New Member to a new style of camping

marcom13 · 10-18-2013, 01:40 AM

Hello everyone,
I just bought a 1989 Sunline Saturn t-1700 17 ft trailer. My wife and kids and I had camped forever, it seems, then our two girls went off to college and we stopped camping until a brief camping trip this summer, just momma and me. We remembered how much fun it was and the friends that we met, however, we wanted a bit more comfort and found this Sunline trailer. I am a complete ignoramous when it comes to this trailer, so I can use any and all tips for keeping it safe, fixin her up and making her the best she can be. Winter is coming, so there's winterizing, the frame is rusted so I need to get under her and wire brush the rust and prime and paint but how to jack it up and where to place supports and questions of this nature come to mind right away. I'm sure I'll have many more concerns but this seems like a start. My name is Emmett, 66 yr gone by, my better half is Kathleen, she'll have to tell you her age but she's my springtime. We've got two daughters, Katelyn and Jessica, oldest finished college in June and Jessica is a sophmore at present. Our home is in Verplanck, New York, Westchester county an hour north of NYC. That's us and Nahla, our dog, rounds out the family. Hope to hear from you all and better yet, camp with some of you, real soon.
Thanks for the opportunity to yak at ya!
Emmett
emarr at optonline dot net

**Sunline Fan** · 10-18-2013, 10:40 AM

Welcome Emmett!

Janalee · 10-18-2013, 12:25 PM

Welcome to the SOC club,Emmett and Kathleen! I just sent you a personal welcome via email...Janalee

Wannabes · 10-18-2013, 08:25 PM

Welcome to SOC, Emmett and Kathleen! Great people here who will answer your Sunline questions.

marcom13 · 10-18-2013, 10:16 PM

Thanks for the welcome, we look forward to meeting new friends along the way. This is a great start.
Emmett

mainah · 10-19-2013, 03:52 PM

I have a 90 T1700 love it perfect for two people. Get some one to do the wheel bearings and look at the brakes that also would be a good time to have them check the spring and spring hanger bushings they are just plastic bushings and easy to change. The frame is pretty rugged some jack stands or ramps will get you off the ground enough to get under it.

Split · 10-20-2013, 06:05 PM

M-13, WELCOME. We are 64 yrs old here in East Tenn, but worked
most of our life in FISHKILL, NY , Rt #84 & Taconic St pkw area.
That is a great model you found. Was it advertise, or did you know
friends.? Should have a late 80's 18 ft model coming mid week.?

marcom13 · 10-20-2013, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mainah

I have a 90 T1700 love it perfect for two people. Get some one to do the wheel bearings and look at the brakes that also would be a good time to have them check the spring and spring hanger bushings they are just plastic bushings and easy to change. The frame is pretty rugged some jack stands or ramps will get you off the ground enough to get under it.

Hello,
Thank you for the reply, I am not sure where I should jack the trailer up and can I leave it up off the wheels for any length of time while I work on the frame? I'm afraid of bending the frame by improperly jacking it up off the ground and leaving it up for several weeks on the frame.
Thank you so much for your reply. I hope we have as much fun as you have with our trailer.
Emmett & Kathleen M.

mainah · 10-21-2013, 05:40 AM

If you think about it the springs,axles ,etc support the camper place your stands near the rear spring purchases and up a bit more forward of the springs because some of the trailer weight is carried by the TV. They really have a fairly beefy frame I would not worry about it too much. I jack mine up all the time wheel bearing repack every year, all new brake magnets last spring and all new bushings for the suspension when I bought it.