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WarPig



Member Since: 04 Dec 2009
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 1748

England 1996 Defender 110 300 Tdi USW Bonatti Grey
Thanks to everyones help, ive got my outfit set up just about right, Ive made some adjustments to the adjustable towbar, and ended up removing the drop plate. On my last caravan (23 yrs old) it towed nose high with my slider on its lowest level. But with my new van the lowest slider position works just fine, no drop plate needed.




Click image to enlarge


And heres my van tucked up in storage with its Nemesis clamp..






Thanks again :thumbsup:

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Post #117800 23rd Jan 2012 4:33pm
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Zagato
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Member Since: 08 Jan 2011
Location: Billingshurst West Sussex
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Thumbs Up
Post #117844 23rd Jan 2012 6:16pm
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Lorryman100



Member Since: 01 Oct 2010
Location: Here
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Looks good Steve. The van is nice and level empty which means it will take a nose down attitude once loaded and you managed to do away with the drop plate. So when you off in it then, to christen it? Whistle Very Happy
Post #117956 23rd Jan 2012 9:58pm
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WarPig



Member Since: 04 Dec 2009
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 1748

England 1996 Defender 110 300 Tdi USW Bonatti Grey
Hopefully this Friday. Aiming to load it up in the day, then take it to collect my 5yr old boy from school, and straight off to York, maybe to a CC CL site. Just hope the heating works Shocked

Steve.
Post #117971 23rd Jan 2012 10:33pm
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Lorryman100



Member Since: 01 Oct 2010
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Just fitted the dixon bate jaw/alko ball, cheers for the link Zag. It really does stick out a lot further than the Bradley one so hopefully this will cure the stabiliser/ spare wheel issue.


Click image to enlarge



Click image to enlarge


There is a bit of difference in the heights of the 2 tow balls as well. The one concern I was aware of with the bradley towball was the risk of the caravans hitch being popped off by the lever effect caused by the V angle of the defender going uphill and the caravan going down hill over sleeping policeman, extreme dips in the road etc. The dixon bate alko hitch gives more clearance so hopefully I don't need to worry about that happening. Whistle


Click image to enlarge


Brian.
Post #118363 25th Jan 2012 1:04pm
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WarPig



Member Since: 04 Dec 2009
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 1748

England 1996 Defender 110 300 Tdi USW Bonatti Grey
Thats a monster of a towball Brian Thumbs Up Hope it solves your spare wheel problem. You picked up your new caravan yet?
Post #118530 25th Jan 2012 9:44pm
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Lorryman100



Member Since: 01 Oct 2010
Location: Here
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Pick it up on Saturday morning Steve Thumbs Up I was in at the dealers this morning as they needed the telly to size up the mounting brackets before fitting. I took the opportunity to have a look at it whilst I was there, and also have a nosy. As it is a new van, I was informed that at the PDI they have to test and commission all the gas and electric fittings and also make sure everything works as it should before releasing it to the customer (Hope someone from LR is reading this Rolling Eyes ). They have already fitted the extra sockets and have installed the satellite system I ordered, so all should be ready for Saturday.




Brian.


Last edited by Lorryman100 on 11th Feb 2012 11:37am. Edited 1 time in total
Post #118579 26th Jan 2012 1:18am
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WarPig



Member Since: 04 Dec 2009
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 1748

England 1996 Defender 110 300 Tdi USW Bonatti Grey
Looks a lovely van Brian Bow down, bet you cant wait to go away in it.
Post #118820 26th Jan 2012 10:46pm
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Zagato
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Yes very nice Bri Thumbs Up


Popped into Michael Jordan caravans yesterday. The new generation of vans are really nice, it's about time they moved on, great look from the outside of Swifts, Sterling, Expression etc Bailey need to update their designs quick as they are losing sales to these new look vans apparently. Interiors are something else as well! I went right to the back to look at £500 Sprites, Thompson Etc Laughing I wouldn't mind an old Cheltenham, quite sought after still! Wink

http://www.swiftgroup.co.uk/Caravans/Swift
Post #118848 27th Jan 2012 7:53am
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WarPig



Member Since: 04 Dec 2009
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 1748

England 1996 Defender 110 300 Tdi USW Bonatti Grey
Zagato wrote:
I went right to the back to look at £500 Sprites, Thompson Etc Laughing


Thompson Razz , blimey that brings back some memories, Heres a photo I have of me as a kid back in the 70's on holiday with my grandparents in their Thompson caravan at Low Manesty CC site in the Lake District. Every year they used to take me and my sister away during the 6 week school summer holidays Thumbs Up



Click image to enlarge


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Post #118871 27th Jan 2012 10:52am
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Zagato
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Member Since: 08 Jan 2011
Location: Billingshurst West Sussex
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Thompsons were a very good van like the Cheltenahms, both very sought after Wink

Blimey your Grandfather was tall Shocked
Post #118953 27th Jan 2012 3:41pm
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WarPig



Member Since: 04 Dec 2009
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 1748

England 1996 Defender 110 300 Tdi USW Bonatti Grey
Yeh, he was a 6'4" cop, and my Nan was about 5'2" Laughing And he used to bang his head on the door frame everytime he got in or out of the van Laughing

Not sure which model of Thompson it was though. They replaced it with a Safari, which got stolen not long after they bought it. Think they packed in with caravanning after that.
Post #118963 27th Jan 2012 4:20pm
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Lorryman100



Member Since: 01 Oct 2010
Location: Here
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Well I picked up the van today and I still had to open the rear door to hitch up, Bo Censored ks!!! The winterhoff needed about another 1/2 inch to open fully with the door closed, Censored 305's . I use the GG's or the BFG AT's in 235 size in the summer time, so hopefully the smaller wheel diameter will allow the door to stay closed whilst hitching up.

Brian.
Post #119333 28th Jan 2012 5:52pm
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Laurie



Member Since: 22 Feb 2008
Location: Sussex, England
Posts: 2897

England 2005 Defender 90 Td5 XS CSW Bonatti Grey
Perfect combination....
Defender XS and Carlight Commander 152 Very Happy



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Post #119345 28th Jan 2012 6:25pm
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WarPig



Member Since: 04 Dec 2009
Location: Sheffield
Posts: 1748

England 1996 Defender 110 300 Tdi USW Bonatti Grey
Lovely Carlight Laurie Thumbs Up

Ive started a dedicated caravanning thread in this section. http://www.defender2.net/forum/topic11081.html

(Standing by for the anti-caravan Top Gear types to come along... Whistle )
Post #119609 29th Jan 2012 7:26pm
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