Getting our 1989 Winnebago Warrior 22EC ready for the road...

[engineer bill]

On Feb 5, 2014 I somewhat impulsively bought this 25 year old Winnebago Warrior 22EC with 59,000 miles on the clock, for $5,000. I had been interested in a smaller self contained RV that could get into the state and national forest campgrounds for some time and so this 22 ft Class A seemed like just the ticket. When I showed up to take a look at the RV, the owner had it running and also the generator was running. The coach appliances all seemed to work. The tires looked good. The owner showed me a current California Smog Certificate so it was in good running condition. So I thought.... The seller claimed that it had been kept in a Barn in Napa California for the last 15 years. Yeah, right! I brought it home and parked it in front of the house to surprise my wife. Of course, when we went to take the maiden test drive, the battery was dead. No problem I thought, I'll just call AAA. Of course AAA did not cover the RV and so I got stuck for $75 ouch! So I went right out and bought a portable jumper device. It has turned out to be a really good investment.


I took Winne to our local RV Shop to be evaluated. The estimate that came back was just stunning. A complete cooling system overhaul. Soup to Nuts. Fan blade (fatigue cracks), fan clutch, radiator, water pump, thermostat, all belts and hoses, cap, overflow bottle etc. Brake job including front rotors. Two damaged tires (both cunningly mounted on the inside position of the dual backs), Major tune-up. (How did it pass smog if it needed a tuneup?) Front and rear airbags. New batteries and battery isolator switch. and so on. I looked at most of these parts and they were indeed shot.


I was a mechanical engineer before I retired on disability, and so had, for many years when I was young, done all my own repairs and even replaced a few engines. However, I had underestimated the damage the ravages of time would do to this old rv and having bought Toyotas for the last 20 years did not remember that 80's Chevys were pretty tired at 60K miles. I wasn't up to doing all this work myself but I did have some idea of what was involved. I also read up on Chevy 454 motor homes and so I had some knowledge of the problem areas. In the end I just sucked it up and paid for the repairs, more than I paid for the vehicle.


I was not happy with the progress of the shop, but they had done the old mechanic's trick: "Sure, bring it in we'll get right on in" and then tear it apart and put it on the back burner. It's hard to get any leverage when your vehicle is all in pieces. They kept calling every week with a new increased estimate. 5 weeks later I finally got it back. Their bill did not list itemized parts. Only huge amounts for subsystems. They told me that was how they did things. Uh Oh. Over the next few months, much of the work came "undone". The batteries were wired to the solenoid backwards, there was a huge parasitic current on the SLA battery, the cooling system leaked, the belts chirped, the a/c no longer worked and the new air bags leaked down to zero overnight. Yikes!


I finally I just decided that I was going to have to do the work myself if I wanted it done right.


I started with a list. A long list. Then I prioritized it. The first order of business was fix all the little things, leaks and so on. Next, after our first camping trip, we decided to add a gps and a back-up camera system. I bought a Garmin 760LMT which has a 7" diagonal display with an RV oriented navigation systmem paired with a wireless backup camera. Most first project will be to install it. My next post will give some details of this and I'll be adding more on the projects as I go along.

[tiinytina]

Welcome to the fun... search the general board for our running winter joke of "things the PO said".... (ie lies the PO told you)... mine was supposedly in a barn 10+ too... um yea whatever.  This site will teach you how to fix everything and then some.... rig looks awesome!  And yes most of us do our own and have friends who help....

Tina

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Welcome to our little piece of the web.   Sorry to hear about the rough start but in the end you will be much happier with it knowing you did things right.   If you join the site, we have the 88 and 89 P30 chassis manuals in the free Manuals sections.  A 3 volumn set (Service, Unit, and wiring diagrams).

Good luck

Dave

[M & J]

Welcome aboard.

[davecaprita]

eBill,

From an 87 22RC owner, "It needs some work but it looks pretty dog gone good" is always a better place to start than "it needs some work and its ugly to boot".  Glad to have you and your wife join the parade.   

[Froggy1936]

Bill that is a fantastic looking rig It could pass for a 2010 model To bad you picked the wrong shop , Or that you did not just do it all yourself in the first place , But now you should be well on your way to a decent veh , Remember a new one costs $75K to $100 K so im sure you are far from that . And a new one needs major repairs after 5 yrs anyway . Welcome to the Ill never get it all done club  Frank

[TripleJ]

Everything that Froggy1936 said, point by point. 

[Stripe]

Welcome to the group Engineer Bill.. You'll have fun here. And remember, doing it yourself gives one a great sense of ownership..

[legomybago]

You joined a great site....Now get back underneath that beast...I want to see some bloody knuckles

[Stripe]

You joined a great site....Now get back underneath that beast...I want to see some bloody knuckles

I want to see some bloody photos..

[engineer bill]

The issue with working on it myself is that I am recovering from a very close call with lung cancer year before last. I am finally beginning to feel like myself but have to go at the "bloody knuckles" at a more sedate pace than I used to back in the day.

Thanks every one for the encouragement.

[M & J]

As I said, welcome aboard.

Just watch out for the crazies.

[Froggy1936]

Changed my mind about the looks like a 2010 model, It looks more like a 2012 That is a very nice setup inside too . Now im really jealous  D:oH!   Frank

[chip2lane]

We have a 1991 23 EC that we have been working on for the last year. Labor of love for sure! We have had her out several times lately and working out the final bugs. The last major thing we have to do is repaint the outside. Yours look beautiful! Good luck.

[kattkisson]

Have a '93 Warrior 22 that had been setting outside with some of the windows cracked open for 5 years.  Had on my Rose colored glasses when I bought it for $4200.  Its been a long road back but doing the work myself it is a pleasure to drive.  The biggest unsurmountable problem so far has been the floor which with the open windows is not in the best of shape. Some of those years they just used an waferboard and alum. sheet floor and waferboard and long term water don't mix. I too installed a back facing camera on a bracket I constructed from 3/8" SS tubing that necks over the spare tire.  Had some leaks in the air bag remote hoses.  The little flat gaskets they use in the fittings need to be sealed up with some type of gasket sealer. I replaced all the engine water hoses and be sure to use Silicone hose on the thermostat bypass hose as it will last forever. The others you can get to. Keep us informed as you have a good looking rig.  Your floor plan is completely different and is actually better than mine.  If I can help with particulars contact me.   

[engineer bill]

Thanks so much for the encouragement. I feel better about the investment.

[ClydesdaleKevin]

Looks good! 

Kev

[engineer bill]

RV Priority List



1. Wife want’s shelf above the bed with a reading light. TOP PRIORITY
2. Install a microwave oven (see number 1 above)-DONE, but needs a little wood platform to hold it above the cabinet bottom lip.
3. Install Smoke (dual sensor) and CO alarms-DONE
4. GPS & Backup Camera-IN PROGRESS, working on shake free display mounting an backup camera location.
5. Replace RH Windshield (cracked)-IN PROGRESS
6. Replace Wiper Blades-IN PROGRESS, found parts
7. Re-wire, or should I say unwire the kluge job, and wire the wipers to power through the wiper parking circuit (see the photo below!)-IN PROGRESS (I'm pretty good with wiring)
8. Air Bag Suspension Leaks, upgrade to sensors-IN PROGRESS (bought all the parts on friday from McMaster-Carr)
9. Battery Box Wiring, Batteries, Isolator Switch, Circuit Breakers, Battery Monitoring System-IN PLANNING STAGE, purchasing parts
10. Repair or Replace Cruise Control-IN PLANNING STAGE
11. Replace LPG Alarm using the 2 wire alarm I have. This will free up the gas solenoid valve to put a switch on the monitor panel. -IN PLANNING STAGE
12. Radio with Bluetooth Phone & Music-IN PROGRESS, I have the part.
13. Repair Dash Wiring. Replace headlight switch, key switch, turn switch, wiper switch, cruise switch. These switches are all pretty much shot with loose and intermittent open circuit. -LOOKING FOR PARTS
14. Install real gauges. HAVE PARTS

The steering is a little sloppy. I'm finding that when driving with a wind, when I come around a corner and the wind shifts, the lurch from one side of the steering slop to the other is scary. I've been told that the steering stabilizer is worn out but that a replacement is not available. I was also told that replacing the tie rod ends and so on is prohibitively expensive. Any one out there have any suggestions? SOME GREAT SUGGESTIONS (steering box adjustment and new steering stabalizer from Monroe.) Shocks also?

Here are a couple of photos:

[Rambunctious]

I have paid more in parts and repairs than I paid for my rig too. Don't feel bad...It's only money. When I get to the Camp ground I'm having a cold brewskie with my feet up in less than 15 min. When we did the tent thing I'd be working for an hour or more just to get everything set up. It's worth it. Big Sur here we come.

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

First year Winnebago has electrical wiring diagrams online is 1990.  I suggest you use those for reference while trying to work though your wiring issues.  There is a body wiring diagram for the 27EU version which should be a little helpful.  The automotive side is in the 22EC version.  They should be fairly similar to yours being only one year difference.

http://www.winnebagoind.com/diagram/1990/1990_Wiring_Models.htm

Dave

[cncsparky]

Great looking ride, Bill!  As far as steering, I haven't heard of any part of the P30's steering system that isn't still available somewhere.  I just replaced the steering stabilizer on my '87 chassis with a Monroe. 

[LJ-TJ]

It's funny reading your thread as I think we all started out finding the GREAT 30 year old, one owner, mint condition barn find only to find out afterwords why the guy was selling it so cheap. Many of us have twice sometimes three time what there worth invested in them but there our HOT ROD's  so's to speak and the guys and ladies here are fantastic when it comes to helping out. Welcome aboard. I'm enjoying reading your thread. 

[engineer bill]

I'm surprised no one has commented on the picture attached above titled "snakes nest." This is a picture looking up at the fuse box on the left side under the steering wheel. I might as well have named it "this is going to burn you down". The workmanship of some of the repairs on the Winne is just appalling.
Here is is again.

[M & J]

I dare say Bill no one commented because we all have faced that to some degree.

If anything, welcome to the club.

[DaveVA78Chieftain]

Welcome to the world of previously owned RV's Bill.
If you review the posts, you will find many people (Kevin, Fredrick, Mike, etc.) tow with their P30 based rig.  Biggest concern seems to be tongue weight.

Dave