This was a timely upload 🙂. I picked up my new caravan this weekend. It's my first twin axle and even after plenty of research I was not sure what to do about wheel locks. I wanted to fit two Alko locks for piece of mind, even though my insurance company said I would be covered with just one (van is stored at home). I have quad movers fitted, so not able to fit any kind of jacking brackets (I had Ko-Jack fitted to my previous van). I purchased a lock 'n' level for when touring but didn't want to leave this under the wheels during a 5 month winter lay-up, so I used a trolley jack on the chassis rail, close to the location of the rear mover mounting point and a piece of wood as you suggested. Even though I chocked both wheels on the opposite side as well as the jockey wheel, the caravan did slew slightly when lowering back down after fitting the second lock, which appeared to put pressure on the front offside wheel (it appeared to have a lot of positive camber). So I jacked up that side slightly too just enough to relieve that pressure and let it back down again. I now looks 'happy'. Next time I will keep the car hitched whilst jacking up to prevent this slewing effect. I was please to hear your comments about it being ok to jack on the chassis rail, close to the axle as possible and using a piece of wood. 👍
Over winter I over inflate the tyres to 5 psi off the maximum psi of the tyre stated, then place covers over the wheels. Then in the spring reduce back down to normal psi for towing, the over inflated position stops tyre flat spotting, and covers stop UV damage. Great update video both 😀😀
When jacking the caravan I was shown, by my now retired MCEA Caravan Engineer, to use chocks on the opposite wheel (both sides of it) and to chock the jockey wheel. I have a Kojak bottle jack and jacking plates fitted which help a lot. Those plates get transferred from van to van if I renew! Regarding winter wheels, if I'm not using the caravan over winter I fit my Sold Secure rated winter wheels. When fitting the wheel nuts I ensure the locking nut is also fitted. the WW cover is secured by a pole which runs through the device and is locked with a crypto lock. The insurance company are OK with this, but my van is not in a storage yard.
Hi, love your videos, I have just watched one where you said you didn’t think site fees were much too high compared to going abroad. Me and my wife Pat love caravan holidays, however it’s not fair to compare abroad with this county. Going abroad is always exciting and a great adventure and justifies the higher prices. Just to go to say…Majorca in July and know the weather will be between 22c at night and 30c in the day every day guaranteed is worth the money. We have had 100’s of holidays in the UK, and we are usually lucky with the weather, however the truth is being able to guarantee sun is so special.
We store our caravan at home with covers over the tyres to protect from the elements and uv light. I tend to move the caravan about a foot ( Backwards then forwards) Every month or so to prevent " flat spots" .Be careful when jacking as we had a 2008 Swift which i used to carefully lift to raise the tyres off the ground and it twisted the bodyshell and fractured the rear GRP panel ! So be warned.Enjoying your videos thank you.
Hi Mark I’ve only been caravan’er about 14 years and I’ve always jacked my caravans up and sat them on axle stands over the winter to stop the tyres forming a flat spot. I’ve never seen anyone else do this at the different storage sites I’ve used, I just thought maybe I am over doing it. Until I saw this vid today
My insurance company insisted that I had an Alko Chassis lock. So I use Sealey TS05 Tyre Savers. which stops flat spotting. And yes I have the Alko Kojack chassis jack jacking fitted to make life easier.
Hiya Mark I use the curved tyre type tyre protector to park on when stored..but nothing to stop removal of wheels..replacing the stud for wheel lock is the same as before on security without the tyres 😂
Been putting mine on axle stands and removing the wheels for years after speaking to Alko at the caravan show years ago "it gives the rubber suspension a rest" The wheels I replace with steel rims with a hole cut in one wheel to take a Wrath wheel lock. My insurance says it must have wheels on but doesn't say with tyres. 😉
Hi Mark I use winter storage wheels over the winter months I spoke to my insurance company and they said that's fine as long as they are not left in the caravan My storage site is a cassoa platinum site and they recommend removing the wheels I also use moisture crystals
Prices on caravans always seem to be cheaper in the winter because the market slows down. As for tyres I have a motor mover so every couple of months I mover the van back and forth stops flatspoting 👍
Hi Mark I have to take issue with you over the cost of continental holidays from our standpoint. We are both retired so the time of year we go is early season, April through to June for 83 nights. This last two years we have done touring in France, going down to the Med and back and the average cost per night is £55.17 per night. This includes all our food, fuel, site fees and ferry crossing, the site fees only averaging slightly less than £15 per night for full facility sites. We contrast this with what we were charged this year at a site we have been using for the past ten years which only has an elsan point, standpipe and hook up at £28 per night and we know that some of the two club’s sites make even this look cheap.
@jyc4779 Cheers. So if I understand correctly I would jack up the caravan, remove the road wheels, then bolt on the winter wheels, then lower the caravan back onto the winter wheels ?
Why not just apply the alko lock after the wheel is removed as the mount on the chassis still exists. It is a requirement for the lock but the wheels are not specified on the insurance policy 😂
This was a timely upload 🙂. I picked up my new caravan this weekend. It's my first twin axle and even after plenty of research I was not sure what to do about wheel locks. I wanted to fit two Alko locks for piece of mind, even though my insurance company said I would be covered with just one (van is stored at home). I have quad movers fitted, so not able to fit any kind of jacking brackets (I had Ko-Jack fitted to my previous van). I purchased a lock 'n' level for when touring but didn't want to leave this under the wheels during a 5 month winter lay-up, so I used a trolley jack on the chassis rail, close to the location of the rear mover mounting point and a piece of wood as you suggested. Even though I chocked both wheels on the opposite side as well as the jockey wheel, the caravan did slew slightly when lowering back down after fitting the second lock, which appeared to put pressure on the front offside wheel (it appeared to have a lot of positive camber). So I jacked up that side slightly too just enough to relieve that pressure and let it back down again. I now looks 'happy'. Next time I will keep the car hitched whilst jacking up to prevent this slewing effect.
I was please to hear your comments about it being ok to jack on the chassis rail, close to the axle as possible and using a piece of wood. 👍
Great 👍
Over winter I over inflate the tyres to 5 psi off the maximum psi of the tyre stated, then place covers over the wheels. Then in the spring reduce back down to normal psi for towing, the over inflated position stops tyre flat spotting, and covers stop UV damage. Great update video both 😀😀
Thanks 👍
When jacking the caravan I was shown, by my now retired MCEA Caravan Engineer, to use chocks on the opposite wheel (both sides of it) and to chock the jockey wheel.
I have a Kojak bottle jack and jacking plates fitted which help a lot. Those plates get transferred from van to van if I renew!
Regarding winter wheels, if I'm not using the caravan over winter I fit my Sold Secure rated winter wheels. When fitting the wheel nuts I ensure the locking nut is also fitted. the WW cover is secured by a pole which runs through the device and is locked with a crypto lock. The insurance company are OK with this, but my van is not in a storage yard.
Great tip thanks 👍
Hi, love your videos, I have just watched one where you said you didn’t think site fees were much too high compared to going abroad. Me and my wife Pat love caravan holidays, however it’s not fair to compare abroad with this county. Going abroad is always exciting and a great adventure and justifies the higher prices. Just to go to say…Majorca in July and know the weather will be between 22c at night and 30c in the day every day guaranteed is worth the money. We have had 100’s of holidays in the UK, and we are usually lucky with the weather, however the truth is being able to guarantee sun is so special.
Thanks Mike 👍
@ Yours are best caravan videos on UA-cam by the way👍🏻
We store our caravan at home with covers over the tyres to protect from the elements and uv light. I tend to move the caravan about a foot ( Backwards then forwards) Every month or so to prevent " flat spots" .Be careful when jacking as we had a 2008 Swift which i used to carefully lift to raise the tyres off the ground and it twisted the bodyshell and fractured the rear GRP panel ! So be warned.Enjoying your videos thank you.
Great tips 👍
Seen a few vans at yours Mark that we could have purchased, but the site prices for a seasonal pitch are just ridiculous.
Have a search, seems prices are coming back, just had someone buy and they said its £2200 inc elec and decent facilities 👍
Hi Mark I’ve only been caravan’er about 14 years and I’ve always jacked my caravans up and sat them on axle stands over the winter to stop the tyres forming a flat spot. I’ve never seen anyone else do this at the different storage sites I’ve used, I just thought maybe I am over doing it. Until I saw this vid today
Great lol 👍
My insurance company insisted that I had an Alko Chassis lock. So I use Sealey TS05 Tyre Savers. which stops flat spotting. And yes I have the Alko Kojack chassis jack jacking fitted to make life easier.
Same here that kojack is brilliant
We have winter wheels but not used them in a number of years. Use wheel savers instead
👍
Hiya Mark I use the curved tyre type tyre protector to park on when stored..but nothing to stop removal of wheels..replacing the stud for wheel lock is the same as before on security without the tyres 😂
Thanks Mike
Been putting mine on axle stands and removing the wheels for years after speaking to Alko at the caravan show years ago "it gives the rubber suspension a rest" The wheels I replace with steel rims with a hole cut in one wheel to take a Wrath wheel lock. My insurance says it must have wheels on but doesn't say with tyres. 😉
Thanks Gary
Hi Mark
I use winter storage wheels over the winter months
I spoke to my insurance company and they said that's fine as long as they are not left in the caravan
My storage site is a cassoa platinum site and they recommend removing the wheels
I also use moisture crystals
Thanks Keith 👍
We always hitch car to caravan when doing any work on wheels
Caravan can move forward or backwards
Yes good tip if you can 👍
Swift Supersure insurance state that wheels can be removed but winter wheels need to be fitted.
Thanks Jim 👍
All season tyres it’s more than enough in UK
Thanks 👍
Prices on caravans always seem to be cheaper in the winter because the market slows down.
As for tyres I have a motor mover so every couple of months I mover the van back and forth stops flatspoting 👍
Thanks 👍
Hi Mark
I have to take issue with you over the cost of continental holidays from our standpoint. We are both retired so the time of year we go is early season, April through to June for 83 nights.
This last two years we have done touring in France, going down to the Med and back and the average cost per night is £55.17 per night. This includes all our food, fuel, site fees and ferry crossing, the site fees only averaging slightly less than £15 per night for full facility sites.
We contrast this with what we were charged this year at a site we have been using for the past ten years which only has an elsan point, standpipe and hook up at £28 per night and we know that some of the two club’s sites make even this look cheap.
Thanks 👍
Just jack it up and put it on axle stands & remember to cover your tyre's to stop the sun cracking your tyre's
Thanks 👍
Kojack is good 👍 as long as you don’t have a flat 😢
Very true 👍
What are winter wheels please ?
Security Metal locking plates that fit when wheel removed
Good for security as caravan can’t be moved
@jyc4779 Cheers. So if I understand correctly I would jack up the caravan, remove the road wheels, then bolt on the winter wheels, then lower the caravan back onto the winter wheels ?
Perfect 👍
Hardly surprising The business is slow Marks been suggesting we all put our caravans away for winter. 😂
Got to cover all options, 👍
Why not just apply the alko lock after the wheel is removed as the mount on the chassis still exists. It is a requirement for the lock but the wheels are not specified on the insurance policy 😂
It makes sense to fit, I think it's easier to cut with no wheel, but it's better on than off, just check with insurance 👍
The only downside to a wheelock is you cant fit them on without getting down on the ground so you get your hands or clothes dirty
Campsites are charging to much 3 days in keswick 1 adult the wanted £177 for 3 nights and am a member
Have a shop around, we just priced up over new years, fully serviced pitch 5 days was £166 👍
you havent heard about Alko wheel locks & (battery ) powered angle grinders.........
Unfortunately yes 😢