I am taking the caravan in a couple of weeks, but going alone just with the dog. 2 of us went on our first ever caravan "see how it goes" trip and managed very well, but we both mucked in and got the van sorted, but when Ime on my own what order do things go in. Balance, legs down etc etc. Having the dog in the car crying to get out(very excitable dog) I need to get things done as smoothly as possible.
Hiya, we do ...... level side to side , then front to back, then legs down , then EHU and kettle on . then you could take dog for a walk and then start to sort the rest of the van out when fido has calmed down
atb Bill
------------- Bill n Kay
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when the going gets tough... get someone else to do it.....
I smile besause I have'nt a clue whats going on... appreciate everything in life especially your friends...
Do you have a tether for the dog? If so, you can get him/her out and tethered before you start on levelling the caravan. I have previously put my dog on her lead and looped the handle onto the car towball, so that she can watch what I'm doing, whilst keeping her out of the way.
Once you have the brake on the caravan and it's in the space it's going to be, you could always just loop the dog's lead over the towball on your car (AFTER YOU'VE PARKED IT, I hasten to add!!!)when you've moved it out of the way and the caravan is on its own.
Sometimes if you ask, the wardens will come and give you a hand setting up.
Here's the way I do it - might not be the correct way, but it works for me.
1. Put the caravan where it's going to be lodged. Put the caravan brake on. Detach car (and the safety brake cable. and the lights cable) and move car to parking space, or out of the way. Put dog on lead, out of the car and loop lead over the towball.
If the dog moans at this point, ignore.
2. Put a spirit level on the floor near the door. Leave it there whilst you wind up and down the jockey wheel, to level from front to back. Chock the wheels when level.
3. Turn the level from front to back to side to side, wind down the legs until you get it more or less level from side to side.
I have one of these and I site it on the floor near the fridge (which is by the back door in mine) as that's the thing that needs to be the most level-ish!
Bill n Kay are quite right. You level side to side first by using one of your wheel ramps accordingly and then from front to back by using the jockey wheel. It is important to get the caravan as level as possible as some fridges are a bit tempremental and won't operate unless they are reasonably level plus it also helps in draining the waste water away too. When the van is level then you can then put your dog inside and get sorted with the important bits like fetching the water and kettle on for a brew. You can then take doggy for a walk and the rest can be sorted afterwards.
I always level front to back first, using the jockey wheel, then side to side afterwards by using the legs. I don't suppose it matters much which comes first! I have never used wheel ramps as I must have been lucky and always got a reasonably level pitch.
......... then side to side afterwards by using the legs.
Big mistake ...............made by many people. The 'legs' on the corners of the unit (caravan, FC etc) are steadies, and should not be used to support the weight of any part of the unit. The steadies are not attached to the chassis, and if used to take any weight, the whole body of the unit can distort. So if you need to level side-to-side, use wheel ramps or wheel-jacking device.
I always level front to back first, using the jockey wheel, then side to side afterwards by using the legs. I don't suppose it matters much which comes first! I have never used wheel ramps as I must have been lucky and always got a reasonably level pitch.
If you level side to side afterwards then you must be using the legs as jacks which is not recommended as the legs are fastened to the caravan floor and not the chassis. This will then put pressure on the caravan floor pushing the floor upwards away from the it's mountings which in time will cause floor delamination and complete twisting of the caravan structure.
I dont have any ramps, only the usual wood/plastic pieces that go under the legs. so back to front ok, but side to side a problem if I dont get ramps than. but (stupid question coming up) if I unhitch the car and move it and then find the caravan not level wont I have to hitch it up again to move it up the ramps (see told you it was stupid)
Quote: Originally posted by dogscenturion on 02/6/2012
I dont have any ramps, only the usual wood/plastic pieces that go under the legs. so back to front ok, but side to side a problem if I dont get ramps than. but (stupid question coming up) if I unhitch the car and move it and then find the caravan not level wont I have to hitch it up again to move it up the ramps (see told you it was stupid)
Simple solution - check side-to-side level BEFORE you unhitch from car, place a wheel ramp under the low wheel, and drive the unit up the ramp until level. Alternatively, if you have a mover, you can roll the unit up a wheel ramp using that. Another (expensive) alternative is to use one of these
I have an FC and 2 dogs, but the set up would be much the same.
I often go away with the dogs on my own (3 times this year already) and I always see to the dogs first. After any sort of a journey they are usually desperate to get out for widdles and so I roughly park the FC & Car on the pitch and then see to their needs.
When I then put them back into the car, they are content for me to do all my bits and pieces of setting up etc and leave me in peace.
Quote: Originally posted by LobeyDosser on 02/6/2012
I have an FC and 2 dogs, but the set up would be much the same.
I often go away with the dogs on my own (3 times this year already) and I always see to the dogs first.
After any sort of a journey they are usually desperate to get out for widdles and so I roughly park the FC & Car on the pitch and then see to their needs.
When I then put them back into the car, they are content for me to do all my bits and pieces of setting up etc and leave me in peace.
Completely agree with you there :) Sort the dogs out first and then they are quite happy to settle whilst you sort everything else out :)
If you do get some ramps and have to use one to level the caravan up (side to side) it is best to pull the caravan up the ramp with the towcar rather than reverse it up because when you reverse, the draw shaft on the hitch pushes back and the over-run gear kicks in to stop the brakes pulling on. This means that when the caravan has been reversed, the handbrake won't apply until the draw shaft has been pulled out again which means that if your caravan rolls away there are no caravan brakes so by pulling the caravan up the ramp, the brakes are still automatically functioning and therefore you can safely apply the caravan handbrake and be in control of your caravan. Also, when you buy ramps make sure that you also buy the accompanying wheel chocks too that lock into the ramp as this is a safety measure just in case the handbrake does fail. If you see the link below you will know what I mean.
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Topic: what comes first
. then you could take dog for a walk and then start to sort the rest of the van out when fido has calmed down 
