ToyoGuy
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Posts posted by ToyoGuy
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I have some projects for this Sunrader and was hoping for some suggestions from people that may have done this before. I have found a cabinet that seems to be the right side that goes on the outside of the propane tank on e-bay. Closing in 4 hours and has several. The inside not sure. the floor seems fine and was told that the rear window was replaced so might have some water damage around it.
Thank you,
Ken
1986 Toyota Sunrader 4X4
Hey Fireman,
Not sure if you've taken the plunge yet or not....but, while I have not done fiberglass work on my rader, I have done my share of smaller 'glass projects. I will be doing reinforcing inside mine (18') while it is empty and have by far gotten my best info from boat repair guys in my area. (N. Bay) Also, I picked up a book that's been very informative, (but not so cheap - $25.00 ) The title is "The fiberglass repair and construction handbook" by Jack Wiley. Got mine at Tap Plastics but you can probably do better on price. If you have no experience with fiberglass, it's pretty much common sense stuff, but I would experiment a bit before going after the tough stuff. It looks like you have back interior panel replacement in your future anyway, you might take the time to do the repair / reinforcement while the old wet rotted panel is out, before you replace with new Luan. Or, if you are well-heeled, you can easily get an auto body guy to fix that rear quarter panel for you I think.
Good Luck,
ToyoGuy
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I have a Tom Tom Go model 300 that I have used for both business and pleasure for about 2 years. Have had no problems at all with it and it is really heplful to find restaurants, motels, coffee shops, shopping centers, auto parts shops etc. It will also show your speed (check speedo by satellite!), and estimated arrival time. Mine was pricey at the time, ($300+) but they are much less now. It is especially helpful at the end of a long haul when we are tired and want to eat and freshen up, but thinking not so clearly. We use a suction cup mount and take it from vehicle to vehicle. Be forwarned however, it takes a bit of time to learn to relate to these little talking boxes and you can end up taking a circuitous route every once in a while. With the Tom Tom, no extra antennae, just plug it in and go.
ToyoGuy Paul
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Reasonable $ considering, good mechanical, with records from previous owner. No rust which is what I wanted most and no wrecks. I wanted to get into a re-do anyway, as I pull it apart I'm not impressed with the materials or basics. I'm going to be buried it this thing and I'm the kind of guy that likes to know everything is tight. Although I didn't expect it, everything works too !
Such a deal !
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Well Buick, As I suspected, the plywood flooring is completely de-laminated. I could peel it apart with my hands.All this from window leaks I think. I got the water tank and water heater out yesterday. The cardboard covering for the WHtr was too warped to fit out the hole in the side so I had to cut it. I'll have to fabricate that before it goes back in. Also pulled the inverter box, lot's of wire labeling etc. Today it's the stove and Dometic fridge. Heck, maybe I'll get the shower out too ! I am thinking I' may have to remove the back window for that if it doesn't fit out the door. I'ts the last window I have to pull to reseal anyway, so I saved it for just this possibility. Ah, planning. Will also measure the cabs today.
Well, that's it for now, next post I'll send some pix of what you don't want your 'Rader to look like !
TG
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The part I'm wondering on is the tie in from floor to wall. That will be the interesting aspect. I'm taking pictures and making templates to re-create the cabinet layout after the tear-out and re-floor right now.
I'll know a whole lot more when I can see the joints/corners at the base of all the walls. I figure I'll extend the steel braces underneath all the way to the sides and back(they're a foot short for some reason known only to Gardner Pacific now) and on top, alternate 1"x4" boards and lengths 1/4" of all-thread with a nut and washer every 18" or so to stiffen it up, then pot the whole mess in polyester resin and cloth and cap it with 3/8" ply. Should stay straight after that I figure.
Never a dull moment y'know ? Good thing I got lot's of glue and welding rod.
TG
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Actually, the front end is low, but the overall problem is the coach floor was absolutely saturated and all of the laminations "slipped". THe result is that all perimeter walls are about 2" lower than the center of the coach. Kinda feels like you're standing on a basketball if you're about halfway between the rear dinette and the front seats. Any normal, sane human would run like oooo but, Well...., you know...
I'll take some pictures as I remove all of the cabinets and stuff for the benefit of others crazy enough to try this. I'm down to the original 3/8' ply with the foam showing in some places now and it's getting gritty.
Regards,
TG
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Whoops, it's an "84 and the picture titles didn't come thru, but as you can see, the distortion is unnacceptable. The first picture is what's under the previous owner's effort and the rest are right, left and front to back.
Thanks,
TG
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Toyoguy, I'll snap some pictures for you today. I had some delaminating under the bench I just build and it appears that the floor is molded into the side pieces like a clamshell. How bad is yours sagging, also what year?
A picture is worth a thousand.... well, you know. Here is how the level sees it....
Thanks for your reply, not a lot of info out there on how to straighten these out.
Hope these .jpg's go thru,
TG
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Hey buick, Looking good on that interior project ! You said you were bracing the floor in a couple of places with steel plate.
Any chance you got a look at how the floor is mated to the fiberglass walls in these things?
I got a case of sagging floor (sides) that are de-lammed and need to straighten the whole thing out. My plan so far is to pull EVERYTHING out of the coach and use screw jacks around the perimeter of the coach to bring the floor into level, then remove the top layer of ply and foam core, then laminate alternating square steel pipe and plywood crossways (ALL the way across) , after that, glue down 3/8" ply over the whole thing. I just don't know how I'm going to tie into the walls. An alternate plan was to raise the coach and slide some aluminium diamond plate under the perimeters in key spots and tie it into the cross supports somehow.
After what you've seen, whattya think ?
Thanks,
ToyoGuy
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Are you talking about the plastic in the channel? If you are that stuff is available in rolls and it is easy to put in. Lots of camper places have it in different colors all though it's hard to find on their sites. There are different widths so take a piece out and measure it. Got me on the cabinets seems like a lot of work are they rotten?
Yeah, holes in the doors, bad interior paint job, generally trashed and WAY too much tobacco smell !
Also need to uncover whole floor to rebuild. If I didn't like the thing so much I'd be redoing the guest bedroom instead.
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Hey all,
Has anyone removed this white weatherseal covering the heads of the anchoring screws for the wall/panel nailers inside ? I am gutting an 18 footer to re-floor and am considering using this method again as opposed to epoxying rails horizontally to screw to. Also, has anyone had any luck re-building framing and cabinets lighter than original by using newer/better/lighter materials ?
Thanks,
ToyoGuy
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Never mind, got nfo elsewhere on this site.
ToyGuy
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Just wondering, how hard are they to come by ? Sure would be nice........
ToyoGuy
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Thanks guys, the measurements were extremely useful as was the rebuilding-cost advice. I'll be keeping my eyes open for a reasonable fixer.
ToyoGuy
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Thanks Guys,
Bill, I am a pretty spartan kinda guy and the ground clearance appeals to the part of me that grits my teeth in expectation when departing steep driveways. The window and floor things are well noted. Do you know if the 18' was made in later years when there was apparently some extra re-inforcement done to the roof preventing buckling near the roof AC box? The axel thing you alluded to seems to be the 6 bolt pattern, original 1 ton package rear end. Can you tell me how wide/tall your rig is at it's widest point ? (gotta deal with storage you know) To anybody,...when a guy gets one of these that ain't so well maintained, I am imagining he can dive in to the tune of $8-10 K in re-conditioning. Am I imagining right, or are retrofits/parts cheaper than I think?
Thanks ToyoGuy
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Hi all,
I am a newbie to this forum (alas, I am "coachless"). Also, while I am very well versed in 83' to 86' Toyota truck stuff, with 20+ yrs. driving them, I have no idea what to look for/at in the way of potential problems in the Sunrader style RV setups. I am considering the 18' variety, unless someone here says to stay away from them, or if the first thing everybody does is yearn for another 2 feet. I figure you guys oughtta know....
Thanks in advance.
Stock bracing for floor under 18' 'rader
in General Discussion
Posted
Hey All,
I need to compare the lateral bracing under my 18' Sunrader to someone else's to figure out what I'll do with it. See photo. For reasons unknown to me, the ends of the 2"x5/8" steel tubing cross-supports terminate about 6"-8" short of the edge /perimeter of the coach. Can one of you guys take a peek and tell me what you see ? I don't have any examples nearby and there's no working drawings of the structurals of these things that I can find.
Thanks,
ToyoGuy