TacomaSue

I do not know what the cab-to-coach seal on a Sunrader looks like, but I have used the following sources for weatherstripping and various rubber seals. Others might have some better sources for seals and know the specific shape of the seal. Auto Parts Warehouse (similar, but less pricey than JC Whitney) http://www.autopartswarehouse.com/ All Rite http://www.all-rite.com/index.php Trim Lok http://www.trimlok.com/index.aspx Sue

Thanks. I thought it was a good idea. Nice time to be in Central or E WA. I expected to work on my little Bandit motorhome over the winter, but was stuck on a house remodel. I am now gearing up to get the MH ready for a test run the middle of May. Sorry that the Toy-In is not happening. Maybe some other time. Sue

Hi All: I am writing to find out if the Spring Rally at Sun Lakes Resort, May 14-16, 2011, is going ahead. I have not seen much info about it since earlier this year. Are there some reserved parking places and are others going to be there? I see, there's a fishing derby on May 14. By mid-May the weather should improve significantly. Last week, It was snowing on Snoqualmie Pass and while not freezing on the roads, was pretty miserable driving. Thanks. Sue

I don't know if this would work in an RV, but I have been thinking about using door skins to replace some cabinet door paneling in my little RV. You can get unfinished door skins in many different types of woods. They are about an 1/8" thick, fairly flexible, lightweight and pretty inexpensive. I have used the skins like a veneer to face tables (in my house) and been pleased with the results. I have glued the skin on plywood, stained and finished with polyurethane to make it water and stain resistant. Overall, I have found them easier to use than panelling, but if the RV walls are curved, these might not flex in the right direction. I have been thinking about gluing two door skins together so the inside and outside of a cabinet door can be finished. Sue

WOW. That XPCamper is amazing--great layout and price tag! Now my '78 Bandit has something to aspire to. However, I like that the Bandit has far fewer controls and things that can go wrong. Baja: Your remodels are impressive. Sue

I agree with Derek and Bajadulce that two adults probably would need to be close friends to sleep in the Bandit. However, the Bandit does have two sleeping spaces--one over the cab in the poptop and one in a converted dinning area. I also agree with Bajadulce that it is a vintage vehicle that presents many challenges. I have traveled in a Sunrader and I was looking for a 18' Sunrader when the Bandit came on the market. After a walk-through and test drive, I was smitten. It is a good vehicle for me..... (I am a kayaker-- a step away from surf bum). The Bandit is small (I'm at the other end of the height lineup from you, Derek--I can stand up when the top is down), simple to operate, limited amenities to fuss with, easy to drive, handles well, can park in a regular parking spot and store in a garage. So, having extolled some of the virtues that attracted me, I have to admit that I have only driven it home, around the block a few times and taken it to a mechanic. I'll let you know how I feel about this rig after a road trip or two. Right now, I am really excited about the Bandit and looking forward to making some minor, but necessary coach repairs and adjustments. Sue

Diana: Re: the vehicle posted in Derek's note. http://portland.crai...2154447052.html I talked to the seller when he first listed this Sunrader, right after Thanksgiving or first of Dec. At that time, he did not include the information in his post that this rig had a 5-lug axel. But he did say it had a 5-lug when asked and argued that it had gone 100,000+ with no problems so therefore it was not a problem. Posts on this forum make it very clear that driving a 5-lug axel means you are driving on borrowed time. I think it is worth looking at---the floor plan is great---but you will need to plan to spend $ to fix the axel. I do not remember if he said there are any leaks. He may be more open to an offer than he was back then. I have a pop top Bandit and compared to a bigger motorhome, like a 21 Sunrader, the Bandit and probably Chinook drives and corners like a truck--with none of the top-heaviness of other motorhomes. With your description of how you use it, you might want to consider a Toy Chinook---not that they are any more available than the Sunrader, but it gives you an additional option. It might be tight for sleeping two separate adults. (A bonus is that the pop tops can be stored in a garage.) Sue

If you are doing your own work and if you have lots of time to look for parts, the 20R parts are available and inexpensive. I recently acquired a '78 Toy Bandit, 20R, manual. The shop that has done a great job working on my 88 Toyota PU (and an 82 toy PU before that) has been going over the Bandit. I knew when I got the Bandit that it needed, at a minimum, a new muffler and tailpipe. What I did not know was that the manifold was cracked. The shop called around and all the manifolds available in local junk yards were also cracked so they finally ordered a new part out of LA. Another issue to consider about repair of the older 20R and something that the shop owner and I have joked about is that they have only a couple of mechanics who are old enough to have experience working on carburetor engines. The younger guys only know fuel injection systems. In addition to repairing the exhaust system, the shop reattached wires to the sender so that the fuel gauge works now and reattached heater fan wires (it was chilly with no heater fan). The also found where the rear brake lights were grounded. I have a major leak under the dash and will have the cracked front window gasket replaced, which I am optimistic will correct the problem. Sue

You may want to check out the pictures of interiors in the section Files and Photos---Member Albums on this Discussion forum for ideas on interiors and interior re-makes. It might be helpful to take it on a couple of road trips to see how you use it before gutting the interior (a very big project). The interior looks pretty good from the pictures and if you are using it only occasionally, it might be really very usable as is with some minor updates. Sue

"I plan on gutting the inside. Please send me pictures of the inside of your Toyhome ......." There are several pictures of interiors posted if you do a search by year or by the type of motorhome.

nhcamper: Thanks for sharing your experiences. The previous owner of my '77 MH used a fuel additive with every tank of gas. I am wondering if simply using a higher octane will eliminate the need for the additive. Seems like a fairly simple solution--it runs less well on regular and no additive. Sue

My 1978 Bandit (very similar to the Chinook Pop up) has three exterior latches --- one on each side, that align with the front edge of the driver's and passenger's doors and one above the rear door. The previous owners added a rope across the top to better secure the top. The rope is secured with eye bolts into the coach slightly behind the cab doors. In addition, there are three inside latches. Two are approximately aligned with the exterior latches on the sides and there is a velcro strap above the back door. On mine, the original interior latches were replaced with bungee cords as one latch is missing and the other seems shaky. Pictures of later model pop up Chinooks (1980 +) show pop up exterior latches above the windshield. Seems like it would secure the top better. The previous owner of my Bandit was insistent that both the inside and outside latches needed to be secured before moving the vehicle to keep the top secure. I also have a dead fuel gauge although the temp gauge works. The hazard light switch on mine is on the left side of the dash next to the air vent and is a push/pull knob---this may be different from your dash as it appears that the dash in the Bandit is not the original 1978 Toyota. Sue

Hi Seattleguy---good to hear from someone nearby. Yes, located in Tacoma. I am looking for a small motorhome like a small (18') Sunrader and I have begun to look at Chinooks because of small size, less wind resistance, etc. Recently looked at the Bandit that is listed in Bellevue---a big advantage is that it fits in a regular garage, but that truck is 34 yr old. Do you have a bead on a small MH, sunrader or other, that might be available? Sue

Thanks so much. Both these listings have the same phone number to call for information so I think that they are listed by the same person. I did not see that the placement of the windows was really different on the pictures of the rigs. You're right---very fishy. The person offered to send video via phone. Like many people right now, the seller is hard up for cash. Thanks again. I am very appreciative of your help. Sue

I am still looking for just the right Toy Sunrader... There is a very interesting one listed on Craigslist in Santa Barbara. I have not been able to copy this over to this list, but CL number for Santa Barbara is 2092466736. It is only 17' (my preference) and has the improved axel. Looks to be in good shape, but has a SALVAGE title. I talked to the owner who said it had been run off the road, but had been repaired and she was driving it with no problems---only a small dent on ceiling. (how small, a small dent is really a matter of perception). I cannot just pop over to see it, but if it really is in good shape, I would be really interested in this. Thanks so much to anyone who might be able to take a look at this or provide a report. Sue

I am still looking for just the right Toy Sunrader... There is a very interesting one listed on Craigslist in Santa Barbara. I have not been able to copy this over to this list, but CL number for Santa Barbara is 2092466736. It is only 17' (my preference) and has the improved axel. Looks to be in good shape, but has a SALVAGE title. I talked to the owner who said it had been run off the road, but had been repaired and she was driving it with no problems---only a small dent on ceiling. (how small, a small dent is really a matter of perception). I cannot just pop over to see it, but if it really is in good shape, I would be really interested in this. Thanks so much to anyone who might be able to take a look at this or provide a report. Sue

Thanks so much for the confirmation from you experienced Toyota-RVers. That was the conclusion that I had come to after reading and reading all the axel questions/answers and just wanted to be certain that it was correct. Sue

I would like more info the re: axel questions. I have been considering purchase of a 1985, 18' Toyota Sunrader, with 101,000 miles. This has the 5-lug axel. Since the problems mostly occurred on the longer, heavier Sunraders, do you recommend replacing the axel on the 18' Sunraders too. The discussion above makes me think that all 5-lug axels need to be replaced. I have yet to see this motorhome in person, but have talked to the owner and seen lots of pictures. Currentlly, it has no leaks and has been sitting outside and we have had tremendous rain storms lately. However, the ceiling and some other areas have been covered with some wild wallpaper which makes me wonder if it is covering the stains from former leaks or if a previous owner just wanted to redecorate. Thanks for your thoughts. Sue