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I've just joined the forum because we have just been given an Ace Rallyman (not sure of the year - late eighties early nineties probably).  It hasn't been used for two years and the site owners where it is stored have said it's quite dirty (which I expected)  we did use it two years ago when it belonged to my mother-in-law and was cleaned thoroughly inside before we left site but what horrors should I expect to find lurking?

Will the gas bottles be okay and the battery? 

And does anyone have any further info on the Ace Rallyman - I can find lots of stuff on the Jubilee Rallyman is it the same thing.

It all seems like a bit of a dark art at the moment and more complicated than camping but I am very excited and looking forward to our two weeks in August.

Hi Welcome to UKCS.

Sorry I can't help with info on the van but am sure someone will be along soon to help out. Hope you get sorted and have a nice holiday.

Sue

Hi there and welcome to UKCS!

All caravans have their own little 'quirks' and i'm sure yours will be the same and only time and use will reveal them.

The best thing to do would be to go in and set everything up as if you were using it for a holiday, connect up the electrics, gas, battery, and set up the bed/s etc so that when the time comes for you to use the caravan all the little niggles will have been ironed out and you know exactly where you stand and that everything works fine.

Check: all the electrics, sockets, light's, and appliances (cooker, heater, fridge) are working.....that the gas bottle has gas in it (always good to get a spare just incase).....has the caravan got an onboard battery charger? if not you will have to get hold of one to keep your battery charged...is the battery ok?....and generally have a good 'feel' around the caravan for anything that don't seem right. If you find spongey walls then damp has set in, but don't worry too much as this can be fixed fairly easily, but as you are already booked up for your 2 weeks in August i would get the holiday out of the way before tackling any damp should you discover any.

Hope you have loads of fun in your new little van!

Thanks Grub and Sue for your welcome and answers.  Trying to get as much done and planned a head as unlike when we have been before we have no use of our car as my hubbie had two strokes last year and I don't drive yet.

We won't be very far from my sister's but don't want to have to ring them up every five minutes to ferry us around so trying to think  of (predict) lots of potential problems before we get there and try and have a solution worked out.

Don't call me a control freak or anything! :)

Hello Sheweevil

Aren't you lucky to have been given a caravan, especially at this time of year too. I'd give it a good airing if I were you. Take out all the soft furnishings & put them somewhere nice & dry but airy. in our old van we always take ours out & slide the cushions under the baeds in the house for the winter months. this kept them smelling lovely & fresh, just as they did when they were new.

I'd also suggest putting a couple of big dishes of SALT in the van. These will absorb any moisture that's in there. As far as your battery is concerned, they're not very costly to replace if it wont hold a charge. Gas bottles should be OK, try them, light the cooker & so on, you'll soon find out if the gas has run out.

A good service on the brakes & wheel bearings & a serious check of the tyres would probably not go amiss either. The tyre walls may have perished if its been left standing. Have a seriuos look down in between the tread pattern for any sign of cracking. It you find any I'd replace the tyres or get yourself another whell & keep one of the current road wheels as a spare. Old perished tyres tend to overheat & go bang when they've been left standing too long.

Stay lucky & enjoy it.

BB 

hi you can get a reprint of this if need be

http://reprints.caravanmagazine.co.uk/browse/caravan/1710_Price_1001-2500/