New Sunline Owner !

[MichaelC-SUN]

Hi I just purchased this trailer, probably paid too much but I am looking for tips on restoring it.
There’s rot to the wood, door frame is broken and I’m missing the kitchen window for starters. I also need the black tank replaced, look like it’s broken.
Thanks guys!!!

 

[JohnGB]

Welcome Michael!

Congrats on your new Sunny! Sounds like you have a project on your hands. You have come to the right place to get help on your Sunline. We have has several total camper restores and some with minor repairs. Do not know which size your restore is just yet.

I'll address the easier questions first,

On the door frame, and then you said wood rot. Not sure if the wood rot is in the door or somewhere else. Assuming it is in the door, many have totally rebuilt the door on your vintage Sunline door. The wood rots out inside the door and it then starts falling apart.

Here is a picture post by club member HandiJohn1 on how he did his door rebuild. We have had many others rebuild them too.
https://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f71/t2262-door-rebuild-14425.html

The window in the back. That seems odd they took the whole window, but one never knows. I wonder if they had a small AC unit stuffed in the hole?

What size is the rough opening in the camper? We can help search some of the places we have run into if they have any that small. Ebay also has some by sellers that can be cost effective verses having one made up to order. The harder part is going to be, you need a square corner window. They are available still, just not as popular as the newer round corner windows.

Now to the rot, if that was not directed to the entry door, where is the rot you are referring too? Need some more info on this to help better. If this rot is in a wall, ceiling or floor, lets talk first on how to best inspect first how big the damage is, then how to take the camper apart so the repair is simpler and you try to save the inside as much as possible.

Also, please posts some pics of the water infected area to help show us what you are up against.

Hope this helps

John

 

[MichaelC-SUN]

Thanks John!
Indeed I have a project on my hands but willing to tackle it.
I wasn’t very clear as to the rot at door, I meant to say the frame around the door seems to be rotted out, and do door doesn’t close properly. Same with the rear window. You are correct, when I bought it they had a small ac unit in there, I removed it and would rather have the window. I thought perhaps the weight of the ac unit was the culprit in breaking the door frame, either way the damage is done and I just need to figure out how to get it back to original condition or better
I will take some more pictures and post when I get home tonight, I really appreciate your time!

 

[JohnGB]

OK, got it. Sounds like wall damage possibly. Which maybe from the corner molding leaking or other places.

Regardless of how it got damaged, this is all fixable if you have basic wood working skills, some tools, time and the "want" to do the repair. It is a small to large wood working project pending what it turns into.

I'll wait for your pics to see what you can see. From there, I would recommend the next step is to do some inspection to see how much of the wall, ceiling and maybe floor system is affected. Then create a "how to" repair plan for the fix.

Depending on the issues you find from the inspection, the plan helps sort out which approach may be better and cause less work/damage to later be fixed to take the camper apart. These campers are not built like a house, they are built from the outside in. You can save a lot of the inside by "not" tearing into it from the inside to later find out you need to take it apart from the outside.

To help with the inspection, I recommend you get new tool called a pinless moisture meter. They are about ~ $45 now (like everything they keep going up) for one that will scan the walls, ceiling and the floor from the inside of the camper to check what is wet or not behind them. These are good for anyone owning a camper, new or used. Sooner or later, it will come in handy. See here for more on the meter. https://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f71/moisture-meters-for-inspecting-a-camper-17613.html

Since this is the back wall, there are also some ways to remove a few screws and verify there is rot going on in the rear wall and a few other places.

I'll add more on how to do all this after your pics so the response fits better.

Hope this helps.

John

 

[JohnGB]

snip.. I also need the black tank replaced, look like it’s broken.
Thanks guys!!!

I forgot about this, take some pics of the damage and or explain how you think it is broken. A hair line crack that leaks or a major hole with missing plastic you can see inside etc. The black and gray water tanks are made from ABS plastic that can be repaired, even with major holes of missing plastic for a fraction of the cost of a new tank if you can even find an exact match or one that will fit.

The ABS repair is not hard to do and done right, the repair can be permanent. We have had many members repair their broken tanks.

Will wait for what you find before going into the "how to" fix it.

Hope this helps

John

 

[ForrestG]

I just recently bought my 1993 Sunline camper T-2653 a month ago. The floor needed to be redone due to water damage. Not sure exactly where the water damage came from but in sunny California I can't really determine if its a roof leak or sine majority of the damage is near where the shower is. Maybe a leaky pipe?