Colaws RV Salvage

HandyDan · October 11, 2012, 06:47 PM

I went to Colaws RV Salvage near Carthage, MO last Monday to check for some used parts I needed for my MH. The last time I went, about a year ago, they didn't have a large inventory on the lot. They had just sent a load of them to the scrap yard. This year the lot was full. They had hundreds of motorhomes. I was stunned at how many of them were diesel pushers with the rear end burned out. I guess the DPs catch fire quite easily since there were so many of them. The other biggest fire was the refrigerator. I know there has been quite a bit of discussion on running down the road with the fridge on propane. Just mosey through the lot and see how many of them have the side burned out might make you think twice about that practice. I didn't find all that I was looking for, but just browsing through the lot is like a kid in a candy store. They had lots of captain's chairs, sofas, recliners, and other furniture. Unfortunately, they have large price tags as do most of the other items in the store. However, if you need a particular item and can't find it any where else, Colaws will probably have it. You just have to be willing to pay the price they think it is worth.

ClydesdaleKevin · October 11, 2012, 11:02 PM

Did they have a whole leveling jack set for an 89 Holiday Rambler Imperial?....

Kev

recycled55 · October 11, 2012, 11:39 PM

I was there about a month ago and bought my newer motorhome there. I got a 2007 four winds hurricane. Less than 5 thou on the clock and 30 something hours on the genny. That place definitely has lots of burn out units out there in the back lot.
Its definitely out in the middle of nowhere land.
recycled55

ClydesdaleKevin · October 12, 2012, 08:08 AM

We travel all the time with the fridge set to propane...didn't realize it was a possible safety issue, but we really don't have much of a choice as fulltimers and the distances we travel if we want to keep our food fresh.

On a good note about that though, the rebuilt fridge we bought 2 years ago from an RV fridge place down here in NC is a Dometic, and there was a recall on the fridge requiring a wind shroud be added to the base near the burner tube to prevent just such a devastating fire occurance, and it was installed by the fridge place before they sold it to us...no problems so far, and it stays lit while we travel.

Kev

Oz · October 12, 2012, 11:48 AM

We also traveled with our LP on for the fridge. There really was no way for that little flame to be able to burn, or cause enough intese heat outside of its housing to start a fire.

In fact, it may not be the LP which caused these fires. Perhaps it's what's known to be the culprit of RV fires far more often... electrical(?)

The fridge wires run outside the fridge and are often secured directly to the wood. Lots of potential there if the wires are bare or damaged.

HandyDan · October 12, 2012, 12:24 PM

Kevin, they did have a complete leveling set. I didn't get the price on it, though. As I said before, they have a great appreciation for their parts.
As far as refrigerator fires go, I was cleaning out the back of the fridge on my old Tioga Arrow class C when I noticed a little twig hanging down near the top of the opening. When I pulled on it some more twigs fell down. After using a metal yard stick to probe around up there, a whole pile of twigs, strings, leaves, etc. came falling down. A couple of birds has managed to make a really comfy home up there. When looking at the back of the refrigerator you would never know it was there.

Froggy1936 · October 12, 2012, 01:10 PM

Refrigerator fires are caused by a leak in the refrigerator operating syestem (most likely aggravated by road vibration) The highly inflamable hydrogen gas that is used in the syestem does the damage when it contacts the small propane flame. The replacement unit that i installed a year ago i paid an extra $100.00 for a non flamable gas The rerigerator works well though about 10o warmer than the original unit . When the original leaked (it was operating on AC ) and i smelled the ammonia inside the fridge . Note when this happens anything not in a sealed bottle or package is ruined immeadiatly Frank

ClydesdaleKevin · October 12, 2012, 11:08 PM

LOL Dan! Our friend Julie as a 90 Holiday Rambler Alumilite motorhome similar to ours, with leveling jacks that don't work. I keep offering to buy them from her but she keeps saying she'll have them fixed some day. She recently said she's going to sell the rig in a year or two, so she said she'd sell them to me before she sells it, since having them or not won't really affect resale value. I'm still hoping she'll sell them before then...lol!

They'd bolt right on! No mods or anything! I like this plan!

Kev