camocam1 Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Hi I'm both new to Motorhomes and to this forum so please bare with me I have just bought a 2007 (the older vesion) on the Ace Milano with a 2,3 engine, anyone got one ?? Anything I should look out for and any general advice would be most welcome. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Welcome to the Out&About Live forums. As your Ace motorhome is 5 years old, it would probably be worth confiming (if it hasn't already been done) that there are no indications of water ingress. Also worth checking that important 'time-related' maintenance on the Fiat side (periodic brake-fluid and/or antifreeze replacement, cam-belt change, etc.) has been carried out. I found a couple of earlier Milano forum threads, but they may have no relevance to your vehicle http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/search/query.asp?action=search&searchforumid=all&keywords=&author=readytogo&days=&Submit=Search The Milano was a very straightforward design and, as far as I'm aware, had no peculiarities. You might need to be careful regarding exceeding the vehicle's maximum overall weight (3400kg?) if you plan to carry 4 adults, but that's about it. As you are new to motorhomes I strongly suggest you invest in the latest edition of John Wickersham's book "The Motorcaravan Manual". http://www.amazon.co.uk/Motorcaravan-Manual-Choosing-Using-Maintaining/dp/0857331248/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344932682&sr=1-1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camocam1 Posted August 14, 2012 Author Share Posted August 14, 2012 Thanks for that will check out the various points Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
David Dwight Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 We had a Milano, found it very good did everything we wanted. It did ok with the two of us 2 grandchildren plus bikes for the 4 of us. I did find that you needed to take care cornering at speed, possible due to the Luton making it high, also the narrow wheelbase. We changed to an Auttrail on the new camper chassis boy what an improvement, now on our second Autotrail, picked it up today its even better driving than the other one. Enjoy you Milano and happy travelling. David Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest peter Posted August 14, 2012 Share Posted August 14, 2012 Derek Uzzell - 2012-08-14 9:36 AM Welcome to the Out&About Live forums. As your Ace motorhome is 5 years old, it would probably be worth confiming (if it hasn't already been done) that there are no indications of water ingress. Also worth checking that important 'time-related' maintenance on the Fiat side (periodic brake-fluid and/or antifreeze replacement, cam-belt change, etc.) has been carried out. I found a couple of earlier Milano forum threads, but they may have no relevance to your vehicle http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/search/query.asp?action=search&searchforumid=all&keywords=&author=readytogo&days=&Submit=Search The Milano was a very straightforward design and, as far as I'm aware, had no peculiarities. You might need to be careful regarding exceeding the vehicle's maximum overall weight (3400kg?) if you plan to carry 4 adults, but that's about it. As you are new to motorhomes I strongly suggest you invest in the latest edition of John Wickersham's book "The Motorcaravan Manual". http://www.amazon.co.uk/Motorcaravan-Manual-Choosing-Using-Maintaining/dp/0857331248/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344932682&sr=1-1That's the second time in a short period that you pushed that book Derek, are you sure you're not getting a bung. On a more serious note, welcome to the forum to the o/p. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 15, 2012 Share Posted August 15, 2012 peter - 2012-08-14 10:13 PM Derek Uzzell - 2012-08-14 9:36 AM Welcome to the Out&About Live forums. As your Ace motorhome is 5 years old, it would probably be worth confiming (if it hasn't already been done) that there are no indications of water ingress. Also worth checking that important 'time-related' maintenance on the Fiat side (periodic brake-fluid and/or antifreeze replacement, cam-belt change, etc.) has been carried out. I found a couple of earlier Milano forum threads, but they may have no relevance to your vehicle http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/search/query.asp?action=search&searchforumid=all&keywords=&author=readytogo&days=&Submit=Search The Milano was a very straightforward design and, as far as I'm aware, had no peculiarities. You might need to be careful regarding exceeding the vehicle's maximum overall weight (3400kg?) if you plan to carry 4 adults, but that's about it. As you are new to motorhomes I strongly suggest you invest in the latest edition of John Wickersham's book "The Motorcaravan Manual". http://www.amazon.co.uk/Motorcaravan-Manual-Choosing-Using-Maintaining/dp/0857331248/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1344932682&sr=1-1That's the second time in a short period that you pushed that book Derek, are you sure you're not getting a bung. On a more serious note, welcome to the forum to the o/p. I've been recommending John Wickersham's book "The Motorcaravan Manual" regularly since before the current Warners forums were introduced. This is a 2005 example and was transferred from the earlier "MMM" forum. http://www.outandaboutlive.co.uk/forums/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=1711&posts=3 As far as I'm concerned it's the best £12 a novice motorcaravanner will ever spend and - based on the cock-eyed advice some 'experts' have been known to offer - it would do no harm for every forum member to have JW's publication on their book-shelves. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camocam1 Posted August 20, 2012 Author Share Posted August 20, 2012 yea did notice a bit of sway this weekend when I went into a couple of corners a bit on the fasy side shall we say, will need to watch out for that. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 If you do find body-sway when cornering concerning, your best bet would be to fit (or have fitted) an 'air-assistance' system on the vehicle's rear axle. There are several systems on the UK market - for example http://www.marcle-leisure.co.uk/information/air-suspension.htm There's nothing odd about a Milano regarding cornering body-sway: any motorhome with a similar specification can be expected to act similarly. Stiffening the rear springing by adding air-assistance should reduce the swaying, (and as the Marcle Leisure advert suggests) increase straight-line stability on motorways, reduce the effect of strong cross winds, and limit vehicle movement when being overtaken by heavy vehicles. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PJay Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 Have to agree with Derek. We fitted Dunlop Air Suspension on our 2006 Sundace, made for a much better ride. Well worth having it done Bought ours from Marcle, and had them fitted at local Fiat garage PJay Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coachman Posted August 20, 2012 Share Posted August 20, 2012 We have the Mobilvetta Driver 52 which I believe come from the same company. From whats mentioned about sway and damp problems when we picked ours up this past May the habitation check showed no damp anywhere.It was not until had problem with grey water tank they found the rear corner floor panel was rotten which they are at moment repairing. The sway, when we went on first drive I did notice a bit more sway than had on other Fiats. Saw these two air valves on back bumper which were connected to air suspension and on checking pressure they were at 10lbs, I increased to 30lb and sway had gone , however the ride is more bumpy so will have to play around a bit . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Derek Uzzell Posted August 21, 2012 Share Posted August 21, 2012 Pastiche - 2012-08-20 7:36 PM We have the Mobilvetta Driver 52 which I believe come from the same company... Although the base vehicle for both motorhomes was a Fiat Ducato, your motorhome was built by Mobilvetta in Italy, whereas camocam1's "Milano" was built by the Swift Group in the UK. Ace was a Swift Group motorhome 'sub-brand' that was dropped 3 years ago. Further details are here http://www.simplymotorhomes.co.uk/2009/01/18/swift-announcement-over-ace-motorhomes/ An example of a 2006 Ace Milano is shown here http://www.practicalmotorhome.com/forsale/used-motorhomes/west-country-motorhomes---swindon/ace-milano-[no-trim]/gx06hwn I'm pretty sure your Mobilvetta's rear suspension's air-assistance units would have been added by a previous owner. Unless there's something wrong with a motorhome's suspension to begin with (eg. the vehicle is sitting on its bump-stops) air-assistance will always make the vehicle's ride firmer at the rear. You can try playing about with the air-bellows' and the tyres' inflation pressures, but a sort wheelbase, tall overcab motorhome will naturally tend to sway and tend to have a 'choppy' ride. If you want no sway, you'll need stiff rear springing and hardish tyre pressures, and if you opt for stiff rear springing and hardish tyre pressures, you'll need to accept a firm (and probably even choppier) ride on anything other very smooth road surfaces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
camocam1 Posted August 21, 2012 Author Share Posted August 21, 2012 van has to go into the dealer as noticed the grey water tank was leaking at the weekend so will get them to check the floor at the same time Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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