Most people purchasing a folding camper have concerns over how much it will cost to take care of their camper properly. Buying a folding camper can be expensive as it is, without loads of extra maintenance and insurance costs.
Is a folding camper service needed? Yes, you need to service your folding camper. You are legally obliged to keep your folding camper roadworthy since it is a road vehicle.
Keeping your folding camper roadworthy isn’t as expensive as you might think, so don’t let it put you off investing in one.
I’m going to explain some more about how you can keep your folding camper roadworthy to ensure many years of happy travelling.
Servicing A Folding Camper Questions
I had hundreds of questions about caring for my folding camper before purchasing it. While I haven’t answered hundreds of questions here, here are answers to some important questions about servicing a folding camper.
Can I Service My Folding Camper?
If you have engineering experience, you may be able to service your folding camper without assistance. For most folding camper owners, it’s a better idea to get your folding camper serviced annually at an approved workshop.
If you live in the UK, the Approved Workshop scheme can help you find a reliable mechanic. The Approved Workshop website has a postcode checker, which will give you a list of the approved workshops closest to you. These workshops undergo stringent testing annually to ensure they can service folding campers, caravans and trailer tents to a high standard.
How Often Should I Service My Folding Camper?
You should aim to have your folding camper serviced at least annually. Before I travel with my folding camper, I always check things such as the tyres.
Before every trip, I perform a few quick checks to ensure everything is in order. If you are travelling in the UK, you can be fined up to £2,500, be banned from driving, and get 3 penalty points for using a vehicle in a dangerous condition. That’s why it’s so important to make a few checks before travelling anywhere.
Before travelling, here’s what you need to check:
- Your vehicle’s tyres
- Your trailer’s tyres
- Your indicators
- Your brake lights
You should also check to your best ability that your folding camper isn’t overloaded. Again, to your best ability, you must ensure that weight is evenly distributed to avoid any problems.
Do I need to service my folding camper to insure it?
Some insurers ask how often you will service your folding camper, which can reduce the premium that you have to pay. Most owners service their folding camper anyway, but you should definitely do it with the reduction in premium in mind.
As part of my research, I got some quotes from insurers for my folding camper. More than 85% of insurers took the regularity with which I intend to service my folding camper into consideration.
How do I find someone to service my folding camper?
Garages that service caravans will normally service trailer tents and folding campers as well. However, there are other ways to find qualified people to service your folding camper.
Approved Workshop is a scheme by the NCC, The Caravan and Motorhome Club, and The Camping and Caravanning Club. There are approximately 500 Approved Workshops across the UK, so there is sure to be one near you.
The Approved Workshop website states that all workshops have to pass an annual inspection as part of complying with the scheme’s standards. This offers you peace of mind that a workshop you can rely on will service your folding camper.
How much does it cost to service my folding camper?
Servicing your folding camper isn’t as expensive as you might think. Pennine Outdoor Leisure offers servicing on the folding campers that they manufacture. On their website, they state that their full service costs £250/$323. This service covers the following:
- Roadworthy chassis check
- Tyre check
- Electricity check
- Gas check
- Tow gear check
Pricing does differ depending on where you go, but you can expect your service to cost a figure around the £250 mark. You may find that getting your folding camper serviced by its manufacturer is more expensive than going to an approved workshop. You’ll simply have to shop around for the best pricing.
Can I service my folder camper myself?
You should get your folding camper (and any other vehicle) serviced by a professional to ensure you have the correct paperwork regarding your service, as well as to make sure it is getting served accurately. However, there are often times when it is difficult to get your vehicle serviced by someone else. In this case, here are some steps you can follow to service your own folding camper. Please note that even if you do follow these steps, it is best to get your folding camper serviced by a professional as soon as possible.
Step 1: Completely lower your folding camper
Remove the cover the that protects all the different components under your folding camper
Step 2: Visual inspection
Check all the components to see any signs of damage of wear. once you have scanned over everything and it looks okay, use a red rubber grease to lubricate the components. This will help with any friction wear and give rust protection. I personally use the Sealey Red Rubber Grease from Machne Mart. It’s important o make sure you use this generously on the components.
Step 3: Check the cables
Using the same grease, lubricate the length of all the cables for anti-rust protection and a smoother operation for the pop-up system.
Step 4: Check the pulleys
Use a silicone lubricant on the pulleys, especially around the lift arms, to ensure your camper folds out easily and smoothly. I would recommend the WD-40 Specialist High-Performance Silicone as it is a non-staining formula that provides excellent lubrication and doesn’t attract dirt.
Step 5: Clean the cover
Remove the grease and dirt using a damp cloth, and then grease the inside of the cover. You should pay close attention to the areas where the drawbar rides across the cover. Then attach the cover back onto the bottom of the folding camper to cover the components again
Step 6: Raise the roof and check the lift arms
Each lift arm has six pulleys located at different locations of the arms. Use the silicone lubricant on all of them.
Step 7: Lower the folding camper again
Do this every year to ensure your folding camper is in good working conditions. Ideally, this should be done by a professional.
Quick Tips For Looking After Your Folding Camper
Although servicing is a key way of maintaining the condition of your folding camper, there are some general ways to keep your unit in good condition. Here are 3 quick tips for looking after your folding camper.
Keep the fabric and awning clean.
Keeping the fabric of your folding camper and awning clean is important. If the fabric of your folding camper is dirty, you’ll have to clean it with a non-abrasive cleaner to ensure you don’t damage it.
While you can clean the fabric, it’s often easier to keep it clean than it is to clean it. That leads to my next point: how you can keep the fabric of your folding camper clean.
How to keep the fabric and awning clean.
All folding campers have fabric tops, and many have awnings. To avoid having to clean the fabric, you should try to avoid letting it become dirty in the first place.
Although it might be tough, try and keep the fabric off the ground whenever possible. If any of the fabric is touching the ground, you might end up staining from grass and mud. These stains can be difficult to get out of the fabric, so try to avoid contact with the ground.
You can keep the fabric off the ground with plastic sheeting. As you unfold your awning, place plastic sheeting under it. This will help to avoid contact with the ground. Once your awning is erect, you won’t have to worry about grass or mud stains.
Keep your folding camper dry.
Storing your folding camper while it is wet can have awful consequences. Mould can grow on your folding camper, which can make it smell bad and render it useless.
If you store your folding camper while it is damp, you risk causing serious damage. Fabric can begin rotting away after only a few days, so you might have to replace your camper.
Sometimes you can’t avoid packing away your folding camper while it is wet. I’ve had to pack away my folding camper in the pouring rain a few times now; it’s sometimes unavoidable. If you do have to pack away your folding camper while the canvas is wet, shake off as much water as possible while packing it.
Have you put away your folding camper while it is wet? If you have, unfold the canvas as soon as possible once you get home. You need to give the canvas time to dry out properly before repacking to avoid damage.
