A Dingo's got my Expanda

[straydingo]

Ok, corny title but I don't care!!:tongue:

Now work has finished for the year, I can get on here and post up our home away from home into this section of the forum and update with any mods and trips and so on....

We picked up our 17.56-1 OB in November. We elected to go with additional storage over the shower/toilet combo, trusting the caravan parks to have reasonable facilities. (works most of the time) We don't tend to free camp so no an essential.
We went with the usual pack of options - roll out awning, air-con, antenna, 150 litre fridge. We asked for hot water and got an outdoor shower thrown in also. Although the dinette is a nice idea, we decided to fix it as a full bunk instead, with storage under (which at this stage is still empty!!).

 

[straydingo]

After the shakedown run, we decided on a few changes, most of which are yet to be implemented.
When the dinette was made in to a bunk, they used 3mm ply as the mattress base like in the 16 series. I since decided I want it like the 18 series with a slat base. Having had 3mm ply bases in the Swan beforehand, they aren't that strong. The factory will come back with a price for me on that when they reopen in Jan (since I asked for it on their last day :lol:
I've also asked to get some offcut of cabinet timer for the cupboard shelves which 'should be ok'


bedbase in the 18 series

There might be a few other cupboard configurations after our next trip.

 

[straydingo]

Most important mod for me was the hitch height. When picked up, the WDH drop hitch hung down so low that I had 150mm clearance under. This is great for ploughing a field, but less so driving on roads with silly things like speed humps, kerbs and gutters and the like.


After ringing around, I ordered a 50mm block from Jayco Canberra which arrived a couple of days later - $100 for the block and $10 for each high tensile bolt.


I was warned the handbrake design may interfer with the increased height.
....it does


Installing is simple enough. Undo the four bolts and remove the hitch. To counter the handbrake interference, it is necessary to get out the angle grinder and cut into both the block and the drawbar gusset plate. 25mmx25m was adequate.




Remember to change the disc to a metal cutter disk rather than the grinder disk. Once I realised that it went a lot easier :lol: and would've been neater had I done it as the start!!



Reassemble with the longer bolts and do up TIGHT.
I also found the handbrake cable was better adjusted to get more length of travel - out of the factory, it onlt went to the second notch, whereas is should be around the centre of the notches.

Unfortunately, I haven't been able to get rid of the extended drop hitch yet - two days before Christmas the shop I use was out of a shorter one. However, the chains are now not directly under it, so picked up a little more clearance that way. A shoter drop will come after we get back.

 

[straydingo]

other little additions/alterations done yesterday - mostly copied from others, thankyou

book holder for the lower bunk


relocate the ladder and drop lower to get an angle on it. (although the ladder bracket screws don't go into horizontal support anymore, and are instead just screwed to the thinner face board, the weight is transferred to the floor, so shouldn't pull free in normal use)


Added a small stay chain to the front boot lids - when open, they are just just short of vertical, and so always wanting to drop on my head or hands as soon as I let go of them. Just a short piece of jack chain with picture hanging triangles.

Added a tap to the tank as per PMKs post
http://www.expandasdownunder.com/showthread.php/627-PMK-Mods-Expanda-16.49-1B-OB?highlight=tank

and fixed a few things like cupboard doors which didn't latch etc.

I also got some LED lights to replace the main lights, but had no power to the van itself, so could see the difference yet. And some strip leds for the bunks, and to go down on the door step, but get to choose which wires are best to hook into

 

[cruza driver]

About time :tongue: I have been waiting for you to get this thread up and running

How do find the nitrogen tyres? :lol:

Seriously though these 17's are a great mdl with plenty of room to spread out.

I like the extra magazine holder idea too.

 

[richard]

Some great mods and innovative thinking especially around the brake lever. Well done, now enjoy and think about the next couple of mods you want to do and how you will do them.

 

[chartrock]

Well done, SD. You have sorted the the same problem a number of us have had. I hope your shorter drop hitch works for you. :happy: Nice mods, I'm sure you will come up with more soon enough. Enjoy.

 

[PMK]

Nice Mods SD,

Good to see some pics too. I like the jack chain to hold up the front boot lids....... I have the same problem holding them up. Might pinch that mod. Sick of dropping them on my fingers !

Great you have sorted out your hitch clearence problem too.

All the best,

Paul

 

[Moto Moto]

LOVING to mods and photos SD. Great looking van all round!

 

[straydingo]

Finally......

After months of it sitting in the garage......

I fitted the famous @zerosecta rear wheel carrier!!

Yes still need to relocate the number plate, and touch up the painting a bit. Also, need to add a new pressure coupling to the hot water line to the outdoor shower - while drilling, the chuck rubbed against it and ground it down.:doh: Only took a second or two to do the damage

Ball weight before: 240kg (?????) (only one gas tank in holders, empty water, no luggage and personals etc, just general items that live in there)
(as guesstimated by Jayco upon leaving the factory - 183 kg)
After installation: 185kg

feels a little bit more bouncy now.

 

[Bank of Dad]

SD, nice change mate. How do you open the rear hard lid now? Does the spare tyre fold down or something like that?

 

[BUSH PALACE]

Its looking a bit clean there SD , betta do something about that !!!!!!!

 

[straydingo]

oops.:doh:....forgot about the rear bed.....

Nah, Zerosecta designed with a drop down similar to the windsor vans.



give me a break BP! We got back that day - I had only just washed it down before fitting the bar