Our 25 Inspection Tips For Buying a USED Travel Trailer
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 5 ก.ค. 2024
- This is our travel trailer walk through checklist of the 25 things we look for when doing a used travel trailer inspection. If you are buying a used travel trailer it is easy to overlook some of the most common pitfalls and our goal is to help you walk away from your first used trailer purchase with your head held high! This "Buying a Used Travel Trailer Checklist"
Timestamps for this video
0:00 Beginning
1:54 Travel Trailer Roof
4:05 Travel Trailer Floor
5:43 Travel Trailer Paint Coverage
6:09 Travel Trailer Water Damage
8:05 Travel Trailer Electrical
9:31 Travel Trailer Gas
9:59 Travel Trailer Mold and UV Damage
10:33 Travel Trailer Hitch Receiver
11:04 Travel Trailer Electrical Pin
11:40 Travel Trailer Carpet
12:34 Travel Trailer Items Not Matching
13:00 Study Travel Trailer Before Inspection
13:30 Travel Trailer Renovation Documentation
14:11 Bring Flashlight and Phone/Camera
14:54 Travel Trailer Nail Corrosion
15:25 Travel Trailer Exterior Inspection
16:58 Travel Trailer Leaf Springs
17:18 Travel Trailer Tires
18:18 Travel Trailer Tires vs Automobile Tires
19:08 Travel Trailer Under Trailer Inspection
20:08 Head Games
21:13 Travel Trailer Questions to Ask
22:33 Travel Trailer Frame Inspection
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If you have additional tips please share them below. As usual, we made this video a bit selfishly hoping to learn a lot from you!
Thank you so much for showing the DAMAGE area (that you exposed) 😊
Such a great video on your inspection and tear outs for repairs 😊😊 have found in my professional work on equipment trailers and RVs the major problem with trailer TAIL lights turn signals is "GROUND
It has been my # 1 problem with all the trailers I have owned. 😊😊 So great that you revived these old girls, so the repairs
It’s only selfish if you don’t share that knowledge, obviously you share it well. Thanks!
On the tires, you can check the date they were made. The age is just as important as the tread. There are 4 numbers at the end. EX: 1843 = 2018 43rd week of the year. EX: 1508 = 2015 8th week of the year. If they are more than a few years old I would replace them before a trip especially in the heat. The rubber rots and breaks down, when if hits the hot pavement the rubber can separate and blow out. Don't ask me how I know this ;)
You are correct, except for one small point. You got the date/week backwards. Your 1843 example for the 2018 year and 43rd week is incorrect. The correct layout for the 43rd week of 2018 is correctly shown as 4318. The week comes first, and then the year comes second.
I took a different route. My wife's mobility issues took a turn for the worse. We don't travel without a scooter now. This requires a toy hauler for us. So I sold our camper, bought An all aluminum cargo trailer with drop down tailgate, and converted it. Completely self contained including enough solar to even run a small air conditioner during the heat of the day. I'm in my sixties and my wife is in her seventies. We will never go back to a commercial made camper. I know, to each his own, but we are totally happy with this route. 7x14 with a 6.5 roof. 1700 lbs when we started. 3000 lbs now when totally loaded to hit the road.
But still enjoy watching all these videos. Keep on keeping on. Be safe and be blessed.
Sorry to hear about your wife's change of mobility. Your trailer sounds great. And running AC off solar is impressive, you really must have a good amount of solar power. We aren't big fans of the commercial trailers here in the States either. Not to say there are not good small ma and pa "boutique" trailer companies, but the larger ones still have us wanting more. Building your trailer the way you want it is really hard to beat. And then with aluminum you have an almost maintenance free trailer that is going to outlast all those commercial trailers to the point you will be handing it off to a friend or grandchildren. We have often thought about going the converted cargo trailer route, which would be similar to yours, but a bit less robust. We have seen some interior builds that are really cozy, yet spacious and functional. Thanks for sharing your story Max! You two have fun out there!
Great video. About the tires, it is very important to check for cracks on the sidewalls of the tire. Most of the old tires will develop this cracks after long storage and will easily blow up when aired up, so be careful airing old tires. Also some will look new , but it is important to check the “DOT” number that is stamped on the tire itself. This DOT number will tell you when the tire was made , it is a 4 digit number, the first 2 numbers are telling you the week of the year when the tire was made and the second 2 numbers are telling the year that the tire was made. This is for all tires on all vehicles. The older the tire the better the chance that the tire will fall apart.
Now this is some great info to know. Thank you! We just got a 48 year old camper, treads look great, but often do with trailer tires. Going to take a look at the numbers tomorrow morning.
When checking tire wear look for uneven wear from one side of the tire to the other, this may show a sign that the bearings in the axles need to be replaced. Good vid!
Nice! Great point. Thank you for sharing.
I just looked at a trailer yesterday. Red flags, plus I offered asking and they said they had more viewings. So glad he didn’t accept. I’m going to look at a much nicer option tomorrow. Bare bones and nothing hidden as far as I can see after zooming in to check every square inch. Usually my brother would come to do all of the structural checks outside and underneath. He can’t make it to the viewing, so thanks for being like a big brother. You showed me so many things I might of missed. I’m going to be thorough thanks to you. Thank you for being so kind to share your knowledge 😊
Thanks for the helpful video. In response to your question on nail corrosion: this can occur from galvanic corrosion of dissimilar metals. If steel nails are touching aluminum, corrosion will occur. If the nail is corroded and only touching wood, then yes, you're correct, probably salty air or condensation causing corrosion.
That is soo funny! 😂😂We just bought a trailer for the mother - in - law. 😂😂Thank you for the “head games advice” - all of us were definitely there. Thankfully the 3 of us balanced each other out and remembered what we needed to look for.
Glad this video hit home for you!
One area that “egg” style fiberglass trailers (Scamp, Casita, etc.) get water damage is from slowly dripping inside water tanks, connections to pump, sink etc. and drains. Their floors don’t rot from exterior issues, they rot from within. Look for water stains around the internal water tank, under the sink, and any place water flows. Underneath the trailer, pipes will come through the floor - check there for signs of water damage (discolored wood around the pipes compared to rest of the wood) which may be a sign of a slow leak inside. On an older trailer, just condensation around the water or drain lines can cause discoloration - just check a little further to make sure it is not a leak or extensive rot.
I know Scamp and Casita floors get replaced, even by the factory, instead of throwing the camper away, because the rest of the camper lasts so long.
This is a great tip Mike! Love that these trailer bodies and frames outlast their floors. I am not being sarcastic, that is very impressive. I think I also read somewhere that either currently or at one point in time they didn't use marine grade subfloors. I don't know if this would help at all, but it is something I have heard in forums. Our newest trailer project sitting in our yard has a very similar setup to the fiberglass trailers. The major difference though is that the water tanks and lines are unfortunately hidden from view. Our trailer is older and we are a bit afraid to test/use the tanks. We have made it this far with our teardrop trailer not having any tanks or faucets, so for the first year on the road we may not even use the tanks on this recent trailer just out of fear of water damage. This is something we have been talking about and your comment just validates our slight hesitation on using the tanks until we thoroughly check out the trailer more.
Playing with Sticks, Great!
Scamp still uses marine rated flooring, but the plys are made out of OSB (chips of wood) not solid-layer plywood. It is the glue that lets loose in non-marine rated “ply”wood. Unfortunately, people replace them with non-marine plywood not knowing the difference. Exterior plywood will fall apart very quickly as the glue melts with water - only meant to hold up long enough in rain/wet to get the roofing on. Below grade “treated” plywood would hold up, except it is poisonous and really heavy.
Playing with Sticks, Marine “boil proof tested” plywood will still rot. The wood rots, but the glue is impervious to water.
People who build tiny hobby boats will use cheap underlayment water resistant plywood for $22 vs $122 for marine glue plywoods, then seal the heck out of the cheap wood with fiberglass. Any tiny cracks will still let water in, and it then falls apart, but then build a new little boat.
Interesting, I saw a bigfoot online that had a rotten out floor. Anyways thanks for the tip I will be sure to take a look at that.
@@nonoiscool98 Bigfoot’s are a well thought of brand of fiberglass trailer. At the fiberglass camper gathering with about 200 campers a few years ago, BigFoot and Scamp had about the same ownership behind Escape and Casita (represents who goes to those gatherings not necessarily actual ownership ratios).
I don’t know which fiberglass camper is easier to rebuild/update either by an owner, common camper servicer, parts manufacturers, or original manufacturer. I know the Scamp company will do a lot of major repair work like axel, floor, and interior components with some parts available directly. Trillium is a small manufacturer that will also do a lot of work. I would expect the other major long term manufacturers also have parts and services. The level of available assistance by each company and aftermarket servicer may help make a camper decision about one that needs some work.
Wow Thank you for all the tips... Lookout future sellers I may be at your house for quite some time Inspecting. HA!
Very true. And this isn't even our exhaustive list. When we first put together the video it was about 40 minutes long. We had to cut down quite a bit of tips just to make this a watchable length.
@@PlayingwithSticks , a check list would be awesome of your exhaustive list. Thank you! This is going to save people thousands!!
planning on buying a buying a used camper travel thanks for the video just what i needed.
Love all your videos, so much valuable information packed into short videos. Thank you! Love that you dive in and don’t have all the narrative that is useless like other you tubers have that is so time draining.
Glad you like them Amy. We try our best to be a balance of both. We want to educate and inform, but also inspire others to get outside. Kind of a tricky balance.
Going tomorrow to look at a vintage camper, saw this video. THANK YOU SO MUCH!!! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
That was very helpful One other area to check is the front of the trailer! Check the area above where the frame rails come out from under the trailer. If you have body damage just above the frame rails, that indicates flex and movement between the body and the frame. Either the frame is weak or broken and bends up while driving or the body mounts or the walls are damaged and make the body move up and down while driving. And of course, the mother-in-law advice can go either way, depending on the mother in law... 🙂
Thank you for this. Good advice on the frame I never thought of that. Makes a ton of sense though. I got a good smile on the mother in law comment.
Was looking at getting a scamp and searched youtube for tips; Glad I ended up here on your channel again. Met you at Overland Expo and your channel seems to always have the answers to questions I'm asking TH-cam. Thanks!
So good to see you on here! It was so neat to meet you in person. Out of curiosity are you looking at a 13 or 16 foot? If you’re looking for used don’t forget there a number of other options that people forget to type into the search box. Often times you can get these ones much more affordable than a scamp because they are less well-known. Boler, Burro, U-Haul, Casita. I really like the look of the Burro and the U-Haul basically same trailer different name.
Love love love your awesome vids. Thanks so much for doing these for the rest of us!
Caulk is pronounced like walk, with a k or hard c. Good luck!
Trailer Service Only tires have more plys in the side walls. And that is a VERY good thing because of the weight involved. So I recommend to all my students to use Trailer Service TIres only even though most have single axles. Dual Axle trailers NEED Trailer Service Tires because of the pinching involved when turning. Rusty Nail Heads don't necessarily mean water damage but if the area around the head of the nail shows black water damage, it usually means water intrusion from outside. I love this video and will share it with my students. Thanks for all you do.
This is by far the best advice I have heard! We have had a couple of trailers and wish we would have known some of this before-lessons learned... great channel! Can’t wait to watch more:)
Glad it was helpful Lorene! That is why we make these videos. Like you we have went through the mistakes as well.
Some really good tips, Drew; liked how you pointed the "problem areas" out, then, supported with pics and logic from one who knows. You guys have come a long way with production of the vids and content. Really enjoy it. Y'all Be Safe!
Glad you enjoyed it Raymond! Thank you for the really kind comment, we really appreciate it.
Huge Thanks for making this video. Subscribed! Learned so much! Definitely a good community out there.
We were looking at a 2004 25J prowler today that had so many of these red flags 🚩broken off / missing awning.
Owner saying he hasn’t had it long , expired tag, hadnt put in his name. Recent sanding off lot of rust and freshly resprayed leveling jacks. Hastily unfinished wallpaper/carpet/ home painted cabinets. Old furnace and roof vents.
DAP caulk and tools from his recent home brew restoration. Ripped up wood panel missing from jackknife couch. Kind of stank in the cab , missing propane tanks, no batteries, fridge wasnt working ,fuse panel that kept blowing i could go on. We ran away.
Isn't that a bummer. Many times we got lured in, just to find out within 2 minutes it was time to RUN!
You've given me every reason to buy new. Thank You!!!
Thank you for putting this together. Very helpful for a first time travel trailer buyer. I'll check out the comments below soon. Cheers!
Wow, now I'm so much more knowledgeable about looking at trailers. Thanks for the video. Never thought of some of these things.
Glad this was helpful. Always fun to know these videos are helping folks.
Thank you for this video! I saw a Vintage Shasta on my folks land. My dad just gave it to me, it was his old hunting camper. It's from the 70s. Anyway, after watching this video I got a ladder and looked at the roof and my husband looked underneath. I look forward to watching more of your videos for great tips as we bring this gal back to life!
How fun to fix up a trailer from your families land! I would highly suggest checking out mobiltech's channel th-cam.com/users/mobiltec His website and TH-cam channel is a great resource for restoring vintage trailers. He has a story on there of a lady picking up a vintage trailer from a field and while hauling it home the entire camper basically blew off the trailer and into the ditch. These little Shastas if you google a picture have really limited framing. When you take the skins off you are pretty amazed how they all hold together with such limited wood. I think this is how they keep the weight down. I say all this just to say before going through all the work you may want to peel back the skins and take a look to check for rotted wood. Some folks find it easier for them just to remove the wood panels if they plan on adding different paneling, ship lap, or other vintage wood.
@@PlayingwithSticks Thank YOU!
Thank you so very,very much. I’m about to go shopping for my first travel trailer. Your the most helpful person I’ve viewed to date. You also ware well with your views.
Love your very practical, useful information & all the hints for things to anticipate.
Glad it was helpful Deb!
Regarding tires: Trailer tires rot. Externally from UV damage, internally because of a combination of heat and oxygen permeating the rubber. Then they blow out. There is a 4 digit code on the tire. The first two digits are the year, the last two the week of the year. Tires older than six years are suspect! Consider running inert gas in your trailer tires. Nitrogen works, but it doesn't really matter which inert gas. What is important is the absence of oxygen in the high pressure gas mixture within the tire. The absence of oxygen makes the rubber much more resistant to thermal breakdown, which is important because trailer tires typically are more heavily loaded and run hotter than car tires. Happy travels!!
This is really helpful information Susie. Thank you for sharing all of this!
My goodness. #subscribed. Your videos are phenomenal. You're talking us through what to look for, and patching in COPIOUS amounts of visual examples. That's so awesome!
Thank you! Glad this was helpful.
So very helpful. Thank you!!
Awesome video! Really appreciate your help. Cheers
This was a very helpful & interesting video. Thanks for uploading!
Incredibly comprehensive video I have learned a tremendous amount and I thought I knew a lot already I bought two campers in my life and I’ve always been interested in them. I’m looking to get a new one for my son and I which I told you already, I will use what I have learned from you in this video on my purchase coming up here soon thanks a lot Drew
Glad it was helpful Ben! So excited to hear what you end up getting. So many choices from 8 feet to 30+
Fantastic advice! Thank you!
Thank you. Great tips!
You are most Welcome Maykou!
Great Video. Thanks for the trailer inspection tips.
Glad it was helpful Frank!
Thank you for great advice! Liked and subbed. I am looking into buying my first RV (vintage) to redo a little, and live in, and these tips were great for at least the living compartment part of the RV.
Good point, we probably could’ve went heavier on the exterior
Love your links to key times. Thanks!
Glad that was helpful David!
Excellent tips. Thank you.
Great video - so helpful! Thank you!
Glad it was helpful Leigh!
Just what I was looking for, thank you very much I appreciate you not telling the story about where you went camping and what you did, just wanted to know what to look for. Thank you
For helpful!! Yes. Delamination is the correct term. The rusty nail heads is probably just ambient moisture. Rust is just oxidation of the iron. All you need is air for nails to rust. Stainless steel will last longer than galvanized.
Very, very thorough. Thanks so much.
Glad you enjoyed it. The actual version was a little too thorough at 40 minutes. I had to cut out a few of my stories and tips to get it to a more watchable time.
Great tips. Keep them coming.
Will do Laura! Glad you are enjoying them.
Love this guy! Thanks for the tips. We are heading out today to look at some trailer. Very helpful.
Would love to know how it went!
Wow !!!! you covered EVERYTHING!!! I will be buying a house soon I hope and I will use these tips for buying the next house.... Why not??? It should work.... Saw a few houses lately and I actually did see water and mold problems, and definitely NEW PAINT covering up problems.... FUN TIMES!!!! (Of course I will have an inspection also)
Great video very informational thanks for posting!
Glad you enjoyed it!
I haven't watch the whole video, but do far- EXCELLENT VIDEO
Really great video. Super helpful.
This was so informative, thanks!!
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks this is so helpful. What if there has been clear water damage (visible stains in a couple corners), but no soft spots and everything has been well sealed since the old leakage? Is it always something you'd recommend steering clear of?
Great tips Drew, so much to look out for in a used trailer. I bought my ‘78 Argosy very spontaneously and never looked underneath where the bottom shell had been torn and regretted it as it became a mouse condo once I got it home to my place in the woods. Kind of regret I ever got rid of it, but at 21’ it is bigger than what we want now.
Those Argosy trailers are quite impressive. Up here folks trust them so much you find the majority of them being used as homes, axles sitting on cinder blocks. I don't think we have ever seen one on the road, but we have watched quite a few TH-cam Argosy renovation videos to know they really make a great home on wheels! Where that bottom shell was torn did you ever find a way to remedy the issue?
Unfortunately the reason I bought it was it had twin beds and my buddy was gonna buy a piece of land in the north woods of Maine where we were gonna park it for a hunting camp. The land deal fell thru so I used it as a guest house at my place for a couple of years and then a guy offered me a couple hundred bucks less than what I paid for it and I let it go. He was a sheet metal worker and was able to fabricate a pan for it and closed it up nice. When I had it everything inside was in excellent shape, sliding doors curtains everything. I tired to buy it back but it is now his home away from home in Montana.
So useful, thanks so much!! Subscribing; I'll def be watching a bunch more of your videos.
Best Video, I like your approach to change through Infomation education 5`s Video.
I'm so lucky to have run into this video, it came just at the moment I was going to check out a 1975 Apache mesa that I had my eye on, I ended up getting it because now I know what I was looking for because this was my first trailer I've ever seen, planned on camping in and boondocking out with my baby girl. I hope to learn alot while watching your videos while I fix it up to get it out by before this fall! Thank you! ----oh and thanx for not trying to sell us on overpriced unnecessary things, I just want to get out there!
So glad to hear this was helpful Raquel! You honestly picked up our dream trailer. We have been trying to get our hands on one of these for quite some time. We almost picked one up on the Kenai, but someone else got to it about an hour before us. Have you ever seen the ones where the kitchen can be slid out to be used outside as well? That design is pretty uncommon, but wow, what a great idea! For that trailer, maintenance is pretty minimal. We have even seen videos where they make minor repairs in the composite (Plastic) top and it looked pretty easy. I haven't heard of many of these going wrong, but one thing I would continue to monitor every season is the chain system that helps pop the trailer up and down. I think there is also some videos or blogs online about that as well. I think you will get a kick out of many of our videos. You will find we are always looking for that perfect small camper trailer and all the needs that we mention in the videos are met by your Apache. Can't wait to hear more about your adventures!
😄👍Good Stuff, Great Tips
Very good video. Lot's of good tips. Good job!
Thank you! Glad it was helpful.
Really enjoyed this video... looking to make my first purchase, so this was truly helpful.
Glad it was helpful! Just curious what are you looking at purchasing?
@@PlayingwithSticks something small. I can only tow up to 3500.
I just purchased a cree camper, it was fully gutted, the only thing I noticed was having to replace the wood which I’m cool with. This video was so helpful
Those Cree's are beautiful, love the style of their windows.
Wow. Great tips thank you.
Glad they were helpful!
These are great tips, especially the part on the head games. My in-laws have a trailer they are looking to sell. I have visions of all the trips I can take it on but now I know not to get ahead of myself before doing a proper inspection
Glad it was helpful Bryan! Yes, watch out for those head games. We know better and still get caught in them :)
Thank you for taking the time to share all that very important info 👍🚙🌞⛰️
Very helpful, thank you
Wow thank you!!
This is a great help...Thank you so much...me & bf planned to settle down in a trailer house one day...😍🥰
Glad this was helpful Lily!
I would word roof repair and roof maintenance not patched but well maintained. Also lots of great tips as a flooring contractor and rebuilding a few trailers and building a teardrop lots of great tips
Good wording Troy. We agree.
Great video, useful. Thinking about water damage, roof vents, and the roof. Have you or have you seen that "Flex Tape" used? I'm just curious. For those of us who don't own generators, just bring a spare car/deep cycle boat battery. Also, bring a cordless drill. Extremely useful. In answer to vintage trailers water damage & the cause, I do believe that the cause of it is the Pittsburgh Seam. Today, most, if not all, siding is done with smooth siding. A lot of vintage trailers & campers have that corrugated/ribbed siding. That seam connection was made to be water tight, but it wasn't. Plus the sealant used in the 40s/50s/60s is not nearly as good as it is today. Just my 2 cents...
I have had the flex tape with me the last 3 years. I finally had the chance to use it on a Aerobed we brought for family. We tried sealing that mattress multiple times with the patch kit. I pulled out the tape. Put it on and tried to readjust it. Not happening! That stuff was like cement. Works amazing for a patch job like that. Thanks for sharing your 2 cents Guy.
Thank you 💡 You Helped me become a Smarter Buyer!
Love hearing that. Thanks for the positive feedback!
Great video. I am looking to get a trailer and would have not thought to look at certain places you pointed out. I am going to bring my ladder for sure and ask about the trailer hitch.
Glad this was helpful Herb. Most of it was learned from our mistakes. Always glad to hear our mistakes can help others.
You always have us thinking about what you will give us next. In the USA we have Harvest Host.
Isn't Harvest Host neat. And this time of year is where it really comes in handy as many of the other campgrounds close for the winter.
Lots of great information. Good video.
Glad you enjoyed the video. When we did the first edit it was about 40 minutes long. Had to cut quite a few tips to keep it a more watchable length. Most the other tips were more conversational around experiences we have had with trailers and sellers. Hope all is going well for you. We hope especially that your Blue Ridge trailer will be put to good camping soon and not as a "bug out trailer"
Ha! Ya.
I also purchased and installed a very good quality water purification system to be able to pump water from anywhere. Just another tool in the overlanding Arsenal.
Thank you for the info 🙏
You are most welcome Donald.
Slideout SLIDEOUT, all leak. Very difficult and expensive to repair. Thanks for the info.👍🏻
Thank YOU 🙏🏻
You are most welcome!
I will be looking at a 1988 Prowler Lynx in a few days. It's in an Rv trailer campground. The owner hasn't been at the trailer since last season, and they are getting the campground management to show it to me by appointment. The flooring is cushionflor and some has
been torn up. If I buy it I plan to put in laminate and do a lot of painting. I will bring a ladder. I have watched TH-cam videos showing how to find roof problems and how to fix with Eterna bond tape. I watched your video and made a note of what to check. I've seen 2 crappy trailers so far and passed on them. Thanks for all the tips.
great video as Im looking for a camper to replace the popup we sold last fall
If it's sat awhile look for squirrel damage and some older campers be sure to look at ac. And the heaters as we found some heaters are band from manufacture due to fire hazard check for cracks in water and gray tanks see if they can or have dumped the tanks
hey guys , one more thing you could do is bring a tape measure. see if the tires are the same distance from the hitch, look for (shiney) spots near the leaf spring, will it 'trailer' straight behind your vehicle. Do the wheels roll in a straight line? good luck! Thanks for the great info...
That is a great tip David! I have never heard of that one. This is why we love TH-cam, it is comments like these. Thanks again David!
Thanks for the video, Drew. Also for the links. How is life with the new little one? Trying to re-home a in excellent condition teardrop 2012 Little Guy Silver Shadow. Will have the “shoppers” watch this first so they can see the awesomeness of what they will be getting!
Life with the new little one is so fun. He just hit 6 months and is eager to start crawling. We can't wait to get him and East out in the trailer this month. I don't remember you mentioning getting a new trailer? Are you taking a break from camping? I love the Little Guy Silver Shadow, by the way. I am guessing it will definitely sell quick.
We are taking on longer travels (from NC to WI) and are upfitting a 2013 e350 15 passenger van. We are transitioning from teardrop adventures into van life as we are enter a new season of life of travel without our adult children. We will continue to enjoy your channel!
Thank you so much! I am looking at a trailer today and it never occurred to bring my solar generator, but it's charged and waiting in the truck! Thankfully, my partner is a former electrician who has also rebuilt many cars and motorcycles, so I never buy anything used without his ok. It also helps that he knows that no matter how much I want something, he has final veto if it is used because yes - I get excited and only think of the end result and not all the work it will take to get there and i might be disappointed but I won't be mad if he says it has too many problems. I got burned on that one time already with a used trailer from a friend that they said was "perfect," and it has major problems everywhere and is unusable for what I wanted it for without a lot of work. :( I am going to pretend I am buying this for my elderly dad and not myself - that is a great suggestion! :)
Hi Drew! I am new to your channel and LOVING it! Do you have any advice on where to find used teardrops? Looking for something quality, but used, to help decrease the price. I am in NY. Thanks for any tips!
BEST video on how to inspect used trailers. And I've seen a LOT. Just subbed. 😊
And what's wrong with the way you say "caulk"?? I say it exactly the way you do. I've lived all over (currently in Virginia) and never knew I was pronouncing it wrong. 😁
Awesome! Thank you! And glad I am not the only one pronouncing this word incorrectly the majority of my life.
Thanks so much for this information. What model is that little solar generator?
Great video!
Thanks Joyce! Glad you enjoyed it.
Better yet how about I just come pick you up lol.... that would be easier lol... I’ve been thinking about getting into campin it seems like a very interesting lifestyle I work full time so I would have to do weekends and short road trips. So I come to you the expert to tell me what to look for. I love you channel I love your passion.
This is another one of your really helpful videos, Drew! thanks for the tips... I'm going to share this with my daughter and son-in-law since they are possibly going to start shopping for a trailer...
Would you mind sharing the Amazon link to one of the trailer light kits you keep on hand?
This exact thing happened to us the other night when we had our row boat and two kayaks all ready on the boat tailer to go to our nearby lake to have a fun "dinner on the lake" with our daughter & her family. Chris and I did our traditional light check before pulling out of the driveway and low and behold... no lights!!! Both bulbs had burned out! It would have been great to have a backup!
Thanks! ~ Maria
Glad it was helpful Maria. We actually got a comment from your son-in law or daughter I can't remember which one. Thanks for sending them our direction. This was one of those videos we really hoped to reach a larger audience, so we are always glad when someone gets to see it. Some of our videos are more for fun and philosophical, but this one we created because we couldn't find a video like this when we first started looking for trailers. The light kit we currently use on our Shasta because the Shasta lights already are giving us trouble is www.amazon.com/gp/product/B078GNDQQH/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o03_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1 So far we have been taking it out for a couple of months and has worked great. We weren't sure what to expect at less than $17. Sorry to hear about the trailer. You now sound like us!
@@PlayingwithSticks Thanks Drew & May! We will definitely look this trailer light kit up! We are also going to try your idea of using a shower curtain inside the Clam shelter... Have you figured something out yet?
The privacy tent sure does take up some space in there but it's so nice that it stays completely dry! While the Clam is drying out in the backyard from a couple of rainy episodes during this week's camping, I will experiment with an old shower curtain and some hooks ... I'll keep you posted if I am able to figure something out =)
Many blessings! ~ Maria
Great tips here--a lot of which can be applied to buying a home as well. Is the one you folks ended up settling on shown here at all? How many trailers did you end up looking at before purchasing your new one?
Hey Evan. Just got home from camping. Will be responding to your local boondocking email in the next day or so. We would respond quicker, but we both can't remember the mileposts for these sites (all navigated by landmarks). I think in this video, we haven't watch it in a while, there are some b-shots of us pushing on the walls of the trailer. We looked at quite a few trailers online. It is crazy how much you can tell about a trailer just from zooming in on photos. But in person I would say it was only a handful as we only came across about 4 trailers here in Alaska within 2 years that fit what we were looking for. Finding a small vintage trailer up here isn't that easy. We did however go through larger ones just to get a feel for layouts and quality. We were chasing a very specific trailer for a while (an Apache hard sided trailer). Missed two by like an hour. Eventually gave up and went a different route.
Thanks heaps for your video, mate ! Do you have some camping Trailer recommendations for the canadian market ? Would like to buy a small used one, thats well insulated for 4 season use.
Love your video!! We are looking to purchase a used travel trailer. I’m going to write down all your advice to take with us when looking. Would you recommend a fiberglass exterior? Thanks soooooooo much!!!
YESSSS!!! Fiberglass is king. Especially if buying used. When new they tend to off gas for up to almost 10 years. But the older fiberglass trailers have no smell. As you probably picked up water is the enemy of trailers. Fiberglass greatly reduces that risk.
Thanks very much. All useful.
You are most welcome!
@@PlayingwithSticks So. This sucker, who is ussually VERY cautious, bought an old camper for what I thought was a cheap price though high for my finances. Can't get money back as it was a private sale. As you mentioned in your video "new floors? Hmmm." I've just been under the trailer. Floor is completely rotted out. Insulation tufting out, sagging aluminum. In parts you can just see the plywood (Omg or was it fibreboard? Please no.) that is holding up the flooring. The frame and axles look good but I am a total novice. I suspect water damage too. Sigh.
Should I just chuck it and cut my losses or might it be worth salvaging as I already put some decent money into it?
@@livableincome That is such a tough call. Up in Alaska. I see a lot of folks living full time in trailers like you describe. It really comes down to "Is it structually sound?" And as you probably will guess the salvaging part usually takes 3 times as much work and money as you predicted. Sorry to hear about that. But, if it makes you feel better, many of us have been in your same situation
@@PlayingwithSticks Thank you. That is helpful and good to know. I have discovered there are mobile RV inspection people here so am about to call and see what they think.
The frame does look structurally sound with just surface rust, but I know very little.
Have you ever heard of spraying the sh!@$t out of the bottom with some kind of sealant foam to cover all the sagging aluminum and insulation? Trimming excess ahead of time?
We are on the "wet coast" and all that absorbent hanging stuff would wick moisture right into the new wood flooring.
About ST vs LT tires...there is a whole lot of difference in the how these tires were designed and expected to perform. ST tires have weight, age and speed limits. We make sure not to overload our camper, check tire pressure everyday while traveling, keep our speed no higher than 65mph and regardless of treadwear (which ST tires don't generally show wear) we have new tires put on our camper every 5 years no matter the number miles on them (we do keep a log). Could it be possible some of the ST blowouts are caused by not following one or more of the above? Curious...
That is a good thought! Based on what we have read online, like you said if you take care of them and use them as intended they seem to hold up.
my parents bought a camper (1968 little chef) and it has sat for years. they gave it to me and my husband and we really want to fix it up. are there any signs of it being too far gone? electric, water damage? tips would be helpful!
Looking at a used fiberglass camper. Is it common to see cracks both gel coat ones and a fiberglass crack near the door? TIA my mom, Maria has been following your channel for awhile now and recommended you to me! You have great videos
That is a tough one to answer without seeing it. In most fiberglass trailers we have been in an taken out they have minor cracks with age that don't impact the structural integrity of the trailer. I am trying to job my memory, but I don't think I have ever seen one near the door. Typically they have been on the walls near the corners. Say hi to Maria for us. She has been one of our greatest supporters from the beginning!
Your camera is your friend, both inside and out. Some things you might not notice in person just stand out in a photo. You don't even need to get under the trailer if you have a long arm or a selfie-stick.
That is a great suggestion Mary! Thank you.
Thank you
You are most welcome. Glad to see people finding this video.
Wow, great video. I've read blogs professing to show what to look for, and they don't compare to this video which tells me it's obvious those idiots have never even been in a trailer and are just looking for content to write about. Good job,.
I recommend if you put regular automobile tires or truck tires on your trailer, if it's going to be stored for a while. I would put it on Jack's to take some of the weight off the tires
Great suggestion. And good timing on this. We haven't aired up our tires recently or taken weight off them with a jack. Need to do it this weekend. Another tip is to add wood under the tires if you are parked on gravel long term.
Thanks!
Oh my goodness! Thank you so much.
Thank you for the videos. Is there money to be made from remodelling?
I would say yes and no. Pretty easy money if you find a trailer that is well cared for and it is basic aesthetic upgrades. But, even a trailer that came in pretty decent shape like ours it would be pretty tough to make a good profit (as an average joe, I mentioned average Joe because I think a business who can do quick turnaround on these could do quite well. ) as they are very time intensive, parts are high because they are either vintage or a retro design, and these surprisingly often sell for only $5,000=$10,000. That isn't to say though that we haven't seen a lot sell for $20,000+ as well. I think the trick would be sticking with collectors trailers like Airstream and Shasta and you would have a bigger return.
Get in the cabinets and storage to find water damage. When I store any vehicle I like to get the weight off of the suspension, not hanging just get it light. Get some galvanized sheet metal pop rivet in wheel well to help with blow outs.
Great suggestions again. Thank you for all of this.
The best advice I can give is, do your research , don't go alone four or more eyes are better than two(take someone with a rv). Go look at similar trailers that you don't intend on buying so you are not emotional, focus. Lastly , like Playing with sticks said pix and vids.
Great suggestions here. Really like the tip about looking at other trailers so you are not emotional.