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Old 09-08-2017, 09:41 PM   #1
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New Member looking at a 2005 279SR to Purchase

Hello everyone!

I'd like to introduce my wife & I to the group; I'm Bob, & my wife is Celeste.
We reside in Middletown, VA which is just south of Winchester, off I-81 in the Northern Shenandoah valley.

(This is going to be lengthy; Let me apologize for that right now , but I'd like to give a complete scenario of how we got in the market for a Sunline).

In the past, we owned a 1992 35' Layton travel trailer and a 1994 19' Aljo. (Both were non-slideout models).

We currently have a 1992 Lance 980 slide-in truck camper on a 1988 Ford F250 Supercab XLT Lariat, 2wd w/351 engine, 5speed manual transmission, with 4:10 limited-slip rear axle, running rear Firestone airbags and 285-75-R16 Goodyear Wrangler tires (to carry the camper weight).
The truck originated from Colorado, with little to no rust; which initially was what attracted me to it.

We've enjoyed the truck camper these past 5 years, but now Celeste feels that, since we're getting older (it's only a number, right?!), it'll soon be time to go back to a travel trailer.
The bunk in the truck camper is getting harder to make; we're not as nimble as we once were...
(but I'm sure gonna miss that onboard generator on the Lance)...

Airstreams (used) and Avions were high on the list, however, we just can't justify the price!
I'm a huge believer of getting the most "bang for the buck", and these two brands are just too pricey for us.

My Dad had an early '80's Sunline he bought new from Restless Wheels in Manassas, VA (I grew up in Sterling) that he loved until trading it for the afore-mentioned Layton in 1992. (I bought the Layton from him in 2002).

I'm somewhat familiar with the Sunline Quality, enough to know they are very highly respected, at least in the Mid-Atlantic states.

So, once we ruled out the previously mentioned travel trailer brands, I remembered the Sunline name, and started researching - which brought me to this site, so I joined last week!
I've been on here almost non-stop, searching and reading, learning about these trailers, from some very knowledgeable people. You all have a wealth of information to share!

After searching the internet, we came across a 2005 Sunline T279SR at an RV dealership in Jersey Shore, PA, and drove up there to take a peek at it. While there, we learned of a T2499 that was just traded, and hadn't even been shown to anyone yet.

After looking through both trailers, we were initially drawn to the T2499 -
it seemed like the perfect floorplan for a "couples trailer; excuse me, I meant to say "coach"!
We liked it so well we put a deposit on it.
The paperwork stated it was a 2004 model year, and after researching the frame episode on this site, I thought we had dodged that bullet!
But, the more I researched and became familiar with the different model years, it became apparent to me this particular trailer was newer - it's actually a 2006 with the 4"tall channel A-frame hitch.
I also read (thanks Mr. John B, & others on here), the "real-world tongue weight" could be as high as 1200lbs.
All this new-found knowledge made us reconsider.

Celeste called the service manager (super nice, down-to-earth man) to express our concerns. He confirmed the T2499 currently in stock is a 2006 model.
I'm not taking anything away from this trailer; I'm shying away from it because I currently have too many "fix-it" projects in the works as it is...

Which brings us to "now"...

After talking it over with the dealership, we transferred the deposit to the trailer we originally looked at; the T279SR.
Not having owned a slide-out trailer before, I'm somewhat skeptical of possible air/water leaks, as well as the slideout mechanism possibly failing. (Probably due to my inexperience & ignorance of the slideout).
The added weight of the trailer with the slide is a possible concern, too.

I'm pretty sure my truck can handle this trailer load wise; I have some reservation about power with the 351w engine, but the low gearing should help offset that to a degree...

Celeste & I both like the color scheme of the black /brown upholstery, and the HUGE bathroom and shower stall, along with the island queen bed that we can actually walk around to make the bed.

We've not seen the slide retracted; does anyone know if it interferes with being able to walk to the kitchen, when in the retracted position?
Does it block the bathroom door access?

From best I can tell, this model was made for two years, 2005-2006; does anyone know much about it?
On the off-chance this particular trailer was owned by someone on this forum, does anyone have any history or knowledge of it?

We're told it was set up on a permanent site and not towed much.
It also appears to have at least one soft spot in the upper left rear corner. There is no staining on the inside, but the ceiling panel "flexes" when pressure is applied.

Reading over JohnB's roof replacement on your son's (Ben) trailer was a huge help in understanding these coaches & the Budboard roofs Sunline utilized. The pictures you post of your "projects" are very helpful!

Not being able to walk on the roof for maintenance is far different from our current Lance that has a latter for access to the roof.

Anyway,
That's our story (for now); any insights into this Sunline T279SR we're seriously considering would be Greatly Appreciated!

Thanks for having us on the site,
Bob & Celeste
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Old 09-09-2017, 06:19 AM   #2
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Welcome
Like you I joined site to gather info prior to purchase and there is great info here!
Im sure someone will have specific knowledge but judging by a pictere the bathroom access will be narrow.
On mine (different floorplan) it's a very tight squeeze for my less than average body size.
Having come from a non slide trailer as well I find the positives outweigh negatives, love the open space.
Would you mind posting a link to the frame thread or what search term you used? I'd like to read up.
Good luck and happy shopping!
Oh, and I camped north of jersey shore... Nice area. Maybe you can "test drive" camper overnight LoL
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Old 09-09-2017, 09:23 AM   #3
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Hello enormiss,
Thanks for replying to my introduction!
Just as you said, I too believe the kitchen / bathroom access will be tight with the slide retracted on the T279 model. Thankfully, the two outside doors would allow access, although that'd be somewhat inconvenient at times, mainly during short stopovers while traveling.
Hopefully this link to the frame thread I referred to works:

http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f7...ain-10265.html

It was an older thread, but very relevant and helpful for anyone considering the T2499 model.
If the T279 wasn't on the same dealer's lot, I'd probably still consider the T2499.
As you stated, I'm believing the slideout model positives outweigh negatives...

Here's a link to the T279 we have a hold deposit on:

2005 Sunline Solaris 279sr - Sale Pending - Bonner Sports & RV

...and the link to the T2499 we were looking at:

http://www.bonnersports.com/inventor...c-series-2499/

Thoughts, anyone?
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Old 09-09-2017, 06:02 PM   #4
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Hello RPC and welcome. You have come to the right place for information. The people on this site are very knowledgeable and helpful. Good luck on acquiring your Sunny.

Tommie
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Old 09-09-2017, 09:46 PM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RPC View Post

We're told it was set up on a permanent site and not towed much.
It also appears to have at least one soft spot in the upper left rear corner. There is no staining on the inside, but the ceiling panel "flexes" when pressure is applied.
Hi Bob,

First off, welcome to Sunline Owners Club!

I'm a little out of time tonight but I will type you a response to your questions on Sunday night. Others may join in before then to help too.

A few quick questions so I can address them better Sunday night back to you.

1. Please explain how you found this soft spot? and describe the ceiling panel flexing where and how you did this? Did the dealer show it to you or you find it?

2. Please try and describe where the soft spot is, try and be specific about the location as you can. Approx dimensions of how large the soft spot is and does it start at the corner and grow larger into the room? You said rear, left, (left being the driver side or slide side) is this over the left rear corner under the rear couch?

3. Have you been on a ladder and looked at the roof? If so what did you see? Any chance of pics?

4. Do you have wood tools and are you handy with simple general wood building?

Until then, take a look at this thread on moisture meters. There is also a link to 2004 T1950 restoration project showing the meter in action. If you are serious about this camper, getting the meter can be helpful. http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f7...per-17613.html

With some info from you and the moisture meter, this can help sort out some more about that soft spot and what it might involve to correct the soft spot.

The 2005 T279SR you linked is a nice looking camper and a good one. But we need to see more about this soft spot so you know eyes wide open going into this deal what it might involve.

PS. The T2499 looks like it had the header reinforced. I can see what looks like a piece of metal attached under the header which was one of the fixes. Don't know if they got to it before it bent as a preventive thing or they added it after, but I can see it there.

Hope this helps

John
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Old 09-10-2017, 10:34 AM   #6
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Hello John,

Thank you for welcoming us to the forum!

I've read some of your many posts, this past week; researching the Sunline brand of RV's, gaining information and knowledge along the way...

You bring up some good points, regarding my quest to purchase a Sunline Travel Trailer.
I'll try to answer the best I can:

1." Please explain how you found this soft spot? and describe the ceiling panel flexing where and how you did this? Did the dealer show it to you or you find it?"

The dealer is about 4.5 hours away from us; we've only been "on the lot once", to date.
While I was inspecting the T279, The sales manager was with us, & he mentioned the soft spot (located in the rear left corner of the ceiling, over the couch on the slideout side). He was observing me opening cabinets, "sniffing", and pushing up on the ceiling inside the upper cabinets.
He actually pointed the area out to us, stating it was the only questionable spot they found. I performed a quick check of the two walls in the corner area, as well as the floor area under the couch - they were solid and did not "give" when I pushed on those areas.

2. "Please try and describe where the soft spot is, try and be specific about the location as you can. Approx dimensions of how large the soft spot is and does it start at the corner and grow larger into the room? You said rear, left, (left being the driver side or slide side) is this over the left rear corner under the rear couch?"

After we looked at this trailer, then showed more interest in the T2499, then shifted our focus back to this T279SR, the sales manager told us (over the phone) he had the service department "peel back" that corner for a more thorough inspection of the area. He advised the insulation wasn't wet, nor was the wood, but the damaged area was approximately a 7" radius outward from that left rear corner. Afterwards, they reassembled & resealed the area. I can't confirm this yet, as we have not been back , (my concern here would be dry rot, if the leak was repaired previously, but the wood damage wasn't addressed).

3. "Have you been on a ladder and looked at the roof? If so what did you see? Any chance of pics?"

I have not seen the outside of the roof on either trailer, I did mention to the Sales Manager I wanted to inspect the roof before we close the deal.

4. Do you have wood tools and are you handy with simple general wood building?

Haha;
I'm not sure if it's a blessing or a curse, but, yes, I do have wood tools, & some prior woodworking experience.
My "area of expertise" leans more toward the mechanical side, though -
I have 34 years as a CAT Heavy Equipment Tech at the Dealer level (although these days, my job title is "Technical Communicator", which is a fancy term for the "go-to guy", when the service techs run into an issue they can't figure out.
Also,
My home "shop" is a heated & air conditioned 30x30 garage, but, unfortunately, doesn't have the height to allow the trailer inside.

"PS. The T2499 looks like it had the header reinforced. I can see what looks like a piece of metal attached under the header which was one of the fixes. Don't know if they got to it before it bent as a preventive thing or they added it after, but I can see it there."

Once you pointed out the header reinforcement, I enlarged the picture, and clearly see it...
I ran that by the Mrs. - she favors the T279SR over the T2499 still (mainly because of the larger bath room & shower enclosure), but she does like the added space the slideout allows. I'd be content with either model...

There is "piece-of-mind" knowing the T2499 on the lot has had the A-frame issue addressed. Another possible "plus" to that unit, is we were told it belonged to the grandparents of one of the service techs at the dealership. Meaning it may or may not have had better Preventative Maintenance performed over the years...

I read, (subscribed) to your thread on the moisture meters - I never knew they existed-
(I do own a "stud finder", so it's not surprising moisture can be detected, since density can...),
I checked online, and it looks like our local Lowes carries the MMD7NP model you have, for $39.98 - I'll check when I go out later this evening.

Thanks John for taking time to assist us,

Bob


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Old 09-10-2017, 11:02 AM   #7
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Thomascine View Post
Hello RPC and welcome. You have come to the right place for information. The people on this site are very knowledgeable and helpful. Good luck on acquiring your Sunny.

Tommie
Hello Tommie,

Thank you for the kind welcome,
I see you live in Virginia as well!

This appears to be the "go-to" site for Sunline information, for sure!

Once we pull the trigger on whichever Sunline we choose, we'll be sure to post up some pics - everyone likes to see pics, correct?

Bob & Celeste
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Old 09-10-2017, 11:33 AM   #8
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Absolutely! Pics are loved here - progress reports and camping trips. Folks are always looking for new places to go. I like getting new ideas. Lots of those on here too.

Tommie
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Old 09-10-2017, 07:12 PM   #9
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Quote:
Originally Posted by RPC View Post
We've not seen the slide retracted; does anyone know if it interferes with being able to walk to the kitchen, when in the retracted position?
Does it block the bathroom door access?
Our floor plan T264SR has the dinette part of the slide across from a counter similar looking to the T279SR that you are looking at. Looking at the pics and the floor plans the counter is the same depth and the dinette is listed as the same size. It is not really walk-able when in the closed position, there is maybe 5-6 inches when it is closed.
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Old 09-10-2017, 08:57 PM   #10
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Hello Ben,

After reading your post, I downloaded the 2005 brochure; after comparing the floor-plans of the T279SR we're considering to the floor plan of your T264SR, it does indeed appear the relationship of the slide-to-kitchen sink base cabinet clearance is very similar between the two trailer layouts.
Thank you for taking note, & calling it out.
This is all good info!

Ok, I then took it one step further, and tried to visualize the accessibility of the refrigerator, Kitchen countertop usability, & possible dinette access, when the slide is in the "closed", or "flush" position - for those times of making a quick sandwich when, say, pulled into a rest area for a lunch break while on the road.
It appears pretty accessible, except maybe the pantry - I'm sure I'm overthinking this, however, your comment jump-started my thoughts...

Btw, I read with great interest the thread about the roof replacement on your T264SR. That info may prove very useful in the (hopefully distant) future!

Our excitement (Celeste & myself), is building, concerning the purchase of this trailer; we're scheduled this Friday to go back to the dealer to hopefully do a final inspection and close the deal. My truck camper is loaded onto our old F250 to use as a trade toward the (new-to-us) Sunline.

We're very grateful for the replies and thoughts of the forum members.

Reading some of the other threads, it's apparent the amount of time it takes to reply to everyone!

Thanks again!

Bob
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Old 09-10-2017, 09:30 PM   #11
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Hi Bob,

You gave us some great info to work with! Now let me see if I can help.

Lets first get to the soft spot on the T279SR. That camper has a flush floor slide which is a good thing. It lets me know how Sunline built it as they built most of all the newer SR campers the same way, just the floor plan changed.

See this pic I drew on to help show you what I am going to explain. This is from the dealer pics.


The yellow line is the top of the floor line of the camper. The floor joists, 2 x 3's sit on top of the I beam frame. Point being, aprox 3" below the yellow line is the bottom of the main camper floor structure. If you crawl under it you will see a black waterproof plastic membrane we call Darco. The name is the brand of the vapor barrier.

The red circle is an extension of the back wall "below" the bottom of the floor. This extension is a 1 1/2" thick about 6 to 8" long below the bottom of the floor. If you look under the camper directly behind the bumper you will see the wall extension I'm talking about that creates a "sump". The wall extension is wrapped with the black Darco. That sump collects water that runs down the back wall and the rear side walls when a roof leak occurs. It is the lowest spot on the back of the camper. There are 1/4" hex head screws all along the bottom siding on the outside that screw into the bottom of the sump wood structure.

See here on my son's camper the sump I am talking about on the inside of it. The short 2 x 3's are screwed into the main floor and all the wet wood below that area is the wall extension we are calling the sump.


It came from this post. http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f7...tml#post130799

If you bought the moisture meter I linked you too, (I highly recommend it if you are getting a used camper) put the meter in wall mode and scan up to the bottom of the black Darco in the sump on the left side corner. You can scan the Darco on the main floor bottom area too, but many times the water collects in the sump. The meter can be tricked with steel bolts, staples or screws on a high reading but if the sump area is wet, it will read moisture over a larger area. A wet area will not be an instant blip as you scan with the meter it will stay wet a good ways or slowly go down in readings as the area gets drier. A reading of 0 to say 5% is about dry. A reading up in the 20% area shows moisture is there. Reading in the 30% and above is pretty wet.

Also scan the meter on the ceiling inside the camper in the soft spot and on the rear walls inside and the rear left side wall up high and down the wall. The water if it entered the corner joint at the roof could follow the blue line down inside the wall into the sump.

Take the meter up on the roof. If the roof does not have a lot of algae on it, the meter will work on the roof looking down inside the camper. It will show 0 to 5% in dry areas and higher numbers in wet area. If the whole roof shows very high readings, then the rubber has an embedded algae of sorts in it tricking the meter, or you have a totally wet roof which is likely not the case.

While on a solid step ladder looking in from the sides, look at the caulking on the edges of the roof to the walls and any roof penetration, roof vent, tank vents, antenna etc. If the dealer did open the roof up, there should be fresh caulk in that corner sealing it back down. To lift the rubber up and look inside, they would of had to of taken a portion of the left side gutter rail and the back molding on the top rear of the camper off or loose to be able to lift up the bud board and look in. If they actually did this, I'm impressed!!!! You should see signs then doing this work by the brand new caulk.

If the caulk is all blackish looking and dirty, well they did not open up the roof in the "usual" way and I'd ask them to help explain how they did it to give them the benefit of the doubt.

If the prior owner took care of the roof, you should see signs of added caulking sort of all over the areas that have caulking on a 2005 camper. When a small crack appears, they should of cleaned it and applied new caulking over the area or took out all the old caulk and added new. Regardless you can see the difference in the age of the caulking. If the caulking all looks exactly the same, is dried up, has many splits in it, then it could be the prior owner did nothing in a long time. It happens, trust me.

Your concern about dry rot is real. I have seen it in the ceiling area as the water left that area and ran down somewhere else. The prior owner may have sealed the leak, it stopped the incoming water, but left the dry rot fungus behind and the water drained downward or some evaporated. However if the leak was big enough, the water would travel all the way down into the sump area at the back of the camper, OR follow a wall down to the bottom of the camper. Scanning the black Darco under the main camper at the wall area could show where it ended up. It is trapped in there and cannot get out easily.

If you find water damage, this does not mean, do not buy the camper but it may give you some leverage to lower the price if you show the dealer what you found. Since you are wood tool handy, this all can be repaired by yourself. It only makes somewhat practical sense that you do the work or you have a relative or buddy who works real cheap,,, like for a 6 pack or an apple pie....

At full shop rates taking a camper apart is time consuming and the charged hours add up quickly. Pending the dealership, shop time cane be $80 to $125/hr. A smaller independent shop can be lower. This will cover the soft spot area. I'll get the the rest of the questions now in another reply.

If the inside of the camper is in great shape, you really like the camper, the rest of the camper is good, then this soft area may be something you work to correct long term. If you want to do this kind of work. We can help with how to do it, just you are the one doing it. Before our new barn came, I only had a 24 x 30 shop and 10 ft under truss. Our current camper would not fit inside and I needed to do all my work outside under a tarp when needed. While not ideal, we overcame it for a good many years.

Hope this helps

John
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Old 09-10-2017, 10:36 PM   #12
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Hi Bob, (again...) here is some more info inserted in blue.

Quote:
Originally Posted by RPC View Post

We currently have a 1992 Lance 980 slide-in truck camper on a 1988 Ford F250 Supercab XLT Lariat, 2wd w/351 engine, 5speed manual transmission, with 4:10 limited-slip rear axle, running rear Firestone airbags and 285-75-R16 Goodyear Wrangler tires (to carry the camper weight).
The truck originated from Colorado, with little to no rust; which initially was what attracted me to it.

The good news is, you have a 3/4 ton truck. I'm projecting the loaded tongue weight of the camper can be in the 1,200# range +/-
100# when you get fully loaded. By using a good weight distributing hitch with an anti sway control, the truck can handle the weight.

As for towing it, the Layton travel trailer you had, if you towed it with this same truck that will give you a feel of the pulling. Yes, this camper is a little bigger and heavier (maybe) but the square feet of camper exposed to the wind is not that different. I use to have a 1975 F350 straight truck with the 361 engine and 4 speed manual hauling fresh produce loaded to the full 10K weight rating. It handled the weight well and hauling, it got the job done. Yes these older trucks had smaller engines but they do get the job done with gearing. And for sure my current 05 F350 with the 6.8 liter V10 will run circles around the older 361, but you have the F250 now and it will work until you decide you want to get going faster then you do now.

What is the tow rating on the truck and does it list a gross combined weight rating? GCWR?



I'm pretty sure my truck can handle this trailer load wise; I have some reservation about power with the 351w engine, but the low gearing should help offset that to a degree...

After talking it over with the dealership, we transferred the deposit to the trailer we originally looked at; the T279SR.

Not having owned a slide-out trailer before, I'm somewhat skeptical of possible air/water leaks, as well as the slideout mechanism possibly failing. (Probably due to my inexperience & ignorance of the slideout).
The added weight of the trailer with the slide is a possible concern, too.

The pic on the dealer site shows that camper has the Lippert rack and pinion slide drive system. This pic.

This slide drive is a good one. I have it and it has been around a good while and works well. Here is a manual on it http://www.lci1.com/assets/content/s...Out-Manual.pdf

There is not a lot of failures on this type of system. It has been out in the field long enough the bugs are worked out of it. While I have had to adjust the system over the years, I have not had to do a lot on repairing to it. Last year, I rebuilt the oil light bushings in the pinion drives when I was working on the camper over the winter but this is all I have had to rebuild on the slide drive system since the camper was made in Nov 2003. I do however, do the annual maintenance on it to keep it working right. If you worked on CAT equipment for the last 35 year, this thing is a walk in the park, trust me.

Air and water leaks on the slide. As to the water leaks, the 2005 slide had a slide floor upgrade over the one I have. The 2005's and newer have a plastic coated slide floor now that does away with the issue I had with the Darco covered slide floor. There is some slide floor end issues with the new design, but they can be easily corrected pending how yours looks.

Air leaks, as long as the rubber slide seals are in good shape and the slide is adjusted properly, there are no big air leaks. But the slide has to be used, full open or full closed in order to be sealed.

This picture does not show a slide topper. It is an auto retracting awning over the slide that can be added.

We currently do not have a slide topper and I use a ladder and a brush to clean off the slide roof before retracting it to get ride of pine cones, twigs, water etc. I never made it to adding the topper. I may some day. The slide awning topper does help to keep the debris off the slide top.

I have never had a roof leak or a leak through the slide seals. The only leak was slide floor rot due to the pre-2005 slide floor design. The 2005 redesign took care of that issue. If you want to read up on my issue, see here. http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f7...eck-11086.html


We've not seen the slide retracted; does anyone know if it interferes with being able to walk to the kitchen, when in the retracted position?
Does it block the bathroom door access?

BenB helped on the access question, I'll add some more.
When the slide is closed you do not want to step on the slide with a lot of weight "unless" you make a "rug board" to slide under the slide floor when in to help support the middle of the slide. The slide lifts several inches off the floor and is unsupported in the middle. By stepping in the middle unsupported you can over time hurt/break the floor system. But... if you make a rug covered piece of plywood, AKA Rug board, and slide it under the middle of the slide, you can then step on the slide if you need to walk on it to load/unload the camper. There is storage in the cabinets of the slide. We do this on our floor plan and it works well. Simple and it solves the problem. I only bring this up so you know about it, not that it is a show stopper.


From best I can tell, this model was made for two years, 2005-2006; does anyone know much about it?
On the off-chance this particular trailer was owned by someone on this forum, does anyone have any history or knowledge of it?

I do not know about the particular model but I will comment on it only being 2 model years. Our camper, the T310SR was only made in 2003 and 2004 model years and then they dropped the floor plan in that exact way of doing it. In 2007, it was reborn, a rear living camper as a new floor plan called the T-289SR rear living camper and they changed a few things. Sunline did this every now and then by trying a floor plan and then stopping it after a few years. It may have been they did not sell that many and they dropped the floor plan for the time being. There was nothing that I know mechanically wise wrong with that floor plan.


We're told it was set up on a permanent site and not towed much.
This can be a good thing as you will not have a lot of towing damage. Dings in the front from rock flying up and twisting of the camper form thousands of miles of towing

Not being able to walk on the roof for maintenance is far different from our current Lance that has a latter for access to the roof.
I agree that a direct walk on roof is the cat's meow. However after owning a Sunline non walk on roof for 13 years, it is not a big deal to work on the roof. I put a tarp down on the roof to protect the rubber and take 2 or 3 sheets of 3/8 or 1/2" plywood up with me. 2' x 4' long. enough to span the rafters on 16" centers and light enough to carry up and down the ladder. Then I just go about my work.


Anyway,
That's our story (for now); any insights into this Sunline T279SR we're seriously considering would be Greatly Appreciated!

Thanks for having us on the site,
Bob & Celeste
Hope you find the Sunline of your dreams. They are a very good camper. We have had the non slide Sunlines and the slide Sunline.
The wife does not really care to go back to the non slide models. She really likes the added room the slide gives and I do too. The benefits of the slide room far outweigh any negatives that can come from it from our point of view.

Hope all this helps in you getting the right camper for you.

John
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Old 09-11-2017, 06:52 AM   #13
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I forgot to mention last night.

This pic on the dealers site



Those are 20# LP tanks which are not the original size. They had 30# tanks on there and there was a propane tank cover.

See if you can get the dealer to up size the tanks. They look like new 20# tanks almost from the pic. a swap may not be that bad. The old original tanks where old enough they would need re-certifying. It may have been easier for them to put new tanks on then find a recert tank place.

You really want a tank cover on these to keep the weather off the LP tank regulator and the tanks themselves hold up better. Camco makes a 30# tank cover with a top access hole to get into the tank valves that is a pretty good one. Don't know if the dealer will throw in the better tank cover or not, but ideally these get covered before issues start on the regulator.
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Old 09-11-2017, 11:21 PM   #14
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The 279SR was barely a two year model, but in 2004 and early 2005. That was actually the floorplan given away for Sunline's oldest Sunline contest in 2004, for the 40th anniversary. Not many of them around at all, as in I know of less than a dozen.
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Old 09-12-2017, 08:15 PM   #15
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John,

Wow!
Where do I start?...

First off, I want to extend a heartfelt "Thank You".
It takes a LOT of time to post in detail the way you do.
You addressed every one of my questions and then some!

You have passed along a TON of very useful information.
I read, and re-read it; absorbing every bit of it.

I'm going to only hit on some of the many points you addressed; but rest assured, I have studied your responses thoroughly.

I can't thank you enough, for taking the time to exponentially expand my knowledge relating to this particular trailer, and Sunline trailers in general.

The diagram you drew on the picture of the outside of the trailer, along with the excellent description, (and showing the area of Ben's trailer with the outer aluminum skin removed), to illustrate the progression of water ingress from roof-to-floor, provides a detailed scenario of likely water damage, either past or present.
I studied it at length...

We've been in contact with the Dealer this week;
The trailer is currently in their shop, going through their normal "Delivery Prep",
But, in addition, I'm told they are addressing the left rear corner.
They are going "above and beyond", in my opinion;
even if only to get the trailer sealed before winter, after which, more permanent repairs may have to be undertaken -

The truck I currently own will pull the trailer weight; the Lance scales out at 3200lbs YIKES, lol!
(all carried on the rear axle - front axle weight is the same, when run across truck scales - with or without the Lance in the bed. Hence the upgraded rims & tires, and the Firestone airbags. Main concern is the 5 speed manual trans; as you said, truck can be updated later.

After reading (and studying) the Lippert slide drive manual, I saved it for future reference - I absolutely love having manufacturers manuals to reference - Thanks!

I also picked up on the smaller propane tanks, but didn't mention it to the dealer.
Seems as if every camper I've bought, save for the Lance, I have had to purchase the proper tanks (& cover). I just accept that as a "given", but it's worth mentioning...

The lack of a slideroom awning was noted too -
I agree with you, about it maybe being added at a later time, if need be.

We'll update toward the end of the week;
Hopefully we'll soon be the new owners of a Sunline T279SR!
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Old 09-12-2017, 08:35 PM   #16
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Hi Bob,

Your very welcome. Glad it helped.

That T279SR is a very nice camper. The pics may not show things up close, but from the pics it looks really nice. And that bathroom is great!

I hope your wife and you find the Sunline of your dreams. They are a good unit.

Manuals, I may have linked the owners manual and not the service manual. See the service manual here. I had to refer to it today for a pinion gear set for another SOC member and I thought of you may want it. https://www.lci1.com/assets/content/...Out-Manual.pdf

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

Thanks

John
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Old 09-12-2017, 08:45 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunline Fan View Post
The 279SR was barely a two year model, but in 2004 and early 2005. That was actually the floorplan given away for Sunline's oldest Sunline contest in 2004, for the 40th anniversary. Not many of them around at all, as in I know of less than a dozen.

Hello Sunline Fan,

Reading your responses on other posts, I was hoping you'd chime in here!
I'm understanding you to be the site's "historian" & "VIN registrar", correct?

I can pass the VIN along to you when I know it, to see if this trailer is one of the ones you have record of.

I did a site search of T279SR, and came across a post where you said this was the model given away in the contest. I also downloaded a brochure, picturing the winners in the doorway.

Wow, Less than a dozen?!
That's kinda neat, and adds a "responsibility" to keep it nice, imho...

We like the large bath & shower, and it seems a good layout for a "couples" trailer - seems ideal for just my wife & I.
Also like that it's not "humongous" in length, as we like to frequent state parks, that sometimes limit the "monster-rigs"...

Bob
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Old 09-16-2017, 09:38 PM   #18
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Hello to all again,
Here's an update, & I'll try to post some photos - no guarantees they'll come through, though...

Long story short; we traded our Lance truck camper yesterday for the Sunline T279SR.

"Goodbye" to our "Old Faithful" Lance 980,
&
"Hello" to our new-to us Sunline T279SR!
The Sunline "build quality" is amazing...

The Sunline has pretty extensive water damage along the back wall , the roof in that vicinity, and the slide out floor is sagging a bit.
It amazes me how the interior wall panels show no staining.

John, I did not heed your advice as far as using the moisture meter, & I'm sure I'll pay for that mistake!
However,
In my defense, Celeste was pretty well "sold" on this camper -
(She may be overconfident in my abilities, lol)...

I do see the potential for it to be a fantastic camper;
I honestly believe the previous owner wasn't aware of the extent of damage, until it was too late.

Shop rates would make repairs too expensive to undertake, so he probably decided to unload it.

I don't think it's too far gone, but it'll be a "project", for sure...

At any rate,
We are the Proud new owners of a very beautiful Sunline T279SR Travel Trailer that will require some, (as in A Lot!) of attention to "bring-it-back".

It did tow nicely, though, & looked Sharp on the road!
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Old 09-17-2017, 06:22 AM   #19
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Quote:
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The Sunline has pretty extensive water damage along the back wall , the roof in that vicinity, and the slide out floor is sagging a bit.
It amazes me how the interior wall panels show no staining.
We were pretty amazed when we opened up the back roof area on mine as well. We didn't see or smell any water inside. This will make the project a little easier no work will need to be done on the inside to fix. The T-1950 we are working on that you could see the damage inside, the water damage is really bad if it gets to that point. Link below if you haven't seen it already, warning the damage is really bad, don't worry yours most likely isn't this bad.
http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f7...avy-17684.html


The back wall is a common problem if the caulk was not kept up on. As you probably read on the fix of mine the roof rubber is cut flush with the back and gives the water a chance to get it if the seal starts to go bad. Same with the T-1950 and another T-264SR we have worked on.

The better news is that since its a slide floor model with the taller frame the back wall is extended down past the floor for the siding. If water did get in there is a better chance that the floor is probably OK vs a non slide where the floor is flush and sits on the floor, as it rots the floor too.

Good luck and enjoy you new camper.
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Old 09-17-2017, 08:59 PM   #20
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Hello Ben,
Thank you for sharing the link to the T-1950 Restoration Project; I subscribed!

I was on the roof of our T279SR today, inspecting it prior to pressure washing it. I took some "before" photos, but forgot to take "after" photos.
Actually, I was too busy pressure washing the rest of the trailer to stop for a "Kodak" moment!

I'll try to share what I can - the only way I know to upload them is as "attachments", so the photos should be at the end of this post.

The roof (as well as the rest of the trailer) looks pretty good, after this initial cleaning.

The "walking on two sheets of plywood" worked well for cleaning the roof, skylights, A/C cover, etc. That was one of the first things I learned from SOC... Thanks!

The overall roof condition appears better than these pictures show, once the years of "grunge" was cleaned up.
It does need re-coated, though. I used Dicor white EPDM liquid coating in the past with excellent results.
I'm assuming that's the product to use on this roof, correct?

The roof appears solid, save for the last two feet at the rear of the trailer;
I believe that needs immediate attention, along with the back wall.

My hope is to get the rest of the roof sealed for the Winter,
as a temporary "fix", until Spring.

The current plan is to let it dry this week, and (hopefully) apply the Dicor this coming weekend, if I get it ordered in time...

This thread has taken a turn as a restoration / repair project, instead of an "introduction" thread, so I think I'll stop with this post, and will soon start another under the "Travel Trailer" forum.

I do want to thank everyone for the warm welcome and education...

We're Proud Owners!

(Here's some pics from today):
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