1994 Winnebago Brave

peters2022 · 05-09-2022, 10:56 AM

Hello!

Just got my first motorhome handed down to me from my mom and I am excited to get my family out for our first trip. I have a 1994 Winnebago Brave 33ft. It's a bit of a fixer-upper but everything is there.

My wife and I have 5 children of our own and have another foster child as well.

We live in Wisconsin and love making the trip to the Northwoods and staying at state campgrounds.

I joined the forum for some helpful hints as far as service and maintenance and to connect with other owners with more experience.

Thank you for reading!

Anthony

Morich · 05-09-2022, 11:24 AM

Welcometo the group and hope it never needs "fixing" but most do and the more we each know, the easier that fix may be!

So I will send along some links to things that may help educate you on the RV or maybe let you find some parts---before they give trouble!

Parts to see where it may be and how to get to things?
https://catalog3d.winnebagoind.com/menu/Parts.htm

Plumbing is always a wonderfull thing to study?
https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...m/Plumbing.htm

And wiring of course?
https://www.winnebago.com/Files/File...ram/Wiring.htm

Beyond blowing your mind (sorry!) one big first thought is the way batteries running down is a frequent problem for the novice Rv folks. Watch them carefully and try not to let them run down while not being used as that is a major point for lots of folks . One big item is that there are battery cutoff switches-----which don't actually cutoff ALL
the drains and things go downhill if we don't work to avoid killing good batteries!

peters2022 · 05-09-2022, 11:46 AM

Thank you for the information. I have been in and out of it a lot while I am checking everything over and cleaning it out. I have a battery tender plugged into it most of the time but I disconnect it when going inside and out just so the wires dont get pinched under the stair/battery cover. I know how that goes as my boat has a phantom drain I've never been able to figure out either.

Drivetrain wise, the coach is in excellent condition and I would trust driving it long distances. Interior wise, I've been working to get it fully operational and looking nice. I'm up for the challenge though.

Definitely happy for the links. I will save those and refer to them as needed.

Morich · 05-09-2022, 12:52 PM

Sounds like a good deal going on and lots of potential.
The batteries are often the big thing and having a small charger is always a good thing.
But do be aware that the Rv battery that only gets used once in a while has a harder go at staying charged and part of that is just knowing to watch!
Some RV have a small item called a Trik-L-Start added that will let a little current go from the coach batteries to the start battery, some come set with it, some have been added and some have none, so a bit of looking at the you have on your setup may make it easier, or not.
That small gizmo can make it possible to just leave the RV plugged in and then the onboard converter will be charging the caoch set and the gizmo lets some go to the start to keepit charged. A bit handier than leaving two chargers on the RV?

Point I found which you might want to look over, is that my battery rack was really open to underneath, so I found it handy to run the charger wires down and out the back to avoid cutting them with the cover?

Just lots of tricks around for the different ways we each use the RV. I really like the older RV when it comes to needing some work as they have differentelectronics and we can hear and feel things when they work. Newer solid state is kind of getting like the TV? IF it breaks just have to throw the whole thing out!