How to demount / remount?

[marc4242]

Can anyone tell me how to demount from a Rascal, and any tips on how to remount? How long does it take you? Do you do it often?

Is the principle similar on other host vehicles?

Marc

[glenw]

Hi marc, not sure how to demount from a rascal, mines on a daihatsu, but i assume the theory is the same.

This is how I did it, it was trial and error but seemed to work ok.

There are 4 bolts that hold the body to the van, I removed these first. Then position the 2 front legs and jack down the 2 rear legs. I basically kept walking round the van, slowly jacking all 4 legs a bit at a time, until the body was fully raised off the vehicle.

This all needs to be done on level ground and somewhere you can drive the vehicle straight forward, you can not turn the vehicle until you have cleared the legs when you drive forward.

re-mounting is just a reverse process,.

It sounds easy but it does take time. de-mounting took me about 15 mins, after I'd loosened the bolts but these needed a good soaking in WD40 (other spray oil is available!)

I have just re-mounted today, and it took 2 of us about 30-40 mins. It is a very tight fit so your reversing needs to be spot on and your clutch control very precise. Its easier if you've got a 2nd person to watch and give directions.

As for how often I'll do it, probably rarely. I did think originally that the demountable option would be perfect because i'd then have a van to use for trips to the tip,garden centre etc but now I think it'll just be a lot easier to hire a skip or pay for delivery!!!

hope this helps but don't be put off. No doubt some other clever soul on here will tell us how it should be done properly!!!!

[marc4242]

Hi Glen

Thanks a lot for that. The demount sounds pretty straight forward, the remount anything but!! ;D

"Its easier if you've got a 2nd person to watch and give directions."

I can't imagine doing it without a 2nd person, I'd be running the romahome over with the rascal!

"I did think originally that the demountable option would be perfect because i'd then have a van to use for trips to the tip,garden centre etc but now I think it'll just be a lot easier to hire a skip or pay for delivery!!!"

Yes, that's what I thought too, eg I'd like to buy a ladder of about 2.5 metres ad the pick-up seems ideal, it's the re-mounting that does not appeal to me. I'm doing a welding course shortly, and it does occur to me that putting the home onto dollys might enable one to *push* the home *onto* the rascal.

Once you have the body back on, is doing the bolts back up pretty clear? How many bolts are there to do up?

Marc

Mar 4, 2008 18:43:40 GMT glenw said:

Hi marc, not sure how to demount from a rascal, mines on a daihatsu, but i assume the theory is the same.

This is how I did it, it was trial and error but seemed to work ok.

There are 4 bolts that hold the body to the van, I removed these first. Then position the 2 front legs and jack down the 2 rear legs. I basically kept walking round the van, slowly jacking all 4 legs a bit at a time, until the body was fully raised off the vehicle.

This all needs to be done on level ground and somewhere you can drive the vehicle straight forward, you can not turn the vehicle until you have cleared the legs when you drive forward.

re-mounting is just a reverse process,.

It sounds easy but it does take time. de-mounting took me about 15 mins, after I'd loosened the bolts but these needed a good soaking in WD40 (other spray oil is available!)

I have just re-mounted today, and it took 2 of us about 30-40 mins. It is a very tight fit so your reversing needs to be spot on and your clutch control very precise. Its easier if you've got a 2nd person to watch and give directions.

As for how often I'll do it, probably rarely. I did think originally that the demountable option would be perfect because i'd then have a van to use for trips to the tip,garden centre etc but now I think it'll just be a lot easier to hire a skip or pay for delivery!!!

hope this helps but don't be put off. No doubt some other clever soul on here will tell us how it should be done properly!!!!

[glenw]

Hi Marc,

your right, the demount part was pretty straight forward,a 1 man(oops, not PC, should read person) job. in fact I was supposed to wait for my other half to come home before I attempted it, but being a bloke I did it anyway!!

I thought about putting the body onto a trolley type system, to get it into the garage overwinter, its possible - see link

smallmotorhome.proboards105.com/index.cgi?action=display&board=romahomes&thread=363&page=1

I had a go, but I only had room to put the rear legs onto the trolley. I planned to lift the front end up and wheel it like a barrow. 3 of us couldn't shift the thing, so it stayed out over winter! ;-) next plan is to get a bigger garage!

I think remounting could be done with one person at a push, a very patient one.

There are 4 bolts that hold mine in place, all easy to get too. 2 each side. Didn't mention it in first reply, don't forget to un-couple the electrics too!

Also, not sure where in the world you are and if you had those strong winds the other night but I was still 'demounted' at the time, on the 4 legs plus 4 decorators supports as extra legs under the overcab part and it managed to shift the whole lot about 6 inches down the drive!! just glad the legs stayed straight and didn't damage the body at all, but it has left nice scrapes in the drive!!!

you've got to have a go at the dismount/remount thing, just because you can!!!

good luck,

Glen