You get a new RV — or a new-to-you one, but can’t seem to locate the owner’s manual? Don’t worry, it’s totally possible to find old RV owners’ manuals online when you end up needing them, but only if you know where to look. In this article, we will share links to a number of owner’s manuals from well-known manufacturers.
Old RV Owner’s Manuals by Manufacturer
Airstream Owner’s Manuals
It’s not uncommon to buy a vintage Aisrstream used for a good price. Fortunately, Airstream owner’s manuals are available online dating back to 1964.
Coachmen Owner’s Manuals
A popular manufacturer of both travel trailers and motorhomes, Coachmen offers an online database of owner’s manuals.
Fleetwood Owner’s Manuals
From Class A to Class C and ranging back all the way to 1971, you’re sure to find the owner’s manual you need in Fleetwood RV’s database.
Forest River Owner’s Manuals
Forest River is the parent company of a variety of subsidiary companies, such as Dynamax and Palomino. They have a database of interactive online manuals.
Gulf Stream Coach Owner’s Manuals
Gulf Stream Coach is one of the biggest names in the business, and they’ve done well cataloging their owner’s manuals online.
Heartland Owner’s Manuals
Heartland RV offers three online owner’s manuals: a general version, one for its Landmark line of products, and one for its Destination travel trailers.
Jayco Owner’s Manuals
Jayco RVs are some of the most commonly seen on the road, and luckily their owner’s manuals are available online.
Keystone Owner’s Manuals
Keystone RV specializes in travel trailers, building fifth wheels, toy haulers, destination trailers and more. You can browse their bank of online owner’s manuals.
KZ Owner’s Manuals
KZ RV is the parent company of well-known designs like Sportsmen, Durango and more. Their online owner’s manuals date back to 2013.
Newmar RV Owner’s Manuals
Newmar doesn’t offer a database of its manuals online, but the company will send you a copy if you call their customer service line at 1-800-731-8300.
Tiffin Motorhomes Owner’s Manuals
Tiffin models you may have heard of include Allegro, Zephyr, Wayfarer and more. Browse their online database of owners manuals.
Winnebago Owner’s Manuals
Winnebago is a name so classic, it’s basically synonymous with motorhomes as a whole. Browse Winnebago operating manuals all the way back to 1981.
Still Need Help Finding an RV Owner’s Manual?
Although the resources above offer many of the most complete databases of online owner’s manuals available, it’s still possible you’ll need to find a manual that’s simply not listed on the manufacturer’s website. Here’s how to go about that.
How To Find Owners Manuals Online
A web search for your specific make and model of RV could prove fruitful, as an owner may have uploaded a PDF on their own. You could also try online RV discussion boards and forums, such as Reddit, or owner’s clubs specific to a given make, such as Airstream. Members of these clubs are often very proud of their setups and may be happy to upload a PDF for you even if there’s not one uploaded already.
Online shopping and trading destinations, like eBay and Craigslist, may also be worthwhile if you’re looking for a specific manual, particularly if you want an actual paper copy. You may have to pay for a manual that you source this way, but you could get it quickly and relatively easily, and have access to the full text in book form.
Finally, you could consider contacting the manufacturer directly. Chances are they’ll be happy to provide you with a copy of the manual you need, whether in paper or PDF form.
As you can see, it’s totally possible to find old RV owners’ manuals for pretty much any rig out there. We’re certain that with a little bit of digging, you’ll find the exact manual you’re looking for, so you can camp with confidence, knowing you know what you need to know about your rig.
Often, RV manufacturers have archives of RV owner’s manuals available on their websites for download, though some of these may only go back to certain model years. If you have an older or vintage RV, you may have more luck on forums like reddit or RV-specific online discussion boards. You can also check eBay, Craigslist and other similar online peer-to-peer shopping platforms.
In many instances, yes! The best place to check first is your RV’s manufacturer’s website, where you may find your RV owner’s manual available for free download as a PDF.
Your RV owner’s manual is like your RV Bible. It contains critical information about how to set up and use your RV’s various systems, including electrical, plumbing, and appliances, as well as detailed maintenance items that will help keep your rig ship-shape for as long as possible. The manual will also list any manufacturer warranty that may apply and model-specific safety advisories.
If your RV manufacturer goes out of business and they no longer have a website, you may have more luck finding old RV manuals through third-party platforms like reddit and other RV-focused discussion forums, or through online peer-to-peer shopping platforms like Craigslist and eBay.
Because vehicle manuals, including RV manuals, are model-year specific, figuring out the model year is a great first step to finding the right manual online. Start with your RV’s VIN, which should be located visibly somewhere on your motorhome or trailer’s frame. (You can google the model, even if you don’t know the year, for more details.) Once you have that, you can use the VIN to learn the model year using an online VIN-to-year chart.
