![[Translate to International:] Camping-Tipps für den Frühling im Dethleffs Wohnwagen](/fileadmin/templates/gfx/background/blank.gif "[Translate to International:] Camping-Tipps für den Frühling im Dethleffs Wohnwagen")
Chassis checks
How to check and maintain the caravan chassis
Caravan owners must not neglect caring for and maintaining the chassis after the winter. Spring is an important time to check, clean, lubricate and grease. If you have the right materials at home and your caravan is on your property or kept in a secluded location, you can do a spring clean now.
A chassis will often have several hot-dip galvanised surfaces, where ‘white rust’ can form. This is a sign of corrosion that may form in places where there is a low CO2 supply. There is one simple substance that helps to prevent and/or reduce build-up and remove deposits of white rust: clean water! You can use it to rinse off the affected areas. If individual hot-dip galvanised parts are infested with white rust, you can treat them using a zinc cleaner.
Now it’s the trailer coupling’s turn: The mechanical locking parts must first be cleaned and then lubricated. While we’re on the subject of lubrication: Do not lubricate all surfaces! If you want to spruce up the friction lining on the mechanical stabilisation mechanism, make sure there is no grease or colour abrasion from the trailer tow hitch on it. If this is the case, thoroughly clean the friction lining.
By contrast, your overrun brakes will be glad of thorough lubrication. You can grease these well. While doing this, you should also check that the support wheel works effortlessly. Also check the overrun brakes, shock absorber and hand brake (with gas compression spring) for damage. Before you take to the road again, you should fix any damage to guarantee a safe journey.
![[Translate to International:] Chassis richtig pflegen und kontrollieren](/fileadmin/user_upload/Chassis__Klein_.jpg "[Translate to International:] Chassis richtig pflegen und kontrollieren")
It’s now time for us to come to the brakes and linkage in the braking system, which can be found in the chassis. Check whether everything is running smoothly or whether it needs to be lubricated. The linkage plate should be free of corrosion, otherwise you should remove any build-up of white rust using the aforementioned directions. A service is then necessary if the brake linkage ‘droops’. You should also check that the brake cables and Bowden cables are not damaged and are free of cracks and corrosion. Finally, we recommend regularly cleaning and greasing the shafts so that everything runs smoothly.
