Caravan servicing

[Essable]

Hi

Need my caravan serviced and wonder if it is better to take it to a dealer or one of the mobile guys? Dealers charge more I know but do they do a better job? All the mobile guys say they are just as good, although I read some new association trains new engineers in 5 days!! Not sure if I want someone taking my wheels off if they haven't done it before.......

 

[RegandPat]

Not exactly the answer you wont but I was going to do my own, can not be that hard as I service my car have done for years and a caravan has no engine.

What is there to do, check breaks, wheel bearings, rust, electrics, gas leaks, and water.

If there is anyone that dose there own service perhaps could give a list of jobs to tick off.

 

[Hamer_5041128]

Reg and Pat,

If you have the Alko One Shot hub nuts on your caravan you will need a torque wrench cabable of something like 200 plus lb ft. Not sure of exact figure, and some new hub nuts.

Also if you have a 3 year warranty or 6 year water ingress / delamination warranty this will cease.

Hamer

 

[Martin24]

Having moved 250 miles from our dealer in Hampshire and on the advice of a dealer in Yorkshire who couldn't be bothered to service or do warrenty work on my Coachman we found an excellent (and that is an understatement) NCC approved local workshop, undercuts on a service by

 

[readcaravans]

whether you decide to use a dealer, an independant service agent or mobile, always check first. see if they are qualified, make sure they approved to service your caravan by the manufacturer so you dont invalidate any warranties, look at their reputation and guarantees with their work. personal recomendations are always good to listen too. it is not always the case that cheapest is the right way to go when looking after a caravan with gas and 240v involved. and i personally would alway make sure they are a member of the AWS (approved workshop scheme) as well.

 

[Heethers]

Glad to see Reads taking an interest in this forum, maybe some other dealers should monitor also.

Reads congratulations on dealer of the year award.

I live in Cheshire might just pop along and take a look at your dealership

NigelH

 

[readcaravans]

NGH thank you for your well wishes. i agree, i to would like to see more dealers using the forum.

as regards coming to see us, if you wait till January you will be able to see our new aftersales development which is on its own 1.45 acre site with a 12 bay service centre and 10 bay body shop. it is only 1 minute away from our current location.

 

[Reg]

Hamer

If you read the Alko chassis servicing manual it states that the wheel bearings are sealed for life and therefore the nuts you refer to should NOT be changed.

Perhaps any dealer reading this forum will explain why they insist on changing them.

Oh and if you try to tell me that its for inspecting the brake drums etc then Alko state that they should be checked through the inspection hole.

 

[Martin_E]

Hi Reg,

The one shot nuts need to be changed when the breaks are checked & serviced, how would anyone know if the break shoe was delaminating without taking the drums off? whilst the drums are off the wheel bearings can be checked at the same time.

 

[metz]

I think you will find that Alko say you can check the brake shoe wear through the viewing port on the back plate, you cannot check the seals, springs, actuators, or the condition of the drum thrugh this port, those us ho have been on the Alko chassis course carry out the service to their recommendations, as i'm sure Shane will confirm.

 

[Reg]

Martin E

Are you saying that after one year the build quality on caravan brake shoes is so bad that they need inspecting that closely.

Nice try but I don't buy it.

The bearings are sealed for life.

Just tell me why you really change the nuts. It wouldn't be something to do with the colour of the insert by chance?

 

[readcaravans]

for anyone attending the alko training course you will be trained to remove the hub as part of the service. this is also backed by the CITO training handbook, and is part of the CITY & GUILDS exam in caravan servicing. the handbook is NOT a training manual it is merely an "idiots" guide to the braking system and should not be used for training.

 

[Martin_E]

"Just tell me why you really change the nuts. It wouldn't be something to do with the colour of the insert by chance?"

Sorry Reg, I don't understand what you mean.

I can't see how you can check the break linings properly by looking through the inspection hole, you certainly can't check the linings for damage or delamination etc.

As Metz also pointed out you have the springs, actuators & seals that all need to be checked as well.

How can you possibly de-glaze the pads & clean the drums through the inspection hole?

 

[jim_374354529]

Having moved 250 miles from our dealer in Hampshire and on the advice of a dealer in Yorkshire who couldn't be bothered to service or do warrenty work on my Coachman we found an excellent (and that is an understatement) NCC approved local workshop, undercuts on a service by

 

[David_374469051]

NGH thank you for your well wishes. i agree, i to would like to see more dealers using the forum.

as regards coming to see us, if you wait till January you will be able to see our new aftersales development which is on its own 1.45 acre site with a 12 bay service centre and 10 bay body shop. it is only 1 minute away from our current location.

That is why I've just ordered a new GT60 520/4 from Reads. I look forward. to a long, professional an happy reltionship. Dave.....