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Originally Posted by drboyd
Welcome to the Trade Wind family!!
A few observations that may or may not be helpful.
Your first three priorities are Safety, Safety, and Safety! Make it safe before you make it pretty. Make sure your hitch is set up right, your safety chains are sturdy, the brakes work, all the lights work, and your wheels and tires are good. Cracked tires would make me nervous. The best tires you can buy are a great investment. Yeah, I know, they're expensive. Sorry.
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It sat mostly unused for about a year before my options in that town went belly-up and my family was retiring and moving to North Florida anyway -- my parents didn't want the trailer to move until it had essential safety repairs done. So in 2017 the tires were replaced!
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Originally Posted by drboyd
That's the original power jack. If the motor works, the problem is likely in the switch. That should be cheap and easy to replace. I bent the tube on mine, so I had to replace it.  |
The power jack DOES work, it's just touchy and likes to be "helped", so I have to put a little muscle into it if I actually want the foot to go up and down, and I use rubber bungie cords to keep it secure during travel to make sure it doesn't drop. The motor is fine, but there's definitely something off about the "grip" on the tube. Since it works, I haven't bothered messing with it yet.
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Originally Posted by drboyd
That's also the original air-conditioner. Having fixed mine I can tell you that they are nice sturdy units, and are definitely built to last. If you can tell us what it's doing (or not doing), we can help you figure out what's up with it. But puh-leeeze do not be in a hurry to junk it and put on a new one. It can be repaired, probably pretty easily. Your shroud (the plastic cover) is trashed, as was mine. Andy at Inland RV in Corona, CA sells nice reproduction covers, but his shipping charges are clearly a profit center. If you have a friend in LA who could pick it up and ship it to you via Greyhound Bus, you'd probably save a big chunk of change.
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I'm sorry I didn't see this before, but the air conditioner has already been replaced! The old one didn't turn on at all, but you will be happy to know that I don't think it was the original out-of-the-factory AC. The guys who replaced it said that the roof had been oddly "altered" to make the air conditioner fit. I don't know how long ago that was, but it sounded like it was not in factory condition. They had to re-fit it to support the new one.
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Originally Posted by drboyd
I'm guessing that's the battery door which is missing on the driver's side. A good place for that is Silver Trailer Supply in Salt Lake City.
Depending on your tow vehicle, a Tekonsha Prodity brake controller may just plug in to a socket under the dash. (It did on our Tahoe)
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It is the battery door, and that's a great tip! However Salt Lake City is very far away from me, so I hope they ship parts.
I haven't invested in a brake controller yet, I went through a whole thing where my TV got totaled and I had to find a new one, and that dominated my finances for a while.
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Originally Posted by drboyd
That looks like a Reese Dual Cam hitch. People will scofff and try to tell you it's old fashioned and the latest hitch (which costs two thousand dollars and weighs 400 pounds) is the greatest, but that Reese will get 'er done for you. Don't toss it.
Weight is the enemy. Every ounce you add means more wear and tear, and more trouble. Weight sneaks up on you.
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I don't plan on tossing it! The previous long-time owner of this trailer took good care of that hitch, it's already been rust-proofed and painted silver.
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Originally Posted by drboyd
Looks like the furnace is under the kitchen sink. Say a prayer to the trailer gods that it doesn't go bad. My furnace was a serious biscuit to get in and out.
Plumbing leaks will drive you crazy.
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WELP, we tried to use the furnace the first winter up here and while it ignites and burns hot for a few seconds, within a minute it stops blowing hot air. We gave up and my parents bought me a plug-in space heater and an electric blanket to keep me warm, which works great. I haven't taken on getting it out, but having seen where it lives, I absolutely believe you that it's a pain. I probably won't bother unless I go to redo the counters/plumbing there anyway.
I haven't had any plumbing leaks, because I haven't been using my plumbing since the toilet overflowed lol. The entire bathroom needs an overhaul. For now little rain leaks drive me crazy. It likes to drip in through the exhaust fan and the ventilation fan!
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Originally Posted by drboyd
Unless you win the lottery or inherit a zillion dollars, do not take your trailer to a shop unless every last person on the board tells you to do so. You will learn to do things you never knew could be done, and you'll have incredible amounts of fun in the process. You'll become part of the family down at Home Depot, and you'll sign up for the email coupons at Harbor Freight Tools.
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If I got that kind of money I would probably just buy more trailers or a bed and breakfast or something. So far I've only outsourced the projects that were totally beyond my scope of knowledge, such as the subfloor and tinting, but I that's all local guys who do the work on-site! I have already learned a lot, and am getting an update ready for all the wonderful people here who encouraged me when I was getting started.
My town is too small for a Home Depot, but the guys down at the local Lumber and Hardware store sure appreciate my patronage.
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Originally Posted by drboyd
This board is an absolutely awesome resource. Every last thing you want to know about your new jewel is here.
Congratulations!!
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Thank you very much! Sorry for my very late reply, but your input is very much appreciated!
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