USEFUL TIPS

[Mel B]

But some of us are like moths and are attracted to the lights whatever we do!!

 

Oh ... it's so pretty ... BUZZ splat!

[Febbie]

I think I'm getting the idea of this (After mistakenly making new threads)

There's been a lot of usefull tips I've a few to add to the list

Place a 'Cat litter' tray under the cutlery draw - keeps all those small

cooking aids; OXO's, Pkt Rice etc, handy

 

In our Low Profile we put three sets x two mini plastic veg baskets in

the Over Cab locker- keeps all underwear, socks etc seperated

between Pilot and Co Pilot

 

Stick strips of Velcro in cutlery draw to hold knives; forks etc in place

while travelling

 

A roll of yellow dusters from the local Pound shop make good covers

to stop pots and pans rattling

 

Curtain wire to make a washing line in the toilet is a good idea But make

sure it is high enough, or Big chaps risk 'garrotteing' themselves in the

dark

 

When Co. Pilot reminds me there may be more You have been

warned

 

Febbie

[mikeb]

Our Autosleeper Harmony is equipped with two tables on a pole so when we need a freestanding table outside we just use one face down as a base and the other as normal on top the pole.

 

We have just returned from our first visit to France and were very lucky that our pitch on the campsite was adjacent to an electric point. On most of the pitches one needed an extension lead of at least 25 meters as well as the normal hook up and continental adaptor.

[Norma]

1) I must have lots - I can only think of a couple for the moment. We have a vertical cupboard that is inclined to open when we go round the bend. Especially if the tray attached to the door is full of wine bottles - as the tray appears to be designed for. Solved it with a door safety catch - the sort to keep babies out.

 

2) A van we saw on holiday had a large garage door that was hinged across the top. They had fixed rows of washing line across the width of the door to hang washing from while the door was open - brilliant.

 

3) We fill the fresh water tank with convential garden hose. Sometimes the pressure from the supply is so high the hose falls out. Another short (few inches) piece shoved in beside the filling hose holds the hose in place.

[tonyishuk]

Keeping it cool.

 

We made some curtains from the silvered car cover material sold by Halfords / Argos which held on by velcro. In hot sun they act like a silver screen and relect the sun out of the side and rear windows.

 

They look a bit utilitarian, but work well.

 

We have recently brought from Tchibo shops some fly screen material which is silved one side to relect the heat and black the other. Initial trials seem to have the same effect as the above, you can see out but not in.

 

We brought 2 packs of of door screen, one for the door ! the other for the windows. The width of the door screen (2 curtains in a pack) is the same as the drop on the windows. Total cost a tenner for the two packs.

 

 

[Mel B]

Sun screens:

We bought some cheap van sun screens in France and I cut one down to fit the Heki rooflight - this means that when it's sunny we can have it open and let in fresh air but still stop the sun getting in. Make sure you allow for it to flap down at the sides though so that as the sun moves round it doesn't creep in. I had some spare rubber suction cups so I put these on to keep it in place but if you cut it to the right size it pretty well stays up there anyway or pegs can be used keep it clipped in place on the 'glass'.

 

Storage:

I got a cheap multi-pocket plastic material thingy from a pound shop, the sort with a coat hanger hook on the top. I cut the bottom 3 rows of pockets off it, leaving a little bit of extra 'material' on top, bent over and taped this extra material to the rear and then fastened it to the motorhome door, utilising a couple of screws that were already there. To stop it flapping when the door is open I then put some sticky velcro on the 2 bottom corners to fix it to the door. It's extremely useful for keeping dog leads, brushes, spare cloths etc in.

 

Brushes:

A washing up brush, the type with the long handle and a small scrubbing brush on the end, is brilliant for cleaning your shoes before you get in the van, you can clean sand, grass and mud etc off and don't get your hands dirty due to the long handle. And if you do the storage solution above you can stick it in one of the pockets so it's always at hand as soon as you open the door.

 

Drinks:

We got hold of a couple of drinking can holders, the type that slip over the door between the inner door and the window glass. The only problem was they they have a nasty habit of jumping off or being knocked off. I just drilled a couple of small holes in them and put in self tapping screws to keep them in place, now we can have drinks to hand whilst travelling.

 

Dash tray:

I also made a dash tray to fit over the cut-out dash area in front of the passenger, I used an old tray (but a piece of strong board would do), some sticky velcro and a couple of legs from a computer monitor 'shelf' to support the front outer edges (but again I'm sure you could come up with something else. I attached the legs to the front and put velcro under the 2 sides and rear of the tray, these were then carefully matched with their 'brother' pieces of velcro on the dash itself. I now have a storage area under the tray to keep campsite and travel books in so they are readily at hand, and an area on top for other bits and pieces or simply to put my large map on when needed (they can get a bit heavy to hold all the time!).

 

Map holder:

Large maps can be a pain to hold when you're having to keep referring to them. I bought an A3 clip board and clip the map's side edge onto it. It keeps the map straight, easier to read as it stops it from flopping around, and safe from damage. If you dont' want to go to the expense of an A3 clipboard a piece of hardboard with a bulldog clip will work just as well.

 

 

 

 

[Mel B]

Just packing the van for our next trip and remembered another tip:

 

Socks!!!! They are great for putting bottles into stop them rattling, but do remember to use clean socks won't you!

[navman]

Mel B - 2006-08-20 9:34 PM

Socks!!!! They are great for putting bottles into stop them rattling, but do remember to use clean socks won't you!

or wider rubber bands / bungie cord..... (lol)

[Guest starspirit]

Empty squash bottles cut in half (sideways not longways!) are ideal to jam and pickle jars clattering together.

 

 

[camaro]

Hi Friends I thought I would share with you all an idea I came up with while cogitating in the smallest room, I have used an old reversing aid as a intruder alarm. I have wired it to my leisure battery on a switch and mounted the sensors,1 above the drivers door and 1 above the passenger door,this also covers the habitat door, I can now see & hear anyone within a distance of about 3 metres. These reversing alarms can be bought for about £20 in most car spare outlets. I sleep a lot easier now when wild camping in the middle of nowhere............. (lol)

[michele]

Thats a good Idea.

[trooper]

I always carry silicon spray, its clean and wont harm plastics,

good for lube, or back to black.

 

I also carry re useable cable ties, useful for holding cable(what else).

holding wind break ends,hoses, and many other things.

I used 2 to hold my mud flaps in place

>:-(

[howie]

Finding your van on large and poorly lit sites can sometimes be a problem, so what we use is one of those solar powered garden lights which we place on the roof through the skylight. Cheap and effective with a distinctive blue colour, never a problem finding the van but don,t forget to remove it before driving off.

[J9withdogs]

I was looking at those screens that cover part of the front of your fiamma roll-out awning to provide shade/windbreak at the Malvern show, and someone told me that shower curtains, hung upside down do just as well.

 

Apparently the weighted bottom edge feeds into the slot on the front of the awning, and elasticated loops can be put through the eyelets to peg into the ground.

 

Good eh? - I'm sure they must do them in pink (lol)

[howie]

We,ve used shower curtains in place of a full safari room for a while now Jan. Rather than hang them upside down I slide them on to the end support bars of the awning, then with the windbreak in place simply clip them to the w/b poles. This covers the two sides of the awning and the front is done the same but with a old cut down windbreak that can easily be stepped over.

We use plain blue curtains that match the graphics on the van and w/bs, and the beauty of this is that they are cheap, lightweight, can easily be tied back and easy to put up and down, which is ideal for us where one night stopovers are the norm. Not perfect I know, but for a outlay of less than £40, compared to £500 plus for the official version, something thats easy to live with.

[J9withdogs]

I don't have any end support bars on my awning, but the bloke at the show had used a telescopic clothes-line prop with rubber ferrules on each end to fit between the front and back rails of the awning.

 

He then hung the blind from that. Obviously the fabric would then need to be cut at an angle to reach the ground front and back.

[howie]

J9withdogs - 2007-08-14 7:11 PM

 

I don't have any end support bars on my awning, but the bloke at the show had used a telescopic clothes-line prop with rubber ferrules on each end to fit between the front and back rails of the awning.

 

He then hung the blind from that. Obviously the fabric would then need to be cut at an angle to reach the ground front and back.

Well worth getting those end bars Jan. Spring loaded and up in a second or two they stop the awning canvas from flapping about which on many occasions has got me out of bed in the early ours just to give the wife peace of mind. Never had a problem with how the shower curtains hang, but easy enough to put right if you want. Just set up the awning at its normal angle and mark the vertical line where it needs trimming. One other thing with the bars. Omnistor and Fiamma have different fittings where the ends are located so if you do get them make sure they are the right ones.

[J9withdogs]

Thankyou, Howie ;-)

[Usinmyknaus]

Fed up with the van end of the 5 metre fresh water hose falling out while I turned on the tap at stand pipes, I took a plastic "U" shaped pipe bender off an old washing machine waste water hose (the bit that goes into the stand pipe behind washers and dishwashers) and put it on the end of the potable water hose. It now hooks neatly into the filler orifice on the van and with the spring loaded cover down onto the u-shaped part it works a treat, needing a firm tug to remove it after filling.

 

Bob

[trooper]

If you use Evostick or any contact type adhesives you know how the top of the can sticks on, to save this, spray a little silicone spray on the threads, no more problem. (^)

cheers;

[Fetch Carry]

Old trouser belts from a charity shop make good replacements for the straps in your gas bottle locker.

[J9withdogs]

Cut the top off plastic drinks bottles of various sizes to stand your glass bottles in.

 

Stops them 'chinking' in the cupboard when you are driving.

[Guest Tracker]

starspirit - 2007-01-25 8:11 PM

 

Empty squash bottles cut in half (sideways not longways!) are ideal to jam and pickle jars clattering together.

 

 

That sounds familiar?

[J9withdogs]

See - I learnt from a great teacher (lol)

[Guest Tracker]

J9withdogs - 2007-10-18 7:49 PM

 

See - I learnt from a great teacher (lol)

 

 

Teacher's always was one of my favourites, along with Bell's and several others whose names escape me due to the fact that I can't see the labels because of the plastic bottles they are standing in!