Drop axle on caravan

Chlorine /bleach is the stuff to clean out your water tank.

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Originally Posted by slug_burner

Chlorine /bleach is the stuff to clean out your water tank.

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not if it is alloy :o

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Originally Posted by 87County

not if it is alloy :o

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Is this a concentration issue? Most tap water has had chlorine added to kill the bugs. I suspect that the concentrations available to the public can't present too much of an issue. Stainless is what the majority of water tanks are made of in my limited experience so if bacicat has an aluminium tank the advice may not apply. Anyway household bleach would be my the first thing I would try. All aluminium shower frames holding the glass in my shower are still holding up to a regular clean with household bleach.

It's a plastic tank. A ye olde one at that. I dont know if it is original, as the van is a '75 model, but that's what's there, and it still holds water, so I plan to use it until it doesn't. :)

So, found an unexpected job needs doing now. While underneath it removing the bolts that hold the fridge in, I had a closer look over the chassis and draw bar. Chassis is as I thought - surface rust, but solid. Found a couple of lumps in the paint on one piece of the draw bar. When I scratched this off with a screwdriver, a hole appeared. When I went looking, I found a few more. So, off to my mates workshop with it later in the week to graft a new drawbar onto it.

I'll take the opportunity to tie it right back to the spring hangers, and extend it a little bit. Thinking about 300 to 400mm would make the towing experience a little better. Anyone got any thoughts on ideal draw bar length?

Looking good! The other thing Id do is mount that axle under the springs. That'll give u more lift again. With that done. A slight modification in the arch, making it bigger and then some bigger boots and you will be up around 101 height. A couple of decent mud flaps at the rear and you're done!! :)

While your at it, get him to weld another hitch mount (like on that ARB trailer) so you can use a lunette on the 101 pintle.

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Originally Posted by Sitec

Looking good! The other thing Id do is mount that axle under the springs. That'll give u more lift again. With that done. A slight modification in the arch, making it bigger and then some bigger boots and you will be up around 101 height. A couple of decent mud flaps at the rear and you're done!! :)

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As much as I'd love to, I don't think the caravan would stay together if I started towing it off road.:D. The height is great now - I need 2 steps to get into it, so that gives you an idea of the height of it.

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Originally Posted by Mick_Marsh

While your at it, get him to weld another hitch mount (like on that ARB trailer) so you can use a lunette on the 101 pintle.

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Yes, thinking of a way to do this and keep the 50mm hit has well. Time will be the biggest killer at the moment. Got a lot to do in a short amount of time.

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Originally Posted by bacicat

- I need 2 steps to get into it, so that gives you an idea of the height of it.

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Pics?:angel:

and some light reading--
Trailer Sauce :: Drawbar Design & Function

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Originally Posted by bacicat

Here's a quick question - the chassis is in great condition, but as is very common, it is covered in surface rust. Now I could spend almost forever with a wire brush cleaning it, but if anyone knows an easier way, I'm all ears.

Plan is to clean it up a bit, then coat it in something waterproof like some brush able bitumen or similar.

So, anyone got a brainwave that will save me several days hard graft? :)

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I just helped my son Carlos doing that job in his vintage 16' Millard.

We used "Hammerite direct to rust" metal paint. It is an awesome paint, I recommend it . We used it also in the door step and it hold the wear very well.
We got it from Mitre 10

I will ask Carlos to see if he can posts some photos of the job. The plywood floor (in the need) was coated with a good quality deck paint.