Classic error
After a bit of advice please - I pulled over for a rest for a bit & wanderd arround my outfit as you do & noticed the mains cable between the car & caravan was touching the floor & upon closer inspection saw that it has rubbed the road. After fixing 2 cables & with some tape its a mistake I wont make again. However do I make the repair propper (& not a running repair) of replace it & so so where?
Steve
Comments
-
Happened with ours and as I am getting a bit creaky for scrambling about under the van I paid the dealer to do it. As the existing cable went from front to back, they put in a junction box, fastened to the underside near the front, and a new bit of cable
from there. This has a loop in it, fastened up, so if I did do it again it would be a simple job to cut out the damaged section and reconnect the plug. It looks a fairly straightforward job for DIY if you are OK working under the van.0 -
This is so easy to happen. I put a very loose turn in the cable to ensure it stays off the ground - avoid too taught a cable. This is on my 'Pre flight' check list! A few more things that are easy to overlook: 1 - release mover; 2 - jockey wheel up; 3
- handbreak off. Admit it folks, we are all guilty of one or more of the above.0 -
Thinking about this issue, I wonder if a short length of flexible plastic pipe split longitudinally and fitted over said cables might be a useful precaution.
0 -
I looped an elastic bungee over the cable ,wrap it around the jockey wheel. enough slack to allow tight turns, works ok.
0 -
in Hi i just about remember this happening to us many a year ago now.Had to call RAC out we had not been caravaners for very long and to tell you the truth i didn't know what had happend.This was on the A1 in October dark and it was raining.RAC man took it all in his stride.Like SteveL i put a junction in later but i also put a pre coiled cable from van to car plenty of slack to allow for cornering but no sagging.Did these dissapear when 13 pin came into vogue.
Steve
0 -
Trace the wiring back, many vans have a connector under the 'A' frame (you may need to remove the cover) so you would only need a new length of cable wiring between the 2 plugs to be 'as new'. If you have to splice the cable, do it somewhere where it will
be securely clipped to the frame either side after the repair, use shrink wrap on each individual wire and really good quality self amalgamating tape over the whole thing.0 -
in Hi i just about remember this happening to us many a year ago now.Had to call RAC out we had not been caravaners for very long and to tell you the truth i didn't know what had happend.This was on the A1 in October dark and it was raining.RAC man took it all in his stride.Like SteveL i put a junction in later but i also put a pre coiled cable from van to car plenty of slack to allow for cornering but no sagging.Did these dissapear when 13 pin came into vogue.
Steve
I think I read somewhere that the 13 pin cable is too thick/stiff for a coiled one to work well.
Which van and model year do you have? On some vans the cable is plugged into the PSU box so can easily be replaced.
Failing that, what Steve said is the way to go, or pull it iinside and make the join there. I changed our 2 x 7 pin cable to a 13 pin one and joined the new cable to the old inside the van, ours enters the van at the front anyway. The best plan will depend on how your cable is run.
0 -
.... A few more things that are easy to overlook: 1 - release mover; ....
It makes a real racket if you don't ..... apparently!
The smell of the hot tyre is a good indicator!
I once left the mover remote on the draw bar. It was never seen again!
0 -
we had this happen to us while touring in france the grey cable had gone right through and the black three of the cable also. A french ambulance drive brought it to our attention . we were lucky i did a temp repair then when on site found an extra amount
of cable under van so just refitted plugs after pulling cable foward .0 -
And me
0 -
in Hi i just about remember this happening to us many a year ago now.Had to call RAC out we had not been caravaners for very long and to tell you the truth i didn't know what had happend.This was on the A1 in October dark and it was raining.RAC man took
it all in his stride.Like SteveL i put a junction in later but i also put a pre coiled cable from van to car plenty of slack to allow for cornering but no sagging.Did these dissapear when 13 pin came into vogue.Steve
I think I read somewhere that the 13 pin cable is too thick/stiff for a coiled one to work well.
Which van and model year do you have? On some vans the cable is plugged into the PSU box so can easily be replaced.
Failing that, what Steve said is the way to go, or pull it iinside and make the join there. I changed our 2 x 7 pin cable to a 13 pin one and joined the new cable to the old inside the van, ours enters the van at the front anyway. The best plan will depend
on how your cable is run.Write your comments here...Hi K sorry i may not have made it clear but that was the first van we had a (Lunar Moonlight). That was replaced 30 odd years ago,now on to a Elddis Crusader luckily that is one thing that hasn't happend with it yet.
Steve
0 -
in Hi i just about remember this happening to us many a year ago now.Had to call RAC out we had not been caravaners for very long and to tell you the truth i didn't know what had happend.This was on the A1 in October dark and it was raining.RAC man took
it all in his stride.Like SteveL i put a junction in later but i also put a pre coiled cable from van to car plenty of slack to allow for cornering but no sagging.Did these dissapear when 13 pin came into vogue.Steve
I think I read somewhere that the 13 pin cable is too thick/stiff for a coiled one to work well.
Which van and model year do you have? On some vans the cable is plugged into the PSU box so can easily be replaced.
Failing that, what Steve said is the way to go, or pull it iinside and make the join there. I changed our 2 x 7 pin cable to a 13 pin one and joined the new cable to the old inside the van, ours enters the van at the front anyway. The best plan will depend
on how your cable is run.Write your comments here...Hi K sorry i may not have made it clear but that was the first van we had a (Lunar Moonlight). That was replaced 30 odd years ago,now on to a Elddis Crusader luckily that is one thing that hasn't happend with it yet.
Steve
Too many Steves, and not enough quotes!
First part of reply was to you, second part to the OP.....also a Steve.
0 -
.... A few more things that are easy to overlook: 1 - release mover; ....
It makes a real racket if you don't ..... apparently!
not on wet grass so I'm reliably informed
nor on frozen snow, from personal experience!!
0 -
Too many different bits to quote so:-
Convoluted cable tidy is split lengthwise to slip over cables - Maplins perhaps.
Coiled multicore cable suitable for the 13 pin plug is available from truck electrical suppliers.
Why do caravan makes not do the same as builders of commercial vehicles and terminate the trailer wiring in a socket? One then uses a cable with a plug on each end to connect. If it is damaged just get another cable.
0 -
Too many different bits to quote so:-
Convoluted cable tidy is split lengthwise to slip over cables - Maplins perhaps.
Coiled multicore cable suitable for the 13 pin plug is available from truck electrical suppliers.
Why do caravan makes not do the same as builders of commercial vehicles and terminate the trailer wiring in a socket? One then uses a cable with a plug on each end to connect. If it is damaged just get another cable.
Probably for the same reasons they cut other corners, such as 2 year fluid in the Alde heating and a loop over breakaway cable rather than direct connection, it saves a few pennies on the overall cost. Or if I was being cynical to generate business for suppliers
and dealers.0 -
I had this happen once,fortunately only flattened part of the outer coating, but now use
velcro cable straps, never had an issue since. Just feed them around the cable first, then wrap around the alko stabiliser handle (works on the red handled 3004, and assume it will work on the black one as well), leaving enough slack for articulation when
turning. The straps stay wrapped around the cable when not in use,so are always ready. Usually last about 2 yesrs before the velcro loses it's "stickiness."Paul
0 -
I've had this in the past
Now I wrap the exposed length of cable in "spirowrap" and then a plastic P clip and a short bungee which goes around the Alko handle, keeps everything nice and tidy and provides some good anti-scuff protection to the cable - I'm not getting
caught with a £70 bill for replacement of a load of cable again
0
