How does everyone record the kms your van travels?
Aussie Paul. With a less sore shoulder than a week ago!!!!
Radar said
11:12 PM Oct 23, 2014
Hi Paul
We keep records of our fuel usage and in a spare coloum to one side we mark in % with or with out caravan.
Eg. Last trip around a certain area the car did 250 kilometres without the van 50% as I fuelled up near the 500 km mark.
Not the most accurate but ease of keeping a record works for us. Ralph.
PeterD said
11:16 PM Oct 23, 2014
There have been several attempts to source hub odometers when people have raised this question. Each time we have chased this up we find there are plenty out there on the market but they are all constructed and calibrated to fit truck wheels and not small vehicle wheels. Apart from fitting your van with a truck axle I have no answer.
aussie_paul said
11:21 PM Oct 23, 2014
I guess you could calibrate it for your wheel size, either mathematically or compared to tug distance.
Aussie Paul.
ShortNorth said
11:39 PM Oct 23, 2014
I got a simple very basic logbook from my accountant (the type used to record vehicle mileage for Fringe Benefits Tax). I record the odo just before I drive out my driveway, and record it again when I pull up on the camp site. Then I record the odo again before leaving the site, and again when I pull up in my driveway. I disregard any distances running around the local area without the van attached (shopping / sightseeing, etc.). I also log the trips from home to my dealer for annual serving, then back home again. This way I have an accurate reading for the total mileage the van has traveled since I bought it.
Once home these 4 figures are input into a spreadsheet, the trip mileages are cross totaled, along with the cost of site fees, the duration of camp. At the bottom of the sheet I have the total distance traveled in the van, the total nights spent in the van, the total site costs spent, and these are then averaged out to show me the average cost per night.
wasn_me said
07:10 AM Oct 24, 2014
I keep a spirax note book & enter my travels daily. I also enter maintenance. I have kept one for every van I've had. It is a good diary. When I look back through them, great memories are bought back.
That was my first thought Blue, but then it would be handy to know how many km's various components on the van have done with regard to servicing, longevity etc.
Radar said
09:34 AM Oct 24, 2014
Hi All
With using our computer based spread sheet it gives us a full run down on our cost of enjoying the play ground lucky for me my wife is very clever in this computer savy working in administration in a large office.
Using the computer as means to keep a record has taught me the basics about the ccomputer, I down load my own photos and share them with friends, I learnt to store my music and mostly I do like to right letters to my friends to keep in touch if I had to use a pen I know I would never do it as my fingers do not hold a pen real well.
It was posted referring to a hub meter, well my thought would be to use a Cat Eye bike Enduro 8 bike computer these can be brought for around $70 or maybe your old disused navman hard wired in they have a function in them this trip, over all trip. I updated my first one it still works but the 12 volt power lead played up I could hard wire that in
I like the bike one best the instructions explain how to set it for each wheel size, glue the bit on the rim and attach the head somewhere out of hams way. I might go out into the shed I do believe there was a some bits and pieces out there.
I hope this helps I do like o keep good honest records, Ralph.
aussie_paul said
09:55 AM Oct 24, 2014
Blue wrote:
why would you keep track of your vans kilometres?
Why not Blue??
Aussie Paul.
PeterD said
11:05 AM Oct 24, 2014
Blue wrote:
why would you keep track of your vans kilometres?
So you know when to service it.
Bill B said
11:26 AM Oct 24, 2014
I keep an Excel spreadsheet.
When back from a trip I put the route taken into google maps and that gives you the distance travelled, which is then added to the spreadsheet.
gregnshas said
11:46 AM Oct 24, 2014
Hi All,
I use an App called "Road Trip", it works very well, by entering the start, stop, odometer readings for each trip, plus details when filling up fuel, plus expences, and each trip away details. The App automaticall caculates fuel usage and every concievable cost you could imagine, right down to the the running cost per day. Sounds like a lot of entering, but in reality it takes only a few minutes. The data is then synced to our other devises, ie phone or ipad, via dropbox.
Unless I was travelling HUGE miles every year I wouldn't bother...
i've got cars in my depot that have done over 600,000 kilometres and are still on the same set of bearings...
ive also got two buses in my depot that are over 900,000 kilometres and on the original bearings...
so, my question is...
do any of you thing that you'll still have the same caravan after doing One Million kilometres?
if I was doing a lot of off road going through creek crossings etc id pull the hub caps off once a year to see if the grease was contaminated and also check bearing preload...
apart from that just a visual check. ..
get your mrs to drive the van and walk beside the wheels to listen for any unusual noise coming from the wheels...
-- Edited by Blue on Friday 24th of October 2014 06:59:33 PM
wendyv said
03:34 PM Oct 24, 2014
When we had the van we kept a notebook in it. Before we started each day of towing, recorded the odo reading, then again when we finished towing that day. That way, we could separate the mileage towed from that done by Truck alone.
We found we needed to replace the magnets on the electric brakes of the van about every 30,000 kms. Got in the habit of doing it then, to prevent breakdowns - after having the first lot "go" on highway north of Perth, and second lot west of Docker River!
Now, with bus and Terios, keep bus odo records for each day, and that tells me how much of the Terios kms on a trip was towed - as Vs independent running.
hako said
11:35 PM Oct 24, 2014
wendyv wrote:
SNIP We found we needed to replace the magnets on the electric brakes of the van about every 30,000 kms. Got in the habit of doing it then, to prevent breakdowns - after having the first lot "go" on highway north of Perth, and second lot west of Docker River! SNIP
Just out of interest, how/why did the magnets fail and how do they "let go" ?
Regards
wendyv said
02:54 PM Oct 25, 2014
Denis,
Just wear and tear. Van was Trakmaster Kimberley, 14 foot length inside, single axle. We had Landrover Defender wheels on it. When first set failed (not sure if they were the heavy duty ones or not), we'd been full time on road for 3 years. It had done tracks like the Oodnadatta, Dampier Peninsula etc. Second set went after another 4 years - weren't full time travelling then, but it had done quite a lot of yuk roads - into Diamantina NP, NW Qld station tracks. Gulf Track, and we'd just come across the Great Central Rd from Laverton.
I didn't look particularly closely but think the magnets basically just came apart. I seem to remember some "grabbing" or wheel locking up when it happened.
Since each of those occurred at about 30-35,000kms of wear, The Driver then used to have them replaced every 30,000kms when van was given its annual service and check over. He also used to carry a spare set of heavy duty magnets, in case. That was after having to stay at Yulara for over a week, waiting for magnets to arrive - some twit in Melbourne sent them via Aust Post as an ordinary parcel. Of course, once he took to carrying a spare set, we never needed them!
Dunmowin said
10:37 PM Oct 25, 2014
I have a basic hand held gps which sits in a bracket on the dash. Everytime we travel with the caravan attached, I turn it on, when the van is not attached, I do not turn it on. The record is ongoing, unless I choose to reset it. We have travelled about 85,000 since we left Brisbane back in July 2011, but the van has only done about 50,000.
Yes it helps understand wear and tear on tyres, servicing, etc
How does everyone record the kms your van travels?
Aussie Paul. With a less sore shoulder than a week ago!!!!
Hi Paul
We keep records of our fuel usage and in a spare coloum to one side we mark in % with or with out caravan.
Eg. Last trip around a certain area the car did 250 kilometres without the van 50% as I fuelled up near the 500 km mark.
Not the most accurate but ease of keeping a record works for us. Ralph.
I guess you could calibrate it for your wheel size, either mathematically or compared to tug distance.
Aussie Paul.
I got a simple very basic logbook from my accountant (the type used to record vehicle mileage for Fringe Benefits Tax). I record the odo just before I drive out my driveway, and record it again when I pull up on the camp site. Then I record the odo again before leaving the site, and again when I pull up in my driveway. I disregard any distances running around the local area without the van attached (shopping / sightseeing, etc.). I also log the trips from home to my dealer for annual serving, then back home again. This way I have an accurate reading for the total mileage the van has traveled since I bought it.
Once home these 4 figures are input into a spreadsheet, the trip mileages are cross totaled, along with the cost of site fees, the duration of camp. At the bottom of the sheet I have the total distance traveled in the van, the total nights spent in the van, the total site costs spent, and these are then averaged out to show me the average cost per night.
I keep a spirax note book & enter my travels daily. I also enter maintenance. I have kept one for every van I've had. It is a good diary. When I look back through them, great memories are bought back.
Cheers Pete
why would you keep track of your vans kilometres?
That was my first thought Blue, but then it would be handy to know how many km's various components on the van have done with regard to servicing, longevity etc.
Hi All
With using our computer based spread sheet it gives us a full run down on our cost of enjoying the play ground lucky for me my wife is very clever in this computer savy working in administration in a large office.
Using the computer as means to keep a record has taught me the basics about the ccomputer, I down load my own photos and share them with friends, I learnt to store my music and mostly I do like to right letters to my friends to keep in touch if I had to use a pen I know I would never do it as my fingers do not hold a pen real well.
It was posted referring to a hub meter, well my thought would be to use a Cat Eye bike Enduro 8 bike computer these can be brought for around $70 or maybe your old disused navman hard wired in they have a function in them this trip, over all trip. I updated my first one it still works but the 12 volt power lead played up I could hard wire that in
I like the bike one best the instructions explain how to set it for each wheel size, glue the bit on the rim and attach the head somewhere out of hams way. I might go out into the shed I do believe there was a some bits and pieces out there.
I hope this helps I do like o keep good honest records, Ralph.
Why not Blue??
Aussie Paul.
So you know when to service it.
When back from a trip I put the route taken into google maps and that gives you the distance travelled, which is then added to the spreadsheet.
Hi All,
I use an App called "Road Trip", it works very well, by entering the start, stop, odometer readings for each trip, plus details when filling up fuel, plus expences, and each trip away details. The App automaticall caculates fuel usage and every concievable cost you could imagine, right down to the the running cost per day. Sounds like a lot of entering, but in reality it takes only a few minutes. The data is then synced to our other devises, ie phone or ipad, via dropbox.
Very handy indeed.
Cheers Greg
Unless I was travelling HUGE miles every year I wouldn't bother...
i've got cars in my depot that have done over 600,000 kilometres and are still on the same set of bearings...
ive also got two buses in my depot that are over 900,000 kilometres and on the original bearings...
so, my question is...
do any of you thing that you'll still have the same caravan after doing One Million kilometres?
if I was doing a lot of off road going through creek crossings etc id pull the hub caps off once a year to see if the grease was contaminated and also check bearing preload...
apart from that just a visual check. ..
get your mrs to drive the van and walk beside the wheels to listen for any unusual noise coming from the wheels...
-- Edited by Blue on Friday 24th of October 2014 06:59:33 PM
We found we needed to replace the magnets on the electric brakes of the van about every 30,000 kms. Got in the habit of doing it then, to prevent breakdowns - after having the first lot "go" on highway north of Perth, and second lot west of Docker River!
Now, with bus and Terios, keep bus odo records for each day, and that tells me how much of the Terios kms on a trip was towed - as Vs independent running.
Just out of interest, how/why did the magnets fail and how do they "let go" ?
Regards
Just wear and tear. Van was Trakmaster Kimberley, 14 foot length inside, single axle. We had Landrover Defender wheels on it. When first set failed (not sure if they were the heavy duty ones or not), we'd been full time on road for 3 years. It had done tracks like the Oodnadatta, Dampier Peninsula etc. Second set went after another 4 years - weren't full time travelling then, but it had done quite a lot of yuk roads - into Diamantina NP, NW Qld station tracks. Gulf Track, and we'd just come across the Great Central Rd from Laverton.
I didn't look particularly closely but think the magnets basically just came apart. I seem to remember some "grabbing" or wheel locking up when it happened.
Since each of those occurred at about 30-35,000kms of wear, The Driver then used to have them replaced every 30,000kms when van was given its annual service and check over. He also used to carry a spare set of heavy duty magnets, in case. That was after having to stay at Yulara for over a week, waiting for magnets to arrive - some twit in Melbourne sent them via Aust Post as an ordinary parcel. Of course, once he took to carrying a spare set, we never needed them!
I have a basic hand held gps which sits in a bracket on the dash. Everytime we travel with the caravan attached, I turn it on, when the van is not attached, I do not turn it on. The record is ongoing, unless I choose to reset it. We have travelled about 85,000 since we left Brisbane back in July 2011, but the van has only done about 50,000.
Yes it helps understand wear and tear on tyres, servicing, etc