new guy with new popup (new to me)

[dogmeat]

hi folks. I recently acquired a 1996 Jayco Eagle 8. so it is an 800 of some kind... is there more to the number or is Eagle 8 all I need when it comes time to source parts etc.

VIN is... 1UJA013ET1FAoooo my understanding is that the FA is the part of the code I need for certain parts. thats where my confusion is. exactly what model is that

I got a book with it but its pretty generic... is that just the way they are? I'm a professional mechanic (aircraft) & used to good documentation, so I'm on the lookout for the right parts & maintenance manuals

as for the popup itself... condition is actually pretty good for the age. the canvas is better than average & there are no leaks. it has no water heater, but has a refer & furnace. hand pump water supply. no potty, no AC. furnace & refer work. I had to fix one of the latches for the top.

tires were shot... big time. I had to buy 2 new ones. both tires were worn excessively on the inside half, while the outer half of the tread looked really good. whats up with that? it came with a 2nd set of tires on wheels that looked exactly the same. is it a common thing to these popups? and what are the fixes? I took the new ones to a tire shop and was told they don't balance them. I balanced them on a stand I use for my motorcycle wheels

[mokurt]

The tire wear indicates a bent axle.
Good idea to check the wheel bearings replace or repack as needed and replace the seals.

[sturgissteele]

Welcome to the site from SW Michigan! Sounds like you have a good project. Good luck with everything and happy trails!

[DocBrown]

Welcome to JOF and congratulations on your new popup!

Manuals for most trailers are generic to the model line. So some stuff will not apply. Other things will be vague. I've never had much use for RV manuals. I'm not aware of any available maintenance manuals. You will find what little documentation there is for trailers is about as far away from aircraft documentation as Jupiter is from the sun. The good news is that everything you'll need to do it is common to all pop-ups so you'll find a lot help here and through Google.

The box itself is what is manufactured by Jayco. The frame, appliances, lighting, and anything else that was not fabricated by Jayco is made by 3rd parties. That said, this is good because pretty much anything that needs repair or replacement can be found online, either a direct match or easily substituted. I get a lot things on Amazon or from Etrailer.

Yes, the model is Eagle 8, or Series 8. That infers an 8' box, or close to it.

Balancing trailer tires is a personal preference. I've never had mine balanced.

[Jagiven]

Welcome Aboard!

X2 with what DocBrown has to say.

The documentation is fairly weak. But the good thing is, you can find the latest info on the web. You may struggle finding some parts as your unit is 20+ years old, and somethings might just be discontinued. But I have not seen many changes to the frigs, furnaces or even the lift systems over the years. Everything else is fairly straight forwards.

Happy camping

[RogerR]

I am X2 on the possibility of bent axle. I would crawl under and find the ID which is somewhere out towards the middle of the axle. Call the company of look online on how to find out if it has gone bad.

A new axle is not a ton of money and usually comes with new bearings and seals installed. I like Etrailer due to customer service and reasonable price. If yours has brakes this may be the time to service them or replace them which is actually easier and not much more expensive.
This is all do it yourself with only a few tools and a lot of youtube watching!

If the tires were shot I bet the bearings and seals need replacement anyway!

[dogmeat]

thanks for the replies. I forgot to mention that the first thing I did was pull the hubs & check the bearings. thats how I found the funky tires... they look good from the outside, you would have to crawl under to see the bad part. anyway, the bearings were in good condition except one had a couple of the very slightest tiny marks on the cup (can't feel anything though). everything cleaned, repacked and new seals installed. I'll run it a while & inspect.

I looked at the axle too. looks totally normal. still arched in the middle, the stub ends tie to the frame in a normal manner, no sign of damage or distortion anywhere. the frame looks straight, no visible damage. there's no way to shim anything. there was a part number on the axle but half the tag is missing. not that hard to figure out what it is but I'm not changing parts on hoping it will help. I guess maybe I'll pull the wheels & do some measuring, but it won't be this year.

btw, there are no brakes.

I can't find a parts book that is specific to the model. anybody got a source?

[DocBrown]

Originally Posted by dogmeat

I can't find a parts book that is specific to the model. anybody got a source?

There isn't a parts book. If you do need parts for the lift system you'll have to check with a dealer.

As I said, aside from the box and lift system, everything else is common to all pop-ups and travel trailers. You're mechanical so that's good. These are generally really easy to work on.

Regarding the tire wear, I wonder if the previous owner towed it overweight?

[dogmeat]

upon close inspection, the axle is fine. the more I look at the tires the more I think it's a balance issue, possibly aggravated by wrong tire pressure. the tires are bald on the inside half, but only about 2/3 the way around. the other 1/3 looks more worn than the outer half of the tire but there is still tread. the treadless part is smooth as a bowling ball.


so.... what tire pressure? book says whatever is printed on the tire. what do you guys use? they are load range "C" which has a max of 50psi. if I remember right the tire has 35 on the side. but other tires on my other trailer rigs have the higher pressure.

also..... a wire diagram. where can I get a diagram....

thanks, Tom in AK

[Bobnrtp]

Welcome to the forum. I have a 98 Eagle 10UD and run my tires at max as indicated on the sidewall of the tire 70PSI.

[RogerR]

I upgraded my tires from C to D and increased my pressure from 50 psi to 65. BUT, I regretted using the higher pressure. After reading the Goodyear website I found the pounding had caused over 2,500 miles. Doors popped open, cracked a cabinet and shook everything up in the cabinets. Food was spilled all over.

I am dropping the pressure as Goodyear recommends to allow for the weight carried on my next trip. see this Goodyear site
https://www.goodyearrvtires.com/pdfs/rv_inflation.pdf