Why We Sold Our RARE 4x4 Toyota Sunrader
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- čas přidán 28. 01. 2019
- Shortly after we completed our rebuild of Amelia, our 4x4 Toyota Sunrader we turned around and sold her. We have been asked over and over again why we did this.
In this video we get into the story of Amelia and why she didn't work out for us. It's a tough subject. It still stings but we learned so much from the entire experience and for that we are forever grateful.
The entire Sunrader build in blog form:
www.boundfornowhere.com/blog2?...
You can follow our adventures here:
www.boundfornowhere.com/
/ bound.for.nowhere
/ boundfornowhere
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Music by:
Artist: Bad Snacks
Track: In The Atmosphere
Artist: Jeremy Blake
Track: Into The Sky
#vanlife #overlanding #renovation
Ive worked in restoration shops and such pretty much my entire adult life, I think that another lesson that can be pulled from this is that, as hard as it is, you have to tackle the unsexy jobs like drivetrain, suspension and such first, before you can get to the fun jobs like decorations and paint. Trust me, Ive made the same mistake a thousand times and no matter how I advise my clients, they continue to do the same. Ive been shopping for a Sunrader for the last year and you have definitely given me some stuff to think about.
I dont disagree with you on that, but it was something we were trying to sort out behind the scenes the entire build. We were trying to get some portion of the process started while we looked for a replacement axel that never materialized. If you buy one. I recommend one that was addressed in the recall. None of this will ever be an issue if that is the case
You only have to worry about the axel issues in the Toyota Sunraders. There are some sweet Sunraders that are not Toyotas that are out there. There is a nice one for sale here in Santa Fe that has low miles, is a "creampuff" and has been well taken care of by its 2nd owner Lucas. Its the very rare 16 footer for those who dont mind small rigs. You just have to know how to find them, but they are out there....
Michael Boris my thoughts exactly
tillallareoneluv - We aren’t talking about a house but a truck chassis. The drive train can be repaired any time if needed before or after the inside or body is taken care of.
@@MYTOYMAKERZ said buy a toy maker. If you built or rebuilt automobiles you might understand. But you sound pretty thick. You're the kind that would probably come back and say I do when those of us who have I know you don't. Or if you have you're the type that slaps lipstick on a pig. No one who knows what they are doing would have made that comment. No one
just wanted to add for anyone watching this, that a dealer knows as much about working with one of these vehicles as a Baskin & Robbins employee knows about making ice cream.
A top heavy, wide camper needs heavy sway bars and a wide axle under it. There are lots of 4x4 shops that could easily sort that out. That would have been my favorite part of the build personally :) The interior stuff and bodywork drives me nuts so great job on that!
I hope you told the new owner how unsafe it was to drive!
The value of a competent mechanic can not be over stated.
You took her bathroom, she never forgave you
Bil Kat 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
🤣🤣🤣
Bil Kat omg hilarious 🤣
But hey maybe you are right lol
LoL
Bah ha ha ha!
The issue with Amelia was somewhere in her rear end and we just didnt have the energy to take care of it anymore. Thats 95% of my relationships right there
That's funny.
What a great story. Love that you guys took it as an opportunity to learn so much and did not get bitter over it. Just keep that spirit and everything will fall into the right places.
Aww! Thank you. It always does, just have to stick with your gut and things will be sorted out from there!
Fantastic vid! So many wonderful lessons and amazing adaptability. Way to persevere and make it work!
Shops cut down axles every day and regear without any issues at all 😂
i agree the money they put into it i would of got a used dually axle from a 1 ton and started some fab work and re gearing , then it would handle the way they want it
Sometimes it’s better to start over than continue down the same path….and someone’s trash is another person’s treasure.😁🤪 To each his/her own.
Looks like they didn't find that advice during their many phone calls and visits to the many shops.
Bad advise on the axle swap, the original axle you should of kept it, rebuilt the insides and had the axle trussed on top. And ran e rated tires in the rear. The problems with the sunrader was not the manufacturer defect it was the owners over loading them with so much crap you couldnt drive them safely. I was really looking forward to seeing you enjoy your hard labor and efforts. Someone scored bigtime buying your dream.
Isn't it sad that misinformation ruined it for them?
makes since ,,, carry to much lbs the body breaks down .. bearings and such go way faster , .pack light always .. good info .
Dreams change. This experience has lead us to bigger and better things so we are not going to cry over the spilled milk
We did the best we could with the information we had. At least there is a 4x4 Sunrader that got a new lease on life ;)
@@BoundForNowhere Yup...all part of the journey. The wife and I camped in a Four Wheel Camper on a Tacoma for 5 years. Have you checked them out on line? We bought a shell model and outfitted it ourselves. Great fun all around. We only got rid of it to retire in a fifth wheel trailer.
While watching you two present your journey with Amelia was heartfelt. The conclusion she was not the rig for y'all seemed so clear in your thoughts as yo presented them. Glad you were able to make viable decision and make it happen.
Russ
Loved the insight and the openness - I feel strong personal attachment to my Rialta, Phat Steve as well :)
To Everyone Else:
Hindsight's 20-20 and coulda shoulda woulda isn't always the same as actually learning something!!!
You are awesome. Change happens and no matter what the plan is, there is always something to be learned.
Thanks for sharing....
No truer words!
Never seen this channel before, but caught this video and its rather uplifting! I mean, what an excellent perspective to hold- this is like a metaphor for living. Go forth, put all of yourself into what you feel is truly right, and when you've given everything and are tired, emotionally spent, etc...you will then learn what you're deeply, honestly, after. Cheers to yall for keeping on with yourselves, best way to be.
We really appreciate it. We just feel like there is no sense in beating ourselves up over something we tried our best on. In the end we are thankful for the experience and are willing to keep looking for what is right. It's just really important that we trust our vehicle. So onward and upward! Thank you for the kind words and giving it a watch!
The “Hero’s Journey”, in real life. The knowledge you came out with is golden. I have subscribed and will follow your journey.
Thank you so much!
YOur honesty is very respectful and will help a lot of people I am currently going through something similar with a VW T4, for that reason I have subscribed and I look forward to your future adventures
Thank you we really appreciate that. That is honestly why we do all of this!
Thanks to you for sharing that hard, then wonderful story... So much of life happening ... Happy Trails
You obviously got some bad or uninformed advice. Our shop has done 2 rear axles for the Sunrader MH. We take a semi float Dana 60. Cut it down to the proper width we had 6on 5.5” bolt pattern axles made and installed the unit. More than enough capacity for the rig and the total cost with the gear change was under 2,500.00 with all new parts and about 350.00 for the R&R. I know of at least 2 other shops that have done this conversion on other Toyota’s of this vintage. I feel really bad for you that you had to go through this.
That was a nice story she told, but they took an 1980s vehicle, rebuilt it gave it some great PR and sold it for all it's worth.
Then used that money to enjoy a trip to Canada. What she wants is a Military Vehicle conversion to civilian camper use.
If you want true off road heavy duty design, stripped and rebuilt military vehicles are the way to go. They were designed to go anywhere at anytime in any conditions from day 1. Just add all the fun into it. :-) Plenty of other youtube videos of people doing exactly that,
Army Truck conversions... LMTV conversions, Big Beautiful and Built for Anything, anytime, anywhere, under any conditions.
Thats what I'm talking about. I dont know why they just didnt find a shop to do a custom job to the camper. What a shame. That was a nice camper.
@@SeaJay_Oceans keep in mind military vehicles are built by the lowest bidder..
@@SeaJay_Oceans Toyota Tacomas are usually on the other side of those military vehicles.
@@Andy-Mesa Buy a Ford ELECTRIC F-150
Greetings.
Recover from failure? What failure? Just sounds like a longer route to where you need to be. IE. An adventure.
You have to know where to draw the line in any relationship gone wrong. Hard but necessary.
Luckily I am in the right one. Finally.
Great, honest open blog. That's why it's good.
Look forward to more.
Happy travels
We really appreciate that. Plenty more where it came from too!
Thanks for sharing this story. I had been wondering what had happened. It's also very inspirational. We "finished" our 7 month van build a few months ago and have slightly similar feelings. You put so much time into something, building a home and learning new skills, but maybe it doesn't work out the way you thought. We often talk about selling in and starting fresh. I think we'll wait a bit longer, but I see now why people say start small and figure out what you really want, then go in for the big bite. Looking forward to the next leg of your journey! Take care and safe travels!!
WOW... I just tripped over your channel. What a impressive story. Look forward to watching more!
I understand being frustrated with the project. I wish I had been around to help you guys with the axle situation. You live and you learn. Love the new build! That thing is sweet
I love y'alls story and have enjoyed following all the ups and downs. And I got tingles down my back at "this time we finally made it to Canada" ... You made the right call with Lando!
Aw thank you so much for following along! It wouldn't be an adventure if there isn't a little bit of hardship right?!
You did what you had to. Life goes on. Looks like the Tacoma can actually take you into more interesting places. Yes, Amelia was an awesome rebuild. We all live & learn. Carry on!!
erm, their instagram shows it's a tundra?
Awesome story of effort, accomplishment,struggle,and victory.
Amelia was beautiful! I’m glad you guys found a good home for her. I’m also glad that you guys trusted your gut and got the Tacoma so you could get back in the road 🙌 I loved this series so much. Thank you for sharing your experience!
It was our pleasure! We really wanted her to go to a family that understood where she was at and that there was still a little bit of work to be done to sort out the rear end. They are awesome and were a great home for her! Onward and upward, plenty more to come from us!
You sure talked the talk, walked the walk and drove the drive with Amelia all the way to the end of the road. You folks are a lot wiser for it. Wish you safe fun rolling forward.
Incredible story but great to see you come out the other end in one piece and able continue your life journey. Stay safe!
You guys are amazing!! That definitely was a tough decision, but the best one. Those Sunraders need a dual axel I know you will put the same effort into the Tacoma and have great adventures!!!
Thank you so much. It was the hardest decision we've ever made.
It's always tough to know when to quit a project, but saying "enough" at the right time can save you a ton of grief. Good luck with your adventures. :)
This is the first video of yours that I have seen, and it is AWESOME! Direct and to the point, no verbiage. You held my interest throughout the whole video. Don't feel bad. I admire your resilience and positive attitude, and your endless ability to "make Lemonade" when the going gets rough. You absolutely made the right decision by both reaching that "certain" point, and rationally deciding to cut your losses. I can imagine the inner turmoil you both went through to come to your decision, but you are happy, and know in your heart of hearts that you DID make the right decision. You just can't buy that peace of mind. Glad that you ended up enjoying your summer immensely and having the emotional maturity to slog through trials and tribulation. Good luck in your continuing adventures! I'll be pulling for you two!
Thank you. Your comment brought tears to my eyes because I think you truly understand where we were with the whole thing. The reason why we travel the way we do is that we want to have the freedom to move as we please and sadly that was not going to be the case with this setup. We appreciate the kind words and support.
This is SOOOOO sad. I am so sorry that Amelia didn't turn out for your because your build was totally awesome.
We really are too.
Great job. Sometimes having more is really having less. Sounds like the two of you had a great experience. And the biggest thing is you have each another. Peace ☺
The job you did restoring Amelia was amazing. Keeping another Sunrader on the road in such beautiful shape is a very noble effort too, no matter who came to own it. May it fit their needs and may they enjoy it to the fullest. And the Tacoma turned out to be the perfect rebound vehicle. I lamented when J&J sold Ripley, but as I followed along with their trip to Tuktoyaktuk and the very tip of Haida Gwaii I had to admit that there was no way Ripley could have taken them to those places. After being fiercely loyal to my own Westy for nearly two decades (so far) that pained me, but it was no less true. A metamorphosis was necessary for continued progress. Likewise there was no way Amelia, even with 4WD, was going to give you that grand, giant loop through the Maritimes that Lando did. I was skeptical of the idea of sleeping under only a cap, especially after all the space of the Sunrader and the Westy, but I came to see your minimalism as the perfect reset button. It was pure. I hope that whatever you have chosen as your next vehicle is as pure a representation of what you actually need (vs. want, or think you need) as Stanley, Amelia, or Lando turned out to be in their days. Your wants and desires have changed, and to try to constrain those into a vehicle that cannot accommodate them would just be limiting and masochistic. It was wise of you to see that in Amelia so soon, and very mature and forward-thinking of you to be willing to make the leap despite your considerable investment of time, money, and emotional energy. It wasn't copping out or cutting your losses: it was growth, and it's a beautiful thing to see. Live free, drive hard, and keep listening to that inner voice. There are many anonymous people out here wishing you both the very best.
Love the style of the Toyota Sunrader. Seems like a great alternative to the classic Sprinter Van. Especially with a bed over the cab! Glad Y'all are confident in your new home on wheels.
This is a really sad but awesome story. I admire the energy and efforts you put into this. Some things aren't meant to be but you guys didn't give up until you'd exhausted all of your options. Job well done on the remodel and good luck in your future travels!
Thank you so much we really appreciate that!
I just happened to see the video about completing Amelia on my CZcams page - then, of course, had to watch this one. I've always been attracted to the Toyota RV's but after watching this, I realize one wouldn't be the right choice for me. But, you two have handled the situation with grace and dignity. What matters is you are back to following your heart's desire.
Well, take some satisfaction in knowing many people, like myself, were incredibly impressed with your build project. The redesign was brilliant.
I'm brand new to your channel and you guys are inspiring! So sorry to hear of the heartache you guys experienced but looks like even a new Tundra is your new home! Life is an adventure and will look forward to seeing your adventures!
No truer words! All we can do is roll with the punches and come back stronger! Plenty more where this came from!
Good to hear you two are moving on!!! More adventures!!!
Yes plenty more where that came from!
I just watched Amelia's tour video and naturally clicked over to this. I'm not sure what you do as like a ~profession~ but you're a really great story teller.
Great attitude! And I've always said, it's not about the vehicle, it's about where it takes me! Happy trails!
You guys are soo wise and emotionally intelligent. You explained everything with such awareness and authenticity, and with such a great attitude nonetheless. Imagine if we all approached life like such? In life, nobody escapes difficulty, set backs, and failures. It’s a guarantee. Not everybody is able to see beyond the challenges, to find all the positive lessons and gains that also come in order to gain a perspective of gratitude for those unavoidable trials in life. I’m glad you guys both listened to your guts, were able to see the positive gains, and were better able to followed your hearts true desires with the lessons the experience taught and revealed to you. It sure would be nice though if we didn’t have to go through the struggle to come out the other side where the real beauty is revealed!! 💛
Hi there! This was the first video of yours I'd watched. I didn't even know the backstory, but your video was heartbreaking and inspiring at the same time; more the latter! Thanks so much for making it and sharing your heart.
If it's of any comfort, you DID give me memorable lessons from your story. Somehow I feel stronger just from having watched it, which is as much as one could want from ANY story!
Blessings,
Lou
SUPER interested in Lando's build! I drive the same truck in grey (and in FL too) and love thinking about building her up and heading north for a summer! Thanks for sharing your journey with Amelia!
Our pleasure! Our Lando build video comes out in two weeks! Excited to share it!
@@BoundForNowhere I like to use "Lando" as slang for landcruiser...greatest 4X4 ever made.
All I can say is wow, wow, you went through so much. I started out with a 4x4 gmc pickup camper, to a pop up camper, to a high top 4x4 Ford Van camper, to a 26ft Fleetwood motorhome, now back to a gmc conversion van. Call it coming full circle, call it what you will, I had problems with every single one of the vehicles I owned. I’m glad you found your groove, you lasted way longer than I would have girl. Keep on truckin’
Wow. I am so sorry to hear about all the mishaps that you two went thru. That is so unfair, and I can only imagine the stress you both endured. But as a new subscriber, I am happy to hear that your new 2019 Toyota that you recently bought is working great😊. You two deserve nothing but the best in your travels, business and life!😊😊Looking forward to your new adventures!
Great vid! I just found you guys recently because an Amelia build vid popped up in my suggested vid thread. Then I realized I believe I'd seen you guys hanging with your friends in another vid on another channel that I love and sub (Live Work Wander). Anyway subbed and looking forward to watching your new overlanding direction. Amelia was pretty cool but as I'm sure you came to realize, she would have been a handful on alot of the back roads that I'm guessing an adventurous couple such as yourselves would be all about exploring. That's where the best places can be found right! You made the right decision IMO! I'll be watching as I have a nissan frontier that I like to take little adventures in but dont get to as often as Id like. When I cant get out I love to watch utube adventuring vids to get my fix.
Jorge & Jessica are so very near and dear to our hearts! We call them our road parents! We met them because we asked for advice before we hit the road and totally hit it off! We appreciate you hopping on for the ride over here on out channel. We were sad to say goodbye to Amelia but I think in the end it is more important that we have something that can get us to the places we want to be! See you somewhere down the road!
Well it sure was fun watching your journey with the build. Im glad you had to sell because of mech issues and not personal or health problems which I was afraid to hear. Enjoy your journeys hope to meet you on the road some time. @ brioftarth.
Hey guys, I'm from New Zealand and 50 yrs old. I can't tell you how much of an inspiration I found your last 2 updates and admire you both for continuing to journey on towards what makes you happy. You should be very proud of what you have so far accomplished and risked. I've been trying to talk my husband around to tiny living but I don't think it's in his makeup (yet!). I wish you both all the happiness and continued success in your lives and safe travels.
Thank you so much! This absolutely melted my heart! I'm so happy to hear that you got something of our experience because that means that we weren't the only people who gained a good experience out of the deal! I hope you can convince him that some version of life on the road is for him because it's really an incredible experience to decide where you want to wake up every morning!
I wish you both all the luck in the world you both deserve it!
That means the world to us. Thank you!
Wow, these aren't the comments I expected to see after watching through these videos. I'm surprised by the amount of people trying to poor salt in the wounds of a couple who spent so much energy to make AMAZING videos of their LIVES , just for us to enjoy. I love the insight you presented! And want you to know you've already saved me from making costly mistakes on my personal Sunrader project. I'm extremely grateful!
Well said. I don't understand the anger or smugness some are showing about this. They made a decision that was right and comfortable for them. It is no-one else's concern really.
@Les Claypool : Since it is not YOUR rig, why would you get angry about it? These people aren't telling you you have to do the same, just showing us what they did.
I'm pleased they are willing to share their experience (and I hope they do make some money off the clicks and views). I would do some things differently as that is what suits my camping style. That doesn't make what they choose 'wrong'... they should set up their vehicle the way they want (as should you).
Getting angry about how someone sets up their own camper is not a rational response IMO.
they are so STUNNING and BRAVE.
Such sage advice. Thank you. And thank goodness Amelia's new family is dealing with all the safety issues you pawned off on them without telling them.
Lesson learned is when building/ upgrading/ repairing a "house" always start with the foundation! Always. In this case the frame, axles, tires...are the foundation for the house. If the foundation is weak or bad then it does not matter what is done above the foundation. A new living space on top of a weak foundation (house or motor vehicle) will produce bad results & be unsafe. Plus what Robert Ottwell says. We all learn as we travel through life. Take care.
So very true. The problem was that we were trying to fix this issue the entire time we were working on the build and just got to work on the interior so we weren't sitting around waiting for something to happen. Never in a million years was this how we thought the whole thing would go down in the end
@@BoundForNowhere Good points. Not something you would come across normally
Sound advice.
Wow! That was really hard!💔 Not a cop out at all! I am sorry you both had to go through that! How exhausting! Hope your next build is the dream you both want!!🎊
Thank you so much. In the end we had to do what was right for ourselves. Good things are to come!
Thanks for sharing your experience.
Still not understanding why you went from dual axle to single axle? Why did you go to a dealership instead of an off-road shop?
Im thinking the plan may not of ever to keep it but to have something to draw viewers to experience of the rebuild, then turn around and sell it for at least what they put in it which if these are so rare it might of been a good idea but still the single axel doesn't fit that plan?
They didn't go from dual axles to a single axle, they went from dual wheels to single wheels
im from new brunswick canada ..about 30 minutes from Nova Scotia and 1 hour from Prince Edwards island ..you will love it there ..im stuck in Wisconsin now ..but will move back some day
I've wanted a Sunradar or Dolphin forever, but what you went through is exactly what I'm afraid of compiled with the fact I'm not a builder. Glad you put safety first.
Cool you came to Nova Scotia, hope you had fun. I see you camped at Partridge Island Beach, i spotted the fishing weir immediately!!
Wow! I’ll never look at a Sunrader the same way. Thanks for the heads up!
Sure thing!
Wow what a trip! I'm glad you have found happiness with your new Tacoma Camper! About to look at the video in a few minutes. Be safe and have fun!!! You deserve it after all that work! The new interior of Amelia is beautiful!
Epic story, thanks for sharing. You went thru the cauldron, so glad the wheel loss was not worse. I can relate... bought me a 1980 Toyota Dolphin back in December, still working on it! Did not find out about the recall issue until a few weeks after I bought it. I've never changed a spark plug before, nevertheless, my brother in law and I found and manipulated a 1-ton Nissan pickup dually axle into shape, figured out bolts, used the original leaf springs, now supplemented with coil springs, and finger's crossed. About to make first voyage since axle swap out. Heck of a project, but as you said, "safety had to come first". Not a job for the faint-hearted, but when you do it yourself, all the bolts get bolted and you know what you got. If you are driving on a "fooley" stop now... please, people died because of those badly engineered wheels, the bearings fail, reverse barbell effect under weight, and they fail tragically.
Best wishes, James :)
So Unfortunate ... but decisions needs to be made and change is inevitable ... Great no one got hurt. keep up the awesome work ! thanks !
Sorry you're getting all these bad comments. You did the best you could with what you had in front of you. Anything any of us do that's adventurous will come with the good and bad, and you learn along the way. It's a journey, not a destination- a cliche that gets to the heart of some of our hearts. So no, it's not a cop out to call it a day on one path to start on another. Sending good thoughts that on your journey you can continue to grow, learn, and share your experiences. From my perspective, you valued everything right: time with your dad, communicating with your partner and prioritizing safety. My husband and I are in the middle of converting our garage into a workshop. We're figuring it out as we go. We've also built a shed on our property, recently built a trailer for 4 kayaks that can also hold our gear and coolers, and we spent 15 years on our motorcycles with everything that entails. What I hear in your video is you have grit and respect for the process. Did you make a mistake on your axel solutions, probably. But many of us have looked for cost efficient solutions only to realize later it's too complicated or simply doesn't work. Keep on keeping on and you're life will be full of crying on the side of the road, cops come due to a DD call (haha- but good for the people who called!) AND getting to finally travel and the ups and downs of that. Good luck!
My friend Billy just drove his 4x4 Sunrader from SoCal to Aspen and back. Only complaint was the speed going up the Mt's. The dully is the stability.
I’m looking at a 2wd 93 raider with 1ton from the factory recall or a 04 Chevy retired ambulance to do a build out and this video has given some insight. Thanks
Bummer it didn't work out as you had hoped for. I hate that some "shop" didn't treat you the way they should have. Sadly, its a growing trend..unqualified "technicians" doing work they aren't qualified to do. You guys did a lot of work to Amelia and it turned out nice. I enjoyed watching the build. On the bright side, your replacement TACO should serve you well for years to come. My 02 TACO has 236K miles on it and all that's ever been replaced was the idle air control valve.
Man that right there is what we love about Toyotas! Owen's dad is also rocking a Tacoma with 265k on it and it drives like a dream! We hope to inhearite it one day!
Wow that was incredible to watch. Four years ago I purchased an airstream shell which I am now trying to get rid of as I sell my house and figure out what is next. Towing an Airstream seems like too much for me full time(I have no experience towing anything) but I’m coming around to the idea that I could handle a van or truck camper. I have two dogs, 50 + 30 lbs, and a cat which leaves me wondering how small I can go and comfortably fit my animal crew. I can see how difficult it must have been to let go of your Amelia so quickly as I am attached to my Airstream and didn’t even put work into, just used it as an art studio for a while. It is inspiring how you turned your failure around. Thanks for sharing your story, you are so brave, raw, and honest about the challenges you faced and how you bounced back. You’re resiliency is impressive and it’s wonderful to see how swiftly you found a way to get back into life on the road.
Thanks for the update and the explanation.
I hope you continue to make videos on your adventures. I think they would be entertaining.
It doesn't appear that there was any *shag carpet* to rip out of the Tacoma build, as there was in Amelia..... "carpet on the walls, carpet on the ceiling, carpet in the cabinets, carpet on the floor, carpet in the cab." HAHA
Lucky for us there was NO CARPET! I would have died if there was ;)
So inspiring. Thank you for sharing. Looking forward to Future content.
-205
Thank you we really appreciate it!
You guys did the right thing...GL in your adventure quests!
Good outlook on how Amelia taught you so much. The Maritimes are on my bucket list. Enjoy your travels.
Good story. I,'ve always admired these Toyota MH,s, but your story makes me feel a little bit better having never invested in one. Now I could write a book about my VW camper fiascos. Noticed your patch/decal on dealing.
I love the message. Amelia served her purpose. Heart warmed.
Hi guys, now that i've watched 'Sold', i know why the axle//wheel change, i just expected you to cover it in the final build video. I would have renovated the axle and added air bags but that's just me. I think these things happen for a reason, maybe to provide an opportunity to grow. Looking forward to more adventures. Stay safe guys and keep up the good work.
Haters are going to hate. Good or bad decisions, you learned a lot and individual happiness is important. I once lost a wheel off of a 68 mustang and can say from experience that you all lucked out with how little damage was done.
It's tough when you finally have to throw in the towel. I know first hand. Had a couple Jeeps and a ton of plans. Some worked, some didn't, they all cost money and time that I'll never get back. Long story short, it overwhelmed me, my budget and my family. It truly sucked admitting failure and/or abandoning the projects because that's something I very rarely do but in the end it was the best thing for everyone involved. I really like the honesty, humor, and detail in your videos so keep it up!
been there done that 115 deg 80 miles from nowhere in the middle of the Arizona desert, 15 miles from a paved road in an Artic Cat side x side, what a feeling to see your wheel pass you.
Thanks for the video! Lots of good info that might save some other people from that same trap. It sounds like your diagnosis of loose lug nuts is probably what happened. Most people would call this paranoia, at least till something like this happens, but torque wrenches are pretty cheap and it's always a good idea to go around and torque all the lug nuts yourself to spec on any vehicle you own after driving a couple of miles post tire change, lots of good videos here on how to do that. Trust but verify, lol. Probably just not torqued properly at the shop, but maybe it worked loose by vibration if there was something else wrong in the suspension or driveline. Did you have the rear driveshaft modified or balanced as part of the swap, maybe that was part of it?
Have you put out any videos of the axle conversion you did? I'd be interested in that, and as far I can find there isn't a good A-Z full instuctional video of how to do an axle upgrade on these old campers. Was it a 1 ton truck axle with an aftermarket disk brake kit? I think your best bet maybe would have been to find a good rock crawler focused shop that specialized in axle swaps on off road vehicles. Maybe swap in a dually axle from an F350 or equivalent Chevy or Dodge? It drives my OCD crazy but I think the same bolt pattern thing isn't worth it, just give up and only carry a front spare, you can always limp slowly to a shop with one flat rear tire on a dually. Not an easy problem though, pretty technical stuff. I've gotten into a podcast recently that gets into axle swap stuff and will answer listener questions, High Sierra 4x4, they jokingly call themselves the Axle Talk Podcast.
I've also run into the opposite problem myself, of having issues getting the lug nuts off when you have a flat or need to rotate the tires. I like to use anti-sieze compound on the lug nuts threads, the copper type is best but the normal parts shop silvery stuff works fine. I've also had trouble when some spaz at a tire shop put the lug nuts on with an impact wrench and it took a breaker bar with a long pipe for leverage to break them loose.
We bought an '83 Sunrader, the 21' 2x4 model, and I didn't research the axle issue till after the fact. We were very fortunate though that the axle had apparently been swapped with the proper full floater dually axle during the recall, so we got real lucky with that.
I've had my 1988 18 foot Nissan sunrader for 10 years. I keep looking for something better but have not found anything that can come close to replacing it. Good luck in your search
We have found it. More to come soon!
They are diamonds in the ruff! I’ve been dreaming of one... but after watching this I think I may just stick to living out of my Tacoma.
I have totally been there. I spent tons of time, energy and love trying to get an old Subaru to be the overlanding / daily driving vehicle that I'd been dreaming of. After many upgrades, unplanned fixes and a few broken bits way off-road - I decided to bail it and get a 2001 4Runner. Best decision ever.
Man it's such a hard decision to make too! But glad to hear that you're happy on the other end
Well, there may have been a reason why so few 4x4 versions were made.
Did anyone suggest an old Chevy truck rear axle? Those used the same wheel bolt pattern and are a bit wider and may have helped with the stability. That was a common upgrade to those trucks back in the 80's when it was popular to lift them sky high and stuff 44" tires under them.
Yes! But we didn't find out about them until we were 10k into the new rear end configuration. We were really upset when we did because I think that would have been the best solve. We recommended it to the people who purchased Amelia too.
Darn. I wish I was following your other accounts back then. I was really into 4x4 trucks (gulp) 30 years ago. I had an '86 Toyota 4x4 pick up during my early 20's.
Precisely. Toyota stopped providing chassis to RV builders in the late 80's for a couple of reasons. The axle recall was one of them. I'm of the opinion that smaller is better for overlanding rigs. The Tacoma they bought will prove to be way more useful, practical, economical, and indeed, safer than the Sunrader. I know it was cool rig and seemed amazing while it lasted but good decision to move forward.
@@BoundForNowhere 10k ! You were gouged FFS. You really didn't talk to anyone who could have helped like real old school mechanics not some idiot at the Toyota dealership or aftermarket shops. College educated, focussed on the wrong priorities, over intellectualising and with little common sense I would hazard a guess.
I have to admit, I came into this video with the bias that you made a bad call. But you explained yourself very well and had me convinced by the end. I am so, so sorry everything went wrong like it did on your build; I can relate to that myself so much and it just breaks your heart. Sometimes something happens with a vehicle that leaves you just not trusting it any more, feeling like it's more trouble than it's worth. Sometimes as painful as it is you have to overcome the sunk cost fallacy and get a fresh start on something else. The bottom line is that if a vehicle's sucking the fun out of travel no matter what amenities it offers than the point of said vehicle and amenities is/are lost. Sometimes it's time to get past all the details and get back to basics. Hopefully with how rare these are and how much time/effort you spend rebuilding this got you an amazing price when selling it and that has taken the sting out of everything at least a little bit.
I think that you summed up our feelings so well. Trust in our vehicle is one of the most important things for us to have. We spend too much time out far from civilization and we just need to know that it will be able to take care of us. I'm pretty convinced that the wheel incident set a deep anxiety that we would never be able to fully recover from. In the end this rig has lead us to our new set up that we are so excited about! More to come on all of that, but thank you so much for watching and giving our perspective a chance. We greatly appreciate it.
@@BoundForNowhere Sure! And thanks for taking the time to personally respond.
Obstacles happen theres no good or bad here the work you did will live on for the next family and everyone who followed the build got a piece of satisfaction from watching which was the goal not many people have the talent or time to tackle a project like this, but by being involved as a set of eyes they were - mission accomplished.
Im really sorry that you guys went thru all this. Get out there and enjoy life, keep on trucking on...:)
how sad that you were so miss informed any 4x4 junky could have helped you out not a Toyota dealership Robert Ottwell is right someone scored big time =/
Glad I stopped watching him yap after 2 minutes, dealer that’s hilarious
Maybe if they wouldn’t of filmed and posted all the CZcams crap they would’ve had time to do it right
As you are pouring out your heart here, reading the incredible number of negative comments here is disheartening. You've been truly honest about your journey, I just can't stand those who know what you "should have done" & what's best for you & your situation. It's sad that rather than being supportive, people feel so much better being negative. Wishing you both the best in your new journey! You're very inspiring!
I’ve always wondered how these little Toyotas would drive being so top heavy and on a relatively narrow chassis. If it were sprung to not wallow in turns it would be too tight to off-road on off camber roads. I guess this confirms my beliefs.
Great build and good luck with the next one!
Sheered wheel studs are usually from over tightening. When you over tighten a stud it stretches and loses a lot of it's strength. Always always always use a torque wrench when tightening down lug nuts.
Bingo
It is called growing and living!!!!! awesome explanation. Cheers
Cheers to that! Onward and upward!
In the early 90s I bought a 1979 Sunline micro mini motorhome on a Datsun chassis. It had less than 40k miles on her, completely self contained 4cyl ,4 spd manual transmission. I used it one season, I understand the white knuckle drive. I sold it within a year of buying it, it was not what I was expecting and decided I didn't want to refurbish it because the drive was not comfortable. Fast forward to today.....I now own a 33ft Winnebago Class A on a Ford chassis and this fall I embark on my wife's and I dream of a semi retirement. Sadly my wife passed away in 2017 at the age of 54 and she will be with me in spirit and memory.....good luck in your journeys and enjoy life, you never know what tomorrow may bring.......
Chevy/gmc. 9.5" ring gear , 6 lug , disc brake, , set up for especially for Toyotas. $2,195 with open differential. They're sold in North Georgia.
Love what y'all are doing, sorry so many negative commenters never try anything yet blast those who do. New to your channel glad I found it.
Hey Sam! Thanks for joining us! It's ok... we pay them no mind! We are in the business of doing what's right for us, the rest is just noise ;)
I’ve read a lot of comments from Monday Morning Quarterbacks. I think you guys did the right thing for YOU. Sure, there were things you could have done differently. I think the point is that you got Amelia to the next stage of “her” life and the new owner can tackle all of those things with a brand new interior. I really know how you feel as I own a 1977 GMC Motorhome and that I bought from an old timer who had taken it as far as he could.
Kudos to you for making the leap into the next chapter!
Thanks for the closure! Well done series... and you guys are rockstars! Definitely inspired and motivated me to get my Tundra set up for over-landing and working from the road. Thanks again and safe travels.
Happy to share even though it took us a while to get it finished! Just needed some time to dry our tears so we could talk on camera about it ;) See you out there!
Just ran across your channel and subbed. You two have a great attitude and will make things work with whatever you decide to build... You did a great job building the Sunrader, but it's too bad that you were mislead with the suspension build. This could have been a very safe and capable overland rig with the correct choices.. Thanks for sharing the adventure!!
Super inspiring, you're honest and lovingly candid presentation appreciated!
This is a good cautionary tale. You can't fudge physics. I've thought about doing this but standard cabinetry techniques wouldn't work they are too heavy. And reducing the track width probably wasn't a great idea ever. Thanks for helping others not make the same mistakes.
Y'all did good. Everything in life is a learning experience. Keep on trucking!☮☮☮