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shandamac

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Posts posted by shandamac

    What MPG do you get?

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Took The Little Puppy out on his first long trip recently. Drove on flat roads and some hilly country plus had some wind to deal with. We were fully loaded plus three people and three small dogs. Total mileage was 451, drove 55 mph (did creep up to 60 a time or two) and our overall mpg was 15.5....we were very pleased! Cheapest gas was in SW Missouri $1.83 gallon :ThumbUp: . The Little Puppy did a super job on the road with his "new" axle and was very comfortable for all of us. The only problem we had was before we left our driveway. Charles was checking the tires and found an inside dually tire flat. Called Good Sam and within half an hour the nice man was here to check it out. He couldn't find any nails or screws or defects (they are new tires) so he aired it up along with checking all the other tires to make sure they were okay and had the right tire pressure. He said that sometimes dually tires will go flat for no reason so always check your tires before driving. We had no further problems with tires on the trip. So overall, we were happy campers with the exception of the two COLD nights we endured because of an unexpected fast moving cold front that blew through. We survived :w00t: and were glad to have the extra puppy heat from our dogs!

    We are looking forward to many more trips in our Toy....he's a joy!

    Dianne

    I love stories with snuggly endings!!! I bet The Little Puppy loves his new rearend!!!

    Where Do I Start

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Hi Johnny,

    I found myself in same situation in May when I bought Sadie. I've not really seen any manuals for our little toys per se', but each appliance has it's own manual, and these can be found on the yahoo forum at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/toyota-campers/ .

    (You'll need to join...it's free....and then the links will be on the left....FILES)

    The 3 way propane fridge is fairly simple. Make sure you have electricity (battery power or shore power), and the propane tank is fairly full. The fridge also needs to be level. (Actually I just learned how to work my fridge about a week ago.) To use the propane feature, fully open the valve on your propane tank, turn the knob on the fridge to "gas", and set the temperature guage to 7 or so.....My fridge has a little flame indicator with red and green markings.....you should hear clicking as the electric ignitor tries to light the propane....give it 30 seconds....if you don't hear a whoosh, and the flame indicator does not move, turn the fridge gas knob to "off"......(you may still have air in your propane lines.....try lighting your stove top and draining air out of lines)....try the fridge again, by turning the fridge knob to "gas"......If after a couple of tries, it still doesn't work, you may have spider webs or a mouse something or other blocking the gas jet....I think if you have a copy of the manual, you'll be able to figure it out.

    The above link is a good resource for almost all the manuals you'll need. Oh....and FYI.

    If your hot water heater is not lighting, it may just need a new thermocouple. Contact your local heating and a/c supply place....I found a universal thermocouple for $5, and replaced it myself. (An hour before, the motorhome store repairman told me he didn't think they made "that kind anymore" since it was an old model, he maybe could try to order something.....but he couldn't guarantee it'd work, and that he'd make me a good deal on the new hotwater heater he had in stock marked down just for me to $350.)

    Anyway, you're going to have a ball...Figuring out everything about these little homes is more than half the fun!!!!!

    Wishing you the best.

    shanda

    81 Sunrader - The Sadie Series - Episode 7 (Part 2)

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Yeah! A new axle for your toy! Sounds great. And sounds like your husband being a welder will be able to make any swaybar work. Maybe even a beefier one if down the road you feel you need one.

    @ driving to Colorado:

    .. You can do it yes you can! ... you can do it yes you can! ... you can do it yes you can! Drive slow and you'll get there. Have fun.

    I was so pumped after my trip to TX a week ago. Sadie handled the 50+ mph straightline winds across the Okie/North TX plains and the wind tunnels through the Arbuckles without a sway bar just beautifully. Anyhoo, since she'll be taking a nap for a month or two, Garymac won't be on the rush, and might have her beefed up bar ready to install by Spring. I'm looking forward to taking her through the Ozarks, Appalacians, and eventually the Rockies. Actually, I have this fantasy of loading my little motorhome, grabbing my fiddle and going where the road leads me. sigh.....maybe when the kids leave home......

    1988 Toyota Dolphin need help with filling the fresh water tank

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Hi Dr.

    Welcome to the forum.

    On my '81 Sunrader, the city water attachment and the potable water tank fill are in two separate spots. In fact, hooking up to city water completely bypasses my potable water holding tanks. On the passenger side of Sadie, right outside where the kitchen sink sits, there's a little tiny door that opens to reveal a hole. There's a label marked "for potable water only" or something like that. The city hose doesn't attach, but I can hold the hose and fill my water tanks that way. Re: the water pump.

    Once I've filled my potable water tank, I turn on the pump and let it pressurize. The pump makes an obnoxious noise for a little while, and then stops. If there's air in the lines, when you turn on the faucet, the water will spack and sputter until the air is all pushed through. In my little motorhome, the water pump kicks back on everytime I turn on a faucet. I think this is normal. Anyway, that's how it works for me and Sadie.

    Wishing you the best,

    shanda

    Sadie the '81 Sunrader- Volume One

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Hi toy friends,

    Sadie's maiden voyage was a success. From Shawnee OK to Midlothian TX. About 480 mile round trip. We left with 1/4 tank of gas spent $65 during the trip....at approx $2.30 a gallon....that's about 28/29 gallons, and got home with just over a 1/4 tank left. If I did my math right, that's about 17 mpg or so. The wind was with us going down and against us coming home, so Ifigured it all evened out. Kept her pretty much at 55 to Texas, but the wind kept us between 45 and 50 coming home to OK. What would have been a 4 hour trip in a car took 5 hours in the motorhome, but I expected this. I got to enjoy the scenery more that those passing me. It was a beautiful day. I didn't feel like we were going slow. It felt like the perfect speed for a little '81 toyota truck carrying a house. Other than a little too much play in the steering, I didn't have too many driving issues....well.. the passing of big trucks and wind gusts over the flat open areas took some getting used to.

    Staying in the motorhome was lovely. My own little cosmic heaven. I had changed out the hotwater heater thermocouple the day before I left, and it fired up like a champ. The furnace worked beautifully, and no problems with the water pump, either. I didn't want to mess with leveling, so I had no fridge.(The retreat fed us well between the workshops and lectures so I didn't really need it.)

    Sadie and I were the only ones parked in the RV area, about 1/4 mile trek from the main grounds. A couple of my friends came up and joined me for a cup of tea when I arrived, and we christened my little motorhome by playing a few tunes. They left, and on my first night to sleep in a motorhome ever, I was lulled to sleep by the songs of the coyotes. Very cool!

    Thanks for letting me share.

    shanda

    A few pics of the inside.

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    post-1592-1225141927_thumb.jpg

    81 Sunrader - The Sadie Series - Episode 7 (Part 2)

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Howdy Shanda...

    You left it OFF? Ok. Guess it'll work, but these things have such a high roll center, I myself, believe in "Stability above All" , and would have a sway bar. Helps with the lean on corners and side winds. If you watch your speed on corners and such, a sway bar is just extra weight, BUT, what if ya have to change lanes quickly or misjudge your speed going into a corner ? I'd be bitting chunks otta the seat, but if not having one works for you, more power to ya !

    YEAH. I know. I wasn't crazy about leaving it off either, but the old one wouldn't fit the new rearend. (I griped about this in a previous post...trust me...it's was my own ignorance in not knowing I needed to have it shipped with the rearend....but I'll move on here.) My axle guy said the stability of the new 1 ton dually rearend minus the sway bar compared to the old rearend w/ the sway bar was like night and day. I totally agree. However, because I might eventually get a wild hair and drive up to Colorado or Idaho, I saved the old sway bar. My husband (who is a welder) is going to extend it, beef it up, and reattach it (when I get back from TX) unless I can find one that fits first.

    One thing in my favor is that Sadie's doesn't have the heavy airconditioner unit. I turned some pretty tight corners over the weekend and didn't get the rocking that I had with the old rearend. If I get out there, and don't feel she's going to be able to handle it,... I'll turn around, take the car and sleep in a tent....not happily....but I'll do it.

    I appreciate your input Shoprat.

    s

    81 Sunrader - The Sadie Series - Episode 7 (Part 2)

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Hi there Toy Boys and Girls!!!

    We're in the home stretch! A few tweaks and then chock up the rest to routine maintainance!

    A quick overview: I bought a little 81 Sunrader in May. I knew nothing!!!! I learned real quick!!!

    So Sadie has been in the shop getting her new 6 lug, full floating, 1 ton dually rearend, and I've been anxious ever since I first handed her keys to the mechanic. I didn't know that by buying a toyota motorhome I'd develop OTOD Obsessive Toyota Owner Disorder.

    Last Thursday.....I'm at the office.....The call came in from Jerry, the Axle guy, "Hey Shanda, your motorhome's ready to be picked up."

    My heart lept from sheer joy!!!! I hadn't seen Sadie in weeks.

    Early Friday morning, I asked my dad to go with me to pick her up. (Garymac works nights…he wasn't home yet….I had no time to waste.)

    Dad drove home Sadie while I followed behind for a mile or two before I had to turn off for the office… It was all I could do to stay focused that day, and that night was booked. I didn't even get a chance to drive he around the block, but....

    First thing Saturday, I'm up with the sun… Within the hour, Sadie and I are pulling out onto Hwy 177.

    She felt solid…..none of the pulsing and swaying like before the 1 ton….35…45…55……come on old girl……60.

    I showed restraint by not road-testing her to my show in OKC that night…..but Sunday…oh glorious day…...all day….I drove her around town…..to Walmart, to Lowes, to the grocery store, to Walmart again, Big Lots…any chance I got, I took her out. I practiced my parking….turning corners…..up hills…..down hills…downshifting…stopping. I had a ball!!! I found that because she felt more solid, I wasn't as nervous turning corners or traversing the narrow streets of my little neighborhood.

    Sadie and I are looking forward to a long happy relationship.

    Her first official road trip will be the 10 hour roundtrip to Middleothian TX for the Irish Music Retreat this weekend. Wish us luck!

    I'm interested to hear how the toy gurus feel about me leaving the sway bar off.

    Wishing you all a safe and happy Fall season!

    shanda

    300 mile trip from Dyer, NV to Lucerne, CA

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Oh and BY THE WAY: If anyone int he High Desert wants a full-floating HD toyota Axle, i saw one yesterday (10/08/08) at the high desert pick a part off of Sky Base Road.. NOT the one off of I avenue, but the one in two sections.

    It is on a toyota flatbed in the back of the second (rear) lot next to a most interesting Mitsubishi Arrow pickup truck. Someone took at least one of the covers off of the axle, but it should be readily repaired. I believe whole axle prices at that yard is $150, well worth the peace of mind.

    Also too GRAB THE SWAY BAR FOR THE ONE TON if you can. You'll need it.

    My axle guy is in the process of trading out Sadie's 5 lug to the 6 lug dual 1 ton. (In my haste/ignorance, I didn't have the salvage place ship the sway bar when they shipped me the 1 ton rearend, brake lines and rims..... Honestly, I don't even really remember asking anything about a "sway bar"...... just adding that to the list of things I've learned on this project.)

    The one ton sway bar is longer.

    My Axle guy said he'll go ahead and put on the new rearened minus the sway bar, for now, since I'm flatlanding her in 2 weeks on a short trip to TX. But I'm now looking for a sway bar for the one ton.

    (Some people collect stamps. Toy parts are way more exciting!)

    shandamac

    81 Sunrader - The Sadie Series - Episode 7 (part 1)

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Hello shandamac,

    Good to hear you found the 6 bolt axle and are in the process of getting it installed.

    If Thursday works out for you having the job completed, you could (plug coming...) can

    give her a complete road test by attending the Mid-West Toy-In in Illinois on Oct. 3rd-5th...:-)

    Dennis...

    Thanks Dennis! Thanks Dianne!

    Totally stoked. Handed Ol' Jer the keys this afternoon, and saw the new rearend and rims sitting on thier pallet ready to go. He estimates the whole job being completed by Wed pm.

    Re: The Toy-In. Thanks Dennis for the personal invite. I wasn't prepared for the motorhome to be ready so soon. The MWTI is on the calendar for next year though. Sadie and I look forward to visiting with our Toy Cyber Sibs soon.

    Peace and Prosperity for us all.

    s

    81 Sunrader - The Sadie Series - Episode 7 (part 1)

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    Wow! Great to see so many new toy lovers have joined the group. I've been out of touch for a little while, but wanted to pop in for an update and say, "Hi there!". By now, like me, you guys and gals know you're in the right place for all the ToyMoho Support you could ever need.

    I bought my '81 Toy Sunrader in May of this year, before I knew anything about this forum, (or motorhomes for that matter). She was really cheap and needed tons of work. Even so, she was a little darling and I named her Sadie. I soon found out she had the dreaded 5 lug, welded on extra wheel, light duty rearend. So for the last few months, while working on the house and under the hood, I've been searching for the elusive dual, six lug floating 1 ton assembly. Several hits here in Oklahoma...all attached to working trucks...too much $....some hits at North central salvage yards....turned out to be the 5 lug on closer inspection.....(don't tease me).....finally went out of state..... found what I was looking for in Phoenix....Toyotasalvage.com ...huge place.....dual rims and brake lines included....$800. (Was thinking of taking a road trip to pick it up, but the cost of gas and wear and tear on my husband's truck to and from would have been gi-normous, and decided to hire UPS LTL.) Was quoted $360, had it shipped straight from the Salvage to my new best friend "Jerry,The Axle Guy", where he's taken it apart and checked it over. Jerry, called last week to say "all is well" and to bring Sadie in on Monday.....That'll be "tomorrow". I can't wait. He's measured the new rims and the old rims and thinks tires will be no problem to switch over (I sure hope so.....they're brand new!) and said that if the rearend trade out goes smoothly enough, she'll be road ready no later than Thursday!!!! Yeehaw!!!!!

    (Two overnight road trips gigs planned this month, and I was sure hoping to have my own bed to crash in.)

    Okay....so I'm major excited. I still have a few more cosmetic and minor things I'll be working on now that cooler weather is on the way, but with the new rearend, I'll feel like the "Sadie Saga -Project Series" will be complete, and it'll be on to "The Saga of Sadie, Fiddlin' for Fuel".

    Have a safe and happy Fall Season everyone!

    shandamac

    79' Dolphin Manual

    in Coach ApplianceTech Issues

    Posted

    Hey Ryan,

    Welcome to the forum! Our wonderful toy gurus try to answer all our questions, but they also spend a lot of time in their toys. You're always welcome to pop a question in "General Discussion" too. Most of us keep that thread hot with this or that, (even the tech stuff.) I found reading all the past posts really informative too.

    My best friends have been my 1. Toyota Truck 79-95 Haynes Repair Manual, 2. Toyota Truck Chilton's 70-86 Repair and Tune-up guide, and 3. Bob Livingston's RV Repair and Maintenance Manual (2002 Edition) . All 3 I found on amazon.com.

    Break Lights and Horn....Might be just a fuse thing. I'd check that first.

    Wishing you the best.

    shandamac

    hello from a newbie and his 81 toyota dolphin

    in General Discussion

    Posted

    hello yello,

    Welcome to the forum! You've probably read everything I have about towing behind the toys and the dangerous 5 lug rearends. I too am a traveling musician. It can be stressful enough getting to a gig on time let alone mixing that up with an untrustworthy ride. You've come to the right place to get answers. There are people on this forum who've actually lost rear axles while on the road. Scary stuff. Take the time to read back through all the past posts. You'll be glad you did. Wishing you safe travels.

    Embarking on an axle swap 5-Lug to 6-Lug

    in Engines - Transmissions - Drive Train - Suspension - Chassis - Steering - Exhaust - Tires - Etc.

    Posted

    PLEASE note everyone. The guy in California, Custom Wheel Design that sold me the adapters also sells rims for $130 which is crazy. Toyota sells them for $60 each... yes Toyota! Which makes me think how overpriced the adapters are, but then again there is no other option on the adapters.

    My next problem is fixing the curved front plexi-glass which seems to have shifted and causing leaks. shandamac I see you have a pillar in the front of your RV avoiding the curved glass, which seems better in preventing the plexi from popping out. Was that a modification?

    SV

    Great tip on the adapters. I'll be contacting Toyota for those.

    (I'll have more to say on my 6 lug rearend swap out later.)

    As far as I can tell, Sadie never had the wrap around windows. I wish she did. I think they look really cool! I learned from this forum that Butyl putty is the way to go when resealing windows. It's amazing stuff! I bought several rolls from a local glass repair shop and O'Reilly's. (The black sticky tar like stuff....not the grey.) It comes in several thickness'. I used way more than the normal amount resealing Sadie's windows. Honestly, I'd gamble that her windows won't ever leak again....ever.

    I bet butyl would work wonders with the wrap around windows.

    Wishing you many safe and dry road trips!

    shandamac

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