What have you done with your California today?

[Ting Tong]

Just a tad.........but I would rather say just a good job done with a positive outcome.......mind it took me most of the day!

Have you taped the awning rail on your new one Rik or doesn’t it leak? Still need to do ours.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Have you taped the awning rail on your new one Rik or doesn’t it leak? Still need to do ours.

Rail on new van leaks. I had taped it before (you can see it in the photo) but took the tape off as not 100% successful.
Used some Sikaflex 512 before putting new tape on top of sealant. The Sikaflex takes a while to "go off" so you have to wait for it all to dry before applying tape (Tape won't adhere before sealant drys). Rained last night - no leak above sliding door.
I'm just about to go out and inspect the rest of the taped area.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Rail on new van leaks. I had taped it before (you can see it in the photo) but took the tape off as not 100% successful.
Used some Sikaflex 512 before putting new tape on top of sealant. The Sikaflex takes a while to "go off" so you have to wait for it all to dry before applying tape (Tape won't adhere before sealant drys). Rained last night - no leak above sliding door.
I'm just about to go out and inspect the rest of the taped area.

All seems to be well. Channel still collects loads of plant matter blown off the trees by recent winds. I guess roof channel clean will be part of Cali clean - once a month then! Well not short ot time right now so will keep me occupied!

 

[Amarillo]

Where did we go in our van and find this oak stump named after a famous independent member of parliament?

Keston and the Wilberforce Oak

At length, I well remember after a conversation with Mr. Pitt in the open air at the root of an old tree at Holwood, just above the steep descent into the vale of Keston, I resolved to give notice on a fit occasion in the House of Commons of my intention to bring forward the abolition of the slave-trade.​

William Wilberforce - 1788

 

[babble]

Fitted new carpet....

 

[andyinluton]

Where did we go in our van and find this oak stump named after a famous independent member of parliament?

Actually two oak stumps and a young oak planted on top of the oldest stump.

Is that The famous special “ the rules don’t apply to us stump”
The one which you are allowed to take otherwise unnecessary journys to and when you get there just sit around on the grass..

 

[Amarillo]

Is that The famous special “ the rules don’t apply to us stump”
The one which you are allowed to take otherwise unnecessary journys to and when you get there just sit around on the grass..

You are too quick to judge.

We'd dropped a food parcel (mainly of fresh fruit) at my father-in-law's care home. We then dropped the weekly shop off with my mother-in-law and stepfather-in-law. Both the fruit and the shopping was delivered to us with our weekly shop mid morning. We then parked and had a 5 mile circular walk.

The family picnicking under the Wilberforce Oak II was a wholly different family.

Besides, the legislation says nothing about "unnecessary journeys", only that you need a "reasonable excuse" to leave the home. Dropping off food for a vulnerable person or going for a walk are both independently listed reasonable excuses. Furthermore, Crown Prosecution Service guidance states, "Driving to countryside and walking (where far more time is spent walking than driving)." and, "Stopping to rest or to eat lunch while on a long walk." are both "Likely to be reasonable".

https://www.college.police.uk/What-we-do/COVID-19/Documents/What-constitutes-a-reasonable-excuse.pdf

Given that the Vale of Keston is in the same London Borough of the road where we live, if we had chosen to have a picnic, or driven just for the walk, or both, it would be well within the official guidance.

 

[Benh76]

Coilovers

plus California

equals

 

[Wild Bob]

Removed all four wheels cleaned the hubs and lightly copper greased. Cali 6 mths old just over 1k and one wheel took 3 hours to remove. Know way would I have got this off road side

 

[campandfly]

Removed all four wheels cleaned the hubs and lightly copper greased. Cali 6 mths old just over 1k and one wheel took 3 hours to remove. Know way would I have got this off road side

Agreed it is not easy at all. Even the AA used a big wooden hammer to help knock the wheel off. Same at the tyre centre when I had new tyres fitted.
Using the standard Cali tool kit and the security lock nut I took some wheels off to clean but one wheel I could not undo the lock nut, the security adapter kept slipping off and I was starting to strip the thread so left it on.

 

[Wild Bob]

Agreed it is not easy at all. Even the AA used a big wooden hammer to help knock the wheel off. Same at the tyre centre when I had new tyres fitted.
Using the standard Cali tool kit and the security lock nut I took some wheels off to clean but one wheel I could not undue the lock nut, the security adapter kept slipping off and I was starting to strip the thread so left it on.

Oh dear that was one of my main concerns but they all came undone ok

 

[Karlos]

Cleaned the bird sh%t off it again.

 

[Bizzycali]

Removed all four wheels cleaned the hubs and lightly copper greased. Cali 6 mths old just over 1k and one wheel took 3 hours to remove. Know way would I have got this off road side

Thank you Wild Bob, you reminded me about a job I hadn’t done. After I read your post I tried to remove all 4 wheels but each one was stuck solid. It took 4 hours to free each one. Applied copper grease to help with removal next time.

 

[Swiss Cheese]

Last weekend I swapped the winter wheels/tyres over to the summer alloys/tyres. I didn't have any of the hassle reported above, luckily.

Today I put the awning back on having removed it for the winter. Use of washing up liquid as suggested elsewhere made getting the rubber strip back on pretty easy.

The van is ready for summer now!

 

[willwander]

Thank you Wild Bob, you reminded me about a job I hadn’t done. After I read your post I tried to remove all 4 wheels but each one was stuck solid. It took 4 hours to free each one. Applied copper grease to help with removal next time.

View attachment 58389

View attachment 58390

If you have trouble getting a wheel off, loosen the bolts then drive slowly on full lock, until the wheel ‘un-sticks’ from the hub.

Disclaimer: It works, but do at your own risk.

 

[Bizzycali]

If you have trouble getting a wheel off, loosen the bolts then drive slowly on full lock, until the wheel ‘un-sticks’ from the hub.

Disclaimer: It works, but do at your own risk.

Thank you but what about the rear wheels does that work for them

 

[willwander]

Thank you but what about the rear wheels

Big hammer

 

[Campingrookie]

Yesterday - used it as a cinema again to give the kids a change of scene! Watched the jungle book, a classic. Great fun.

Today - phase one of the isotop fitting. Phase 2 will be in a couple of days.

I can’t wait for the day we can all escape on our adventures again!

 

[Loz]

Washed it again!

 

[Borris]

Ignored it again!

 

[T6 CFO]

Drive it round the block as it hasn’t moved in weeks.
Stuck it on charge.


Mike

 

[Wild Bob]

Thank you Wild Bob, you reminded me about a job I hadn’t done. After I read your post I tried to remove all 4 wheels but each one was stuck solid. It took 4 hours to free each one. Applied copper grease to help with removal next time.

View attachment 58389

View attachment 58390

Wow I used a method I had seen on Youtube, I cut a wedge using my slide saw quite thick. Removed all but 2 studs from the top of the wheel then placed the wedge under the tyre then slowly lowered the van onto the wedge as the van lowered it broke the seal between the wheel and hub. It was still hard to remove the wheel but it was a matter of rocking the wheel back and forth till it came off the spigot. So now I will keep that wedge in the van

 

[Damen]

New window bags for my Ocean from Thais.
Very happy with them!

 

[SailSki]

Hi @Damen, thanks for posting the photo - I had been considering their bags but couldn’t see how much clearance there was for the seat to go past.
Looks like their bags are slimmer than the VanEssa version which have a stepped design with a deeper top half and rear bottom seating behind the seat back.

 

[Damen]

I considered the VanEssa bags but thought the stepped design might stick out too far at the back and be a bit claustrophobic when I was sleeping.
These don’t stick out much further than the window recess.