AussieNick's Expanda adventures

[AussieNick]

Hi all,

Figured that, since the family and I will be doing a fair few short and long trips a year, plus planning mods and tweaks to our van to turn it into a true home away from home for us, I'd start a thread to combine everything into one place, to document our journey.

Bit of a background post to kick things off. We live in Darwin but our family is scattered between QLD and Vic. With the covid pandemic and the associated down fall of the aviation industry in Australia (I work in an aviation sector but thankfully didn't get hit with the turndown) plus the cost of airfares for us and our 1 (eventually 2) kids we sat down and started to do some numbers on travel, camping, trips away etc we realised we can save a fair bit of cash, but also enrich the holiday journey by getting a van.

We enjoy camping, but it's logistically complicated with my daughter (autistic) and that if she becomes overwhelmed leads to meltdowns. We needed to find an environment that we can make "ours/hers" a space she felt comfortable in that we can make quiet, cool and allow her to calm down and recover from her sensory overload. Tenting was fine when she was younger, but not a viable option anymore. Our last camping trip ended up with me driving the wife and kid home during a meltdown as staying at the campsite wasn't an option anymore.

Cue the caravan. We borrowed one last year and it made the trip that much easier on the family, everyone had fun, when we needed a quiet space to sit and relax in the cool for a bit, it was just perfect.

We also want to get out and about in our backyard a bit more, the ability to hook up and take off on a long weekend, in comfort was a huge draw card to us

Today, we settled on a 2010 16.49-1 expanda. Brought from the original owners. The van comes with a built in ourdoor bbq, full annex awning kit, brand new tyres, full service (getting done this friday) and after family inspected it, is in immaculate condition.

Pics stolen from sellers ad. I'll get some more once I pick it up

I'm planning on heading off mid march to drive to Brissie and collect the van. 3 days down, 2 days to rest up with a mate in Brissie, then turning around and giving myself 4 days min to get it home again.

To that end, I've started making some mods to the tug, to make it a bit more caravaning centric as opposed to filling up the tub with tent gear for a weekend away.

2 x 20l diesel jerry cans, mounted with sikaflex and screws into the tub liner. Just gotta spray the marine ply black to match. Since I'm an idiot and realised after I mounted them that i'd forgot to spray, the whole lot will be getting a spray in the tub......60l Kings fridge is currently out of the van as my solar setup died and I'm in the process of a warranty claim with 4wdsupacentre to get the panel and battery replaced.

I'll be adding a daily trip report when I head off to get the van, as well as a ton of pics once we get the bugger home.

So you'll be seeing our ugly mugs a bit as I keep things updated.


Editted: 20/02/21 - More pics added

 

[AussieNick]

So a little work on the Nav today.

Got a light bar for the front, but anyone who's stuck their heads under a D40 bonnet know how hard the bloody firewall grommets are to get to. After fighting and trying to contort my 6"4 frame into the drivers foot well to run the light bar wiring I cracked it, jumped across the wire from the high beam to the switch, stuffed it all under the bonnet and boom. Comes on with the highs, but no way to turn it on separately from the cab, which isn't a concern for me.

Waiting for the cheque to be cashed on the caravan, then off to pick it up in about 3 weeks.

 

[Drover]

Stuff the paint, it will stink for ages, dirt will colourize the wood in time.................. I found the same with my old Colorado, hate firewalls so i came in thru a grommet in the floor so much easier .................... of course when I got my Jeep it was easy they have provision for cable runs thru firewall without being a plastic man. ( can't spell the fancy word).

You do know admitting to having a D40 will start some Nissan lovers going, they will bleat on about their beloved Nissan .....one was easily led to the dark side.

 

[AussieNick]

Haha we brought the D40 off a mate when we came home from Canada. He barely used it and we needed wheels. If I had my time again and wasn't in a rush to get a car, I would have avoided the D40

 

[AussieNick]

Confirmation today, money has exchanged hands, we officially own the expanda. My brissie based mate is going to collect it and hold it until I get there.

Still waiting for work to pull their fingers out of their asses and approve my leave to go and collect our new toy.

 

[AussieNick]

Leave A.P.P.R.O.V.E.D! After a bit of dicking around I finally got the go ahead.

Trip down and back has been planed. I'm powering out of D-town in the early hours of the 15th of March, overnighting at Barkly Homestead and Longreach on the way down before arriving into Brissie on the 18th. Spend that day getting the last few things sorted for the van, Getting towbar fitted (since no one in Darwin can do it or even has one in stock for my D40) by a local fitter for about $300 less than here anyway on the 19th, then picking up the Van that afternoon.

Load up everything on the 19th and then power off back home with a mate riding copilot on the 20th via overnight stops in Tambo, Cloncurry, Tennant Creek and then Darwin on the 24th.

Lots of driving on the way back, around 900km +/- a day, but need to be back in town for the 26th.

 

[Drover]

Don't forget a shovel ( in case its still wet out west), fuzes, multi meter, gaffa and electrical tape........... if all prepared you will never use it and don't forget to check jack, wheel brace and they fit and work....................

 

[AussieNick]

Don't forget a shovel ( in case its still wet out west), fuzes, multi meter, gaffa and electrical tape........... if all prepared you will never use it and don't forget to check jack, wheel brace and they fit and work....................

So in the D40 i always carry

- Fuses
- Bottle Jack (Raised suspension so the stock one doesn't fit)
- Full tool Kit
- Multimeter
- Tapes
- Oil, PS Fluid
- Globes
- Cable ties
- Rope
- 18v Impact wrench with Sockets
- Set of filters
- Tyre repair kit

and a bunch of other odds and ends

 

[Drover]

So in the D40 i always carry

- Fuses
- Bottle Jack (Raised suspension so the stock one doesn't fit)
- Full tool Kit
- Multimeter
- Tapes
- Oil, PS Fluid
- Globes
- Cable ties
- Rope
- 18v Impact wrench with Sockets
- Set of filters
- Tyre repair kit

and a bunch of other odds and ends

Sorry ....... I forgot for a moment a D40 is a Nissan....................

(gotta be quick)......................................compressor...............


Another thing while your waiting to roll have a read of the threads on 3 way fridges so your up to speed on them, they can cause grief to the unwary......it will need at least 24hrs on 240v before it can become a fridge, on 12v hooked up to your D40 it might get cool after a days drive but would certainly chill down overnight on gas, it won't work on 12v unless plugged into a running engine.................and check the wheel nuts and give the bearings a shake before you leave, seen a few wheels on the side of the road along the Warrego.......... its a serious thing often overlooked.

 

[mikerezny]

Hi,
I also carry a couple of wire coat hangers like the ones used when you get clothes dry cleaned. The wire is just strong enough and just flexible enough to be useful in all sorts of situations.

Since you are going on a long trip to get the van back home and clocking up heaps of kms on hot tar, I would suggest you check the tread AND age of the tyres, including the spare(s). If the tyres are the originals, they will be over 10 years old and thus way past their use by date.

take care
Mike

 

[AussieNick]

Sorry ....... I forgot for a moment a D40 is a Nissan....................

(gotta be quick)......................................compressor...............


Another thing while your waiting to roll have a read of the threads on 3 way fridges so your up to speed on them, they can cause grief to the unwary......it will need at least 24hrs on 240v before it can become a fridge, on 12v hooked up to your D40 it might get cool after a days drive but would certainly chill down overnight on gas, it won't work on 12v unless plugged into a running engine.................and check the wheel nuts and give the bearings a shake before you leave, seen a few wheels on the side of the road along the Warrego.......... its a serious thing often overlooked.

Don't apologise, I know the POS that is the D40 haha.

The D40 is going in for a full service with a mates workshop before I take off. Luckily we've done a bunch of Trips to Melb over the years so the long distance prep for the ute isn't new to me. Nor is roadside repairs.....lol

The Vans just had a full service got the RWC and service report. The service centre did the bearings, brakes and suspension a solid as the seller let them know the long haul its in for. But i'll be going over it myself before I boot out of Brissie.

Thanks for the heads up on the 3way. I'll have 12v isolated power through the trailer plug obviously. Was basically going to treat it like I do the Kings fridge in the ute, run it on 240v the for the day before I head off. Put already cold stuff into the fridge once it's down to temp before kicking it over to 12v once i'm hooked up to the car. The last thing to get disconnect and packed away will be the 15amp power cable.

I'll run gas as the 3rd option. I've got 160w and a 120amp batttery in the car, and another 160w and a 110amp battery in the van so I should be ok to run it off the 12v for a night if needed.

Hi,
I also carry a couple of wire coat hangers like the ones used when you get clothes dry cleaned. The wire is just strong enough to and just flexible enough to be useful in all sorts of situations.

Since you are going on a long trip to get the van back home and clocking up heaps of kms on hot tar, I would suggest you check the tread AND age of the tyres, including the spare(s). If the tyres are the originals, they will be over 10 years old and thus way past their use by date.

take care
Mike

Yeah on my list of looksee stuff. The seller said they are about 3 years old and less than 2000km on them as they never really went anywhere more than 2 hours from home with it. But it'll be looked at for sure.

My biggest thing will be getting use to how the caravan feels on the back of the D40 when i'm towing. Going to be a cautious 4 days driving home until i'm comfortable with the load and change to the aerodynamics of the setup.

 

[Drover]

Sounds good all round for sure, if you don't have 240 on way home for fridge at night use the gas, once you open the door and the cold falls out gas will get it down again, to go all night you would need all those batteries.........and if its a bit warm the fridge will suck the guts out of a 100 amp battery in about 1.5 hrs unless its got an engine behind it... they are nothing like your Waeco or Engel.

 

[AussieNick]

Sounds good all round for sure, if you don't have 240 on way home for fridge at night use the gas, once you open the door and the cold falls out gas will get it down again, to go all night you would need all those batteries.........and if its a bit warm the fridge will suck the guts out of a 100 amp battery in about 1.5 hrs unless its got an engine behind it... they are nothing like your Waeco or Engel.

Good to know......It'd be annoying to wake up to warm beer.

 

[Drover]

Good to know......It'd be annoying to wake up to warm beer.

Thats why I try to be on top of fridge 101............ warm beer does not have me in a good mood....................but good excuse to camp near the pub.

 

[mikerezny]

Hi,

a three way fridge draws 15A continuous on 12V. This will bring a new 100Ah battery down to 50% in less than 3 hours.
Recommended usage is 240V when available, gas when off grid, and 12V only when hooked up to the car AND the engine is running so the alternator runs the fridge. When hooked up, and switched to 12V, you need to ensure the 12V feed to the fridge is disabled when the engine is not running or you will flatten your tug battery.

take care
Mike

 

[Boots in Action]

Good to know......It'd be annoying to wake up to warm beer.

And another VERY IMPORTANT point @AussieNick , absorption fridges MUST be level to work properly and cool things down when on 240 volts or gas. Not a problem when connected to moving tug on 12 volts. The ammonia liquid refrigerant uses gravity to move around the workings as no pump or moving parts. Limitations of operation when looking at fridge door from the front is within 6 degrees of vertical across the van (wheel to wheel) and within 3 degrees front to rear (draw bar to rear of van). Use a spirit level and get well between the lines for best results and you won't be disappointed.

 

[Drover]

Can of beer on floor doesn't roll away then its level..........................................

 

[Boots in Action]

Can of beer on floor doesn't roll away then its level..........................................

When full or empty @Drover ???

 

[AussieNick]

Replacement solar panel from 4wdsupacentre has arrived, time to get the fridge setup back into the D40. Gotta admit, although i've had a couple of issues with quality of things from them, their customer care for replacement and warranty stuff has been really good.

Just waiting on the Engine Data Computer to show up and chuck that in.

 

[AussieNick]

When full or empty @Drover ???

If their empty, you might struggle to tell if the spirit level is centered or not.....depending on how many cans are rolling around empty....