17' Series Time to say hello

[brookes2622]

So this is the strengthened gooseneck. Cost more then I expected and while I did expect the paint to be removed off the gooseneck they obviously welded with the zinc (I think) coated bike rack still attached and then ground a lot of the zinc off . Guess I'll be painting it when I paint the gooseneck ... had to get it done though:



So then we arrived in Mildura and this is us:



I forgot how small the sites are down here. Couldn't be bothered with the BBQ tonight but I have a chicken to go in tomorrow. Ended up staying at the wrong place as the kids wanted to be on the river and I thought the Big 4 Deakin was. Oh well.

 

[fishinglizard]

Hows the heat in mildura, 6 days plus 40??

 

[brookes2622]

Yeah don't remind me. I seem to have timed it perfectly I'd like to confirm that my air con is working, not as cold as I'd want but better then outside.

 

[brookes2622]

Thought I'd add the fuel economy I got on my recent trip. Canberra --> Central Coast --> Dubbo --> White Cliffs --> Tibooburra --> Broken Hill --> Mildura --> Canberra

The Expanda is just shy of 2t dry and unladen. I travel as close to the sign posted limit as I can so don't drive for economy:

Total K's: 3281
Total Fuel: 593.901
L/100: 18.1

Just to add I did perhaps 500k on dirt so bit slower but lower tyre pressures (30psi in the car and 25psi in the van) and had a bit of head wind across the Hay plains.

Overall I'm OK with 18l/100, my Holden Adventra used 19l/100 towing a van 1/2 the size.

 

[brookes2622]

Geez I don't login for a couple of days and have 5 pages of posts to catch up on.....

 

[cruza driver]

Geez I don't login for a couple of days and have 5 pages of posts to catch up on.....

HAHAHA me too :violin:

 

[andrea]

Ouch to the fuel economy... We did brisbane to Melbourne to warrnambool and back along the GOR and back to brisbane and came in at 12l/100. About 10% without the van. We also have the 17.56-2ob. I think a few of the other bt50 owners have 16 series so they might be able to comment for comparison.

 

[brookes2622]

..........Your Amorak would have to be more efficient than the Paj, and seems you didn’t have anything on your racks.....

PS. Great photos (and apols for thread hijacking).

Don't assume that the Amarok will be more efficient it can absolutely use a lot if fuel and in fact one bloke on another forum got so don't be rude he sold it. Must be something to do with the Bi-Turbo but it was developing 22.3 PSI boost most of the time towing. When driving to work 80% Federal Hwy and 20% GDE to Woden I get down to 7.2 l/100. I not quite sure how the turbos work but I know there are two, one large one smaller and I think they are Sequential in that at low revs the little one is used and at higher revs/load the bigger or both are utilised.

Ouch to the fuel economy... We did brisbane to Melbourne to warrnambool and back along the GOR and back to brisbane and came in at 12l/100. About 10% without the van. We also have the 17.56-2ob. I think a few of the other bt50 owners have 16 series so they might be able to comment for comparison.

How did you measure that? Oddly, enough my car computer never really got above 16l/100 on the trip. Driving from Canberra to Central Coast it read 13.3l/100 so I don't really trust it so much anymore. Might be because of the DPChip module.

End of the day, for me, I don't really care. It is interesting to look at but I was on holiday with my kids in a van visiting places I haven't been before. I don't really put a cost on that. The only down side was the better half had to work.

 

[brookes2622]

So time for a mod. I saw one of these on E-Bay for $80 and thought it would be perfect as a TV mount. Currently I have the TV in a box under the lowest bunk and it kinda annoys getting it out and in all the time. So will give this mount a go. Was thinking I'll replace the screws with bolts and put a metal plate under the bench just in case.

Do you folks reckon I'll need to worry about the whole top of the bench separating? The TV is just a 19 inch sphere so do you reckon it can stay on permanatly? The mount comes with a quick release so I can remove when travelling.

 

[macca]

I would not travel with the TV mounted. I have been tempted mind you.

 

[Xpandafan]

I would not travel with the TV mounted. I have been tempted mind you.

My sphere travels mounted and strapped in place. Never had an issue.

 

[BUSH PALACE]

Ours stays mounted and all ok