Advice on 77 international

[jasper2222]

I am considering buying a 77 31 ft international. The overall unit condition looks very good. Outside skin is clean and not oxidized or peeling. The inside looks pretty much original. It is presently hooked up for permenant living. All I could really tell is that the refrig. works. Undercarrige is clean and free of dents etc. Floors seemed solid. No leaks I could see.

My one concern is the entrance door. The trailer is currently not sitting level and the door does not shut. Fits ok along the top and side (side with door handle) but when it gets below the door handle there is a noticible gap. Owner lives in another state. Info I received was that they thought it was the leveling problem. Should I be unduly concerned, etc.

Also has a burn mark on the bathroom counter. Can that be repaired. holding tank and battery leds seem to be working fine.

Used to own a 16 ft Bambi back in the 70's but this one is kind of new to me and big. Need a new truck etc. to tow.


Any thoughts would be appreciated and anything in particular I should pay attention to. Jasper2222@aol.com

[thenewkid64]

Jasper,

As a previous owner of a 77 31 footer, I would say that the door issue is not one to be dismissed lightly. If the door fits right at the hinge, and top then it is in the opening correctly. The door could have been pried open by ner-do-wells and that is the cause for the door not working as it should. I will admit that the trailer being out of level could cause some trouble, but I would be concerned. If they are motivated to sell they should be willing to level the trailer. IF the door is in need of replacing it can run 600 without a door handle. The handle/latch can run 500.00 alone. I

If the door had not been forced after further inspection I would look for signs of a floor problem in the area under the windows to the right of the entrance door. If the floor is weak it could allow the unit to sag in that section. The fact that the door is fitting at the top should preclude this.

The third thing to check is to look for a dent in the skin where the door hold back latch is. This should be below the kitchen window. This would tell you that the door may have flown open in transit and the bent door is a symptom of the event.

If the frame of the door is not cracked, the door can be re-bent back into place as long as it is not broken. I would check it very carefully as you could be in for a costly repair unless you are a mega DIY kinda guy.

The burn mark is something that you may have to learn to live with. Sometimes they can be buffed out, or sanded out, but the best repair is a professional recoat of the counter and sink with an epoxy spray on seal coat that will match the other ABS in the bath.

[jasper2222]

Thanks for the info on the door. I will do some additional research.