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Subject Topic: 2nd trip with a few problems! Post Reply Post New Topic
PersonLainey7071
01/6/2014 at 6:05pm
 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
 Outfit: Bailey Pageant Provence View Lainey7071's Profile View Profile   Reply to Lainey7071 Reply   Quote Lainey7071 Quote  
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Hi, we've just returned from our 2nd trip in our van, before our trip my main concern was getting to the site, I felt sure we'd take a wrong turn and end up going up Sutton Bank!! Anyway thanks to the directions given on this forum our journey was a breeze.
We got set up relatively easy considering it was the 1st time with the awning and we were starting to feel quite smug and remarking what a doodle this caravan malarkey was compared to tenting.....spoke to soon, not long after settling down with a cuppa our glass hob lid exploded (hubby forgot to turn hob burner off!). Then the rain started it poured down, we woke to everything in the awning being soaked!
Our trip gradually improved as did the weather but travelling back home we could hear an awful "creaking" noise coming from the van when slowing down/cornering, we pulled in and checked around but everything seemed ok. The noise disappeared when travelling at speed.
So 3 questions please, where can I get a replacement hob cover? any ideas why the awning leaked so bad? and any advice to what the creaking noise could be? Thanks


Personmichell8
01/6/2014 at 6:13pm
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If you have a stabiliser hitch then probably creaking from that. Clean towball with abrasive paper to shiny metal & try again.


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Personclever
01/6/2014 at 6:48pm
 Location: Derbyshire
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Also worth taking the friction pads out from the hitch. It's an easy job as they just pop out.

Give them a clean and put them back in. Also clean the tow-ball as above.

This is a common problem that is easily fixed.

Alko Friction Pads


PersonJohn4703
01/6/2014 at 6:56pm
 Location: Glasgow
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You could try this list of caravan breakers for a replacement hob cover

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We camped for years. In 2019 we bought an Elddis Avante 454. We like it as it is short (6.9m) and fits in our driveway and has a fixed bed.
We had 127 nights away in the caravan in 2023.


PersonLainey7071
01/6/2014 at 7:21pm
 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
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Thanks for your replies - Clever I've followed your link and it says something about removing the paint from your towball, we didn't know this DOH! Is this the case for all tow balls?


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PersonHengus
01/6/2014 at 7:27pm
 Location: South Yorkshire Doncaster
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How did everything get soaked in the awning? Was it items left on the ground and soaked with water coming under the mud flaps.

If you don't peg out correctly with enough tension on the roof then the water can pool and with eventually find a way through. Have a think as to what got soaked where and narrow down the probable causes.

Grow old disgracefully because it's our turn to embarrass the kids!


Personjosey60
01/6/2014 at 7:39pm
 Location: Blackpool Lancashire
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Quote: Originally posted by Lainey7071 on 01/6/2014Thanks for your replies - Clever I've followed your link and it says something about removing the paint from your towball, we didn't know this DOH! Is this the case for all tow balls?


If you have a stabiliser fitted yes....

-------------
Exercise every day and Die Healthy....

JOSEY60


PersonGrampian91
01/6/2014 at 7:40pm
 Location: Midlands
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You will have contaminated the pads with the paint. Not as bad as grease on the ball but it may always creak from now on.

Only cure is to replace the pads and scub the ball and make sure its dry before towing.
I use the green washing up scourers from ASDA.

Woven type green ones...


Personleon copa
01/6/2014 at 7:41pm
 Location: seaham co durham
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hi if is a new awning like mine it ran in the 1st time i used it the second day it rained it was ok


PersonLainey7071
01/6/2014 at 8:18pm
 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
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We bought everything (inc awning) from an ex work colleague, I'm sure the awning had been used before, it seemed to leek where the seams joined and where the awning meets the caravan.

I feel pretty stupid about the tow ball paint, I would of thought the fitter would of mentioned it?!!

We have so much to learn :-(


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Personmichell8
01/6/2014 at 8:25pm
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For your awning seams buy a tube of seam sealer from any caravan/camping shop & apply to leaking seams inside & out. Spread awning out in garden on sunny day to do this.


Personclever
01/6/2014 at 9:32pm
 Location: Derbyshire
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We did exactly the same as you when we had our first van. The tow ball fitter never mentioned the paint and neither did the caravan dealer who hitched it up to our car for us.

We had a very creaky journey home !

I took the pads out and cleaned them and removed all the paint from the ball. Never creaked again.


Persongreenhill
02/6/2014 at 1:33pm
 Location: Norfolk
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Don't feel stupid about the towball. We used grease with our trailer tent (to stop it from creaking) and our caravan dealer stopped us just in the nick of time from hitching our caravan on to a nicely lubricated tow ball. (And if it makes you feel better to know that we phoned the dealer/service centre in a it of a panic on Saturday at the end of our trip when I could see what looked like mould and the floor was soft through a crack under the cooker. We were so worried it was damp from a previous leak. Once we got a better look turned out it was dirty and felt soft as the cushioned vinyl flooring extended under there .)

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From tents to trailer tents to a tin tent to an air tent to trailer tent and back to tin tent!


PersonJax365
03/6/2014 at 11:54am
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Once you've got the paint off everything, clean them before every trip with Brake cleaner and a clean rag. Mine creaks like crazy if I don't do this!

Re; the awning. If it wasn't pegged out taut enough, that would be enough to make it leak. I pegged mine out on uneven ground and it leaked... never had before. And it didn't leak on subsquent trips either.

-------------


PersonLainey7071
04/6/2014 at 8:36pm
 Location: Newcastle upon Tyne
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Thanks everyone, will give instructions/advice to the husband!

The ground was a bit uneven so we'll try the awning again before sealing.



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