Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
Sunline RV Forum
Sunline User Photos

Go Back   Sunline Coach Owner's Club > Model Specific Forums > Sunline Que
Click Here to Login

Join Sunline Club Forums Today


Reply
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread Display Modes
Old 07-19-2018, 05:42 PM   #1
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: California
Posts: 5
SUN #10718
Sylvia W is an unknown quantity at this point
Advice for 1st look @ Que SE 5.4 for sale?

Hello, I'm new here. Most recent camper owned was new 2016 Jayco Jay Flight RB 145, which translates to rear bed, 14.5 feet long.

Loved it; sold it; regret it; back in the market

I am going this evening to view a 2007 Que SE 5.4.

Until today, I'd never heard of Sunline trailers. Have been reading Wiki page and forums here. Another passionate brand-loyal camper community -- love them. Thanks for being here.

OK, so my question: What problems, issues, concerns are most common with this model trailer? What would you, in my place, be looking for, or want to know?

I'll stop there so I can get this posted in time for replies. Thanks so much for your wisdom and advice!

Sylvia
__________________

__________________
Sylvia W is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-20-2018, 07:32 AM   #2
Moderator
 
Sunline Fan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Michigan
Posts: 6,155
SUN #123
Sunline Fan is an unknown quantity at this point
Hi Sylvia,

Thanks for the comments on the Wiki page. That was a project of mine to create and was about six months in the making. Sorry I didn't see this sooner, before you looked.

A few comments from a non-Que owner who probably knows more about them than most Que owners:
- They only built 172 of them, SE and RE combined. I don't have exact numbers, but it seems fairly evenly split.
- Yes, the main fiberglass exterior parts (front/rear caps, fender skirts, propane door) are all unique to the Que, and aren't easily replaced. I believe there's an aftermarket option for the Que fender skirt now, but the larger parts would have to be repaired/fabricated like repairing a boat hull.
- Ques have been known to suffer from water damage more than most. Not sure why exactly, but look for soft floor spots, discoloring in the vinyl flooring, etc.
- The original Que kitchen faucet was fairly light duty and can break. It's designed to fold down below the sink cover. Some owners have replaced these with full size/permanent faucets that are more usable. For that matter, the bathroom and shower faucets were not of the best quality either, and are sometimes seen replaced. Unfortunately it's the nature of RV components in the mid 2000s, anything kinda fancy beyond the old looking basic ones just weren't great.
- Early Ques didn't have a woodgrain panel on the refrigerator, so don't panic if it's missing. There were some other minor differences between them, which I can detail if you have questions. Most changes were split in two groups- those built before VIN 6200 and those built after.
- Check the roof seams like you would on any trailer. If there's any splitting going on, that could be trouble. Push down lightly in various spots on the roof, it should be like pushing on a large piece of cardboard. Some give, but fairly firm. If it feels like a balloon, that's a sign of major water leaks. Sunline roofs are NOT walkable, unless putting plywood down first. Hence why there's some give to the roof from pushing with your hand.
- The Que was the first Sunline to really be mass marketed in California. There may have been a dealer or two on the west coast before, but they didn't sell much at all, so any Sunlines that made it out there were migrated by owners. There were a handful of new dealers that signed up to just sell the Que in CA. That said, maybe a dozen or two made it out from what I've seen, not many. So if you were to see a Sunline, chances are it would be another Que.
- Que decals haven't held up well, maybe due to the large size. I would try to preserve them the best I could by applying 303 aerospace protectant every couple months or so.
- Cushion fabric is microsuede, we recently had a discussion about this. It can be cleaned if it looks dirty, but ideally don't remove the covers and put them in your washing machine. Washing/drying can cause shrinkage, and then they wouldn't fit back on the foam.
__________________

__________________
2007 T-286SR Cherry/Granola, #6236, original owner, current mileage: 9473.8 (as of 6/18/21)
1997 T-2653 Blue Denim, #5471
1979 12 1/2' MC, Beige & Avocado, #4639
Past Sunlines: '97 T-2653 #5089, '94 T-2251, '86 T-1550, '94 T-2363, '98 T-270SR
Sunline Fan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-20-2018, 10:30 AM   #3
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: California
Posts: 5
SUN #10718
Sylvia W is an unknown quantity at this point
Sunline Fan, thank you so much. I and DH John crawled all over the Que as much as possible yesterday. It's in good shape. The seller is the second owner, who bought in Colo. several years ago. It's currently stored in a big dry workshop.

I see that with Sunline Ques, I am trying to evaluate one of 172 essentially hand-crafted, boutique campers. Without the QA of a major brand and 1,000s of units in the field, this is tricky!

I am mainly concerned about major issues, such as leaks (past and future) -- thank you for addressing this -- and also suggestions in this forum that some welds (axle to frame? please clarify) are inadequate.

• Leaks: Floor: The Que I am considering has carpet squares on the floor. They are stuck on with adhesive. Is there any inspection I can do in addition to pushing with my foot all over the floor, looking for soft spots? Can I see anything underneath the trailer? Roof: The roof seems to be OK. I will go back and study it carefully. The white surface has gray spots all over it. The caulking is somewhat soft, and has slightly crusty edges in the wrinkly/bumpy spots. I can go back and push down on the roof as you describe, and look for splitting; thank you. Other thoughts?

• Frame, axle, other structural concerns: Have any further thoughts on this topic?

Also: horizontal propane tanks. The thread here re recertification ends with ambivalence about whether these 12-year-old tanks now require attention/replacement. How can I get a definitive answer about whether this will be an immediate expense if I buy this camper?

Thanks again.

Sylvia
__________________
Sylvia W is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-20-2018, 10:32 AM   #4
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: California
Posts: 5
SUN #10718
Sylvia W is an unknown quantity at this point
Edit to thread starter: 145RB for rear bath, not bed
__________________
Sylvia W is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-20-2018, 12:08 PM   #5
Moderator
 
Sunline Fan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Michigan
Posts: 6,155
SUN #123
Sunline Fan is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote:
Originally Posted by Sylvia W View Post
Sunline Fan, thank you so much. I and DH John crawled all over the Que as much as possible yesterday. It's in good shape. The seller is the second owner, who bought in Colo. several years ago. It's currently stored in a big dry workshop.
Absolutely! Hopefully others can chime in too. It's a relatively small forum in the big picture, and we don't have a ton of people who check it every day. That's great that it's stored inside now.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sylvia W View Post
I see that with Sunline Ques, I am trying to evaluate one of 172 essentially hand-crafted, boutique campers. Without the QA of a major brand and 1,000s of units in the field, this is tricky!
This is partly true, but Sunline's QA was pretty darn good, better than manufacturers building many more trailers. The Que was in early stages, so they had kinks to work out. They started building the Que a full two months earlier than when the rest of the 2007 model year started, and they also, for the first time ever, built 2006 and 2007 models on the line at the same time. Remember, 2006 wasn't exactly a stellar economic time, and with things not going well for the company too, it probably wasn't the smoothest product launch. It also introduced a some new concepts/ideas/products to Sunline trailers never previously used.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sylvia W View Post
I am mainly concerned about major issues, such as leaks (past and future) -- thank you for addressing this -- and also suggestions in this forum that some welds (axle to frame? please clarify) are inadequate.
Leaks are something that affect ANY RV, not just Sunline and not just the Que. They are designed to fail and leak over time, it's just the industry practice and has been for like 75 years. My best suggestion is to pick up a moisture meter to inspect the walls, floor, and ceiling. Home Depot carries them and they are pretty cheap. See here for how to inspect: http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f7...per-17613.html

While we have found quite a few frame issues in later year Sunlines, but they are very rare with the Que- I only know of the one case. I believe Que frames were built by Lippert/LCI, who builds the frames for most RV manufacturers. It can't hurt to inspect the axle welds and frame to see if anything looks wrong. Look for rust spots or bent parts that would indicate something has moved from the factory spot.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sylvia W View Post
• Leaks: Floor: The Que I am considering has carpet squares on the floor. They are stuck on with adhesive. Is there any inspection I can do in addition to pushing with my foot all over the floor, looking for soft spots? Can I see anything underneath the trailer? Roof: The roof seems to be OK. I will go back and study it carefully. The white surface has gray spots all over it. The caulking is somewhat soft, and has slightly crusty edges in the wrinkly/bumpy spots. I can go back and push down on the roof as you describe, and look for splitting; thank you. Other thoughts?
Hmm. Most RVers are getting away from wanting carpet because it's such a pain to clean. But I can see older people wanting it for warmth. Hopefully it isn't covering anything up and the factory linoleum is still under there. The moisture meter will sure help with this. You can do a moisture meter check underneath as well, but you won't see much- the bottom is wrapped in a plastic material to seal out moisture.

The spots on the roof are ok, it's probably mold that you could clean off. The roof manufacturer says it's ok to use straight bleach on it, but rinse it well when you're done, and wet the sides down first too. But, the mold doesn't really hurt anything either.

The concern with the roof is more with the seams. The rubber doesn't really ever wear through or anything, so the seams are the entry point of water. Around the edges and around anything mounted to the roof- A/C, roof vents, holding tank vents, etc. The seam sealant is somewhat liquidy when applied, so it won't be perfectly smooth and even all over. The concerns are just looking for cracks and gaps where it might not make a solid seal to the roof or where water can seep in through.

Large, gentle wrinkles in the corners of the roof are ok, they are normal. The trailer flexes and pulls on the rubber differently to likely cause those, but as long as the sealant is tight, you won't have a problem. It's all designed to be flexible, which is why you can't use silicone.

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sylvia W View Post
Also: horizontal propane tanks. The thread here re recertification ends with ambivalence about whether these 12-year-old tanks now require attention/replacement. How can I get a definitive answer about whether this will be an immediate expense if I buy this camper?
Not sure about the horizontal propane tanks, but I believe these are needing recertification since they aren't permanently mounted. Vertical tanks on normal travel trailers have to have this same recertification. A permanent tank in a motorhome is exempt. Either way, recertification is pretty cheap. You don't need to worry about it unless both tanks are completely empty, otherwise just wait until you need to have them filled. Then, it's maybe $50 to fill AND recertify a tank.

Another thing to factor into an offer is the age of the tires. Trailer tires, especially cheap ones, are known to degrade quickly and blow out. So, it's widely recommended to replace them on a five to seven year cycle, ideally on the lower end. Replacing two tires is easier than having to deal with replacing a broken fender skirt and fix other body damage. JohnB recently had a blowout and had major body damage associated with it.
__________________
2007 T-286SR Cherry/Granola, #6236, original owner, current mileage: 9473.8 (as of 6/18/21)
1997 T-2653 Blue Denim, #5471
1979 12 1/2' MC, Beige & Avocado, #4639
Past Sunlines: '97 T-2653 #5089, '94 T-2251, '86 T-1550, '94 T-2363, '98 T-270SR
Sunline Fan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-20-2018, 02:48 PM   #6
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: California
Posts: 5
SUN #10718
Sylvia W is an unknown quantity at this point
Dear Fan,

Thank you! All of this is terrifically helpful, and has helped me reach a decision ... not to purchase this Que. (I'm turning my attention to Casitas, which have always intrigued me.)

I would say that anyone here who wants a Que should definitely consider this one! It is the one advertised here on the forum . The owners seem to be extremely conscientious and have given me a great deal of detailed information about the life history of this trailer. The trailer seems to be in great condition.

I also appreciate your advice about RV care and feeding in general. I'll use it as I continue my hunt, and after.

Best regards,
Sylvia
__________________
Sylvia W is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-20-2018, 10:46 PM   #7
Moderator
 
Sunline Fan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Michigan
Posts: 6,155
SUN #123
Sunline Fan is an unknown quantity at this point
Hi Sylvia,

A word of caution, Casitas aren’t perfect either, and have their own unique problems. You could reach out to Nasa42a, he has one on here and has for a while now. He used to have a Que, so he could help compare it first hand for you, as well as point out things to look for in one.
__________________
2007 T-286SR Cherry/Granola, #6236, original owner, current mileage: 9473.8 (as of 6/18/21)
1997 T-2653 Blue Denim, #5471
1979 12 1/2' MC, Beige & Avocado, #4639
Past Sunlines: '97 T-2653 #5089, '94 T-2251, '86 T-1550, '94 T-2363, '98 T-270SR
Sunline Fan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2018, 02:23 PM   #8
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Virginia
Posts: 18
SUN #9478
New2que is an unknown quantity at this point
Sylvia and the Que

Hi Sylvia,



We bought a 2007 Que5.4 Se last year. We had to replace the kitchen faucet as almost everyone does. We were able to get a new replacement for under 70.00 on Amazon. We have looked into replacing the propane tanks. To replace the tanks because they are horizontal are about 230.00 each. This year we had to replace the water pump. We had a very hard winter and although we winterize the pump needed replaced. No other problems.



We are awaiting a new awning. It still had the original. I have bought vinyl to replace stickers. It is a fairly simple design, but is large and they were weathered when we purchased it. We really want to keep it as original as possible.



We have not experienced leaks or problems with the bathroom or roof.



Our biggest complaint is making the bed every night. That being said, it is comfortable.



The trailer is easy to tow. It always gets comments in the camp ground as it is unique. It is also very nicely done.



I think after you look around, you may want to go back to it


Happy Camping!
__________________
New2que is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 07-26-2018, 02:38 PM   #9
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jul 2018
Location: California
Posts: 5
SUN #10718
Sylvia W is an unknown quantity at this point
Considered Q but bought Casita

Dear New2Que,

Thank you for your insights! It sounds like you are really enjoying your Que. That's great.

I found a Casita that's exactly what I wanted, and drove 6 hours to see it. It followed me home .

Thank you to all who offered wisdom and advice. Great forum. Happy trails to you all.

Sylvia
__________________
Sylvia W is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2018, 10:45 AM   #10
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2017
Location: Virginia
Posts: 18
SUN #9478
New2que is an unknown quantity at this point
Curiousity got the better of me

Quote:
Originally Posted by Sunline Fan View Post
Hi Sylvia,

Thanks for the comments on the Wiki page. That was a project of mine to create and was about six months in the making. Sorry I didn't see this sooner, before you looked.

A few comments from a non-Que owner who probably knows more about them than most Que owners:
- They only built 172 of them, SE and RE combined. I don't have exact numbers, but it seems fairly evenly split.
- Yes, the main fiberglass exterior parts (front/rear caps, fender skirts, propane door) are all unique to the Que, and aren't easily replaced. I believe there's an aftermarket option for the Que fender skirt now, but the larger parts would have to be repaired/fabricated like repairing a boat hull.
- Ques have been known to suffer from water damage more than most. Not sure why exactly, but look for soft floor spots, discoloring in the vinyl flooring, etc.
- The original Que kitchen faucet was fairly light duty and can break. It's designed to fold down below the sink cover. Some owners have replaced these with full size/permanent faucets that are more usable. For that matter, the bathroom and shower faucets were not of the best quality either, and are sometimes seen replaced. Unfortunately it's the nature of RV components in the mid 2000s, anything kinda fancy beyond the old looking basic ones just weren't great.
- Early Ques didn't have a woodgrain panel on the refrigerator, so don't panic if it's missing. There were some other minor differences between them, which I can detail if you have questions. Most changes were split in two groups- those built before VIN 6200 and those built after.
- Check the roof seams like you would on any trailer. If there's any splitting going on, that could be trouble. Push down lightly in various spots on the roof, it should be like pushing on a large piece of cardboard. Some give, but fairly firm. If it feels like a balloon, that's a sign of major water leaks. Sunline roofs are NOT walkable, unless putting plywood down first. Hence why there's some give to the roof from pushing with your hand.
- The Que was the first Sunline to really be mass marketed in California. There may have been a dealer or two on the west coast before, but they didn't sell much at all, so any Sunlines that made it out there were migrated by owners. There were a handful of new dealers that signed up to just sell the Que in CA. That said, maybe a dozen or two made it out from what I've seen, not many. So if you were to see a Sunline, chances are it would be another Que.
- Que decals haven't held up well, maybe due to the large size. I would try to preserve them the best I could by applying 303 aerospace protectant every couple months or so.
- Cushion fabric is microsuede, we recently had a discussion about this. It can be cleaned if it looks dirty, but ideally don't remove the covers and put them in your washing machine. Washing/drying can cause shrinkage, and then they wouldn't fit back on the foam.

You talked about only 172 Que being built. Our manufacture date was Feb 2006. It is a model year 2007 and has the wood grain refrigerator. Our vin # is 1 LC2S3G117D176193. There is no 6200 here. How would we know what number Que it is?



Also are there any other Que owners on the forum with a vin close to ours?


Also we just had the horizontal tanks re certified. We needed a new valve on one. Total cost for valve, re certification and filling a whole 74.00. the cheapest we could find new tanks. 230.00/each.



Thanks for the info.



I have learned a lot from this forum and appreciate your efforts to keep us informed.
__________________
New2que is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 08-09-2018, 11:57 AM   #11
Moderator
 
Sunline Fan's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Michigan
Posts: 6,155
SUN #123
Sunline Fan is an unknown quantity at this point
Quote:
Originally Posted by New2que View Post
You talked about only 172 Que being built. Our manufacture date was Feb 2006. It is a model year 2007 and has the wood grain refrigerator. Our vin # is 1 LC2S3G117D176193. There is no 6200 here. How would we know what number Que it is?



Also are there any other Que owners on the forum with a vin close to ours?


Also we just had the horizontal tanks re certified. We needed a new valve on one. Total cost for valve, re certification and filling a whole 74.00. the cheapest we could find new tanks. 230.00/each.



Thanks for the info.



I have learned a lot from this forum and appreciate your efforts to keep us informed.
Yours is #6193, but that's not the actual number of Que, it's just a VIN sequence. The changes were approximate to around 6200, so I'm not surprised yours has the woodgrain panel.

I can estimate how many Ques were built before yours, but it's just an estimate. There's no way to exactly know since we don't have official production records. My estimates are on my home computer though.

Thanks so much for the info about recertifiying the tanks. I'm sure that'll be helpful information to every Que owner when it comes time to refill their tanks.
__________________
2007 T-286SR Cherry/Granola, #6236, original owner, current mileage: 9473.8 (as of 6/18/21)
1997 T-2653 Blue Denim, #5471
1979 12 1/2' MC, Beige & Avocado, #4639
Past Sunlines: '97 T-2653 #5089, '94 T-2251, '86 T-1550, '94 T-2363, '98 T-270SR
Sunline Fan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-28-2022, 12:03 PM   #12
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2022
Location: Washington
Posts: 2
SUN #13203
Keith L. is an unknown quantity at this point
All very good information on this specific thread. As a new Que owner I taking all of the comments to heart. My Que was bought from the original owner. It has been very well cared for. It seems to be all original. I will keep in mind about the kitchen faucet, as of now it seems to be in good working condition. My biggest concern to date is the condition of the electric brakes. I have yet to inspect them but plan to before any trips made. If they warrant replacing, where has others acquired new parts. Thanks in advance, Keith
__________________
KLolycamper
Keith L. is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-30-2022, 07:41 PM   #13
Moderator
 
JohnB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2006
Location: Ohio
Posts: 12,643
SUN #89
JohnB is on a distinguished road
Quote:
Originally Posted by Keith L. View Post
My biggest concern to date is the condition of the electric brakes. I have yet to inspect them but plan to before any trips made. If they warrant replacing, where has others acquired new parts. Thanks in advance, Keith
Hi Keith,

On the brakes, tell us what the brand you have? It would be Dexter or Alko if they are still original. While the Que has the rubber ride suspension. (aka torsion suspension) the brakes for a 3,500 lb axle are pretty standard and very much still available.

If you find the brake shoe linings are worn down to 1/16", that is the limit Dexter uses for replacement. Trailer brakes do not have very thick linings on them even when new, if you are used to older auto drum brakes. So measure the lining thickness.

If you need new shoes, then, most every time it is cheaper and a lot easier to buy a complete brake plate. This gives you all new magnets, linkage, adjuster, springs and the shoes. Many times just the shoes cost more then the entire assembly.

Dexter bought out Alko, so the need to know is, lets make sure what brand brakes you have, it is the Sunline manual if you have that, and they would be 10" x 2 1/4" brakes for a 3,500# axle. The yellow sheet would state the brand and size and the axle manual included in the manual would have the brand Sunline installed, again if no one changed something.

I myself buy my brake parts from two sources and I try to get the Dexter brand for the quality. There are a lot of knock brakes out there now.

Eastern Marine, they charge freight but many times they are still cheaper even with the freight.

Assuming yours is Dexter 10" x 2 1/4" 3,500# you need one left and one right brake.
https://www.easternmarine.com/electr...and-k23-026-00

https://www.easternmarine.com/electr...and-k23-027-00

And Etrailer, they have free shipping over $99 and prices vary pending the items. They sell both as a kit
https://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Bra.../23-26-27.html

You also need to look at the brake drums, both the shoe diameter and the magnet surface. If the magnet surface has deep grooves, it needs to be resurfaced or totally replaced. It can be hard to find a shop that will turn the magnet surface and then it may be cheaper to just get new drums. Again Etrailer and Eastern Marine. I have split the order sometimes are Etrailer many times does better on the drum and Eastern Marine does better on the brakes. But prices change.

New grease seals and a bearing inspection and repack goes without saying when you check the system out. Then you know what you have and can go forward from there.

If you need any help with this, let us know. We have many here on the forum who do their own brakes and axle work.

Hope this helps

John
__________________

__________________
Current Sunlines: 2004 T310SR, 2004 T1950, 2004 T2475, 2007 T2499, 2004 T317SR
Prior Sunlines: 2004 T2499 - Fern Blue
2005 Ford F350 Lariat, 6.8L V10 W/ 4.10 rear axle, CC, Short Bed, SRW. Reese HP trunnion bar hitch W/ HP DC

Google Custom Search For Sunline Owners Club
JohnB is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 1 (0 members and 1 guests)
 
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
1st camper / 1st forum / 1st post BcuzIcan Introduce Yourself 6 07-04-2013 08:02 AM
A look behind the walls of a slide room EMD_Driver Repairs and Maintenance 1 11-15-2009 08:35 PM
Tire Wear Pattern-Tandem Axle TT (Pic's) Where to look next JohnB Towing and Tow Vehicles 34 02-26-2009 09:27 AM
Look Out Ford, Chevy and Dodge! emam Towing and Tow Vehicles 13 01-04-2008 05:26 PM
Site's New Look sunlineclub Sunline Community 12 03-13-2007 09:17 PM


» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Sunline RV or any of its affiliates. This is an independent, unofficial site.


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 07:02 PM.


×