Maintenance & Restoration

Steve in UK · 08-08-2012, 08:28 AM

Hi All,

Came across the site a couple of weeks ago, it's great.

We ( Philomena the missus, Honey the Cocker Spaniel and me) recently bought an early 90's "Freedom Jetstream", made in Poland and the moulding looks very similar to your "Captain", so I presume they originally came out of the same factory.

I am currently refurbing it. It's generally in pretty good condition for it's age, watertight with no hint of damp. After all the electrical (240 volt in Europe) and mechanical work is finished, my main problem will be getting back a decent finish on the gelcoat . Any hints or tips would be much appreciated !.

I'll post piccies when I find out how to.

Cheers for now,

Steve.

Andrew Gibbens · 08-08-2012, 02:59 PM

Steve, you might like to consider becoming an occasional UK exporter of Predom spare parts - there seem to be some things like the windows that are not available in Canada (where I think there are many more of the Cadets than in the US) but are available in Europe, albeit at a price. Transport costs* do usually kill this idea, but maybe there's ways around that.

*My rule of thumb is that an American sending product X to Europe will pay half the price that a European (well, a Brit) will have to pay to send the same product in the other direction. Don't ask me why.

CindyL · 08-08-2012, 06:55 PM

Welcome, Steve.

Welcome to the forum! I think you will find lots of useful information here. There are forum members how have worked on the Cadet. And, as Andrew says, if you can become the source for Cadet front windows, you will make lots of friends.

CindyL

theresa p · 08-08-2012, 07:31 PM

welcome, steve!

it's nice to see more international members. we have scotland, italy and poland represented, if i remember correctly.

i'd love it if you could attach photos of your camping trips in england and other areas. we can travel vicariously thru them!

good luck with your refurb. and happy canmping.

Donna D. · 08-08-2012, 08:17 PM

oooooooh someone has joined us outside the Northern America's! COOOL! Welcome Steve, we're glad you're here

And yes, we have other members that are "imports." But every one that joins us is special

Robin G · 08-08-2012, 09:58 PM

Welcome, Glad you joined us! Congrat's on your purchase of your trailer! Enjoy it!

Pic's are easy, brezzzzzzzzzzy! Just scroll down from this box (yours ) when you are either posting a topic or replying to a topic to Additional Options! Then click, Manage Attachments! A box will pop up, Click Browse and find your pic's in your pic's that you have saved to your computer! You can attach 4 at a time. After you have attached the pic's you want, Hit Upload! Then click Submit Reply!

David Tilston · 08-08-2012, 10:33 PM

We like pictures! Welcome to the site.

Steve in UK · 08-11-2012, 09:27 AM

Hi, and thanks for the replies.

There is a company, "Freedom Caravans" in the UK, who supply new and used Predom trailers (or caravans as we call them). They also have a smallish spares shop with a limited range of original spares direct from the factory in Poland.

As mentioned previously I have the Freedom Jetstream which is your Captain, the other unit they do is the Freedom Microlight which is your Cadet.

The units are mounted on good quality ALKO chassis over here, spares for which are freely available.

I have also found bits & pieces on Ebay (Alloy wheels for instance).

If anyone wants spares/ replacement parts, bearing in mind the nightmarish complexity and cost of export/import, I will try best to help.

Cheers,

Steve.

Wallo · 08-11-2012, 02:18 PM

Hi Steve, wecome and congratulations on your new-to-you caravan. I'm sure there are people here who have had experience renewing their gel-coat finish. I've read posts about a product called Poli-Glo, but not sure if it would be available in the UK. If there are fiberglass boat repair companies that you could contact, they may be able to steer your towards a product or method to renew the finish.
Have safe travels and let us know about your adventures.

Alice

Pomfritz · 08-17-2012, 03:39 PM

Ours was waxed with Zep (formerly Red Maxx Pro) looks great after almost a year it was applied. Their a very nice thread about this, with something like Not Poli Glo as the title.

I'm sure the products are different across the pond but it's essentially floor wax.

**cpaharley2008** · 08-17-2012, 07:14 PM

Basically floor polish keeps our older eggs shiny!! Marine wax for the newer ones.

**rabbit** · 08-17-2012, 08:01 PM

Red Max Pro and ZEP are polymerizing floor waxes available in U.S. and Canada. Jim doesn't use them on his 2012 Escape but some of us with older trailers do. Good one, Jim!

jack

**cpaharley2008** · 08-17-2012, 08:11 PM

I corrected myself, mea culpa.

RogerDat · 08-17-2012, 10:42 PM

Yes on the older pitted gel coat the polymerizing floor waxes mentioned do work wonders. Need to have everything scrubbed really clean first so you don't trap dirt or stains.

They are a thin liquid so you put several coats on but the coats fill in the tiny pits and give a smooth shiny finish.

Here is the link to a really long thread on the floor finish.
Check this out NOT Poliglow...Time will tell..

One product often mentioned as a good cleaner for old trailers is Bar Keepers Friend, don't know if you have that on your side of the pond but it is an oxalic acid powdered cleanser with almost no abrasive qualities, or at least very very fine abrasive, so it does not scratch. Oxalic acid is a type of mild bleach.

Marine FG restore products are also good choice for getting old chalky gel coat spruced up.

And welcome!