I Finally Picked Up My U-Haul Camper Today

[Buck62]

I drove 600 miles (roundtrip) today and picked up the U-Haul trailer I've been waiting on.

Before I get into the good and the bad about this trailer here's a few pics the previous owners emailed me.





(The photos were edited to save ban width for those on slower connections.)

[Buck62]

Here's some pics of the inside...

[DaveK]

Congratulations! Looks like a very clean trailer. May you have many pleasant trips with it.

By the way, you need to update your profile. You've got a trailer now.

[Terry G.]

Must say its a "clean" one, oh and does it still have the org heater ?

[Matthew Lyon]

Congratulations! We just picked up our Scamp last week (400 mile round trip, but we're in Montana so basically right next door...) so I know how you must feel... Your U-Haul looks great and like it's going to be fun to spruce up and make your own. Keep us posted on your progress... looks like a neat trailer!

[BOBSMITH]

Congratulations to all of you who have your new fgrvs. The U-Haul looks to be in really nice shape!

[Buck62]

Thanx guys, but pictures can be deceiving.

I talked this guy down to $1,100 for this trailer.....

BUT...

I had to bring a set of tires because the old ones were shot.



Here's some of the good things about this trailer...

1: Easy pull

2: Electrical works

3: Furnace works

4: Cushions are in nice shape



Now here's the bad stuff....

1: The interior ceiling pieces need to be re-joined and re-glued (it's caving in slightly on one side)

2: The carpeting needs replacing (both top and bottom) due to mildew

3: Needs a sink faucett

4: Icebox door is cracked in 3 places

5: Stove fan makes a lot of noise

6: Rear seat cushion is missing

7: Needs a paint job and has slight cracking in a few spot (looks like just the paint, though)

8: Existing cushions need dry-cleaning (or whatever it is you do to clean them)

9: Original tail-lights do not work (they've been replaced with aftermarket lights fastened to the bumper)

10: A couple of the wood pieces that cover the storage ares under the seat cushions need replacement

11: A complete and total washdown and cleaning, inside and out.



That's about it (at first glance) but this is a project that's going to require some WORK!!

On top of all that, I still don't have a place to do the work yet. I live in the city and my garage isn't tall enough to get this trailer inside. I don't have a driveway, either, so it's on the street right now.

Anybody out there in the Chicago area wanna help me out?

[Donna D.]

Well, it's yours and now you can make it uniquely your own

Reading through your list, just about everyone who's ever bought an older used fiberglass trailer has run into these conditions of one type or another. Having new tires is probably the best thing too...now at least you know their age and history.

I'll attempt to answer a couple of your questions. To clean the foam for the cushions, spread a tarp on the ground, put the cushions on the tarp, flood with soapy water and do the "grape stomp." Repeat as many times as necessary to get the cushions clean...rinse well by doing the same method. Wring as much water out as possible. Dry by placing over some sort of lines that allow air to circulate around the foam. The upholstery can be either washed (depending on fabric) drycleaned(?) or use foamy upholstery cleaner and a scrub brush (gently).

From what I understand, U-Haul taillights are hard to come by....at least the lenses. If you have good lenses, the light socket/wiring is replacable.

[CindyL]

I am guessing that the traffic cops in Chicago will help you find a place to park your UHaul if you leave it on the street too long. Or maybe Chicago is not as bad as Oak Park. We are fortunate enough to have a parking pad that is large enough to handle our Burro, because it will not fit into our garage either.


Nice to have another egg in Chicagoland. Congratuations on your purchase!

CindyL

[jack maloney]

Looks like your CT13 is basically sound and has most of the original equipment, and you got it at an exceptionally good price! I envy you the original plastic cabinet covers (mine are not-as-nice replacements). You'll be busy for a while fixing and upgrading everything, but rest assured, it's fun and safisfying and you will enjoy the fruits of your efforts.

Some food for thought:

I see you have the original evaporative ('swamp') cooler. Best thing I did on my CT13 was removing that cooler (which only works effectively in dry climates and is useless in midwest's humid summer heat). I sold the cooler on eBay for $50, installed a much more useful FanTastic Fan, and gained a couple inches of head room in the process.

Having no small contortionists capable of using the gaucho bunks, I swapped out it out along with the multiple cushions. That made the front bench roomier and more comfortable after I had new front cushions made.

The OEM ice box is too small and awkward to use, so we just keep an ice chest in the van. I removed and scrapped the ice box and built in a food storage pantry that is much roomier and more useful.

I installed vinyl floor covering which is easier to keep clean than carpeting.

Our stove exhaust fan and heater fan are both noisy, too. But we use a small electric heater wherever we have hookups, and the FanTastic Fan does a good exhaust job.

We swapped out the heavy original dinette table and use a very nice folding table instead - plenty big for the two of us and no sweat getting in and out of the seats. The folding table is sometimes useful for outdoor dining, too. We hang the table on the back closet wall when not in use, so the back benches are open for lounging. Added a couple of wall-mount reading lights back there, too. A couple of light pine boards support the bed at night. We use a double sleeping bag for bedding, just roll it up in the morning and stash it across the back seat with the 2 bed boards underneath.

We've put 22,000 miles on our CT13 since we got it, and the pleasures have more than paid for it.

I recommend buying the copies of UHaul manuals from Ray Horner at the UHaul website. They're useful when doing repairs or modifications. Other than that, I strongly suggest caveat emptor in dealing with Mr.Horner.

If you have any questions about your UHaul, please feel free to send me a PM.

Best wishes to you for many happy miles ahead!

[David & Leslie]

Wooo-Hoo! Congrats on finding just the right FGRV for you, and at a terrific price too - well done! We know you will enjoy both the fixups and the wonderful hours spent camping in your Egg. Good luck on your project and with finding suitable storage/work spot. Hope to see you out 'n about in the future. Take care & Happy Holidays! L 'n D

[Terry G.]

Now here's the bad stuff....

1: The interior ceiling pieces need to be re-joined and re-glued (it's caving in slightly on one side)
hot glue gun , works wonders

2: The carpeting needs replacing (both top and bottom) due to mildew
we went to wally world and got a 10 x 10 and cut to fit for the floor, our top was fine

3: Needs a sink faucett
easy to replace , expencive to get(mine cost $54.00)

4: Icebox door is cracked in 3 places
wish i had know i tossed mine

5: Stove fan makes a lot of noise
i took the complete unit down and tossed it, took the out side vent off and cut a alum plate and inserted it behind the vent and sealed them both and installed it back.
from the inside i installed a "sealed" plastic sheet cut to fit and installed a plastic "home sweet home plack" (inside and out now sealed)

6: Rear seat cushion is missing
here is a trick i had the wife do (ours was missing also) and no tweed to match the existing cussions so i suggested take the" back off one cussion" and make a new cussion with something close to the same color and then install the old cussion "back on the new cussion front ".

7: Needs a paint job and has slight cracking in a few spot (looks like just the paint, though)
bet the cracks go to the gelcoat...

8: Existing cushions need dry-cleaning (or whatever it is you do to clean them)
We used "Blue Coral" and "Tuff Stuff" and scrubbed ours clean and they smelled good too

9: Original tail-lights do not work (they've been replaced with aftermarket lights fastened to the bumper)
hay if it works grate, right..

10: A couple of the wood pieces that cover the storage ares under the seat cushions need replacement
1/2 plywood and a sander takes care of that

11: A complete and total washdown and cleaning, inside and out.
Fantastic "extra strenth" inside and a combo of fantastic & "soft scrub" and a two sided spunge/scrubber

Terry G. RE: the cracked egg story

[Buck62]

Thank you to all of you for all the help and encouragement!!

I found an indoor storage spot for $65 a month, which is VERY cheap in the Chicago area, but it's not available until Thursday because the owner is in Florida 'til Wednesday night. In the meantime, I put a huge tarp over it because it's supposed to rain the next few days and I don't know if this thing leaks or not.

I was underneath it this afternoon and noticed that the piping for the gas is pretty rusty. I'm thinking of bypassing the use of gas altogether and going all electric.... fridge, heater, and stove. I'm leary of using the existing gas set-up and piping and going all-electric solves the problem. I'm not going to the mountains or wilderness with this trailer. My kids (both boys) are only 5 and 3 and I'll probably be taking more trips to Jellystone Park than anywhere else.

It seems like many of you have converted to electric, too. It just seems easier, cheaper and safer all around. After all, this is an $1,100 trailer and I don't want to spend 3 times that amount getting it "perfect"... I just want it to be clean, decent-looking and functional.

Sooooo.... off to storage she goes for the next few months. I'll probably do some of the smaller stuff along the way, if weather permits. I like the suggestion of going to a linoleum floor, since my boys are... well, typical boys!

I haven't figured out if the solar panel up top works or not. How does one find out???

[Brian B-P]

While I'm not suggesting reckless behaviour regarding flammable gases, I also wouldn't necessarily be concerned about external rust on propane piping. After the regulator the pressure is extremely low, so those pipes don't have to do much, and they're much thicker than required. Most of the thickness is there for mechanical strength (they hold themselves up) and to provide enough thread on the end. I would just get it properly tested and fix if required.

All-electric is not without its shortcomings, as well: I would not want to be dependent on either having powered campsites or a running generator, but that's a personal camping style issue.

[jack maloney]

I agree with Brian. State and national parks and forests provide a lot of great no-hookup campsites where your boys will have a great time discovering nature. Commercial campgrounds tend to pack RVs side by side like sardines, and the 'camping experience' is more like living in a condo with thin walls. Usually, campsites without hookups are quieter, less crowded, more private and more beautiful. Also cheaper. And with your UHaul's solar panel and a good battery, you can enjoy electric lights every night without hookup or generator!

[CindyL]

Glad you found a place to park your trailer.

We used indoor/outdoor carpeting from Menard's. I just vacuum it with a hand-held vac.

Previous owners just replaced the 'fridge in our Burro with a dorm 'fridge, the slightly larger kind.

We had to replace the sink faucet too, but honestly, I rarely use it. We bought one that you pump, and it is just too much work to pump it. Instead, I pump water from the drinking water jug. For hot water, I have a big 20-cup percolator that I run when I need to. Bought it for a buck at Goodwill and got a cord at the hardware store.

We added air conditioning by cutting a hole through the fiberglass at the back and putting in a cheap window air conditioner from Walmart that the hubby attached to bumper http://www.fiberglassrv.com/board/index.ph...1&hl=CindyL and covered with a cut cooler to make it look natural. It also protects it.

Just a note about Ray Horner. Ebay closed his store because people were not getting their items. His forum uhaulcamper.com notes that they are not sure of the situation.

CindyL

[Kurt & Ann K.]

Buck,
First, congratulations on what appears to be the steal of a lifetime The time spent on the repairs only allow you to become familiar with her. A friend managed to get his Peterbilt tractor into a garage (tall doors but not tall enough) by removing the wheels, and borrowing the help of several friends and floor jacks (you know, the wheeled ones used in garages) then simply pushing it under the door. It fit with something like 1/4" clearance!
Not sure how much clearance you could gain,but maybe enough. The old adage that "there is more than one way to skin a cat", still proves true.

Another suggestion regarding the ice box door and other needed parts, is to attempt location of an RV recycling yard. Replacement ice box door gaskets can often be obtained from appliance dealers or appliance parts wholesalers (not all require contractor licenses).

Enjoy the process and the attainment of new skills. You've embarked on a unique adventure most aspects of which (including, but not limited to camping) can hopefully be shared with all the family members. Furthermore, the members of this forum are eager to vicariously share the triumphs, frustrations and their knowledge and experiences with you.

Please continue to share your progress and pictures there of, with the rest of us who utilize the forum.

Kurt & ANN K.

[Buck62]

A friend managed to get his Peterbilt tractor into a garage (tall doors but not tall enough) by removing the wheels, and borrowing the help of several friends and floor jacks (you know, the wheeled ones used in garages) then simply pushing it under the door. It fit with something like 1/4" clearance!
Not sure how much clearance you could gain,but maybe enough. The old adage that "there is more than one way to skin a cat", still proves true.

Unfortunately, my door has only 6'4" clearance, so there's no way it's ever gonna fit, even with the wheels off of it. However, I have just enough room to work on this trailer behind my garage without impeding the flow of traffic, so I should be okay. It's just a hassle to drive 40 minutes to retrieve it, then 40 minutes back to the storage spot.

Anyhoo, it looks like I'll be busy investing in some new power tools.... at least I have that to look forward to.

[drews60]

Looks like you got a very good deal on your U Haul. The money saved will go a long way towards repairs. No matter what you paid, how new or old, you'd have a to-do-list. Don't we all! Have fun with it.

Look forward to spring and some great camping adventures with your kids.

[DonInChatt]

The obvious thing to do is build a new garage with a roll-up door for your previously owned U-Haul.