Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

[stevief]

 A warning for all of the caravaners out there. I brought my 2004 Bailey home from storage on Saturday to get it ready for our summer holiday and decided to to do a bit of running maintenance even although it gets dealer serviced every year.

When I pulled the spare wheel out from underneath the van the pressure was down to 5psi and on checking the valve was found to be perished at the shoulder where it goes through the wheel to the point that it was not thick enough to hold the tyre pressure. I then pulled the wheel trims and checked the fitted wheels and they were both the same. I contacted the dealer and was told that it is a common problem on vans produced over the last few years, not just Baileys, and they are replacing a few sets a week under warranty so they changed out the valves.

My neigbour came home from holidays yesterday with his 3 year old Bailey and his 3 valves were in the same condition, these were also changed yesterday.

I have contacted the manufacturer by e-mail this morning with my concerns but please check the condition of your valves and get them replaced if they even look dodgy and get in touch with your manufacturer. Imagine the consequencies of one of these valves failing!!!!

Steve  

[Martin_1962]

Thanks I'll check mine this week end - however it was serviced in November

[Marks DTM Calib]

I keep getting visions of last nights top gear......

[stevief]

Martin, my neighbour only bought his fully serviced (?) from a main dealer last November so don't count on them checking it.

Mark, I'll bet they are not as bad as the ones I had when I saw the valves - fully laden van, me, the wife, two kids and the obligatory dog nipping down narrow west coast roads with only a white line between the road and a drop into oblivion let alone the carnage of a motorway blowout.

It is criminal that this has not been identified as a re-call or at least something the dealers should be identifying to owners at service times. At least I picked up on it before something went wrong and although I do check things over before every trip it is the small things like this that go unoticed intil they fail so what chance does the non-mechanic who relies on once a year servicing have.

I know that the caravaning crowd get a bit of stick now and again and there will be a lot of people who read this and wonder why it's on a car forum but remember that the Omega was and still is regarded as one of the best tow cars around and if one person finds they have a problem after reading this then I think it is worth it.

Steve

[Martin_1962]

Omegas don't do the holding up!!!!

[markey mark]

put meatal valves in fit and forget  

[Martin_1962]

Ack just read more carefully!!!!

2003 Bailey Discovery 400

[egcc]

A warning for all of the caravaners out there. I brought my 2004 Bailey home from storage on Saturday to get it ready for our summer holiday and decided to to do a bit of running maintenance even although it gets dealer serviced every year.

When I pulled the spare wheel out from underneath the van the pressure was down to 5psi and on checking the valve was found to be perished at the shoulder where it goes through the wheel to the point that it was not thick enough to hold the tyre pressure. I then pulled the wheel trims and checked the fitted wheels and they were both the same. I contacted the dealer and was told that it is a common problem on vans produced over the last few years, not just Baileys, and they are replacing a few sets a week under warranty so they changed out the valves.

My neigbour came home from holidays yesterday with his 3 year old Bailey and his 3 valves were in the same condition, these were also changed yesterday.

I have contacted the manufacturer by e-mail this morning with my concerns but please check the condition of your valves and get them replaced if they even look dodgy and get in touch with your manufacturer. Imagine the consequencies of one of these valves failing!!!!

Steve  

Thanks for the warning.... Were off to cornwall tomorrow have just checked mine ..all seems well (2005 swift challenger).
I may introduce this topic to a caravan forum and warn the majority.

IMO the Omega is one of the best towcars around cheap to buy with all the gadgets and without the van on the back we have a perfect family car... ours pulls the van like a dream and we all sit in comfort, no need for a 4x4 yet.
Dave.