Stupid things you’ve done to your van (1 Viewer)

Aug 6, 2013
11,941
16,533
Kendal, Cumbria
Funster No
27,352
MH
Le-Voyageur RX958 Pl
Exp
since 1999
We were looking for a particular pub CL. Found it, turned in, & because the camping area wasn't clearly marked, we parked in their car park. Wife had a quick recce, found the entrance, and a tap to fill up. I said stand by tap (which was hidden by a hedge) whilst l reverse out of parking spot involving two 90 degree turns to aim at the site entrance. I assumed she was watching my reverse, she assumed she was only standing by the tap, l reversed into an invisible picnic bench. First trip in my new-to-me Hymer.
 
Aug 6, 2013
11,941
16,533
Kendal, Cumbria
Funster No
27,352
MH
Le-Voyageur RX958 Pl
Exp
since 1999
Excuse me Sir..

Not old fashioned at all. Just sensibly designed and manufactured to last. ;)


JJ :cool:
Correct but l thought it might clarify the type for those with more recent vans :D.

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Jonno1103

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 27, 2017
1,310
1,449
Harrogate
Funster No
50,207
MH
F Line F70
Exp
Since 2012
Behave yourself...

I am not having that from a newby with Captain Bloody Kirk as an avatar... :rofl:

JJ :cool:

Yeah but JJ that's because your surname is probably Abrams and you directed the last two reboots before moving on to Star Wars.
 

Jonno1103

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 27, 2017
1,310
1,449
Harrogate
Funster No
50,207
MH
F Line F70
Exp
Since 2012
Caught the handbrake in my shorts breaking the plastic surround. Replacement was sorted thanks to a link from a fellow funster.

Drove off with the rear cantilever door open which sent EHU lead etc all over the road, luckily I live in a cul de sac.
 

klaatu

Free Member
Aug 10, 2013
1,993
2,793
Vienne, France
Funster No
27,421
MH
Globecar Summit 640
Exp
Since 2014
Caught the handbrake in my shorts breaking the plastic surround.
It's none of my business really, but I have to ask - why do your shorts have a plastic surround?

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Oct 29, 2016
4,469
51,766
Surrey
Funster No
45,842
MH
Carthago C Tourer
Exp
Motor Homing 5 years, caravan previously
Drove new van home, wanted to put it on hook up, so got my 25mtr ex caravan EHU lead out and unrolled from the drum. Went to plug socket into van, it wouldn't fit, the Blue waterproof flap on the plug stopped it being fully inserted, strange as that never happened on the caravan, scratched head for a bit, pushed it on with Blue flap held fully back, again it wont push fully into van socket. Went into garage got out hacksaw, sawed off the Blue waterproof flap that was preventing it being pushed in. Success it pushed in fully and has been that way ever since.
Then having raised a question on here to see if anyone else had had the problem (another mistake) I was told that the blue flap does go inside the van socket and acts as a lock to hold it in place!, You just dont have to pull it fully back!!!....you lot did have a laugh at my expense at the time, I now laugh too every time I plug it in have a laugh also:D

Latest mishap....dropped small adjustable wrench down the smallest gap behind wheel arch underneath kitchen cupboard drawers, oh sh#t!! Its a double floor van, and that bit is totally inaccessible, as there are cross member's between the floor. Tried torch and mirror which revealed there was no chance of getting in there. Tried for an hour to fish it out with wire, could feel it but gap was too small to see it, or retrieve it. I though that is going to rattle over every bump in the road!!!. I then had to resort to using the multi cutter to made the gap between the wheel arch and the floor slightly bigger;) It broke my heart to have to do this, but at least I got the wrench back out, and can see how well made the insulated floor is made with two layers of lightweight ply sandwiched between the very dense blue foam stuff. Drawers are back in now no one will ever know:)

See I have owned up now, even engineers can do silly things eh?:whistle::whistle::whistle:
Les
 
Apr 11, 2015
5,353
54,333
hull
Funster No
35,812
MH
Laika Ecovip 300
Exp
since 1988 with breaks until 2009
Was going to list John's mishaps but then realised I would also have to list mine :ROFLMAO:
 

Neckender

Free Member
Oct 15, 2007
3,221
5,921
Neckend or North Wales.
Funster No
635
MH
VW T6.1Kombi day Van
Exp
Since 2004
Today I decided to plug our portable DAB radio in I connected the cable to the jackpoint and plugged into 12 volt ciggy point and bang and a smell of burning when I turned the radio on, I forgot that I should have used the USB cable and jackpoint which is 5.5 volts not 12 volts.

John.
 

MikeD

Free Member
Dec 21, 2011
3,936
3,697
London
Funster No
19,230
MH
IH PVC
Exp
Since 2012
I took the wife away the first year we had a van and now she want's to come every trip. For gods sake!!!!!! REALLY?

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Fletton

Free Member
Oct 19, 2014
1,531
2,501
Lincolnshire, UK
Funster No
33,882
MH
Knaus Sky I Plus 650LG
Exp
First MoHo - April 2015
Locked keys in moho boot/garage... 3/4 pished... retrieving extra BBQ coal...

Luckily had left roof lights open... and had a spare indoors...

There be a thread on ere about it...

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Dec 18, 2010
885
929
Norfolk.
Funster No
14,705
MH
Autotrail cheyenne
Exp
2008-20??
Today I decided to plug our portable DAB radio in I connected the cable to the jackpoint and plugged into 12 volt ciggy point and bang and a smell of burning when I turned the radio on, I forgot that I should have used the USB cable and jackpoint which is 5.5 volts not 12 volts.

John.
I did exactly the same one week ago and have now had to buy the wife a new DAB radio.
 

mfw

Banned
Sep 16, 2017
1,224
508
Worthing
Funster No
50,537
I took the wife away the first year we had a van and now she want's to come every trip. For gods sake!!!!!! REALLY?
Swmbo uses more toilet paper in a day than i use in a week big mistake i have to empty it everytime which requires extreme caution due to amount of paper
 
Aug 29, 2012
126
109
North Suffolk
Funster No
22,660
MH
Panel van conversion
Exp
since 2011
Fortunately my latest van has a retractable step.!!!
IMG_1264.JPG

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mick noe

Funster
Deceased RIP
Apr 14, 2009
638
539
near Boston Lincolnshire
Funster No
6,283
MH
low line
Exp
6
mine is possibly the most expensive mistake (and stupid) I have ever made. Got back from work a few weeks ago after driving automatic delivery van, and as we were off for a few days in the (manual) motorhome decided to turn it round ready for the off in the morning. Started van and without clutch put it in reverse.....it stalled of course restarted muttering to myself to wake up moved van and heard tick ticking noise from gearbox. £2300. to remove rebuild and refit gearbox!!! petrified now that I may do it again as I drive an auto all day now for work
 

PP Bear

LIFE MEMBER
Apr 5, 2013
7,735
28,138
Kent, UK
Funster No
25,395
MH
Auto Trail Dakota SE
Exp
2012
mine is possibly the most expensive mistake (and stupid) I have ever made. Got back from work a few weeks ago after driving automatic delivery van, and as we were off for a few days in the (manual) motorhome decided to turn it round ready for the off in the morning. Started van and without clutch put it in reverse.....it stalled of course restarted muttering to myself to wake up moved van and heard tick ticking noise from gearbox. £2300. to remove rebuild and refit gearbox!!! petrified now that I may do it again as I drive an auto all day now for work
I don’t think there’s a smiley for this.....
 
Aug 18, 2011
12,090
17,892
derbys
Funster No
17,808
MH
AUTOSLEEPER SYMBOL
Exp
since 2007.Tugger before since 1970
Reading the thread about the guy who tore off a gas strut on his N&B. It struck me that not everyone using vans are engineering types and can make mistakes with the delicate fittings and lightweight parts. We can all benefit from hearing about them, however stupid.

In our first new van I opened the hab door and pushed it back against the catch. Even though it wasn’t that windy a gust slammed it shut onto the insect netting slider. Took me a while to free it and it was never perfect at opening and locking after that, even when the dealer technicians tried to adjust it under the warranty.

I never trusted those catches after that, they’re not fit for purpose unless conditions are almost still. Always use a bungee. When you’re a newbie you learn by experience :D
you can buy a stainless steel door retainer as fitted to horseboxs,,,Bullet proof,,can't fail and they are only about £7..00. Even top of the range vans like Concord are fitted with those stupid useless plastic ones..BUSBY,,

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Chris

LIFE MEMBER
May 5, 2010
21,006
274,550
Funster No
11,412
MH
None
Exp
10 years
I fell out of the overcab bed and smashed the oven door:Eeek:

I was dying for a pee and flew out of bed forgetting where I was:rolleyes:

Alcohol was involved:blush:
 

Mr Chrysalis

LIFE MEMBER
Jul 8, 2016
2,365
314,553
Lincolnshire
Funster No
43,982
MH
Rapido 890F A Class
Exp
Since 2016, caravans before that, folding Caravan, tents before that
Ok, someone I know quite well reversed off his drive before removing the the wheel clamp, which damaged the wheel arch and the only way to get it out was to drive forward again. He was not happy
 

Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,008
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
I fell out of the overcab bed and smashed the oven door:Eeek:

I was dying for a pee and flew out of bed forgetting where I was:rolleyes:

Alcohol was involved:blush:
... you need to drink more Red Bull ... apparently it gives you wings! :ROFLMAO:

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Minxy

LIFE MEMBER
Aug 22, 2007
32,488
66,008
E Yorks
Funster No
149
MH
Carthago Compactline
Exp
Since 1996, had Elddis/Swift/Rapido/Rimor/Chausson MHs. Autocruise/Globecar PVCs/Compactline i-138
It's none of my business really, but I have to ask - why do your shorts have a plastic surround?
... built in box???? :D2
 

GWAYGWAY

Free Member
Sep 6, 2014
4,213
3,305
Dover
Funster No
33,216
MH
Hymer ML I 580
Exp
4 years
I think I have read that some plonkers on here have driven off with the hook up connected.

I know, unbelievable, so I may be wrong.
EVERYONE HAS OR WILL DO THAT SOMETIME. Off to catch the ferry I realised the local football big game was on and the cars were filling the road outside my gates I rushed to get out before the plonkers blocked me in and Bang Twang I was still connected to my home EHU. No damage but a long trailing lead looks STUPID being dragged into the road. Almost a stupid as asking wife to watch me back, she did and hit the fence opposite she said you only said WATCH YOU BACK she did nothing about stopping me hit something. :rolleyes::censored::sick:
 

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