Winter Hibernation

[ArcticMatt]

Its that time of year over here in Norway where we have to change to winter driving. That means swapping over to winter tyres on the road. We're not doing that for the camper as its not going to be used enough through the cold winter to justify the expense of a full new set of tyres.

Anyhow, I need to drain down the water system to make sure it doesn't freeze and ruin all the lines. I'm new to the Westfalia so is there any hands hints or tips from you guys so I don't miss anything daft. The manual is all in German so it will take me time to translate.

Cheers

 

[2into1]

Assuming you know how your water tanks drain (fresh and grey), I've heard that leaving the taps open can help (although you'd need to remove a fuse to achieve this).

 

[ArcticMatt]

I've not looked where they are yet. I'm assuming in the back under the fridge area. It's in the garage at the mo so it won't freeze up for now.

 

[2into1]

Grey water is a lever in front of the rear wheel on the drivers' side.
Fresh drain is a white plastic screw off cap on the same side, between the rear wheel and the rear bumper.

 

[ArcticMatt]

Grey water is a lever in front of the rear wheel on the drivers' side.
Fresh drain is a white plastic screw off cap on the same side, between the rear wheel and the rear bumper.

Fantastic. Time to get draining.

 

[ArcticMatt]

Cheers for those pointers. Worked a treat but I've found the cap for the fresh water is knackered and has been bodged to make it seal. I'm going to check that list on here to see if I can get a new one.

Untitled by Matt Wilde, on Flickr

 

[2into1]

Don't know if the pop top T4 boys use one of these. May be easier to search for it's a shared part.

 

[ArcticMatt]

I found it on http://www.vwbusshop.de/epages/Guen.../GuenzlClassicParts/Categories/"Westfalia T4" from that handy links section. Very handy as it turns out. Only a fiver and I've got a few Westfalia decals I'm missing too.

 

[ArcticMatt]

Just got my hands on a set of used studded tyres to so the winter fun can carry on. The van came with a set of winter wheels but they were too far gone. I've been stripping to old steel rims down and giving them a new lick of paint.

 

[sidepod]

We're lucky in England. We don't need to change between winter and summer wheels.
The weather doesn't so why should we!

S.

 

[ArcticMatt]

Ay the sun always shines back in Yorkshire. I've got AT's on my Syncro back home in Saltburn. They do ok in the snow but I did get myself stuck (on purpose) last year Over here in Norway the roads are kept as groved ice sheets with grit (no salt thank god). Its amazing how fast you can go with studs This was me on the moors at the start of the year.

 

[syncrostan]

Yup, looking forward to some winter fun

 

[ArcticMatt]

The state of the old steel wheels was a bit poor. Now they look a little bit better (for now).

Untitled by Matt Wilde, on Flickr

 

[ArcticMatt]

Back on the road for winter. Just have to wait for the snow now

Untitled by Matt Wilde, on Flickr

 

[welshwestie]

I have got to sort out our steelies as well. Will probably take a grinder to them and rust treat and rattle can. Our steelies have winter tyres and we are hoping for some snow camping in Wales.

 

[ArcticMatt]

I have got to sort out our steelies as well. Will probably take a grinder to them and rust treat and rattle can. Our steelies have winter tyres and we are hoping for some snow camping in Wales.

Thats all I did with mine. Just ground off the many layers of rust and shot some silver rust proof we had spare in the garage. I was going to put the wheel trims on but they look god-awful. Winter camping in Wales sound like ace. North or South?

 

[ArcticMatt]

Well the snow is here already and the daylight is getting shorter and shorter.

 

[ArcticMatt]

The winter hibernation is well and truly in the bin now! The van is my new field base with my trusty camera
Untitled by Matt Wilde, on Flickr

Beiarn by Moonlight by Matt Wilde, on Flickr

 

[sidepod]

Wow. Good effort.

 

[ArcticMatt]

Up and about again in a bit of a blizzard today. Hoped to get some photos but the light went and I could see squat. Managed to fix the bulbs for the heater controls and cigarette lighter. It's a pain having to put the interior light on to see what's what. The bulb for the cigarette lighter was a pain. It was soldered in so it was fun getting that soldered back as was.

 

[ArcticMatt]

I had a horrible feeling my start-up heater wasn't working the other day. I hadn't checked to see how it kicks in before. I'd read online it starts up automatically under 3 or 5 degrees and it was -15 the other day. It took ages to get the inside warmed up. All the scandinavian T4's had them as standard I'd read but luckily this also had one. Anyway I checked all the wiring and fuses which all seemed ok. Meanwhile, there was a switch on the dash which had (Av/På (Off/On)) which i was trying the trace its purpose the other day when mucking about with the heater lights. Anyhow, I gave this a toggle and low and behold I started getting a lovely cloud of lovely diesel fumes out the bottom of the bumper. Turns out the thermal switch has been replaced Bonus. Now I get hot air much faster than the 30 minutes it took the other day.

 

[ArcticMatt]

Untitled by Matt Wilde, on Flickr

 

[sidepod]

Matt,

You're just showing off. That's a neat bit of kit

Lush photos.
S.

 

[ArcticMatt]

Haha I wasn't showing off when I got stuck I almost stoved the bonnet in getting the ice off the roof. It was like massive paving slabs sat on the roof. It's a bugger getting up to shift it. I've got to clean it off every time it snows now.

 

[WelshGas]

Haha I wasn't showing off when I got stuck I almost stoved the bonnet in getting the ice off the roof. It was like massive paving slabs sat on the roof. It's a bugger getting up to shift it. I've got to clean it off every time it snows now.

Why not a plastic tarpaulin that you can just pull off with the snow.A few rubber bungees with clips to hold it on.