john*thomas

The bottom one looks like a really good buy BUT if I wanted a shell it would be like the top one.

Sounds like a lot of work ahead. LOL Having a rear outdoor deck with just a place inside to sleep would be kinda cool.

All states have their own laws. No belts are required where I live if the belts were not originally standard equipment. So I would not be required to put them in my RV if I didn't want to.

Woot!

You have to consider that it's nearing 40 years old. Things are always going to need attention but yours looks as good or better than average. The front wheels don't have to be 6 lug but then you run into the issue of spare tires not being able to be used on the front and back. Not a major thing.

It would seem you are up to the task but I would have to think there would be something else that would fit. I can't recall ever seeing anyone swapping out anything else but it would be simply finding a rear axle out of something close to the same size.

25K, reserve not met.

Very cool but I think we will find out that it was made with unaffordium.

It may seem like a big job to replace the seal but it's really not. Remove the inside cover. You'll see 4 nuts to remove in the corners. Remove them. They are on an all thread rod. You may have to completely unscrew them. Unplug the A/C from the ceiling unit. Go on top and push the A/C on it's side (after removing the cover). You'll see the flattened seal. The toughest part is making sure you completely remove the seal. You will have to scrape and work it a bit. Put the new one on. You should see where the rear one goes. It's not quite as important to get it all. Put it back together. After having done one I likely could do another in an hour or two.

This one is a lot less expensive and includes the one to put on the rear of the unit that helps hold it up. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DQ6M3B1/ref=sspa_dk_detail_0?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B09DQ6M3B1&pd_rd_w=D8CK7&pf_rd_p=887084a2-5c34-4113-a4f8-b7947847c308&pd_rd_wg=jYjmh&pf_rd_r=S1VKSHXYHVNFATH6VVEX&pd_rd_r=0ce9092f-b45d-4dda-acbe-da70cc538ced&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUFaODVJOEVXUVhUM0ImZW5jcnlwdGVkSWQ9QTA4ODg1MThQV1JMQzQyOVFXNjQmZW5jcnlwdGVkQWRJZD1BMDcyODc2MjNNMlI5Q1JUUjBQUUwmd2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9kZXRhaWwmYWN0aW9uPWNsaWNrUmVkaXJlY3QmZG9Ob3RMb2dDbGljaz10cnVl

This is quite common. There are two avenues basically. Keep on chasing leaks with sealants or remove the offending item and correctly seal it. At some point the wood frame can develop rot and the fix becomes more extensive.

This is cool. I like this better than the new one Toyota is building. it as more room. But......... We will watch to see what it sells for but I imagine you could buy a 4 wheel drive truck and add a bed camper for a fraction of what this sells for. Maybe slightly less room and you don't get a diesel but far more affordable. I could see me going that route one day.

You really should get C or D rated tires. You can shop around (maybe not locally) and find C or D rated tires in the $80-$100 range. 185/R14. Ask for those and see the looks you get but that is what you need. LT is light truck. You have a heavy truck. Being in California I would think you can find some. The link is simply for an example. https://www.speedytire.com/tires/thunderer/ranger-r101/185r14c-TH0304?gclid=CjwKCAjw8KmLBhB8EiwAQbqNoD5D3IpXtbVi_QdbRSKGWLwuJ6LBodJ9NCjAKjwLON0LFTkTIBfVdBoC-r4QAvD_BwE

Being retired it's going to be more than I will ever pay. I also want a little more room. I got a 20 footer and would have been good if I had found an 18 foot unit but I would have liked to see it made from a 2 door and more room in the back. Not that it matters because as I said, I won't be buying one but it is cool to see this one being made.

Just rambling.......you don't necessarily have to weld more support in. You could get a piece of aluminum as another support and attach it with metal angle brackets that would screw in. If you start adding too much you also start adding weight. While one would look at that and wonder how it lasted 35 years, it did.

I went and looked at one that had sat for years. I wasn't even interested as a complete gut. It even had the F.F. axle. So.......as noted more info is needed. It could very well be worth it or it could cost more than finding a decent one to start with. Put a battery in it and hit it with some starting fluid to see if it fires. It's highly unlikely to run until the fuel system has thoroughly been cleaned.

I believe the manufacturer calls for 2% side to side and 4% front to back. But to further note, the fridge will still work (initially) if the level is way off but not for long so don't do that. I strive for having my bubble mostly (at least) inside the circle.

I have always been told the fridge has to be leveled. Now "leveled" does not mean 100%. When I park if I'm not 100% level but close enough I don't worry about it. My fridge has worked fine. I've never heard the same for propane heaters but then again, I do not use mine.

Well I pretty much have the interior done as far as what I'm going to do to it. Now to start on the exterior. But I need one of the lower doors below the couch.

If you have 185/14 you can go to 195/14. It's not a huge difference but as noted, that's about as large as you'll get without more expensive changes. You can re-clearcoat.

Did you test the A/C before hand? It could be a bunch of things. Fuses, plug. power source, A/C itself, etc. Can you plug something into a receptacle and see if it works?

Sorry, I just meant I guess I've not run across a Nissan RV that old.

Interesting. Learn something new all the time. I do not see many Nissan's and I don't believe I've ever seen one with 6 lugs on a standard axle. Thanks.

This is by far the best site around for info on these units. It doesn't matter the year, most any issue will be answered here. I have a Nissan but still read here regularly because so much of the info still applies......and besides, I've always liked these little RV's. This site stopped me from buying one with the 5 lug axle a few years ago. I was working at the time and didn't have time to mess with swapping it out. I'm lucky also as I also have an "Austin" as a friend. I have no idea how my friend knows how to do everything he knows how to do.

The easiest way to tell in general is if you have 5 lugs versus 6 on the rear. As noted above what many manufacturers did was simply place another wheel on the factory axle that was never designed for having dual rear wheels. They then went to a full floating rear end with 6 lugs once a problem started showing up. The F.F. takes the weight off the axles. Many have been switched out over the years and a few never did.