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General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Sun Boy on September 26, 2013, 06:15:10 AM

Title: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: Sun Boy on September 26, 2013, 06:15:10 AM
Hi All,

We have mainly camped in national parks on grassed sites. Never used a caravan slab site before.

We are off to a caravan park for a week on a site with a slab. What is the best setup method for a site with a slab? Which way does the drawbar have to face on these sites?

We have a Customline 9" off road trailer.

Thanks

Sun Boy
Title: Re: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: McGirr on September 26, 2013, 06:29:00 AM
Depends which way the camper opens. As most parks the slabs are on the right facing the site.

It will be easier to back it in like normal and just set up.

Mark
Title: Re: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: fishfinder on September 26, 2013, 06:39:08 AM
stick the slab in the fridge drink it then park where ever you find easiest   :cheers:   -- there is no written rule just what ever is convenient for you
Title: Re: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: Sun Boy on September 26, 2013, 06:39:47 AM
Mark, camper opens to the right, so you are saying trailer on slab?

Thanks

Sun Boy
Title: Re: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: D4D on September 26, 2013, 06:54:39 AM
Most parks require you to setup with the hitch facing out, therefore not many options available if your camper opens to the passenger side.
Title: Re: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: McGirr on September 26, 2013, 07:07:57 AM
Mark, camper opens to the right, so you are saying trailer on slab?

Thanks

Sun Boy

If your camper opens to the right, I would have the camper next to the slab and open out onto the slab.

Mark
Title: Re: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: Symon on September 26, 2013, 07:31:36 AM
Just remember to put something on top of the slab to stop the floor rubbing on the concrete.  Have heard stories of people wearing holes through the floor.

Sent from my GT-I9305T using Tapatalk 4

Title: Re: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: MDS69 on September 26, 2013, 08:10:41 AM
I have set out soft floor up previously with the rear of the trailer backed up against the long edge of the slab (so potentially across the site) and fold the tent parallel with the slab towards the rear of the site. This puts our awning and kitchen over the slab. Chairs and table etc have a nice clean hard surface. We don't use the annexe as additional room.
Title: Re: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: Bird on September 26, 2013, 10:47:03 AM
I usually put the trailer on the conc, and tent on the dirt. but as Jamie says most places will tell you which way to set it up..
Title: Re: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: noel_w on September 26, 2013, 10:55:34 AM
I usually put the trailer on the conc, and tent on the dirt. but as Jamie says most places will tell you which way to set it up..


I have found that most slabs are 1-2 inches above the ground so that if I put the CT on the slab then the tent floor doesn't meet the ground. Then if you put the tent floor over the slab you can't peg it down. Lose - Lose situation
Some caravan parks have now realised that they need to cater for other than caravans and have non slab sites for CT's.


Best find a river bank somewhere away from CP's IMHO.   
Title: Re: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: ewwreckers on September 26, 2013, 11:05:05 AM
You fit it as best you can lol. Some parks only want you on the slab, others don't really mind, and some it depends on the size of the site as to how you set up. We stayed at Dubbo a couple of w/e's ago and ended up spinning the CT after unhitching it, and having the whole lot set up on the slab with rubber mats under the floor.  Only reason we did that was the wind was so bad we had to make sure the awning poles were close to the grass so we could peg it out. We find the logistics of the whole placement of the CT is so much harder in CP's.
Other thing you could do is ask for a grass site
Title: Re: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: letsgo on September 26, 2013, 11:52:51 AM
Most parks don't like you to put the camper or van onto a concrete slab. As mentioned normally you would put you kitchen/living area onto a slab. Our is rear fold so that's easy. With yours folding to the right that would be a bit more difficult. Maybe you could ask the park manager for a grassed powered site, they often have them as well. Otherwise I'd ask the park people when you get there how would they suggest you set it up.

Ahh that's where the freedom of free camping is so wonderful, setup where you want, how you want :)
Title: Re: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: fuji on September 26, 2013, 12:12:07 PM
If your camper opens to the right, I would have the camper next to the slab and open out onto the slab.

Mark


I park mine next to the slab and put the chairs on the slab with the awning covering the slab
Title: Re: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: Pete_R on September 26, 2013, 09:49:51 PM
Depends on width of site & also how far concrete slab is above the ground. Many times, we have spun the trailer around with hitch facing away from road. We have learnt to request corner sites as usually gives more options for set up
Title: Re: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: berlitza on September 26, 2013, 11:26:47 PM
dam it got all excited when I saw the title, I was think of something completely different..
Title: Re: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: elle.mac on September 26, 2013, 11:46:19 PM
We are another one that goes for corner site with the camper - found it much easier to to have the soft floor on grass and the annex/kitchen area over the slab.
Title: Re: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: cheif carlos on September 28, 2013, 10:40:49 PM

I have found that most slabs are 1-2 inches above the ground so that if I put the CT on the slab then the tent floor doesn't meet the ground. Then if you put the tent floor over the slab you can't peg it down. Lose - Lose situation
Some caravan parks have now realised that they need to cater for other than caravans and have non slab sites for CT's.

Have you ever thought to drop tyre pressure I have done this before to level camper but do have 285/75/16 tyres so have plenty of side wall to play with.... Also a good way to make you check tyre pressures when you leave

Cheers Jason
Title: Re: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: xmasbaby67 on October 01, 2013, 11:36:06 AM
I agree with elle.mac.  We have the 12ft and use the concrete as annexe but always ask for grass site first & concrete as a last resort.
Title: Re: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: noel_w on October 01, 2013, 11:45:56 AM
Have you ever thought to drop tyre pressure I have done this before to level camper but do have 285/75/16 tyres so have plenty of side wall to play with.... Also a good way to make you check tyre pressures when you leave

Cheers Jason
Yeah have done that but have only just acquired a compressor so was a pain to have to find a servo to pump them back up. All good now, bought an Aldi special.
Title: Re: Caravan Park - Sites with Slabs
Post by: GeeTee on October 01, 2013, 12:43:30 PM
Hi All,

We have mainly camped in national parks on grassed sites. Never used a caravan slab site before.

We are off to a caravan park for a week on a site with a slab. What is the best setup method for a site with a slab? Which way does the drawbar have to face on these sites?

We have a Customline 9" off road trailer.

Thanks

Sun Boy

Sun Boy, hopefully you have chosen a camper that is compatible with a regular caravan park site - many imported (and unfortunately, poorly-designed Aussie) trailers open the 'wrong' way so must be unhitched and spun around to set-up in a normal caravan park site that we all need to use from time to time

Or, choose the grassed sites where all the backpackers are  ;D