How much does it matter to own a currently manu. FGRV?

[Bster13]

Hello,

Doing research on various things involving going fulltime in a FGRV. One area I wanted to research more about was serviceability of your FBRV. Mainly appliances and wear items/parts that are specific to your manufacturer like, say door latches, trim work, etcetera.

- Is it hard to get replacement parts that are specific to an FGRV that is no longer in business (I saw a YT video about a guy replacing his Casita's door latch a few times over the years)? Does a 3rd party make replica parts?

- Is it hard to find parts or replacement units for things like the fridge, the furnace, or A/C for an FGRV manufacturer who is no longer in business? Or does it come down to the manufacturer of the appliance still being in business, not the FBRV manufacturer?

- I think a side mount A/C unit in a 16ft Casita is a standard window A/C unit so that should be easy, but what about a 17ft Casita roof A/C unit? Is that specific to Casita and you buy the replacement from them, or they are standard in the RV industry and you can get them from many vendors, thus having your particular FGRV manufacturer out of business is no big deal?

- A 16ft Scamp from 1990 looks very similar to a 16ft from 2014, but have standards changed over time and perhaps the sized refrigerator in that 1990 is now considered an oddball size to find a replacement for?

Thanks for any guidance, I finally get to tour a 17ft Casita next wknd!

[floyd]

Of course things change over time like parts or appliances.
In the case of Scamp almost any part from a 30 YO Scamp can be purchased with a direct fit replacement. As for appliances, models change from time to time but industry standards often allow for direct fit replacement with a newer model.
I have owned dozens of fiberglass trailers, many as old as 30+ years. I can assure you that it will not be a challenge to maintain your trailer with or without factory support.
Appliances, axles, lights etc. can be repaired or replaced from local sources.

Think of your trailer like a house, I once owned a house over a hundred years old, and though it was old and some mods were necessary, it is still standing and being lived in. In fact it is nearly as modern as the house in which we now live which is about a hundred years newer.

[Bster13]

Thanks for the response floyd and good to hear about appliance industry standards.

Where did you source specific parts for a FBRV that is no longer being made, like for the sake or argument, if this door latch belonged to an old UHaul trailer instead of Scamp?

https://youtu.be/asNM0cPisxY?t=2m4s

For that 30yr old Scamp, do you go to the factory for that part, or is there a 3rd party making them that I'm not aware of?

[mary and bob]

In the case of a Uhaul door latch that is a no longer made item, expect to pay an outrageous price on ebay. You won't want a Uhaul after next weekend. Or maybe you will!!!

[Bob Miller]

Me thinks that you are crating a problem that really doesn't exist. Yes, finding exact match very small parts for older trailers might be a problem, but not enough to reject something that you otherwise like and fits all of your other needs.


Now, if you find something that needs body panels or, heaven forbid, a door, that might present a challenge but, for the most part, all of the parts needed are either still on the shelf or a ready replacement is available.


My Hunter just turned 42 this year and a complete redo three years ago was no problem for parts.


If you are concerned, come back to us asking about a specific year, make and model, and you can get an exact rather than general answer about your concerns.


BTW: Chassis components, Appliances, plumbing and electrical parts are the easy stuff to replace/repair.

[mary and bob]

Where can I get a tail light lens and a side window for my '84 Uhaul ?

[Bob Miller]

Did you try the RV Doc. in Sacramento, CA, or is this a rhetorical reply to my post? LOL

[floyd]

Originally Posted by Bster13

Thanks for the response floyd and good to hear about appliance industry standards.

Where did you source specific parts for a FBRV that is no longer being made, like for the sake or argument, if this door latch belonged to an old UHaul trailer instead of Scamp?

https://youtu.be/asNM0cPisxY?t=2m4s

For that 30yr old Scamp, do you go to the factory for that part, or is there a 3rd party making them that I'm not aware of?

Just as an example, the door handle on a Scamp is available from an RV or truck accessory place since it is the same basic hardware as that used on toppers, truck toolboxes, even shed doors.

To answer your question more directly though... I replaced the handle on my Scamp when it was still new with a standard RV latch.
I have found lots of changes which personalized or fit my Scamp to my purposes....

[floyd]

Originally Posted by mary and bob

Where can I get a tail light lens and a side window for my '84 Uhaul ?

Some one announced on here that they were pouring new lenses for your trailer, but if you can't find them there are all sorts of aftermarket possibilities. With small modifications you could find a taillight from an automotive application like a car or light truck. Now I know your taillights are somewhat unique, but you could make it totally unique and purdy with just a little imagination and a trip to the junkyard...
I custom made monel escutcheons for my LoveBug and installed semi-truck taillights.
I used oval truck lights and conspicuity tape to make taillights for my Trillium.
I recently replaced the taillights on my Scamp with aftermarket LEDs
The possibilities are limited only by your imagination.

[mary and bob]

Originally Posted by Bob Miller

Did you try the RV Doc. in Sacramento, CA, or is this a rhetorical reply to my post? LOL

It's been an ongoing problem with us Uhaul owners to work around some of the unique to them, no longer available parts. Windows can be ordered custom made, but at a high cost. For example a Scamp rear window is about $180, but a custom made window to fit the rear of a Uhaul which is slightly smaller is around $400. Attempts have been made to find someone to custom make the tail light lenses, even having them made off shore, but the limited demand makes this idea cost prohibitive. A workable adapter previously available from Uhaul is no longer available, so now it's down to custom work to adapt a commonly available part. I've seen a few well done examples. So yes, my question was probably a rhetorical response, just to point out some parts are not available at all. But then again, there's always hope someone knows a good solution. Some of you may recall how a couple years ago a quantity of NOS (New Old Stock) Uhaul side windows appeared at a surplus dealer in Nebraska, and sold out immediately. And LOL, this was right after I modified the openings in the fiberglass to fit a Scamp rear and side window. Uhaul uses the Bargman L300 door latch which is no longer available. There is an aftermarket reproduction that I hear will work with some modification to the door. Used and NOS appear on ebay, usually at double or triple their original price. Thanks to a member here I was able to get a new one for less than $100. The OP is going to visit us next week to get a feel of what a fiberglass camper is like. I think he'll like the Casita over the Uhaul, although another recent visitor had the opposite opinion. We like them both.

[Bob in Mb]

'Vintage Trailer Supply' online have many parts and great service . Worth a look.

[Donna D.]

Other than the body and the frame, someone other than the trailer manufacturer makes everything else. Hehr windows, Dexter axles, cabinet hardware, A/Cs, fridges, furnaces, etc. MOST of the third-party vendors are still in business. Even U-Haul didn't make their door locksets, vents, wheels or lenses. Those were out-sourced to a vendor who supplied product to U-Haul. 99% of everything you may need to be replaced, you can find a drop-in replacement. It's that elusive one part that may be an issue. That's why FiberglassRV members are such a great resource. Someone has perhaps walked that path before you and can give you information you need.

[mary and bob]

Unfortunately Uhaul had parts made to their own specs. Wheels for example have an odd offset that is not readily available. Marker light lenses are a common part, Arrow for one is a direct replacement, but the tail light lenses are unique to the Uhauls. And for those that have never seen a Uhaul, just about every removable part is marked "UHAUL", it's even molded into the light lenses and stamped on the window frames. Apparently they had a fear of parts being stolen. Imagine the tooling costs just to have those lenses made for a production run of just under 2000 trailers. As for Vintage Trailer Supply, great company, have bought from them, and just last year the owner gave a talk at a rally we attend. Real nice guy, but he does understand the need to run a profitable business, and costs of producing parts versus the return of potential sales in a limited market. Such a nice guy that he sends discount coupons to the rally every year.

[Timber Wolf]

I suppose it depends on how handy you are, or how willing you are to get your hands dirty. I'm just plain cheap and an opportunist (in addition to handy) so I bought the first and only egg I found for sale locally. It happened to be an older Scamp and needed a lot. I was impressed to find that Scamp was so willing and able to provide parts for a 26 year old unit. A lot of companies would not even if they could.

[Mike Magee]

Once the trailer body falls out of warranty, it matters little if the mfr is still around. (or asquare, or arectangle...)

[Uplander]

Most RV parts are generic in nature and should not be a problem to locate a RV dealer who can fix/repair just about any problem you might encounter.

[Bster13]

As for being handy and resourceful... if my goal wasn't to be fulltime and I still have my house with a bunch of tools, I'd be game. But being on the road 24/7, time, lack of tools, and living in the darn thing will most likely have me in a Scamp/Casita/Bigfoot (are there other mainline FGRVs I am missing?)

[Jon in AZ]

Escape should probably be on your short list.

[Bob Miller]

If you go Bigfoot and are worried about support, you need to know that there are pre- and post BK Bigfoot trailers (about 2005 I think) and the current company can't always support the products of the original Bigfoot. Most parts may still be the same, but documentation for early units is NADA.....

[Bster13]

More good info, thanks guys. An Oliver trailer looks very cool, but I heard they are back to making other fiberglass products and/or larger RVs?