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Topic: Towing older caravans and servicing?

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BuddingTraveller83

30/3/2014 at 10:11pm
Location: North West England
Outfit: Lunar Apollo 462 Caravan

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Hi

We have just bought our first caravan; a Lunar Apollo 462, made in 1998. It is in extremely good condition, and seems solid but to be sure am getting it serviced before going away.

My two questions are:
1. Fixed or mobile service? I have two of each near me all very good. I just can't work out how mobile services can fix any damp or anything of any substance?

2. A friend has advised me getting a seasonal pitch because they said I shouldn't be towing a 1998 a lot like I want to (wkends, school holidays) because of the age and I'm asking for it to basically fall apart or create more problems if I tow it a lot.

Any advice. And yes I know lunate are nicknamed leaky lunars. It is a starter van to see if we want to do it properly and with a more expensive van.

Cheers

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Some men see things as they are and say why, I dream things that never were and say why not.

HEJC72

30/3/2014 at 10:17pm
Location: North Yorkshire
Outfit: Holi * Perran 4 * Airedale 5

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Can't comment on the servicing but as far as towing an old van is concerned, get out there and enjoy it!
My van is nearly 45 years old and is just as stable and steady on the road as any other caravan. I certainly won't be towing it less just because it is getting old!
As long as your van is serviced and looked after, there is no reason at all to think it will fall apart by being towed!

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Helen xx
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BuddingTraveller83

30/3/2014 at 11:16pm
Location: North West England
Outfit: Lunar Apollo 462 Caravan

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Thanks Helen

45yrs old is amazing! I hadn't even thought of any particular risks towing an old van until today. The advice came from a seasoned caravan near but who has it on a seasonal pitch and storage and a 2011 van. I told them if got the van from an hr away from where I live and they were surprised.

Not sure if they either a) are not keen on touring or B) don't like the sight of the van on our drive (live next door)

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Some men see things as they are and say why, I dream things that never were and say why not.

rose+max

30/3/2014 at 11:45pm
Location: Nottingham
Outfit: Swift Challenger 530

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Hi, if you have the choice I'd go for the workshop for a service, if there's anything needs doing under the van like brake cables its far easier for them to pop it on a ramp than a mobile engineer getting down and under, if you know what I mean and I don't think there's much difference in the cost. As for your friends advice I think he's talking nonsense. I don't consider a 1998 caravan as old. If its in good condition and well maintained you can tow it anywhere. Mines 23years old now and I go all over with it. Have a look at the topic 'Crappy old caravans' on here to see how many people have older caravans and what they do with them.

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Rose

BuddingTraveller83

30/3/2014 at 11:57pm
Location: North West England
Outfit: Lunar Apollo 462 Caravan

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Thank you Rose. That is good to know. We have it booked in for a service end of April but fancy going out before then. Checked everything this weekend and it all works. Only thing I'm getting straight off are new tyres as they are 5 yrs old and Iv read to change at that time.? Tread is perfect though. Any thoughts?

Cheers

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Some men see things as they are and say why, I dream things that never were and say why not.

rose+max

31/3/2014 at 12:05am
Location: Nottingham
Outfit: Swift Challenger 530

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Check the side walls of the tyres, if they are showing signs of cracking get them changed. But go for 8ply tyres not car tyres.

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Rose

pompeyjon

31/3/2014 at 12:48am
Location: Notts
Outfit: Swift archway woodford Volvo S80

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Quote: Originally posted by BuddingTraveller83 on 30/3/2014
Thank you Rose. That is good to know. We have it booked in for a service end of April but fancy going out before then. Checked everything this weekend and it all works. Only thing I'm getting straight off are new tyres as they are 5 yrs old and Iv read to change at that time.? Tread is perfect though. Any thoughts?

Cheers

BT....be safe... Change the tyres...as for old caravan...I have a 91 crappy that I love and use. Alas being decrepit we also have a 2004 crappy. Bottom line change tyres get it serviced and just enjoy often...very often.

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jon

pompeyjon

31/3/2014 at 12:49am
Location: Notts
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Quote: Originally posted by rose+max on 31/3/2014
Check the side walls of the tyres, if they are showing signs of cracking get them changed. But go for 8ply tyres not car tyres.

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jon

LobeyDosser

31/3/2014 at 1:11am
Location: Argyll Scotland
Outfit: 1997 Bailey Ranger 470 4

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At the end of last summer we bought a 1997 Bailey Ranger.
Before we moved it off the storage yard where it had lain for an indeterminate number of years, we had it serviced by a mobile engineer. I had used him before to service a folding camper we had and so I knew he was good.
The beauty of using a mobile engineer is that you can watch him doing the work and see him working through his check sheet.
As it happened, he did find a fault with the Hitch Damper, something I wouldn't have known about until I stared towing it.
He also advised me to change the tyres. The tread was perfect on them but they were well past their use by date.

Your friend (???) is talking through a hole in his bahooky and probably trying to justify his choice of using a seasonal pitch. Caravans are made for touring and we are fortunate to live in a country that was just made for caravanning, so get out there and tour and enjoy our beautiful scenery and fantastic caravan parks.

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Lobey.

alpiner

31/3/2014 at 5:43am
Location: None Entered
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Tell your friend its not the 1st April until Tuesday.

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alpiner

Tunstallwood

31/3/2014 at 8:17am
Location: Stoke-on-Trent
Outfit: Compass Kensington + Octavia 4x4

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Not all of us can afford (or want) a'new' Caravan! Bear in mind that older 'vans can be much lighter than current counterparts and that can also be a reason for having them.

Ours is 1998\1999 we tow it for miles each year. With the claims your friend is making does he also think that the 85% rule and 60mph limits only apply to 'old' caravans too!?

Andi

michell8

31/3/2014 at 8:22am
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Theres no risk in towing an old caravan, provided it is serviced & maintained. Mines a 1985 ABI, I tow it to southern France & into Spain every yr, it works for me because it is just a shed to sleep in in hot weather.

Theres virtually nothing to the caravan running gear & nothing that can't be replaced at a reasonable price. The main chassis makers are Al-Ko & BPW, virtually all caravans run on these chassis & spares for them are available off the shelf going right back to the 80s.

Over the last few yrs since I bought mine(£300)I have replaced hitch, hitch damper, brake shoes, wheel bearings & lights & tyres of course. It tows like a new caravan, why wouldn't it?

The bodywork is a separate issue, but all I have ever done is squirt PU sealant into any exterior gaps & any interior damp has long dried out. If you want to save money, just get a chassis service done, £70+parts & sort body & interior appliances yourself. Certainly replace tyres though if more that about 5yrs old even if they have plenty of tread because perished tyres can fail at motorway speeds.

BuddingTraveller83

31/3/2014 at 10:59am
Location: North West England
Outfit: Lunar Apollo 462 Caravan

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Thank you all very much for that. We have it booked in for a service at the end of April.

I tested everything yesterday and the boiler, fridge, electrics all work.

I was thinking of doing a few days in it local to get used to it all.

There is no cracking in the tyres but they have been in storage in same position since August last year. I drove it back to mine so will change tyres. Reinforced are £45 with fitting mobile so its not a massive amount.

Am I being careless for not having it serviced first?

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Some men see things as they are and say why, I dream things that never were and say why not.

ferretlady

31/3/2014 at 11:15am
Location: Mid Wales
Outfit: Coachman Vip 520

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I think as long as your tyres are good and the chassis is fine, then there shouldn't be any problem towing!

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Enjoy life while you can, none of us know what's round the corner!

LobeyDosser

31/3/2014 at 11:35am
Location: Argyll Scotland
Outfit: 1997 Bailey Ranger 470 4

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<<<Am I being careless for not having it serviced first? >>>

Whatever we do caravan wise with regards to Servicing, new Tyres, etc etc is all about "peace of mind".

If we know that everything has been checked by a professional and is all A1, then we can tow without worrying about what is behind us.

Personally I have enough to think about driving in today's traffic without worrying about what may or may not be happening behind me that I cannot see or hear.

Whether your caravan is all pristine and new or, like mine, a bit of a shed on wheels, it has to do the job safely and comfortably and keeping it in good nick is my number one priority.

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Lobey.

Ronni54

31/3/2014 at 12:53pm
Location: Shropshire
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Quote: Originally posted by BuddingTraveller83 on 30/3/2014

Not sure if they either a) are not keen on touring or B) don't like the sight of the van on our drive (live next door)

Probably a bit of both!

I have my 2005 van on a seasonal pitch because it suits us to do so and I'm sure we get more use out of it that way.

We also have a 1990 van which we tow when we want to go somewhere different. We have it serviced (mobile service as he lives just up the road!) and we changed the tyres when we bought it last year. We intend to take it to Belgium for a month in June and have no worries regarding it's age.

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Ronni

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