1970 coachman

[Danno1281]

Hi everybody thanks for allowing me to join. I just found out a friend is giving his 1970 coachman travel trailer away. The only problem is that it hasn't been towed out of the campsite since 1984. It has been used over the years for a hunting cabin so it looks to be in pretty good shape and pretty much everything inside works fine. The only thing im worried about is towing it home. Its about a 160 mile drive through the mountains and I havent been able to get under it to check out axles and suspension because they tell me there's a better than average chance that there could be some rattle snakes under there. Could anybody give me an idea of what to look for or if its even a good idea to tow it that far. I know i have to change the tires but other than that im not sure.

[westend]

I'd suggest to pull it out onto a surface where it can be inspected. Jack up the suspension and pull the drums. Inspect and confirm that the brakes are working. Inspect hubs and bearings for adequate grease.

I've pulled trailers out of swamps where they were buried for many years. It is a roll of the dice what you'll find. My '71 Starcraft was driven 30 miles to my house on the tires that came with the trailer. The water damage was so bad that I could put my arm through a gap in the wall siding. It has, since, been restored.

[time2roll]

I would just hitch it up and go. Visual check after a few slowish miles.
I would give good odds it will be fine if the tires hold air.

[LIKE2BUILD]

Danno1281 wrote:
1970 coachman travel trailer ....that it hasn't been towed out of the campsite since 1984. ....ts about a 160 mile drive through the mountains and I havent been able to get under it to check out axles and suspension ......I know i have to change the tires but other than that im not sure.

1) Tires without a doubt.

2) Rewire brakes from the cord all the way back. The insulation will be brittle and as another said, who knows what critters might have been munching on the wires. They love to eat that old insulation

3) Pull brake drums and inspect. You might even consider just installing new backing plates for $27/each and avoid a bunch of headaches.

4) The bearings could possibly be okay of the seals were in good shape and dust caps in place. A good cleaning and repacking will do it. If the hubs weren't in good shape, the bearings will need replaced too.

5) Springs and shackles. Setting in the grass all those years can allow for a bunch of moisture build up and heavy rust on the suspension components. Make sure shackle bolts and mounts look okay. If they have thick crusty rust I don't think I'd trust them.

That's a decent list and will take a good bit of time and money to make all that happen. I wouldn't tow that camper 2 1/2 hours without doing/checking all of that. By the time you put on tires, re-wire with new umbilical, possibly backing plates, seals.....you'll have about $750 in the camper. Be sure to check over the whole camper for water intrusion, rot, or other major issues. If those exist, it's not worth dumping that money in it. If it checks out, and you want to spend that money, then knock yourself out.

KJ

[DownTheAvenue]

Something like that sitting for 33 years may not be road worthy. Pull it out from where it sits and on hard ground, or preferably pavement. Then you can inspect the running gear and condition of the frame. It is entirely possible, even probable, that the frame, hitch, springs, axles, etc, have deteriorated to the point it is not safe to be on the road, and repairs are not feasible.

I would not crawl under it until it was move to avoid a medical emergency with the snakes.

[drsteve]

If you decide you really want this project, put it on a flatbed and haul it home. I wouldn't even consider towing it.

[CavemanCharlie]

I'm not as bad of a pessimist as the rest of these guys are. But,,,

That being said ; There is absolutely no way you can tow it home until you get it out of the spot it is "stuck in" after all these years. Then you will have to inspect and replace a lot of things. Tires, Wheel bearings, and such.

After that you will need to inspect it some more to make sure it is in good enough shape to keep.

For free, If it were me, I might go check it out. But !! I doubt that it is worth the trouble. I would not promise them anything and I would not move it until I serviced the running gear,,, at the very least.

If you are looking for advice on the internet then I really doubt that it is worth the trouble to you.

Have a nice day.

[Lwiddis]

Well...I voted against you being able to join but since you have...your "friend" is "giving" you something you don't want. 33 years since it moved? Brakes are? DECLINE this junk. He is giving you nothing.

[LeBout]

I hate to be the voice of doom, but I can only IMAGINE what the rodents and the elements have done to that trailer over the years. Be sure and check it out stem to stern.

[Dennis12]

Probably be better off rolling it onto one of them there flat bed trailers till ya go through everything.

[Ron3rd]

The bearings will probably be frozen on the spindles, ie, bearings will be shot, the brakes will be shot, and the tires; who knows? It can be done but be prepared and don't expect it to move.

[Artum_Snowbird]

If you think you want this to use and be cheap, think really hard about it. Before I would even think about spending a dime it needs to be evaluated by an experienced rv owner just after a pouring rain. I bet it's soaking wet everywhere.

If you think you really want to try it out, get a low bed trailer capable of carrying the size and weight of it, and put it on there, take it home safely without having something break and do it safely.

Good luck.

[K-9_HANDLER]

What is intended use for it? Park it somewhere or tow it? First is to verify frame and axles are serviceable. If you are going to tow it then replace all the brakes. Id just do new backer plates and all. Then bearing inspection and repack if the bearings are any good. Lastly wiring.
I drug home a 68 Monitor that had sat for years and lucked out with the wiring and even the brakes.Bearings were bone dry though but serviceable. So there is hope. After a few months work we camped in it and towed it thousands of miles.

[WayneAt63044]

Rusty wheel bearings? I would pull it out where the suspension and running gear can be inspected and repaired. Perhaps I'm too nervous after experiencing a bearing failure on a 5 year old axle that was well lubed.

[darsben1]

DO YOU HAVE A BRAKE CONTROLLER FOR YOUR TOW VEHICLE?
If you do hook up to the vehicle while you have a tire off the ground. Spin the wheel and apply the manual brake on the controller. You should see the wheel stp turning rather quickly