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Topic: Breakdown recovery electrics issue

Jafa

24/7/2012 at 8:09am
Location: Leicestershire
Outfit: Swift Charisma 560 & Vauxhall Omega

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We broke down (again!) yesterday and had to be recovered and taken home. I won't go into why (car issue), but one thing that this has highlighted is that the recovery trucks don't always carry a 13 to 7 pin connector for the electrics on the caravan. We first had the problem back in April and the mechanic had to get a colleague to bring one out. Not realising this wasn't just an isolated incident, yesterday we had 2 companies take us home because of the distance and both had to make a trip to Halfords to get the connector, causing delay. We're now going to buy one to avoid this in future, but wanted to let people know who have the new 13 pin plug that it's always worth telling the recovery people before they get to you (like we didn't!), or buy one yourself (like we're going to do!). They cost about £15. If it had been any later last night we would have been stuck as the mechanic only just got to a Halfords before closing time and it was the second one he'd tried (one store didn't have any) and it was a 90 mins round trip for him to get it. Took us 10 hours to get home, instead of 4!

..... now I've got to get the car sorted - in addition to the problem that caused the breakdown, both mechanics pulled the car onto their truck by hitching the cable to the suspension arm (it's safer than using the eye they said) and now our steering is out of alignment. Ho hum.

nelmo

24/7/2012 at 10:55am
Location: Surrey
Outfit: Bailey Valencia + Lexus RX400h

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Quote: Originally posted by Jafa on 24/7/2012
..... now I've got to get the car sorted - in addition to the problem that caused the breakdown, both mechanics pulled the car onto their truck by hitching the cable to the suspension arm (it's safer than using the eye they said) and now our steering is out of alignment. Ho hum.

That would REALLY annoy me!! How can it be 'safer' to use a critical part of the car as opposed to the specially-designed towing eye??!! I hope they pay for the damage...

Thanks for the tip about the adaptor - useful to know.

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tango55

24/7/2012 at 12:10pm
Location: Lichfield
Outfit: Coachman Amara 450

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I think that the information you provided is a useful piece of knowledge actually for those that have the 13 pin socket fitted and require a rescue service. Although I have the twin 12N & 12S 7 pin sockets I don't think it wouldn't pose a problem but I would would be completely disheartened about the steering misalignment. Due to the fact that the fault was down to the recovery company I would certainly would push for compensation once you have a receipt for the work undertaken to rectify the problem.

Jafa

24/7/2012 at 12:13pm
Location: Leicestershire
Outfit: Swift Charisma 560 & Vauxhall Omega

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Quote: Originally posted by nelmo on 24/7/2012

Quote: Originally posted by Jafa on 24/7/2012
..... now I've got to get the car sorted - in addition to the problem that caused the breakdown, both mechanics pulled the car onto their truck by hitching the cable to the suspension arm (it's safer than using the eye they said) and now our steering is out of alignment. Ho hum.
That would REALLY annoy me!! How can it be 'safer' to use a critical part of the car as opposed to the specially-designed towing eye??!! I hope they pay for the damage...

Yes it is annoying - just been to the garage and was shown underneath where you could clearly see the marks around the steering arm where the winch cable had gone! No wonder it was out of alignment, the steering arm was bent. Cost to replace £200. Phone call to Britannia Rescue now on my list of things to do.

tango55

24/7/2012 at 1:02pm
Location: Lichfield
Outfit: Coachman Amara 450

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Make sure you get a full damage report from the garage and any costs involved as this will be required as your only evidence in claiming compensation against Britannia rescue. Also you need to quote how many days your vehicle has been out of service due to the unnecessary damage caused.

LlaniDavis

24/7/2012 at 5:24pm
Location: Llanidloes Powys
Outfit: Skoda Yeti SEL4x4 +Bailey Ranger 460-4

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Jafa
If you are a CSMA member, will you please let Brighton know of this problem.

Jafa

24/7/2012 at 7:46pm
Location: Leicestershire
Outfit: Swift Charisma 560 & Vauxhall Omega

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Quote: Originally posted by LlaniDavis on 24/7/2012
Jafa
If you are a CSMA member, will you please let Brighton know of this problem.

Yes I am a CSMA member - when you say let Brighton know, do you mean Britannia Rescue as I've been on to them this afternoon and they're going to take it up with the recovery companies.

TinTin72

24/7/2012 at 10:57pm
Location: North Wales
Outfit: Elddis crusader

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It would be a good idea to carry one but could the driver not just fit his trailer board to the back of your caravan?

As regards the bent steering arm, this is very unprofessional,
He is right about the screw in tow eyes being dangerous to winch from but he should also have been trained were not to attach his winch underneath the car

LlaniDavis

24/7/2012 at 11:51pm
Location: Llanidloes Powys
Outfit: Skoda Yeti SEL4x4 +Bailey Ranger 460-4

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Quote: Originally posted by Jafa on 24/7/2012

Quote: Originally posted by LlaniDavis on 24/7/2012
Jafa
If you are a CSMA member, will you please let Brighton know of this problem.

Yes I am a CSMA member - when you say let Brighton know, do you mean Britannia Rescue as I've been on to them this afternoon and they're going to take it up with the recovery companies.

Could you write a quick note/email to CSMA Head Office in Brighton, letting them know of the problem you have had with the BR agent, and what BR have said they will do about it. Address would be best to "Membership Services" They might be able to get the problem resolved quickly.

Jafa

24/7/2012 at 11:53pm
Location: Leicestershire
Outfit: Swift Charisma 560 & Vauxhall Omega

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Quote: Originally posted by TinTin72 on 24/7/2012
It would be a good idea to carry one but could the driver not just fit his trailer board to the back of your caravan?

Yes he did try this, although it was tricky to strap on. It was feasible, but we didn't like the idea of the board moving around scuffing the back of the caravan, which he could understand. Far better to be prepared by having our own in future.

nelmo

25/7/2012 at 10:40am
Location: Surrey
Outfit: Bailey Valencia + Lexus RX400h

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Quote: Originally posted by TinTin72 on 24/7/2012
He is right about the screw in tow eyes being dangerous to winch from

Why is that? Would seem an obvious place to winch from, no? What's the difference between towing and winching?

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TinTin72

25/7/2012 at 6:21pm
Location: North Wales
Outfit: Elddis crusader

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Quote: Originally posted by nelmo on 25/7/2012

Quote: Originally posted by TinTin72 on 24/7/2012
He is right about the screw in tow eyes being dangerous to winch from
Why is that? Would seem an obvious place to winch from, no? What's the difference between towing and winching?

They are prone to snapping if pulling at an angle, or have been used to pull at an angle in the past
Most are mounted off set on the car and most winches are mounted in the middle of the slide bed, this is not good for layering the cable
or the screw in tow eye,

It is industry best practice to use an equal pull strap attached to the bottom suspension arms,
But having said that each job/ car is different

littlejack40

25/7/2012 at 7:40pm
Location: Eastbourne East Sussex
Outfit: Elddis WistonGT

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Arent these so called tow eyes originally fitted as tye down eyes for strapping vehicles down in transit?

old chap

25/7/2012 at 8:40pm
Location: Sitingbourne
Outfit: baily champaign

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As a follow up to this as it happened twice to me.Double check that the breakdown truck has a 12volt connector as twice my lights have been blown because to truck was 24v & not 12v . this goes especially when abroad.

scorpi01

25/7/2012 at 9:32pm
Location: None Entered
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I recently broke down on the M6 and had to be recovered by a Green Flag Agent (As part of the Caravan Club Mayday Service). Driver arrived and fortunately had a "Dry Tow ball" to use on my Alko Stabiliser and a 7 pin extension cable for Caravan Electrics. This you would expect to be standard and I had relayed this information to the Call Centre when I first contacted them but the driver told me that few recovery vehicles have dry suitable Alko compatible tow balls and even more worrying, few have an extension lead for a 7 pin socket, this is because the bulk of their work with the flat-bed vehicles they send to collect vehicles only on the back are just not prepared for Caravans as well. All in all it was a good service but the driver was quick to put the tow ball and electric extension cable into his own personal bag after dropping me at my destination as he had paid for it himself as he was fed up having to leave the scene and try to acquire the right items in the past.

Not great for an organisation involved in what we all believe to be a Caravan specific break down service!

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