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What's your rig and where's it at?


desertrat

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40 year RV veteran. I had them all and now we have a 1988 Dolphin. All original, 44k. Everything works. I have restored every rig I've ever owned but this one didn't need much and I'm glad. We are currently refreshing the outside with new paint. This will be our last rig. We are in Oregon but we have already been everywhere in our other rigs, now we will go back to those places with this Toy named "Dolly". we are metal detectors and I just wish it was 4wheel drive.

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After owning several VeeDubs over the years, Im too old to crawl around fixing them all the time. Toy has replace the VW karma for me. I want to travel unobstructed.

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40 year RV veteran. I had them all and now we have a 1988 Dolphin. All original, 44k. Everything works. I have restored every rig I've ever owned but this one didn't need much and I'm glad. We are currently refreshing the outside with new paint. This will be our last rig. We are in Oregon but we have already been everywhere in our other rigs, now we will go back to those places with this Toy named "Dolly". we are metal detectors and I just wish it was 4wheel drive.

Nice clean one, pls post more pics of the inside and engine bay.

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Sorry took so long, I don't get online much. Here are the before and after shots of the outside. We worked in automotive painting for years. We always clean up stuff ourselves.

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Yes those are our metal detectors, we do not use the upper berth, its not strong enough for two people. It had to be rebuilt as it was rotted out. The first picture is they way it looked when we bought it and the next is after some repainting. It is not finished yet but looks much better. We are 24/7 RVers and its been a year in this rig. It ne eded a harmonic balancer and a new master cylinder but that's not bad for sitting for 25 years.

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And here we are metal detecting and we drove Dolly to Idaho to see how she would run on a long trip. OVERDRIVE DOES NOT WORK ABOVE 2000 FT for anyone who is going into the mountains. There is a reason for that and Toyota is very smart but 55 is all we could get out of her, and if you plan on going anywhere where the speed limit is 80 ( like in Boise, ID) you better take another route. People on the highway are VERY unforgiving and just want to crowd and run you over. These rigs were built when the speed limit was 55. Other wise very smooth. Frustrating to go so slow and going up hill.forget it. 35 mph in 3rd ,with flashers on is all you get.

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I went through the Rockies and the Big Horn Mtns last summer. I ran second gear at 4500 rpm's and 45 mph on most hills. Without a tach I would not have run that fast because the engine is really winding up, but, that is what these engines are made for. I have a 22Re with auto. I rarely use OD unless going down hill or with a crazy tail wind.

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Dolly, thanks for pics,

I hear you going slow on the hwy. People here in MI rarely drive speed limit (70mph), I can take my sunrader up to 63 mph comfortable but people are still weaving in and out.

What brand/model metal detectors are those pls? does it come with the hand wand detector?

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Garrett Ace 150s and the pinpointer is a VibraProbe. I won't buy anything but a Garrett. Their customer service is awesome, they are in Texas (Don't mess with Texas) and the quality is excellent. The 150's are the lowest cost range but are equal to more expensive but cheaper built models of other names. We are working our way up to the AT Pro but only because it is waterproof, not that it works any better. The Ace series are the best selling detectors in the world. Charles Garrett just passed this spring. Vibraprobe is water proof and great for water detecting but a little clumsy for dirt. Tough tho.

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1988 Dolphin 900 with 87k sitting in driveway. Just drove it home and ready to begin getting all systems running. Even have original OWNERS MANUAL and all the service manuals for whatever is in the rig.

More later, pic & questions too...fyi, drives like a dream!

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  • 1 month later...

Hi all—

Glad to have found this site! Complete toyhome noob here, altho I’ve been the sole mechanic for my’02 Taco (4WD, 5 speed, 3RZFE) for 216K and still going. On TGVG day, I brought home a wasted ’85 Bonanza Travelers “Bandit” popup MH from Arizona. Single rear wheels altho the body appears designed for duallies, not much bigger than my Westy, 4 speed trans. Working 110v AC unit and 110/12v fridge; have yet to test the stovetop and furnace. Lots cheaper than an EarthRoamer EV…..like, over $347,000 cheaper.

Paid too much @ 2800 given fact that all steering is beyond wasted (I’d never seen 3/8” slop in a tie rod end before….) and rear brakes a puky mess of black goo once drums came off. HOWever, I love the potential (my wife winces when she hears me use that word…..). This thing should get far better fuel mileage than most of the bigger toyhomes out there, and fiberglass shell is a real plus compared to typical crappy motorhome aluminum construction…less leak potential, and likely to fare better in a wreck or with inquisitive bears. I briefly looked at a 4WD chassis to just graft the camper onto, but most of those were too much $ and I’d still end up with something I had to redo all the undercarriage on. Eventually, when I retire, I may graft the camper onto the old Taco.

So off to Partsgeek to spend >$1500 on the existing chassis. Rebuilding suspn, steering and brakes is not too big a deal, and I end up with all new underpinnings (assembled by a trusted mechanic) under my top-heavy MH. Ever driven Mexico Highway 2? :omg: I'm even replacing the steering box; I have the theory that once any front end stuff is allowed to go to hell, it takes out all the rest of the front end through uncontrolled excess motion. So we’re doing new everything, even control arm bushings. Got a set of Bilstein 4600 series (over 120K on the ones on my Taco and they still work great), and some 15x6 Taco steelies so I can upgrade to more tire selection and semi modern rubber (leaning towards Firestone Destination AT’s in either 215/75 or 225/75; any input on tire selection or sizing welcome)

Inside was a foul miasma of cat pee…… so I spent the long weekend ripping out the carpet in both camper and cab. Secured with over 50 sheet metal screws in cab, which were all rusted into oblivion, so each one had to come out via visegrips from below. Mopped it out with pinesol and then nature’s miracle (animal pee neutralizer), and the varnish smell has mostly overtaken the olor de miado. I figure one more round with bleach and then I’ll repaint cab floor and slop a layer of epoxy resin over the rear fiberglass floor. Got new cab carpet from Auto Custom Carpets (USA made, employee owned!) and I’ll get a 9x3 remnant locally for the camper. Like with the suspension, I’m not entirely upset that I won’t be dealing with the previous owner’s residual odors in the carpet (outgassing formaldehyde instead, yum!)……. Rest of interior is in OK shape, without much water damage.

Swapped out the fluo kitchen lights for LED strips and adding the 1000W pure-sine Xantrex I never quite got installed into the Taco camper shell. most of our camping is boondocking, so I’ll add a second AGM for house batteries and have an idea for two 75-90watt PV panels on a rack that will lay flat against rear of MH during transit and then swing up to horizontal for charging, and to support the awning and shower stall (no shower inside, but with a tarp and the Zodi Outback SC pressurized hot water heater, we can manage)…..saw an arrangement like this on someone’s trailer once and liked the idea. Fast setup and breaking camp is the name of the game for us.

Anyone have any idea what rear axle ratio this likely has? Would the trans likely be the A340? I found an axle locally from a ’91 V6 for $75; not clear whether or not this is the full-floater (it’s 5 lugs not 6) but it should be enough to deal with my intended weight.

Appreciate any input on anything; I’ve read up, but as noted, am new to these things. Thanks!

Edited by pyasodelmar
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thanks! Linda, advice noted and will start a build thread. mostly what's gotten done so far is just buying the stuff and cleaning interior. trans is a manual 4 speed; I don't be likin me them slushboxes. after reading 13 pages of the axle thread, i'm going to be replacing the rear axle bearings in the '91 axle before installing.

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There's an ID tag in the engine compartment that gives the trans model and a code for the diff saying something like W40/F391. That's the trans model, which you can get the ratios from the Wikipedia page. I carry a list of axle ratio info in my wallet, so can tell you what the diff is.

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I checked the underhood plate last night and here's what I found:

Model RN55L-KDEA3W

C/TR A/TM 033VT41G072W46

Engine 22R-EC

I've compared this to some of the reference info for axle ratios and can't decipher it. the "G07" part makes me think axle might be an 8" with 3.90 gearing, altho the sequence is in the wrong location per the info I've read. the axle part is not that big a deal since i'll be ditching it pronto. what i'm really interested in is the trans model and ratios. I know there's a W56 trans, but I've never heard of a W46. can anyone shed any light?

i'm moving further discussion about this POS to its own thread. just wanted to follow up on the axle/trans info since people are discussing it here.

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I checked the underhood plate last night and here's what I found:

Model RN55L-KDEA3W

C/TR A/TM 033VT41G072W46

Engine 22R-EC

I've compared this to some of the reference info for axle ratios and can't decipher it. the "G07" part makes me think axle might be an 8" with 3.90 gearing, altho the sequence is in the wrong location per the info I've read. the axle part is not that big a deal since i'll be ditching it pronto. what i'm really interested in is the trans model and ratios. I know there's a W56 trans, but I've never heard of a W46. can anyone shed any light?

i'm moving further discussion about this POS to its own thread. just wanted to follow up on the axle/trans info since people are discussing it here.

8 inch axle, 3.9 gear ratio, 2 pinion diff and it is a w46 tranny

Linda S

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thanks Linda! any idea what a W46 is? I suspect it's similar to a W56, but with 4 speeds stead o 5? most importantly, anyone have any idea where I might find info on internal ratios for this box? Marlin Crawler has a great chart, but only for the 4x4 trannies. I kinda need to know what my top gear ratio is to intelligently select diff gears. thanks again.....

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Apparently you found it, but as I stated above, Wikipedia lists all Toyota transmissions:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Toyota_transmissions

All W series:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_W_transmission

And the A series autos:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_A_transmission#Axx

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Apparently you found it, but as I stated above, Wikipedia lists all Toyota transmissions:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Toyota_transmissions

All W series:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_W_transmission

And the A series autos:

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toyota_A_transmission#Axx

All except for the w46. I wondered about that since I found references to it so many other places. This is my favorite gear finder. Every transmission on earth I think. Darn I'm giving away all my secrets. Just hit the drop down list until you find the one you need

http://www.grimmjeeper.com/gears.html

Linda S

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Wow! Linda, that is like - super cool! I normally just do the math, but now I don't have to!!

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  • 2 months later...
2 hours ago, Up north mi said:

Hi  I live in northern mi I have a1979 sunrader

My doctor is in Petoskey.  I'm 60 miles west of you in Hawks.  Got two 78 Chinooks and one 88 Minicruiser.  Good to hear are other "trolls" on this forum (those of us that live under the bridge).   You ought to join the UP part of the Super Duper Yooper Looper next year.  I got caught in it this year by accident.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Hi from Carmel Valley, CA

Here because I have a 1981 Dolphin 500, with a water damaged camper that I have found a ton of insight and knowledge about here.

Unfortunately it is not a Toyota..... They stuck this one on a 1981 Ford F-150, most came on 250 3/4 ton's.

Hope you will let me stick around and ask questions....?

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14 minutes ago, CButcher said:

Hi from Carmel Valley, CA

Here because I have a 1981 Dolphin 500, with a water damaged camper that I have found a ton of insight and knowledge about here.

Unfortunately it is not a Toyota..... They stuck this one on a 1981 Ford F-150, most came on 250 3/4 ton's.

Hope you will let me stick around and ask questions....?

You have the straight 6 engine? I already know what yours looks like I think. Very small, cute.

Linda S

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Yes it has the 4.9 300 Cu In six, with c-6 trans, and a ton of Rust.

Parked in a Seaside storage yard for years, and bought for $250.00 at lien sale.

Runs and just cleaning up the mechanical's right now.

The Room sags and leaks, am thinking of taking off the existing and building arched rafters, sheeting with plywood and installing a rubber roof.

 

D1.jpg

D2.jpg

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  • 3 weeks later...

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