It's been a year

[saint-spoon]

Well team it has been a year since we bought our caravan and a few months longer that I have been badgering the forum members for answers on all topics caravanny. Obviously I know my tow weights now but I am still unsure as to what I am to do with the plethora of second hand gas cylinders that I have collected over the years from friends, family and car boots. :evil:

But I must thank you all for your help, the creaky alko hitch advice (yes it is obvious now that I give it a good clean before each use) and the advice I had on my problem with hitching and unhitching with a rear mounted spare wheel have made my caravanning experience a whole lot more enjoyable. I have also appreciated your thoughts on towing mirrors, tow cars, cadacs and so on even if it has meant that I end up spending a bit more than I had wanted to do...

 

[Parksy]

Long may you continue to add your thoughts and queries to the message boards Saint Spoon.
You're in good company when you mention spending more than you want to.
Some years ago we went to the NEC caravan show to buy a few bits and pieces, towing mirrors, toilet fluid and that sort of thing.
We came away having signed on the dotted line for a brand new caravan :cheer:
Whenever I go near any caravan sales outlet now I leave the plastic fantastic at home :lol:

 

[Hutch]

SS, and of course, The Santa Fe, time passes. And you havn't blundered enough to join The Woosie Club, Yet.
Done the same as you Parksy, bought a pair of Alko dampers for the van, next day bought a new van and took the dampers back.
Hutch.

 

[pitpony]

Well team it has been a year since we bought our caravan and a few months longer that I have been badgering the forum members for answers on all topics caravanny. Obviously I know my tow weights now but I am still unsure as to what I am to do with the plethora of second hand gas cylinders that I have collected over the years from friends, family and car boots. :evil:

But I must thank you all for your help, the creaky alko hitch advice (yes it is obvious now that I give it a good clean before each use) and the advice I had on my problem with hitching and unhitching with a rear mounted spare wheel have made my caravanning experience a whole lot more enjoyable. I have also appreciated your thoughts on towing mirrors, tow cars, cadacs and so on even if it has meant that I end up spending a bit more than I had wanted to do...

Saint,
I would keep hold of the empty gas bottles, I decided to have one 6kg calor bottle and a 3.9kg bottle for next year to save on nose weight , but because I don't have a empty 3.9kg to exchange for a full one they wanted £50.00 for the 3.9kg, exchange of gas bottles would of cost me £15.00, so I'm on the look out for a empty 3.9, any offers out there,

 

[Hutch]

Careful, Pitpony, the NW thing can cause a lot of problems as with changing gas bottles,

 

[jignc]

Take any Calor cylinder to a main distributor and they should change it for any size.

I use one in Chesterfield or Sheffield with no swapping problems.

 

[Thedoog]

We went to our local Calor dealer with a 7kg Butane cylinder to swap it for a 6kg Propane, he would not do it as there is a national shortage of cylinders. He would have swapped like for like but not change. He would not even sell us a new bottle as he was saving them for his regular customers. Whatever they are as we have been getting or cylinders from them for the 7 years!!!

We came home went into our local bikemower shop got a swap no problem.

Steve

 

[pitpony]

That is the problem I'm having trying to get hold of a 3.9, you are correct in what you say about the shortage of gas bottles, I went to my two local suppliers and both said about the shortage of bottles,

 

[Raywood]

I have to say I have an old Calor Gas cylinder in the back of the garage. It has been there years in an old portable gas heater. I have not yet reached the heater in my efforts to clear out the garage but I am working my way towards it. Problem was we used to store the caravan in the drive and the garage became a store Really a dumping ground). It is now full so I am being forced to clear it bit by bit but the back is still partly a mystery. I think the cylinder will be a a state that means only the recycling centre will want it.

 

[pitpony]

Careful, Pitpony, the NW thing can cause a lot of problems as with changing gas bottles,

I know what you are saying about NW my 14 plate Quashqai's nose weight comes in at 100kg but I like to keep around 75kg to 80kg at the most, my 08 plate Quashqai which was my previous tow car was rated at 75 kg NW and it was a good stable ride, but the uprated NW on my present Quashqai is not the same stable firm ride, I've asked Nissan several technical questions about this but it seems to be top secret, when I asked was it possible if I could read their technical towing report they did on their test drive down in the south of France I was just sent a e-mail link to the Tow Car of the year awards,

 

[Hutch]

Pitpony, I used to keep my Coachman around 75 kg, but after a seriouse tail wag passing a HGV, I realised I needed to have a graeater NW and less in the back of the caravan,. Great for the last 4000 miles,
Safe and happy Caravanning to all.
Hutch.

 

[Dustydog]

I know this has gone off topic but the nose load is only one part of the bigger picture. I have to agree I try and secure as high as permitted NL but lest we forget carefully planned loading over the whole caravan will be the major determining factor. Speed , even a few mph will also make a big difference.
Hutch.
Did the ATC kick in early or late during your wag?

 

[Hutch]

VERY quick, As I remember about the third wag, left, right ,left, ,,, just after the smell of sxxt in the car very quick though,,,. Not just a small wiglle. I had the van loaded wrongly not enough NW,and to much load in the rear of the van under the bed.
Hands up my fault for wrongly loading.
Hutch.

 

[Hutch]

Forgot to say, As being a Twxt,, I decicded to go that little bit more to get past an HGV, thats when our Caravan got into its waggle, bowel empting, silence in the car , head stone writting being seen , no more than 5 seconds, of hell. Thank you AL KO. ATC
Total re think of loading of the caravan now.
Take care all
Hutch

 

[Mel]

Gas bottles and nose weight in the same thread hmy: hmy: hmy:
You are are all just taking the wotnot now. :evil:
Mel

 

[SamandRose]

And in an attempt to get back on topic ... today was exactly one year since our first weekend away in our first caravan - as Facebook was good enough to remind us!

 

[saint-spoon]

Sometime these things wander off topic for a while. I have taken to only carrying one of our 6kg propane bottles in the gas locker, the other sits behind the back seats in the car (along with the summer butane bottle for the cadac). I tried a lot of things to get the balance right in the van whilst maintaining nose weight within limits. I think that thanks to advice and tips from the forum members I have got it about right now. We did have a bit of a wobble when I swapped the Terrano in for the Sante Fe, actually more than a wobble, we proper snaked for a bit after getting caught by a gust of wind… I drove home with white knuckles and at a much reduced velocity after that incident.

As for the Woosie club…. Errrm I have probably woosed enough to earn membership, I have tried to pull away with the motor mover still engaged, I have crunched the front of the van against a flower bed (new panels still on order, fortunately not too expensive), I have driven the tug away after unhitching with the arrester cable still clipped on (that makes a loud bang, something I think that you only do once in your caravanning career because you get a lot of folk turning around to see what has happened… and they all give the knowing glances) and I have forgotten the tea bags at least half a dozen time in a year.

 

[Raywood]

Sometime these things wander off topic for a while. I have taken to only carrying one of our 6kg propane bottles in the gas locker, the other sits behind the back seats in the car (along with the summer butane bottle for the cadac). I tried a lot of things to get the balance right in the van whilst maintaining nose weight within limits. I think that thanks to advice and tips from the forum members I have got it about right now. We did have a bit of a wobble when I swapped the Terrano in for the Sante Fe, actually more than a wobble, we proper snaked for a bit after getting caught by a gust of wind… I drove home with white knuckles and at a much reduced velocity after that incident.

As for the Woosie club…. Errrm I have probably woosed enough to earn membership, I have tried to pull away with the motor mover still engaged, I have crunched the front of the van against a flower bed (new panels still on order, fortunately not too expensive), I have driven the tug away after unhitching with the arrester cable still clipped on (that makes a loud bang, something I think that you only do once in your caravanning career because you get a lot of folk turning around to see what has happened… and they all give the knowing glances) and I have forgotten the tea bags at least half a dozen time in a year.

Never worry about your mistakes, we all make them and I am no exception. There is an incomplete list on another thread of some of mine and even after 30 years of towing I still make them. According to my wife I have gone from learner to senile.

 

[Martin24]

Well well well, a year. It never is surely. Feels like you've been about forever. Here's to the next year of happy discussions on noseweight and gas bottles and number two's in the toilet. Glad you've enjoyed the year though and continue to get enjoyment and the odd bit of common sense out of us all. Long may it continue