The motorhome has now got new front tyres. We have also had the motorhome in for replacement of brake pads and clutch cylinder. Unfortunately, the clutch started struggling again, already on the way home from the workshop ...
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Project Freedom 2.0
For those of you who have not kept up, we can tell you that we have decided to completely renovate our motorhome FREEDOM. The motorhome is 12 years old, has travelled a lot in Europe and has been outdoors for several winters. Here are previous posts:
- FREEDOM 2.0 - time for revival
- Charging your campervan's batteries, cleaning and fixing lights
- Inspection and major servicing of motorhomes
New tyres
When we recently inspected the motorhome, we were told that we needed to change one of the front tyres, and we chose to change both. We were lucky, and Däckia in Spånga had two slightly used tyres to offer us. The tyres have a depth of 7 millimetres and are excellent. For both tyres, including fitting, we only had to pay 1200 SEK.
Replacement of brake pads and clutch cylinders
The motorhome has been in Kihlströms Transport & Lastbilsservice in Spånga once before, for major motorhome servicing and cam belt replacement. Now we drove the motorhome back here to fix two problems: worn brakes and a clutch pedal that sometimes "sticks" to the bottom. We were initially quoted a price of SEK 22,000, but by choosing to replace only the brake pads (and not the discs, which were rusty, but not bad) we got the price down to SEK 13,600. For this we got two measures:
- Replacement of brake pads
- Replacing the clutch cylinder under the pedal
But unfortunately ... On the way home from the workshop, the it happened again. The clutch pedal sank to the bottom and Peter had to try to "pump" it up. He has called and we have to return the motorhome on Monday, but now they do not know what is wrong ... We are grateful for suggestions and ideas!
Ordering a new LPG hose
Our LPG hose (450 mm long) is old and dry and we have been looking for a new one. We'd rather not just buy a hose, but would like all the connections to be there from the start. So far we have looked at Campingvaruhuset.se where we find a gas hose that looks like ours, but it says that it has a connection for gas bottles in Germany and Finland, so it must be wrong. Does anyone know where we can find a new one for Swedish cylinders?
Ordering new hatches
We are also planning to order new hatches, and someone asked why. This is a completely relevant question and is related to the fact that we converted our motorhome from white to grey and black. When we refurbished the camper ten years ago, the doors were not available in grey or black, only in white, so to get them in the right colour we sprayed them ourselves. Now the paint has worn off and we would like to order new fresh hatches in the right colour.
Keeping track of costs
"It's important for us to keep an eye on costs. We have had to take out a loan to get the campervan in order and have a budget of 100,000 SEK in total. We ideally need to stay under this, or at least as close as possible... Below you can see what we have paid so far. We are not done yet, and will continue to report the costs as we go along.
Renovating and fixing a motorhome is expensive, and that is one of the reasons why we have been hesitating for so long. However, buying another motorhome instead, as some have suggested, would have been very more expensive than this. We've calculated and calculated and come to the conclusion that this is our only option if we want to continue travelling by motorhome, and we do! In this way, we hope to get a "new" motorhome for reasonable money, which we can travel with for quite some time. In addition, it means that we get to keep our beloved FREEDOM!
| Service/product | company | cost |
| New bed mattress and new duvets and pillows, sheets, bath towels, kitchen towels and blankets | Jysk | 2500 crowns |
| Major service including cam belt replacement | Kihlström's | 21 000 SEK |
| New starter battery and two new habitation batteries | Biltema | 3100 SEK |
| Two new (slightly used) front tyres | Tyres | 1200 crowns |
| Replacement of brake pads and replacement of the coupling cylinder | Kihlström's | 13 600 SEK |
| Total so far: | 41 400 SEK |
What remains to be done?
We've sorted out a lot of things around the motorhome, but there's still a lot to do. Here's what's left to do:
- Sort out the clutch (which is still acting up)
- Submit cushions and driver's seat for upholstery repair.
- New hatches
- Three new small skylights and one new large skylight.
- A new window
- New plastic conversion of the entire motorhome
- New front windscreen
- New chairs and tables
You might also like:
Fixing a motorhome - decal text, noise and ... a small accident
Tips for a successful vanlife holiday
Latest news on the camping industry - direct from Elmia
Camper Survey 2022 - a survey on camping life
Soon ready for new motorhome adventures - workshop and inspection
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Anna / boihusbil.se says:
Of course you want to go camping again! It will be nice when everything is fixed and you have your freedom back.
01 September 2019 - 7:45
Helena says:
Hard to imagine life without a motorhome... and miss being on the road with FREEDOM. But soon so! 🙂
01 September 2019 - 8:56
Lisa says:
Not fun when expenses are so high . Hopefully it will work out for the best. The hydraulics for the clutch broke for us in Nîmes but then it was not possible to move the clutch at all. Understand that you want to get the motorhome in good shape so it can be travelling. Your blog posts are very nice reading with or without a car.
01 September 2019 - 9:55
Kors och Tvärs says:
Exciting to see how everything progresses and I really hope they find the fault with the clutch! One is a bit dependent on it .... Keep your fingers crossed on Monday, so it can be solved. We have received gas help (and very good such) from Anders Pålsson in Karlshamn. http://alugas.se/about.html He is usually present at Elmia in his stand. Check with him if he can help.
Then only the rest is left 😀 .
01 September 2019 - 8:44
Helena says:
Yes, the coupling is good to have, so to speak ... And thank you very much for the tip about the gas, Anette!!!!
01 September 2019 - 8:57
Eva says:
Unfortunately, we do not live as we learn, but it is probably wise to tackle the "problems" on an ongoing basis. It can easily feel overwhelming when there are things to fix. It's good that you've crossed off parts of your list. Soon you will be back on track. ??
01 September 2019 - 8:45
Helena says:
Yes, true and wise! Unfortunately, we have not done it, and then it becomes a lot at once .... But now we are trying to grab everything, so at least it feels good!
01 September 2019 - 8:58
Rolle o Carina says:
Not so much fun when things start to go wrong!
Hope you get organised and can get back on the road soon ???
Take care.....
01 September 2019 - 9:52
Helena från Finland says:
Hi there! Probably the lower clutch cylinder is the problem, which means that the gearbox must be taken down and at the same time you change the complete clutch and possibly the flywheel. Regarding the LPG hose, it is available at caravan svensson ab, ref 40004-1. This is of course Tom who says because he has worked with Fiat before. Good luck!
01 September 2019 - 8:47
Helena says:
Hi Helena and many thanks for your comment and your tips!!! Super good with the tip about the gasoline hose ... THANK YOU !!!! Regarding the clutch, they say at FIAT that we have an earlier model (model year 2007), which means that the clutch is not in the gearbox but on the outside ...???
01 September 2019 - 9:01
Halvard Fridell says:
Hello!!! I have changed the upper clutch cylinder on my motorhome 14 days ago. When I picked up the car, the repairman said that the clutch may feel strange at first. I was pleased to get the car back as quickly as I did.We went to Avesta a journey of about 30 miles. The clutch worked but took a little longer than usual, did not think much about it, it worked. The car stood still for 2 days. When we were going home I got a slight shock, the clutch took just down to the floor. But it still worked. We started the trip home, when we got home, the clutch was as usual, and has been so since then.I talked to the repairer about this phenomenon, he explained that the clutch is self-venting and can feel very strange at first. So yours might get better too.If it does, drive with it, or pump the pedal several times (many times). Maybe it will be better on your car too.
17 May 2020 - 8:09
Bo says:
Wise to nurture and renovate. So much inspiration from you. Intend to do the same with our AmBo.
Been in Europe now for 8 out of 12 free months.
Thank you once again for the tips and advice and descriptions.
/AnneMarie o Bosse
01 September 2019 - 9:18
Helena says:
Oh how wonderful with a long motorhome holiday in Europe! And many thanks for the nice words about our blog! Good luck with your AmBo! 🙂
01 September 2019 - 9:28
Helena från Finland says:
Oops it came double?. If it is such a connection it is easy to change, 1h work which means cheaper bills?
01 September 2019 - 9:22
Helena says:
Hello again Helena! Yes, right? Now we have changed the clutch cylinder (which they said was broken) but it did not help. But maybe we have to change the whole clutch then? Then it will probably be more expensive ... Let's see what they say on Monday!
01 September 2019 - 9:31
Myggan says:
Ps. If the hydraulic system is flawless, the only thing left to do is to check the output bearing in the coupling between the engine and gearbox. Always replaced in connection with clutch replacement. Good luck! See you at Elmia??
01 September 2019 - 9:37
Myggan says:
It sounds like the clutch is losing pressure in the hydraulics. This should be traceable by reviewing the hydraulic system to the clutch. Same thing as a leaky bicycle pump.
01 September 2019 - 9:33
Helena says:
Many thanks for your comments and suggestions Mosquito!!! Peter thinks it may be true that there may be something with the hydraulics. The problem has come and gone for quite some time. When we drove in Europe last summer we had problems with this on some days, and on other days the clutch worked normally...
01 September 2019 - 10:12
Göran says:
You can buy the LPG hose from Gasolfyllarna and "all" well-stocked motorhome shops.
What you paid for the major service and belt replacement etc. is a lot of money. One tip is to look for companies outside the city centre if possible.
01 September 2019 - 9:41
Helena says:
Thank you very much for the tip about the LPG hose! And yes, it looks like we paid a lot. Getting out of the city centre is a good tip! It's important to find a place where you can easily get back and forth by bus or train (only Peter has a driving licence so we can't take another car).
01 September 2019 - 10:14
Dreamteam says:
Bye bye
Janne says "do over do right something is obviously leaking..." contact the workshop and ask for a new service you have paid for action and it has not succeeded?hugs to you iaf❤️❤️
01 September 2019 - 13:48
Myggan says:
PS.
If you are really lucky, the fault could be residual air in the system after changing the cylinder?
01 September 2019 - 9:56
Helena says:
Imagine if we were so lucky!!! 🙂
01 September 2019 - 10:14
Reiselinda says:
Nice that it is moving forward! Hope you solve the problem with the clutch and that everything else flows without problems!
01 September 2019 - 10:24
Anonymous says:
If you change the clutch, change the stuffing boxes at the same time Something we learnt from experience.
01 September 2019 - 12:20
Janet says:
Hi freedome
You can easily make a table yourself by buying a shelf at bauhaus, costs about SEK 300. We made them to get a smaller table, think original takes too much space.
Good luck with the renovation of the motorhome
01 September 2019 - 12:15
Helena says:
Thanks for the tips Janet! ?
02 September 2019 - 17:06
Ama de casa says:
Wow ... A lot of work and a lot left. But it is quite right to save the old faithful so that you can continue to chug around in Freedom 😀.
Have a nice day!
01 September 2019 - 14:01
Helena says:
It feels like a good decision! And now it will be more fun to roll in Freedom! ??
02 September 2019 - 17:07
Emma, Sol som sol? says:
Oh yes, a lot to do. Maybe you should drive the car down to, for example, Spain and let someone do all that during the winter. Feels like it would be cheaper ... As someone said, a bit outside Stockholm, it will be more humane.
Some things are quite strange. When we were buying a roof box for our move, we saved quite a lot by buying it from Germany compared to buying it in Sweden: https://solsomsol.blogspot.com/2014/06/takboxen.html
(Helena, don't you have a driving licence?)
01 September 2019 - 14:03
Helena says:
Yes, it is probably cheaper to do things outside Stockholm, or abroad. But it also requires some planning... But buying things abroad can certainly pay off! And no, I don't have a driving licence ...
02 September 2019 - 17:09
Britt-Marie Lundgren says:
We think you got a lot done and hope the clutch problem is solved as well, so the "big" stuff is done. In any case, you have received lots of tips. We see ourselves on a 10-year-old car that one thing after another needs to be fixed even though most of it is thankfully minor. Nice to get an update.
01 September 2019 - 16:16
Helena says:
Yes, we have received lots of good tips. Fantastic!!!
02 September 2019 - 17:10
Elisabeth says:
The wheels are turning fast when it comes to cars. I hope you get the problems sorted out quickly.
01 September 2019 - 17:12
Helena says:
Yes, that's right ... Thank you!!!
02 September 2019 - 17:10
BP says:
Outch! It hurts, the cost summary that is. But at least I hope that the clutch problem can be solved on Monday. Maybe on warranty, because you have a three-month warranty on workshop services, right?!
01 September 2019 - 18:29
Helena says:
We were prepared for the costs, but it is expensive...!
02 September 2019 - 17:10
Lennart Bredenholt says:
The LPG tanks in Jordbro probably have the hose. Lennart
02 September 2019 - 19:22
Myggan says:
How has the connection been made?
03 September 2019 - 18:24
Stefan L says:
Remember that the best tyres should be on the rear axle.
01 December 2019 - 14:39