If bored, caravan build video

[Buckman]

View: https://youtu.be/mFIWDPzlriE


This is a 3 part video but worth a look. Will explain why so many of us have damp or quality issues with our vans. A lot of the work seems to be using "the eye" to judge whether it is aligned or not.

 

[PTA]

Thanks.
Interesting.
Pre-"Solid" construction.
I hope to goodness construction methods have moved on since 2010!

 

[Raywood]

I need a bigger shed to do it, so it will have to wait.

 

[PTA]

I need a bigger shed to do it, so it will have to wait.

Just stick wheels on your shed.

 

[ProfJohnL]

View: https://youtu.be/mFIWDPzlriE


This is a 3 part video but worth a look. Will explain why so many of us have damp or quality issues with our vans. A lot of the work seems to be using "the eye" to judge whether it is aligned or not.

Those methods of construction were typical from about 1980 onwards until the swathe of new wall construction and clamping systems were introduced not long after 2010. As someone else has commented, all of of the detail of the construction was left up to the on line fitters, and I have to say from the various times I visited some of the main manufacturers This bunch were on their best behaviour for the filming, more often than not the air would be filled with shouting things that are unrepeatable.

I could never deny they worked hard and fast, but that is a big part of the problems many customers have, as you could see most of the body is assembled very quickly, and whilst router jigs were used, they were only held in place by the operator. It only take a small slippage or something sticking out from the panel to prevent the jig being located correctly every time.

Mastic was hand applied, which has little control over the size of the bead or its specific location. The rear panel was "nailed" into position with about 30 hand positioned nails, and if you look carefully you can see at least one that was not fully in the "folded" rear panel material.

Any production engineer could see multiple ways that caravan could be miss assembled, and if they were any good at their job they could I'm sure suggest many simple and low cost methods to foolproof some aspects of the assembly leading to a much more consistent end product.

Still that was 11 years ago. and I think all the major manufacturers have started using revised wall construction, but there are still many aspects of caravan assembly where there is a a worrying lack of proper assembly management, which is why we still see such alarmingly poor customer satisfaction levels . Any business that is happy to accept a rate of up to 20% (based on reports of customer satisfaction studies) of finished product generating warranty claims within its first year needs to get its act together.

 

[Beachball]

I would need a bigger garage to do it so it would have to wait for now

 

[Raywood]

Just stick wheels on your shed.

That's what Lunar did and I bought it!

 

[Mel]

Loved the way the guy just smashed a few holes into the roof bit. Although I probably shouldn’t say that as I own the 2013 incarnation of the Xplore 302. Still my favourite van thus far 😀
Mel

 

[Brasso530]

I think the manufacturers are missing a trick on this subject,there are very few recent videos of production line stuff,only one I can think of is Dan trudgian did a two parter on the build of the Phoenix ,showing various stages .There is nothing from Elddis or swift which I think is a shame.

 

[otherclive]

I think the manufacturers are missing a trick on this subject,there are very few recent videos of production line stuff,only one I can think of is Dan trudgian did a two parter on the build of the Phoenix ,showing various stages .There is nothing from Elddis or swift which I think is a shame.

Builds were shown by Swift on one of their live broadcasts last week.

 

[ProfJohnL]

I think the manufacturers are missing a trick on this subject,there are very few recent videos of production line stuff,only one I can think of is Dan trudgian did a two parter on the build of the Phoenix ,showing various stages .There is nothing from Elddis or swift which I think is a shame.

I suspect that most manufacturers would resist their normal production being filmed and released publicly, not so much to protect commercial secrets, but prevent the public seeing how their products are put together, and how many questions about consistency it might produce.