Towing weight Sunline Sundial 15SC

[Bk475442]

Looking for any info on 1979 Sunline 15SC
The title says Sundial
I just bought this without knowing weight!!
So excited!! Current owners are delivering to me tomorrow and I am really hoping it is under 1500 lbs.
Also want to repaint it, any suggestions as to who should I strip this pain off I believe it's exterior house paint or just go right over it?

 

[JohnGB]

Hi Bk475442,

Welcome to Sunline Owners Club and congrats on your new camper.

The wording on the title being "Sundial", if this is an actual Sunline camper, that could be a typo error. But your 1979 Sunline 15SC is a good model and year number where ever you found that info.

To the weight question, we can help you find it so you know where to find other good info about your camper.

Across the top of the forum screen are 8 "tabs". Those tabs are hot links to other areas.

Look for the one called "FILES". click it and it will take you to our files area where you can down load lots of good info. You need to be logged in to down load files.

Look for the "Category" called "Sunline Brochures". Click in there and scroll through to the 1979 section and download a copy the 1979 Sunline sales brochure. Scroll through the brochure to the 15SC and look at the Spec for that camper. In this case I'll help a little more as the way Sunline use to list camper weights might be a little confusing unless you understand the nomenclature.

It calls out "Axle Weight Empty" of 1,595#. This is a camper axle empty camper weight with no battery and no LP gas in the LP tanks

It then lists a "Empty Hitch Weight" of 150#. This is a camper tongue/hitch empty camper weight with no battery and no LP gas in the LP tanks.

Both of those weights will go up when you start loading camping gear, adding a battery and filling the LP tanks. Then there is another weight which is the max the camper can be loaded to with camping gear, LP gas and any batteries.

GAWR and it states "Total Undercarriage Weight Capacity" and it lists 2,340#. That would be the max weight once you load the camper.

Let us know if you need more on this and good luck with your camper tomorrow.

John

 

[Bk475442]

Thank you so much! I did go to files and did not see any manuels dated before 1984.
I might be in trouble with my current vehicle Subaru Foester which says total towing weight 1500

 

[Sunline Fan]

I'm not aware of any models named Sundial. Surprised they didn't try using it at some point though.

 

[JohnGB]

Thank you so much! I did go to files and did not see any manuels dated before 1984.
I might be in trouble with my current vehicle Subaru Foester which says total towing weight 1500

Hi,

The weight of the camper will not be in a manual, it would be in the brochures.

If you are looking for a manual, see this thread. http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f111/looking-for-a-manual-12805.html

It will explain about the manuals. Any one of the manuals we have on the site has good info about your camper and how to use it. Some info may not directly apply. While the manuals did change over time, there was not a specific manual for a floor plan/model number. They are more generic to how to use a camper. The appliances have their own specific manuals from their manufacture which can be obtained on line. If you get stuck, we can help look with you, we just need the model number and brand of the appliance.

And you can always ask questions if you cannot find the answer by reading some of our prior posts.

Hope this helps

John

 

[Bk475442]

Yes I am not finding any references to the sundial. That's what appears on the title.
Would really appreciated if all you experience campers would comment on the danger of me towing a trailer that is about 200 pounds over my vehicles towing capacity is this just a totally stupid thing to even try? Will only be using it for short local trips in the spring and summer. Much thanks

 

[Sunline Fan]

Yes I am not finding any references to the sundial. That's what appears on the title.

Some states use letter codes for manufacturer names, so it could have come from a state that did that and it was incorrectly translated back. I've found in MI at least that DMV people are less concerned about details than I am.

Indiana is an interesting one though. My grandpa bought a car from there many years ago and MI had an issue with the title, the VIN on the car didn't match that on the title. Indiana used to add digits to an older VIN to make it a full 17 digits like the new style, and usually started it with INDxxxx. Unless this changed in recent years, they might have done the same to yours. The original VIN (technically serial number) for a 1979 Sunline is six digits long.

 

[JohnGB]

Would really appreciated if all you experience campers would comment on the danger of me towing a trailer that is about 200 pounds over my vehicles towing capacity is this just a totally stupid thing to even try? Will only be using it for short local trips in the spring and summer. Much thanks

Hi,

I can try and help here, but first we need to know more about your SUV. What year, model, engine size?

How many total pounds of people and "must have" cargo will be inside the vehicle?

You mentioned 200# over your towing limit, how did you arrive at the 200# over? That seems not enough.

I tried to look up a little about the Forester however without much to go on we can't tell you much. I found on a 2017 one, that their is a hitch rating of 200# tongue weight max with a 1,500# towing limit.

This 1979 15SC could be pushing several several limits on your vehicle, not just the tow rating. Odds are not very high this camper will be a good fit for your Forester, but I am willing to look at it to give you a more definitive answer if want and you can give us some more info.

The 15SC lists that it has brakes as standard which lines up with the 2,340 lb GVWR of the camper. I'm guessing your vehicle is not setup for trailer brakes. It would need to have a 7 wire round trailer plug in the back that sets it up for trailer brakes, odds are high yours may have a 4 wire flat one for a small utility trailer. This has to be worked through and a brake controller added. Not a major deal, if this is the only issue you have to over come.

The 200# loaded camper tongue weight limit of the 2017 I found is going to be an issue too. It will not take much to reach and be over that limit since the camper starts at 150# dry (empty) weight. Adding the battery on the front of the camper will get you real close to that 200# and this is before any other items are added to the camper.

This thread would be good reading to help and explain some of how all this towing info fits together when towing a camper. http://www.sunlineclub.com/forums/f72/towing-a-tt-info-for-those-new-to-towing-10775.html

Hope this helps

John