Incurable Wanderlust

Hello Dear Toyota Motorhome lovers! The next step for my motorhome is to add solar to it so I can run the basic appliances without using my car battery. Since I am living in it, I am not driving my motorhome for long distances so the battery does not fully charge or stay charged very long. The main things I would like to use it for are the water pump and "cigarette lighter outlet" to charge my phone etc. I have solar lights inside, so that's fine and i'm not worried about having the refridgerator or convection oven running regularly. Really, I would just like to be able to flush the toilet with water and use shower and charge my phone. So where do I start? Specifally, what kind of watts should I be looking to buy? Do I need a whole kit or would a trickle charger be sufficient? Seems like all I need to do is keep the aux battery charged right? Currently, there's about 12 hours of daylight and I'm parked in a place with lots of sun exposure. I won't be running the appliances for hours on end, but would really just like to have a fully charged battery. Any info, please share!

It does seem like a lot of pages for a simple fix doesn't it? It just so happened that Derek and I were online at the same time, so it happened to be more of a conversation. Nonetheless, I never said I couldn't fix it or didn't have the tools, I simply had never done it before and since I am taking her in to get a full checkup tomorrow, the main reason for this post was to see how involved changing the belt would be and if it was worth just putting a temp fix on it since she will go in to the shop anyway, or is easy enough to fix on my own. I can change tires, oil, basic electric, and other things... so go figure, I've never changed belts before. Since the old belt completely broke off, I couldn't see how it was threaded around which pulleys.... there are a few down there. So the pdf of "The Idiot Book" was my answer, and all the info I needed. So really, within two posts, I got my answer, the rest of the pages were just suggestions from Derek and banter. Either way... That's what this forum is for right? Conversation and suggestions/help? Anyway... short story long... I replaced the belts yesterday. It was simple enough aside from some bolts that didn't want to loosen for me. All is well, thanks for the help!

The belt was loose, which I think is why it broke. I was going to tighten it once I got to a location I wanted to be for the night, but that was a bad idea obviously. I should have done it before I moved the RV since the hills around here are quite stressful for a vehicle such as this. If something else goes wrong after I replace it, then perhaps there is a bigger issue. She has been running great so far, and all the pulleys spin fine, so my thought is that the previous owner just had not put the right tension on it. I could be wrong, but we'll see once I get a chance to chace the belt.

I work for beer! Being a freelance carpenter, I've been payed in various ways, and beer is one of my favorites. ha ha! Well, I work swing shift, so I get off at 10:30pm, so after work would be too late tonight and we don't have full time mechanics on site even on the weekdays. There are a few guys that are around during the week, but we don't really have a full on maintenance area or crew. Not sure where the big repairs are done. I don't know any other mechanics in the state...too bad my uncle doesn't live here... The repair shop I want to take it to isn't far, but not close enough to drive without issue. Saddly San Francisco doesn't have alot of mechanic shops that can accommodate RVs, so have to drive just south of the city and it's hard to find a place in this city to pull over, let alone pull a 21ft vehicle over every mile or so. I wanted to see if I could drive it "gently", but last night when the belt broke, I was in my neighborhood already and I pulled over to see what happened, and the radiator was already bubbling and crazy hot. I let it cool down while trying to figure out the replacement belt situation. Then when I had to drive it to find an actual parking space, it got very hot again in just the time it took to find a better parking space. Really, just around the block, maybe 5 minutes, give or take. The last thing I need is a blown head gasket, so if it gets that hot in such a short time, I'd rather not risk it. PDF just finished downloading. Looks like I do have to remove the power steering, A/C belt before installing the new alternator belt..hmmm...project for tomorrow. I'll give it a shot because really, I need to know how to do this incase of an emergency on the road.

Ha ha...wow! This topic really got deep! I love all the insight and input on everyone's idea of adventure. Awesome! Meanwhile, my life of variety, risk, and adventure continues! Broken alternator belt has put my home out of commosion temporarily...something new, problem solving, where will I sleep when my motorhome is in the shop? Adventure!

I did think of that...a mobile mechanic or craigslist, but the whole taking it to the shop idea is just because I want to take it in for a full inspection anyway. So now that this happened, my dilema is fix it now, or just get it to the shop and have everything taken care of. I'm pretty handy, so once I get this pdf downloaded, I will take look at the step by step instructions and see if I can't get it fixed on my own this weekend. Too bad. I just had it parked at work where we have a whole fleet of trucks and I'm sure someone could give me a hand...but I decided to take it home, and on that drive is when the belt broke. Oh these series of events where we wish we could see the future. Ha! Ah well, we shall see how this plays out. My days off are tomorrow and Monday, so if I can't get it on myself, I will perhaps post a ad on craigslist for anyone in the area on Monday or some other such idea to get her moving. Blah...the joys of buying a used vehicle.

The duct tape fix seems like "Duh!" type of temporary idea to get me to the shop. Why didn't I think of that? Suppose with mechanical stress it's not the easiest thing to start thinking out of the box

Thanks for those temporary suggestions! I'm going to call my insurance and see if they will cover the towing. If not, I may try one of those temp fixes if I can't put the new belt on myself. Good thing I have 2 days off of work coming up to deal with this. Thanks Derek!!

I watched some youtube videos, but they aren't very detailed in changing the belts. There are some that show how to remove the whole alternator, but that seems more involved than I need to get. In other videos, I've wondered, just as you asked Derek..is it really necessary to remove very many other parts/drain coolant and/or radiator? In the only one I've found that actually specifically says how to change the belts on a 22re, the guy points to everything with the camera from above, a vantage point where you can't really see the alternator belt from, then the video cuts to a new scene, then he says "Ok, i've just changed all the belts" or something to that effect. So really, he just talks about it and points to things and doesn't show the actual task being performed. If there is another better video, please do post a link. Thanks for the info on changing the other belts too! The frustrating thing is that all belts are new. The previous owner had just changed them all. I think the alternator belt snapped simply because it did not have the right tension, so I'm hesitant to remove the others in fear of messing the whole thing up. He did leave me with new belts for everything though. It looks as though I may have to remove the power steering/AC belt just to get the alternator belt on...perhaps it may be best just to take it in since I planned on doing this anyway. Ugh.... Thanks for the pdf. Written instructions would be great! I can't seem to get it to load though...I'll keep trying. Thanks!

Hello All You Helpful Toyota Motor home fans! I have a problem. My alternator belt has broken. Everything was fine, then I went on vacation for 4 days, the RV sat in one place. When I got back on Thursday, I started her up and began to hear the screeching of an issue with one of the belts. I checked them out and the alternator belt seemed a bit loose. I figured I could get it home, then work on tightening it this weekend. I was wrong. It broke on the way home and my engine got very hot...scary! I have a replacement belt and would like to avoid paying a mechanic's price to replace the belt, but I'm not exactly sure how to change it. I can see which pulleys it goes over, but can't seem to figure out how to get it onto those pulleys without moving other things. I was searching online for diagrams or "how to" videos, but can't find anything helpful or detailed enough. It is a 22RE 4cyl Automatic 1987. I've wanted to take her in for a check up and "once over" since I purchased her about 2 months ago, but have been busy and out of town off and on. So yesterday my intuition was telling me to do it NOW, so I make an appointment, then last night, the belt broke. Unfortnately, the appointment is not until next Thurs and now I have to get it towed to the shop. Guess I was just too late. Anyway...since I already want to get other things checked on would it be easier to just tow it to the shop and get it fixed then, or is it easy enough to fix on my own so I can skip paying for the labor and towing and just drive her to her check up? Any info, pictures, diagrams, how to or videos would be greatly appricated. Thanks!

I mean adventure as in something different every day. Adventure doesn't have to mean exploring the wilderness or being in a new country every day. Sure, that's one meaning of adventure, and one I happen to love as well. But living in an RV as opposed to living in a house? Having to deal with new experiences you wouldn't find in a "normal" living situation. An ever changing landscape and surroundings. To me, that's an adventure. Another reason I choose to live on the street and not an RV park, storage, or any other more permanent space in the RV. The concept of not being tied down or attatched. Sure, I may have my comforts contained in the RV, but not the comforts of a stationary residence. Anything can happen, and at any moment, I can be somewhere else if I want and, as I mentioned before, living here is temporary, and I don't really care for RV parks. Now, if I were actually going to go on an "adventure" like vast explorations, my RV would be parked at a friends house somewhere and I'd pack a bag and take off. Most of my trips and camping still consists of me and my pickup truck heading somewhere, then sleeping in a tent, or not in the woods or on the beach...not with my RV. Either way, everyone sees the world differently, and maybe someone living in a mobile home in a RV park is their idea of adventure, even if it's not yours or mine.

Awesome to see some new "faces" in this topic and hearing your input and how it's been for those of you who have been living on the road. I'm excited to hear more from you who will be doing this in the future as well! Feel free to PM me anytime as you begin your adventures...though I won't be online much once I move into the RV, but i'll try to stop in once in a while. I'm also glad yoga came up in this thread. I love yoga, and have been having visions of myself doing yoga on the roof of the RV once I move OUT of the city. I think I may call too much attention if i'm doing my sun salutations on the roof on the side of the road somewhere ay? I can imagine that the small space does make it difficult get excersize. I shall keep that in mind when I hit the road. I am ok with living in a small space. Currently, I live in an 8'X8' studio in a garden which I call my Hobbit Hole. It built a few years ago, so funny enough, the RV will be an upgrade in living space! I'm short as well, so small spaces aren't as hindering as it is for taller people. My job is also extremely physically demanding, and it's not very cold where I live, so for now, i'll be ok on fitness. But again, good to note about space to move. It makes sense that it could be challenging, so thanks for mentioning it. Do more yoga! As far as the topic of being weird. Well, I was born that way, so people can think what they want. Ha! Hearing from those of you on the road makes me miss that life so much. I will get back to it someday soon. My goal is to stay here at least a year more and save as much as I can, then i'm off wherever the wind takes me!

There have been some great suggestions on here and I thank you all for your input. I'm not going into this blindly and have put thought into how I want to do this and know there will be some issues I come across with parking on public streets, but I'm really not worried about it. That is my plan and to me, it just adds to the excitement and adventure. So i'm not looking for solutions, nor am I trying to add to cost of living, otherwise I'd just stay where I am and pay rent. I am trying to do away with monthly fees and owing anything to anyone, other than the cost of insurance. The main point of me starting this topic was to hear stories or shared experiences, not really "ok this is HOW you do it." Though I do appreciate everyones suggestions and I don't meant to sound ungrateful. I'm not trying to make enemies by that comment. But I have my plan set on how I'm going to do it. It may not be what everyone would choose or sound the most practical to some, but this is the way I will try. If it doesn't work, I'll try something else. Just curious IF anyone else on here is doing it or at least traveling alot where you spend alot of time living in your motorhome and what you've experienced, funny/crazy stories, do you love it? Wish you had a place with a foundation after a few years? Really, i'm just a curious person and love to hear what others in similar situations experience. Thanks again for all the replies and conversation!

That sounds awesome! Ideally I would not live in the city, but I am here for a while longer. Eventually I will be taking my RV around the country and living in small towns etc like you mentioned. This is only the beginning for my full time RV living! I'd love to hear of your adventures once you get started!

Thanks for the compliment! I thought of starting a blog, but it's not really my kind of thing. I don't use the internet all that much and wont have access to it once I move in to the RV. I may get a portable wi-fi thingy eventually, but it's not at the top of my list of things to do for my RV at the moment. I may drop in here from time to time if there's some fun facts or things to share about this adventure, because I know, epecially in this city, more people are turning to motorhomes as an affordable living situation, so my experience may turn out to be interesting for others. I know I'd definitely love to hear stories from others living in their motorhomes. I lived on the road in the back of my tacoma with a camper shell for nearly two years from 2010-2012. Of course home basing with friends and relatives around the country since my truck wasn't equipt with bathroom and kitchen and that kind of thing, but it was so much fun and I miss it so much. So It's so exciting to me to be living in an RV now! Even thinking about the troubles I may have, and situations i'll have to deal with. It'll be all my own doing. I knew what I was getting into when I decided to do this, so there's no one to blame but myself when those situations arise, and alas, I will deal with them and move on. I won't be worried about paying rent. I get to enjoy what I work hard to earn and I wont be dealing with roommates or accommodating others. It'll be just me and new experiences and possibilities. Just think, I could just pick up and leave one day and it's as simple and turning a key and driving. Ah! Life is good!

Thank you thank you for more voices! RV parks and campgrounds are a no go for me since they are not practical in my money saving efforts and not close enough to the city to justify the cost/time/stress of a daily commute. I only see myself visiting a dump station once a month or less since again, most of my time is spent at work where I can do my business. On the plus side, the cheapest dump station i've found is right near the ocean, so I combine my need to empty my tanks with my need to get out of the city when I can. So two birds with one stone, I get a weekend by the ocean and empty tanks. I've thought of renting a parking space or something like that and will take a look at this option, but even those situations cost quite a bit and there's not a lot of space like that here, unless I'm not within the city limits. Currently the only listings on craigslist are people LOOKING for parking, the others are compact garage spaces and the only one offering a reasonable sized space is asking $2000 a month! Yup! Lot's of people moving into RVs in this expensive city and looking for a place to park. They should open an RV park...though I imagine they'd charge a lot for that too. On the upside for me, if i'm ever without a place to park for the night, I can park at work. I just can't park there full time and honestly, I need a break from work on my days off ya know? There are a lot of RVs parked all over the city and all over the streets, but the ones that don't get picked on very often are parked in scetchy neighborhoods or streets that have street sweeping every night from 12am-5am, so you have to move alot. Really though, legally, I have to move every 72 hours. ANY vehicle has to move every 72 hours, but they don't enforce it on regular cars. I've lived in this neighborhood for over 2 years and have parked my daily use Tacoma for more than a week at a time, and no notices. Every car around my RV sits longer than 3 days, and no notices. So i've tested some streets and locations with the RV and in some places, I get a violation notice even if i'm parked less than 3 days, but other streets in nice and friendly neighborhoods, I've parked for more than 3 days and haven't gotten a warning notice, so this leads me to believe that I only get a notice when someone calls to complain. So to me, it's just learning where the nosy and picky people live. Again, when I park outside of a school or business, I don't get notices. Sounds complicated, I know, but Ah...it's all part of the adventure and I considered this before making a decision to buy. Over all, i'll be saving alot of money to help me achieve some big goals in the future and as I mentioned, I won't be living in the city forever, but do plan on living in the RV even after I leave the city, so it's great to hear everyone's input and someday I'll have some of my own to share. Great advice!

I think I will put a dead bolt on the door eventually. The lock that is on it is pretty rockin' though. I've tugged on the door a few times to see how well the lock holds and it's solid and works really well, though extra security isn't ever a bad choice. I'm staying where I live now since I like where I live, just going the rent free route since the cost of living is getting worse and ridiculous that I have a well paying job, but can't even afford a decent studio. Plus, I want to save money. So I already know the regulations for overnight parking etc. and what streets i'm ok in. I've had the RV parked here in my neighborhood since I bought it in May, and haven't had any issues. Oversize vehicles aren't allowed to park on public streets over night, but here oversized is anything larger than 22ft, which is one reason I chose this RV. Overnight is all good. I will move it around to different parts of the neighborhood within a mile or so, so no one gets annoyed with me. I am curtious and understand the concerns of people having vagrants setting up shop in their neighborhood, but also, I don't think it's right to classify someone as a vagrant just because their home is on wheels. I understand that some people with this living situation make a mess and leave trash or put a bad name on living in a motorhome, but I am respectful and again, will move it. I've also been mindful of where I park even though I don't live in it yet. I know people get all worried when there's an RV parked in front of their house, so I've been parking in spots next to schools, businesses, or places that are not directly in front of someone's door. So I am very aware of the impact of an RV parked in a public place. I work full time as well, so it's not like I'll be hanging around all the time. I'll really just be sleeping in it for the most part. I'll be at work 90% of the time, plus I'm always out and about on my days off. This also cancels out the work exchange for rent in an RV park since I have a full time job. As for dumping, I've located dump stations near me, so that's all good. I've also considered living in an RV park, but there aren't any in or very close to the city. The closest isn't horribly far, but it's a commute nontheless and costs just as much monthly rent as an apartment...meaning over $1000 a month. Plus gas for the commute. I understand that this living situation is somewhat looked down upon or considered homeless in our society, but alot of the way I live and view the world isn't "normal" by societies standards, and to me the "normal" way of life is as "weird" as living in an RV is to most. I am what I am, but I'm not a bum or a loser or anything less fortunate. I simply want to be kind to the environment, live off the grid and live simply. In time, I will move out of the city, where this living situation will be easier, but for now, I'm here and will make do. I do appreciate the condieration and advice and I apologize if my response seems contrary to that. I appreciate all the advice this board has to offer! Any other tips on spending alot of time in a motorhome would be great! Thanks!

Hello There, The time has come for me to move off the grid and into the next chapter of my life. I currently live in a city, but my long term goals do not include city life and I want to save as much money as I can while I'm here with a good job, before moving on. So I bought a 21' Sunrader and wil be moving into it come July. I figure it's an investment and I'll never be without a dry place to sleep as I wander through life now and for years to come. So I was wondering if anyone on here actually lives full time or at least spends alot of time living in your motorhome. I don't see a whole lot of problems that i'd run into. I know which neighborhoods are safe and which have nosy neighbors or chance of theft to watch out for and that kind of thing. So I'm wondering if anyone has any other tips or just things to share about this living situation?

As I was moving some things in the other day, I actually said out loud that I'm digging the upper fiberglass cabinets. I've seen alot of RV's that needed work or replacement the wooded cabinets, so I am grateful! Definitely adds to the longevity of the interior and looks awesome!

Ha! I suppose I can see that. There is an 18ft Sunrader that someone parks on the street I drive on to work every day, and I gawk at it every time I pass as if it were the first time seeing one. Well, Sunnyshare - I drive my other car mostly or take public transportation, so my RV will be in the city if you're ever around. Here are some photos until then:

It's just the skylight, which I plan on buying and replacing myself. I would just go there, or online to buy the skylight, not have them install it. I've worked in construction and repairs for many years of my life. A few screws is easy cheezy. Just throwing out some bay area repair options to the topic starter. May check out Ideal just to see what kinds of goodies they have.

What would you like to take a look at specifically?

Thought i'd update. I'm the proud new owner of a 1987 Sunrader with only 45,500 miles! There are minor fixes, a few loose screws, the spice rack is falling apart, and a cracked skylight and some dead or cracked exterior lights on the top, but nothing unexpected since she is all original, nothings been renovated, but she is in great shape! I was lucky enough to find a seller who did not list on Craigslist and only dealt with me, so I did not have to compete with any other buyers or rush to decide on my purchase. If it's meant to be, it's meant to be, and this one was definitely meant to come to me. I've had her about two weeks now and been enjoying setting things up to make her my own. How exciting!

I am a new owner in the SF area as well! I found this site and plan on visiting the physical location sometime in the near future to get a replacement skylight. Seems like they're a one stop shop and have the know how for nearly any maintenance that may need to be done and are within the bay area! http://www.idealrvandtrailer.com/

For those of you who offered answers, thanks! Doesn't sound like there are any specific major issues to keep my eye out for other than the obvious ones (any leaks, rust, 6 lug). I guess I do have all the info I need and I know what to look for. I know there will be minor issues along the way, as with any used RV or vehicle, but my main concern was anything that will cost me big bucks to fix if I don't know to look for them, for example, if I haddn't known about the rear axle recall or like some other RVs I've read about that are notorious for water getting into the seams as they age if not resealed (something I would want to ask the seller) etc. That's the type of issue I was asking about. I'm in the midst of a deal on a 1987 model. Crossing my fingers that all is well and I can make a deal! SO thanks again!