New Class A owner. Need some advice

Bounder is now out of the hospital. Thanks to EBAY sellers, I have new rear tires HD 16e's and front tires. Shocks due in early next week. Brakes are new, and the motorhome actually stops now. I filled the propane last night, and put $75 worth of gas in the tank (about 12 gallons due to Cal and the high prices), I bought a couple of deep cycle batteries. IT got a bath too,

Today we are going to try to bring the HWH and the heater back to life. Generator should start, maybe, and I am ready to go camping.

See everyone has good advice. Before you get rip off by going to an RV Dealer for them to answer your question and buying things you do not need. I say go to a camp ground around your area and start talking to other campers. A lot of good knowledge and experience can be changed.

Ok first off, how is he going to live in the MH with no slide outs?!!!! That’s crazy!

Only kidding!

Looks to be in good shape. Once you get it sorted out it should serve many more years!

Mark - use this app for posting pics here.

We don't have a bounder, but the generator does get gas from the main gas tank. It will not run if you have less than 1/4 tank of gas - protection so you don't run out. We have a rocker switch on the dash that we can use to start or shut off the generator. There is also a switch on the generator itself. It's an Onan.
The water heater we have is electric and propane. Circuit board need battery power to operate. Switch for both electric and gas are in the bathroom as is the other guages. The gas is on that guage switch. Seperate switch that looks like a light switch for the electric operation. You may have electronic ignition for all propane appliance except the cooking stove. Download the manual from the link given to you above. If you need other manuals, do a google search for the particular brand and model of appliance you need it for. Most are online.

Actually, it was not a purchase but a gift from my adopted son who is at UC Davis in med school. When I first met him 7 years ago he was living on the streets on the coast in a beat-up motorhome. I adopted him last April. His GF's parents lost their home in the Chico fires, the Bounder was their residence.

I (everyone hold your breath and not attack at once plez) the Bounder from the storage lot in San Diego attempting to make it home to Fresno. The master cylinder began to leak around Dodger Stadium. I limped the motorhome along to Castaic where I parked.

I called AAA, I have premium membership which gives me several 200-mile tows. Including an RV tow. The tow truck driver extored $850 out of me. (Freeway Towing). He hooked up my Bounder, disconnected the driveshaft but before we left, he said he was only going 100 miles. The remaining 86 was $15 a mile and $150 an hour.

I asked that he drop me at 100 miles, (over the hill in Bakersfield.) I would figure out what to do in the morning. RV Dealer.

He said no. I gave him $850- cash-- he drove 45 miles an hour for 6 hours. Finally getting home he dropped the motorhome in the front street and left. Leaving me to reinstall the driveshaft myself at 2am.

I went to AAA to get the motorhome in my name. They flipped when I showed them the receipt. Also, not only out $850 I left all my tablets and a laptop in his cab. One has been accessed. I have trackers. I called the tow company this morning, but they did return my call.

I filed with AAA for reimbursement and gave them a statement on how I was extorted. And my computers.

I filled the master cylinder with fluid, limped the motorhome over to the smog shop, then to a shop where it is now. It is getting a new master cylinder and new pads. THe front tires were replaced, I ordered 4 off Ebay which will be delivered tomorrow with KYB shocks. The brakes sorta kinda work. I think the level dropped to the point I pushed air into the system. The hydroboost is operating, but I think the system has air in it. It will stop. But you gotta pump it up a couple of times. That is being repaired today.

Do I love this motorhome? YOu bet. I am retired. Alone. Mom died in Aug, dad has been gone for 10 years. My kids are successful, one a pilot for FedEx and married to an MD and the adopted kid is in school.

So it's me and the dogs, and a Siamese. I had a Suburban and a Mallard that was 20 years old, (19N) but small with two large Aussie and a bully Siamese.

When Nathan called me about this Bounder, (he knew I would take it) it was gift to me from his GF's parents who adore that kid too. They knew mom just passed. They knew I salvaged Nathan from a life of living on the streets and they know I am footing his bills at UC Davis. They wanted this Bounder to go to me. I thank them from the bottom of my heart. Its a long story, I can't explain it, no agenda, just a kid who was washing cars that should have been in college, I did not know he was living on the streets and had been since he was 16.

Yeah its weathered. But hot **** that back bedroom is bigger than the whole size of my Mallard TT. And its pristine. The whole unit only has 34k on it. ITs getting new tires, shocks, oils, belts, brakes and when I get it back home I will fill the tank, fill the water tanks, start firing things up.

Am I going to have fun? Is the Pope Catholic? I am looking so forward to floating around with my pets, having a huge low mile motorhome to do so in. I was in Yosemite last week. I know that this sized motorhome would be hard to get into one of those slots at Upper Pine camps. But, I am more of a coastal person. And Walmarts and Costcos have big parking lots. The dogs and I spent a week in Monterey parked behind Asilomar State Park on an aside road. IT was great. I know of spots on Highway 101 and 1 that you just have to be there and pull over, the ocean is right there. So we go venturing.

I am happy and blessed beyond reason. I miss mom, Yes I was a mommas boy. (The youngest) and mom depended upon me the last few years. Now I had to lawyer up to fend off my other sibs.

This Bounder won't have 34k on it for long. All I am waiting on now is a few repairs, making sure everything works, (clean out the Mallard) load up the Aussies and the Siamese who will take up residence on the dash, we go. Where? Not sure yet. But wherever we go,, I am blessed.

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You sound like a kid in a candy store. (that's a compliment) You'll generally find that most of the owners manuals for the appliances are available online with the model number and manufacturers name. Fleetwood/Southwind won't be much help for repair information other than to show you how to use the appliances and cursory troubleshooting.

IMO it helps to understand that the chassis/suspension/engine/ transmission was built by Ford and the coach was built/assembled by Fleetwood, totally different companies. Originally your coach came with a satchel of information containing all the owners manuals. It may or may not still be in the MH. If it is, . . . . . read it! If not, google is your friend.

Chum lee

Central Valley RV


That's one of the places I use here in the Fresno area. They are honest and reasonable.

Congrats on your purchase. One thing about Bounder is they've been around a long time and are still being sold. If it was me, I look into joining the Bounders of America - a Bounder's owners group dedicated solely to Bounders. They may have a local chapter you could join for fellowship and information sharing. I see a lot of Bounders on the road and they all look like they're surviving well so I think you made a good choice.

I'm not a member and have never owned a Bounder but I've found owners groups to be a huge resource for knowledge.

Check the roof, replace the tires, then batteries (not much will work right without 12v power), fill with propane so you can check the appliances. Then the generator. By then you'll have enough experience with it to make a plan to make it your own.