Hi i'm new to it all

[oBladeo]

Hi all just decided to jack in camping in tents as i mainly use them for paintball events and most of the time taking down a tent in the rain after a 3 day paintball event pushed me over the limit.

So i sold most of my camping gear and have just purchased a Swift Challenger SE 490 1993 on ebay without even looking at it which is a big risk (pick it up Thursday). It has signs of damp near the door wall but i was looking for a project between now and next year so i have loads of time to reseal the whole van and also remove the affected areas (already have loads of Sikaflex coming in the post and Fenwicks cleaner and protector).

I have nearly finished fitting a Witter detachable towbar to my Vectra CDTi 1.9 (just wiring left) and should all be ready for the Thursday pick up.

Next to purchase is a new rear window as one of the skins has a hole, caravan cover and a AL-KO AKS3004.

Here is what i bought for £672 (we don't have much money) and has a perfect configuration for when my family use is as we have 2 young children.

I'll have loads of question in the coming months so i'll have to say sorry but i do try to use the search on websites before asking.

 

[Parksy]

Hi OBladeo, welcome to the forum

I hope that your Swift won't be too bad, unfortunately we read about a lot of rip off merchants who use online auction websites so fingers crossed.
The search facility on this forum is a bit hit and miss I'm afraid but don't worry and no need to apologise about asking questions, forum members are happy to help.
If money is a bit tight you might want to consider getting a used rear window from a caravan breakers, most of them do mail order.
You will need to measure the window and state what tint (if any) it is.
Premier Towing in the West Midlands have usually got a good stock of second hand windows and other parts, Click Here for their website.

 

[Mel]

Hi. Welcome to the forum. There is lots of help and advice on here, especially ifyou post pics of your project. Hope the van is no worse than you expect. Caravanning is a great holiday for children. places like preloved and freecycle are a good source of accessories etc, Stay away from caravan accessories shops if you are making the pennies count. Wilkinson and similar do equally good plastic plates and what have you at a fraction of the cost.
keep us posted
mel

 

[Dustydog]

Hi oBladeo
Welcome to the Forum.

With two young children , even though money i sshort, may I suggest you thoroughly check the age and condition of the tyres. Plenty of tread means nothing. It's splits and cracks and renew anyway if over 5 years old.
May be wise to get the gas systems checked by an expert.

Otherwise looks like you have an interesting project . Good luck.

 

[oBladeo]

Thanks allot all for the welcome

Just had some fun fitting a 7 way relay for the tow bar from inside the car as it was raining hard outside. Got it all done now thank god!

Thanks for the heads up with the gas and tyres. I have a carbon monoxide detector ready to fit that i used in my tents due to using a meths heater. I've decided i'll be using the heat pale to dry the van out slowly.
I'll also be having everything checked out gas wise and will be upgrading the whole electric system as soon as i get my hands on it.

Here some pics i have of the van off ebay.

I also have a generator thats 2800watt (its big) that i'm looking to use with the van whileat events but it loud and i'm looking for a suitcase for later events.

 

[oBladeo]

Forgot to say
I'll be posting up the tow bar wiring diagram for the vectra C when i have time as i couldn't seem to find one online.

I've also noticed when people are removing screwheads while resealing a van they use a drill with drill bits. I'll be using a dremel as they are designed for the job.

 

[forestgump]

iff you have a problem with window try ecco the will make on for less than you think also you may want to stager new screws if they canot be removed rather than damaege the old holes.

 

[oBladeo]

Thanks I'll give them a call. I have found a replacement double layer back window but its 75 inc delivery.
I'll call around and see what I can get.

Also just purchased that tripple pack alco 3400 as from the review its very good. There is a very good youtube video for fitting thank god.

 

[oBladeo]

Well that was an experiance an a half!!!
First time towing a caravan and i took the 5.4m single axle beast with no stabilizer 94miles in the rain and in heavy M25 traffic to my house. Got to say i have allot of respect now for people towing large caravans.

Took a while to get use to towing but now i think i have the hang of it. Really can't wait for the 3004 to turn up as i can see thats going to help allot.

I'll get loads of pictures up of the caravan soon as i have allot of question as i don't have a clue what half the thing on there are.

Already ordered the caravan cover for it and also the back window so just trying to seal the leak at the minute which i found within 2 seconds of looking at it.

 

[Parksy]

Well done for towing your caravan home safely, you will have realised by now why it's best to take your time, allow for longer stopping distances and why keeping a good all round look out is essential.
Unless you already have them you'll need a set of towing mirrors for when you go caravanning in earnest, and you will need to polish up on your reversing with a trailer skills. Often the best place to do this is on large car parks out of hours.
Click Here to read about how to load your caravan for optimum safety and check how old the tyres are on your caravan.
No matter how good the tread pattern appears to be, tyres deteriorate after 7 years with sidewall cracking and tread separation becoming more likely .
When you've taken your pictures and thought of more questions it's best to post onto the General message board where more forum members will see your contributions and you will receive more replies.

 

[mealsonwheels]

Welcome to the forum. You've come to the right place for any advice that a caravanner needs. The advice already given about tyres is very, very important. They are the only contact with the road a caravan has and should be replaced no longer than 5 years old, even though they may look ok. Caravan tyres are subject to all sorts of stresses and strains, let alone the weight they carry and a blow out is the last thing you need.
Another important thing to do when getting new tyres is to read the numbers on the sidewall of the new tyre to see how old it is before it is fitted on your caravan. The tyre company that came to fit two new tyres on our caravan, brought two tyres that they said were new and when we read the numbers on the sidewall they were already years old and we rejected them on the spot. Our local tyre place was able to fit two new tyres that were manufactured just months before and were almost the same price as the big boys were charging.
Get yourself a copy of The Caravan Manual by John Wickersham - lots of useful info for any one working on a caravan.
Happy and safe caravanning to you and your family

 

[Beachball]

Hi oBladeo welcome to the practical caravan forum lol