cracking up

[Reluctantcaravaner]

My old bailey ranger has some cracks above front rail and wondering if there any way or point of fixing her ?

has got some black spots but only along bottom of window apart from that no other sign of any problems in the van

have covered in sealant as a stop gap

anyone had something similar or ideas on what to do next

 

[ProfJohnL]

Hello RC,

Let me tackle the second part of your question first, which is effectively:- "is it worth repairing?" Only you can answer that, based on a proper investigation as to what has happened, and the likely costs to repair.

Unfortunately it's impossible for any forum contributor to offer any copper bottomed advice on how to repair in this situation as your description is quite sparse, and doesn't really tell us what the problem actually is.

May I suggest your best course of action is to have a reputable caravan repairer look at the van, and let them advise you what is needed, and how much it is likely to cost. YOu can then make a decision on whether to have the repair carried out, or do it yourself, or where its simply not worth it.

I'm pretty certain it will cost less to repair than to buy a new caravan, but it may possibly cheaper to look at a second hand caravan.

 

[foggydave]

Hi
I had this problem in my Bailey Ranger 550/6 with the large front window.
This seems to be a common problem with this model. Mine had a crack behind the window hinge in the center of the van. (Later inspection showed this may have been caused by hairline cracks occuring when they screwed the top hinge to the body/frame. Mine was leaking badley and had stained the shelf that runs along the top of the widow.
The Cheap Fix
I ended up removing the top shelf and window rubber/seal I found a section of the frame that runs along the top of the window had completely rotted so I spliced in a new section. To mend the crack I used a strip of upvc along the inside bonded with marine adhesive to seal the crack and stop it developing any more. I had to replace the top shelf as this was water damaged.
To mend the crack itself it may have been better to get a mobile plastic welder to do the job. These are the guys who mend shower trays in situ. We have one in Leicester who is very good.

The Expensive Fix
Get a new front end fitted

If you want any more information let me know.