help with buying a bedford romahome

[chris tasker]

Hi everyone, this is my first time here.

Im looking to buy a bedford romahome and would like some advice on what to look out with them...i.e common faults, good or bad models ect ect.

I think i want a bedford (or similar) because i like the idea of a kind of multi purpose vehicle. None of the ones i have seen advertised seem to have the jack legs or stedies i believe they are called.

I have seen many comments on here about them but is there anywhere now that sells them or anyone known that makes them?

Thanks chris

[Donk's Dad]

We had a Bambi which is a coach built camper on a Bedford Rascal pick-up.

This was a great little vehicle, albeit a bit on the slow side, but great for camping. The down side was it’s permanently on the vehicle, and as i need a van for work it added up to another lot of Tax and insurance each year.

We sold this and bought a Demountable Romahome Camping pod and fix this onto a 53 plate 1.3 Suzuki carry pick-up at weekends and change it over with a Luton Box van pod for work during the week.

This too is a great little camper and is comparable to the Bambi, although you can't gain access from the cab like you could in the Bambi, but on the back of the Suzuki it’s a "pocket rocket". Also being fibreglass there is a lot less risk of a leak.

If you can afford it look out for the Romahome pod and put it on a later 1.3 Suzuki, Piaggio or similar.

[Donk's Dad]

I also meant to say, you get demountable Romahome's on all of the small pick up's, like the Suzuki / Bedford / Vauxhall Rascal (all the same vehicle differant badge) Piaggio Porter, Toyora Hi jet, Honda Acty etc.

and also on the later Pick ups.

I also daw one on a VW pick up like the Ford P100 !

[chris tasker]

so does that mean if i buy 1 like this

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/bedford-ra...ht_1416wt_1139

to turn it in to a pick up all you have to do is remove the back and buy the sides or will they be there underneath?

What about the legs then? nobody on here seems to be able to give a straight answer with them!!

[cesky2000]

Hello Chris,
The Romahome Pod goes onto a pick-up with the sides removed. You do sometimes see them advertised with the steadies (to support the pod when it's not on the base vehicle) and with the pick-up sides.

As this ad doesn't mention either, I assume that they aren't present. TBH I doubt that there is a firm making steadies specifically for the Romahome nowadays.

HTH,
Sheila

[Donk's Dad]

We removed the side of our pick-up (they just slide off of hinges) and wind down two rear corner steadies (caravan jacks) that are bolted to the underside of the lower kitchen area.

We then insert jackng legs either side of the camper pod (underneath the side about 18" from the front)

On the originals you remove 4 bolts (1 each corner) and All four jacking points are raised.

You then drive the pick-up out from underneath.

To re-fit is the same in reverse, just a bit fiddly lining everything up.

To swap over my camper to work's pod takes me about 45 minutes on my own, but i have a couple of bits of trim to remove/refit as i dont use the standard fixing bolts.

If i can fathom out how to upload pictures i will post then on here for everyone to see.

My works pod has four of the jacking legs.

If a romahome is not fitted with steadies you can get them on e-bay from someone breaking a caravan (i got 4 spare ones for about £30 inc delivery)

when changing over i need 3 pair of jacking leg's (1 for the camper and 2 for the work pod but i only had 2 pair so I had a pair of the jacking leg's made up for around £60

[jayjay]

http://www.pbase.com/stevehorn/fixing

The link above has some photos and associated text re demounting, etc.