I didn’t have any fishing line when I changed the light on our challenger. So I used dental floss and it worked perfectly. I wouldn’t risk using a screwdriver or Stanley knife. I got the sealant off using Autoglym intensive tar remover it also removed the black foam. I used masking tape around the light before removing the old light, it allowed me to fit the new light level and also put sealant around the light.
I am amazed at how poorly caravans are produced just looking at the drilled hole no rubber grab to protect the wiring and everything is so cheap and nasty but cost a fortune
Totally agree with you. We bought a 2022 Swift Icon 4 berth. Build quality is atrocious. If I paid a similar amount for a new car, I would expect it to be perfect on delivery. When you complain about a caravan, most people shrug their shoulders and imply that poor quality is standard.
Just got rid of a 2021 Swift Sprite Alpine four because of the poor build quality. We are the second owners since new. Purchased it at two months old. We thought we had got a bargain. The previous owner probably realised like us that the caravan was built poorly and was slowly falling apart around us. We thought that a two month old Swift Sprite being purchased for £19,500 in 2021 was just that but the Sprite range is even cheaper in build quality and therefore we made a loss when we sold it onto a dealer at the end on 2023 for £13,500. With that money we purchased a 2013 Vanmaster after waiting over a year for a warranty repair on two badly cracked windows and a fold down tray that had come loose from the front wall of the Swift Sprite caravan. The difference in build quality on our (new to us) Vanmaster versus the aforementioned two year old Swift Sprite is very noticeable.
Hi Mark. Rather than a flathead screwdriver, use a trim removal tool. These are plastic with varying angles and sizes. Big plus is that they won’t scratch the van if you slip.
Hi Mark, I replaced the (slightly different) awning light on my Coachman 18 months ago. Was held on with tons of Sikaflex. Removing the control panel was another nightmare. Took over 4 hours to do what I thought would be an easy job. Annoyingly the replacement light is already allowing water in😢
Replaced mine but removed the small foam gasket and used sika 522 to cover the entire ba k of the light fixed it to the van then ran a bead of 522 around the light .
I'm about to change the awning light on my 2010 Bailey Pegasus it the gutter type currently but I'm going to replace with a much more cost effective LED light any tips on how to go about changing a light on a bailey.
It should come off in a similar way, although it may have screws, so just pop the top cover off and check, the wires also go from 1 side so this may determine the replacement. 👍
Our Coachman Wanderer , the bedroom Window fall out only had used it 2 times no fixings just stuck on with mastic unbelievable, what they asking for the Caravan you would think you get better quality !!
@@thecaravanplace Had it repaired on site , put us off opening the rest of the windows , it got to us that much we are trading it in and getting a new Swift
When we went to the factory, we mentioned it, it was like no one had ever said about them before, the one chap said they hadn't had any problems 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@thecaravanplace surley they see amount of warranty claims lol most of the ones we have done this year are one / two years old its as if they have had a really bad batch of them 🤣 , either that or the old manufacturers thoughts of the dealer will sort it 🤣
How weird this video popped up because I noticed mine on my caravan had water in it last week, it still works though, I was thinking of taking it apart and seeing if I can actually repair it as I know it’s not that old as it was just replaced before I bought the caravan
Could I pick your brain please, could you tell me weather the habba awning light , the curved one that fits around rop of the door, comes apart, as mine is mucky inside, I see you can get a new led srip for them thanks
I think the plastic cover clips off from the top bottom and maybe side. This will then reveal everything to clean or replace. Small clip remover tool to ease the top frame up and it should start coming off. 👍
@thecaravanplace i have had alook at it today, the top half if stuck on with mastic, do I need to cut the mastic and then prize the cover off? Thanks for your help
Don't use a screwdriver to remove it A car trim panel removal tool is ideal as it's made from plastic specifically designed not to damage automotive plastic trims and only a couple of £'s so ideal for ext caravan lights if you have no line. Also use car tar removal products to easily remove any sealant and glue around the light.
What a bodge up of a job, sealant everywhere. British workmanship uses sealant. Total crap. The best thing to use for removing is a plastic trim number plate remover.
I don't think much else can be done as when the light goes on the sealant behind is going to go everywhere. Iv seen worse. Yep the trim removers are better than a screw driver lol.
I didn’t have any fishing line when I changed the light on our challenger. So I used dental floss and it worked perfectly. I wouldn’t risk using a screwdriver or Stanley knife. I got the sealant off using Autoglym intensive tar remover it also removed the black foam. I used masking tape around the light before removing the old light, it allowed me to fit the new light level and also put sealant around the light.
Good Idea with the dental loss 👍
I am amazed at how poorly caravans are produced just looking at the drilled hole no rubber grab to protect the wiring and everything is so cheap and nasty but cost a fortune
They rely on the sealant, but there is no pressure on the wires in their defence, just imagine the cost if they did put grommets in 😳
Totally agree with you. We bought a 2022 Swift Icon 4 berth. Build quality is atrocious. If I paid a similar amount for a new car, I would expect it to be perfect on delivery. When you complain about a caravan, most people shrug their shoulders and imply that poor quality is standard.
Just got rid of a 2021 Swift Sprite Alpine four because of the poor build quality. We are the second owners since new. Purchased it at two months old. We thought we had got a bargain. The previous owner probably realised like us that the caravan was built poorly and was slowly falling apart around us. We thought that a two month old Swift Sprite being purchased for £19,500 in 2021 was just that but the Sprite range is even cheaper in build quality and therefore we made a loss when we sold it onto a dealer at the end on 2023 for £13,500. With that money we purchased a 2013 Vanmaster after waiting over a year for a warranty repair on two badly cracked windows and a fold down tray that had come loose from the front wall of the Swift Sprite caravan. The difference in build quality on our (new to us) Vanmaster versus the aforementioned two year old Swift Sprite is very noticeable.
Hi Mark.
Rather than a flathead screwdriver, use a trim removal tool. These are plastic with varying angles and sizes. Big plus is that they won’t scratch the van if you slip.
Good Idea Phillip. The fishing line works very well, it's only a foam seal so goes through very easy. 👍
Hi Mark, I replaced the (slightly different) awning light on my Coachman 18 months ago. Was held on with tons of Sikaflex. Removing the control panel was another nightmare. Took over 4 hours to do what I thought would be an easy job. Annoyingly the replacement light is already allowing water in😢
They are a real pain, always the ones you think will be easy too 🙈 👍
Replaced mine but removed the small foam gasket and used sika 522 to cover the entire ba k of the light fixed it to the van then ran a bead of 522 around the light .
Great tip mark
Thanks Kevin 👍
I'm about to change the awning light on my 2010 Bailey Pegasus it the gutter type currently but I'm going to replace with a much more cost effective LED light any tips on how to go about changing a light on a bailey.
It should come off in a similar way, although it may have screws, so just pop the top cover off and check, the wires also go from 1 side so this may determine the replacement. 👍
Our Coachman Wanderer , the bedroom Window fall out only had used it 2 times no fixings just stuck on with mastic unbelievable, what they asking for the Caravan you would think you get better quality !!
Ouch, hope it didn't crack or would be an expensive fix? Hope they sorted it for you.
@@thecaravanplace Had it repaired on site , put us off opening the rest of the windows , it got to us that much we are trading it in and getting a new Swift
There are quite a few forum threads about new and nearly new coachman windows falling out
If i had a pound for everyone of these ive changed this year 🤦🤦🤦 im a tech for a swift dealer and its brutal , time for a design change i think 🤣🤣
When we went to the factory, we mentioned it, it was like no one had ever said about them before, the one chap said they hadn't had any problems 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
@@thecaravanplace surley they see amount of warranty claims lol most of the ones we have done this year are one / two years old its as if they have had a really bad batch of them 🤣 , either that or the old manufacturers thoughts of the dealer will sort it 🤣
easy fix 2x 2mm holes is the bottom so it can drain/vent
Hi where can you recommend to get that part from and how can check the part number
Just Look on ebay and match to what you have.
How weird this video popped up because I noticed mine on my caravan had water in it last week, it still works though, I was thinking of taking it apart and seeing if I can actually repair it as I know it’s not that old as it was just replaced before I bought the caravan
You could try drilling a small hole in the bottom to let the water out? At worst you are going to replace with a new one anyway 🤷👍
Hi Mark I need to change mine on 2011 swift conqueror is it the same removal my control panel is the non command type
I think so if the wire goes to the back of the panel it's the best way to access it. 👍
Could I pick your brain please, could you tell me weather the habba awning light , the curved one that fits around rop of the door, comes apart, as mine is mucky inside, I see you can get a new led srip for them thanks
I think the plastic cover clips off from the top bottom and maybe side. This will then reveal everything to clean or replace. Small clip remover tool to ease the top frame up and it should start coming off. 👍
@thecaravanplace i have had alook at it today, the top half if stuck on with mastic, do I need to cut the mastic and then prize the cover off? Thanks for your help
Don't use a screwdriver to remove it
A car trim panel removal tool is ideal as it's made from plastic specifically designed not to damage automotive plastic trims and only a couple of £'s so ideal for ext caravan lights if you have no line. Also use car tar removal products to easily remove any sealant and glue around the light.
Yes the trim tools will do it 👍 good shout on the tar remover too. It is a very thin bead of glue so does come off pretty easy.
Looking at mine doesn’t even look like it has a sealant 😱 typical swift build quality
If they can’t use sealant they’ll cable tie instead cheap fix for expensive caravans
🙈
Mine needs doing as well, absolutely terrible design, especially when the lights cost around £80 each
Yes not cheap, and then we keep putting the same back on 🤦👍
Can’t believe the state of the hole made for the cable to pass through! Looks like someone used their teeth. Typical of Swift!
Might have just stuck a hammer through it 🙈 at least it was in the right place 🤣🤣
Yet another one of your excruciating how not to do videos 😅
It's best to tell you how to do it, and show how not to do it 🙈 you can then be more prepared 🤣🤣🤣
Floss it is then!
What a bodge up of a job, sealant everywhere. British workmanship uses sealant. Total crap.
The best thing to use for removing is a plastic trim number plate remover.
I don't think much else can be done as when the light goes on the sealant behind is going to go everywhere. Iv seen worse. Yep the trim removers are better than a screw driver lol.
The awning light looks like a very cheaply made product. The quality of the awning light on my 2009 Swift knocks spots off this.
Yes we should be fitted an alternative really. 👍
If you are doing this don’t follow this guys advice to use a screwdriver 😂
Buy some plastic trim removal tools.
Yes or fishing line, I like to show how not to do it, so you can do it properly 🤣 It's so much easier with the fishing line.