Manuals/Build Info: 1994 Travelaire TC240 on E350 Chassis?

jrloucks wrote:

DrewE wrote:


If you need chassis information, that should be available from Ford or the usual other companies (Chiltons, Haynes, etc.). Since the E series vans were very popular, there are also lots of YouTube videos, forum posts, and so forth online about most any chassis maintenance thing you'd run into that can be found with a bit of searching.

Finding service documentation on individual appliances and other third-party bits is often not too hard once you get the maker, model number, etc. from the thing in question.

We have a 1984 Travelaire and this is exactly what I ended up doing. (a) Purchasing a Haynes Manual for the Ford Chassis, and (b) searching on-line for copies of all the OEM appliances installed by the RV manufacturer (fridge, stove, hot water heater, furnace, etc.)

The ford truck enthusiast forum at https://www.ford-trucks.com/ is also a very useful source for information/help.

Your Travelaire should have a large manufacturer's label stuck somewhere. Our label is stuck on the inside of the bathroom closet door. This label includes details about where the RV was built and all the model numbers of the OEM appliances installed at the factory.

I found that this weekend. Thankfully I also found a shop here that deals with this chassis and manufacturer quite often as it is. Thanks again everyone.

DrewE wrote:


If you need chassis information, that should be available from Ford or the usual other companies (Chiltons, Haynes, etc.). Since the E series vans were very popular, there are also lots of YouTube videos, forum posts, and so forth online about most any chassis maintenance thing you'd run into that can be found with a bit of searching.

Finding service documentation on individual appliances and other third-party bits is often not too hard once you get the maker, model number, etc. from the thing in question.

We have a 1984 Travelaire and this is exactly what I ended up doing. (a) Purchasing a Haynes Manual for the Ford Chassis, and (b) searching on-line for copies of all the OEM appliances installed by the RV manufacturer (fridge, stove, hot water heater, furnace, etc.)

The ford truck enthusiast forum at https://www.ford-trucks.com/ is also a very useful source for information/help.

Your Travelaire should have a large manufacturer's label stuck somewhere. Our label is stuck on the inside of the bathroom closet door. This label includes details about where the RV was built and all the model numbers of the OEM appliances installed at the factory.

Really appreciate the responses, was looking to save some time in a wishful fashion it appears. Stay safe everyone!

There are a few online sources that may have the original owners manual for your orphan rig, but, such manuals do not usually go into details of maintenance, troubleshooting and repair, are often generic for more than one model motorhome, and no wiring diagram. There are some good generic how-to books for maintaining any motorhome and include description of the 12 volt DC and 120 volt AC systems that provide power to furnace, water pump, toilet, fridge, and keep your house battery(s) charged plus fresh water and sewage and holding tank systems. As said, there are a lot of "How-to" You Tube videos that will probably serve your needs.

My experience with motorhomes , regardless of the manufacturer, is that wiring diagrams tend to be basic for that particular coach and often they leave out any additional wiring they may have done. A friend has a Monaco and we could not find a 12v fuse that controlled the window shades. The shades were an optional feature at that time and the fuse panel was in the closet. The list goes on and on. Even Prevost, worked on a few of those also.
As was mentioned, isolate each project and ask questions. Once you do that it's easier to understand how these were built.

Often such information is not available (or at least very, very hard to come by) for RVs even if the manufacturer is still in business. Looking and poking around is often the best or only way to figure things out. Generally, the individual systems are not too overly complex if you look at them in isolation from each other. (If you try to understand everything together all at the same time, as a single system, it can be very daunting indeed; so I recommend approaching things as individual systems and pieces.)

If you need chassis information, that should be available from Ford or the usual other companies (Chiltons, Haynes, etc.). Since the E series vans were very popular, there are also lots of YouTube videos, forum posts, and so forth online about most any chassis maintenance thing you'd run into that can be found with a bit of searching.

Finding service documentation on individual appliances and other third-party bits is often not too hard once you get the maker, model number, etc. from the thing in question.