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I really want a toyota rv, and I've read the messages for 3 months
now, but.. I get really excited when one comes up for sale in my city
and IF I buy one with the 1/2 ton axle, am I definitely asking for
disaster? can I change the bearings and take light weekend trips
(300mi. roundtrip) until I find a 1ton replacement?? I couldnt take a
long trip(days or weeks travel)anytime soon,so I wouldnt be putting
myself in a position of trouble for a while, so what do you folks
think? I will trust the experience and knowledge of the group, I just
get worried that I wont see another sunraider model as cheap as this
one. thanks chris

Hi Chris,

Welcome to the group.

Some will say that the weak axle is a disaster waiting to happen,
so beware.

On the other hand, the camper you are considering has survived for
all these years, and with caution and preventive maintenance it
should continue to work well. I believe the latter is true. I
have personally talked to people with smaller units (18 feet or so) with the weak axle. They are careful not to overload them, and
they are doing just fine.

So, if you like the Sunrader I say you should get it. Your choices
are pretty limited when it comes to a small motorhome. These
Toyota units have a loyal following whose experience and advice is gladly shared.

Jack R


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Chris,

In my opinion you would be making a mistake to purchase a rig that has had
an axle recall unless you had imediate plans to replace the axle and the
price of the unit was reflective of the need for a $2000 repair and still a
good deal at that. It's not that it will ruin your day if your axle breaks
off it's that it can kill you or some other folks on the road. The National
Highway Transortation Safety Administration does not issue recalls litely,
nor does Toyota participate in such a recall without good reason. Remember
what can and does happen. The axle breaks and the wheels leave the vechile
taking rear brakeing with them.

If it isn't a good deal after adding the price of the axle fix it isn't a
good deal.

Michaeal Smith




chsar@... wrote:

Hi. I have a 1978 Toyota Musketeer which I have owned since
1986. It now has over 130,000 miles on a rear end with bolt-on
wheels and a non-floating axle. Finally last fall I had to replace
the rear wheel bearings and axle because the noise was getting
increasingly worse. You don't say anywhere that I could read
what the mileage is on the coach that you're considering. I would
say if it has say 60,000 miles or so, that you might have at least
that much left on the axle if it isn't overloaded. You'll hear a
grinding noise to let you know when the bearings start to go bad.
I wouldn't be afraid of buying it because of the axle style, but I
would listen carefully and be prepared to do the replacement on
short notice if you begin to hear anything unusual. Tika

--- In toyota-campers@y..., chsar@h... wrote:

I really want a toyota rv, and I've read the messages for 3

months

now, but.. I get really excited when one comes up for sale in my

city

and IF I buy one with the 1/2 ton axle, am I definitely asking for
disaster? can I change the bearings and take light weekend

trips

(300mi. roundtrip) until I find a 1ton replacement?? I couldnt

take a

long trip(days or weeks travel)anytime soon,so I wouldnt be

putting

myself in a position of trouble for a while, so what do you folks
think? I will trust the experience and knowledge of the group, I

just

get worried that I wont see another sunraider model as cheap

as this

one. thanks chris

--- In toyota-campers@y..., chsar@h... wrote:

I really want a toyota rv, and I've read the messages for 3 months
now, but.. I get really excited when one comes up for sale in my

city

and IF I buy one with the 1/2 ton axle, am I definitely asking for
disaster? can I change the bearings and take light weekend trips
(300mi. roundtrip) until I find a 1ton replacement?? I couldnt take

a

long trip(days or weeks travel)anytime soon,so I wouldnt be putting
myself in a position of trouble for a while, so what do you folks
think? I will trust the experience and knowledge of the group, I

just

get worried that I wont see another sunraider model as cheap as

this

one. thanks chris

Thanks for all of the good advice. I know that everyone responded
from experience and that is what I was after. I will follow Michael
and Jack A2s advice, its true that the recall was not issued without
much thought and I guess I can wait for one that has been fixed or
already has the beefy axle. It will be worth it once I find it.
thanks, Chris

Hi Ya'll,
Me again, Chris, I have to agree with Jack A., and Micheal
Smith,.....And Tika ee, this goes out to you also...I know that you
have probably read this in the "Toyota Motorhomes" club message
forum,.... Chris, if you can get the rig at a reasonable price, by
all means get it!! you will enjoy the Toyota based micro, BUT!, get
the axle replaced, the problem is not so much the bearings (YES they
are a problem) the main problem is that the wieght and stress that
the rear axle is under, it causes the rear axle housing to buckle at
the pumkin, (you may not see this with the naked eye)this cause
the "inner carrier" bearings to disinegrate, (you may not "hear"
this) this in turn causes axle seperation at the spider gears, hence
the axle slides out effortlessly, unfortunately your brake drum, hub,
and tire are all hooked up, and when they leave the vehicle, that is
an awful lot of weight hitting the ground to try and control, as you
are quite possibly watching your axle assembly "pass you up" or worse
fly into someones windshield.
Yes there was a recall for a reason, SAFETY, yours and the general
publics.
The beaty of the new axle is that it is a free-floating axle, which
means that you can snap an axle and brakes, hub and tire stays with
the vehicle, alowing you to control and safely stop your vehicle, and
the axle itself is very cheap to replace, (believe me you would have
to be very mean to this axle to hurt it)
The new axle should have special plates welded to the bottom of the
housing, spanning from the pumkin to almost the brake backing plate,
there are three styles, A, B, C, they are all the same axle, just
have different spring hangers, but the rest of it has been beefed up,
I work a National RV, I'm a service Technician for them, we have
about 30 or 40 of the new axles out back of our new service center in
Perris Ca., and one of the guys there that knows a whole lot more
about this than I do says that the replacement is still free, I heard
of an 8 year limit, but he says NO, so I would check with Toyota, who
will gladly replace the axle, since it was thier design flaw, to see
what they have to say.
Use the bad axle as a dikker on the price, but get it replaced
I hope this helps..... and I hope I have not offended anyone.
Happy Motoring!!!
Dale Gaines



--- In toyota-campers@y..., tika_ee@y... wrote:

Hi. I have a 1978 Toyota Musketeer which I have owned since
1986. It now has over 130,000 miles on a rear end with bolt-on
wheels and a non-floating axle. Finally last fall I had to replace
the rear wheel bearings and axle because the noise was getting
increasingly worse. You don't say anywhere that I could read
what the mileage is on the coach that you're considering. I would
say if it has say 60,000 miles or so, that you might have at least
that much left on the axle if it isn't overloaded. You'll hear a
grinding noise to let you know when the bearings start to go bad.
I wouldn't be afraid of buying it because of the axle style, but I
would listen carefully and be prepared to do the replacement on
short notice if you begin to hear anything unusual. Tika

--- In toyota-campers@y..., chsar@h... wrote:

I really want a toyota rv, and I've read the messages for 3

months

now, but.. I get really excited when one comes up for sale in my

city

and IF I buy one with the 1/2 ton axle, am I definitely asking

for

disaster? can I change the bearings and take light weekend

trips

(300mi. roundtrip) until I find a 1ton replacement?? I couldnt

take a

long trip(days or weeks travel)anytime soon,so I wouldnt be

putting

myself in a position of trouble for a while, so what do you folks
think? I will trust the experience and knowledge of the group, I

just

get worried that I wont see another sunraider model as cheap

as this

one. thanks chris