pepe63xnotuse Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Hi all..I wonder if someone my be able to help please..? The rear steadies on our Chausson are tucked right underneath the van(a full 2ft),which means I have to scramble about on my knees in order to attach the "crank handle"!(..which I've already had to extend,after having the bumper fitted..). With this in mind I want to come up with some simple "extension bars" which could be left fixed in place,with the ends "fastened" on the underside of the rear bumper. Now I suppose I could achieve this by using a selection of quality sockets and extension bars but to be honest that's not a cheap route..especially as initially,it'll all be a bit trial and error.. So I thought I'd just get a couple of socket bars/winding handles from a caravan spares place and just extend/alter these..but the problem I'm having is that I can't find any that fit my steadies!... All of the handles we've come across in caravan spares shops(and even at the Shepton' show)have been 19mm,whereas ours' seems to be 23mm..and when ever I've asked anyone,I'm looked at as if I'm talking martian!? Should I be looking for something for a specific brand of steady perhaps? I've considered moving the steadies further back but there isn't really anywhere to fix them... Thanks Chris Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Keithl Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Hi Chris, Could you possibly fix a length of suitably sized plastic tube in line with the steady to guide the 'socket' onto the 'nut'? You may find kitchen sink waste pipe is of a suitable size if you're lucky. Keith. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted September 21, 2010 Author Share Posted September 21, 2010 That's a really good Idea!! ..I hadn't even thought about just fitting a guide tube!? (..as it was,the "project" was turning into being a bigger faff about than it was really worth..!) I've just had a rummage in the shed and I've a length of 32mm(1 1/4")plastic tube left over..unfortunatley,it needs to be about 35mm ID,to take my existing handle socket... A visit to Wicks when I'm next up that way,is in order I think! Great call keith! Thanks... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
747 Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Hi pepe63, You can get metric sockets of 23 mm but I would guess you need a 24 mm one. 23 mm is not a standard size but I have seen them in very large toolkits. Have a look around weekend markets or boot fairs. I worked in engineering before I retired and the highest quality tools I had came from these places. The same applies for 1/2" drive extensions. If you can pick up a 1/2" male section, get it welded into a suitable diameter piece of pipe of the correct length, then add a socket. You could also weld the socket in place if necessary. For the effort needed to raise and lower, see if you can find some 3/8" drive bits. They are thinner and therefore a bit lighter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted September 21, 2010 Author Share Posted September 21, 2010 I have already got a couple of 23mm sockets kicking about,which fit spot on. ...but it was when I started looking for long 1/2" extensions,that things started to get pricey..around £20 for a 24" extension!(..and I could really do with about 27"!) ..I know I could always use short extensions welded to 1/2" round bar but if I'm going to do that I may as well just weld/dowel the bar straight to the socket.. As you say,boot sales and sunday markets are the place to look though... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel B Posted September 21, 2010 Share Posted September 21, 2010 Hi Pepe Can you get at the rear steadies from the side of the van? If so, could you not use a socket attached to a cordless drill? As you won't have to physicall wind, it wouldn't matter that it was being held under the van whilst you did it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted September 21, 2010 Author Share Posted September 21, 2010 I'd still have to scramble on the ground,in order to reach under the side skirts..as the steadies are almost as far in from the sides,as they are from the rear.. I had looked at rotating them,so as the nut would face to the sides..but there was nothing to fasten the outer ends of the steadies to(..other than the floor of the vehicle,which I wouldn't want to do..). You have made me think of looking at on some of those flexible drive cables..maybe they could be looped to the sides... I just have a google.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted September 23, 2010 Author Share Posted September 23, 2010 Well,just to draw this to a close.. Yesterday,I finally stopped tattin' about and got on with it..!! I've ended up rotating the steadies through 90 degrees,so that I can now reach them from the sides.. There was a fair bit of work involed in extending the original brackets and fitting diagonal braces etc..but now it done! Thanks everyone for your ideas and for all of the interest shown! Chris.. ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted September 23, 2010 Share Posted September 23, 2010 Chris Water under the bridge now, but I needed something similar to what you originally wanted to allow me to reach the lowering/lifting mechanism for the spare wheel on my Transit-based Hobby. I just used a suitably-sized socket and a length of half-inch-square steel bar for the extension. Can't remember what I paid for the bar, but, as I've still got several meters of it lurking in my garage, it can't have been much. If you write up what you've done and take some photos, MMM magazine might well be interested in publishing (and paying you for!) the result. It would certainly beat some of the "How I stopped my motorhome's oven-door rattling using knicker elastic" types of DIY article that occasionally get printed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted September 23, 2010 Author Share Posted September 23, 2010 Derek Uzzell - 2010-09-23 6:58 PM ..... It would certainly beat some of the "How I stopped my motorhome's oven-door rattling using knicker elastic" types of DIY article that occasionally get printed. (lol) ..I thought it was just me who found some of those "tips" irritating.. (.."..we put our keys in an old margarine tub,so as not to loose them.." etc etc *-) ) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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