it in the track. "
Hey Supurcar, This is exactly what I was thinking when I saw the leaks coming thru my front window seals. Thats when I thought I'd do exactly what you're talking about above. Problem was, when I tried to wash out the dirt I saw when I pulled back the seal, there was a ton of crud. One thing led to another, figures huh ?, and that's when I tried blowing out the accumulated grit and dirt with some compressed air. My wife called out "ugh !!!" from the inside, as she saw the mud bubbling up out the inside of the window seal. (See 4th photo from 4 posts ago). I hope you are luckier than I was and don't find a ton of crud in your channel. If you had a lot of junk in there and didn't want to remove the gasket/seal, you could just lay towels around the inside, or use a wetvac and a high-power nozzle on a hose and squirt the heck out of it.
For what it's worth, I keep reading that a little bit of caulking goes a long way and I have had best luck using a product I read about in many "re-sealing RV window" posts. It's called "Lexel" and I got it at True Value hardware. ($5.00 a tube) Like lot's of RV types I don't like the silicon-based stuff. I now use this stuff but, as little as possible, to get a good seal. Mostly, it seems about making things fit right and getting them clean before sealing for me.
Also, my apologies for the unclear explanation in previous post on the so-called "locking bead", it is located on the outside like this, I pulled it out a bit to show how it works.
When it's installed, it can be hard to find the end sometimes. Also, you can see how little sealant it takes when the gasket is clean and tight. The jury is still out on how long the stuff lasts....
The wire you found is probably your clearance lights 12v wiring ? Here's what mine is like:
Again, apologies for the confusion, guess my tech-writing ain't what it used to be...
BTW, the screw strips look great, now I gotta put another thing on my to do list.
BR, ToyoGuy
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Hey Robert,
You're a brave lad, Bravo! Here is my 2 cents on a few things, and I'm sure there are better/smarter folks out there too.
First, here's pix of my carpet upholstery in tearout progress. Maybe this'll help someone wondering what they'll be into: Oh yeah, that's the shower stall overhead, (storage).
Also, in reference to the outside joining strip, the first thing I saw when I pulled the side wall out from the cabover, was this nasty, rusty wood screw that had obvoiusly been leaking for years from outside to in. My thought is that many small leaks were at work in my rader, all addressed at one time or another, but not in total. This time, I'm making sure.
I removed the 2 wraparounds in my rader, because..... I washed them off in prep to caulk them and used some compressed air to blow out a smidgen of dirt I saw in the wet window channel,...
Here is what I saw on the inside:
Yow ! The bottoms of the channels were full of accumulated mud from years of driving etc. I tried irrigating them "copiously", but to no avail, so....... I got brave and set up the scaffolding and took them out.
I replaced the windshield in my VW when I was a lad, so I figured I could do it, if I was careful.
I think it is not for the faint of heart, however, and that I would want some help from an ex body-guy or someone knowledgeable to do it for the first time if I were someone else.
That said, for the reckless and young at heart,...... Be VERY, VERY careful with the windows, I don't know where you would get these, if you broke one ! Get a dirty t-shirt on, this stuff gets really dirty and black and bribe a very good friend, who is as dexterious and nuts as you. I couldn't have done this on just 2 separate ladders, I needed the scaffold, I'll leave it at that. Set up what you'll need to suit your self. As you look at the gasket, there is a round rope-like rubber beading that goes in the middle of the outside of the window gaskets of the wraparounds. This is to to lock, or tension the upper and lower lips of the gasket. These can be removed by looking for the end (mine were under the sides around the corner, R & L). CAREFULLY, using an awl, one can "peel out" the end of the rope, to start to remove it. As you keep pulling, it'll go all the way around. You have to have a person inside to catch the plastic window as it comes/falls through. Once all of the "locking bead" is pulled out, set it aside to clean later. The gasket becomes very flexible (careful not to lean on it) and the window can be pushed inside. The Lexan windows can then be removed, cleaned and polished. (Can't remember the appropriate Mc Guires polish#, ask at a plastics place) and the gaskets can be cleaned using a toothbrush and dishsoap and water to clean out the grooves. I put my windows back in using an assortment of plastic body-working spatulas, and even these will scratch the Lexan if not careful. I used painter's masking tape to hold the clean gasket up in the top of the coach opening, and removed it as I worked the window into the groove, bottom, to sides, to top. You will have to lubricate the gasket with dishwashing detergent so the window, and tools will slide and move as you work them around. I had some luck using an old windshield trick on the second window,where with the gasket all installed on/in the vehicle, you put a small (snug fit) nylon rope into the "window" channel/groove starting in the middle of the bottom, around inside the sides, and finally cross the 2 ends in the middle at the top. With someone helping, holding the window against the gasket, you pull the rope out and "THEORETICALLY", it pulls the front portion of the rubber gasket out for a moment allowing the window to slip in. OK,... it takes some practice.
At first, before there's much of the window in the groove, it's tough to hold it all together, but, as you get closer to the end, it's easier. You can dry your hands and sort of push and pull the window to get slack to work the gasket to get slack. Be very careful of cutting the gasket, even with the plastic spatulas, but you can actually carefully slide the soapy blade along the groove to "imbed"the window edge.
The rubber retainer beading can now be lubricated with soap, and, with someone behind the window holding it, the locking strip, or rope can be pressed in with your non-scratching weapon of choice.
The result is a much tighter seal, and excellent surface to apply a small amount of sealant to.
Well, that's a bit too much, but it's more than I knew before I did mine. And.......through all kinds of weather since, I have no leaks !
BR
ToyoGuy
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Hey yostfmx, you got a brother out there ?
Here is a shot I came upon from somewhere on the web from months ago, is this you ?
Yeah, the lock reciever on the stock lock is in the door, and the bullet-shaped striker is mounted to the frame (totally backwards of the normal ). The thing is, that with a door that small, the stock striker plate is sticking out into the left side of the doorway on this wierd 2x4"carpet monstrosity about 1-2" on mine. It's one of the first things I looked at and thought, "c'mon"
. I think for the beach, or anywhere "on the set" that you're keeping a board or "stuff" inside, I'd go with the bolt-on deadbolt you're talking about. Either way there's glasswork, but once you go to standard lock hardware, you got a better lock all together. By the way, I took the whole door and frame outta mine and essentially the whole aluminum frame was only held in by silicon caulking anyway. Yeah, no foolin ! On mine the door had such a big gap at the the bottom, (1 ") that the wind noise drove me nuts. Gonna fix that too now. Anyway, I looked for a looooong time to locate the door hardware, and it seems futile, especially in light of the kluge setup.
Another by the way, the marketing tech drawings show the floor as a sandwich of aluminum sheet (1/64" or less in reality), then 1/8" plywood, then styrofoam, then 3/8" plywood. Like this:
Lo and behold, mine was built on Friday, and ... tada!!! no lower 1/8" ply !
Oh well.
Guess that shower'll have to stay put up in the cabover, shucks.
BTW, great input of yours on the fiberglass patch thing ! Man, I LOVE learning that kind of stuff !! Tell your old man thanks too.
I'm out.
TG
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Yea, mines the same way. Don't know way they made it that way. We made some metal frames to go out to the edge. My whole thing was sagging out at the ends.
Hey Keith,
Thanks man. Are your supports sitting "on top" of the main frame rails like mine, or welded off the sides ?
Also, how did you build your frames ? (maybe you got a picture ?) I'm thinking to run them out all the way to the edge and weld crossbars between at the end/edge to stiffen them up.
From your picture of your rader,(we're pretty close as far as being gutted out and all) really like the gusto with which you are approaching the project ! I am looking at complete floor replacement and am considering using fiberglass rails sandwiched between outer coverings.
I'm looking at all new everything inside and checking out all sorts of material.
Oh yeah,... how'd you get your shower stall out ? I'm an inch short of space through any of the windows or door. If I have to, I'll put it up in the cabover while I'm working on the floor etc. But,.... try as I might, I can't figure out how they got it in unless it was before they dropped the lid on the coach.
On the door handle, Ive been looking too, but so far no avail. Mines beat, but rebuildable probably. Someone overtightened it and crushed the cutout in the door, so I have to do glasswork anyway, if I decide to put in something else, I'll check with you.
Cheers,
ToyoGuy
3000 MILE TO EUROPE ..
in General Discussion
Posted
Hi Adel,
Welcome to the forum.
Wow, sounds like a awesome trip! I'm jealous! I'm sure if you search through the posts, you'll find some good tips that'll apply to your particular travel "circumstances". Can you tell us anything about your route?
For any trip, it's good to make a checklist for your vehicle, but there are many other folks here who can help you with that better than I. There's also the other Toyota camper website with lots of good info. What size is your coach? Did you ship it there? Have you seen any others? Hope you'll share some pictures after the trip!
Cheers,
ToyoGuy