JUST BOUGHT OUR 1966 Sovereign !! ….

[RickKuhlman]

….and we are so excited. And at times intimidated.
We don't plan on traveling with it, it will just sit in our driveway….

First question is we want to support it with jacks. how many and where
do they go? What are the best kind to use?

Second Question is do we need a professional electrician look at our electrics?
Right now it is running off a 12 volt car battery but we would like to plug it into the house electrics. Can we do that? Do we need some kind of RV hook up setup? Some lights and plugs ins work and others don't, some new wiring and some original. It was gutted by the previous owner.

What's the best cleaner for the outside shell?

Thanks so much… We will have many more questions, but this will get us going.
the land yacht newlyweds

[Belegedhel]

Congratulations on your purchase!

Do you not ever plan to tow it, or just not yet?

For the jacking, you want to do the LIFTING on the plate that your axles are mounted into. The other jack stands you put under it will be supporting (like a leveling jack), but not lifting. You can put these jack stands where the A frame meets the body in front, and where the main frame rails come out of the back to meet the bumper. You can use a heavy duty automotive style jack stand under the axle mounting plates, but you only need a light stabilizing jack under the far ends. You can buy a set of aluminum stabilizing jacks for like $20-30 that have a light aluminum base and a screw that adjusts up to meet the frame rail.

Typically your electrical system is dual. You have a 120v system that is powered up when you plug your umbilical into the wall. This powers the 120v outlets, the Airconditioner, and the converter. The converter charges the battery, and the battery provides the 12V power to the 12V system. You may see some automotive "cigarette lighter" 12V outlets around the interior, plus your lights and vent fans will run off of 12V. If your trailer still has the old blue univolt converter, you will want to replace it with something modern. You also want a deepcycle battery. Now if the previous owner has made dramatic changes to the systems, you might have something dramatically different. If you don't know anything about electrical systems, then hiring a professional is a good bet. If you want to be able to run your air conditioner, and everything in the trailer with it plugged into your house, then you will need a 30 amp plug and circuit wired up at your house.

Clean the exterior with soap and water and a non-scratchy sponge/cloth.

[RickKuhlman]

Thanks so much for the above info re: cleaning, jacking and the electrics. I will get a pro in here to advise. Let me ask you this: The "axle mounting plates" you mentioned, do they hang perpendicular to the ground? The only level spot I see to place the jack under is the axle itself, with it's metal casing over it, and I know that would not work to holding the weight. So, in order to raise the trailer, I'd get a heavy duty lifting jack to place under the mounting plate's edge?

[Belegedhel]

Yes, the plate is hanging vertical and perpendicular to the ground. It is ~1/4" thick, and the axles are seated in a square cutout in the plate and bolted to the plate with a couple of big bolts on each axle.

[Belegedhel]

Again, if all you want to do is stabilize the trailer, but not necessarily lift if up off the ground, just get some light duty stabilizing jacks and level it up as described above, with the stands in the front and the back. Again, don't try to lift the trailer from anywhere but the axle mounting plate.