Starcraft Buying a Starcraft 17.58-3 OB. Advice on items for final setup.

Jared01

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Oct 28, 2016
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Hello,

After studying the market quite extensively, the wife and I and 3 kids settled on the Jayco Starcraft 17.58-3 Outback pop-top.

Believe we got a good deal on a 2016 model with extras such as;

- Upgraded fridge to 164L
- Roof A/C
- Wind up antenna (no TV or TV bracket unfortunately)
- Fusion Stereo
- Picnic table
- ALKO ESC
- External shower
- Coast to Coast control panel (was hoping for the drifter)

Believe it will serve us well and looking forward to lots of enjoyable family holidays and memories.



I would like some advice with the following questions;

- My Mitsubishi Pajero has a 7 pin plug, not the 12 pin Jayco plug. What are my options to make it work. Should I get Jayco's auto elec to install 12 pin plug? They said they will not use Anderson plug which I already have installed at tow bar. Would an adapter work otherwise
- I'm after some recommendations for a coupling lock and or wheel lock. I have to park it on the street.
- I got a quote from NRMA for insurance. Will check CIL too. Any particular companies stand out? According to CIL website, there is an extra 10% off premium if have ALKO ESC installed
- Regarding bed sheets and dooners, will double bed and single bed sizes fit the relevant beds properly?
- Has anyone sourced their own foam/mattress to make the table a bed? Jayco want >$500 for the bed kit (piece of foam). If so where did you get it from
- Any recommendations for decent towing mirrors?
- I see Aldi has their annual Caravan sale coming up. What do I need to buy such as fresh water hose, waste water hose, 15 amp power lead, step, 17' caravan cover etc etc?

I want to get things sorted out so we can use it the weekend we receive delivery. Anything else I need to get and sort out?

Thanks in advance!
 

Dobbie

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Jun 18, 2014
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Congrats.. You're obviously looking forward to the fun of setting it up.

Just from our experiences ...some very recent!

Plug...it probably depends on what your Anderson plug is set up for. The van will come with the standard 12pin and you'll need to do, or have done, some changes to your set up. ESC needs power and this will be wired through the 12pin. The easiest and quickest way to get you ready to enjoy the van is to get the Jayco wiring diagram for the 12 pin and get your auto electrician to wire your car for the 12 pin. Any adaptions ...replacing with 7 pin and Anderson can then be done relatively easily later as you refine things.

Towing mirrors....my only recommendation is Clearviews or their alternatives (eBay) the others aren't in the same league.

Sheets...standard double and singles will fit.

Insurance...if you are a NRMA member and have other policies with them, that will probably be more attractive
(We sourced ours via RACQ ...members and house and vehicle policies with them...and their caravan policy was $450 less than anyone else as it was tied to the car policy)

Locks....have a look at the multiple threads and multiple approaches here...it depends on your level of risk, and how much you want to spend. Taking the wheels off will work, for example but that's obviously over the top. Saracen, from memory, have a reasonable hitch lock.

Aldi binge? You'll defiantly need water hose, sullage hose, 15amp power cable....they're essential. I'd suggest you get those things first but take everything else slowly. Use the van first and then decide. We've all bought things we thought we might need, then found it wasn't really necessary. In a van you have to consider where you'll store stuff...unnecessary items just take up space and annoys the hell out of you if you get it wrong. Weight is obviously an issue as well.

I can't suggest the most cost effective bed conversion...I guess the Jayco one would match the other bits in colour and comfort but sourcing your own would be possible....fiddly but possible. Some have done it successfully.

Have fun with your lists and dreams!
 

Delano

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Apr 27, 2014
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We use RACV insurance because 2 cars already insured through them got multi policy discount.
As for securityI use a standard type hitch lock and wheel clamp that I bought from super cheap.
Our van is parked in driveway with easy access for thieves so along with the usual locks
I also padlock my safety chains , remove jockey wheel, wind legs down and put cover on.
All just a deterrent really.
Main thing is the Insurance cause if the b8$tard$ really want it
Apart from land mines and razor wire you won't really stop them.‍♀️
 

mikerezny

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Sep 11, 2016
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Hi,
congratulations on your new purchase. I hope it brings you and your family a lot of pleasure.

There was a lot of discussion recently on insurance in this thread:

http://www.expandasdownunder.com/threads/insurance-quotes.9485/

One thing to note is that the discount for CIL is for only the first year!

There are many threads containing discussions on wiring up your tug for the van.
The dealer should have supplied you with a 12 pin socket for your tug and a wiring diagram WITH recommended wiring sizes.
It will also contain to lugs for connecting heavy duty cable to the socket for the fridge.

If you want the fridge to work properly on 12V you will need to get to grips with what needs to be done.
Better to do this sooner rather than later when you are on the road and the fridge won't keep things cold and you start losing food in hot weather due to poor 12V wiring.

The difference between a 7 pin and a 12 pin is the 5 extra 35 A pins, 2 of which are used to supply 12V to the fridge.
What is more important than whether you use an Anderson plug for the fridge connection or the 12 pin plug is that the car wiring is adequate for the task and wired correctly.
Step 1, find out how much current your fridge draws on 12V. It will probably be around 25A for a three-way fridge.
It is recommended that you run the 12 V directly from you car battery to the socket. BUT you will need to install a relay wired up so that the 12V is ONLY supplied when the ignition is on, otherwise you will flatted your car battery in an hour or two.
There are many opinions on whether you run +ve AND -ve cables to the battery or use your vehicle body for the -ve.
The main problem is finding a good connection to the chassis near the towbar.

Once you get the van, you should check the voltage drop through the wiring with the engine and fridge running. You should buy yourself a small multimeter, you will find it handy for checking all sorts of issues around you van. Jaycar or Altronics are good places to buy one.
You should aim to have less than 1V drop in the cabling. i.e Measure the battery voltage, then take off the bottom fridge vent and find the 12V connectors, measure the voltage. It should be less than 1V difference to the battery voltage.

As stated earlier, if they want your van they will get it, so make sure it is insured.
For security, I went to Bunnings and bought two 1m chains covered in clear plastic and 4 Lockwood locks keyed alike.
I use one chain and lock around the spare wheel and cover the keyhole with gaffer tape to keep the dust out, thread the other chain through one of the main wheels and the spring, put another lock on the clip of the hitch catch (I needed to drill the hole a little to fit the lock, and the last padlock is used to put the lock the chains through the hitch handle.

Drinking water hose, Sullage hose, and maybe a 12V oscillating fan can be bought from Aldi at good prices starting Saturday.

I would suggest a funnel that fits the water inlet and a 10l water container for emergencies.

A 15A lead is a must. If you do not have a 15A socket at home, you will need to get a 'dodad' that allows you to plug a 15A lead into a 10A socket.

cheers
Mike
 
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Dobbie

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Jun 18, 2014
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Re insurance.

As I said, I was really surprised by the quotes we got.

We've always insured our vans with CIC and were quite happy with them but checked with RACQ just as a comparison. The difference was significant and explained by them simply adding the caravan to the existing motor vehicle policy. All the details were the same but all the multiple policy, no claim , membership level etc benefits flowed on to the caravan.....and a direct debit monthly?

I saved almost $500 by doing that and had no idea it was an offering.

Now, if we have a problem, we only need to contact one company for roadside assistance, car and caravan coverage so that makes sense. Our house and contents policy is also with them so cameras, solar panels personal items are also in the mix. ...the items caravan insurance often doesn't cover.

I looked hard to see what the catch was, but couldn't find anything.
 

bigcol

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Nov 22, 2012
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@mikerezny and @Dobbie have pretty much covered it

there is a lot of why's and wherefore's with getting the 12 pin fitted
also the fact that people want 12v to the fridge while driving

it really is an either either situation
pack the fridge (with as little gaps of air as possible) and it works very well, get up in the morning of leaving (either packing up site or from home) turn fridge dial up, then do your packing, load car, hook up Van, turn the fridge to 12V, then un hook power

this will keep the fridge cool while travelling to your next stop (never more than 12hrs driving anyway)

if you go for moving the fridge from the 12 pin, even with your Anderson in place
is the Anderson on the main battery or 2nd battery?
main battery, you need relay to turn off when power off and a re-settable circuit breaker at the Battery of about 50 - 100A
so that if it gets a load and click off, your fridge has no power until you stop and check
2nd battery you just need a re-settable circuit breaker at the Battery

I have resisted the urge to change my 12 pin as is...........
my preference - but not others
 
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davemc

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I know when the guy took our 17.58 home secondhand he pulled apart the 12pin and replaced with a 7pin and just left the other two fridge wires taped up.
He was going to add a anderson to his Jeep instead of the 12pin.

When we got the Disco I was going to split our cables although auto elec said he rather a 12pin and replaced the 7pin one on the Disco with a 12pin.
 
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Dobbie

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We've changed from 12 pin to the 7 with the 2 Andersons (separate one for ESC).
Isolator on car, grey Anderson for fridge DC and brakes, 7 pin for car lights etc, red Anderson for ESC.

Haven't had a chance to really test it so far...I'm working on that...but had no issues after collecting the van and driving home.

I'll let you know if it helps anyone....sooooon, I hope!
 
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17triton

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Congrats Jared and don't stress about the tv and bracket as there is not a lot of room for a bracket to swing around. We got a 24" Kogan that we sit on the shelf at the end of the double bed and can also take it outside on the picnic table. I'm sure you could knock up a bed converter for a lot less than $500. Can't wait to see some pics soon.
 

davemc

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We did our own bed convertor look down the bottom of this thread page. Does it have the rail edges to sit it on?
http://www.expandasdownunder.com/threads/dave-and-sarahs-starcraft-22-68-1.7588/page-14
The 17.58 we had was only a peice of wood instead of the table which meant you have to find somewhere for the table so we left it at home
Pics on our old 17.58 thread
http://www.expandasdownunder.com/threads/dave-and-sarahs-starcraft-17-58-1-ob.5236/
With TV I used a computer monitor arm look on this page
http://www.expandasdownunder.com/threads/dave-and-sarahs-starcraft-17-58-1-ob.5236/page-7

Hope it helps
 

17triton

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image.jpeg
image.jpeg

Found these pics of my van and you can see the rails already there to take a piece of ply and we didn't even order a converter as we went with a trifold table instead. So a bit of ply and some foam cut to size and you could cover it or even pop a sheet over the top of it would be fine. I think the converter might get the uncomfortable flat cushions instead of the contoured ones we have but I think the kids could sleep across them ok.
 

17triton

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We did our own bed convertor look down the bottom of this thread page. Does it have the rail edges to sit it on?
http://www.expandasdownunder.com/threads/dave-and-sarahs-starcraft-22-68-1.7588/page-14
The 17.58 we had was only a peice of wood instead of the table which meant you have to find somewhere for the table so we left it at home
Pics on our old 17.58 thread
http://www.expandasdownunder.com/threads/dave-and-sarahs-starcraft-17-58-1-ob.5236/
With TV I used a computer monitor arm look on this page
http://www.expandasdownunder.com/threads/dave-and-sarahs-starcraft-17-58-1-ob.5236/page-7

Hope it helps
Beat me to it Dave lol.
 
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Pauly

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Nice one on your purchase!!

I'm pretty much just echoing from the above posts
'We ' (had to ask the missus) use a fitted double bed sheet on the main and singles on the bunks with the excess tucked under.
Realistically to use for your first weekend if freecamping just fill the water tanks a few cooking utensils , camp chairs , bedding and go once your tow vehicle is wired up sufficiently .
There's so much range gear for how different people set up that will evolve over a few trips, a plethero of diversity on display right here via this fantastic forum.
I got the bed converter in the end after sign off for $243 glad I did as it came with flat seats , aluminium extrusion for the board to sit on the bases , neatly trimmed board and a cushion that matches in density and covering. jeez they couldn't have doubled in price could they? I made our last one from an piece of foam trimmed to size and a sheet of ply that I didn't even bother cutting down just layed it under the cushions ok. Finding the right foam is the key ,go to a foam wholesaler not Clarke :greedy_dollars:rubber and take your cushion as a sample they should be able to match it and cut to suit. There's a good one down in dandenong Vic I use for work occasionally but I'm sure you could find local.
Insurance wise we just stayed with Racv which everything bar our business insurance is through they where the cheapest for us and I've had great dealings with them in the past.
If you want a decent battery monitor since not gettin the drifter , have a look at the BM pro blutooth battery monitor from setec. I put one on our last van that was purchased with only the coast to coast panel and found it pretty good. I wouldn't say it's in the same league as a bmv600 but there's no real fitting involved apart from connecting it to the batt since it blutooths to a device for the display, can even check it from the vehicle.
Clearview Mirrors simple to fit/remove if you wanted but I leave ours on, there's no comparison if you really want to see, first time your towing on a rainy night you'll understand. Ive had strap on ones , suction ones and found the old style with ratchet strap running down the door the best of the removable types and if we only used the van a few times a year would be what I'd use.

Hope you have a blast in your new van and safe travels!!!!!
 
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Pauly

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[QUOTE="17triton, post: I think the converter might get the super comfortable flat cushions instead of the contoured ones we have but I think the kids could sleep across them ok.[/QUOTE]

Yep right on, ours came with the flat cushions . I wonder if the Aly extrusion is standard fitment now?? Wasn't on our 2013 that I whipped one up for.
 
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Jared01

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Oct 28, 2016
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Hello all and thanks for all the feedback so far!

I would have liked the drifter to see how much battery is remaining but apart from that, all the other options it comes with are great. I did come across the BM Pro blutooth when looking at options and it looks great and nice an cheap. So it would be ok to install this with the panel we will have?

Lots of people are recommending the clearview mirrors, so it sounds like a great choice, a bit pricey and have to permanently install them but I will strongly consider. I would prefer to leave my stock mirrors on thought.


In our Pajero, we have a main starter battery and an auxiliary battery connected with a redarc battery management controller.

I am a little confused regarding how we should wire up the caravan. I suppose we should just get the Jayco autoelec to install the 12-pin adaptor. We would like the fridge powered whilst we are driving, possibly when stopped too (maybe with a switch) so it can be still running if we stop. Also was not aware the ALKO ESC needed power (sounds obvious now). Does that usually plug into the separate anderson plug?

Not sure what our best option is regarding wiring. 12 pin adaptor for caravan which can run fridge too, anderson for ESC or 12 pin for caravan, anderson for fridge with switch so we can control when it it on/off and another anderson for ESC? Jayco sent me their 12-pin wiring diagram if we decide to take to our own auto electrician (attached below). I see the 12-pin plugs themselves are pretty cheap to buy and possibly take to our own autoelec.

We have a redarc tow-pro electric brake controller. Would that be currently wired into the 7-pin adaptor to then moved into the 12-pin adaptor when we change it over?


Regarding the bed, there seems to be aluminium lips that the folded table sits on to convert the table to a bed. I don't fancy buying the jayco mattress part (I think that is all it is) for $550 (just checked the price). Will look at options to source our own foam. Possibly in the future when youngest child (now 1.5) get taller, might remove the back cushioning (looks stapled in) and sort out come velcro system to remove at night to get another 40 odd cm of room.


Will be doing to Aldi binge on Saturday (as soon as it opens) to get the required items.

Currently need to sort our 12-pin plug, mirrors, coupling locks/wheel locks (may just get chunky chains and chain dual wheels together and something for front spare wheel etc) insurance.

Thanks again for the feedback!
 

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davemc

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[QUOTE="17triton, post: I think the converter might get the super comfortable flat cushions instead of the contoured ones we have but I think the kids could sleep across them ok.

Yep right on, ours came with the flat cushions . I wonder if the Aly extrusion is standard fitment now?? Wasn't on our 2013 that I whipped one up for.[/QUOTE]
on the 22.68 yes had the aly extrusion standard as we have curved cushions. So got a piece of foam that matched the peak although then put a topper on as well to smooth it out.

With the 22.68 and the 17.58 the standard table is 2cm to wide to just fit in the gap sitting on Aly extrusion.
When we did pickup of the 17.58 they showed us the dinette convertor with the table only slotted in one side, I said thats no good they cut us some ply. be easier if the table was 2 cms narrower actually the table would be better slightly narrower as well :)
 
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17triton

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[QUOTE="17triton, post:

Yep right on, ours came with the flat cushions . I wonder if the Aly extrusion is standard fitment now?? Wasn't on our 2013 that I whipped one up for.[/QUOTE]

Yeah I'm not sure but like I said I never ordered but came with the aluminium rails.
 
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17triton

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image.jpeg

With the mirrors I would suggest you try these Milenco Aero ones before forking out for the Clearviews. I have them on the Triton and find them more than satisfactory. I would want to be full time travelling to warrant the Clearviews as they are big and bulky. I picked my Aeros for $100 nice and quick to take on and off too.
 
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Jared01

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I might just try the above mirrors first (as I am keen to keep my original mirrors on the car) and can always upgrade later.

Think I will just go to an auto electrician and get them to change my 7-pin to a 12-pin as per Jayco's recommendations/wiring diagram in my above post. We can then modify it further in the future if we want to move the power to the fridge from the 12-pin to the anderson plug and install a switch so we can control when it is running or not (it will be connected to the auxiliary battery in that case)
 

Dobbie

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That sounds like a sensible solution....any changes later, based on how you use the whole setup, will then be relatively minor.

I'll look out for you at Aldi on Saturday..there'll be a few of us tyre kicking.

When you get your water hose and sullage hose, I'd suggest you cut each of them and fit a joiner so you can use a shorter one ....about a third of the length....most of the time and leave the remaining longer piece to be easily attached if and when you need it. It saves frustrations when coiling up one huge long snake every time......and add some different tap fittings to your 'bits and pieces' box, together with thread tape, as different places have different fittings and someone may have nicked the standard one.

I'm still unsure as to whether we need the fans....I think I'll be guided by the size and apparent quality....and availability. That's always an issue at Aldi for Saturday specials.

8-)
 
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