Draft Skirts

[JohnnyV]

Hi,

Am trying to find a satisfactory way of covering the wheels on my Lunar T/A other than the useless piece of plastic fabric supplied with the awning.

Had thought I would try and get some rigid lightweight plastic panelling that I could cut to size for insertion in the wheel arches and then use velcro/bondtight to hold the full length draft skirt to it.

The actual draft skirt is fine its just covering the wheels!

Anyone out there got a great idea for material to use and where to get it?

Thanks in anticipation

Jon

 

[Billy_bear]

hi i got mine from a place that makes signs (it looks like corregated card) hope this helps

bill

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

Have you considered a shorter length of matching draft skirt? You can get a figure of 8 joinging strip to join them together. Make 3 eyelets in the wheel cover piece and use 3 plastic suckers to hold to the caravan. This does away with the need to stick velcro or similar on the van, and also with screwing press studs on (possibly allowing water ingress).

 

[TheSleuth]

Bailey make both a single and twin axle wheel cover that you slide into the plastic channel that is sandwiched between mudgaurd and body. Like erecting a mini awning. Poor value and a pig to get in but looks good thereafter and keeps drafts out ok, and it would be easy to position velcro strips or press studs on that to match the longer skirt length.

Neither main dealer I approached to compare prices had it as a stock item and its possible Lunar do something similar but you wouldn't know unless you'd seen it at a show like I did. Worth asking and I wonder if another manufacturer's product mightn't fit your brand too.

Alternatively, my guess is that a competent seamstress could knock something suitable up - I'm assuming you can buy awning edge bead in its woven sheath?

 

[Jo-AnneFairway5402010]

malcome is correct i have the twin axel bailey one. it does get easier to fit the more you use it and looks fab. i think there about

 

[JohnnyV]

Thanks for all your suggestions - I have never seen the Bailey idea but I will try contacting Lunar and see if they do produce anything.

Bill - you have obviously done exactly what I was thinking, I have seen display boards made from lightweight 'corregated' plastic but with a smooth exterior - I thought that once inserted in side the wheel arches the draft skirt (that currently sags where it crosses the wheel arches) could be velcroed to the 'board'.

Will have to find a sign manufacturer !

Thanks again

Jon

 

[Jennifer2]

We use a piece of ply that OH has cut to fit tightly up into the top of the wheel arch (twin axle). It goes about 2/3 of the way to the ground and is also supported of a swing down leg.

He then screwed a length of channel to this (same as on the van) at the same height as the bottom channel on the van. Now we just pull the skirt right across through all the channels.

 

[JohnnyV]

Jennifer,

Thanks for the thought - I had thought of plywood but was trying to 'keep the weight down' and given its going to be at least 4' long I thought plastic might be better - however this could end up as the fallback position.

Regards

Jon

 

[SillyBilly]

Hi

I've got a Bailey Ranger Series 5. Could someone post some pictures of the wheel arch cover that I keep seeing mentioned including it being inserted?

Thanks

 

[TheSleuth]

Silly Billy

My vans in store and I haven't any ready made pics unfortunately.

But it's not complicated. The plastic channel is simply the edge of a gasket type piece that is trapped between wheel arch moulding and the side of the van. It has an awning-like edge to it that runs right round the mudguard and you slide the shaped piece of plastic into it just as you would the full awning, until it hangs over the wheel(s). Adding velcro or whatever will keep the long skirt up better but I've never thought it worth doing as there is good vertical overlap without.

Anyway, how do you / can you post pics on this site?

 

[forestgump]

Hi

I've got a Bailey Ranger Series 5. Could someone post some pictures of the wheel arch cover that I keep seeing mentioned including it being inserted?

Thanks

HAD SAME PROBS USED A BIT PLY FOUND PROBLEM WHEN ON UNLEVEL GROUND WITH CLEARENCE

 

[Jennifer2]

JohnnyV....the ply does not need to be that thick/heavy. OH actually pop riveted the channel in place, not screwed (sorry for wrong info), that way you can use thinner ply.

 

[forestgump]

HAD SAME PROBS USED A BIT PLY FOUND PROBLEM WHEN ON UNLEVEL GROUND WITH CLEARENCE

DONE AWAY WITH PLY GOT BETTER MAKE OF SKIRT AND FIG 8 AND USED SUCKER HOOKS