Water absorbent mat

Glenhyrst said:

Any recommendations for a super-absorbent mat that will catch the rain that drips onto the "step up" area when the sliding door is opened? We have the Club Joker but I'm guessing it's a common problem with Campervans?
Thanks
Phil

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Glenhyrst said:

"Foam gap filler"? That would make sense but no sign of this ever being present. I'll give foam a try. Thanks.

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Glenhyrst said:

Looking at my joke of a Joker again this morning, there is a clear gap between the awning casing and the roof buyt even if this gap were to be filled, the rain would run onto the awning casing and still cascade into the (door open) van.
I'm surprised that there is not something like a length of U-shaped channeling to gather the rain and sweep it to the back of the van.
Other high top van owners have this problem?

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Sealing Rubber 4.00m for Thule Omnistor Awnings

Sealing Rubber for Thule Omnistor Awnings is designed to bridge the gap between the back of the awning cassette and the vehicle wall.

www.roseawnings.co.uk

Glenhyrst said:

Thanks for your feedback. The rain up here in the North has stopped for the time being and I was able to get a good look at the awning case. It pitches down and back towards the bodywork, so effectively forming a channel to capture the run-off from the roof and prevent much of it running into the open doorway - provided that gap is filled. Mine isn't but it is going back to the dealer next week for attention to a battery problem, and this will be added to their warranty job list.
I packed the gap with a temporary filler and played a hose pipe onto the roof. It was effective wrt to the sliding door, although with the vehicle parked on a sloping driveway, the driver would have got soaked exiting the vehicle.
There seems to be a pretty obvious design flaw here, even with the above mentioned gap being filled.
I am reminded of a Land Rover I owned some 40 years ago that sent the captured overnight water on the roof rushing forward when I backed up and gushing into the vehicle in the gap above the door. On such days I arrived at work looking as though I had wet myself.

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The Blue Merle said:

On my silver joker I added a stick on rain channel.
On the new van I had Rob at campersales fits the seal but had small drips from same place as arunalex.
Fitted wind deflectors to help with the channel run off water.
Awning can be removed easily or left part open with a nice slope when parked up to help with keeping rain out.

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Glenhyrst said:

Are you saying that the seal is not a standard fitting on a new Joker?
I would appreciate details of your rain channel and wind deflectors.
Thanks.

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Glenhyrst said:

Are you saying that the seal is not a standard fitting on a new Joker?
I would appreciate details of your rain channel and wind deflectors.
Thanks.

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The Blue Merle said:

Yep.
2nd that with the wind deflectors vw stick on have had them on all my vans.
Thats the awning drip channel I used on one of my jokers, will still run off like a Landy/jimny gutter thoughView attachment 117780

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Glenhyrst said:

Thanks for the feedback.
I am astonished that the vans do not come equipped with appropriate rain ingress prevention kit.
That gutter does look to have rather a small profile and the Joker rather a large roof area to collect rain, but I guess it's a case of suck it and see.

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The Blue Merle said:

I think that’s why campersales fitted it for free on there new vans.
£100k+ for new joker with no insulation in tailgate/behind units and flashing lights when diesel heater kicks in and out are bigger issues! World has gone mad

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Glenhyrst said:

We didn't pay that much although still far too much. A moment of madness but at least my wife will be pleased to be able to sit on a proper toilet with some privacy.
Will our van have the flashing lights or are they a Westfalia extra? Or another freebee from Campersales?
I've already made 2 modifications to the lower bed - the previously referred-to larger size of aluminium angle angle and lengthened that rather crappy hooked rod which in my case only had 6mm of thread engaged in the long connector nut.
Is there anything else I might benefit from being aware of before taking it out on our first night away?

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The Blue Merle said:

Nope that’s this years price!
I paid under £80k for my brand new 4motion shame it was full of issues.

The habitation lights flicker on all jokers when diesel heater kicks in only for a few secs didn’t bother me. But if I was buying one now at over £100k it would.

They are great vans when you could buy them a sensible price.
Wish I never sold my silver one, loads of posts on here of 3yrs of pretty much living full time in it.
Best camper I’ve ever hadView attachment 117793
Then there’s the worst camper I’ve ever had the bronze oneView attachment 117794

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Glenhyrst said:

We didn't pay that much although still far too much. A moment of madness but at least my wife will be pleased to be able to sit on a proper toilet with some privacy.
Will our van have the flashing lights or are they a Westfalia extra? Or another freebee from Campersales?
I've already made 2 modifications to the lower bed - the previously referred-to larger size of aluminium angle angle and lengthened that rather crappy hooked rod which in my case only had 6mm of thread engaged in the long connector nut.
Is there anything else I might benefit from being aware of before taking it out on our first night away?

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ArunAlec said:

We don’t need the lower bed , so I removed it, which gives a good bit of additional storage space behind and under the rear seat.
I made up some shelves for the wardrobe and some extra storage pockets for the panel on the end of the kitchen unit…. All without any permanent fixings, so easily removed.

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Glenhyrst said:

I'm struggling to picture your removing the lower bed without removing the rear seat - are they not one and the same? Additional shelves I get.

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ArunAlec said:

Back of seat with cover removed (fitted with Velcro if bed is to fitted). 2 of the fixings (4 in total) highlighted in red. I don’t know if the seat back cover is supplied as standard if you have the optional lower bed, mine was. The cover is probably necessary topr the seat belt mechanism.

View attachment 117820

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