Hello, I'm looking at purchasing an old 80s travel trailer. It's about 20ft long and it's been sitting in my buddy's yard for two years. What should I be looking at when I'm looking over it?

Look over the roof!!!!! Look inside for any signs of moisture. Check hitch, tires. I would actually hook it up and check the lights also.

Look for water/varmint damage. The trailer probably isn't worth anything except as a project for you. Good luck.

The biggest thing is leaks. If it has stains in the ceiling then it most likely has rot and mold too and these things, if even repairable, are a ton of work to correct.

Absolutely water damage, and also rusting chassis and frame… appliances can be expensive to repair or replace with the fridge being the most expensive…

The first thing you should look at is your savings account balance. You'll be tapping into it quite frequently if you buy a 35 yo TT.

Buying an old trailer | Good Sam Community

Zacvv
Explorer
Apr 01, 2014
I have not picked up the trailer yet waiting for the snow to melt down a bit more. A week or so and we should have it.
Caveman_Charlie
Explorer II
Mar 31, 2014
Zacvv wrote:
Thank you all for the feedback. It looks like the biggest thing i need to look for is leaks. I am buying it from a friend for 500 dollars so not sure how concerned i am about the little things.
Im not to sure with these older guys if they have battery charging systems? is this a silly question? Is it easy to buy one and buy new batteries?

Kinda hard to go wrong for 500 bucks. If it's too bad you can strip off the camper and use the frame to build a snowmobile trailer. Helped friends do that a couple of times.

It probably has a converter / battery charger but, it will be the old school type. They work but, if you plug in a lot they can overcharge your batteries. And, they take a long time to completely recharge the battery / batteries. But, I've used them and gotten by just fine.

What brand name, model, and length is the Travel Trailer? Knowing that may allow the members here to help you out more.
ksbowman
Explorer II
Mar 31, 2014
Probably not on the batteries, anymore a 2 year battery last 2 years. I bought a 1987 5th wheel for hunting and knew it needed some TLC. It has turned out to be a great trailer and when I bought it I made sure it didn't leak, all appliances worked and the tires were good and up to date. With that assurance I figured I could part it out and come out ahead. It has a frame and axles that are better and heavier than our late model Keystone and I couldn't be more pleased, as said above just make sure what you've got before making the plunge as the resale won't be much.
Huntindog
Explorer
Mar 31, 2014
Zacvv wrote:
What about battery life? Would they still have a chance of working after sitting so long?

Only if they were cared for during that time... If they have sat unused, unfilled and uncharged that long,,,,,you WILL need new ones.
Zacvv
Explorer
Mar 31, 2014
What about battery life? Would they still have a chance of working after sitting so long?
westend
Explorer
Mar 31, 2014
Zacvv wrote:
Thank you all for the feedback. It looks like the biggest thing i need to look for is leaks. I am buying it from a friend for 500 dollars so not sure how concerned i am about the little things.
Im not to sure with these older guys if they have battery charging systems? is this a silly question? Is it easy to buy one and buy new batteries?
In my '71 Starcraft, a converter was an option. I would think by 1980, it was almost standard. I have the original PD808 30 amp charger and it is a beast, huge transformer and a big rectifier board. I kept it as it has a solid state charging circuit (two stage). Some converters did not have the multi-stage charging circuits and those should be replaced. It is a fairly easy upgrade, involves a few wires.

If the trailer has water damage and you wish to restore it to like-new condition, it will involve a fair bit of work. I chose to completely gut mine and rebuild as I wanted to improve the insulation and a few more things. The upside of that is that I could change the layout to exactly my own needs. You can look through the rebuild thread in my signature line, "The Cowboy/Hilton", to get an idea of the work involved.
Zacvv
Explorer
Mar 31, 2014
Thank you all for the feedback. It looks like the biggest thing i need to look for is leaks. I am buying it from a friend for 500 dollars so not sure how concerned i am about the little things.
Im not to sure with these older guys if they have battery charging systems? is this a silly question? Is it easy to buy one and buy new batteries?
jaycocreek
Explorer II
Mar 31, 2014
This old dog has seen more back country roads than most pickups and everything works.
2012Coleman
Explorer II
Mar 31, 2014
Check to make sure its not infested with mice/insects.
westend
Explorer
Mar 31, 2014
shasta24 wrote:
Yep, deep pockets and a sense of humor. Good luck
LOL, I'm laughing along with 'ya. :B

If you're not afraid of using your skills and your hands, look it over good and make a decision.
If you're afraid of getting a splinter or a scratch on your hand, look elsewhere.

Don't let the fear mongers take away the enjoyment of camping in your pride and joy. While others are trying to figure out how they are going to get more propane to cool their food or tame the noise of that squirrel cage furnace, I'm parked up the trail with solar running my fridge and the heater noiselessly heating away. There's a lot of ways to get things done.