1991 Fleetwood M255H

[gmatt2]

New to rving. Recently purchased a 1991 Fleetwood Wilderness, model M225H. So, what I've found so far, is that the travel trailer division of Fleetwood went bankrupt and sold out in 2009. It needs some work and I'm trying to find an owner's manual and any other information.
I'll try and post some pics later.
Anyone out there run into the same issues?

 

[uchu]

Welcome to the forum.

Anyone out there run into the same issues?

What kind of issues are you talking about?

RV Owner's manuals are notoriously useless. They provide very little useful information.

 

[grashley]

Welcome to the Forum! As noted above, Owners Manuals are NOT like one for your car. They have little information specific to your model or floor plan. Wiring diagrams or plumbing schematics do not exist. There are manuals online for many components, like refrigerators, water heaters, furnace, A/C, etc. There are folks here who can help with specific issues. Please be comfortable and ask lots of questions.

 

[Kirk]

So, what I've found so far, is that the travel trailer division of Fleetwood went bankrupt and sold out in 2009. It needs some work and I'm trying to find an owner's manual and any other information.

Actually, the Fleetwood company that made your travel trailer no longer exists as it was sold of by the bankruptcy court in 2009 and the company name and most of the motorhome brands and resources were bought by the REV group who operate them today under the Fleetwood name but it is an entirely different company. Since there were no buyers for the towable part of the Fleetwood company, all of those brands ceased to be made, and all of the related assets were sold of piecemeal to whoever would bid for whatever the court could get. With an RV that is now 33 years old, you would be lucky to find any manuals and drawings, if they ever existed. Your best bet is to ask questions here and to look for others who may have owned a Wilderness of that vintage. Most of what is in your RV is pretty much standard to any trailer of that era and all of the appliances are the same as used in numerous other RVs so help is available here, although probably not manuals.

Your refrigerator was probably made by either Dometic or by Norcold. The furnace and water heater are most likely from either Suburban or Atwood. The most common water pump was probably Sureflow. The most common toilet brand was probably Thetford.

 

[darsben]

You can get the name and model number of all your appliances and down load the service manuals. You will be able to get most spare parts somewhere.

 

[gmatt2]

Thanks for all the information. As for specific issues or questions:

Currently the brakes are locked up and I'm unable to tow it home. I've already tried to free them up, to no avail.
- Did Wilderness come with a factory break-away system for the brakes?

It looks like it's 30 amp and someone has had to rewire the male plug receptacle. (The black electrical tape was a giveaway.) I found another cord that appears to be a 30a extension cord, which is burnt and partially melted.
- Is there any way to determine if my wiring is damaged or if it was a surge from the campground outlet box?

Also, there is an enclosure on the driver's side, forward of the axles, below which appears to be an exhaust reading "hot". When I open the enclosure it's been framed out with 2x4's and insulation but I see an apparent gas line and previous wiring, but there's nothing there.
- What is supposed to be in that hole?

I was also told it's going to need a new water heater. Is that a pretty straight-forward job? Hopefully I don't need to tear the trailer apart to get to it.

 

[Kirk]

Did Wilderness come with a factory break-away system for the brakes?

I'm not sure but it very likely dd. The brakes are activated by 12V electricity so if there is no battery in it, the brakes can't be actuated that way. The break-away would be a switch that is held open by a plastic plug that has a cable to attach to the tow vehicle and pulling out that plug closes a switch to send power from the trailer's battery to the electric brake solenoids.

It looks like it's 30 amp and someone has had to rewire the male plug receptacle

It probably does have a 30A, 120V power cord and plug. It is normal to have to replace them on occasion due to wear and overheating. Since the RV is not 33 years old it would be very unusual for it to have the original power plug in good condition. It should look like this image or close to it.

- Is there any way to determine if my wiring is damaged or if it was a surge from the campground outlet box?

It is entirely possible that the extension cord was used in a defective outlet that had arcing or some other problem, or that it was used to the limit for too long and so overheated and was damaged. An outlet in poor condition can cause major damage to the plug that is connected to it. You may want to take a picture and post it here. To check out the wiring you need a reasonably good, multimeter and then start with checking for shorts to ground and continuity of the circuits. You can also use it to check to be sure that all of the circuit breakers are in good condition. Keep in mind that most of the appliances and the lighting are all 12V and get power either from a battery or from a device called a converter that converts 120V-ac power into 12V-dc power to supply the appliances and recharge the RV battery.

I see an apparent gas line and previous wiring, but there's nothing there.
- What is supposed to be in that hole?

It sounds like your RV had a built-in generator at one time that has been removed. They are fairly common in motorized RVs. This is another situation where a picture or two would probably help us to know for sure.

I was also told it's going to need a new water heater. Is that a pretty straight-forward job?

If the existing water heater is original, it probably uses only propane to heat the water and has 12V power for the controls and ignition of the propane. It might have an electric heating element as well and that would use 120V power if it does. It isn't a terribly difficult job for one who knows a little about RVs and it should not require any disassembly of the RV.

 

[gmatt2]

I'm not sure but it very likely dd. The brakes are activated by 12V electricity so if there is no battery in it, the brakes can't be actuated that way. The break-away would be a switch that is held open by a plastic plug that has a cable to attach to the tow vehicle and pulling out that plug closes a switch to send power from the trailer's battery to the electric brake solenoids.

It probably does have a 30A, 120V power cord and plug. It is normal to have to replace them on occasion due to wear and overheating. Since the RV is not 33 years old it would be very unusual for it to have the original power plug in good condition. It should look like this image or close to it. View attachment 175376

It is entirely possible that the extension cord was used in a defective outlet that had arcing or some other problem, or that it was used to the limit for too long and so overheated and was damaged. An outlet in poor condition can cause major damage to the plug that is connected to it. You may want to take a picture and post it here. To check out the wiring you need a reasonably good, multimeter and then start with checking for shorts to ground and continuity of the circuits. You can also use it to check to be sure that all of the circuit breakers are in good condition. Keep in mind that most of the appliances and the lighting are all 12V and get power either from a battery or from a device called a converter that converts 120V-ac power into 12V-dc power to supply the appliances and recharge the RV battery.

It sounds like your RV had a built-in generator at one time that has been removed. They are fairly common in motorized RVs. This is another situation where a picture or two would probably help us to know for sure.

If the existing water heater is original, it probably uses only propane to heat the water and has 12V power for the controls and ignition of the propane. It might have an electric heating element as well and that would use 120V power if it does. It isn't a terribly difficult job for one who knows a little about RVs and it should not require any disassembly of the RV.

So as far as the brakes, it does have a battery. I didn't see any type of cable but... I'm going to try using the manual adjuster to loosen the brake drums.

On my initial walk-thru, I didn't note any circuit breakers or converter. Not even a furnace for that matter.

The RV is about 4 hours away but I'll update with photos when I can.
I appreciate your help

 

[Kirk]

I assure you that the trailer did have both an electrical panel with circuit breakers and also a furnace, converter, water heater, and probably several other things. If you lift the negative cable from the battery first, you will then know that the brake is not being applied before you start to work on the brakes. The break away switch should look like this if you have one.

It would be mounted on the trailer near to the hitch. The plug in this picture would be out if the brake is being applied. If the trailer has been sitting for a long time, the battery is probably completely discharged. Have you check the battery with a volt meter?

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

I had a 1988 Fleetwood Wilderness Yukon (5W) trailer back in the day and it had all those things you ask about. Fridge, furnace, water heater, electric brakes with breakaway switch, stove/oven, even a rooftop a/c.

That hole you found with a gas (LP?) line was probably where a 6 gallon water heater was located.

In mine, the converter/charger & 12v breakers & 120v CBs were all located under the kitchen cabinets. Had to get down on hands & knees to see or do anything, including manually lighting the fridge pilot light for LP burner mode (later models may have DSI ignition). Furnace had a manually-lit pilot light too.

Don't waste your time looking for an owner manual - very little useful information. Do try to find the appliance manuals, though.

 

[gmatt2]

Thanks everyone for the help. I'll be going back to get it later next month to attempt to pick it up. Hopefully this time I'll be equipped with the correct information to bring it home.

 

[Kirk]

Post some pictures and let us know how things go. We will help in any way we can.

 

[gmatt2]

Ok, I'm here again to pickup the Wilderness. I found the breakaway system this time. Connected to hitch with no wires connected to the trailer battery or the truck pigtail, and the trailer rolls freely. Hook up the pigtail and the brakes lock up. Does a break away system receive power from the truck pigtail?? I thought I was only energized by the trailer battery.

 

[gmatt2]

Ok, I'm here again to pickup the Wilderness. I found the breakaway system this time. Connected to hitch with no wires connected to the trailer battery or the truck pigtail, and the trailer rolls freely. Hook up the pigtail and the brakes lock up. Does a break away system receive power from the truck pigtail?? I thought I was only energized by the trailer battery.

I can hardly drive at home at night without the pigtail hooked up, and no lights on the trailer (brakes, flashers, etc).

 

[gmatt2]

Disregard last. From the way I understand it, the breakaway system works when the plug is removed the circuit is connected, electricity passes between two wires, and the brakes activate.
So I just went out and cut the two wires leading to the breakaway box, thinking that way the circuit could never be connected.
Now, when the pigtail is not connected, the trailer rolls freely. When I hook up the pigtail, the brakes lock up.?.

 

[rvlifer]

I understood it to work the way you describe in the 1st post. When the breakaway cable is pulled power from the battery engages the brakes. I have never had an rv where the brakes engaged when it was plugged into the tow vehicle.

It has been a long time since i had an rv with electric brakes. Current rv has hydraulic disc brakes. Seem to work the same way though. When the breakaway cable is pulled the rv batteries power the brake controller.

Maybe your breakaway brake controller is bad? I never knew for sure but that seems to work like a light switch. When the cable is pulled it completes the circuit. With the cable inserted the power is cut

 

[Kirk]

So I just went out and cut the two wires leading to the breakaway box, thinking that way the circuit could never be connected.
Now, when the pigtail is not connected, the trailer rolls freely. When I hook up the pigtail, the brakes lock up.?.

If you cut the wires from the breakaway, then it's safe to say that it isn't the problem. Are you sure that your connection to the tow vehicle is wired properly on both ends? What you say sounds like the lead that is normally 12V if the tow is connected has been tied to the lead that should supply power when the tow vehicle has the brake applied.

 

[gmatt2]

If you cut the wires from the breakaway, then it's safe to say that it isn't the problem. Are you sure that your connection to the tow vehicle is wired properly on both ends? What you say sounds like the lead that is normally 12V if the tow is connected has been tied to the lead that should supply power when the tow vehicle has the brake applied.

Travel trailer has a 6 pin pigtail (which I'll want to rewire anyway) and I used a converter to 7 pin on the truck. Checked and the 12v on the converter went to the (blue wire) brake controller on the pigtail. After stripping back the sheathing and cutting the blue wire, the brakes unlocked and I had all my lights.

 

[gmatt2]

Thanks for everyone's help. Travel trailer is finally home and I'll start a new thread with some pictures for more advice. I appreciate it