12' Series Stabilizer legs

Merry Xmas to you and yours as well .................................................. I love those little Expandas especially that model, other than having one of those super long winders I really don't know, if you throw some pics of under neath , chassis rail and winder mounting ................. I won't be seeing a mate who has one for many months to do a first hand lookie though......

I brought up the pic on big screen and being the scissor type leg it would hang out the back if you moved it too far, so I would say an extension winder rod basically tacked onto the winder end with a tab welded close to outside van edge to hold the rod, a nut on the end for the handle to engage with would be my best bet, not too hard to do and no stuffing around really... then its there permanently just a bit of reo bar and a square nut for the drive ........................

Just my sort of project.......................... thinking a bit more no welder available then a TEK screw to hold the rod onto the sleeved winder end or a bolt/pin and the tab can be a 90deg gate drop bolt bracket and Tek screwed onto the chassis the drive part of the rod can be a nut drilled and pinned to the rod so the winder handle will fit, I prefer to weld things myself though but anyway hope that gets the grey cells working...

GrahamHolland said:

Merry Christmas all, looking forward to some "Expanda" time over the holiday period.
A design feature that I would like to improve on with our little 12 footer is the rear stabilizer legs. When setting up, the rear stabilizer legs are so far under the van that I have to lay on the ground to engage the winder handle onto the nut. Unlike the front ones that are easily accessible. Are there commercially available alternatives (that don't require an Engineering degree to fit) that might have side access. Or even an extension for the existing legs???? I'm sure someone in the group will have ideas to help me out.
Cheers, Graham

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Hi Graham and a safe and merry Christmas to you and yours too. A permanent and less complicated way would be to reverse the axle (undersling the axle under the springs). Yes, a bit more than trying to modify the rear stabilizer legs, but you not only get greater clearance for travelling, but easier access to the rear stabilizer legs. Reversed the axle on my Penguin (14 footer) and never had a problem. Would be a bit dearer than trying to modify access to rear legs, but lots of extra advantages. A great "New Year" investment!!

If you wanted a lift and have a straight axle did a thread years ago but the pictures went last site upgrade .......... https://expandasdownunder.com/threads/underslinging-a-straight-axle.10987/ ........................... should see if I can replace the pics one day...........

You will end up having to adjust your hitch as lift can be 60-80mm depending on spring pack, sometimes legs aren't long enough and step into vehicle is higher causing you much pain when shin gets hit.

Drover said:

If you wanted a lift and have a straight axle did a thread years ago but the pictures went last site upgrade .......... https://expandasdownunder.com/threads/underslinging-a-straight-axle.10987/ ........................... should see if I can replace the pics one day...........

You will end up having to adjust your hitch as lift can be 60-80mm depending on spring pack, sometimes legs aren't long enough and step into vehicle is higher causing you much pain when shin gets hit.

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@GrahamHolland , note what @Drover said about having to change hitch height to keep van level when towing. I found that overall van clearance increased approx 100mm compared to the standard Touring model (maybe as high as an OB model?) and the hitch approx 75mm higher, but no real problems (including leg lengths) even for "she who must be obeyed" who is vertically challenged. I also did not have any problem with the annex walls reaching the ground (original from Jayco with the van) although some members have reported annex walls not fully reaching ground with their privately manufactured annexes when van height clearance increased. With your 12 footer, as it is, you will have to make sure your "extension " to stabilizer winding apparatus does not extend beyond or below rear of van or your clearance over dips and gutters will be compromised resulting in van dragging its "bum" all the time. More things to consider!!

Thats a point about bum dragging with extension added, easy solve is to run a string line/straight edge from bottom of tyre to edge of van and fit the bracket inside the line then it certainly won't be in the drag zone ............... good chance it wouldn't anyway but to be safe.