My Euro Jolly 2

vaz2121 · 2016-10-08 11:00:46

Like Casper I too have not long returned from a Euro jolly.....Plan was for a few days visit to my partners Father who's in Spain ..........
On route I stopped of at my sister's for the afternoon, who's in the Brighton Area and then Dover/Dunkirk.... Dunkirk to Adinkerke stopped the night fueled up both van and us and set off through France, crossed into Spain at Irun, Then all the way across to Vigo, we also ventured (just) into Portugal, Then all the way back over to the Costa Brava for 5 days and then up through France, Luxembourg, Belgium and home....
Things started of OK and mostly everything went to plan except I think on the run down towards Paris I miss counted some roundabout exits (or whatever) and ended up on the Périphérique which along with losing my map was defiantly not the plan...

Lunch at Vimy Ridge

Canadian Memorial..... Vimy Ridge

They like their tunnels

Lots of these too

Snack time

Morning in Pontevedra

A Guarda

Trying to get into the Walled Town of Valenca, Portugal

Costa Brava

Millau

Millau Viaduct

Eiffel Viaduct, Garabit

American Memorial , Battle of the Bulge, Bastogne

I still keep a Trip log (Old Truck Driver) ...... Mileage From Dunkirk and Back to Dunkirk was 3,769 mls (approx 1/3Ltr oil) and managed a very respectable 40.36mpg considering the all up weight and some of the very long climbs we had.....

Last edited by vaz2121 (2016-10-11 23:51:34)

Casper · 2016-10-08 13:21:33

I wanted to go to that monument at Bastogne but my route66 detour cut my time. Only thing i seen was the tank in the town square. Campsite was nice as was its ALDI big_smile Dont you use sat nav? Even the free ones are good now. Android phone and Mapfactor Navigator i recommend. The Euro maps are all free and updated regularly. Only downside is it does not have junction view what can be handy on busy intersections.

BTW where exactly is that Millau Viaduct? Impressive.

Casper · 2016-10-08 19:29:39

Casper wrote:

BTW where exactly is that Millau Viaduct? Impressive.

Found it

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Millau_Viaduct

I was just thinking i would love to see/go over that. Might be doable next year if i venture North/West of Italy. You bought a dash cam, did you record going over it?

vaz2121 · 2016-10-08 21:50:38

Casper wrote:

I wanted to go to that monument at Bastogne but my route66 detour cut my time. Only thing i seen was the tank in the town square. Campsite was nice as was its ALDI Dont you use sat nav? Even the free ones are good now. Android phone and Mapfactor Navigator i recommend. The Euro maps are all free and updated regularly. Only downside is it does not have junction view what can be handy on busy intersections.
BTW where exactly is that Millau Viaduct? Impressive.

Next time your in Bastogne... At the cross road where the Sherman tank sits keep it on your left and head out that way (N30)... the road splits and sends you down a back street but you rejoin at the next roundabout ..... They've built a new visitor center at the Memorial Du Mardasson since I was there last, didn't go in, we just had a walk about on the top of the star and had a coffee before setting off again as like you I was by this stage short on time.................

I'm somewhat old school, Yes I do have a Garmin Sat Nav but I don't trust them for the route that I want and I think it was partly my missing a couple exits and it recalculating the shortest/fastest route or whatever it does that pushed me further in-towards Paris than I intended.....I have that junction view thing on mine but only in the UK as I had to install a western European Map on a memory card

All was not lost I used to take swinging beef down to Rungis on the south side of paris........ Certainly not got any quieter or any less crazy

I do my best to stay of the Péage... coming out of Spain on the east coast (La Jonquera) I pick up the A75 free motorway at Beziers and this gets me all the way up to Clermont-Ferrand, except the Millau Viaduct it's Péage

From NW Italy you'd have a fair old hike across to Montpellier to get the A75 and Millau................ I'd much prefer the route Napoleon............ But then your in the van and not on the bike!!
I should have footage of going over the Viaduct but as we were taking some photos as well, not sure if the misses pressed the save/lock button in which case it would have been written over........ we have lots of saved video still to check out
All I can say it's more impressive to look up at than drive over, I get more sensation of height going over the Forth road bridge than going over the Millau Viaduct............ But It is Impressive... I've now done both.... over and under, there's a visitors centre at the motorway services and there's an other right underneath about half way across the valley

BTW I still haven't found my map

tee_cee · 2016-10-08 23:21:30

Would agree that it's worth paying the toll to go over the Millau bridge., and worth taking the detour to go underneath.
On our second trip at the moment on the Algarve
After losing the solar panel on the first trip, I've manged to run over the waste tank and lost the table rain cover (left it on the roof). But I always say that if you don't do anything then nothing will go wrong.

As an aside I've noticed that the rear tyres are wearing a lot faster than the front. I'm using soft winter tyres Vredestein quadrac 3 which I expect to wear more quickly. However I've never seen rears wear like this. Maybe the extra weight?

Casper · 2016-10-08 23:39:19

I use sat nav software called iGO Primo. Its a hooky copy and i am using this years maps what does seem to have junction view in them so ill download last years again later as i like and miss it. First time i went to visit my mate in his new gaff in south Holland i was on the bike and used a sheet of A4 paper in the tank bag map cover with a couple of roads and towns scribbled down i should be passing and away i went. Worked out great. Read it backwards to get back to IJmuiden.

This fastest and shortest route cost me. When leaving Luxembourg i wanted to go east then north to Lorrach staying in Germany but the bloody thing had other ideas. Took me into France twice costing me €6.40 then €8.90 sad Hindsight i should have set to no Tolls or plotted a route. Bugger took me to Switzerland also where the nice border control bloke said fallow sat nav will cost you €40 on tolls or turn back and take this road and will cost you a few Lt more of fuel. Nice man guided us over a U turn in the Motorway border control section.

Yeah i know what you mean about looking up at the bridge than going over but its like what they say "When in Rome" I had no interest in looking at the Eiffel Tower but passed through Paris years ago and though "When will i be back? so need to for the sake if saying i have been there"

vaz2121 · 2016-10-10 09:16:35

tee_cee wrote:

the rear tyres are wearing a lot faster than the front. I'm using soft winter tyres Vredestein quadrac 3 which I expect to wear more quickly. However I've never seen rears wear like this. Maybe the extra weight?

I think you may have just nailed it with the Three points you made about the Tyres....

Soft compound along with the much more open tread pattern of a winter tyre plus the extra weight and if the Algarve is close to the average ambient Temps I had when in Galicia, then I can see why you have more rapid wear than predicted

I don't know if this is any sort of prognosis.....

If you run your hand over the treads is there any feathering that may suggest that there's a mechanical misalignment .... (radius arm bush ?)

.................................................................................................

Tyre pressures.....I found and IMO that when quite heavily loaded the van felt and behaved a lot better when I bumped them up to 40 PSI

Just over a year ago IIRC I had 2 tyres fitted and was informed that my van was meant to be on 14" wheels but was now on 15" and had been fitted with an equivalent rolling size..... but was not a van tyre but were suitable for a MPV.......

Again IMHO ... "C" rated tyres have a heavier side wall .."6 or 8 ply?"..... Are built for a tougher commercial life not for comfort, Plus I'm sure it's a harder compound than a normal car tyre

All being equal a couple extra PSI might not cure but might help (little less heat generated with less sidewall flex)

Last edited by vaz2121 (2016-10-10 11:31:30)

tee_cee · 2016-10-11 18:31:37

Thanks for the suggestions. The wear on the rears are pretty even. I must admit that I'm guilty of paying little attention to tyre pressures, other than eyeballing them every so often.
I'll pump them up when I get a moment. Probabaly did them at 36 so maybe 44 would be better.
Another thought was that maybe the brake load balance thing on the back axle could be set incorrectly (i had rear cylinder replaced last year)

Last edited by tee_cee (2016-10-11 18:32:19)

vaz2121 · 2016-10-11 22:31:11

tee_cee wrote:

Another thought was that maybe the brake load balance thing on the back axle could be set incorrectly (i had rear cylinder replaced last year)

I wouldn't have thought the brake balance valve would add to tyre wear unless of course every time you pressed the brake the rears locked up.....

All I'd say is if you decided to increase the pressures over suggested ..... check and see if there is any warnings on the side wall as to recommended MAX pressure

What I did was on my last trip North when loaded and tyres were still cold... Took them up to 40 PSI and they looked to have that Normal appearance (rather than that bulged soft/heavily loaded look) and drove for a bit to see how things felt (not very scientific) and I had a base line for the start too this latest trip, Which worked well for me...........

vaz2121 · 2016-10-30 01:33:37

tee_cee wrote:

The wear on the rears are pretty even. I must admit that I'm guilty of paying little attention to tyre pressures, other than eyeballing them every so often.
I'll pump them up when I get a moment. Probabaly did them at 36 so maybe 44 would be better.

Have you bumped the pressures up yet?..............

If so has it helped with the wear?

tee_cee · 2016-11-03 14:33:29

vaz2121 wrote:

tee_cee wrote:
The wear on the rears are pretty even. I must admit that I'm guilty of paying little attention to tyre pressures, other than eyeballing them every so often.
I'll pump them up when I get a moment. Probabaly did them at 36 so maybe 44 would be better.

Have you bumped the pressures up yet?..............
If so has it helped with the wear?

Yes a few extra pounds. Will probably replace them over the winter anyway.
My latest problem is with the handbrake light not coming on until the second notch. Drove about 5 miles on the first notch when the smell of smoking drums alerted me!

vaz2121 · 2016-11-07 19:14:04

tee_cee wrote:

My latest problem is with the handbrake light not coming on until the second notch. Drove about 5 miles on the first notch when the smell of smoking drums alerted me!

Is there a chance that the handbrake was adjusted up a little too neat and when van gets loaded it tightens the cable and brings on hand brake early.......

I have just had a similar problem with our 306..... I know rear axles are different but principle is same

Had new shoes fitted to 306 when we were away our jollies and partner has more or less just returned from visiting her daughter and complaining the rear brakes were coming on and dragging but only seemed/happening when she was there for the week.... ....
Its been to garage and sorted .....now have about 5 or 6 clicks before handbrake applies in stead of 2/3 and told that cables were adjusted up to tight and when car got loaded with kids and s*** it brought handbrake on......

Casper · 2016-11-08 00:40:54

That plastic trim/cover you have Vaz on the back/side windows. Does it have a name? I was trying to find out if its available for other vans.

vaz2121 · 2016-11-08 02:30:24

Casper wrote:

That plastic trim/cover you have Vaz on the back/side windows. Does it have a name? I was trying to find out if its available for other vans.

Window blank?.....Not entirely sure what you'd call them but have seen them on other vans...... Might they come under same sort of category/option as those security window grills I've no idea

That's how my van came I'm sure it's just to balance things up .... wardrobe/cupboard's behind it, there's plywood that's covered with the fabric that's used throughout the back of the van...... so no idea if they even cut a hole for fictitious glass

vaz2121 · 2016-11-08 03:02:52

Found this old advert sounds very much like fitted to mine

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/classads/fo … %2Bwh+arch

Casper · 2016-11-08 20:37:24

vaz2121 wrote:

Found this old advert sounds very much like fitted to mine
http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/classads/fo … %2Bwh+arch

Grand cheers mate. Whatever i buy i will be going for the minibus version as its cheaper to cover windows up than put new ones in plus they tend to have roof linings and extras. If i cant find covers i may just vinyl wrap the inside of the glass before insulation.

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#1 2016-10-08 11:00:46

My Euro Jolly 2

#2 2016-10-08 13:21:33

Re: My Euro Jolly 2

#3 2016-10-08 19:29:39

Re: My Euro Jolly 2

#4 2016-10-08 21:50:38

Re: My Euro Jolly 2

#5 2016-10-08 23:21:30

Re: My Euro Jolly 2

#6 2016-10-08 23:39:19

Re: My Euro Jolly 2

#7 2016-10-10 09:16:35

Re: My Euro Jolly 2

#8 2016-10-11 18:31:37

Re: My Euro Jolly 2

#9 2016-10-11 22:31:11

Re: My Euro Jolly 2

#10 2016-10-30 01:33:37

Re: My Euro Jolly 2

#11 2016-11-03 14:33:29

Re: My Euro Jolly 2

#12 2016-11-07 19:14:04

Re: My Euro Jolly 2

#13 2016-11-08 00:40:54

Re: My Euro Jolly 2

#14 2016-11-08 02:30:24

Re: My Euro Jolly 2

#15 2016-11-08 03:02:52

Re: My Euro Jolly 2

#16 2016-11-08 20:37:24

Re: My Euro Jolly 2

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