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Post by doublechevron on Oct 23, 2015 15:30:51 GMT 10
Have a look at the supercheap enamel car paint. I'm pretty sure it'll be re-badged industrial enamel, so perfect for this sort of use. I figure it's probably Hi-chem enamel, after all there can't be to many paint manufacturers in Australia. I used it here: ditzygypsy.proboards.com/thread/2647/old-chesney seeya Shane L. |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 23, 2015 13:22:42 GMT 10
A towbar for a magna ?? Ring around your local wreckers. There should be lots of them around  |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 23, 2015 9:01:20 GMT 10
Unless it's a Magna wagon, they haven't quite soft rear ends. So he'll need a WDH. The wagons had two stage springs at the back, so handled towing better ( my father and grandfather have towed with Magnas running on LPG for probably 30years).
seeya,
Shane L.
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 23, 2015 8:58:06 GMT 10
I'm 125kg and have put most - not all of my weight on the roof of my Arrow - didn't put a mark in it. Don't think I'd trust it to take my whole weight, but a lot sturdier than I thought. Foam sandwich 'vans are pretty strong by design. I wouldn't want to get on the roof of a wooden framed 'van ! www.youtube.com/watch?v=tBrXICtUq0gseeya, Shane L. |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 23, 2015 7:56:10 GMT 10
looks identical to the intermediate hayman reece setup available locally. You'll find buying one locally without postage ( used ) will be far cheaper than trying to buy anything in from the USA |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 22, 2015 15:38:42 GMT 10
I have found and put a deposit for a Franklin Arrow 16 footer 1977 model with registration and full length annex. All is working well, does not leak but need painting outside and the draw bar. I will do the chassis as well with Hamerlite I will also remove the windows and reseal them with marine Silka The accommodation is with four banks at the back and dinette at the front which it is not very common. We will remove the top banks and leave it as 2 single beds. I need some inputs in which is the best and specially cheap way to pain the outside of it. The stove and the original cushions have a deep orange color and I was thinking in painting a strip with that color on the side panels. U will pick up the van Sunday evening and will start a new thread with photos of it. Now I have to buy a 1.500 kg tow bar and a weight distribution hitch for the Magna. Thank you all for the inputs, they are appreciated. PPssssttt.... Mastic for the windows .... if you glue them in with sikaflex you'll destroy the wall of the caravan if they ever need to be removed for any reason!!! seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 22, 2015 13:05:57 GMT 10
Yes the back sags a bit. The disco doesn't have the leveler like the rangie, hence I think ill get stiffer springs eventually. Looking towards towing it with my newly acquired 1977 rrc 2 door That's strange... Does it have air suspension? How do you stop them dragging there arse up the road like a dog with worms if you load them heavily given there is no leveling at the back (land rover seems to run very soft springs). seeya Shane L. |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 22, 2015 13:01:44 GMT 10
The earth pin of the caravan plug was hooked up... however it was to the 240volt flex going straight to the brake magnets..... Which don't earth anywhere. SO you had brakes, but the caravan itself isn't earthed. It's plain bizzare. This appears to be the original factory wiring, and how the factory did it. I'm going to add an anderson plug (though it's not at all required) and earth it at the drawbar, and back at the chassis where the electric brakes branch out to the individual wheels. I'll run the wiring back for a 12volt power point inside the caravan too (so we can run a 12volt tv in there and charge accessories).
seeya,
Shane L.
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 22, 2015 12:56:16 GMT 10
I called my father inlaws "the swaying heap of sh!t".... 'Cos that's what it did unless you loaded every bit of luggage forward of the axle to try and get some nose weight there. They sort of "hop" along behind you on there funny rubber bush suspension while madly swaying like b@stards if you haven't loaded all the weight forward. Shane What a sales pitch, I'd always liked the look of the aerolites. Now I think I'll have to buy one  There not bad ... There quite a nice 'van. You just need to understand what you have. They are very lightweight for the size and will have excellent insulation due to the foam sandwich construction (like an old franklin and modern pommy van). Accept them for what they are, and there a good thing if you find one that's not rotten. seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 22, 2015 12:52:10 GMT 10
The aluminium 4 season hatch flap falls out when I open it.Real pain as I need to get onto the top of van to put it back into place while someone inside closes it.Has anyone had similar problem. Are you trying to install it into the rain gutter beneath the slot it should slot into ? You need to unclip the opening wire to lift it high enough to slot it into the correct hinge slot. seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 22, 2015 10:22:30 GMT 10
If the van is in good order, then surley you could have the chassis beefed up where its a problem? They are built like european caravans. The strength of the caravan is in the very thick wooden floor. If the floor gets moisture damaged it suffers badly. There is two frail pressed "C" section frames that run the length of the floor. Just like a pommy 'van they have the rubber ALKO axle and the axle in the middle. I called my father inlaws "the swaying heap of sh!t".... 'Cos that's what it did unless you loaded every bit of luggage forward of the axle to try and get some nose weight there.  found one that hasn't had a chassis fitted (that was harder than I expected). see the stamped C section drawbar. These two rails just run to the back of the van. The alko axle unit bolt into the middle. There is no structure to carry the floor, as the floor is the structural member. If you get one that's not the 17' model (that was apparently built longer than it should have been by the factory so caused the fatique cracks in the fragile alko chassis rails) you should be fine. They sort of "hop" along behind you on there funny rubber bush suspension while madly swaying like b@stards if you haven't loaded all the weight forward. There a real traditional pommy type caravan with no drawbar weight. If you can find a good one that's never leaked .... and make sure you load all the weight forward, It'll work really nicely for you. There is an ALKO friction hitch you can buy for them to try and damp the swaying behaviour. It's better to just load your luggage forward of the axle though. seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 22, 2015 10:06:08 GMT 10
with the back of the disco sitting down a bit (the nose is up a bit too ?) ... why dont' you just get some lightweight weight distribution bars and fit? .... Infact, just drive around the block a few times and let the Boge Leveler re-level the car (that's all I'll do with my old Range Rover).
seeya,
Shane L.
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 22, 2015 8:47:32 GMT 10
Have you seen the size of modern 'vans? That's a very average sized caravan these days! It's also very, very lightweight compared to even a modern 16footer seeya, Shane L. I wouldn't drag it up here: 
<Still having troubles attaching images.>
I wouldn't tow offroad at all. Even if you get through, you'll trash the tracks for everyone else in doing so. "Offroad" caravans are pointless IMO. Your NEVER going to tow something that weighs in at 3.5tons down bush tracks. Not unless you have a tracked vehicle of some sort to pull it through with. I've got my brother inlaws offroad camper trailer in my backyard at the moment. Really nicely made, full sized 'crusier wheels that match the tow car, big heavy box section chassis. very long drawbar with TREG hitch.... all the gear. IMO because it's constructed to take the rigors of offroading, it's now too heavy to tow down bush tracks without tearing the nuts out of them  I reckon the only way to go if you must tow offroad is to have the trailer "driven" by your rear PTO (eg: an old land rover trailer with a diff under it driven by the rear PTO ). That way you shouldn't in theory destroy the tracks trying to get through Caravans == onroad or gravel roads IMO seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 22, 2015 8:39:57 GMT 10
Yeah, I think I must have a fettish for rotten dodgy wiring and oil leaks .................... Why else would I own Citroens and Land Rovers. That is why as soon as I spotted the screw on connectors I was positive the wiring would be all rotten. Been there and one that too many times now I'm soldering in new wiring and covering it with heat shrink to protect it from moisture. The only possible issue I can think of is if the brakes get hot enough to melt the soldered connections (that are behind the backing plate, in the breeze). I'm guessing this should never happen . seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 21, 2015 22:00:08 GMT 10
I thought I'd take a couple of piccies of the wiring .... it's not as bad as I've found in my cars that have been imported from the UK where they salt the roads..... But it's still what I expected.  this is why you need to use weatherproof connectors. Copper rot is amazing the way it tracks up the length of the wiring.  This is a good 30cm back into one of the wires .... (I've chased similar rott in my cars wiring harnesses back the length of the engine bay, all the way to the firewall). As you could imagine.... this would could massive voltage drop to the brakes. I imagine they would have worked very poorly.  It's like this where it's tied back to the chassis. It looks terrible. I chopped it open to have a look, and the wire inside is remarkably un-effected by the compression of the outer insulator. seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 21, 2015 10:57:02 GMT 10
I have just fitted a techonsha IQ to my old tow barge. I'll let you guys know how it works out in a few weeks time |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 21, 2015 10:55:53 GMT 10
Thank you mustang for your reply. The Magna mass weight is 1509 Kg, the GVM is 1918 (payload 408 kg)and the GCM is 3268 Kg. So, if we have a payload of about 300 kg including ball weight of 90Kg that will give me a towing capacity of 1200 kg with 200 kg to spare or under the limit. Perhaps fitting Robinson coils will help to distribute more weight to the front of the car. What can be the weight of the 16 van with empty or not water tanks, 1 ton or under? Our family has towed iwth Magnas for years. You won't have any problem with a 16'ish foot caravan. My fathers AWD verada was particularly good seeya, Shane L |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 21, 2015 9:45:03 GMT 10
We have three caravans in our yard at present plus another due for a few days!!!! What's the name of your local council ?  I give them a quick ring and ask them to pop around..   
99% of councils only ever do something if there is a complaint from another resident  or a mod of a forum  ha ha ha
Mustang is fine as no-one is staying in those caravans ..... I've had 3 caravans, 3trailers a boat and aobut 20cars in my yard. I don't think there is anything the council can do about it. seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 21, 2015 9:40:56 GMT 10
Empty weight of a foam sandwich franklin will probably be about 800kg. WIth not a lot more for an alloy framed Viscount Any "enhancements' made to them over the years often add HUGE weight. Eg: new beds with inner spring mattresses can easily add 100kg alone! seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 21, 2015 9:38:53 GMT 10
The trouble is you need to go look at them. There almost always rubbish when you get there, no matter how many questions you ask .... or pictures you look at. It gets really disheartening after a while. Most are staggeringly rotten, and painted inside in an attempt to hide it. You don't even need to look at them ... you just open the door and smell the stink of rotten caravan and turn around and walk away without even bothering to look inside. Anyone with a good caravan that knows is good. Will either not sell it, or ask way above the "average value" for such a thing. Good luck with it either way Who knows, you might be lucky. All the good cars and caravans I see advertised always seem to be in QLD! seeya Shane L. |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 21, 2015 8:58:39 GMT 10
But if it was registered  How far then ? In reality, not far. Less than 50km perhaps. I have friends that may borrow it to take to Swan Hill. That may require me to tow it up. The reality is it is quite large. Eight berth. Also a tad fragile for off road work. A bit big to be dragging from campsite to campsite. I might plonk it at a caravan park somewhere. Another possibility would be to take it to car shows. I've been noticing more and more vans at car shows. Something a bit different to display. I really have no idea what I am going to do with it. I'm sure some opportunity will arise a some stage. For traveling, I have a camper. Much more suited for the travel I like to do. Have you seen the size of modern 'vans? That's a very average sized caravan these days! It's also very, very lightweight compared to even a modern 16footer seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 20, 2015 15:37:46 GMT 10
A leak free, tidy presentable 18 -> 22foot caravan for $5000 .... Yeah, good luck with that one $2000 is rubbish that will need full restoration. $5000 might by something repairable .......... it will certainly leak and require a dedicated amount of work to make usable. keep your eyes on ebay .... you might find something like this: www.ebay.com.au/itm/Viscount-Caravan-/151850384082?hash=item235afcfad2:g:HU4AAOSwKIpWExomYou will spend many, many hours driving all over state looking at rotten rubbish though, to find that rare gem, that is a caravan worth the effort of towing home. seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 20, 2015 14:59:18 GMT 10
You need to make up a chassis and move the 'van over to it. This is the 17' model right? and there is cracks behind the wheels?. I've heard the factory made them 1foot longer than the specs supplied to ALKO so they fatique cracked. The bolt on "extra frame" was a joke and didn't work (my uncle owned a banana shaped ultra-light at one point ... that had this extra frame ). Once they leak ... the floor goes soft.... and the strength is in the floor, so then they start bending at the ends.... As they bend ... they leak more ... so the floor gets softer.... so they bend mor etc... then they leak more ... etc.... Throwing it onto a chassis should fix all of your problems It shouldn't be vey difficult to make up a chassis and move the van across too it . They were a pretty good 'van if looked after. We used my father inlaws ultralight 17' for quite a few years. He'd always kept it garaged and only used it on sealed roads. It never leaked, so never got a soft floor ..... so never cracked it's chassis or bent There used to be a company in Melbourne that put a chassis under them. My father inlaw always intended doing this, but ended up selling it and buying a camper trailer. You would just lift the 'van up, support it by the floor. unbolt the ALKO stuff ... roll your new chassis under and bolt it on seeya, Shane L. |
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 20, 2015 9:23:02 GMT 10
it says above it's in morisset .... I just looked on google maps ....... that's next to a lake so is fresh water. That caravan probably isn't as rusty as I'd imagined then!
seeya
Shane L.
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Post by doublechevron on Oct 19, 2015 19:42:31 GMT 10
The door isn't fitted upside down is it ?
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I reckon the only way to go if you must tow offroad is to have the trailer "driven" by your rear PTO (eg: an old land rover trailer with a diff under it driven by the rear PTO ). That way you shouldn't in theory destroy the tracks trying to get through 
I give them a quick ring and ask them to pop around.. 
or a mod of a forum 
ha ha ha
How far then ?