Wheels

Whilst the van wheels are off for the winter,replaced by winter wheels,I thought I would take the opportunity of giving them a bit of a spruce up.

First up was a good wash down,front and rear, followed by touching up and varnishing any scuffs and scrapes they had collected and checking for splits or cracking in the rubber of which there was none,perhaps the result of Bailey fitting good quality Michelin tyres.

Luckily I had some car paint and varnish which matched the colour of the alloys.

Incidentally,some people say that caravan wheels don't need balancing but I noticed there was a good deal of weight added to both wheels on the inner surface.

Then I treated them to two coats of Autoglym Wheel Protector in the hope they might stay clean a bit longer,then the tyres got two applications of Autoglym Tyre dressing which leaves a nice subdued sheen not like the "tyre black" stuff of Arthur Daley fame.

I was going to replace the Bailey logoed centre caps as they are a bit faded but Bailey say they aren't available any more.

There are larger ones for their motorhome range and other vans but not for the U3,if anyone knows where they are available let me know,they are 56mm diameter.

Finally a couple of new valve dust caps with the TPMS logo on and job done.

I was quite pleased with the results.

Ian

Driving Awareness Course

Not really caravan related apart from the fact that I was towing the van when I got caught speeding near Halifax on our last trip out.

Thirty six mph. in a thirty limit so to avoid points on my licence I opted for the speed awareness course.

Now I have heard people denigrate these courses as a waste of time but I have to admit I found it very interesting and gave the opportunity to focus on your driving which I suppose is something we all take for granted.

I think it wouldn't do any harm for everyone to go on such a course every five years or so.

Yes it was £84 but £84 well spent as it turned out.

So if you are caught and given the opportunity of a course I suggest that you accept.

Ian

Winter Draws On.

Well as we had to cancel our holiday at Berwick CMC site this week due to my bad back going into overdrive we thought we may as well pack things up for winter as we are busy up to well into December and then it is of course the horror of Ch******s.

For the information of perhaps less experienced caravanners this is what I have done:

1. Water drained off using a Floe.
2.Wheels removed and replaced with winter wheels ( wheels now cleaned up and safely stored in our garage,tyres in very good nick I noted ).
3.All internal locker and cupboard doors left open to facilitate air circulation.
4.Toilet cassette removed,taken home and now full of cassette cleaner.
5.Locker,door and window seals treated with rubber lubricant.
6.All foodstuffs and liquids removed.
7.Check gas turned off.
8.All locks treated with lubricant.
9.Seat cushions and mattresses lifted so air can circulate.
10.Solar panel cleaned to make the most of any winter sunshine.
11.Battery swapped over for a fresh one ( not strictly necessary but as I have a second battery thought I might as well then I can put the removed one on the C-Tek at home ).
12. Wooden panel that covers the laundry basket in the wardrobe removed so air can circulate.
13.Taps left half-way and open so if there is a drop of water left in it's got somewhere to expand to.
14.Sink plugs left in to keep spiders out,waste pipe covers closed.
15.Handbrake left OFF ( It always is but I thought it worth mentioning ).
16.Jockey wheel removed and stored in van ( just the wheel not the whole caboodle ).

I am sure others can add to the list but the above should see you safely through winter,that is of course if you are not using it through winter and I know lots of people do.


As our van is in storage we are not able to keep an eye on it on a day to day basis so it has to be left in a safe winter state for the upcoming winter weather.

Hope this might have helped.

Ian