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So, I guess this is the right time to introduce myself and my project. I'm 62, live in N. Idaho with my wife and kids, and we bought the Sunrader on almost a whim Memorial Day weekend 2023. I saw an ad, looked up what a Sunrader is and thought "so THAT's what those all fiberglas Toyota campers are called." We found it forlornly in the trees up on the side of a mountain with the ceiling wood hanging down, no cushions in the bed or dinette, and it clearly had simply been sitting for perhaps decades. My wife and I couldn't make up our minds, and sat on the bare wood of the dinette talking. Oddly, I am Mr. Car Project and I said no - it's much more work to tackle than I'd thought. My wife said maybe. So we took it for a spin figuring that would be the deciding factor. It drove great, but we told the owner we would pass. He mentioned $1500 would take it as he turned to walk back to his door, we looked at each other in surprise and the rest is history. I am a former product planner for GM, as well as Lexus. A big Toyota fan, we have 2 LandCruisers, just sold an 88 Supra I restored in 2022, and currently vacation all over British Columbia, Montana, Idaho, and Washington states in our restored 1988 Volkswagen Vanagon Wolfsburg Weekender. We love getting away in a self contained capsule - stopping when and where we feel like it. I was forbidden to touch the Sunrader until I completed a home renovation project, which took all summer. Finally, two weeks ago I finished that, and last week I turned to this project. It has an incredible 32,326 miles on it and mechanically seems excellent. The cab is pure time capsule - completely unmolested just as you'd expect from a vehicle owned by older folks. First order of business was to locate a proper 1 Ton axle, which I did last week. Hoping the salvage place calls me tomorrow as I've had the trailer hooked up for several days expecting to come pick it up. It came from a Dolphin with 45k on the clock, and I'll swap my third member into it to keep the proper diff flange, and of course to use a diff with only 32k on it (!). They let me go out in the yard to laboriously disconnect the parking brake cables as I was afraid they'd cut them, and as it's a manual tranny model (yay!), I will want stellar parking brakes. My Cruisers have full floater 1 ton axles, so I'm familiar with the seals and repack process though I understand there are a few differences I'll discover when I perform it. I don't yet have a welder in mind to properly move the spring perches, but hope to figure out the proper location and bring it to a friend in Priest Lake who's a talented fabricator. I believe this axle was a later recall installation as the black paint on the ends looks like new, so I suspect it got new recall axles and was parked soon after. The axle even has cool covers over the protruding flanges that are embossed with "National". I took those off it in the yard just in case whomever pulls the axles either accidentally breaks them, or leaves them behind. I suspect they're a bit of a "collector" item among Toyota motorhome types as I've never seen these in all the research I have done. What's the plan, you ask? Well, I am going to make it into quite the little luxo-cruiser actually. Many of our friends have bought larger RVs but we prefer to motor around and explore for our getaways where they prefer the set piece method of arriving at an RV camp and sitting in one place. We love that, like our VW, we can park the Sunrader in ordinary parking spots right in the little towns, trail heads, and hiking destinations we prefer. So with a little pride in my heart for those times we're with those luxo-barges, I'm going to use my product development background to make this a bit of a show off build. The kitchen will be either a composite or marble top, new appliances with a larger fridge, leather dinette, solar, huge electrical capacity, and a cool paint job all frame my intentions. I'm going to reinforce the roof so we can sit up there, pull kayaks up, and of course have solar. We are also boaters and I've been on some boating sites looking at the interior materials the marine industry uses. I plan to use some of that in the interior, such as the walls and ceiling in the over cab bed. Sequentially, I'll completely gut it leaving only the bathroom (love it!), replace the sagging floor, lift, reinforce and re-arch the ceiling/roof, then build out the cabinets, kitchen and such then install the new dinette and appliances. That should take most of the winter. Then in the spring, I will remove and reseal the windows, and paint the exterior. Somewhere in there, the 1 ton axle will be swapped and I'd like to go to single wheels if I can find the right wheels. Kinda bummed the fronts will then be 5 lug while the rears will be 6 lug. Oh well. I'm also a lighting fanatic, so it will receive high quality forward lighting as well as full perimeter lighting similar to the system I installed on the Vanagon. One touch full perimeter lighting is great for peace of mind when you boondock and hear a bump in the night. We all it the "Zombie switch" as instantly you have full visibility for 50 meters into the dark woods in all directions. I'm posting tonight because in the last few days I got to mess with her a bit, culminating in her first oil change. I weighed her on a scale as this is as light as she'll ever be with empty tanks, missing dinette upholstery, empty cabinets and a quarter tank of fuel. Scale says rear axle is 3120, front 1800 for an all up empty weight of 4920. Honestly, the 22R and 4 speed manual move her along better than our Vanagon, so I am surprised and impressed with the powertrain. Turns out our 22R is also the model they only made for 3 years with the double timing chain and all metal guides, so it's up to the task of our often mountainous journeys. I expect I'll add 250lbs with my remodel as there's no way I'm going to build an interior as light as this stuff. It's really a marvel how they built these cabinets to reduce weight. So that's it, I guess. I've read everything i can find on this site and met many of the excellent folks who provide the great advice that makes for a nice forum environment. Thanks for that nice welcome and advice so far - get ready for a ton of questions. I'll be documenting the project in the weeks to come with pictures. Here's one from the day we drove her home. It was not without drama as I stopped to fuel her up and dumped about 4 gallons onto the ground before discovering mice had chewed a hole in the rubber section of the fuel filler. That's replaced from Rock Auto. She's a rear dinette 21 foot model. Got lucky on that - didn't even know there were different floorplans until we got her home. Several other vehicles will be keeping her company - extra points if anyone can figure out the vehicle next to her.

Hello, all. I have a 1986 Nova Star with the fiberglass shell. If I use FRP, I am creating a second vapor barrier, correct? Does anyone have suggestions for other bathroom wall materisls to avoid moisture and mould growth, especially from condensation inside the wall? Is this even something I should worry about?

I have Direct Ignition Model on my 91 sunrader. It says in the manual to 1. turn on the remote switch (I did that) 2. If switch light stays on longer than 15 seconds turn off and wait 5 minutes (It stayed on forever after blinking once). So I turned it off and went to step 3. Repeat Step 1. That ignited the system, the WH indicator is off now and the water seems to be getting hot. Questions: 1. Do I have to turn off the switch after I use the water and relight it every time I need hot water? Or does it keep water hot all the time and I just leave it on? I assume this second option would drain my LP gas more quickly, right? 2. Do I have to be plugged in to power to light the hot water heater? I have some other questions about power sources/draws, etc... but will post in the appropriate forum.

Hello, Well, I just bought a 1990 Odyssey Star Lite, V-6. While researching I came across this site and found a couple of discussions on this particular Odyssey model, but they were dated 2018ish. I am wondering if anybody out there in the Odyssey universe has any new info on these. The Googles is surprisingly barren of info. Cheers!

From the pictures looks like a nice model. Rear dining area is desirable. No specific info on that model from me but a few general considerations as an owner of a non fiberglass unit and owner of numerous other campers: - Coachman was a reputable brand then and made quality campers - I am envious of the manual transmission and think that is a big plus. Clutch replacement is more manageable than automatic transmission replacement if ever needed. My understanding is the gear ratio on the manual transmissions work well. - Hunt for leaks in the camper ceiling by looking in cupboards, corners, and the overhead bed compartment. Inquire about what current owner did to repair the leaks and plan on researching ways to address and prevent leaks; all non fiberglass Toyota motorhomes leak at this point unless the owners have been incredibly diligent. Touch and press on spots in the ceiling that look unusual, discolored or wrinkled to determine integrity; is the wood firm, soft, crunchy, etc... - fridge is a pricey item, be sure to inquire about function in all 3 ways; gas, electric, dc. Look at the propane tank and see whether the valve is open or closed. If the valve is closed ask why so you know about propane leaks. Ask about all camper appliances and heater. Look in water heater area for water damage; not just the outside compartment, but inside as well. - the 22re motor was designed to not leak any fluids. Look underneath the engine for drips of any fluids. Leaks will have to be addressed promptly. Ask the owner whether the motor has ever overheated while they owned it. Take it easy with it if you buy it for a few until you can be sure the cooling systems are working properly (radiator, hoses, fan clutch, belts, pulleys, temp gauge in the cab). Ownership of these is a labor of love. Plan on needing to repair and maintain the vehicle no matter what the owner says about it due to age. Overall, very reliable once you address aged components.

I have a 1990 star lite for sale if that would help you

I have a 1990 Star lite for sale

i believe can't remember left twist is for rotating hook machines and right twist is for oscillating shuttle if you use the wrong one often times the thread will get frayed and tangle your new machine should have a manual specifying thread type.

Hi Folks I just bought a 21' 1990 Dolphin V6 last night and am trying to find an operation manual for the cabin. The prior owner was selling it for their elder parents and knew nothing about it. Seeking info on heater, refrigerator, auxiliary battery and 12v system, water system and tanks and other basic operation procedures. My apologies if this is a common post but I've spent some time trying to dig it up on line and am striking out. Thank you for your help and looking forward in contributing to this forum in the near future.

Well, I seem to have just purchased a rather rare 84 Sprint for dirt cheap. Luckily the engine runs rather well with 84k original miles and it seems to have the upgraded 6 lug rear axle. The rest...is a total shitshow. The sink/stove/fridge are all gone, save for the range hood, no dinette, I guess the "couch bed" is still there, toilet and shower are there, but most likely non-functional, etc. I have not really been able to find any pics of how the interior of this model was set up, save for this: http://www.toyotarvforsale.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/1984_golden-co-kitchen.jpg . I was intending on completely gutting the interior, but I'm having trouble finding info on how this particular model was constructed. Before I dig in I was hoping someone else may have some feedback. I don't want to start remove a bunch of stuff that supports the shell. It does appears to have some framing glassed into the roof. The wheel wells are just plywood now, but I can't image that was always the case...I'll let some pictures do the rest of the talking. Thanks in advance!

anybody know where i can download one?

I've been going round and round with Airxcel tech support on this subject and am getting a bit frustrated with them, so I thought I'd drop the question here: I have a Coleman Mach roof A/C unit that's ~10 years old. It works well generally and is controlled with a mode selector switch as well as a manual thermostat dial. My unit has a simple, add-on heat strip which comes in handy for cool weather camping, and the heat function is activated by turning the mode selector switch to "Low Heat." The problem is that, when using the heat strip, the thermostat dial doesn't seem to have any bearing on its function—the unit just blows warm air constantly and always pulls about 12A, regardless of the thermostat setting and regardless of the ambient temp in the RV. That can get real toasty, real fast, in a tiny RV! And that is not how it was designed to work; the thermostat is intended to turn the heat strip off and on, in order to maintain a set temperature of course. The question is, "Why is it not working correctly?" If you look at the highlighted portion of the attached wiring diagram you can see that, in Low Heat mode, the hot/black wire is always connected to the Heater Plug. Then, when the thermostat is calling for heat, the white/neutral supply wire makes a connection to the blue wire, which is the other side of the circuit at the Heater Plug (in other words, it's designed to switch the neutral off/on, rather than switching the hot). I have tried completely replacing the thermostat, which didn't help at all. I then tried pulling the blue wire completely off the thermostat, left it dangling... and the heat strip still continued to burn merrily away! Bottom-line, it appears that the heat strip circuit is being completed via another path, bypassing the thermostat somehow and making it irrelevant. Which seems dangerous. How does this happen and what's the fix?

Well this is a certified scale at the county dump. The top receipt is the accurate one from the official scale on the way out of the facility and I had it signed and it's acceptable by the DOT. The bottom one I asked the person on the way in to weigh it and she was kind of new. So she missed the front axle weight. However, you'll note the total weight on the unofficial scale at the dump agrees to within 40lbs (less than 1%) of the official scale on the way out. And the rear axle was exactly the same to the pound. Now keep in mind this was as empty as any Sunrader could POSSIBLY be. Dry black/fresh/grey tanks, a quarter fuel, my manual tranny is lighter than autos, the dinette cushions and the sleeper mattress and sleeper's wood section were missing, it only has a single battery, no jack or tools, propane half full, plain roof vents, single occupant. So I purposely weighed it to capture that super low weight which nobody will ever see on a 21 foot unless you spent hours emptying your vehicle of literally every item not bolted down. I wanted the weight to see down to the pound how much my remodel adds to the Sunrader. Anyhow, you'd be surprised how much the detritus of life can weigh if you went through your entire RV.

Nice. Great time to be out West. Our 21 ft manual tranny with no supplies, empty tanks n missing settee cushions weighed 4920 for comparison. I hope to have our Sunrader finished in May. If you come through N Idaho instead (out of your current route) reach out n stop for a sandwich on your way through!

Hi all! I'm new here and i just bought recently this beautiful camper. I'm located in Québec, Canada. I'm looking any stuff about that specific camper like owner manual, repair handbook, electric diagram etc... I would be happy if i could find any documentation on this camper. Thanks a lot!

Tuesday, December 12: Got the 2nd piece up and somehow it also took over an hour of fiddling to get the part the right shape, the notches for the beams in the precise right spot, the puck light holes, the puck light wires laid into a melted slot in the insulation, etc. Quite the bummer the contact cement was not compatible, as I have to wait a full 24 hours for each panel to cure before moving to the next piece. I got 8 puck lights and hope that's enough. One right inside the door, three down the hallway, and a pair over the dinette. I think one over the bed and one in the bathroom will do it. I will have 4 dimmers for each of these 4 zones - the manual spinning knob type. I'm not a fan of any of the digital light controllers as I'm too impatient. I'd rather walk in, grasp a knob and turn it instantly to the desired brightness and walk on without breaking stride. When I see these YouTuber van builders stop, click through a menu, turn a light on, press and hold until their brightness is set, I chuckle to myself. I say the old form factor was better and I'm sticking to that. I will also have a couple hidden low LED strips under counter edges to have a red night light setting for those 3 a.m. bathroom trips. Getting old is not for the faint of heart! And wouldn't you know it, after working all summer on a home improvement project around 4 different types of saws, I nicked my finger with the jigsaw tonight. So, I've managed to contribute 2 of the "blood, sweat and tears" that a truly magnificent project often engenders. Hopefully no tears on this one. I also picked out the material for the dinette, and spoke with an upholsterer who will make the cushions for me. Glad I'm a bit of a planner, as they are booked out through March! So, I'll get a diagram to them, receive an estimate, and pay the 50% upfront fee as soon as I can. I'm a little nervous about the estimate, as I have never in my life paid for upholstery work and I've heard it's frightful now after the pandemic caused labor issues. I'm also on the hunt for ceiling fabric to put in the cabover sleeper. Brought home some high end white fleece to show my wife and we both agreed it looks cheesy. So I'll likely order a more traditional choice - marine hull liner.

Hey guys, I had put together this parts list for my personal use but figured it might help some of you guys as well. Its mostly for the later model 3VZE toyhomes, though many of the suspension/rear axle stuff will apply to anyone with a 6-lug rear. Most stuff is from O'Reilleys, Amazon, a few parts direct from Toyota My truck is a 1992 3VZE V6 - the front brakes should be the same for all 3VZE trucks, the rear brakes should be the same for all 6-lug 1-ton axles no matter the year or engine. 3VZE Front Axle Parts Rotors: BBR 96182RGS - https://amzn.to/2E0utdA Front Pads: WAG MX303 - https://amzn.to/2BAaUXm Front Wheel Bearing - Outer - Timken SET3 Bearing Set - https://amzn.to/2KBsOM1 Front Wheel Bearing - Inner - Timken SET5 Bearing Set - https://amzn.to/2ScTh5f Front Wheel Bearing Seal - Toyota Part Number 90311-50005 / BECK/ARNLEY 0522375 - https://amzn.to/2KEx25S 6-Lug Acorn Wheel Nut - Dorman 611-118 - https://amzn.to/2S9fWPO Wheel Nut Toyota Part No. - 90942-01055 Front Wheel Stud - Dorman 610-338 - https://amzn.to/2DYYavU 1-Ton Rear Axle Parts DRW BrakeBest Drum Brake Hardware Kit - Part # 17215 - https://amzn.to/2BA9Rq8 BrakeBest Select Brake Drum - Part # 9353DGS - https://amzn.to/2r8i0fG BrakeBest Select Brake Shoes - Part # 523 - https://amzn.to/2Bzq5QE Bearing seal - National Oil Seal 226285 - https://amzn.to/2DYL4P1 Inner Axle Lip Seal - National Oil Seal 710076 - https://amzn.to/2r2qlS6 Rear Wheel Cylinder - Dorman W37654 - https://amzn.to/2S9QUAa Axle Shaft Hub Seal/Paper Gasket - Toyota Part No.: 43422-60040 Rear Wheel Studs - Dorman 610-339 - https://amzn.to/2TKuG9w Rear wheel stud nut - Toyota Part No.: 94115-71400 Rear Wheel stud washer - Toyota Part No.: 90201-14006 6-Lug Acorn Wheel Nut - Dorman 611-118 - https://amzn.to/2S9fWPO Wheel Nut Toyota Part No. - 90942-01055 1986 Left Hand Studs - Toyota Part No: 90942-02057 1986 Left Hand Nut -Toyota Part No: 90942-01009 Rear Brake Star Adjuster: Toyota Part No: 47405-30020 Rear Leaf Spring Parts - Lower Spring Eye Bushing Toyota Part No.: 90385-18046 - https://amzn.to/2zoUTSw Upper Spring Eye Bushing Toyota Part No.: 90385-18012 Rear Shocks - Bilstein 24-002585 - https://amzn.to/2P666MW Front Shocks - Bilstein 24-184830 - https://amzn.to/2KAGS8F Airbags - AIR LIFT 57113 - https://amzn.to/2FGE2Qz Helpful Tools Brake Spring Compressor Tool - https://amzn.to/2Sc1uXt Maintenance/Repair Items Timing Belt/Water Pump Kit - Aisin TKT-016 - https://amzn.to/2t0t0fW 3VZE Fuel Pump - Denso 951-0001- https://amzn.to/2UCfzib Fuel filter - FRAM G6680 - https://amzn.to/2TqZ2gB

Hello, I recently bought a 1991 Seabreeze Model 400 toyota mini motor home. It has the 3.0L V6, and it ofcourse came with no manuals. Does anyone have or know where i can get my hands on a manual or and online version i can print etc.... any help would be appreciated. Thank you

Let's start a library collection! Seems that one of the more common questions on here is "Where do I find XYZ manual?" First off there is no "factory Service manual" for an Ithica, Dolphin, Mini Cruiser, Warrior, etc, etc. They are all built on a Toyota chassis (mostly if not all on the Toyota 1-ton chassis). So if you need a manual on doing a tune up, brakes, an engine swap, or any other "Toyota mechanical info" then you are simply looking for the Toyota FSM. These can be found on eBay, but usually not cheaply. Also don't look for the year of your RV, but for the year of the chassis it is built on. My 1986 Mini Cruiser for instance is built on a 1985 Toyota Pickup chassis. A year difference is fairly common. I haven't gotten enough FSM manuals into my hands to verify this next detail, but Toyota seems to have released different manuals for every year instead of a couple across the board like basically every other publisher has done. So if you buy a 1991 FSM, it might not cover a 1985. For some things it won't matter. But if you are buying a manual, get the closest to what you actually have. Things like electrical diagrams will be different. Call your local car parts store! The Chilton or Haynes manual you need just might be sitting on the shelf! These are still in print for our trucks. These are not as thorough as the FSM, but combined with Google and Youtube, they will help you get the job done. Below is the 1985 FSM in digital format. Here is also a link to it on my Google Drive where it can be opened without downloading it. It is a pretty big PDF file at 40+MB! 535663319_1985ToyotaRepairManual.pdf

been having issues with my rear brakes, 7 years after changing them out so revisiting my own thread here, got 1 side apart yesterday and found they still looked basically brand new, found my star adjuster is completely seized and was not adjusting the brakes properly! I expect to find the other side completely cooked Going to try and soak it for a while in PB Blaster to get it to free up Adding Toyota part numbers for rear 1-ton brake star adjuster here RH Side- 47405-30020 LH Side- 47406-30020

This is my first time posting in this forum. I apologize in advance if i've posted this thread in the wrong category. I've searched endlessly and found very little information about the Toyota Gran Sport pop-up. I've been considering for the last couple months buying this 1984 Gran Sport but have already had a rough year of vehicle repair bills (over 10k) and looking to avoid another catastrophe... I know someone here will have some useful knowledge or advice. So any help, greatly appreciated. While from the outside it looks like a piece of junk, the unit has a fresh 2 year inspection in Nova Scotia, Canada (where I live) and I have seen it up close and rode as a passenger. The owner wasn't too keen on letting me test drive but insisted that was for insurance reasons. He did let me drive it in his yard for a brief moment. He is the 3rd owner as far as I know and does have the original manual that goes with it. Unlike some of my recent purchases, I know this vehicle has been driven a fair bit in the last couple years and that it hasn't been sitting. I actually think it's pretty decent mechanically speaking, and in the rear most all of the appliances seem to work too. What attracts me is the manual transmission (albeit 4 speed) and the chance to save on gas (I'm a full time touring solo musician) compared to the gas guzzling ford b class I drove all year. I realize that space is limited in the rear and that the pop-up feature is pretty flakey looking but my thought was to take the $10,000 I would spend on a newer rig and use 70% of that money to restore and repair (if/when needed) this vehicle. My biggest worry is moisture. I know this vehicle has been in Nova Scotia for at least a decade and even if it hasn't been winter driven, the salty air alone, combined with the design of the unit has me nervous. From what I can tell this has a wooden frame and although it looks fine on the inside I have no idea what's behind those walls or under the flooring. It could be a mess. Once that happens it's pretty much a lost cause, right? That's what I've been told. http://novascotia.kijiji.ca/c-cars-vehicles-RVs-campers-trailers-RVs-motorhomes-1984-Toyota-Camper-from-sunny-Florida-W0QQAdIdZ541931535 Here are some pictures I took with my iPhone when I checked it out: http://postimg.org/gallery/a9bv26us/2e081046/

if anyone is interested, there is a factory service manual for sale on e bay--- about $100

Linda, I am having trouble locating a tab for the "Files" section in this forum, to find the Dolphin manual you mentioned.

Ha! Great screen name!!! So, I just rolled in from 150 mile roundtrip run in the Sunrader. Perhaps it's first trip of note in decades. I went to my buddy's shop up near Priest Lake, Idaho where he has a nice bending machine for the roof beams. I wanted to use a manual one to carefully control the bends, stop and check them on the roof, bend some more, etc. The machine was perfect for this and I got 11 nice beams to use. They'll be 10" apart except for the 14" spacing on the two vent holes. Here's a video of me doing one of 3 trips through the bender each required: IMG_5014.MOV The drive was a riot. The tires are old and were flat spotted when we bought it and have not improved. After about 50 miles they did round out some, but a random curve would cause a couple to be in sync for a bit and it was like being on a horse. No blinkers. No license plates. No heat (dash fan not working - I haven't even looked at it), and with all the holes back in the living area it was like driving an old leaky church organ with all the various frequencies of wind howl. I brought ear plugs, expecting this, so I was relaxed. Ran like a champ, and I loaded the fuel up with SeaFoam to help clean anything up awry in the fuel system. It did seem to have more power on the trip home. 38 degrees in the cab with cold drafts whipping around me. I brought proof of insurance and the title in case I got pulled over, and have never been irresponsible with license plates like that, but I totally spaced registering it as I was planning for it to sit at the house while I gutted and rebuilt it. By the time I realized it on Friday, DMV was totally booked for the day. At a gas stop, not one, but TWO people came over to look at it. The guy had a Toyota pickup same year back in the day as his first vehicle, and the lady had a family friend with a Toyota motorhome when she was a kid. So here's an interesting Sunrader data point. Ever wonder just how much the furniture, fridge, etc weighs? Well I found out today. I weighed it before I took anything out and the entire vehicle weighed 4920lbs with empty tanks, zero gear, and missing the dinette cushions and table. Rear axle weight was 3120. Today, with nothing left inside the living area except the wall panels and the empty bathroom stall, it weighed 4200 and rear axle was 2360. That's a whopping 720lbs! I'm sure I will add at least 850lbs back into it with the furniture I'll build not made quite as lightly, plus a larger fridge, heavy kitchen counter, adding a microwave, the heavier 1 ton rear axle, etc. But wow - had no idea that pile I tossed out the door as I tore out the interior weighed that much. Onward and upward.

Type in factory service manual in the search box. You'll come up with a bunch, some still good, some defunked. Linda S You guys got to start learning how to use the search function. Us old farts could drop dead anytime and then who ya gonna ask