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Ours will be out of doors all winter. Is there anything specially we have to do to protect it through the winter. As this time, we have put a wooden board up against the fc wheel and just under the winter cover to hold it in place. I know we are not supposed to put crease on the wheels but is there anything we need to do to protect.it.

Thanks

Thanks to all of you who have offered their help to know what to do or not.

Got a call from Rhyno and he said. He has a couple old oily rags, He sprays WD40 (old faithful) and covers the engines. They can sweat or condensation on the inside.

Bob is getting the 2 empty 5 lit. water bottles we use camping ( obviously empty the contents via the cups of tea ) and put them underneath. footballs we do not have, but bottles we do use, so same idea just different answer. Thanks

Brianconwy.

 As they can be the s wanting to stop the rollers on the rhyno mover from rusting. I think they are designed to rust but you could always try clingfilm.

No. Brian it was not just the rollers it was all of the mover.As I am a she not a he.,and this is our first year with an fc. The tt we had  was solid roof, so no need to worry about under the lid part, had no mover on that. 

Bob is my oh he has to do it all as I cannot get down there.Wanted to make sure we were doing as much as we possibly could.Our weather although South is higher than the rest of England above sea level apart from mountains or high hills.A weather forecast of its own. So wanted to make sure.If in doubt ...ask. It will not be our fault for not doing anything.

Thanks for coming back to me

We live 900 feet up in the pennines I suspect somewhat higher than many others in the south, and my caravan sits out all year long in the front garden. Winter comes along and I drain the water, the rest looks after itself. I buy new tyres every 5 years and have the van serviced every January. This has been my ritual for the last 20 years and no winter problems have ever come along, my rhyno mover never hasa problem, the rollers still look fine, put bluntly I do not know what the problem is these unts are designed to sit outside so I let them. 

Quote: Originally posted by janus on 14/11/2011

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We live 900 feet up in the pennines I suspect somewhat higher than many others in the south, and my caravan sits out all year long in the front garden. Winter comes along and I drain the water, the rest looks after itself. I buy new tyres every 5 years and have the van serviced every January. This has been my ritual for the last 20 years and no winter problems have ever come along, my rhyno mover never hasa problem, the rollers still look fine, put bluntly I do not know what the problem is these unts are designed to sit outside so I let them. 

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It is outside always.But we do like to look after something which has cost us  most of our savings after the fiasco we had beforehand. So why not ask others who either have or not have the same unit or experience of what to do to make sure as much s possible.

After all what is this site for if it is not to ask for help if you need it. There are obviously some that think they do not need it. Well l am not one of those. I ask for it and do not mind doing so. So when people answer my post and give me advice, I say thanks and will keep doing so.Some advice I take, some I do not ,others I choose to what suits us. As this case has been ,a mixture of different views we chse what we could do and have done.

We never use the water in the sink as we use the camp sites facilities so do not have to drain it out.

Quote: Originally posted by limey51 on 14/11/2011

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"after the fiasco we had beforehand":---Chrissie I hope you dont mind me asking,we are in the process of buying either a sterling or fiesta. What was the fiasco?

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Hi Limey51,

The fiasco was that last August we bought a caravan on ebay and for what we knew it looked good,(I was not a member then  or even knew about this site). Well we got a cover from Protec, and all manner of bits & pieces. Is was on our sons driveway. Through the winter he kept an eye on it. We went over in spring (after I joined this site in January) to check it in and  out after reading so much of other peoples posts and answers. We had ordered a motor mover knowing I could not help Bob as w.chair gets in the way. He has heartbeats missing every now & again. So a good investment. The engineer had already done work for us on the outside towing electrics.He came to put the mover on 5.May 2011 and he said he cannot do it as the rear suspension has gone and it would ground on the first road hump. He said he could, but it would cost over £1000 + and as it was a 1991/2 c.van was it really worth it and what else will be going wrong at such an age. That was when Bob who was putting things in the cupboard in the end bathroom said it is all damp. The wall behind the cupboard was coming away from the back & falling to bits. But I had seen the fix it members replacing walls so knew we could do that, with asking for their help as we went along. But then the clanger of the suspension. Bob said NO! more money is going out for this can. So I said to Bob I have to get over home onto the computer to cancel all the 9 weeks camping hols on six sites. He said No! we are going to Camping International Sussex.( Which had gone, but Camping World replaced it). He was chatting, as I and our son Steve (who THIS time said I am coming also & checking all under,in,out etc this time). We looked at a new tt unknown maker  that was so tinny & thin you could virtually see through the main structure.

Then we saw the Sterling & Fiesta.So we had  a good look right through until Bob came back from talking to the men there. 

Bob came up said have you seen something and I said . YOU have a look see which one.I wanted him to choose this one as I had made a fopar with the c.van although we both agreed it was me that found it on the computer (so I blame myself.) He does not as it took both of us to agree .

He looked at both Sterling & Fiesta and said Fiesta as it was smaller and we could managed it. Whereas he was not so sure of the Sterling. We could of course as it was but he really did not like the Fiesta it suited him.. we bought the Fiesta the preferred one

.We had  to leave it there that day Thursday as it was damp & rainy weather so needed drying out.But went picked it up Friday. Went on hols Sunday 8th May, Never looked back since. Although we have had the big main awning up we found although it was smashing to have up. It was too hard for him to do it alone or virtually so.It was also very windy when we moved from Hereford to Oswestry & was advised not to even try to put it up. So we had just the main cabin and skirts on. We have never used the big awning since. Found the cabin to be  perfectly alright and big enough. But I knew that a member Lisa Steer (steer) made nylon awnings adapted from Outdoor Revolution Techlite to fit fc. As we could not afford it at first,We saved up for it and   later we pushed for it. Now we do not have to keep putting the wheelie into the car, saves him lifting it all the time. He can have his chair out. We sit out under that unless to windy and it hs to come down.Also got Deltas pegs via a member. They stood through all things, when others were whipping up by wind  we stood firm. Brilliant pegs & an extra long peg puller of steel. I can now pull out all pegs, pick up things with the hook end & fold or clean off & fold. So I can now do much more than before.

It was a lot of money to lose as with the c.van & all the bits bought for a c.van (not a fc ) bought it was around £1500 lost we got just £75 for it. We pulled most of our savings together Until they take us away in a coffin  

Even  if we had to go back to tent (a higher one) to have man made single beds higher than normal we would of gone down that track if we had to. Bob made our sons 7ft bed he could make 2 singles for us that could come apart. But preferred this as it all there and found it so. We had a porta porti,already  an old heavier one, but we are heavy also so needs to be more solid not flimsy one. On a 2 inch plinth put between the two cupbords, which are either sides of the back door inside the Fiesta (at night) works perfect. Moved over in the morning.

I  made  a cushion for it to sit on .When we play cards  he  sits in the corner on it so I cannot see his cards, cheeky monkey, He was looking at mine

So that's it. We have a smashing little temporary home from home, that is managable. Already made things inside more personal to be ours. Still asking advice to look after it through winter etc. We have had a t.t before many years ago a Concraft.Over 40 yrs ago. So needed advice, hence the post. it is outside and we cannot afford nothing else. No more in the tin.Already booked for 10 weeks straight next year. Then hope to do another 6 weeks from Sept - mid Oct. A bit cold after althougb we have a fan heater, that turns itself off/on when temps drop thoughout the night.

You should see some of the Pennine members and see how old some of their units are. Still going strong. Others have different  fc & tt and love theirs. Easy to tow, less fuel used. Now sway as low in height. We love our holiday home.

Saga over.

Thanks for the info Chrissie,sorry about your fiasco with the caravan,still as Sylvie(o/h) would say you were not meant to have a caravan you were meant to have a f/c, glad you got a decent bit of kit in the end.

                 Tel.

Quote: Originally posted by limey51 on 15/11/2011

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Thanks for the info Chrissie,sorry about your fiasco with the caravan,still as Sylvie(o/h) would say you were not meant to have a caravan you were meant to have a f/c, glad you got a decent bit of kit in the end.

                 Tel.

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