Trailers & 'BWSOW's

[Richard A Thackeray]

I decided to paint it yesterday, as there were a few drops left over from the railings by the side door
It looks better for it

View attachment 614237

Despite there being very little salt on the roads since October, l had repaint it again this afternoon, as it had all vanished
(exterior metal paint, left over from some railings)

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

From my files

September 2003

'Sick Suzuki'
My bro-in-law had arranged to buy a SJ413, & wanted help getting it home
I agreed, thinking he'd sorted everything out & he just wanted a lift to Cheshire (from a poor memory, it was somewhere near Knutsford?)
Wrong!!!
He hadn't arranged insurance
It had no current MoT test
It didn't even start/run

What else could go wrong............

I hired a trailer (1), picked him up & went over
Once we found the place, I had acquired the correct OS map (library loan) & parked up

Then he told me that it was agreed to put the cash through the letter-box & take it (keys/V5 & a few spares were in it)

And.. it had 4 flat tyres (yes the 'fns' is inflated - that was the spare that we put on)
No winch on the trailer.....................

Thankfully we had ramps

We ended up;
- unhitching the trailer
- dragging the SJ with a tow-strop into a viable position (several moves/re-setting)
- taking the head-board off
- parking-brake in the trailer, rocks in front of all 4 wheels
- dragging it onto the trailer, with 2 strops & the Discovery in low-range

It was a quiet drive home.......................................

Unloading was a bit easier, as he lived on a slight hill, at that house

1. My concern was that I had a trailer that I'd signed for, with no wheel-clamps or hitchlock (just the Indespension 'key in the hitch handle' lock)
I didn't sleep much that night

It was returned safely the next morning

He did make a reasonable job of it, in the end
For a Suzuki

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

From my files

September 2005

Just a nice tidy (at the time) Discovery 2

Colour co-ordinating

The vibrantly coloured wooden structure beyond it is The Red Shed

The background has changed out of recognition now, as the citys Trinity Walk Shopping Centre passes behind, so all the other buildings are gone
The Salvation Army has a new building on Vicarage Street car-park (where the D2 is)
As can been seen to the left, here;
https://www.instantstreetview.com/@53.683711,-1.494271,29.91h,-0.97p,1z,lDLXa0v0WA8McQnrP07szQ

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Saturday 27th

“Whoops!”
Either the wind was stronger than expected, or we didn’t use enough straps!

I got a call from the site security this morning, to tell me that it was hanging off
On arrival, on of the straps was caught around the TV aeriel, so up the step-ladders l went

View attachment 619641

I’m not a happy camper though, as some of the water that was pooled in the creases of the cover decided it preferred spill out onto the mats in the boot of my Kodiaq
So towels were deployed upon returning home , & one of those crystalline moisture traps will be left in for a few days

Just been down to check on it, & all seems okay
Even if it does look like a bombsite inside, with all cushions up, & cuprboard doors open

All good though!!

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Just been down to check on it, & all seems okay
Even if it does look like a bombsite inside, with all cushions up, & cuprboard doors open

All good though!!

I had another look this afternoon, all is still fine

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Question;

Do any of you tow a caravan with various cars?
If so, what do you do about the number-plates?

It was easy, when I owned the Ifor-Williams, as it had these spring-clips to hold the plate
But that would mean drilling holes in the caravan body



I ask because

It's getting towards the time, when we'll be looking at taking the BWSOW out of hibernation, & ..... SWMBO doesn't really want to drive my car, as it's a manual, & she's driven autos for the past 4 years

So, the choices are;
1. PX my Kodiaq for an automatic
2. I continue to deliver/collect it, but that restricts distance/availability (with my working shifts/weekends)
3. Purchase another car, that is an automatic, & 'hefty' enough to prevent the tail wagging the dog syndrome (and I get to keep my Kodiaq)
Or.............
4. Which she's not that keen on, she gets used to driving the Kodiaq, & tows the BWSOW herself
(it has a motor-mover, for onsite manoeuvring)

 

[kynikos]

We use velcro

Works a treat

 

[figbat]

BWSOW was serviced today - a very thorough and knowledgeable mobile service engineer gave it a largely clean bill of health, with a couple of pointers.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

We use velcro

Works a treat

I didn't even think of that

 

[Alex321]

We decided to put the battery in the space under the steps to the side-door
It seems to be charging pretty well there, as the panel is south-facing
I'm not sure how it'll last though, if temperatures drop enough to freeze any snow/rain on it?

It may get transferred into the greenhouse, or a basement room?
View attachment 620668

These are designed to be attached to the roof of a caravan/motorhome, so shouldn't have any issue with cold weather.

 

[figbat]

The teenage daughter sometimes uses our caravan on the drive as a hangout den with her friends. The most recent occasion included me setting up the water, heating, fridge etc for them to be fully self-sufficient. On doing so I found that the Whale water pump was surging - a constant cycling of on and off with the taps off, and no amount of adjustment of the switch would stop it. A quick Google suggested that it might be the non-return valve in the connector on the outside of the van, and that Whale do an inexpensive service kit for this.

I received the kit yesterday and it was a very easy job to replace the non-return valve, diaphragm and various O-rings and, sure enough, the issue is fixed. The kit includes enough O-rings and valves for two overhauls, so the spares can go in the van for another time. It was also good to catch this early, before our season starts at Easter.

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

@figbat
As you state, better that you cure it at home (& 'teenage test' it) before you take it away


SWMBO has spoken!!
Ours is being dragged (well, I'm delivering/setting-up/collecting it later) in the middle of March
Once more, not far away, just into (what I think of as) Lower Wharfedale

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

Re; above

It's going to be towards the end of March, Wednesday to Sunday morning

I presume all is okay with it, l may pick it up en-route home from the Kodiaqs MoT test the same morning, & plug electrics in/check everything over at home?

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

It's getting towards the time, when we'll be looking at taking the BWSOW out of hibernation, & ..... SWMBO doesn't really want to drive my car, as it's a manual, & she's driven autos for the past 4 years

So, the choices are;
1. PX my Kodiaq for an automatic
2. I continue to deliver/collect it, but that restricts distance/availability (with my working shifts/weekends)
3. Purchase another car, that is an automatic, & 'hefty' enough to prevent the tail wagging the dog syndrome (and I get to keep my Kodiaq)
Or.............
4. Which she's not that keen on, she gets used to driving the Kodiaq, & tows the BWSOW herself
(it has a motor-mover, for onsite manoeuvring)

I’ve been talking about this with someone at work this afternoon, & she made an interesting suggestion

Now, it does depend on how bothered Senior Management is about a new/shiney/fancy car
(I have to figure that out, & go slowly)

My colleague suggested a Volvo XC90, not the present shape, but the initial model; pre - 2015???
A nice D5 auto?

 

[Richard A Thackeray]

I’ve been talking about this with someone at work this afternoon, & she made an interesting suggestion

Now, it does depend on how bothered Senior Management is about a new/shiney/fancy car
(I have to figure that out, & go slowly)

My colleague suggested a Volvo XC90, not the present shape, but the initial model; pre - 2015???
A nice D5 auto?

She's been on about it again, & did actually tell me she saw an older XC90 at the garden centre & thought it looked good!!

Maybe l can swing this towards a XC90?

She also mentioned a Quashqio(??)), but the max tow-capacities are too low