Expanda 17.56 getting things ready for the big trip

[solterb]

Hi all I have been trawling this and other forums sites. Its been awhile since i posted. In fact not since I brought our Jayco about 4 years ago. I am still inspired and me and my family love the van. We are planning a 4 month trip up through the centre over to WA and back down and across the Nullarbor back to Melbourne. So thought I would put some of the mods that I have done and see if any one has any thoughts or additions. Or in fact hope that some of my mods help others.


List of things that I wanted to do

- Dust proofing

- Extra water tank for drinking

- Tool box on the front

- Tyre rack that can hold two spares

- Bike rack

- Some fishing rod carriers, I have already done the pole carrier on the back.

- Waterproofing the under carriage and wheel arches - also for dust ingress

- Protecting the piping under the van

- Skylight


So one of the first and biggest things that I have been concerned about was about dust. The roads I am doing such as Gibb and Oodnadatta track will shack the baby up but she should handle it. I will be taking spares and doing lots of things to make sure she does but dust will ruin it for everyone. So after alot of reading and looking around I decided to put in some snorkel heads to positive pressure the cabin. The theory is sound but as yet have not tested. Will post once I have.

I have tested in rain and no water getting in

So basically cut a hole in the roof and on the inside used some plumbing components to have a mesh and a cap, Used a plumbing sleeve and lots of silicon

Then I need to block the vents. I used corflute and plaster trim to make a nice clean finish on the outside of the big vents and door. Its a nice tight seal. I used tape for car trims to stick the plaster trim on.

Bike rack added that can handle corrugations. I purchased the bike rack from ISI. Not cheap but meets my needs and is easy to pivot and open the bed hatch. The mount etc I had made for me down here in Melbourne

Somewhere to stow the table. the black velcro is for my bed ends so they dont flap in the wind

I have an extra water tank added as well as a rack at the back for the two tyres. This also helps with the tow ball weight. Have had the rack, water tank etc done and weight bridged and plates attached with the new weights so all legal.


Will take photos of these shortly and post and also any of the other mods as I do them.

 

[Bluey]

Nice work realy like the way you blocked vents theres an easy way to get a full size table under your bed end no straps needed i can show you pics of mine if you need the table is nearly the size of the bed end im in west of melb ...... like the bike rack too

 

[bigcol]

good stuff

let us know when and where in WA
myself or @dagree can send you on a wild goose chase looking at things all over this huge state

 

[solterb]

Nice work realy like the way you blocked vents theres an easy way to get a full size table under your bed end no straps needed i can show you pics of mine if you need the table is nearly the size of the bed end im in west of melb ...... like the bike rack too

Yea interested to see that

 

[solterb]

good stuff

let us know when and where in WA
myself or @dagree can send you on a wild goose chase looking at things all over this huge state

May take you up on that will not be till around August

 

[Bluey]

Yea interested to see that

Ok pics here
The table sits in this channel screwed to bed end

Its hard to see have to zoom in theres a offset pin that goes into hole drilled into table edge ... 2 pins can get from green shed must be offset or you will miss table edge and thats it the table just sits there get some spare pins as the plastic ones can break if your not carfull taking it off
The table is near the size of bed end i have a 1756_2 2014 not sure if you can do this with newer vans and diffrent bed ends very easy got this idea from @Colsar the ideas man 3 years traveling has not evan scratched the bed end

 

[bigcol]

good stuff

let us know when and where in WA
myself or @dagree can send you on a wild goose chase looking at things all over this huge state

May take you up on that will not be till around August

if you let us know your rough itinerary - major route to be taken, we can fill in the little spots for you to see along the way

 

[Bluey]

Heres a pic of of it on the back i put a self tapper on each side too just to make sure it dosnt go to either side as theres a little bit of movement in the pin latches i did break one being to forceful yet to put new one on

 

[solterb]

Ok here are the promised photos of underneath.

Here is the side view. The frame houses two full tyres and is at the back of the van. The angle means that it doesnt get bashed and its made of hardened steel. So even if I do scrape or bang it a bit it really will not do much.

This is looking down the frame. I have added a bolt as before it was just tie downs and felt as it opens up to the back of the van I would hate to have one come off. The bolt and the tied down - to be sure, to be sure.

It looks close to the ground but it isnt. It wasnt exactly how I wanted it but due to added the third water tank it was all about, weight distrbution, tow ball weight and fitting it all in.

Here is the two water tanks at the back and the one in the distance at the front. The new one I have plumbed independatley and have a new filler for it. I have made it only to be used by the hand pump is aimed just at drinking water.

Next is painting the under body with a water proof tar based paint that I got from bunnings - heavy duty outdoor and then cover pipes with air con insulation and some rubber matting to protect the more messy areas.

 

[bigcol]

good stuff mate

 

[Crusty181]

Hi @solterb. We just came back after doing a lot of dirt over a long trip and had real no dust issues in our 20ft Expanda.

Our lower gas safety vent is at the back of the door step (not in the door), and I permanently blocked that on the outside with a large fish tank filter pad. No dust through that and I only hosed it out when I washed the van maybe 4 times.

Before we left I rolled around under the van with a silicone gun and added silicone to anywhere I could see a gap. Our only issue was after around 6mths, where the wheel arches meet the chassis, letting in a bit of annoying level dust into a couple of those lower cabinets. Nothing catastrophic, just a little bit of a localised nuisance level. I had sealed the wheel arches before we left home but it must get more movement than the rest of the van and degraded my sealant. A re-seal solved that, but that was after 5 or 6 months of no issues.

I didnt block the fridge vents and had no issues. I had a piece of trampoline mesh I could jamb behind the lower vent but I rarely bothered.

We're 2xA and 1x11yo, and relying only on what water we carry we easily got our water usage to an avg of 23ltrs of water per day with all 3 of us showering each day, and I drink coffee until it pours out my ears. We could comfortably do 10 days off the grid without an outside source of water. Much more if we camped on a creek or similar.

Water was my 2nd biggest concern before we left, but that turned out to be worrying over nothing. Drinking quality water is surprisingly common, unless you of course stop in the one dry place for a while. It might not be beautiful worlds best Melb water, but its ok.

My biggest concern was fresh milk ... I cant stomach UHT. And my great achievement in life was never not having beautiful fresh moo juice. On occasion we had 12ltrs on board. The milk even relegated the booze ... now thats a serious milk fetish

 

[bigcol]

and I drink coffee until it pours out my ears.

My biggest concern was fresh milk ... I cant stomach UHT

like the Crustyman, I am an avid Coffee-a-holic

I will go the UHT if NO fresh Cow Juice available - ANYWHERE within 50kms

but no way known to man will I ever EVER use powdered milk....... had to live on that for 2 years when we lived in New Guinea
no way never again

 

[KECL]

To enjoy a coffee and tea, however I have learnt to take it black !

 

[Crusty181]

I have learnt to take it black !

OMG