Have you ever considered a rental motorhome for your vacation? If you’ve yet to catch the RV bug, there are plenty of reasons to take your family away in a motorhome or other type of RV. For a start, RV rentalcan take you off the beaten track to beautiful locations far from the nearest motel. Most RVs are more comfortable than an average motel as well (after all, it’s your bedding and towels you’re using), and you never have to check out in a hurry – or lug heavy baggage around. Almost one in twelve families own a motorhome and many of them say the experience has strengthened their family bond.

If you do already own an RV, camper rental gives you the chance to try out a different model or to trial an upgrade before deciding what to buy next. Want to see what all the fuss is about a Damon RV? Take it for a week’s vacation and find out.

If you’re looking to rent a motorhome, you could start with the most popular type – a Class C cabover-style, or alcove motorhome. Most RV rental companies will supply late model year vehicles and all the big brands are usually available: Fleetwood, Damon, Monaco, Winnebago, Holiday Rambler etc.

Perhaps you would like to try a Class A ‘bus-style’, or integrated motorhome, instead.  Most rental motorhome outlets provide vehicles with all the features you would expect as standard: dinette, couches, shower, toilets, heaters, sink, range, microwave, fridge, TVs and DVD units, to name just a few.

Motorhome rentals are not the only RVs available at most rental lots or private camper rental sites. Providing your towing vehicle has the right specifications, you could try out a 5^th wheel or a range of towables, such as tent trailers and toy boxes (for those who want to take their Jet Ski or motocross bike for a vacation too).

Of course, one of the main considerations you need to make before you rent a motorhome is how big it’s going to have to be. If you’re travelling with your partner on a retirement vacation, a compact 19 foot model will be more than adequate. But if you are looking to bring the extended family of seven away, a 39 foot 5^th Wheel might be a better bet. Before you rent an RV, be sure to check out the detailed floorplans that all rental motorhome providers should display. You may be surprised at the extra space that some RVs conjure up, especially if they include slides.

When renting an RV, you will need to produce proof of age and your driver’s license although, in most states, you won’t need to take any special test (though test drive facilities are often provided for you to get familiar with your chosen vehicle).

There are some other important things you will need to consider before you rent an RV. Are you a smoker, do you have a dog that won’t leave your side or are you planning to visit Mexico? Many RV rental lots will not allow you to smoke in their vehicles or travel to Mexico. Pets are sometimes permitted, but usually carry a supplement for the extra cleaning involved.

On the subject of cleaning, camper rental usually requires a deposit against damage or cleaning costs. Make sure you return your RV as you found it to get your deposit charged back.

With more than 400 RV rental outlets nationwide, there is no shortage of options for the full-time RV’er or weekend camper alike.

1998 Coleman/Fleetwood popup tent trailer for the Destiny/Grand Tour Series (all models) owners manual. This is the actual trailer manual from Coleman/Fleetwood from 1998 scanned into PDF. The models covered in the Destiny/Grand Tour Series are:

• Niagra
• Bayside
• Grandview SP
• Grandview
• Sun Ridge
• Westlake
• Rio
• Mesa
• Cheyenne
• Sea Pine
• Taos
• Redwood
• Santa Fe

Enter your email address below to instantly download the 1998 Coleman/Fleetwood All Models Owners Manual:

Enter your email address to download 1998 Coleman/Fleetwood All Models Owners Manual

RVHobby also has the Coleman Lift system repair manual available for download.

The Coleman lift system is a very interesting animal. Hard to find information and manuals for, hard to find parts. Since I had such a hard time, I decided to scan and post the manuals that I found when I was fixing my 84 Coleman and post those repair documents here on RVHobby.com for you. Enjoy!

Enter your email address below to instantly download the Coleman and Fleetwood Lift Systems Repair Manual:

Parts list: http://www.fft-inc.com/korkwerks/1968_1995/tableoc.htm

If the parts list link above doesn’t work try a google cached copy: http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:http://www.fft-inc.com/korkwerks/1968_1995/tableoc.htm

De-winterizing your Motorhome Water System usually comes around as a task in the spring time. This simple process of de-winterization is basically the removing all traces of the RV antifreeze that (you hopefully) used to protect your water system (so you didn’t crack your pipes or water heater!).

Here are the quick simple steps:

1. Put several gallons of water into the fresh water tank.
2. Turn on the on-board water pump, and open a cold water tap.
3. Allow the water to flow for several minutes.
4. Connect the water hose to your city water supply inlet. Turn on the supply.
5. Open all taps one by one and allow the water to flow for several minutes.
6. Flush the toilet several times.
7. Now open the water heater bypass and fill the water heater with fresh water.
(You may want to allow a few gallons to flow through the water heater, then let it drain completely before re-installing the water heater drain plug)
8. Run water through all the hot water faucets.

That’s it! Pretty simple and painless, and you saved your RV Water System from damage and costly repairs.

For all of you out there with a 1984 Coleman popup tent trailer (any model), I am posting for your enjoyment and needs the actual trailer manual from coleman as well as the original parts catalog.  These documents are EXTREMELY useful when it comes to repairing or modifing your pop-up trailer.

The manual and parts list covers these 1984 Models:

• Pioneer Series
  • Redwood
  • Columbia
  • Newport
  • Cape Cod
  • Jamestown Limited
• Americana Series
  • Colonial
  • Sun Valley
  • Royale
  • Shenadoah
  • Sequoia
  • Williamsburg

Download the Owners Manual:

Download the Parts list:

As I decided to rebuild my pop-up tent trailer for family camping, I thought I should go ahead and paint it as well. I did not want to take it to Maaco or have a professional paint it because I did not want to spend that kind of money. I figured I could do this all myself for a whole lot cheaper. Here is what I did.

First I removed all the canvas off the tent trailer. Since a tent trailer is designed to have the canvas removed, this was a rather simple task. You will also need to decide if you are going to paint the inside of the trailer too. In my case, I did – in fact I tore out the inside completely cause I was planning on doing a complete restore. 

Canvas removal and body preparation

Outside: In order for the paint to look nice and adhere well, you need to remove all the decals, pin-striping etc. After all the decals are removed, you should give the outside a nice light sanding with about 120 grit sandpaper. 

After sanding, give the trailer a nice power wash. This will get all the loose dirt and sandpaper residue (for the original paint & sanding) off. 

Now it is time to mask off the areas of the trailer you don’t want to get painted. I masked off:

• Tires
• Door handle / latch
• Side lights
• Rear lights
• Trailer Tongue

For the parts I didn’t mask off AND didn’t want painted, I removed. for example, I removed the outside freshwater supply inlet and the land line power inlet.

Freshwater Supply Inlet

The Tongue on my Trailer was rusted and a very brownish color – I used this spray I got from Wal-mart that turns rust into black primer. Came out looking real nice.

Ok- now before you go any further, you will need a few items for the painting. Here is what you will need:

•  an HVLP Paint sprayer (I purchased this at Harbor Freight on sale for $17)
• An air compressor (the bigger the better as far as gallons go – but at least a 2 gallon)
• Vaseline
• 1 to 2 Gallons of Oil Based Paint for painting steel (I used BAR-OX Gloss enamel white paint. It is made by Devoe Paint and I purchased it from Neumann Paint and Supply 928-472-9054)
• Paint Thinner

Now it is time to paint. First, make sure you are out in the open so the paint fumes and over spray don’t get on anything you care about. Now start your air compressor going to fill up the air tank. To get the paint ready, fill your HVLP sprayer about 3/4 of the way with the Paint. Now add paint thinner in small doses to make the paint more like water in thickness. This is so you don’t clog up your sprayer. Attach your Paint Hopper to the HVLP sprayer and then attach the sprayer to the Air hose.

IMPORTANT NOTE:  Take that Vaseline that I told you to have handy and smear it on all parts of your body that is exposed to the air – Face, hands, ears, neck etc. WHY? Because you are going to get overspray and oil based paint doesn’t come off very easily. Having Vaseline on your skin allows you to just wipe off all the over spray that gets on your body. It is like wearing a paint suit, only cheaper

To spray, start at one end of the trailer and spray about 12 inches away from the surface of the trailer. Continue horizontally about your arms reach. Then let go of the sprayer trigger. And repeat this process back to where you started from. You want even spray stokes back and forth. Do this a total of two times before moving lower on the body. Then move to the area you haven’t painted on that side of the trailer and repeat this process over and over until the whole trailer is painted.

Painted popup trailer

When you are done painting, let it dry for at least 24 hours – then use a buffer and buff your new paint job

I am in the process of writing a series of step by step articles (with pictures!) about my restoration process. If you would like to be notified about that series then subscribe to my blog in the yellow box below.

I purchased this 84 Coleman Columbia popup tent trailer and started rebuilding it a year ago . I have taken a lot of inspiration and ideas from other people’s rebuild projects that I found on the web.

I started this project a year ago and took pictures along the way (See slideshow below). I was a weekend warrior on this project. It was more like 1-2 weekends a month (and usually just Saturdays). I would have to say a rough guess would put total time at 25 full 16 hour days. The time and cost has spanned over 11 months so far.

I’ll lay out the costs here:

• $30 – new paint (it is oil based, farm tractor paint in white from Neumann Paint and Supply 928-472-9054)
• $17 – HVLP paint sprayer (Harbor Freight)
• $16 – floor tiles
• $23 – Cover material for foam (think vinyl from Wal-Mart)
• $129 – New 3″ Foam (H & R Sales in Phoenix – great place, great price – I HIGHLY recommend them.)
• $25 – 2×2′s & 2×4′s for framing of cabinets.
• $60 – New wood cabinet facials. It is an oak veneer over 1/8″ plywood. (Habitat for Humanity store)
• $15 – New plumbing supplies (hose filter washers, hoses, clamps)
• $70 – New Porta Potti 135 RV (Camping World)
• $30 – New pump (Harbor Freight)
• $75 – Electrical supplies (wire, fuse block, DC outlets, battery box
  - I already had the deep cycle battery from my boat, otherwise that is an additional $65 at least.)
• $70 – odds and ends (screws, nails, light bulbs, etc)

Everything else I had collected as donations from friends garages (like the counter top for the galley, the slide rails for the pull out shelf) and from the trailer itself (galley sink, faucet, hinges, etc.)

And Finally…
Total out the door so far $660. And I have yet to do all the neat Modifications, like hanging shelves etc.

I am in the process of writing a series of step by step articles (with pictures!) about my restoration process.  The first article will be about painting the popup.  If you would like to be notified about that series, please click here.

Here is the slideshow: