operating corner steadies.

[saint-spoon]

Thus far I have used my battery drill to drop my corner steadies and level the caravan and have been happy with that... hoover I did recently read an opinion that a battery drill did not supply sufficient torque to lower the steadies sufficiently and that you should finish them off using the brace or your caravan would be unsteady. Does anyone do this?

 

[NigelHutson]

The battery drill that I use is more than up to the job of lowering the steadies sufficiently. It has variable torque settings, and I only ever use it to about half way which plants the steadies down firmly. It might depend upon the power of the drill as to whether a brace is required, but of course they are steadies, and not jacks.

 

[WoodlandsCamper]

Thus far I have used my battery drill to drop my corner steadies and level the caravan

Do you really mean what you said above which implies levelling the van with the steadies?

Rather than 'dropping the steadies and level the van' you should be 'levelling the van and then drop the steadies'.

 

[chrisn7]

Thus far I have used my battery drill to drop my corner steadies and level the caravan

Do you really mean what you said above which implies levelling the van with the steadies?

Rather than 'dropping the steadies and level the van' you should be 'levelling the van and then drop the steadies'.

A very good point.
I imagine most people use an 18 v drill which is adequate for multiple lower/rise operations before the battery goes flat.
I would recommend using the drill on the slow setting if it has one, and also set it with the lowest torque setting sufficient to steady the van. The reason for this is that I often hear people running the drill at high speed, and this means that the resistance point is reached suddenly, and this places a high load on the steady. Now the steady winder rod is steel, but the block through which it passes is alloy, and the sudden stop can overload this and crack it clean in two - I know this! You really don't want a droopy steady at the most inconvenient time....

 

[KeefySher]

My 18v DeWalt drill is used on speed 1 at 12 of 15 torques and has an accelerator trigger so you can control the speed. It has a light too so you can see the steady in the dark

I came to the 12 of 15 torques from a manual brace application comparison

Of course as I've paid for the electrickery in the pitch fee, all 3 of the battery packs for the bang gun (drill) are charged whilst away camping. Old habits die hard, on business trips a full wardrobe of clothes would be taken on a trip and go through the hotel laundry!!

 

[Dustydog]

I do the same as Chrisn. Good points there Chris.
Anyone who hasn't used this method before should be very careful when winding up/ down to slow down just before the end. I know someone who sped away on full blast and broke his wrist as the drill came to a sudden stop and spun round hmy:

 

[Gafferbill]

.......proper caravanners use manual winders. :evil:

Give you exercise.
Lightweight.
Nothing to go wrong.
Don't cause bodily damage.

.............or am I winding you up :silly:

 

[DaveA1]

.......proper caravanners use manual winders. :evil:

Give you exercise.
Lightweight.
Nothing to go wrong.
Don't cause bodily damage.

.............or am I winding you up :silly:

LOL B)

 

[Gagakev]

.......proper caravanners use manual winders. :evil:

Give you exercise.
Lightweight.
Nothing to go wrong.
Don't cause bodily damage.

.............or am I winding you up :silly:

No not a wind up you are correct, did this back in 2013 with 18v drill!!!! Learnt my lessson...nice and slow now!!

 

[Thingy]

No not a wind up you are correct, did this back in 2013 with 18v drill!!!! Learnt my lessson...nice and slow now!!

How?

 

[Gagakev]

No not a wind up you are correct, did this back in 2013 with 18v drill!!!! Learnt my lessson...nice and slow now!!

How?

Van was on a slight slope and the rear was only about 6 inches off the ground, bent down to locate the nut for the steady (mine are located a fair way under) and as soon as I located the nut my finger was on the trigger, spun around and there you have it. A smack in the eye

 

[Gafferbill]

Kevin..........I do remember you recounting your argument with your corner steady drill and I have heard other stories of painful outcomes to wrists etc.
I have also seen caravans rising several cms into the air whilst an electric drill winder whirls merrily away hmy:

 

[Dustydog]

Kev

Please don't tell me you are now wearing safety glasses when winding

 

[Gabsgrandad]

Sounds like the appropriate wear for a "Honourable Knight of the Woosie Round Table should be:-

Or if not readily available a suitable alternative:-

A HSE approved accessory, (also may be useful if 'plaiting' your LEGS!)

 

[saint-spoon]

Thank you for the replies... and I thank WC for the concern regarding levelling the van.

I set my RS drill to around the 15 setting and wind the steadies down AFTER I have levelled it up as much as possible. I use a lighter setting to bring them back up again. and I have forgot and put it on the drill function and nearly taken my wrist off when it hit the top (ouch, won't do that again)

 

[Gagakev]

Sounds like the appropriate wear for a "Honourable Knight of the Woosie Round Table should be:-

Or if not readily available a suitable alternative:-

A HSE approved accessory, (also may be useful if 'plaiting' your LEGS!)

I would use the bucket.......................but there is a hole in my bucket
Dear Liza .....Dear Liza :lol: :lol:

 

[Tuningdrew]

I have my drill on 6/12 on the torque scale and plant each leg on the ground then go round each steady with the hand winder and give each steady 2 turns more. Lifts the van fractionally and is enough to prevent that 'at sea' feeling. If we're away for more than just a few days I find it neccesary to give each steady another couple of turns tighter as the legs settle if not on a hard standing. It would be interesting to know if there's actually a recommended torque figure for the steadies. A few pounds inches would be my guess?

 

[chrisn7]

Like the earlier poster I set my drill to 15 on the torque scale, and that's it. I would have thought a further 2 full turns to be a bit excessive.

 

[Gafferbill]

............It would be interesting to know if there's actually a recommended torque figure for the steadies. A few pounds inches would be my guess?

Bear in mind that it is the front pair of steadies where damage to the caravan is more likely.
The rear steadies are part of the chassis and remove weight from the caravan's wheels and apply it through the chassis.
The front pair of steadies apply a proportion of the weight direct to the caravan floor which is usually a plywood laminate.

 

[KeefySher]

............It would be interesting to know if there's actually a recommended torque figure for the steadies. A few pounds inches would be my guess?

Bear in mind that it is the front pair of steadies where damage to the caravan is more likely.
The rear steadies are part of the chassis and remove weight from the caravan's wheels and apply it through the chassis.
The front pair of steadies apply a proportion of the weight direct to the caravan floor which is usually a plywood laminate.

Or in the case of cost cutting caravan assemblers of poor quality parts, Papier-mâché

 

[otherclive]

Must admit that until I bought a Trigano pop top last Autumn I had never used drill to wind the steadies. But the Trigano was so low down and the steadies so far under that I had to resort to using a drill just to conserve my back for a few more years of caravanning. The new van is back to conventional height so I might just revert to past practice and use the hand winder. But there again if weight allows the drill might just come with me!

 

[RayS]

My wife found the 18v drill a bit heavy, which solved the Christmas present later that year.