paulnptld

I recall someone mentioning that a rear locker can make a huge difference in traction, though I've not heard of anyone installing one on a Toyhome. I'd really like to get some opinions as to whether or not it's worth it, and what sort of difference it really makes. Thanks!

Here's a $9,800 asking price for a Winnebago...with only 28k miles on it and the 6 cyl. This seems reasonable. http://seattle.craigslist.org/see/rvs/4443364925.html

Shoulder harnesses are only as good as the anchor points. The wooden frames of our Toyhomes don't really work for that purpose. Believe it or not, we anchor a carseat to the dinette. It's fairly secure, but my Dolphin is not a vehicle I'd like to have an accident in. Bottom line: Drive slowly. Allow what might seem like excessive distance between you and other vehicles. Go easy around the corners, and be careful at intersections. I think that's the best you can work with.

Good info here. Last night I was down to what I thought were fumes. I was right on the E line. Gingerly coasted in to a service station that was fortunately open late. I was shocked when my 21 foot Dolphin topped out at 14.22 gallons. I told the attendant that it couldn't be right, but he was unable to add any more fuel. Sounds like we have a 3 gallon buffer. Nice to know, but I don't want to experience that anxiety again.

I think it's way overpriced. Nice that it's one owner, but I think this guy is out to lunch.

Hey Karla. I'm the owner of a 1990 Dolphin in Portland. Out of curiosity, why are you replacing the windows? Also, where are you finding a one piece roof? Thanks!

What was the verdict from the other forum? I'm going to treat my roof soon...

I purchased a Sea Eagle two years ago. I've used it twice. The second time I used it I was in the middle of a lake in the high Cascades of Oregon with my wife and dog when the left side of the raft started to lose air. Quickly. An inadvertent swim in Hosmer Lake in May would have been brief before hypothermia did us all in. We barely made it back to shore. For Sale: One lightly used Sea Eagle.

Thanks. I know I'd come across a post or two here that indicated that people were putting chains just on the outside tires. I have no idea how that would be accomplished without a really unfortunate outcome.

I spent the weekend up on Mt. Hood where we received nearly 2 feet of fresh snow. I'd purchased two sets of snow chains for my Dolphin to deal with the weather. The fronts went on easily. When I got to the rears? Forgetaboutit! How is it possible to put chains on a dually? There just doesn't seem to be enough space between the tires... Has anyone figured this out? BTW, I've attached a photo from the internets of the type of chains I purchased.

I couldn't help myself. I'd never heard of one of these until yesterday: http://seattle.craigslist.org/sno/rvs/4390032759.html They just called and said it sold for $1,000 more than they were asking. Sorry, Dolphin. I'd never cheat if you only had 4wd!

...and btw, very glad to hear that it ultimately worked out for you. Very frightening. This could have gone far worse, especially if the snow level had dropped. I think back to the couple that got stuck in a similar area a few years ago after following GPS directions. It was not a happy outcome.

I'd been regularly driving my Dolphin on the beach in Gearhart, OR. It did great every time, so I assumed this thing must have some serious traction. A month later I was with my wife and newborn daughter in Pacific City. We decided we'd drive on the beach. About 100 yards in we were starting to lose traction. Then a woman with four dogs slowly meandered into my path. We were stuck. Hopelessly. As the tide was quickly rolling in. I gave the call to 'abandon ship.' My wife was terrified as the waves got closer. For that matter, I was shaking like a 10 year old. Someone tried to tow us out in their Nissan XTerra. They got stuck. We called a tow truck driver. He showed up with an F150. It didn't work. Finally, he said we'd have to do something crazy. Drive toward the ocean. He gunned his truck and we started zipping into the water. We had to do a very rapid 180. I thought the Dolphin was going to roll over into the waves. NEVER EVER AGAIN WILL I DO SOMETHING SO RECKLESS. Also on my list now? Locking rear differential for the Dolphin.

Hah. Interesting angles. I figured a fully sealed bag was easier to deal with than the nasty goop that comes out of the black water tank.

I've been considering one of the new cartridge based dry flush toilets. I've seen them as low as $450. This means no water usage...and no need for a black water tank. If I'm not mistaken, that tank is 15 gallons. Might be a perfect spot to put an auxiliary fuel tank to double my range! Here's a link to the product: http://www.dry-flush.com/

I suppose there are inherent safety issues. Who are we kidding here? The fact is that were I to have a front end collision, I'd stand a much better chance of walking away unharmed driving a modern Sprinter based RV with airbags. Further, most RVs have the driver positioned higher than other vehicles. We are driving vehicles with a lot of mass, very small front ends, and cabins that are lower than a lot of modern sedans. It's hard for me to imagine a scenario in which I'd not be seriously injured in a front end collision were I traveling any faster than 25 MPH. Then there's the entire side impact facet to the discussion... All this being said, I also have an incredibly reliable RV that I enjoy tremendously, gets solid fuel economy...and own for less than $7k. I used to drive a '58 Austin Healey that had no seat belts, and flew a '66 Cherokee 235. Life is all about understanding that risk is sometimes a component of enjoyment.

Just found this on Craigslist Los Angeles. I've never come across one of these before: http://losangeles.craigslist.org/sgv/rvs/4384268513.html

Looks great! Out of curiosity, where did you buy your grill guard? Was it difficult to install? Thanks.

Really interesting topic. Any idea how much converting to 15" wheels would cost? Would it just be the rears or can the fronts be done as well? Is it a lot of work to swap them out? I suspect this will make it considerably easier to find tires, particularly for the winter months.

I have a few lights that have recently gone out on the exterior of my Dolphin. I'm considering replacing all of my exterior lights with LED. Do any of you know the various bulb types (numbers) for the exterior before I start ripping off the casings? Thanks.

Thanks. I was guessing that the K&M claims were overbaked. If it's true that they let more dirt pass, then I'll stick with stock.

Can anyone tell me where the air filter and gas filters are on a 1990 V6? I was at an oil change place a few weeks ago and they were clueless. Also, has anyone used this K&N filter? Any performance gains? http://www.amazon.com/33-2050-1-High-Performance-Replacement-Filter/dp/B000BR3BEY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1389130898&sr=8-3&keywords=toyota+air+filter+1990+pickup Thanks!

The fridge I listed draws 30 watts. I purchased a folding 150 watt solar panel on eBay for $150 and have two high capacity deep cycle batteries. Since I never really use the RV for anything longer than a week, it should be fine. BTW...the folding panels are portable, which means it's much easier to keep it lined up with the sun for maximum wattage.

I wouldn't wash any sleeping bag. The fact is it's a surefire way to eventually ruin it. You can have them dry cleaned every season or two. The real trick is to use a bag liner when you're sleeping in one. I do with my backpacking bags. You could also just use a sheet set with a bag as big as this one. Besides...even if you could machine wash this one, you'd end up with a 200 lb water soaked bag that would probably wreck your washer and dryer!

I've been doing a lot of research on this one. There is a Kenmore model that's energy star efficient and has been used in a lot of solar setups. This is the fridge I'm probably going with: http://www.sears.com/kenmore-3.1-cu-ft-2-door-compact-refrigerator/p-04695693000P?prdNo=1&blockNo=1&blockType=G1 Worth watching on this topic: http://rethinksurvival.com/posts/solar-powered-fridge-freezer-30w-off-grid-refrigeration-freezer-video/