Where to start and get a smoother ride?

[Izzyblueye]

Man! What is that body lean all about? This would indicate serious problems unless you have two flat tires on one side.

[Dogpatch]

Camera lens. Likely wide angle.

[Catbones]

I think that's just the way I took the picture my drive way is slanted uphill but no angle. I will retake a picture and look at that next time I see her. She's in storage till May.

Originally Posted by Francesca

If you have heavy-lug tires, or tires that aren't matched, that can contribute to rough ride.

Side note:

Is it just my old eyes, or does the camper body distinctly lean-to-streetside as it appears to do in this pic?

[Catbones]

Here's a few questions I've been thinking about;

1. If she does lean to one side, what could it be, possible frame damage? shocks? springs?

2. I've been also looking for a few days now at other peoples photos all over the web and I can't seem to find a single 1978 Dodge Sportsman on a B300 that looks anywhere close to mine. Maybe it's not a 1978 as the previous owner thought and had the manuals, brochures for. Any way to check it since the VIN is very old. Suggestions?

[Catbones]

Closest I could fine so far a 1977 but its a Winnie Minnie Winnebago... all others look weird, still can't confirm if its matching the interior the same, I'm guessing the interior was custom back in the day? most have sinks on opposite side or different bathroom layout.

[Francesca]

This won't help with body style etc, but might help establish the chassis year...

I'm pretty sure that the VIN will follow Dodge's formula. You might take a look at the site at this link- I think you can decode your VIN there.

[Catbones]

Originally Posted by Francesca

This won't help with body style etc, but might help establish the chassis year...

I'm pretty sure that the VIN will follow Dodge's formula. You might take a look at the site at this link- I think you can decode your VIN there.

Thank you, however seems my VIN doesn't have a letter in it. :( just numbers first and letters later. Can I post my VIN here ??? or is that against rules or privacy or something?

[Francesca]

I don't think anyone would care if you post the VIN- and maybe somebody could chime in and help decode it for you!

[Catbones]

Just wanted make sure I didn't miss a forum rule or anything. In any case, here it is, if someone can figure out all of it in decoding I would greatly appreciate it. I'm starting to think its a 1979 not 1978... with a 400 engine not 360.. but I might be wrong.

VIN: 10445J292979

[Francesca]

Hmmm...I see what you mean. Is that the number from the Title or an identification plate fixed to the vehicle?

Here's where my ignorance shows- now I'm not sure about how VINs may have been assigned. Now I'm thinkin' Winnebago must have done that, and their codes would be different, probably denoting a whole different bunch of things.

But here's another thing to look at, taken from another site at which the guy says that regardless of what they were subsequently used for, ALL Dodge chassis have a serial number stamped right on them. According to him, here quoting

"It is located on the frame facing the outside, above the right front leaf spring. You can find it inside your wheel well. It might require some scraping or a wire brush. The picture below doesn't do it justice, but you can make out a string of numbers and letters."

Here's the pic:

[Murf2u]

So there's no VIN or other ID plate in the drivers door jam or in the corner of the windshield?

[Catbones]

Nope, not that I've seen last year, not did I bother to look closer for that since I was more looking after rebuilding the front bunk area then figuring out what is in my driveway. In any case, bunk area rebuilt last year, stored RV for this year, kids love the bunk area btw just roooomy.

I'll be taking her out in May so I'll take a look and see. Until then, I guess just the number?

Any way there is a winnebago database to look this # up?

[Catbones]

Hi everyone,

I've bought my beast out of storage and surprisingly she started up after a few pumps of fuel into the old beast.

I still haven't found a VIN or anything other than the stuff in my registration.

However, I had to take the single aux battery out since it was dead and seemed to be putting a low on the main battery. The story of that was that the previous owner has setup so that the aux charges with the main battery as the vehicle was on. He did a really bad job.

Does anyone have better ideas and diagrams of how I can put two or three aux batteries in, interconnect them and have them charge while in motion?

Thanks.

[Doggy Daddy]

Your RV is a Class C. The VIN plate are always located just under the lower left-hand side (driver's side) of the windshield. The law requires that this VIN plate be intact and present on every vehicle.
A vehicle identification number (VIN) has been stamped onto every automotive engine since 1981, when the practice became standardized. (There could be one on yours) The VIN is usually in numerous locations within a vehicle, but the number will always be on the engine block itself. The VIN is stamped on an aluminum strip that is attached to the 360 engine block or on the engine block itself. The VIN has 17 digits containing both letters and numbers. Each character represents a piece of information about the vehicle.
If your Data plate is missing, the Vin Number may be stamped on the passenger side of the frame above the right steering tire. You may have to sand the paint off to disclose the VIN.

Vin Number Information » dodgetravcos.com - Long Lasting Dodges

How to Find the Numbers on a 360 Engine Block | eHow.com

http://www.classicwinnebagos.com/Pag...INdecoder.html