Movers - I wonder!

Merve
Merve Forum Participant Posts: 2,333
1000 Comments
edited June 2019 in Parts & Accessories #1

Hi all. Well, having had a new van in May, I asked the dealer to remove the mover from the old van as it was faulty. One side wouldn’t engage the tyre. It was my intention to repair and revamp it as it had been on the Bailey for about 5 yrs. As we were in Wales for six weeks , I was only able on Friday to pick it up from the dealers. On inspection I couldn’t believe the state it was in! The main tube and the accentuation tube were really rusty and I mean Really Rusty! I could now see why it was faulty! It’s now in a skip!    Now, I know that these things are near the road surface and that weather conditions are probably responsible for the deterioration but I would not have expected it to be as bad as it was- nothing like! I haven’t used it on salty roads, certainly can’t remember doing so anyway. Call me a cynic but I wonder if the manufacturers don’t really care about weather proofing these things? After all, how many of us really pay attention to the metal work running from one side of the van to the other once it’s fitted to our vans and out of sight?I would have thought that it would  have been galvanised at the very least, but alas, no- built in obsolescence - just a very thin coating of something- zinc probably- by electrolysis.  A stitch in time!  This morning I went and made sure that my new Power Touch mover doesn’t end up in the same state as the old one. Finnegan's Hammerite on all the lovely shiny  new metalwork,  copperslip grease on all the threads and hopefully, it will get through 5 years without looking like a museum piece!

Comments

  • Whittakerr
    Whittakerr Club Member Posts: 3,472 ✭✭✭✭
    1000 Comments Photogenic
    edited July 2019 #2

    I had a motor mover fitted to my caravan 10 years ago, both new. My caravan is serviced by a mobile engineer who greases the moving marts of the mover and checks the whole mechanism. Last time I had a look at it, (probably about a year ago), no sign of any rust whatsoever.

    I’m planning to have the mover transferred to my next caravan when I change it, probably in about two years.

  • Merve
    Merve Forum Participant Posts: 2,333
    1000 Comments
    edited July 2019 #3

    Well, that’s great Whittakerr - what type is it? That’s what I planned to do but no way was I going to fit that to the Coachman-  The Ego that I bought was certainly more than rusty. £600- £700 - and more- you’d think they would make them more weather proof. Perhaps it was just the one I bought but when I checked my new Powertouch I could see where it was going to rust and that was after just a month. Stainless might be another avenue for these makers of these vital bits of kit! 

  • Wellys and Mac
    Wellys and Mac Forum Participant Posts: 447
    100 Comments
    edited July 2019 #4

    Rust on the bars isnt an issue, unless a hundred years old.

    You must lubricate the movers, take off the covers and spray on motor cycle chain lube at the moving parts, you will be amazed.