kayakthecoast

There is a local chinook mid 80's in my area, completely rebuilt, 4" lift and 4x4 that looks great, good to see its a family and they use the heck out of it. Got me looking for one, but I found my Sunrader first. I like the Sunraders with side couch and all rear kitchen area, much roomier. Not what I have but someday maybe ill do a full remodel.

Thanks I'm going to get some butyl tape and seal from inside too.

I removed the interior metal window frame with screws to demo the wall panels. The windows should also be glued onto the fiberglass, no screws on mine into the fiberglass. One window was very well glued in, the other- which fell out only had 2 blobs of glue on entire window! Cutting corners at the factory to get done quicker I'm guessing. It's got new glue on it tonight, running the furnace overnight to help it cure.

I'm researching some FRP panels, a company called marlite.com. A local company called GTS can order it for me, and gave me free samples. Attached is a pic of some of the samples that might work. The long strip of wood is my current panelling, and the squares are the FRP samples. Will it cost an arm and a leg? Probably but it's not costing me a dime to find out. My backup is do same as chinooking. And put up $29 dollar maple ply.

Looking good, thanks for the 3 M adhesive link. I stopped by a FRP ( fibre glass reinforced plastic) distributer GTS today as they are researching an order for me some pretty cool bendable FRP board that looks like wood! Not sure how much they are but it is basically waterproof and would blend in well with the rest of my wood paneling. I know you are almost done but this is an option for folks. Check out marlite.com probably cost a fortune, my local lowes has nice maple paneling just like yours for $29 bucks a sheet, thats my backup plan. The supplier today gave me a free can of 3 M 77. Guess he wants my business. I'll try that for my reflectix. I started a thread on my Sunrader cab over build. Keep on truckin chinooking your inspiring us all.

You all gave me incentive to tackle this. Instead of tacking onto everyone else's build I'll show my progress here. This build initially will just focus on the front cab over bed, from complete tear down, thru to insulate and new panel installation. Phase 1 Replace/seal all running lights with LED lights. Done. Also seal existing front and side windows where the window rubber meets the fibreglass. For this I used a black silicone sealer (GE silicone window door attic basement 3hr rain ready, good stuff) I left the side windows to seal at a later date. I used a razor blade and screw driver to get all the old silicone off and cleaned with acetone. Phase 2 tear down. I completed this today, after pulling my final wall panel to my surprise my drivers side window popped out and fell to the ground! (lucky it hit grass and glass did not break). It was only held in by 4 drops of adhesive at each corner! Next priority get the window back in. Got the window in tonight. Check out the pics I used a bungee cord inside to hold the window in place, and clamps at the open window. For the window adhesive I used liquid nails Tub Surround, it's meant to bond glass and metal just fine. Next post I'll tackle removing the pesky glued on foam insulation against the fiberglass, it will make a mess for sure. Also yup ceiling is caving/bowing in just like everyone else's ceiling, so I'll add laminating and glass work to this project too. I'm pretty handy at fiberglass work having run a kayak business for years.

My wiper switch may be a secondary issue I just found a shorted wire coming from my main engine fuse box directly to the batteries! I'm going to inline splice a new wire and rewire my batteries and start from there. Thanks for all the advice. I drove it for an hour yesterday and when I used my turn signals, the engine battery and park brake flashed on and off on my dash! Think the culprit is the shorted exposed wire mentioned above.

Cheers I'll see if they have it.

My local wreckers do not have a column wiper switch part #. 2. 177375 stamped on it. Anyone have a good online parts place I can get one from? I have my steering column apart. Looks like I need to take the steering wheel off too to get the switch out. For an 87 Toyota, manufacture date Aug 86. To dis amble: I already unscrewed the 2 small screws holding the switch in. Looks like I need to unscrew the 4 main screws ( 2 shown at red arrows) to get the yellow switch part out,to do this I'm going to have to pull the steering wheel. See pics, anyone done this?

I've seen some rv type ladders welded directly to the rear bumper and then mount flush to the ceiling. I'm searching for this type of replacement ladder.

Hi bjkenny I'm often in Vancouver WA! We could compare rigs, drag race each other see if the Dolphin can beat a Sunrader, just kidding. Welcome to the forum

We have the same style double sleeping bag. Big Angus, they are too big to wash at home, we wash ours at a laundry mat, use a sheet and sew up the 3 sides as a liner or get a silk liner. We usually prefer just using sheets, and blankets over the double bag but it's nice to have.

I'm rolling on 15" wheels and a guy in OR has 15's on his 85 Sunrader too. My Front 2 are not same rim as back 4. My only spare is for the front. Perhaps thats all I need being I'm running duallys? Anyone had a rear flat and able to limp home? Maybe this isn't possible being that the outer rear holds the inner tire on? Or should I hunt down a spare?

Today my wiper fuse popped again. For sure must be my wiper switch/relay, as it worked for a bit , first 20 mins. I'll take the steering column apart ( never done this) and hunt down a used replacement. Starter battery is no longer draining, so isolater is working.

Define energized, Will plugging into 110 energize it? Or using a generator energize it? I'm assuming yes. I'll have to multi Meyer test it

The new solenoid I just purchased is a continuous flow rv type and states it allows charging of both batteries, but yes it prevents discharging of the starter battery.

No I have the 2 6 volts in series giving me one 12 volt setup. The isolater/solenoid allows both to be charged and prevents the starter from being discharged via the coach battery. Sorry my last post was pretty confusing I agree.

I've got my cab over area almost stripped, ready for water sealing. How did you attach your reflectix foil to the cab fibreglass? Liquid nails? And glue gun? You put up a foam layer over it too?. Your making swift progress!

I just figured out my electrical battery issue, which will help you out. Previous owner had the dam battery isolator/solenoid incorrectly wired! Had the ground wire port and positive port out which is wired to my wiper relay totally switched around! Now I get twice the battery life, my starter battery is no longer draining, and wiper fuse not blowing. I bought a new battery isolator/solenoid. Buy one that has a continuous switch, and allows both batteries to charge up when hooked to shore power or a generator, some don't allow this. Mine is a 87 Sunrader and both my batteries are 6 volt wired together under the hood with the solenoid/isolator in between both (where is it located? Mine is bolted to the fibreglass battery case right next to the window wash refill bottle) the isolator looks like a round cylinder with three or four wire ports on it. It is wired in between both batteries. I can take pics if you want. I'd wire everything to the 2nd auxiliary battery such as your solar setup etc. I needed a 4 port isolator , one to starter battery, one to second battery, one to ground, and one positive which connects to a positive source that is on when you start your vehicle. Also the alternator is hooked to the starter battery positive port. If you want a third battery you'll want to hook them to the others and have a switch/isolator a one direction type possibly that will allow you to charge it via the alternator whilst driving and via 110 shore power hookup, but that won't allow it to drain your other batteries or maybe just your second battery? You'll some loose amps with the long wire connection running from front to back, use a larger guage wire. My previous camper had 2 6 volts in rear of camper for all appliances, and 2 6 volts in front for starter all wired together, but with a one way isolator switch that prevented the rears from draining the starter batteries. All charged together via alternator and shore power.

Another heat option is to plumb in a quick connect into your propane line and use a very efficient propane catalytic safety heater. I use a wave 3 Heater I think made by Olympian. I have a quick connect flexible gas hose (this is not code) it should be copper, but I'm careful and want to be able to move it around the camper. Great for ski trips. I'll attach some pics when I get home. I use the onboard propane heater with its blower fan (the reason it drains your coach battery if you run it all night) and thermostat to get the cabin warmed up and overnight use my quick connect wave 3 heater which is quiet as a church mouse! Crack a window or 2 to allow some airflow. I also place my water container in fairly close proximity to it so it does not freeze, and a must to do is fill up the kettle before you doze off! So in the morning you can light the stove top kettle and have a cup of joe. Trying to get frozen water into your kettle is a frustrating experience. Enjoy toy skiing we do! White Pass (free parking lot)and mt Rainier are my usual spots. Get yourself a wearable sleeping bag (Selk Bag) with arms and legs my son lives in his!

I used the above LEDs and did all mine last week, they worked out really well. The holes lined up with my existing holes, thanks john for the info!

If your looking for a 2 person fold flat portable cooker and smoker we love our PYROMID. Made in OR. I heard you can now buy them again, cooks 2 steaks with only 5 charcoal pieces. We take it everywhere even kayaking. Type in PYROMID in amazon they sell 2 sizes and I see YouTube has a short clip on them. Wonderful storage as it folds flat in its own bag.

Ah ha, I think My solenoid is bad/shorting out. I'll need to test it. DanAatTheCape might be dead right!! The solenoid wires look pretty badly corroded. Wiper I think is wired ( thus reason wiper fuse is blowing) to it and I have been having trouble with charging my main starter lately. I recently had my running lights on all day testing/replacing them all with LEDs and my main starter went flat. I plugged camper into 110 to apply a charge to my house battery for 2 hours and correct me if I'm wrong it should also allow charging from house back to my dead starting battery via solenoid? Is this correct? My house battery charged But it did not charge my flat starter battery! Is my theory correct? Or perhaps I have alternator problems?

Rats, the fuse blew again today after putting in a used wiper motor, worked fine for last 3 days - but I had my park lights on/off all day today replacing my running lights with LED. Guess I'll look at column switch/relay. BTW anyone need any red and orange original running light covers? I have 5 of each color all in great shape if yours are cracked I can mail them, free to a good home!!

Do they still do the light show at the dam? Dry falls is a good place to camp and kayak