Pampam Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 Would somebody please invent something to stop my habitation windows getting scratched by the hedges when going down the narrow lanes of Cornwall and Devon ,I'm off down there at weekend and after last visit ended up with quite a few scratches in the Perspex windows :roller shutters would be good , or a giant sock lol.and no comments about the driving please cos sometimes you just have to hit the hedgerows:pp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolly1965 Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 erm how about putting a layer of cling film over it - the sort they use for packaging. When you get to your destination, just peel it off.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowie Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 PVC ? cheers alan b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pampam Posted June 14, 2013 Author Share Posted June 14, 2013 Thanks bolly I have a role of clear pallet wrap but have read somewhere that the coating on cling film is bad for Perspex pp it does something to the finish: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnP Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 Do not put cling film on the plastic windows. It reacts with the plastic if left on, and is almost impossible to get off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bolly1965 Posted June 14, 2013 Share Posted June 14, 2013 Perspex and acrylic usually comes new with a plastic film.... Wonder what that is then? Of if its available to us mere mortals Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 snowie - 2013-06-14 9:42 PM PVC ? cheers alan b Thats what I immediately thought.... :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ips Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 You could of course stick to wider roads. I think we have to accept sometimes that you cant allways go were you would like to in a Mh Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lennyhb Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 I've given up worrying about I just polish the scratches out once a year. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 JudgeMental - 2013-06-15 8:25 AM snowie - 2013-06-14 9:42 PM PVC ? cheers alan b Thats what I immediately thought.... :-D You poor dears! I had always thought PVCs came with side windows? Is this world of perpetual darkness clouding your vision? I know some are those dreadful "window van" variants, with the single glazed glass side windows that stream condensation, but surely most have d/g acrylic side windows, of the same kind as were being discussed? How does having tin side walls prevent plastic windows from getting scratched? Eh? This proseltysing of one kind of van over another is getting as tedious as the aires vs sites bitching. Are these the new religions? Will there be inquisitions? I'll get my own coat. :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 I think Snowie was probably alluding to the narrower dimensions of a panel van..See how funny you find it if unfortunate enough to rip the sides of your new aluminium skinned pride and joy. As I did years ago when a broken branch gauged a lovely scar along my camper. Have always had GRP since *-) With a steel box its really not an issue, and driving certainly far more relaxing....I can assure you my van has more light and windows then most CB, much brighter and less claustrophobic than our Euramobil Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowie Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 Crikey; people do react; maybe I was suggesting that the narrower dimensions of a PVC would help, maybe a layer of Polyvinylchloride over the windows, a bit more substantial than cling-film. How you come up with "poor dears" I just do not understand, proselytising; (habitually trying to convert) I think not! Yes we have side windows, only 2, and only 1 on each side, but I would be upset if an overgrown hedge did damage. I also find the "bitching" about Panel versus Coachbuilt tedious, and the wildcamping versus sites too, but I can understand that there are different ways of enjoying motorised camping. I've got my coat on and I'm at the door cheers alan b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 Well yes but. :-) Having a narrower van does not prevent contact with roadside vegetation, though it may reduce the risk. Steering clear of the vegitation, or avoiding narrow roads, is the best remedy for that. But, if what one does on getting a PVC is assume that because it is narrower it will fit down narrower roads than the average coachbuilt, it won't alter the risk of damaging a window. Bodywork yes, steel is tougher that aly or GRP sheet. But, that is only relevant if one hits things, and if one hits things the acrylic windows (to get back to the topic) generally stick out, so are more vulnerable to scrapes than bodywork of whatever material. Crinkly has the best answer, his windows have metal covers over them! :-) Oddly, I damaged the side-wall of our first van manoeuvring round a campsite tree. What I saw were the leaves and small twigs, which I happily brushed against on the way round. What I couldn't see was the hacked off branch the leaves and twigs were growing from! Exit high level marker light: enter scar on side of van! (Painful!) lesson learnt! Never, ever, assume! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JudgeMental Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 Oddly? we can all have accidents even you.... Accidents happen thats the point..you cant avoid them sometimes. Kids table tennis table (moved by Mrs M*-)) fell over and damaged my new panel van...Chap came around from "chips away" repaired it and sprayed it, in a few hours and it cost 80 quid. Thats the difference..I know consider that I have a much sturdier and more secure camper so less stress! with far more relaxing and speedier driving.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brian Kirby Posted June 15, 2013 Share Posted June 15, 2013 Which, very neatly, takes us back to the OP's post. Whatever kind of van they are in, the acrylic windows are very prone to scratching. Also, they are not that storng. If only they'd make them from polycarbonate. Much more scratch resistant, and much, much, stronger. Then, for another £1 or so per window, they could add decent window catches, and give the tea-leaves a real challenge! :-) Sorted! :-D Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pampam Posted June 15, 2013 Author Share Posted June 15, 2013 So do you know is pallet wrap the same as cling film? Or will it be safe to use on Perspex windows , they ought to build roller shutters over the windows lol I think I'll write to a few manufacturers and suggest it.along with my design for a rear wall drop down extension.which can double the size of your van in one simple manoeuvre ,haha what a sad life I lead if all I can do on a Saturday night is dream up some motorhome improvements.pp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pampam Posted June 16, 2013 Author Share Posted June 16, 2013 Snowie what's polyvanchloride ,is that this pallet wrap? Pp Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest pelmetman Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Pampam - 2013-06-15 11:03 PM they ought to build roller shutters over the windows lol Funnily enough we saw a old French camper at Biarritz with wooden roller shutters...............and it looked like they'd been fitted from new not an add on................I thought then what an excellent idea B-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hallii Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 I have seen several French vans fitted with roller shutters, not made of wood but of what appeared to be aluminium. They were very neat and protect the windows (but I suppose they could be damaged) and are an excellent burglar deterrent. Who makes them anybody know? H Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
snowie Posted June 16, 2013 Share Posted June 16, 2013 Pampam - 2013-06-16 5:17 AM Snowie what's polyvanchloride ,is that this pallet wrap? Pp Google says; and I'm not an industrial chemist, so I'll tread carefully here; "Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) is a major plastics material which finds widespread use in building, transport, packaging, electrical/electronic and healthcare applications. PVC is a very durable and long lasting construction material which can be used in a variety of applications, either rigid or flexible, white or black and a wide range of colours in between. Due to its very nature, PVC is used widely in many industries and provides very many popular and necessary products." Anything from plastic guttering, to the transparent cover of your "Pukka-Pad" ( I'm not certain of the actual chemical composition of this one). Cling film has very little thickness, and very little strength, I'd say pallet wrap is just thick cling film. How many times would you wrap it around your van? not very practical. Whatever you try to fit will have problems, and I would expect horrendous wind noise. If you could solve the fixing problem, maybe it would be worth a try, but scratched paintwork, aluminium or steel around the windows would be no less annoying. If the branches encroach on or over the highway I'd say it's a similar situation to potholes this winter. I lost a tyre to a water filled pothole on a dark night, took photo's the next day, intending to send to Council. Still haven't done it. I believe councils are sympathetic, but some things we just have to suffer. Something along the lines of wing-mirror protectors maybe, but at what cost?!! Good luck and drive carefully alan b Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest 1footinthegrave Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 They get scratched end of, the best solution I have found is to accept that as a fact of life, but again our 10 year old PVC has far less than a similar aged CB we had, many roadside hedges, trees seem by nature less of an issue in a PVC, perhaps the reason being they are not square box shaped, and roadside hedgerows are not either, take note the next time your following a bus for example, it's plain to see the contact they make, and your driving the same shaped vehicle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pepe63xnotuse Posted June 17, 2013 Share Posted June 17, 2013 A couple of years back we seemed to go through a spell where every trip involved a detour/road closure, resulting in us having to shoehorn the van down some or other Somerset/Wiltshire/Devon country lane and having to cross with buses and lorries coming from the other way.....8-) At that time,I considered some kind of covers for the nearside windows..but I came to the conclusion that,if something flexible/fabric-like was going to be used,unless you could be sure that it wouldn't "flap" and therefore rub on the window, it'd probably do more harm than good.. Now I suppose if you had a somewhat... *cough*..older MH, something that you didn't mind bolting "stuff" to and on which they wouldn't look that out of place,then I suppose you could make some tidy hinged shutters? ...but the chances are, if it'd stand some "after-thought shutters",it'd probably stand a few scratches on the windows... ;-) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Frankkia Posted June 18, 2013 Share Posted June 18, 2013 hallii - 2013-06-16 9:17 AM I have seen several French vans fitted with roller shutters, not made of wood but of what appeared to be aluminium. They were very neat and protect the windows (but I suppose they could be damaged) and are an excellent burglar deterrent. Who makes them anybody know? H They are Notin - Rather expensive French motor homes. I have seen them fitted with Wooden (possibly wood effect) and aluminium style shutters see http://www.notin.fr/index-us.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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