228. Capped

Avignon

Very heavy rain, floor mats in awning soaked, lifted everything vulnerable up on to chairs and table so no damage done. Remembered too late in the morning that I had placed my new toy, the welder on the floor of the play tent, along with other electrical tools, tools and contents of front locker. Was very relieved to discover that the tarp that I had suspended over the play tent had done a sterling job and there was only a little water along one side, nothing harmed - phew.

Spent the morning working on a project tasked by Kendall, our board chair. Some of it is personal development and some of it company. The personal development bit is the hardest so I am tackling it first. Have set myself the target of completing in the next two days. Certainly not lacking for projects currently.

Visited the camp store again with the view to getting the lady to phone the workshop to rebook the Disco as I know that the workshop certainly won't be open tomorrow, May Day, as per the booking made last week. Rather than making the call, as she had yesterday, she dug her heels in and said that the garage won't be open tomorrow - frustrating, to say the least. Luckily her husband came in, rolled his eyes (behind her back) and totally understood me and phoned the garage as he spoke fluent french. He is a Brit and been working here for forty years. He phoned the garage (with her muttering) and rebooked me for Thursday. Saved me an hour round trip to the workshop today.

Four captive nuts per side

Capped beam

Rain finished in the early afternoon so I started again on the front locker. First job was to make captive the nuts that will be buried by the new double beam that will strengthen the cracked C section original. I also welded the cracks, using the two millimetre rod and delighted in the precision current control that this little welder has. It is rated to one hundred and sixty Amps and I haven't gone over thirty to date, grunty little machine. Writing this prompts me that I need to check that the jack mount nuts undo as I know I will be servicing the jacks at some point in the future. It certainly makes a difference when one is intending to keep the project long term. It is nice having the time to do the job properly and not constrained by having to pay labour. The job was interrupted by a family trip to the super market as tomorrow is May Day. Also a sports store for a new tube for Roman's bike and a front brake cable for mine and a frustrating fail, Jacqueline trying to buy sneakers for Audrey (probably better without me present). Went back to the hardware store and bought forty millimetre steel bar for capping (capping heaver than necessary but limited by stock) and thirty millimetre by two millimetre bar to weld intermittently across the old C section to strengthen it prior to installing the new beam.

227. Landing

Avignon

Sunday, day of rest, well aware that heavy rain is coming. All the stuff junk out of the front locker of the Giantavan is in Fyfes little tent that his friends Oscar and George, in NZ, gave him the birthday before we left however the tips on the flaps gave out long ago, the result of enthusiastic children ripping them open and closed. Rigged up the large tarpaulin that we use as a ground cover for the front of the site when camping on sand in an attempt at stopping sand egress. 

There it is (click photos to view)

Landing

The camp shop had run out of baguettes by nine thirty (they run out every day, makes me wonder if there is something they could do about it?) and my gps showed a bakery just a step down river. It didn't exist when I got there but I did find a floating landing platform that I might sail Teasel from some time this week - really excited about the prospect. Will look for a nice twelve knot day. As you can see above left, today at nearly twenty knots and rain would have been a bit much. I will definitely start by going upstream!

226. Hot glue gun

Avignon

Matthew, Claire and Edward departed for Italy where they are meeting Claire's sister and husband for a family holiday. Spectacularly, their departure was a well oiled machine focused on getting on the road at ten. At twelve, the camp administrator arrived to see if they were staying another night, Matthew assured them that they would be about thirty minutes. The departing photo on the  (almost, Roman is also in the Camper) left was taken at one thirty. They are great fun and we look forward to catching up with them in Italy.

On getting up in the morning, Edward, Roman and Audrey decided to build a roller coaster with the horrible coarse ply that I have removed from the Giantavan front locker. Adults breakfasted to the sound of sawing and hammering. At some point roller coaster became a boat, probably in deference to complexity. Turns out all the sawing had achieved little so I was tasked using the new ten euro electric jigsaw. It is spectacularly crap and instantly snapped the blade as the clamp is so short that it only grips the very top of the supplied blade and tries to drive through the two holes. Luckily, I had also purchased a ten euro grinder and was able to modify the remaining piece of the blade. I now have the technique of using the jigsaw as it cuts to the left so I aim right. Regardless, the kids were happy with the result.

I decided, as we are here for a bit, to tackle the air-con fault, man up and order a new control PCB as the man in Morocco had failed to resuscitate our current unit. The unit is made in Italy but my efforts so far have only managed to find a replacement PCB in Australia. I will go and see the agent here in Avignon on Monday. I will also drive out to the Disco workshop to see if they can book the Disco in, not on a public holiday.

The days are warm here, it is spring and the air is full of pollen, from the grass and the trees. Pollen is coming off the Plane Trees I'm OK as long as I remember not to rub my eyes. Occasional coughing fits only cured by drinking water and spectacular sneezes which the family always enjoy. Fyfe is suffering the most.

After Edward & Stuffs departure Jacqueline walked into Avignon for for a haircut and the three younger children tacked their wood working project proper with Fyfe making good use of the new 240V drill and the tech screws formally used on the front locker. I unpacked my new switch mode arc welder, un-typically read the instruction manuals then tackled the cracked caravan steps as a trial project. I must say I am completely impressed. The metal was incredibly thin and I was only welding at 25A with 2 mm rod. The welder is very smart and increases the current to strike and then decreases the current to the set level once welding. If the rod sticks the welder cuts the current right back so that you don't have to fight the stuck rod off with the welder grunting continuously as you had to with the old transformer welders. The automatic darkening face mask included was an absolute joy to use. I am looking forward to using the welder the front locker project.

225. Something small & something bigger (but small)

AVIGNON

First things first

Setting up Roman and Edward's
garage (left) was also a priority

Took ages to get onto the front locker fix today as first I had to

1. Get the family (sans Roman) away on their Avignon visit.
2. Try and contact Franck 4x4 to check Tuesday's appointment for the Disco coolant issue. 
1. Nice lady in the campsite shop contacted both phone numbers but couldn't get an answer.
2. I wrote an email on the workshop's www page using Google Translate asking about Tuesdays appointment. Yet to hear back.
3. Trying to convince Campingmarkt GmbH on WhatsApp that my large order both in volume and cost is relatively urgent as we have to stay in this camping ground until it arrives. To be fair, with the Disco fault and the front locker, we will be here for a fair bit.

The front locker

First job was to get the course plywood off the floor that had been laid by a previous owner as the factory flooring was thin ply with little support. The ply was attached with numerous tech screws of the same colour as the ply that were really hard to find. Adding to this the new ply had been glued in place. The over-ply had to be removed as the mounting brackets for the front valance were sandwiched between the two sheets of ply.

Matthew cutting the port side

Eventually all the ply was removed, the original sheet carefully cut in two for a template. One end, under the ply was quite rotten which would have necessitated the original repair.

Once the ply was removed it was clear how the frame had dropped, twisting the C beam in the process. Quite surprised how light and poorly designed it is considering the front locker has a one hundred kilogram rating.

There was much debate once we got the original steel removed as to how to best effect a repair. 

1. We can't hang to locker of the original C section as it is now cracked
2. The new steel tube fits perfectly along side the cracked C section but now that it is in place we could see that just running eight millimetre threaded rod through would not provide enough support for everything, including the caravan jacks
3. Welding would be a good option but we don't have one and the plug on site is only six Amp. I remembered seeing one at Brico that was about sixty Euro.
4. We could rest the locker floor on the drawbar.
1. No prepared to drill into it as, well, it is a drawbar and reasonably important
2. The drawbar will move up and down a bit while driving so the floor of the locker will move with it. Q. will this stress / wreck the moulded plastic side panneling?

Mathew (a sparky) sat down to look up the welder spec to determine whether the site power would cope. He determined that as the rig runs at forty eight Volts and up to one hundred and twenty Amps that would be about six Amps plus losses. Going to be close however we are welding thin wall steel so won't be operating at full noise. My concern with arc welding as when the electrode sticks and it will, a lot, will that trip the circuit breaker?

Shopping list

Matthew and I, off to Brico with Roman, Edward and Fyfe. The bargain welder was large and heavy being a wire wound transformer that I would have had to dump once the job was completed. What I hadn't realised was that, of course, arc welders are now run transistors so they are small and light. Settled on a unknown brand welder with mask etc. additional when, a few metres away we spotted a Stanley welder with everything included. It is smaller than a shoe box and light. The packaging says it needs a three kilowatts generator to run it and my inverter is three kilowatts so that is the backup plan. I have quite a grunty mains battery charger with me

Also bought a ten Euro drill as Matthew leaves today and at ten Euro a electric jigsaw was cheaper than the hand saw I was considering. The steel bar I needed to cap the tub was galvanised so no use for welding.

HBTY

Maisey assisted by Edward and Audrey

On the way home I called into a supermarket for Jacqueline as she wanted to give Maisey (1) a Playmobil bus as it is her birthday next week and it has been a great success on other occasions. I left the boys, including Matthew (35), in the Disco and ran in to purchase the gift a couple of other things on the list. Jacqueline and I use Apple notes on our phones for our shopping list so while I was in the supermarket Jacqueline was adding items resulting in my running laps round the supermarket while the boys waited in the car.

Maisey was delighted with her bus after suffering the trauma of having a bunch of Kiwi's enthusiastically surrounding her and singing Happy Birthday.

Floor bars sat in place and
junk piled on top for the night.
Fyfe's tent is storing the locker contents

Most enjoyable combined Last Supper with Claire making choc chip biscuits which we ate with ice cream.

224. Half way

AVIGNON

Us from Edward, Matthew and Claire's

Broken
support
bar

Fiddled around this morning, taking the boat off, getting the Disco ready for its visit to Franck 4x4 to see why it is loosing coolant. By the time I had fiddled around a bit more it was nearly midday and, of course, it was more than likely that the workshop would be closed.

Elected to make a start on the front locker and cut though the mild steel cut like butter with the new angle grinder and blade, it quickly became apparent that I would have to remove the locker floor, drawbar cover plate etc. to get good access. While removing the batteries and bits I discovered that the bar that supports the locker was broken. Explains why things had decorated rapidly front locker wise on the trip here.

Drove thirty five minutes to Franck 4x4 and discovered that it was just a second hand Land Rover show room. The lady there gave me Google Translate the workshop address, I entered it into the GPS (phone), showed her, she confirmed and set off, into the country as it turned out for eight kilometres. There wasn't even an entrance where the GPS indicated. Drove back to the showroom and she led me to the workshop in her Freelander. Turned out to be about three hundred metres. Who knows how she thought the route on my GPS was correct.

Man at workshop had a quick look and indicated the smell of coolant and we both nodded sagely. All communication was again by Google Translate standing in the workshop as the wind was strong. He indicated Tuesday would be OK. I showed him the ball joints and he said OK. Gave him the broken strut and the jockey wheel clamp to be re-tapped and he said Mardi OK.

On returning to camp Jac pointed out that Tuesday is May Day, a public holiday. Tomorrow I will ask the camp office to phone Franck 4x4 Garage to see if Tuesday is correct.

Sur le pont d'Avignon from our camp

For the French significance of this bridge click here to listen to the song - I strongly recommend you don't, it is terrible. I have only managed to listen to the first twenty seconds. I like cousin Matthew's comment about this bridge on my FB post When are they going to finish it? though cousin Lynda 's How could you not know that song?!!! Where were you brought up ... the other side of the world?!!! comes a close second.

Humour me people and test the comment section below on this post. 

223. Sagging

AVIGNON

Project for the day was getting the Disco to the local JLR dealer to see where the coolant, maybe now one hundred millilitres per hour, is disappearing to. Didn't even try to phone prior as I know the drill now with French workshops. Luckily for me, on arrival, another customer with a Disco 4 was able to translate for me (the service manager had little interest) and together we determined that they were fully booked for the week. Strangely, and I do know a little about workshops, the view of the workshop from the office showed few vehicles and even less happening. I fully appreciate that these European countries have good GDP but interactions like this do make me wonder how they achieve it. When pressed, the service manager gave my customer friend another workshops details and confirmed that I can go tomorrow.

Doesn't take a keen eye

Main floor dropping (above C section)

Travelling a couple of days ago I became concerned (despaired) that the front locker of the Giantavan appeared to be is sagging. A couple of weeks ago I noticed the toilet dropping but couldn't immediately determine why. This weeks drive made it very apparent why it had dropped. I had wondered when we purchased the Giantavan a year ago why the front locker lock had a long tongue bolted to it. I now realise that, as the floor dropped the lock wouldn't have locked. In hindsight I realise that the floor was dropping well before we purchased. A feature of this range of Hobby caravan is the raked front achieved by extending the bodywork forward with an extension that not only provides a large front locker but also a deep shelf behind the double bed. This extension is not supported directly off the chassis but cantilevered off the C section channel in the photo above right [Main floor dropping caption] The beam you can see extending forward to the right is not supported but is tacked to the C section face. The drawbar does not pick up on this forward section at all. The front locker support relies on the twist of the C section to hold it up. This front locker contains two deep cycle batteries, a twelve kg gas bottle a spare wheel and much junk but all within the rated one hundred and ten kilogram capacity.

Actual

Shopping list

Emptied everything out and Roman and Edward set up a very satisfactory garage with all the bits, complete for hoses for refuelling bikes and buggies. At one stage I heard Edward struggling with something and I laughed on hearing Roman say Never fear MacGibbon is here his middle name.

I spent a lot of time jacking at various points trying to work out how re-engineer this design flail. Eventually Matthew (Edwards dad) got underneath also and we kept jacking bits until we came up with a cunning plan of cutting off the metal forward of the front C section and running a new beam alongside and bolting old and new together. This will support the toilet at the edge then running a second beam parallel, near the front, resting on the draw bar with some plastic (chopping board sacrifice to come) to stop the drawbar and new beam wearing.

Much better

Off we set with Fyfe however everything was a challenge, metal is all different sizes turns out bolts are sold by weight, mixed, whatever you fit in the plastic bag. Angle grinder at thirteen Euro was good but why do plastic goggles cost eleven? Finally left just on closing at eight.

Plenty of blog material left in this project I fear.

Audrey spent the day making this coloured pen case
(she looks tired)

222. Shapeshifting

Avignon

My lack of activity yesterday made for a major pack up today. Got up at the unbelievable hour of seven thirty and discovered that everything was wet with dew. Had forgotten about that. Even the boat had to be de-rigged, turned upside down and all the stick remains swept out and completely packed up. 

Not a lot of pressure on parks!

Eventually got away about one thirty and started with a trip to the supermarket. While parked at the supermarket, Jacqueline and three children shopping in supermarket an official walked up and asked me to move as I am taking too many parks. I pointed out the hundred spare parks and that we were shopping here and would only be ten minutes. His reply was no, you can have one park only. I said ok, no problem and he left happy. Not quite sure how to fit this rig into one park. Consulted the Land Rover manual and there is no nightbus* size adjust switch.

Managed to beat Matthew, Claire and family to Avignon on account of their running out of fuel on the motorway - duffers.

* In the film adaptation of Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban the Nightbus just swerves around or squeezes past (or through) obstacles, and in terms of the latter, the driver is shown throwing a switch that causes the bus to contract. The bus also becomes invisible within the distance, materialising when called, and vanishing when leaving.

Chatted awkwardly to the man dismantling the carburettor
of this beautiful, unrestored, 1930 Peugeot.

221. Chick Flic

CARCASSONNE

Audrey, Maisey and I didn't get
the names of the other two.

Don't stress, two jacks
& the wheel jammed underneath

Tackled the steering ball joints on the Disco today.  The taper released perfectly on the first wheel I tackled but for the life of me I couldn't undo the lock nut on the arm using two eight inch shifters.

If the Land Rover service centre in Avignon refuses to fit (likely) my aftermarket ball joints I will purchase two twenty three millimetre spanners of a decent length and have another go.

Rained this afternoon so Claire and I, with an enthusiastic Roman narrating, watched Notting Hill which she hadn't seen before while Jac and the other three children went into Carcassonne for new Jandals, socks etc. Matthew fished in happy solitude on the lake beside us.

220. Ripped Off

CARCASSONNE

The youngest three children had a huge day marking out the adjoining sites with signs and making roadways and parks demarcated with sticks recovered from the island, later to be used as firewood.

I fitted the tyre thanks to the new jack which at two tonnes is only just able to lift the Giantavan. Roman did the wheel nuts and was gagging to get to play with the new jack. He and sidekick Edward pumped the jack fully up then totally unwound the lowering valve so that when they pushed the ram down the jack jetted its oil over the grass - sigh. Must remember to refill it, I trust engine oil will suffice.

Dismantled the front of the drawbar to discover that the nut had not ripped of but had damaged its thread and that it was a floating part in a track. Both the track and the fitting were bent which proved a challenge straightening with my minimal tools. I can buy a new part relatively cheaply but need to work out where to ship it. I may go to a tool supplier and by a M8 tap to run down the damaged part in the meantime.

Refitted the sump plates to the Disco and think that we will move onto a camp near Avignon as there is a Land Rover Service Centre there. 

219. Pumped

CARCASSONNE

Song for the day thanks to Matthew. Listen and enjoy while reading.

Before

Got to the tyre shop before they closed for the weekend at midday and was very relieved to see that the tyre supplied and fitted was in fact rated to four and a half bar pressure and six hundred kilogram weight. While I was there I also purchased a two ton bottle jack as the Disco scissor jack struggles as the Giantavan is too low for it to have a reasonable ratio of lift. Matthew, Fyfe and I then went on and did one of those unencumbered shops that always leads to trouble on return to camp.

After

Jacqueline Iris and Claire disappeared into Carcassonne for the afternoon for their own unencumbered shop and I settled down to repairing the Giantavan's inner guard that was damaged by the flat tyre shredding itself earlier in the week. While I was at the supermarket I had purchased a Click-Clack type container to be sacrificed and cut into shapes to effect the repair. I cut sections including the right angle bottom corner of the container as the damage to the inner guard was both to the face you can see in the attached photos and the botton face also. I used Matthews cordless drill with a flat wood screw bit that was my Grandfathers that has no auger but sharp edges. This allowed me to use the drill like a router with the result that I was able to make right angle pieces of plastic to effect the repair.

Roman and Edward had a great day. Built a bridge across the river (stone driveway between our sites) out of our bonfire supplies collected by the children from the island and then building a hotel in and around Fyfe's tent that they put up yesterday. Audrey joined in this game that ran all afternoon.

218. Weed

CARCASSONNE

Stephen & Lynda on left, Matthew & Claire on right

Lynda by Fyfe

Stephen & Lynda off to St Jean de Luz today, sorry to see them go today it has been lovely spending the past few days with them. Thank you Stephen for all the help, particularly straightening the wheel on Audrey's bike (Morocco incident). Very impressive, jumping on the wheel then tuning spokes to bring it into line. Thank you both of you for taking such an interest in the children's interests.

Matthew looking for fish in Teasel

Rigged Teasel and went for a sail today but it was hopeless due to the thick weed in the lake. Managed to cut my way down wind to a patch of clear water and reach back and forward to the island but it was only about seventy metres by twenty metres so very limited. Dropped the sails (easy with a gaff rig) and rowed back to camp. Matthew went for a row and throughly enjoyed himself.

Edward and Roman spent much of the day setting up a shop in the back of the Disco. The shop had a large range (much to put away) and even gave receipts for purchases.

Slide popular

Went for a brief swim in the lovely pool and when I got back Roman and Edward were set up in buckets of warm water.

Roman then set up Fyfe's pup tent and after dinner, with Audrey, watched Chitty Chitty Bang Bang.

The crew

Family