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Westfalia

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How To Get Your Camper Ready For Summer

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Summer is just around the corner which means one thing… CAMPING SEASON!!! If you are anything like us, you are counting the seconds until May long weekend where it is finally acceptable to start camping. Just kidding, we are camping in April in the middle of a snowstorm. Even if you don’t have an 80’s van like us there are many things to think about when summarizing your rig. This is especially important if you are starting your camper for the first time after a long winter. It’s much easier to do repairs in your driveway than stranded in a campground. Are you heading overseas this summer? Be sure to check out how to make the most of your next vacation. Engine Work For those with a camper rather than a trailer, paying attention to the engine is important. Checking that everything is in order before firing her up will…

Cleaning Your Pop Top

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Tools Needed:Tarp or Painters sheetScrubbing brushWirehead tooth brushBleach sprayOld rags (will get bleach stains)Spray bottles x2Bucket of waterHeavy-duty cleaner (try Organic CD – the product we used for awesome results)Difficulty –   1.5/5Time Needed –   2-4 HoursWhen we bought our Westfalia she was definitely showing her years, especially on her pop top ceiling. We discovered that it was a common problem among all these aging vehicles. Nearly everyone we’ve seen has a mould-covered canvas and ceiling. If you are going to spend any amount of time in your van you are going to want to remedy this issue. Mould can have serious negative effects on your health.First, we covered the entire floor and kitchen area with a tarp (or painter’s sheet) to ensure nothing dripped onto our carpets.The ceiling will have a natural “fuzzy” feel to it. Volkswagen added flocking on to help insulate the bus – you’re going…

How To Change Your Volkswagen Westfalia Van’s Starter

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When we found Gurt she was a wee bit eager to start. We found her with a dead battery, so we replaced it. But as soon as we connected the battery, much to our surprise, she would start to turn over without the keys even close to the ignition. When we would put the keys in the ignition, turn it to the “on” position and give her some gas she would turn on. We found her after not being on the road for 8 years, so her even turning over was a good sign for us.After seeking help on forums, calls to automotive repair shops we decided to start by change the starter. This is not the hardest job, but there are a few tricks that will definitely slow you down if you know them.Tools Needed:16 mm Wrench8 mm Allen keyGlovesA jack or twoWD40New starterDifficulty –   3.5/5Time Needed -…

How To Find The Best Free Campground

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After living a life on the road for around 3 years, we now consider ourselves experts in finding the best free campground. If you add the fact that we have only paid for about 4 nights of accommodation – boondocking is our specialty. There are many aspects you should factor into your decision about where you should spend your time in the woods.

Whether you are looking for a new unplugged experience, or just want to find some of the most secluded campgrounds, going off the beaten path works wonders for your mental health. Since we travel with dogs we prefer public sites rather than private ones where we don’t have to keep them leashed all the time. We have been asked so many times how we find the sites we stay at so we thought we’d let you all in on all of our secrets.

How To Change A Volkswagen Westfalia’s Fuel Pump

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So your van is making a loud humming noise and you’re wondering what it is. She’s also having trouble (more than usual) accelerating up hills. It might be time to check your fuel pump and filter.Tools Needed:Flat head screwdriverAutomotive jacksFuel filterBucketFuel pumpLots of ragsFuel line clampsDifficulty –   3/5Time Needed –   20 minutesIt goes without saying this is going to be a messy job. No matter how you spin it you are going to get fuel on you, at least from my experience. Wear clothes that you are willing to never wear again. You are going to want to start by gathering all of the equipment you’re going to need. Obviously, once you start you are not going to be able to drive anywhere.As you may know, we have a 1984 Volkswagen Vanagon. Our particular model has a metal shroud protecting the engine (essentially a metal plate). It’s held…

Van Repair

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All vehicles break down and eventually need repair. This is especially true when you drive a 33 year old Volkswagen van. When you add that most mechanics in Canada and the USA haven’t ever worked on these vehicles, let alone have metric tools, you start to become self-reliant. Even small jobs like oil changes are unique when the technician goes to open the hood only to find no engine. Larger jobs like changing fuel pumps or electrical issues become more of a challenge and require you to know even more. Rest assured the learning curve is steep but diagnosing, and fixing your car is one of the most rewarding feelings. We’re not mechanics. Neither of us have any formal automotive training, but what we lack in knowledge we make up with a frugal mindset (read: Cheap), willingness to learn, and we don’t go anywhere if we don’t fix it.