Kevin Madness

Motorhome people! Please convoke and lend your wisdom and advice: The 1985 Sunland Express that I live in is a tripod. That is, one of the dually wheels got chewed up, leaving me stranded in Phoenix, AZ. I'm cursed with the shitty 5-lug axle that all "conventional wisdom" says to replace. However, I don't have enough money to buy a used one, let alone have it installed. And after two weeks of search I cannot locate a 14" dual wheel with 5 holes. I'm considering getting rid of the dualies and going with a regular 14 wheel (which are readily and cheaply available at local junkyards) and putting a tough tire like an 8-ply or something. The load capacity of something like that is about 1,800 for each side. Which makes me wonder, is my back axle holding more than 3,600 lbs? Yeah, yeah. I read the holy "Toyota Motorhome Rear Axle pdf" and saw where it said, "making the dualies 'singles' does not solve the problem," but I'm in a pinch here. I know it won't be perfect, but will it hold up? Do I have other option I haven't explored? I'm stuck in PHOENIX, here. Do you know what that's like! Accepting all advice, novice or professional. Thanks! ps: How much does a loaded up toyota motorhome usually weigh?

We live in ours year round and calculate mpg with every fill up. Average 15 mpg. Best ever: 19mpg Worst ever 11.5 mpg.

We need a dual wheel with the 5 lug pattern for our '85 sunland express by toyota. Talked to about every salvage yard in Arizona and can't find anything yet. Can anyone help us locate one? The measurements are 14x5-1/2 (4x2). In phoenix willing to travel. email: kevinmadness@gmail.com Thanks everybody!

Fellow Toyota inhabitants, Let me preface this post by stating that I am in no way mechanically inclined. I am simply a man who lives in a motorhome who needs a bit of advice from those who know better than me. My 1985 Toyota Sunland Express (Automatic Trans) is making a shuttering noise in first and reverse. It has been diagnosed as a problem with the planetary gears in the transmission. Apparently one is loose and wavering around inside it's housing. As you might guess from someone who lives in a Toyota motorhome, I don't have enough money for a rebuild. Another option I am considering is trying to find a rebuilt used transmission that I can replace mine with. I hope this might be cheaper than rebuilding the current one. One probem is I don't have the specifications for my vehicle to know exactly what tranny I have. From research I've done on the net, I've gathered that it might be a W56 or a A340F, but I really have no idea. Please someone tell me how I can know for certain what trans I have, where I can find them used and if there are other transmissions that will fit with my vehicle. Thank you so much for the help. Best to you all. Info that might help: 1985 Toyota Sunland Express 50,000 miles Dual back wheels 22RE engine