Newbie, with some techie Questions?

Winniebongo · Post by **Winniebongo** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 10:44 pm

Hi,
We've recently bought a Bongo which we are calling Winniebongo as you may have already guessed. Got a couple of minor problems which need ironing out and so i would appreciate any advice from those who without doubt know better than me. The forst thing is we seem to have rear suspension which is a bit soft and the exhaust tends to borttom out on larger bumps. Underneath everything looks like brand new but on the road you can notice the softness. I am thinking shockabsorbers but they don't seem to be leaking or anything, anyone experienced similar? Also if that is what it is, how easy are they to change and where is the best place to buy replacements?
The second thing is about battery charging. The van came with two engine batteries from new i believe but it seems to be able to flatten them both on one overnight with a Waeco fridge on. I have read some posts on the subject but i am still not sure what is the best course of action to rectify the problem. Do I perhaps have one or both batteries duff and would I be better with a one engine one leisure configuration?
Any advice appreciated.
Thanks in advance

,
Winniebongo.

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Sat Aug 12, 2006 11:07 pm

Cannot help with question 1.
Question 2.
A Waeco fridge does not take enough juice to flatten a healthy battery overnight, let alone two healthy batteries!
It is likely that if the batteries are the originals from Japan they will be very tired (a couple of months in transit without charge will have seen them off).
Our weather is rarely cold enough to require two engine batteries so I would strongly recommend that you make the one on the passenger side into a leisure battery - see my post of today in the forum on the subject.
It is possible but rather unlikely that you have a faulty alternator.
It is very easy for a garage to test a battery.

Winniebongo · Post by **Winniebongo** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 9:46 pm

Thanks for the advice Pippin, certainly one of the batteries was pretty poor, i changed it for a second hand one and things are much better, so when I get a chance I will buy a new one and put it in. I also spoke to an Auto Electrician who works on Coachbuilt Motorhomes and he says he can wire up a Split-charge relay and separate the batteries for me, only thing is I am worried about accessories that may run off say the main engine battery and maybe he won't know, so I could still end up running it down.
Anyone any experience of suspension problems?
Thanks
Winniebongo.

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Tue Aug 15, 2006 10:43 pm

Qu 1. There is an easy method of running all the interior lights from the secondary battery. The info is on the forum and perhaps in the owners' club archives.
Qu 2. No idea!

moonshine · Post by **moonshine** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 5:11 pm

Winniebongo,

Are you sure that the Waeco fridge that you have is definitely a compressor fridge, as they do make other types. If you are using an absorbtion fridge, the current consumption is much higher than with a compressor fridge, and could quite likely flatten a battery (or even two) in a short while, particularly if they are not in good condition to start with.

Winniebongo · Post by **Winniebongo** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 10:40 pm

I believe the fridge is a Compressor kind , it is 12volt only but how else would i tell?
Winniebongo

pippin · Post by **pippin** » Wed Aug 16, 2006 10:53 pm

Model number?

You can then look it up on http://www.waeco.com/en/58.php to determine what type it is.

Bumbly1 · Post by **Bumbly1** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:25 pm

Oi! Winniebongo is the name on mine and has been for two years

Welcome though

Tom

David Edwards · Post by **David Edwards** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:33 pm

Hi winnie and welcome to the fold, your bongo bottoming out may just be that you are taking the humps a bit fast,please dont think I am being rude but we have them in our village and anything more than a crawl will make it bounce but having said that it is worth having the dampers checked by a garage anyway I did forget about our bumps one day at hit the a bit fast, apart from shaking us up with the bouncing I did not bottom out and if it does it when your vehicle is empty think what it will do with a load in the back. Good luck, happy motoring.

Bumbly1 · Post by **Bumbly1** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 1:48 pm

On the suspension issue, there was some posting on adding rubber spring assisters which seemed to work for some. I have a AVA coverted van and with three mountain bikes on the back it can be a bit "lively". The standard bump stops are quite substantial so I have let it be.

Tom

Colin Lambert · Post by **Colin Lambert** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 3:30 pm

SPRINGS.
Mine is very low (23k) mileage and presumably the shocks are in good condition. It is very easy to bottom out on speed humps. Frightened me to death the first time it hapened. Just be VERY careful if you are fully loaded.

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 3:57 pm

These helped mine a lot - I have a motorcycle rack on the back and carry a 90 odd kg bike directly on it.

http://www.towsure.com/default.asp?t=6462

waycar8 · Post by **waycar8** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 5:38 pm

caution when using these.dont know about anyone else but......

i had them on my focus on the back springs, both rear springs snapped after 12months.

dandywarhol · Post by **dandywarhol** » Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:30 pm

Fair point waycar - they're only to be used as a bump stop if extra weight is on the back and it stops the springs crashing out under trying conditions.....not as a cure for tired coils

Winniebongo · Post by **Winniebongo** » Fri Aug 25, 2006 2:16 pm

Thanks for all the replies, just to clarify a couple of things, I am bottoming out in normal driving relatively unladen so speedbumps at speed of any kind would be a luxuryat the moment. I have checked nothing is loose or has any play and everything seems fine so i am back to the shock absorbers and they are 10 years old after all so it's not really surprising. Getting a hold of a set is another story, a couple of people are coming back to me and the local Bongo dealer says ?80 each which I think is a bit much and that's for standard ones, not uprated or anything.
The fridge is a compressor one and things continue to be fine with the second hand battery, i have ordered 2 new batteries, due in anyday so that should sort that side of things.
Apologies if I subliminally pinched the name, it is possible but I assure you unintentional, maybe we should join up, form a company, you never know it might just catch on, I think there is a similar named American..............oh sh*t I think I am doing it again.

Thanks again
Winniebongo (2)?