sid b
50+ posts.... 3 wheels on my wagon!
Posts: 67
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Post by sid b on Aug 8, 2007 16:51:25 GMT
Well, we've just returned from our first trip in our new Dimension. Everything went fine, except..... (why is there always an "except"!?):
(1) - there's an annoying intrusive and quite loud (to us!) squeeking/squawking when on the road that we think we've pineed down to coming from the rear doors. Any other Dimension owners noticed this?
(2) - we had a problem one day parked up on wet grass - no grip from the front wheels and had to be given a helpful push by a couple of passers-by who saw our predicament. It wasn't that the ground was paticularly soft, just wet and on a slope. We never had this with our previous camper (a VW Transporter.) Again, is it a common Dimension thing? If so I'd be interested to know what others do about it?
(Lastly, a confession! Esbee is actually a composite name - we are two! I'm one half - Sid - (the "S", gettit?) )
Sid / esbee
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Post by wendy on Aug 8, 2007 18:36:28 GMT
Glad to hear that you enjoyed your first trip, bet you can't wait to go again.
We have a squeeking/squawking noise sometimes that we can't quite pin down. We can't even anticipate when it will occur. John is going to look underneath sometime to see if he can see anything.
We did get stuck once on wet grass - it was on a slope on a CL. The farmer was there with his tractor before we hardly had time to think about anything and towed us off! Seemed like we weren't the first ones. We are very careful where we park now!
Anyway that doesn't help with what to do. If using the levelling ramps we always reverse on to them and then drive straight off and keep going until solid ground is reached, if possible. We have also bought some anti-slip mats, but so far have never used them.
Hope that might help a bit.
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Post by Graham on Aug 8, 2007 19:25:31 GMT
Hi Sid / Esbee The only intrusive loud squawking/squeaking noise I get is from Pauline when I have taken a wrong turning.  (Only joking dear) We have never got stuck on grass yet either but we are usually very wary where we park having had that problem previously with our Duo. Glad you enjoyed your maiden voyage, here's to many more. Graham |
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Post by mike and heather on Aug 8, 2007 21:36:18 GMT
Hi Sid / Esbee
We too had a squeak coming from around the back door area. Ant examined them carefully and adjusted the striker plate at the bottom. Cured!
If wet we also reverse onto the ramps, so that we can get a run off the next day. We have the thin yellow ones too, but are not impressed. Once they went flying away and were caked in mud!
Wishing you lots more enjoyable trips. Wonder where you went?
Mike and Heather
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sid b
50+ posts.... 3 wheels on my wagon!
Posts: 67
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Post by sid b on Aug 8, 2007 22:26:23 GMT
Glad to hear that you enjoyed your first trip, bet you can't wait to go again. We have a squeeking/squawking noise sometimes that we can't quite pin down. We can't even anticipate when it will occur. John is going to look underneath sometime to see if he can see anything. We did get stuck once on wet grass - it was on a slope on a CL. The farmer was there with his tractor before we hardly had time to think about anything and towed us off! Seemed like we weren't the first ones. We are very careful where we park now! Anyway that doesn't help with what to do. If using the levelling ramps we always reverse on to them and then drive straight off and keep going until solid ground is reached, if possible. We have also bought some anti-slip mats, but so far have never used them. Hope that might help a bit. Thanks Wendy, the antislip mats sound like a good idea - where did you get them? Could be a good investment, can't always rely on helpful passers-by or handy farmers with tractors! Next trip is already in the planning - we're off to NE Scotland for 2-3 weeks at the beginning of September. Not long now! Sid |
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sid b
50+ posts.... 3 wheels on my wagon!
Posts: 67
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Post by sid b on Aug 8, 2007 22:28:59 GMT
Hi Sid / Esbee The only intrusive loud squawking/squeaking noise I get is from Pauline when I have taken a wrong turning. (Only joking dear) ------------------------------ Oooooh, you're a brave man! Sid |
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sid b
50+ posts.... 3 wheels on my wagon!
Posts: 67
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Post by sid b on Aug 8, 2007 22:32:54 GMT
Hi Sid / Esbee We too had a squeak coming from around the back door area. Ant examined them carefully and adjusted the striker plate at the bottom. Cured! If wet we also reverse onto the ramps, so that we can get a run off the next day. We have the thin yellow ones too, but are not impressed. Once they went flying away and were caked in mud! Wishing you lots more enjoyable trips. Wonder where you went? Mike and Heather Striker plate sounds like it might just be the culprit! I will be taking it back to Freeborn for a look-see. We went to Exmoor, CC site at Lakeside. Not as busy as I though it might be in the school hols! Sid |
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Post by wendy on Aug 9, 2007 7:59:52 GMT
The anti-slip mats are the yellow things that Mike and Heather mention. As I say we've not used them but I have heard that they are not very good. At least it makes us think that we have something to help if necessary!
Enjoy your trip to NE Scotland - we were there in May. Sunshine, but very windy and rain as we were leaving.
Maybe the striker plate is worth a look for our squeaks too.
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sid b
50+ posts.... 3 wheels on my wagon!
Posts: 67
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Post by sid b on Aug 9, 2007 9:53:34 GMT
The anti-slip mats are the yellow things that Mike and Heather mention. As I say we've not used them but I have heard that they are not very good. At least it makes us think that we have something to help if necessary! Enjoy your trip to NE Scotland - we were there in May. Sunshine, but very windy and rain as we were leaving. Maybe the striker plate is worth a look for our squeaks too. I think ANYTHING to go under the wheels to add a bit of traction is worth a try! We were also in NE Scotland in May! (Black Isle, and then Morayshire). We're obviously addicted! Probably going a wee bit further south/east this time, to Aberdeenshire, although we might decide to head up to Sutherland/Caithness for the second half of the trip. Sid |
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sid b
50+ posts.... 3 wheels on my wagon!
Posts: 67
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Post by sid b on Aug 9, 2007 10:37:41 GMT
We did get stuck once on wet grass - it was on a slope on a CL. The farmer was there with his tractor before we hardly had time to think about anything and towed us off! Seemed like we weren't the first ones. We are very careful where we park now! Reading that again, something just struck me: - how did he tow you out? I've just had a butcher's underneath the van and in the Citroen handbook, and there's no towing point/bracket at the front end as far as I can see? Sid |
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Post by wendy on Aug 9, 2007 11:48:28 GMT
We did get stuck once on wet grass - it was on a slope on a CL. The farmer was there with his tractor before we hardly had time to think about anything and towed us off! Seemed like we weren't the first ones. We are very careful where we park now! Reading that again, something just struck me: - how did he tow you out? I've just had a butcher's underneath the van and in the Citroen handbook, and there's no towing point/bracket at the front end as far as I can see? Sid OH (johns1) says that there is a towing eye under the front bumper. The farmer had a rope with proper hook thingies (girlie technical term ;D) on the ends. That made us think that he used it fairly often! PS: Ours is a 2004 van, so not the new Citroen Relay |
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sid b
50+ posts.... 3 wheels on my wagon!
Posts: 67
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Post by sid b on Aug 9, 2007 13:20:30 GMT
Ah, that's interesting. I can't see a towing eye under ours - its the new chassis.
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Post by mike and heather on Aug 9, 2007 13:45:14 GMT
Ah, that's interesting. I can't see a towing eye under ours - its the new chassis. Just had a roll under our van and can't see the eye either! Where's Ant ? |
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Post by ant on Aug 9, 2007 16:15:10 GMT
Hi Mike, Heather and Esbee.
The towing eye on the new Relay is a "remote" eye. If you look on the front bumper, drivers side, you'll see a square cover about 3 inches square, under it is a threaded hole into which you screw your eye which is in the tool kit bag.
Ant
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Post by Pauline on Aug 9, 2007 20:50:13 GMT
(Lastly, a confession! Esbee is actually a composite name - we are two! I'm one half - Sid - (the "S", gettit?) ) Sid / esbee Hi Sid/esbee Do we have to guess what the 'bee' is for then?? Barbara Bertie Bob Belinda ?  |
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Post by Pauline on Aug 9, 2007 20:53:52 GMT
The only intrusive loud squawking/squeaking noise I get is from Pauline when I have taken a wrong turning. (Only joking dear) Graham I can't help it, it's called parrot disease - sadly there is no tweetment for it  |
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sid b
50+ posts.... 3 wheels on my wagon!
Posts: 67
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Post by sid b on Aug 10, 2007 10:47:42 GMT
(Lastly, a confession! Esbee is actually a composite name - we are two! I'm one half - Sid - (the "S", gettit?) ) Sid / esbee Hi Sid/esbee Do we have to guess what the 'bee' is for then?? Barbara Bertie Bob Belinda ? Beautiful, busty blonde! (Well, in my dreams)  Actually she prefers Chris or Chrissie. (Yes, I know that doesn't begin with "B" - but there we are.) Sid |
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sid b
50+ posts.... 3 wheels on my wagon!
Posts: 67
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Post by sid b on Aug 10, 2007 10:49:51 GMT
Hi Mike, Heather and Esbee. The towing eye on the new Relay is a "remote" eye. If you look on the front bumper, drivers side, you'll see a square cover about 3 inches square, under it is a threaded hole into which you screw your eye which is in the tool kit bag. Ant Well I never! Cunning blighters! |
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Post by mike and heather on Aug 10, 2007 17:33:42 GMT
Well I never! Cunning blighters! They are too - should have read the handbook, I suppose!  1.  2.  3. Cheers Ant. Glad I know before getting bogged down. Only done it once, that was quite near you on the Mendips. Wonder what else there is to discover? Emergency rations would be nice! Mike |
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Post by ant on Aug 11, 2007 8:06:48 GMT
Mike.
Sorry no emergency rations, just a very slow hypnotic aura in the van that eventually( normally takes about 3 or 4 years) leaves you with the burning desire for a new vehicle!! - Well it's worked up to now on many of my customers and you have to admit is quite painless!
Ant
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Post by Derek on Aug 16, 2007 6:33:49 GMT
(2) - we had a problem one day parked up on wet grass - no grip from the front wheels and had to be given a helpful push by a couple of passers-by who saw our predicament. It wasn't that the ground was paticularly soft, just wet and on a slope. We never had this with our previous camper (a VW Transporter.) Just found this on UKCS under "Grassed" in Motorhomes section, quote from there "We have the yellow grip tracks and have found them to be useless. We now carry 4 doormats - the ones that are quite stiff ahd have a diamond mesh pattern. We bought them from Wilkos for about £1.99 each. When parking on grass we park the drive wheels on two of them. The theory is that if grass becomes wet we can put the othe two infront of the ones under the wheels and drive onto them, we will then take the two that have now been released and place them in front of the wheels and so move slowly forward. I know this is a long slow process but better than no movement at all. When we are pitched and don't need them we lay them outside the van door as mats." www.wilkinsonplus.com/invt/0204651I think I may get a couple, sounds like a good idea. Best to park on them before you have the problem rather than trying to put them under when the wheels have started spinning. Derek |
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Post by Pauline on Aug 16, 2007 13:16:23 GMT
Nice one Derek sounds a really good idea.
Those yellow grip tracks can be dangerous, someone once lent us some when stuck on wet grass and the wheel spun suddenly and it threw the yellow thing out from under the wheel so fast it flew out behind the van and could have caused injury to anyone who happened to be in the way!
It was probably because of the dampness twix yellow thing and grass and I imagine a doormat, being made of fabric rather than plastic, would have more grip.
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Post by Derek on Aug 16, 2007 20:01:35 GMT
I imagine a doormat, being made of fabric rather than plastic, would have more grip. Nope, thick rubber mat with lotsa holes  Derek |
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Post by Pauline on Aug 18, 2007 16:03:22 GMT
Nope, thick rubber mat with lotsa holes Ah! It must be the holes that grip so well then |
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Post by viv on Aug 20, 2007 10:27:52 GMT
We stayed at Lickhill and if vans got stuck they provided the rubber mats like the picture Derek posted. I assume they charged a returnable deposit.
We were there again last week and loads of their pitches were roped off as unuseable due to flooding. Such a shame for everyone - this weather.
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