Driving onto ferry

[GRAHAM_374234069]

When we drove onto the ferry at Le Harve yesterday, as we drove onto the ferry, the plastic feet attached to the rear steadies were wripped off, they have split the plastic.

The caravan is fine, but I do think that these feet prevented perhaps more serious damage.

We drove on very slow, because we could see the angle that we had to drive up, over a hump and then down into the ship.

I also saw the caravan in front had the same, although I drove even slower, is still happened.

When I stopped, got out and collected my feet, the chap at the entrance of the boat had a hefty collection of plastic feet.

At the time the tides was out, hence the ship low in the water.

This is just a warning to others, be slow, and be carefull.

 

[Moley1]

Hi Graham

Thanks for the advice.

Cheers.

Dave.

 

[Robtel]

A couple of years back we saw the same thing happen to a caravan in front of us. I don't know if the pads on your steadies were the same type but we were able to see clearly what happened. As the van was driving slowly up the ramp the pads tilted at an angle, this meant their lower edge caught on part of the ramp. If the van hadn't had the pads the steadies would have cleared the ramp by a couple of inches.

Robert

 

[mcghee]

I'd have to agree Rob. My 'van is 23ft as you may know and I've never had any problem boarding or leaving a ferry. The fact that these large pads tend to hang down may well be the problem.

 

[MikeP]

My caravan is a pop top and has a low AL-KO chassis, so I have to be careful. I recommend the following:

1. Remove the jockey wheel before boarding a ferry. I once waited at the top of the ramp at Portsmouth and watched every caravan leaving the boat scrape its jockey wheel because of the angle of the linkspan.

2. When negotiating angles at either the top or bottom of the linkspan, put your hazards** on and drive over at an angle - I can usually manage about 30

 

[WatsonJohnG]

Mike you beat me to the jockey wheel advice.

Many people say that its no problem but it depends on the tide and ramp set up.I've seen several smashed ones.

I too have had the pads damaged but this year (next month) we are going on the shuttle so no problems with the tide unless it springs a leak

 

[ValA.]

A car in front of us, waiting for the ferry, was taping his feet up with duct tape - we wondered why. Now we know. Maybe not such a bad idea?

 

[Lutz]

A rather pointless exercise, if you ask me. Duck tape is hardly strong enough to withstand the scrape and would be torn to pieces as soon as the steadies hit the ramp.

 

[Robtel]

Lutz,

I'm guessing he was taping the pads so as they wouldn't tilt and therefore wouldn't foul the ramp. They seem to fit the steadies by a central spindle and there is a lot of movement in them.

Robert

 

[cris_408518]

In our village we get quite a lot of caravans passing through and you often hear the annoying tapping of swivelling feet on caravan legs as you walk along.

Anything that flaps around on a car or caravan never makes it on to ours.

 

[LizCornwall]

In our village we get quite a lot of caravans passing through and you often hear the annoying tapping of swivelling feet on caravan legs as you walk along.

Anything that flaps around on a car or caravan never makes it on to ours.

Where is this cris "ZULU" area!!!! Liz

 

[cris_408518]

In our village we get quite a lot of caravans passing through and you often hear the annoying tapping of swivelling feet on caravan legs as you walk along.

Anything that flaps around on a car or caravan never makes it on to ours.

Sorry Liz. You lost me there. Explain ?

 

[LizCornwall]

Sorry Liz. You lost me there. Explain ?

Sorry cris,Colin posted a topic regarding the clock being different 24hrs on main, then normal clock on forums, you replied I am on ZULU time!!! That's why I posted you must be in ZULU area, now I am confused. Liz

 

[cris_408518]

Zulu time is and acttual technical time reference used by military and other organsiations ;-)

 

[LizCornwall]

Ok Cris just shows you,you must be older than me, not heard of that one. Liz

 

[cris_408518]

Whats age got to do with it :-(

And I's still along way off 60.

 

[ThePlotter]

Now then I may have read this somewhere or even dreamt it but I am sure that one of the ads for caravan feet makes reference to them being made so that if fitted the correct way round the rear is heavier than the front so that the foot is angled up at the front and down at the rear preventing this problem.It could be that the pivot axle is set of centre or on end weighted.I am sure i saw this or was it a dream ,the wine,old age setting in,an idea I should market,I give up lets get the bottle open.

 

[LizCornwall]

Whats age got to do with it :-(

And I's still along way off 60.

Ok cris I'm with you now GMT Zulu time, it has got to do with age because it is now 4.55p.m Zulu time, we went to school and work nowing no different, until somebody decided to change it? who changed it I cannot remember to Young hehehe Liz

 

[LizCornwall]

Sorry Graham, for going off thread here, you know what it's like, Now back on topic The Plotter, opening a bottle of wine, now Steady!!! Whoops. Liz

 

[ThePlotter]

Am I getting a reputation here if so cheers ( didn't mean to say that)! )

But I think my response was ok does anybody else agree?

 

[BrianStAlbans]

You are right Plotter, Got them on my van and they are weighted at the back which works fine apart that is when fitted on the front steadies which are fitted side ways .

 

[GRAHAM_374234069]

Good to hear all the views and thoughts.