Fixed my camper lights.

[PNWguy]

I have a 1972 pop-up camper that I bought from my brother who got from the mother of one of my old friends from high school a few years ago.  It was given to him when the dad died by the mom who wanted it moved out of the back yard and he was going to haul it to the dump.  I offered him $100 for it.  

It had been wrapped in a tarp and sitting in the back yard under a tree for 30+ years.  

I got it home and cleaned it up and have very slowly been working on it.  I have camped in it a total of three times.  I only use it on short trips since my brother has needed to get it registered and titled in his name for the past five years.  This is a rural area and I have taken it maybe 15 miles on a secondary highway before heading into the woods and have escaped getting pulled over every time.

Only one of the back lights worked and it was wired with copious amounts of electrical tape and some household extension cord thrown in for good measure.

Yesterday, my brother finally got it titled and registered in his name.  I went to work on the lights and ended up removing the factory lights and fabricating new flush housings.  Worked on it for about four hours today and it is now totally legal and the lights work perfectly!

[jame]

Trailer lights can drive you batshit crazy.

I brought our new A-frame pop-up home through 2 1/2 hours of torrential rain and hail, and as I returned home, I found one of the tail lights had been torn clean off during the storm.

After spending about 20 minutes and $25 on e-trailer.com, everything was on order, and delivered 3 days later.  They provided very concise instructions, and after another 45 minutes or so, I was done with the successfulll installation of new trailer lights.

 

Without the benefit of that online vendor, I would have been screwed from the word "go".

[PNWguy]

I have resisted the temptation to buy a newer camper.  The interior of this thing is pretty mint and the canvas is in good shape.  I would like to have a bathroom and shower, though...  But a lug-a-loo and a quick dip in a nearby river or lake still works and is much cheaper.

[Walt Longmire]

Have you replaced the old tires and greased the wheel bearings? If not, that is your next job.

[Walt Longmire]

I recently rebuilt an 8x10 tilt deck trailer I built about 25 years ago. Removed the old rotten decking. Made a few repair welds. Completely new wiring while the deck was off.  All LED lights. New treated wood deck.  Packed the wheel bearings.  It's like new again for a fraction of the cost of a brand new factory built trailer.

[PNWguy]

9 hours ago, SmokeRoss said:

Have you replaced the old tires and greased the wheel bearings? If not, that is your next job.

Repacked the wheel bearings a couple of years ago and flipped the leaf springs for more ground clearance.

Going to address the tires next.  Amazingly, the ones that are over 30 years old look like new; no weather cracking, dry rot, wear, etc. I know they HAVE to be bad, but you wouldn't know it by looking at them.