How to protect your caravan and vehicle from stone chip damage:

Stone guards for caravans, Rock Tamers and Stone Stompers are good after-market solutions to protect your caravan or camper from damaging stone chips and dents.

If you are planning to travel on country roads and dirt roads then having some protection for the front of your caravan or trailer from stone chips and other flying debris will pay for itself by keeping the van looking newer for longer and also protecting the back of your vehicle from damage. Loose stones are easily flicked from the rear vehicle wheels onto the caravan and depending on the angle they hit the van they can deflect back onto the vehicle, leaving you potentially with damage to both the caravan and vehicle. We have seen caravans that have been off-road get peppered with stone chip damage which becomes a significant repair job. There are a few possible solutions that we offer:

• A stone guard is attached to the A-frame of the caravan or motorhome to deflect flying stones and debris. The stone guards we sell and install are specially angled in order to deflect stones away from the van and vehicle. These are a popular choice and look neat in front of gas bottles, tool boxes etc. We can professionally install your stone guard onto the A-frame or you can DIY.
• Rock Tamers are a removable and adjustable large mud flap system that attach to your vehicle. These are a simple DIY install option and would be particularly worthwhile if you tow more than one type of trailer – ie. a caravan and on other occasions you tow a horse float or a boat as the Rock Tamers are adjustable to suit all towing applications and removable when you aren’t towing.
• A third option is a Stone Stomper which is a reinforced mesh which connects to the caravan and vehicle and provides a complete barrier between the vehicle, caravan and the road. A Stone Stomper is a custom made and fit option for your particular caravan and vehicle and they offer excellent protection from stone damage. Stone Stompers are a good choice for long term travellers who travel off-road. As they are custom fit, they may not be worth the investment if you are planning to upgrade your vehicle or caravan in the near future.
• Checker plate for the caravan is a great option to protect the front and sides of the caravan. It is a cost effective option that looks good and adds value to the caravan. It is a perfect solution if you already have some stone chip damage that you are looking to cover. Read more about checker plate for caravans here.
• Some of our customers opt to install padded vinyl on the front of the caravan. We can supply and install padded vinyl on the front of the caravan in colours to compliment the caravan. The installation requires fixing buttons to the surface of the van and this creates holes that are potential points for water to enter. For the customers that choose the vinyl option we work to carefully install the vinyl so as to minimise the potential for leaking and trapped moisture.

If you already have stone chip damage then our professional team can assess and repair it. For fibreglass caravans with small amounts of damage we can perform a gel coat repair. This is a low cost solution to fill the damaged spot. The repair will restore the surface, prevent any water ingress and further cracking. It is not always possible to obtain an exact colour match and the repaired spot may be noticeable to the keen eye. Where the fibreglass damage is extensive we will perform a full panel repair and refinish to get an exact colour match to the rest of the caravan. Aluminium panel caravan repairs require the replacement of the damaged panels, either with the same type or upgraded to checker plate. Repairing stone chip damage will help to retain the value of your caravan and keep it looking good.

Preventing or reducing the damage from stone chips is your best option to protect your investment and will pay for itself in repair costs. For more information and a free quote on all your stone protection options including stone guards for caravans, Rock Tamers, Stone Stompers and checker plate –  visit us at the RV Service Centre show room or give us a call.