The 15th International Portafold & Ansfold Gathering) (i.e. 2024)

Our annual gathering will be returning to the Newbury Retrofestival.

So put the dates 9th, 10th & 11th of August 2024 in your diary now and get those dates booked off work early.

Show Address: Newbury Showground, Priors Court, Hermitage, Thatcham, West Berkshire, RG18 9QZ

Don't book direct with the show organisers it will cost you more money, just contact me (07771544419) to get your pitch saved.

A worrying noise

Any questions about maintenance or the restoration of your Portafold or Ansfold.
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bigbird
Posts: 172
Joined: Thu, 11 Sep 2008, 3:36 pm
Location: Ryde, Isle of Wight

A worrying noise

Post by bigbird » Sun, 31 May 2009, 9:12 am

Hi all, can you tell me if I am the only one to experience a fibreglass, creaking or cracking noise from the central tunnel? I'm hoping that when I lay the plywood this will help the structure, but it doesn't sound healthy? :roll: A diet may be the only way to go!!!!

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Admin
Posts: 856
Joined: Sun, 05 Nov 2006, 8:53 pm
Location: Christchurch, Dorset

Post by Admin » Sun, 31 May 2009, 7:10 pm

Mine creaks a bit when you walk up and down. Wouldn't worry too much, not unless you start to notice cracks appearing...
Matthew
portafold.co.uk
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Wanted: Any original Portafold, Ansfold or Mini-Motel brochures, adverts or magazine articles.
Also, any chassis numbers for the above caravans!

txfsealord
Posts: 178
Joined: Sat, 05 May 2007, 9:24 pm
Location: Pulborough, West Sussex

Creaks

Post by txfsealord » Mon, 01 Jun 2009, 7:23 pm

Is the noise there when the van's supported partly on its corner-jacks, or more when it's on its wheels only?

I ask this because (a) I'm nosy, (b) on ours I found severe cracks & splits running rearwards from behind the plates which support the axle. They only showed on the underneath, & I only found them when cleaning the dirt from under the hull. The axle assembly had punched its way up into the hull floor, our creaks were worse when standing on the wheels alone. Also noticeable was a distinct lack of reserve suspension travel, & attempts by the tyres to wear through the wheelarches. And this was when the van was empty!

There's a large slab of plywood in a sort of X-shape, or perhaps '+ shape' describes it better, running across the hull between the wheelarches & along the length of the footwell, or tunnel. As ours had been used to store rainwater (they're very good for that) our plywood was rotten. Bad news, as the ply's fully encapsulated between the upper hull moulding (locker tops & footwell) & the lower (main) part. My response was to add to the drawbar A frame the chassis-extension to the rear, which included longitudinal rails to the wheelarch edges & supplanted the need for the ply as axlemount stiffening. My footwell still creaks (can't 'ave everything) but the hull is sound now (& heavy).

Food for thought?

Steve

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