RV MAIL

TOWING LICENCE NEEDED

I am a newcomer to the grey nomad world and fully agree with the idea of a licence or endorsement for towing caravans . We did driver training in Melbourne and found it well worth it . Just an opinion , but it is a shame the van industry can ’ t put a standard course together to test and supply the ( towing ) details for drivers – a high standard could be achieved by completing it .

Glenn Sharp

JACK OF NO TRADES

I have been a long-time caravaner since leaving the van park I used to manage . I ' m now on my fifth van .

We took our second-hand but unused van ( due to unfortunate health problems with the original owner ) for a shake-down trip to Cooktown . Coming back down the Rex Range from Jullaten , I found one brake was doing all the work and overheating . I crawled under and adjusted the hot one until I thought it was about right . After travelling to Undara the next day , I found it still too hot so when we took the Rivers of Lagoon Road , I applied the brakes hard to see which one locked up on the gravel . I pulled up off the road and got out the unused scissor jack and what a pathetic piece of junk that was ! It was all I could do to wind it up , with the crank handle flexing under the strain !

Thank goodness I do gym work as most people wouldn ' t be able to do it . I jacked both wheels up and spun them till they were both about the same when the brakes were applied .

After getting back to Townsville and complaining about the inadequate jack , the dealer said all they could do was replace like with like . So back to square one ! I have since purchased a 5000kg bottle hydraulic jack and made up a boot to accommodate the independent suspension beams . I now have an efficient 370mm lift for all occasions .

Why are van manufacturers allowed to get away with totally inadequate jack systems ?

Ian Turnbull

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