Finding used parts for your travel trailer is a great way to save money. The best place to visit is a travel trailer junkyard where you can pull usable parts off junked travel trailers. These places often have travel trailers, campers, caravans, and RV’s. Below I’ll share how the travel trailer salvage yards near me operate and guide you on navigating the yards, the pros and cons, and even selling a junked travel trailer.
Map of Travel Trailer Salvage Yards Near Me
For “Travel Trailer Salvage Yards”, see the map below…
How the Travel Trailer Salvage Yards Near Me Work…
Travel trailer salvage yards near you operate as valuable resources for affordable RV parts. These RV salvage yards, also known as camper salvage yards or motorhome salvage yards, specialize in recycling and reselling used components. With an extensive inventory, these establishments serve as a go-to RV parts store, offering a cost-effective solution for those seeking camper parts online. Customers benefit from the sustainable practice of reusing quality components, making these RV salvage yards or RV junkyards a key player in the RV community.
Travel trailer salvages are places that specialize in used parts for campers, RV’s, and caravans. They are locally run businesses many of which are actual junkyards and others are RV surplus supply. While you may find some travel trailer junk parts at a standard junkyard, a specialized yard will have better processes and better inventory.
These yards usually charge a few dollars to walk around. Then you find the parts you need and remove them with your own tools. You only pay for what you remove and you can find parts at more than 60% off buying new. In some instances, you may even find “like new” travel trailer parts.
How Do Junk Travel Trailers End Up at a Salvage Yard?
A travel trailer will end up at a junkyard for various reasons. The 3 most common reasons are an accident, fire, or poor condition that requires repairs beyond the value of the unit. They come to salvage from various sources like private owners, insurance companies, rental businesses, and auctions.
How are The Travel Trailer Salvage Yards Near Me Arranged?
Typically the travel trailers are laid out in rows. Where there is enough room to drive a vehicle through the rows and enough space between trailers to swing a side door open. Some yards may not be as organized and have their inventory mixed with other autos. A well-managed and niche yard will have all the travel trailers together in groups and maybe even sorted by manufacturer.
Finding Used Travel Trailer Parts at a Junkyard…
A well-run travel trailer junkyard will tag its inventory and track it in an electronic database. That way you can search for the year, make, and model of the type of camper you need. All yards operate a bit differently in this aspect. Some yards will make their inventory searchable on their website. Other yards require you to call and they can search their database for you. Lastly, some yards, aren’t even publicly available, instead, they strip the parts sell them online only, and ship them to you.
When you are looking for parts you should at least know the year, make, and model of your current unit. Even better would be to know if the manufacturer used the same parts and various models and years. That could help make finding parts easier and it broadens the scope of the units you can pull used travel trailer parts from. There is a great list here of the various manufacturers that you can reference.
What Kind of Used Travel Trailer Parts Can I Find?
You can find a variety of salvage travel trailer parts at these salvages. That includes exterior panels, tires, hitches, axles, frames, interior walls, kitchens, flooring, plumbing, bedrooms, benches, windows, etc.
The condition of what you find is the real trouble here. Many of these trailers will have been sitting out in the yard for a long time exposed to the elements and may be corroding or rusting. On the other hand, you can find a new unit that was in a lite accident but totaled and come away with “like new” parts. Pro junkyards know how to set up alerts when new inventory comes in.
What Kinds of Vehicles Will I Find?
At the travel trailer salvage yards near me, there are various vehicle types and classes. You can find RVs, caravans, campers, bumper pull trailers, and even ATV’s and UTV’s. You can often see everything from small simple bedroom bumper pull trailers to large celebrity style RV’s. From manufacturers to full-living cross-country buses.
Brands of all types can be found such as Air Stream, Jayco, Pacific Coachworks, Crossroads RV, Starcraft, Safari Condo, Guld Stream Coach, and so many more. You can even fold old manufacturers from the 60s and ’70s that are no longer in business.
Salvage Yards That Buy Travel Trailers
Most yards will be open to purchasing your junked unit. There are however things you should know before you sell a junked travel trailer.
You need to remember that these businesses are not like selling to a private buyer. They are a middleman between you and the end customer. The salvage yard wants to purchase your unit for as cheap as possible in order to make a profit selling it off as used individual parts. So when you approach a salvage to buy a junked travel trailer, you must expect to be lowballed.
Typically their first offer will be what the weight of the unit is worth in scrap metal. If you think there is more value here than scrap metal, then make a list of the parts that are still functioning and have value on the second-hand market. You can also reference the NADA guide, but know that if your trailer is junk, then you won’t see anywhere near this value.
Other things you should consider are:
- What would be the cost to repair the unit and then resell it?
- Could you sell it privately, which will get you more money than a salvage yard?
- Could you get more if you sold it to a scrap metal yard?
The Pros and Cons of Salvage Travel Trailer Parts…
Salvage Part Pros
Getting used parts for a bumper pull trailer is a great way to save money on repairs. You can find huge discounts often more than 60% off when compared to a new part. At some yards, you can negotiate even better discounts when you are buying multiple parts at one time.
Another advantage is that you can find parts that are no longer manufactured. If you have an old bumper pull trailer from the 70’s you may not have any other resources to find used parts. Sometimes a junkyard is your only option. In addition to that are more than likely to find OEM parts and not after market. That means you can actually see how the manufacturer installed the part when you remove it.
Some yards may also offer a purchasable warranty. For a few extra bucks, you can get a 30-day return on the parts you buy. No travel trailer salvage yards near me offer cash back, but they do part exchange or credit.
Salvage Part Cons
The condition is always the downside to buying any kind of used parts. You don’t know the history of the unit and how much the previous owner abused it. In the case of a travel trailer, you can’t even tell how many miles are on it or the hours it’s been lived in. This makes inspecting any parts you pull critical to your process.
Besides the Junkyard, You Can Find Used Parts Online
While salvage is your top option for second-hand parts, there are places online like RVshare and RVparts that sell salvage travel trailer parts. You can also check eBay, and Craigslist as well.
Pro Tip: A great place for used parts is the RV Parts for Sale or Trade Facebook group. It is like an online swap meet for the RV community. You can also reach out to the group members to try and find someone who may have what you are looking for.
Travel Trailer Salvage Yards Near Me Conclusion
For cheap parts, the travel trailer salvage yards near me are the best place to go. They are centralized locations for used parts and they serve the recycling industry. Whether you are looking for used parts or have a junk travel trailer to sell, they should always be one of your top considerations. Even if you don’t have a specialized RV, camper, or bumper pull trailer yard nearby, you can also consider calling your local auto junkyard. This is what I have learned from the travel trailer salvage yards near me.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) – Travel Trailer Salvage Yards
What is a travel trailer salvage yard?
A travel trailer salvage yard is a place where salvaged or decommissioned RVs are stored, and their usable parts are recycled and made available for purchase. These yards are often a valuable resource for RV owners looking for affordable replacement parts.
What kind of parts can I typically find at a travel trailer salvage yard?
You can find a variety of parts at a travel trailer salvage yard, including but not limited to appliances, furniture, windows, doors, electrical components, plumbing fixtures, and structural components. The availability of specific parts may vary from one salvage yard to another.
What are some keywords to use when searching for salvage RV parts?
When searching for salvage RV parts, you can use keywords such as “salvage rv parts,” “rv junkyards,” “rv graveyard,” “find affordable rv parts,” or “rv salvage yard near.” These terms will help you locate businesses specializing in recycled and affordable RV components.
Are there any well-known RV salvage yards?
Yes, several well-known RV salvage yards offer a wide range of used RV parts. Two popular options include Colaw RV Parts and Visone RV Parts. These businesses often have an extensive inventory of salvaged RV components.
How can RV owners benefit from salvage yards?
RV owners can benefit from salvage yards by finding affordable replacement parts for their vehicles. Salvage yards offer a cost-effective alternative to purchasing new parts, helping owners save money on repairs and maintenance.
