Give me a brake & other '09 Mods

[austinado16]

Each of the past 3 seasons since buying our camper, I've taken on a few things in order to put it back to it's original condition and make it both nicer looking and nicer to use.

This year's list included:
-full-height porta-potti
-new tires
-repack the wheel bearings
-upgrade the early '80's Duo-Therm forced air furnace to a 1994 model
-adding canvas rain covers to protect the roof supports and keep water from getting down into the body
-repairing torn out stitching in the canvas and one vinyl window
-getting an awning
-replacing all the stripes and decals
-putting electric brakes back in place

In May I scored a 10' Fleetwood awning in white and brown for $100, on CL.  We've used it, and like it, but I still had my heart set on an original '87 Starcraft awning because they were color matched to the body stripes and camper color.  Well, I just scored a big 11 footer, in fantastic shape.  The awning bag was coming unstitched and water had gotten into the bag, mildewing the awning and rusting the ends of the main pole inside the awning fabric.  But I laid it out in the driveway and it cleaned right up, as did the poles.  I had the awning and bag stitched back together by the guy that does automotive upholstery work for me, and had him put in 4 drain hole grommets.  I'm pretty stoked.

Thanks to Wayne for posting info about buying new brake assemblies a couple of months ago.  It got me thinking that it might be possible to replace the missing brake assemblies on my PU.  Ordered a set of Dexter brake assemblies last Friday. They arrived this morning, and I put them on tonight.   Can't wait to haul it down the road and set up the controller.

I've already posted about the new stripes and decals, tires, furnace, and all the other stuff that's done, so I won't belabor the point.

All-in-all, another good season of camping and I feel like I got a lot done on the PU too.  I'm not sure what my hat trick will be for next year, but maybe I'll man up and cut the axle out from underneath and install a new one.  This one broke out of it's mount flanges while the PO was towing it.  Must have happened out on a camping trip because who ever fixed it simply welded the torsion axle right to the frame!