Our first breakdown

Had to come didn't it!

Anything mechanical that stands unused for years is the subject of much nervousness by new owners when its flexed appropriately

Our new to us RV is no exception!

Having said our goodbyes and covering just a few miles the dash starts to sing a song and flash persistent warnings

We are en route now to Poole and a welcome RV with Chums Russ & Lynne having booked on to their local campsite that can take big rigs

The engine goes in to 'Limp Mode' and its apparent I have a coolant issue as the temp gauge is very high and the word "Coolant' won't go away....

Thankfully we make it to a place of relative safety and the call is made

After a very prompt attendance by the rescue guy his diagnosis, and partly prompted by the amateur mechanic (thats me), is that the explosion of coolant from the rear of the RV engine out the pressure release filler cap is probably due to a seized thermostat

I do hope so!

There's coolant everywhere and loads on Max which I wash off

A three hour wait for the big boys ensues as they are in Sheffield on a job

The first wrecker is too small so reinforcements are called just as the heavens open

The plan is to recover us to Empire RV by towing method with front axle raised

Its on the way to Poole and we were due there after the weekend anyway

I'm informed that one of the half shafts needs to be removed from the rear axle to enable towing of the rear wheel drive RV

Strewth thats big, I thought and really heavy

Bizarrely after a lot of prep and quite pleasant trip down the motorways we are handed over to another crew at Strensham Services who have a beast of a truck to take us on the final leg to Emborough south of bristol

Disconnect one truck, bring in another

Simply lifts under the cross member and chained for security

Brakes disconnected manually again but no auxilliary air from the tow truck on this leg as they don't see the point

My thoughts later were that the air is there to keep the ride height correct but what does this amateur mechanic know right?

We are smiling for the selfie but in reality we are drained of enthusiasm and are finally laid to rest in the yard at Empire RV at midnight

Not bad from a 6.00am start....

Getting the jobs done

Time is moving on now and its spent getting the other jobs done on the van

We have the bike rack to be fitted on the rear, a proper cover made for Max, the blown window glass in the bedroom replaced and outstanding issues put right back down at Empire RV

Two trips are made to Armitages Trailers up in Knottingley near Ferrybridge

The job needed sizing up initially with the steelwork being sent off for galvanising

Both trips involved staying the night outside the works and second time around we opted to be tucked down the side away from the noise of nearby premises starting work at 4.00am!

The completed job, or so I thought!

Back at Dethick we nervously power Max up the approach ramp and he drops nicely in to the grab arrangement I wanted that incorporated parts of the system used in the trailer

Trouble is the blue 'stop' end although fitted right at the end of the rail doesn't allow the bike to centralise at the back of the RV meaning it overhangs one side and I can't retract the approach ramp...

The problem is solved in a few days when I fit their original hoop stop allowing the bike to move further on to the rail

The finished article which I'm quite happy with

(photo angles here don't show that Max sits 3 inches inbound of the sides)

The 'Growler' alarm loop supplied by Vanbitz sees the light of day and the system is complete apart from the cover to be made from Bags4Everything in Ossett

The trip north is duly made in a day and all manner of measurements are made by Paul the owner

We've gone for a PVC cover with click fastening straps and will have it posted out to us down at Empire when its done

Baz comes to visit and stay on the site next door 

We have a great couple of days with a walk down in to Matlock and the now obligatory visit to Spoons...

Evenings of chat, Nina's fayre and that view from the van

The sheep as ever rule the roost and they've taken a real liking to the bike cover intent on trying to consume it along with the grass

A jaunt to Bingham one friday sees us out again with Chums Pat & Jane for our now regular trip around the town sampling some fine beers

Taken early doors when we could all focus properly

Next job is getting the glass replaced in the bedroom window frame

Two trips here to Byron Glass in Mansfield and some serious stress thrown in 

The top pane has standing water in it and they assure me that they can remove the glass, split the panes, clean, reassemble and off you go...

Not to be I'm afraid

On the first trip and after a stupid amount of time getting the frame out the RV they discover they can't get the glass out the frame without smashing it....great

No worries apparently as they can fit a new tinted double glazed replacement next week so the frame is duly reinstalled and off we go

We turn up the following Monday and the stress continues

The window comes out again and the replacement is ready but the fitter discovers they've got the glass size wrong

Mine has two single panes of unequal size creating a small overlap which is hard to see but there's no way they can fit the replacement and we can't come back again as we are off on our travels soon

They also try in earnest to release the existing unit with a result this time

So whist I'm in the factory stripping off the excess mastic (a real time consuming chore) they strip both glass panels and make a unit to fit

Just before final install

The end result is better than the original but only just TBH as the clouding and staining of the original pane shows through still, but no water

Its also not as dark so we spend an afternoon fitting two sheets of tinted auto film to the inside pane back at base

One good idea sadly gone astray.....

To cheer us up we take the chance to say farewell to Chums Mick & Deb so go round and basically drink their booze

A Fish & Chips tea is followed by some spirit tasting and an impromptu blind brandy tasting competition

Starters...

The main event 

A, B, C or D....its easy isn't it surely?

Mick breaks out his stash of rums and mentions his favourite is this baby

We go out and buy some next day and it soon becomes mine too!

Dinitrol

Oops!

Forgot a complete post!

Between our sojourn with the Cathcarts and Dethfest came a bizarre few days at Mercury RV Ltd in the Kent countryside near Faversham

Having left Pat & Jane to head home due north after our London trip we head off to have the 'van' undersealed with Dinitrol

Having spent the night in their yard we present ourselves next day to the pleasant Irish guy who set about getting Tasca off the floor to work underneath on him

Nina's stress levels were at an all time high and she wasn't convinced about the safety of the jacks

Tbh I was apprehensive having never seen this done before but we stood back nervously

In unison the jacks send him upwards and 13.3 Tonnes are lifted easy peasy

A chance now to see the state of the underside

The verdict is an official "Its actually not bad really"

So some form of relief there. I'd been told that they never look pretty underneath and structural failure is almost unheard of but I had my reasons to get the job done

Possibly the worst of the corrosion can be seen here on the box steel sections that make up the support steelwork for the slides and lockers

All this metalwork is fabricated on site by Winnebago and welded/bolted to the main chassis during construction. In our case, in 2007

The problem is its not then rustproofed or protected in any way as the Yanks rely on sheer thickness of steel to combat any future corrosion issues

Call me Mr Paranoia but those welds need some TLC! 

Broken welds ten years down the line wil not be appreciated so we laid down the money...

First the total underside gets a steam clean to remove the dirt then allowed to dry

Rust inhibitor is applied which turns black as it react with the rust

Wax is injected in to cavities 

Then 12 litres of this stuff, 4941 gets sprayed all over anything metal (and a few other places) by the guy (wearing no protection at all I add) using a high pressure lance and an air compressor

Hey presto...

A diiferent vehicle...

A vast improvement cosmetically but of course a few trips in the rain will make it look like a normal truck again

The reassuring thing though is the corrosion has been stopped in its tracks and I have the ability to 'touch up' where necessary in the future with the same product by using their convenient half litre aerosols

I guess most folks would not be bothered going to these lengths to protect their vehicles but we have peace of mind now knowing when we are parked for months on end on the numerous European shorelines that salt corrosion in the air won't affect us too much

Dethfest 2

Its here again....

Dethfest!

No bands, no queueing at the portaloos, no traffic, no muppets...well perhaps just 6!

The 'Crowd puller' this year and centre of attention again was Mick's 'Dethfest Beer' which got things off to a blurry start

Sausage rolls awaited our arrivals at the farm so I had a go heating up one for Keith via the generator, convection microwave and much hilarity

Three ex firefighters in an RV filled with billowing smoke laughing like naughty kids...

At least the smoke alarm got tested!

"This is where you went wrong Pete"

Sat outside the trio of 'Recreational Vehicles'

Chris never disappoints when it comes to 'nibbles'

And there's more!

Spain all over again...

Cromford Canal during the next day's walking undergoing major surgery

Chattanooga Choo Choos

Much hilarity here as Mick & Keith get involved in sheep herding

The guy on the right (equipped with non herding labradors) has offered to round up an ageing farmer's sheep for him

All to no avail with the sheep having a good laugh as they escape the waving shepherds

Back in Tasca group dining is tested with a pie and pea supper

The next day was spent out walking to Matlock and having lunch in Spoons before the long trek uphill back via Riber Castle

Mick & Deb's bacon butty breakfast on the last morning finished off a great few days together and plans were laid for the forthcoming autumn and winter tours

All roads eventually lead to Spain..

Greece has been put on the back burner for a while but we'll get there given we have all the time in the world....