Complete Novice seeking advice

[crbtaylor]

We have just purchased our first motorhome, an Elddis115, and expecting delivery in the new year. We caravaned some 8 years ago, but have now decided after reading magasine after magasine and various web sites that a MH was the way to go. Two questions immediately come to mind:-

When levelling is it necessary to level both front and rear axle?

Is an external or internal windscreen shield preferable?

Pretty sure I will have many more questions but if you have tips for a first timer old timer they would be welcome

[tyreman]

Welcome to motorhoming....great choice of van,we`ve had our 115 for close on a year now and its been superb.Exterior screens are far superior than internal,they keep the van warmer and virtually eliminate any condesation problems,as for the levelling it depends on the pitch your on,you might find you only need to lift one wheel at times..depends where you are and after you`ve been out a couple of times it will come as second nature.

[johngee]

Not just me then!

 

I have a few months experience of a 115 (Compass badged), so if you have any queries now or when it arrives, post away!

[crbtaylor]

Thanks. Just need to get Christmas out of the way then its "Off to the Hills"

[catinou]

Welcome to our hobby Colin.

 

We are waiting for our new van too - due in April & I hope you are enjoying the anticipation as much as we are.

 

Looking froward to hearing how you get on when yours arrives. B-)

[Tony Jones]

Hi Colin, welcome!

 

Levelling:

I'd advise carrying two small spirit levels (either freebies form magazines, or the little ones they sell at caravan shops for this).

Find a place in sight of the driving seat which is supposed to be level (not familiar with your layout, but this may be the top of a unit or a FLAT bit of floor) and place your spirit levels there, at right angles to each other.

Move the van around to get both of them as level as possible, then identify from them which wheel(s) need raising. Position your ramps in front of (or behind) those wheels, and move onto them, keeping an eye on your spirit levels and stopping when they're centred (or when the missus yells "STOP! You're at the top!"). Hold the footbrake hard down while applying the handbrake, switch off the engine and go and put the kettle on. Sounds complicated, but piece of cake once you've done it a couple of times.

 

Cab screens:

No question that exterior ones do a better job, but they're bulkier to carry, may be wet to put away, and of course you have to go outside to fit them. We used them with our last van, but we use internal ones now for convenience, and we've not had a problem. It's just another of those compromises, where the answer will depend on how, when and where you use the van.

[Brian Kirby]

Use of ramps. 

I don't say this will be applicable to you, you may be more "tilt sensitive" than we seem to be.  However, over the past year we have stayed on more then 70 campsites in France, Spain and Portugal.  With a bit of choice of pitch, and a bit of manoeuvring once on pitch, we have managed to find reasonable level (and shade) in all bar two cases. 

By this, I mean that the van has seemed reasonably level when occupied, notwithstanding the spirit level indicating some degree of out of level.  In other words, we have only used the ramps where we felt we were not level, and not invariably where a spirit level told us this was the case. 

Of course, you may not choose to use sites, and you may find ground that is more uneven wherever you stop.  Nevertheless, although I would not travel without the ramps, I don't think the need to use them is such that it should worry you unduly.

[747]

If you go for internal screens, you will have condensation in cold weather especially.

 

I had an Eldiss Autquest 120 and used it when working away from home. This meant very early starts in sub zero temperatures. What I found is that if you set the heater fan in the recirculating mode, it blew the warm internal air on to the screen instead of cold air from outside. After a few minutes of driving, change the lever back as the demist air has warmed up sufficiently.

[lennyhb]

We never worry too much about levelling as long as our heads aren't sloping downhill in bed & the shower will drain it's fine by us. Our van has quite a high rear end stance so even on level ground it's quite a slope inside, we have just got use to it.

 

Regarding your original question "When levelling is it necessary to level both front and rear axle? "

Motorhomer's usually only carry one pair of ramps, if the van is facing up or down a slope you place the ramps both on the same axle that needs raising, if you are sideways on to a slope you place the ramps one each under the the front & rear wheels on the side that needs raising. Depending on how you position the ramps on the ground you can raise each wheel a different amount.

 

Out of 45 nights away this year I think we have used the ramps 3 times.

 

Likewise we came from dragging a caravan around & because you have to lower all the corner steadies caravanner's tend to get paranoid about being level, I'd rather get the kettle on or the beer out 10 minutes earlier than worry about being level, I'm on holiday & don't want to make work for myself.

 

As for screen covers the outside ones are far better for insulation & condensation I find them just as quick to put on as closing the Remis blinds & if taking them off when wet just through them in the shower.

 

 

 

[Minstrel]

My main comment re inner or outer screens is that, if you are overnighting somewhere away from campsites, whether French aires or quietly tucked away somewher, if you needed to make a quick getaway, external blinds will prevent that. We're lucky, we have loads of storage space so in the winter take both.

[maggyd]

We do have an external blind that is on at the moment while parked up, but we invested in internal remis blinds and haven't regretted it I personally think they are marvellous and it has allowed me to put away the curtain that was a bit bulky to keep tidy behind the seats.

 

As for levelling you do need to have levellers in case they are needed ! but unless its a lot out (we put the little triangle gauge) on top of the fridge as I understand that is the important area if running on gas. We dont worry as Brian says you can usually move the van until you get a decent level, its not as critical as when in a caravan I.M.O.

[Derek Uzzell]

crbtaylor:

 

For my Hobby's cab windows I use interior insulated covers, plus the Remis concertina blinds, plus a thick curtain that I drape around the lower edge of the over-cab section - and I still get a fair amount of condensation on the inside of the windsceen in cold damp weather. This is pretty much inevitable and the only realistic 'cure' is to use an exterior cover.

 

As far as levelling is concerned I level more than I used to, but I'm not paranoid about it and I've never felt the need to use a spirit level. I have seen it recommended that levelling always be carried out so that the motorhome's floor is not stressed corner-to-corner. So it would be OK to tilt the motorhome over by sticking wedges under both wheels on one side, or raise the motorhome's front or rear by putting wedges beneath both wheels of, respectively the front or rear axle, but not to just put a single wedge under one wheel.