barrywi
Free Member
- Sep 25, 2012
- 120
- 28
- Funster No
- 23,021
- MH
- C class
- Exp
- I am a Newbie to motorhomes but have caravaned for years
Having recently acquired a 2008 Autocruise Gleneagle which is in really good condition I decide to set about it and eliminate any rusty bits both out of view and in view.
The first task was the underneath so I drove my Motorhome up onto the also newly acquired Milenco Quattro levelling ramps. Great fun was had grovelling underneath with an ice cream tub of clear Waxoyl and a handy brush. The main chassis was fine as I suppose it is galvanised so I dabbed away at various nuts and bolts and screws that looked vaguely rusty including towbar fittings. The worst bit was the metal support for the waste tank which were rectangle shaped hollow bars which had been powder coated but had flaking paint. A mental note was made to take them off one by one and get some waxoyl inside the cavities, obviously when the tank was empty!!. I covered every brake pipe in sight and it was useful to see what was where under the van. Also noted was no insulation on the plastic waste pipes feeding the tank so that is another job on the list. I found out that the handbrake cable runs to the back and operates on the rear disc brakes, so the cable linkages were also covered. I greased the two nipples at either end of the tube which link the left suspension with the right.
Under the front was harder as the engine drops down further than the back and my portly frame got in the way but I managed to get at most items including the brackets for the mini steps on the front doors which were unprotected. I was interesting to see the eight bolts on each side linking up the cab chassis and the Alko back end.
After a day or two break my next task was the wheels. As the van has steel wheels and the cost of buying a set of alloys is high I resolved to remove the wheels and trims and have a go at the rusty wheels seen through the Peugeot trims.
Using the scissor jack supplied with the van I lifted a front wheel up and despite it being a real struggle to undo the bolts ( not nuts like on most cars these days) I managed to get the 16 inch wheel off. Not being alloys they weighed considerably more than the 19 inch wheels on my Jaguar XJ so that was hard work. A few hours later the wheel had been pressure washed sanded and then dried off with a heat gun and I got them looking pretty good with one coat of Hammerite smooth silver. Obviously they will be mostly out of site behind the trim but I will know they will not rust for a good while. The nuts were also painted as they can be seen. I fitted the spare wheel which I had previously removed from the frame at the back of the van so I could rotate all the wheels. Now that is definitely a job to be avoided at the kerbside...get the Rac or AA to get the spare out and fit it in case of a puncture!!
After the front wheel had dried overnight I jacked up the opposite side to remove that wheel for treatment and got about two thirds of the way up with just two bolts holding the wheel on when the scissor jack collapsed. Luckily I was not under the van in any way and I could only get it out by using an old trolly jack to just ease the van up enough to get it out.
Needless to say after this all work was halted and deep breath were taken.
After a bit of research I have ordered a FOUR ton bottle jack and a two piece extended wheel brace as the wheel nuts were stuck on in a couple of cases. My Aldi air impact wrench could not move them so I had to stand on the long socket set brace I have. The supplied wheel nut spanner would not have moved them.
I will continue the work when the new jack arrives tomorrow and will try and get an axle stand I have under the chassis for safety when the wheel is off. I will keep the bottle jack in the motorhome as it only weighs one Kilo
I am telling this tale so that you all know that the scissor jack supplied with the vehicle is not fit for this sort of job and in my opinion is downright dangerous and yes I was working on level ground.
I will report back any problems in using a bottle jack.
A post note is that my Motorhome weighs 4000KG and now has one beautifly painted wheel fitted . One other painted so three more to go...wish me luck.
The first task was the underneath so I drove my Motorhome up onto the also newly acquired Milenco Quattro levelling ramps. Great fun was had grovelling underneath with an ice cream tub of clear Waxoyl and a handy brush. The main chassis was fine as I suppose it is galvanised so I dabbed away at various nuts and bolts and screws that looked vaguely rusty including towbar fittings. The worst bit was the metal support for the waste tank which were rectangle shaped hollow bars which had been powder coated but had flaking paint. A mental note was made to take them off one by one and get some waxoyl inside the cavities, obviously when the tank was empty!!. I covered every brake pipe in sight and it was useful to see what was where under the van. Also noted was no insulation on the plastic waste pipes feeding the tank so that is another job on the list. I found out that the handbrake cable runs to the back and operates on the rear disc brakes, so the cable linkages were also covered. I greased the two nipples at either end of the tube which link the left suspension with the right.
Under the front was harder as the engine drops down further than the back and my portly frame got in the way but I managed to get at most items including the brackets for the mini steps on the front doors which were unprotected. I was interesting to see the eight bolts on each side linking up the cab chassis and the Alko back end.
After a day or two break my next task was the wheels. As the van has steel wheels and the cost of buying a set of alloys is high I resolved to remove the wheels and trims and have a go at the rusty wheels seen through the Peugeot trims.
Using the scissor jack supplied with the van I lifted a front wheel up and despite it being a real struggle to undo the bolts ( not nuts like on most cars these days) I managed to get the 16 inch wheel off. Not being alloys they weighed considerably more than the 19 inch wheels on my Jaguar XJ so that was hard work. A few hours later the wheel had been pressure washed sanded and then dried off with a heat gun and I got them looking pretty good with one coat of Hammerite smooth silver. Obviously they will be mostly out of site behind the trim but I will know they will not rust for a good while. The nuts were also painted as they can be seen. I fitted the spare wheel which I had previously removed from the frame at the back of the van so I could rotate all the wheels. Now that is definitely a job to be avoided at the kerbside...get the Rac or AA to get the spare out and fit it in case of a puncture!!
After the front wheel had dried overnight I jacked up the opposite side to remove that wheel for treatment and got about two thirds of the way up with just two bolts holding the wheel on when the scissor jack collapsed. Luckily I was not under the van in any way and I could only get it out by using an old trolly jack to just ease the van up enough to get it out.
Needless to say after this all work was halted and deep breath were taken.
After a bit of research I have ordered a FOUR ton bottle jack and a two piece extended wheel brace as the wheel nuts were stuck on in a couple of cases. My Aldi air impact wrench could not move them so I had to stand on the long socket set brace I have. The supplied wheel nut spanner would not have moved them.
I will continue the work when the new jack arrives tomorrow and will try and get an axle stand I have under the chassis for safety when the wheel is off. I will keep the bottle jack in the motorhome as it only weighs one Kilo
I am telling this tale so that you all know that the scissor jack supplied with the vehicle is not fit for this sort of job and in my opinion is downright dangerous and yes I was working on level ground.
I will report back any problems in using a bottle jack.
A post note is that my Motorhome weighs 4000KG and now has one beautifly painted wheel fitted . One other painted so three more to go...wish me luck.