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Subject Topic: Creaky trailer tent
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03/8/2011 at 2:13pm
 Location: North Wales
 Outfit: Caravan and trailer tent.
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I just took my Conway cambridge trailer tent for it's first ride out after having my towbar fitted. It is really creaky and I thought it was going to come off at some points. I found once I got off the estate and onto a straight and pothole free stretch of road and up to about 30mph the creaking stopped. Is this normal? I know my trailer is old (1995 ish) so I expected a few clonks and creaks but this was loud! Any ideas or input would be greatly appreciated as I'm a complete novice at towing. Thanks :)


03/8/2011 at 2:17pm
 Location: sunny south east!
 Outfit: Coachman
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Has TT been serviced recenlty - bearings , suspension checked. Tow ball greased etc?


03/8/2011 at 2:19pm
 Location: North Wales
 Outfit: Caravan and trailer tent.
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No, no and no :( I have no idea where to get these things done. Am a lot embarrassed. I've been camping for years but this is my first trailer and am truly clueless. I can ask my Dad to look at the bearings and suspension. Tow ball grease... hmmm... I'll google that. Thanks


03/8/2011 at 3:26pm
 Location: sunny south east!
 Outfit: Coachman
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Definitely ask you dad - its cheaper and that is what they are for!!! If he is mechanically minded he will know about grease and such

Should dad not be the answer then check this page for a list of nationwide caravan and trailer repairers and service companies or check you local yellow pages. There isn't a great deal to look at on basic trailers so it shouldn't cost a fortune.

Most of all don't feel embarassed as that is what the forum is for!



03/8/2011 at 3:31pm
 Location: sunny south east!
 Outfit: Coachman
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Also get tyre pressures checked as if they are over inflated your trailer will be bouncing around and could sound noisier than normal

If you don't have the manual maybe look on the Conway owners club site as they may have a suitable one or ask on there



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03/8/2011 at 5:58pm
 Location: Scotland.
 Outfit: Conway Camargue Lots of Vangos. .
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The only time I ever got creaking from the towhitch of my Camargue was when it needed greased. Good old white grease from Halfords is fine, but in an emergency you can use Vaseline, belive it or not. Best with the right stuff though. Do it asap btw as two surfaces rubbing together means that heat will be generated and the towhitch can bind up. Clean off both towball and the inside of the towhitch well before greasing btw.

TT tyres for a Cambridge should be at around 33psi.

An unladen TT may bounce and clatter a bit as you go over speedbumps and potholes. A laden one may ground the towhitch if you go over bumps or dips too fast. It's classic to do this when driving down a ferry ramp for example! 



03/8/2011 at 6:32pm
 Location: North Wales
 Outfit: Caravan and trailer tent.
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Thankyou all so much for the help. I got my Dad to have a look at it with me and we just took it out again. The trailer itself is in remarkably good shape for it's age apparently which is good.

The creaking was my fault - I didn't realise I could raise the jockey wheel higher when you're towing :( oops! I never noticed the little lever to raise it after it's fully wound up.

Just done a lap of the town centre and all the car parks and it tows perfectly now. I can even reverse into parking spaces!

Can't wait for our first proper trip out next weekend!



03/8/2011 at 6:47pm
 Location:  Surrey
 Outfit: Peugeot Boxer Utah + Lunar Ariva
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Quote: Originally posted by mrsb29 on 03/8/2011

Thankyou all so much for the help. I got my Dad to have a look at it with me and we just took it out again. The trailer itself is in remarkably good shape for it's age apparently which is good.

The creaking was my fault - I didn't realise I could raise the jockey wheel higher when you're towing :( oops! I never noticed the little lever to raise it after it's fully wound up.

Just done a lap of the town centre and all the car parks and it tows perfectly now. I can even reverse into parking spaces!

Can't wait for our first proper trip out next weekend!


Who is a little nutter thensays the one that lets her OH tow and would (if she did drive it herself which she has) ....had to take the t.t. off the towball to reverse it around as she could not

-------------
Chrissie

Be Strong-Think positive.


03/8/2011 at 8:48pm
 Location: North Wales
 Outfit: Caravan and trailer tent.
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I did really well reversing, I was in a straighter line than with no trailer! I did raise the towbar up as far as I could and thought it was too low but I never knew there was a lever to lift it more! Dad sorted that in about 10 seconds. No creaking at all now. Got my insurance sorted this evening too so I'm ready to rock!


04/8/2011 at 10:45am
 Location: sunny south east!
 Outfit: Coachman
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Excellent and well done!

Do consider getting the other bits checked out properly though at some point same as you would with your car

Enjoy!



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04/8/2011 at 11:18am
 Location: Sheffield
 Outfit: None Entered
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Just read your first post and thought it was the jockey wheel.  We did the same thing! lol.  Glad to hear we aren't alone in making that mistake. ha ha.  My Dad has been sorting out the hitching for us, so the first time we did it on our own we didn't realise either about the extra bit that you could raise it.  We know now, and I doubt we'll ever make that mistake again.  It's stuck in our mind now. 


04/8/2011 at 11:26am
 Location: North Wales
 Outfit: Caravan and trailer tent.
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Oh thank goodness it's not just me! I felt so thick when Dad lifted it! I'm going to get in touch with one of the servicing companies as soon as I have some cash spare. It's such a lovely tent in great condition I'm going to look after it as well as I can. It's well worth a bit of investment as it has many more years of holidays left in it.

I love my trailer tent :)




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