Bailey & The Battery Locker Door

I have received a reply to my e-mail to Bailey regarding the lack of a latch mechanism on the battery locker door:-

To Mr Broadhead

Thank you for your email

I am sorry to hear about the problems you have experienced with the Battery locker door of your caravan.

Your comments have been duly noted and I have passed your email onto our design and production offices.

I apologise for the inconvenience that has been caused

Kind Regards

Chantelle Kimmins

Customer Service Co-Ordinator

E-mail: chantellek@baileyofbristol.co.uk

You never know,something may happen.

Ian

Assault & Battery On the Way To Durham.

Have just had three nights at Durham Grange CC site which we can thoroughly recommend.

The place is just off the A1 and about ten minutes walk from the Park & Ride into Durham ( £2 return ).

The site is well laid out,the toilet block is spotless and the wardens are very friendly and helpful.

There are some comments on the CC site and in the guest book regarding traffic noise from the A1 but we didn't find it intrusive at all.


As seems to be the way sometimes with our trips we had a bit of an incident on the way there.

We were tootling along the road from our storage near Castleford to join the A1 when SWMBO glanced in the near side mirror and very calmly asked me to pull over and stop.

She said the battery box door was open and got out to shut it.

Now this happened to us once before and just entailed us locking it and carrying on,not this time.

SWMBO returned to the car and said that the battery had gone,vanished,no longer there.

Naturally I doubted here word and thought she was joking but she was dead right the battery had fallen out complete with battery tray leaving the battery clamps dangling on the road.

To say I was not a happy bunny was a bit of an understatement but we decided I had better go back and look for it.

We were parked by a grass verge outside someones gated house so pressed the intercom to see if it was OK to leave the van there whilst I drove back,no one appeared to be in so we took a chance got the van onto the verge,unhitched it into a muddy puddle and I set off back to our storage.

Now all I can say is that they must be quick in Castleford because there was no sign of it,and I drove there and back,I thought it might have fallen out in the storage compound but of course it hadn't.

When I returned to the van,as there was nothing else to be done we decided to hitch up,set off and call at Ropers in Catterick for a new battery.

When I say hitch up that is where another "problem" reared its head,the hitch wouldn't drop onto the ball even after fifteen minutes of trying.

Whilst I was away SWMBO had dropped the front steadies as she said it made here feel better and had mentioned this on my return.

When the ball refused to locate she innocently asked if it was anything to do with the steadies to which I replied with a snort of disgust "NO".

After another ten minutes it shamefacedly dawned on me that is was very much to do with the steadies and as we were winding the jockey wheel down it was just coming to rest on the front steadies and not dropping as far as the ball,oh dear.

Steadies up,van hitched,red of face,and we were on our way.

Had dinner at Ropers and bought another battery and tray ( £87 worth ) all fitted into van.

Now although I had obviously not properly checked the battery box door prior to setting off ( and the safety strap was fastened as I had changed the battery the day before ) I feel that the design of the door leaves a little to be desired.

On the other locker doors there is a latch mechanism so even if the door wasn't locked it wouldn't come open but on the battery box door it is simply a lock so if not locked it comes open.

This seems to be standard fit on most vans I have observed not just Bailey,perhaps there is a reason for it but I can't think of one.

Any way I have e-mailed Bailey and told them it could do with a rethink but I won't hold my breath.

Of course we are now paranoid about checking the door is properly fastened and didn't set off home till we were both satisfied.

So young Chuggers the moral of this sad little tale is :-

"Double check your battery box door is properly shut and locked before setting off ".

Ian

Aaarghh.....................................................................

After going to the trouble and cost of replacing the wheel bolts as I "lost" the adaptor the f****ing thing has turned up.

It had rolled into the gap by the heater duct under the rear seat where naturally I had already "looked".

So if anyone wants a set ( 4 ) of genuine Bailey locking wheelbolt for a tenner plus postage ( I think they cost about £30 ) then get in touch.

Ian

Bailey Pursuit

Got told by a dealer yesterday that the new lightweight Bailey will be called the Pursuit.

They should have been going to Bristol for a preview next week but it has been cancelled so the first they will see of it is at the NEC in October.

All seems very hush hush as no other details forthcoming.

Ian

Bolts Again.

Well the new wheel bolts have arrived,very good next day service from WSL considering it is free postage.

Also got a rather nice digital tyre guage free of charge.

Total cost £49.98 which is about £15 less than Baileys prices ( inc. Baileys £5 P&P charge ).

As you order two packs of five bolts you get two adaptors,I will be keeping a firm eye on these two,no more shenanigans hopefully.

Will put them on in the next day or two.

Ian

Wheel Bolts Contd.

I had a reply from Bailey regarding the new WSL wheel bolts,this is what they say :-

Hi Ian,

Thank you for your email.

The WSL wheel bolts are suitable for your model, and the new torque setting will be 130Nm.

Regards,

Neil Baker

Aftersales/Online Parts Technical Admin

E-Mail: neilb@baileyofbristol.co.uk

Ian

Orion Front Window.

There has been some discussion on CT regarding flexing on the front window of the Orion.

Orion Front Window - Caravan Talk

The upshot is that this can cause scratching/cloudiness between the panes,Bailey are evidently aware of this and will replace under warranty.

Not had any problems ourselves,so it may just be earlier models than ours,just had the repair of the right hand stay anchoring point although I agree that the stays for the front window appear to be made of cheese ( cream cheese at that ) and struggle to support such a heavy item.

Ian

Wheel Bolt Update.

Well following the loss of the locking wheel bolt adaptor ( not had a reply from Bailey yet ) the next problem was to remove the offending bolts and replacing the original ones.

I considered getting someone from a tyre fitters to come and have a go but first I tried putting a suitably sized socket over the bolts,tapping it into place and bingo off they came without much problem.

So much for Bailey's secure wheel bolts.

The problem then was to remove the bolt from the socket as it was jammed fast.

Took a bit of hammering but with the aid of some lubricant ( oohh er missus..... ) it eventually came out ( twice,once for each side ).

I think I may replace the bolts with the new WSL bolts as these are standard on new Bailey's now.

WSL Wheel Bolts

Just waiting for a reply from Bailey parts to double check that this OK and ask what the torque is.

If anyone has a similar problem I used a 17mm socket over the bolts to remove them,it is a very snug fit.


Incidentally I also replaced the handle on the C250 Thetford cassette as well after the disappearance of it down the toilet emptying hole in Scarborough,naturally you couldn't buy just the handle,it had to be the whole extending bit.

Ian

Good News & Oh Deary Me!!

Well the good news is that the Orion passed her service with flying colours,couple of warranty jobs done as requested including resealing all the shower cubicle,so here's to another year.

But oh deary me,I have lost the adaptor for the locking wheel bolts somewhere.

Wandahome put it back in the van for certain,but can I now find it,you must be joking.

Looked in van,car,clothes,back to dealers,no sign of it.

Of course divorce lawyers were hovering in the background if I mentioned it again.

I have e-mailed Bailey,as they were Bailey bolts,to see if they can provide another adaptor but I don't hold out much hope as they have changed the design of the wheelbolts to the new WSL ones but one can live in hope.

( Incidentally you can no longer talk to Bailey,all Customer Service enquiries have to be e-mailed,  customerservices@bailey-caravans.co.uk).

I have found a man local to our storage who should be able to remove the bolts and then it looks like two new sets of the posh bolts at £65 for the lot as our insurance specifies locking wheel bolts.

Life eh,I thought things were going well.

Ian

Scarborough,Service & A Suggestion

We have just returned from a short break at the Caravan Club site at West Ayton near Scarborough.

Contrary to some of the reviews on the Caravan Club web site we found it an excellent and well cared for place and no the wardens weren't like little Hitlers which some people seem to think.

No problems with the Orion,although I did manage to break the handle on the toilet cassette whilst emptying it and the broken bit sailed down the disposal hole never to be seen again.

Oh and another clip broke off the fridge retaining bar,I wonder if they get brittle after a while ?



The van goes for its second service on Tuesday so fingers crossed all is well.

It has been polished and cleaned from top to toe inside and out so it looks the part anyway,also connected the Al-Ko ATC to the car for 12 hours to clear the memory which may stop any red light problems for a year.

Have switched dealers from YC Leisure to Wandahome at Knottingley as they are only ten miles/15 mins away whereas YC Leisure were forty miles/ one hour distant.

No cafe at Wandahome though,bit of a bummer.

Just the front window blind to look at,plus the area where the laminate peeled back,mentioned a post or two ago,to ensure there is no water getting in,none evident.

The front window stay anchorage also requires fixing.

I am also going to ask them to reseal the shower as I had a go at doing it myself and to be honest it looks a bit of a pigs ear.



  Whilst clearing out the van ready for the service I noticed that at the rear of the fuse box under the front bench seat the wiring was all exposed just ready to be damaged by some of the things I put in the under seat locker.

Had a think and found an old plastic container that mushrooms come in from the supermarket and taped that to the rear of the box to try and protect the wiring,the bonus being that it weighs virually nothing.

Had to cut a couple of slots in the accommodate the wires.

I know it looks a bit Heath Robinson-ish but if it helps to protect the wiring all to the good.

If I come across something more suitable I may swap it so I shall see how it goes.

Ian