Taking care of the bodywork of yours
Preparing the outside of the caravan of yours before winter will definitely pay dividends the next spring. Regardless of whether you plan to utilize a cover or even overwintering wax coating to help you safeguard your’ van, a comprehensive cleaning is important. Thorough cleaning of the entire body too presents the chance to examine the bodywork for just about any damage type as the winter season is a great time to have it repaired when workshops are much less hectic.
Always make use of a proprietary Caravan Cleaning Brush which are created to be gentle to the different materials utilized in caravan construction. Beware the usage of stress washers. These’re usually potent and will point spray under trim and also damage bodywork & seals. Pay specific attention to eliminating some hints of black or green mould, if left to develop over winter it might make problems where aluminium or maybe plastic surface is completely marked if left to grow over the winter months.
Additionally, take a personal-safety-first method of cleaning the caravan of yours. Be cautious about stretching and also applying ladders, particularly when it concerns cleaning the roof, that may not value the weight of yours on it!
Obviously, you will find different external aspects to consider:
Tyres – these don’t love standing around on exactly the same portion of tread for long periods
Think about changing the wheels, say once every 6 to 8 days as well as increase the stress to help you relieve some issues, but do not forget to shed the pressures down if you begin the highway. Additional info can be obtained in Data Sheet fifteen – Tyres and also tyre care. Ideally shield the tyres from sunshine to help you avoid wreckage of the rubber but stay away from using clear plastic bags which seal the controls and also bearings also could cause condensation within the hub. Winter wheels (special clamps rather than wheels) is usually consumed, though they don’t match the necessary criteria for many caravan insurance policies, therefore check first.
Security – make sure to install hitchlocks, wheelclamps and the like, particularly if needed by your insurer. If nothing else, these action like a visual deterrent – for additional info see the Club’s Data Sheet fourteen Keeping the caravan of yours, motorhome or maybe trailer secure.
On more mature caravans, exterior light fittings could gain from removing the lens, a fast completely clean of the seals plus lens (inside and out) and also the checking of any electric connections, before replacement.
Check the 13 pin of yours or perhaps 12N and 12S (7 pin) car-to-caravan connectors for any signs of damage or use. The electrical power connections must be washed and wiped over with crude oil jelly or perhaps sprayed with a water dispersant like as WD 40 (after examining it won’t impact the plastic).
Ideally, shop the caravan of yours with all the corner steadies done and the handbrake off, to stop it sticking. Use wheel chocks if necessary.
Apply grease to the moving mechanical parts or maybe linkages , like corner steadies’ rotating screws & the extra wheel carrier.