How to junk an RV

[Frank_Murch]

Hi

I am trying to replace a worn out 460 and transmission. I have an idea to purchase an older RV and take the low mileage Ford 460 Engine and transmission. I am trying to think this through

I found one 1992 ford 30 foot Class C for “free” with the correct engine tranny now. The living space is trashed. I see a 2nd one, but the back is burned (not totally, but badly)

If I take it, I am having difficulty figuring out how to dispose of the frame, body and RV. I have a couple of ideas – maybe you all have better ideas?

Idea one – junk yard, but there doesn’t seem to be a junk yard willing to take in in San Diego. They tell me the dismantling and disposal is expensive. One told me they used to charge $1000 to take it, but don’t do even that any more.

Idea two – Get a huge dumpster and a large circular saw and dismantle it. It is a lot of work, but a cab and chassis is something junk yards and scrap dealers will take. It is the wood, tanks and structure in the back that is the problem

Idea three – Take both vehicles to Tijuana Mexico, have all the work done there and junk the RV down there. I am not a Spanish speaker and don’t know how, but, this may be possible

Idea four – donate it, I am looking into this now

Idea five – no idea

What is the best way to dispose of an RV??

[sullivanclan]

I suggest option two or three, in addition to, move out of Cali. Sorry

[kwplot34]

Pull your engine and transmission and rebuild them. At least this way you know what you will have. The donor route, you have no idea what you are getting.

[rjstractor]

MWJones wrote:
Burn it!!!
Then you have the metal frame to sale to scrap dealer.

No way he could legally burn it in California unless he cut it up in tiny pieces and burned it in a fireplace.

[mikim]

Up here in Rancho Cucamonga, Ca right off the I-15 we have a rebar Mfg. that has a huge lot full of cars, trucks and RV's that recycles them into rebar.

You might want to give them a call. Perhaps they have a location down in San Diego. https://www.gerdau.com/northamerica/en#

You can also type into Google San Diego, Ca junk RV. This is one that came up that states that they buy junk rv's. http://socalcash4cars.com/faq.php

[Vet_Man]

Check with a local RV dealer, see what they do with there junks

[Lwiddis]

MWJones, I have no issue with legally burning it...only with dumping it on a charity or in Mexico.

[time2roll]

Frank Murch wrote:
Idea five – no idea

Save yourself the headache and hassle.
Get a remanufactured 460 and C6 from Jasper or similar on exchange and warranty included.

[toedtoes]

Frank Murch wrote:

toedtoes wrote:
Do you really want to put in an engine from a "free to good home" RV? That engine is likely going to be as worthless as the rest of the RV. You'll end up having to rebuild it - just like you would your current engine and tranny.

Most RVs sit for a long time before their house becomes that trashed. That means their engine has been ignored for a long time. And if they're offering it for free, that means no one wants it - so even more no ones are going to want it after you remove the engine and tranny.

It sounds like you are willing to do a lot of work to get an inexpensive engine. Have you considered looking for a newer van or truck at a junkyard that was in an accident but the engine was undamaged and retrofit your RV to fit it? It's a lot of work, but you could walk away with a better engine for not much money if you do the work yourself. Or could you just rebuild the engine and tranny you already have? Or look for a van from the same model years as your chassis at a junkyard and grab it's engine and tranny?

The soft parts are relatively cheap, a new pan and valve gasket set is <$50. The topcoat gaskets on the valve train are more difficult as are the front and rear main seals. I hear what you are saying, but resealing a 1992 460 vs rebuilding a 1991 460 is 10X different. On the work issue, you are right, pulling two engines is twice the work.

Actually, I was thinking more along the lines of what I almost did with my 75. I was looking at finding a 2000+ engine with fuel injection, etc., and refitting the RV to it. Would have been a lot more work than just rebuilding the old engine, but would have had benefits. I didn't because we didn't have time or space to do the work. Ended up having the engine rebuilt.

As for your resealing a 92 460 vs rebuilding a 91 460 - that's true, but you may find after all that work pulling out the 92 and resealing it, that it ends up needing to be rebuilt also and now you're out even more time and effort.

[MWJones]

Burn it!!!
Then you have the metal frame to sale to scrap dealer.

[Lwiddis]

"It is interesting you concluded it has no value for an unnamed charity. I do not know that - do you?"

And then..."Some people and organizations have different needs and desires."

You and I absolutely do know it. The junkyard you asked wouldn't take it for a $1,000. And now you are thinking of dumping it in Mexico and still apparently believe a charity would want it. You may not give to charties but at least don't cost them money because of your problem. Dispose of it properly.

[Frank_Murch]

Frank Murch wrote:

ScottG wrote:
Towing company's in my area will take stuff like this for free or when the price of metal was up, they'd pay you for it. It sitll has lots of metal in it so it's worth something to them.
I got rid of an ancient Ford Courier and a Datsun B210 this way.
I would call one one of these company's.

I like your guy better than mine. In California, things are a little more crazy than up north. I wish I had that option open to me

Spell check - Topcoat is Top Hat. These are valve steam gaskets

[Frank_Murch]

ScottG wrote:
Towing company's in my area will take stuff like this for free or when the price of metal was up, they'd pay you for it. It sitll has lots of metal in it so it's worth something to them.
I got rid of an ancient Ford Courier and a Datsun B210 this way.
I would call one one of these company's.

I like your guy better than mine. In California, things are a little more crazy than up north. I wish I had that option open to me

[Frank_Murch]

toedtoes wrote:
Do you really want to put in an engine from a "free to good home" RV? That engine is likely going to be as worthless as the rest of the RV. You'll end up having to rebuild it - just like you would your current engine and tranny.

Most RVs sit for a long time before their house becomes that trashed. That means their engine has been ignored for a long time. And if they're offering it for free, that means no one wants it - so even more no ones are going to want it after you remove the engine and tranny.

It sounds like you are willing to do a lot of work to get an inexpensive engine. Have you considered looking for a newer van or truck at a junkyard that was in an accident but the engine was undamaged and retrofit your RV to fit it? It's a lot of work, but you could walk away with a better engine for not much money if you do the work yourself. Or could you just rebuild the engine and tranny you already have? Or look for a van from the same model years as your chassis at a junkyard and grab it's engine and tranny?

The soft parts are relatively cheap, a new pan and valve gasket set is <$50. The topcoat gaskets on the valve train are more difficult as are the front and rear main seals. I hear what you are saying, but resealing a 1992 460 vs rebuilding a 1991 460 is 10X different. On the work issue, you are right, pulling two engines is twice the work.

[Frank_Murch]

Tyler0215 wrote:
Find a pickup of the same year with the same motor and transmission. It will be a direct swap, and much easier to dispose of the pu.
DO NOT DONATE ANY JUNK MH CAR or TRUCK.

Actually they are higher mileage and worth more, often much higher miles and much more expensive. It is a cost issue. There are extremely rare to find a PU with a 460 with 20, 40, 80K miles. They don't really exist because the way they were used put many miles on them . My truck has 278,000 miles on it