MAYDAY-- MAYDAY needing major help

[Matt]

I have a 1966 16ft Shasta and in need of a lot of help. Its been a while sence I was on here last. I have done and/or have had some work done on the old girl and was ready to go camping this summer until I started trying to find where it is leaking. Well I found it, and was I shocked. Turns out where the roof is ment to fold over the side to create a lapped over edge it missed. So its been leaking for 46 years. In short, the wood is black and rotten in the right rear corner from top to bottom and needs to be replaced in a bad way. I have mother nature to dictate when I can or cannot work on her and she does not even offer an outlet to use power tools. My biggest fear is that I might be biting off more than I can chew. (i.e. WAY OVER MY HEAD) Other than that im having a blast trying to figger out the wiring.

• left turn/ stop is yellow wire witch goes to red wire witch is spliced to green wire somewhere
• right turn/ stop is green wire witch goes to brown wire then goes to green wire somewhere
• service lights is brown wire witch goes to green wire except for the brown wire that I found at the right rear witch is hooked to nothing and there is a black wire and a different size brown wire that comes from who knows where
• aux. that should be red is blue then turns green somewhere

I wont even mention the brakes or the ground wire(s). Who did they have to wire there trailers a color blind chimpanzee or NASA. my ears are blowing steam and my head is spinning trying to figger out what to do.

pleas some one advise me with help. also im doing this by my self...

[ndpap]

Shock and fear is normal. It really is basic construction and there isn't a lot of framing there. Watch Larry's videos ( Mobiltec) at cannedhamtrailers.com They are extremely helpful

[soup]

Best thing to do is walk away for a bit.
(24-48 hours)
While gone, do some research, reading up.

I wanted to mention though, for some reason this is a re-occurring problem for these years of Shasta’s.
(Smallest, narrowest Shasta body design in these years, usually with the orange racing stripe on the side)
Janesfaces' unit the roof skin did not cover side skins in rear corner from factory either. It was missing the side skin by .25" right at the corner bend before in heads down the back. Only thing under J-rail there was exposed wood under the putty tape and the tape, what was dry and still there, hadn't EVER covered all the exposed frame wood.
I ended up removing back skins to roof, removing bottom side skins, taking loose the upper side skins, replacing corner frame sticks, and other rear frame sticks, then re-assembly with re-fitting the roof/back skins bend around that corner to fold over side skins.
Not easy and had bottom skin on/off several times to get proper fit.
Anytime frustration sets in, walk away for at least till after your next meal or 24 hours. I find the 24 hour sleep on it method the best due to it lends to planning the next step while sitting relaxing/thinking in the evening and then morning coffee.
Usually after the 24 hour deal, you have a few more ways to look at it and the courage batteries are recharged by then.
Best advice I can give without getting too nuts and bolts about it.
Good Luck,
soup

[mobiltec]

Jun 8, 2013 6:03:08 GMT -5 ndpap said:

Shock and fear is normal. It really is basic construction and there isn't a lot of framing there. Watch Larry's videos ( Mobiltec) at cannedhamtrailers.com They are extremely helpful

Back then the color codes for the trailer wiring was being changed after already being changed and then they changed again somewhere along the line. I usually replace all the wiring anyways and bring it up to today's color code arrangement. And when you move from 4pin flat plugs to 7 pin round ones, it's different again. Fun eh?

As far as the top is concerned, sounds like the trailer was out of square right there at the factory and that is very typical of Shasta. You will need to replace the entire top skin to fix it. Hemet Trailer Supply will build you a new top skin and ship it to you. But wait till you are at that point in the project to order so you know what dimensions to supply to them. I go a whole inch over the size of the average width of the trailer and then trim it down to a half inch over and bend it over at that point. All this is shown in my videos so go take a look and see what you think.

Hope that helps and good luck,
Larry
Canned Ham Trailers