All You Need to Know About Storing Your A'van

In an ideal world you would store your A'van in the garage or under a carport etc. This of course is not always possible. So what do you do if you are forced to store your van in the open? When your A'van is not being used, a few precautions will ensure that your investment will not deteriorate, or lose value while awaiting the next holiday. If this is not available adopting the following procedures will help to protect your unit: Wash the roof and check the seal along joints and edges for cracks and splits. If cracks exist remove the old sealant and use a good quality compound, such as Sikaflex to reseal. It is usually necessary to unscrew the mouldings. Remember these are TOTALLY cosmetic and do not seal at all. Many A'vanners smoother them with unsightly gunk and knock hundreds off the resale value of their pride and joy. Clean the outside of the van and apply a good quality automotive polish if your handbook allows this. Although cleaning and polishing a caravan is a time consuming task, the effort is well worthwhile and definitely increases the useful life. In addition to making it look great the polish will protect the paint and hopefully prevent it fading. A'van suggest using a weak solution of turps to clean really dirty units. We suggest you read your manual thoroughly BEFORE applying anything as their recommendations could change.

These stands are very safe and stable and far more reliable than bricks or timber - made from aluminium and steel

If you are storing for a season it is important to take the weight off the springs or rubber suspension and tyres, if the van is going to be left standing in the one place for more than a few weeks. Using the normal corner jacks is not a good move as these are not designed to support the whole weight of the van. Placing blocks under the axles will remove the load from the tyres but not the springs. Ideally, in addition to blocks under the axles, stands should be placed under the chassis. By raising the chassis weight is taken off the tyres as well as the springs. Two stands should support the chassis, a short distance behind the wheels and two more near where the A frame is attached to the chassis. Suitable stands cost about $25.00 each from suppliers such as Camec or Caravan Accessories etc. By using the jockey wheel to move the van up or down this can be achieved quite easily. It is not necessary to have the tyres clear off the ground. Lifting the caravan up 50mm 75mm will take sufficient load off the tyres and stop them "flattening" on one side. The corner jacks should still be used to add stability - just don't turn them too hard as your A'van is definitely not designed to be supported by the jacks alone.

Effective use of a low cost "sail"

It is a good move to cover the gas cylinder to prevent moisture affecting the regulator and valve or causing corrosion to the cylinder. Alternatively remove the cylinder and store under cover. If the cylinder is removed tape up the end of the hose or pipe or use a plastic bung. A plastic bag wrapped over the coupling is also a good move. Paint the A frame and any other exposed parts of the chassis with aluminium paint or Silvafrost. If you are going overseas etc. and are happy with the stability of your van, the wheels and tyres should be removed and stored in a cool, dark area. Alternatively at least cover the tyres to prevent contact with the sun’s rays. Reduce tyre pressures to about 2/3 the normal pressure and try to clean the tyres with soapy water and then use a dressing to slow aging.

Covering with tarps needs to be approached with EXTREME care as campers with plastic windows can be easily damaged and we have been shown some shocking examples of severe damage. It is essential to cover domes etc. with soft materials. Never allow a tarp to rest directly on plastic windows - making quilted covers does work quite well if you have the skills to do this. If possible raise the tarp above the van and support it externally. The photo below shows a great easy way to achieve this. The modified tarp has a lightweight support frame. If you would like the construction details fellow A'vanner Jogry Blok will supply them - just email him. You could easily improve this idea by putting castors on each leg to allow easy removal by one person.

In our case we have installed a "sail". This cost $1200.00, but has proved to be effective and hassle free. Another all metal cover coming in under $3,000.00 installed, is also shown above. This is a relatively new idea and made in Brisbane. These photos were taken at A'van dealers Gary Kratzmann. You often see quilted waterproof covers advertised in Caravan World. These come in at about $500.00 but can be custom made to suit your van. They can also help in times of hail to reduce damage. In summing up it does pay to protect your investment when in storage as you will be rewarded many times over. We hope we have shown you that yes you can look after your A'van without having two garages.

Try to think ahead with any semi permanent structure you erect. Will you be getting a much larger RV in the future? we suggest a FIVE YEAR plan where you all sit down around the table and try to predict where you will be heading. Something that fits an A'van will fail dismally at fitting a full size van or even a poptop. A motorhome will never fit. We came across this idea whilst taking photos at Gary Kratzmann's A'van dealership - our current set up is shown above. They were being installed by a company called Shade and Net of Buderim just north of Brisbane. Please don't be put off by the website photos. In real life the product looks first class with superb attention to detail. We liked the attention to detail and the way that it is post stressed, so there are no problems (we think!) in high winds. The photo shows one covering an A'van in a W41 wind area. We tried to use solar under it. Result ZERO! It really is 98% shade cloth. The unit shown cost $3,200.00 installed with powder coating and galvanising and is 8.5 by 5.9 metres. Absolutely recommended.
Bob Eustace