Bourton Corner Steadies

This is a huge problem for us -
To get at
To wind down
Anyone similar issues ?

We don’t use them but if I did easy access even with towbar and spare wheel but ours is a Berkshire

If you find them unusable, take them off. You will gain quite a lot of payload (they are heavy).

Replaced mine with a self-levelling system. Chucked the steadies away.

Dennis

You could try the caravanners' trick of using a rechargeable electric drill fitted with an extended socket (available from caravan dealers) for winding the steadies.

You will, though, need to have space and payload to carry the drill, socket and charger. There’s always a downside. 

That’s what we were thinking .
Very inaccessible ! Have to lie on a mat to sort them out .
Thanks !

Am I right, that the rear skirt no longer have an access hole to reach the steady nut?

PLOUGHLIN wrote:Am I right, that the rear skirt no longer have an access hole to reach the steady nut?

The 2017 model which we have certainly has the access holes, and looking at the facelifted 2018 Bourton, it also has access holes in the rear panel.

I masked because looking at this photo, there doesn't seem to be any.

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I’m not entirely sure on the 2018 facelifted rear. I’ve looked at a number of pictures, some seem to show access holes, some don’t. Is it an optional extra on 2018 ? Not sure .. 

Alignment re holes not good - when you turn them round they scrape the plastic
Very difficult access especially at our age .
So (2018) they are there but very bad design . We

We actually knocked off part of waste pipe to start with and it had be fixed .Better since we put some tubing round when turning but the tape around the tubing gets screwed up when turned .

Think all these vans should be road tested before release ! Drawer won’t fully open ( cutlery )
Cupboards needing realigned, drawer not opening etc not to mention new PSU required !

Also water got in van at door , glue down insulation tape , missing bits from seatbelts .
Not second hand but New 2018 Bourton !

Hi Norwich Lass, yet another perfect example of A/s quality of design and build. Eventually they will reap what they sow.... Quality control - zero!  
           Would it be possible to get a long extension bar fabricated with a length of plastic pipe connecting the winder socket with the hole in outside panel ? This way it would just be a case of feeding the handle down the tube and it would guide the head of the winding handle onto the nut of the winding mechanism. Save rolling around under the van to connect handle to the steadies.

That’s rather like another trick used by caravanners. Fix guide tubes to the steady winding nuts - plastic pipe drilled if necessary and secured with cable ties is fine - leave them protruding as much as needed and you can attach the winder simply be sliding it into the tube. Saves a lot of back ache.

Sounds promising !
Thank you !

are they really necessary on a van of this size? they add weight and seem awkward to use.
I'd not bother, take them off, gain some payload...
our 7.4m van had them but they were different to the scissor type ones....one turn to drop the leg, then crank up with handle.
simple but we never bothered that often.
now on our 6.4m van we don't even have them, not necessary..Bourton similar sized..

The Bourton is similar in length to the Broadway. We had ours removed when the towbar was put in. They weighed 16kg, handy capacity for shoes, wine whatever. We’ve not missed them.

Dare-devil-dennis wrote:If you find them unusable, take them off. You will gain quite a lot of payload (they are heavy).

Replaced mine with a self-levelling system. Chucked the steadies away.

Dennis

Doing sums to see if a self-levelling system is viable on a Bourton. Can you advise which system you went for and do you have an idea of its weight? I can see possible savings of 24.2kgs (2.9 kgs for ramps,  5.3kgs for the bottle jack and reportedly elsewhere 16kgs for the existing steadies)  to offset against this. Any advice appreciated. Thanks

I went for the E&P self levellers and they were installed by Mick Leightly at SAP (Specialist Automotive Products) in Doncaster. I highly recommend  Mick and his team. 

Weight less than 50KG I think. Mick will confirm. Budget around £5K. You won't regret it. The Bourton has a good payload allowance.

Arrive on site in rain, before you turn off the engine, press the remote control button to level, 1min later, undo your seatbelt and put the kettle on. The van is rock steady, no rocking when its windy (or any other reason!).

This is our second motorhome, I had both fitted with the E&P system by Mick. Would not be without it. They will be at the NEC show next month (E&P) and Mick is normally on their stand.

Dennis

Wow ! Sounds amazing BUT I still feel after paying a substantial amount of money for a Bourton it should be easier . Our Stanton was fine .
Think I’d get a bit seasick without them !

Dare-devil-dennis wrote:I went for the E&P self levellers and they were installed by Mick Leightly at SAP (Specialist Automotive Products) in Doncaster. I highly recommend  Mick and his team. 

Weight less than 50KG I think. Mick will confirm. Budget around £5K. You won't regret it. The Bourton has a good payload allowance.

Arrive on site in rain, before you turn off the engine, press the remote control button to level, 1min later, undo your seatbelt and put the kettle on. The van is rock steady, no rocking when its windy (or any other reason!).

This is our second motorhome, I had both fitted with the E&P system by Mick. Would not be without it. They will be at the NEC show next month (E&P) and Mick is normally on their stand.

Dennis

Thanks for the info. Will be doing more research at the show. We have 2 electric bikes which gobble up a lump of our payload so looking at what weight we could ditch against the extra weight. Just added the winding handle at 0.9kgs!

S & P website say 55kg for a system up to 5.5T. It also says don't be inside whilst levelling. CAMC have Member Offer free remote with S & P system.

The instruction for the E&P system are not to move about inside while the system is levelling, but you can be inside.

Dennis