17' Series Another CT owner up-sizing

[The Exterminator]

Hello Everyone.
I thought I better get on here and get the formalities out of the way.
This is my 3rd post, the first 2 were about an Expanda for sale on this on this forum.

I live at Frederickton on the NSW Mid North Coast. I have a beautiful wife (who loves to camp as much as me, if not more) and 3 kids under 7.

After 7 weeks holidays in March, April and May this year towing our CT from home, via Dubbo, on to Melbourne, over to Tassie and then along the GOR we are ready to either sell our CT or burn it to the ground (jk, although we are selling it). After setting up and packing up nearly every single night with 3 kids we have decided to sell it and buy a van. The CT has been great for long weekends and longer holidays in the one spot, but things have changed and we want to have quicker weekend get away's and less setup and packup times.

We were looking at Jayco Hawks initially, but soon realized that even they had a lot to setup and packup each time. I was then looking at Windsor Rapids and Jayco Expandas. The Jayco won out, because there is a large dealer at Port Macquarie and any warranty issues (which appear to be a few initially) can get repaired without going to far from home.

I have noticed a lot of familiar names on this forum from various other forums, mainly from My Swag (my username on other forums is TRUPM or Nate). This group appears to be a have a great bunch of people who are more than happy to help out with mods, tips and tricks.
I have a list of mods to do and no doubt that will ever end. The first mod will be to the ute for the 12 pin plug and make lead with anderson plug to the batteries on the Jayco. I will have to look around this forum and find out anything I need to do to our ute before picking up our van.

Our tow rig is a Holden Colorado RG with a few mods. I have fitted a Redarc RHBC Brake Controller, a Redarc BCDC 1225LV, Reverse Camera, Couplertec Unit, DIY canopy with 80L Engel on DIY slide, Drifter draws etc, 265/75/16 BFG AT's and LED light strips in the canopy. I also fabricated some airbag mounts for the rear and fitted some 8" slam bags from the states and a few other little minor mods. I have installed everything on this ute myself.

We have ordered a Jayco Expanda 17.56.2OB. We ordered it at the Wauchope Camping Show on the weekend just gone. We had already negotiated with the dealer and he booked one of the next slots on the production line, so the expected delivery date is 16th September. 1 MONTH AWAY! Lets see whether we get it then or not. Lets hope so, because we will use it the next week for school holidays

We have ordered the following extras:
- 1 x 150W Roof mounted solar panels & 30 AMP regulator
- 1 x 100AMP Auxiliary battery kits (plus I will put my spare 92ah AGM in aswell)
- Drifter RV control panel located above bench
- External TV plug & 12V outlet
- CD/AM/FM stereo with internal and external speakers
- 150L Fridge upgrade
- Simplicity Independent Suspension upgrade
- A Frame 300mm extension
- Jockey wheel clamp to inside of A Frame
- External gas bayonet (standard) fitted to rear
- Roof mounted air-con
- Wind up TV antenna
- Tregg Coupling
- Kakadu Hard-lid Surrounds

I'll have to ask the dealer who I ordered it off tomorrow if I can add the LED lights instead of halogen (if its extra $ I'll probly do it all myself), and see about getting the 12v fan to the fridge?

Anyway, like everyone else on here I love pics, so here are a few of our Colorado.


Redarc RHBC location


Canopy Lights

 

[Soaring]

Hi there. Welcome aboard. I spent some time over on my swag when I had my soft floor. (Actually I still have it, but will be up for sale soon) like you, the set up pack up time just got too much, plus the constant worry about heavy wind and rain so we upgraded to a 17.56 as well. My pick up is this Friday after ordering in March( my choice as I figured I wouldn't use the van over winter. I even had to delay delivery by a couple of weeks due to overseas work commitments, hence the 00:00:00 timer.

I'm a little excited

 

[greynt]

G'day @The Exterminator, good luck with the purchase. Just a note about the 12 pin plug, double check with Jayco as the included install of this in our van purchase, so all we had to do was to organise with their auto elec a time to fit it. Sounds like a great van, you will love it. With the air con we have the Air Sparrow which I was advised to get over the colman unit. LED's should be standard now if not i got mine(lamps) off flea bay. Nice looking tug as well. Great set up.
Cheers
greynt

 

[crackacoldie]

Sounds like you have it all covered with the options @The Exterminator you will love the Expanda. we are another family that has migrated from a soft floor to the expanda, also on MySwag, under the same name.

Enjoy this bunch, a very friendly and helpful group indeed.

Cheers Cracka

 

[17triton]

Welcome @The Exterminator that's a great van by the sounds of it and the led lights will be standard now I think.

 

[BUSH PALACE]

Welcome Exterminator sounds like youve got it all under control ENJOY

 

[cruza driver]

Welcome mate good to see you join up enjoy the forum,plenty of info here to scour through

I thought I'd seen that Colorado before :spy:

 

[chartrock]

@The Exterminator that's a well set up truck. Welcome to the forum, lots of great info here and it seems like you will be able to provide more for the rest of us.

 

[mfexpanda]

welcome exterminator

 

[TTBRIDGE]

@The Exterminator you will love the 17.56.2, we took delivery of ours in June and love it. We changed from a hard floor Aussie Swag Camper. The luxuary is the first thing you notice, particaully on a cold night when you "used" to sit outside.

As for you LED lights, they are standard on the 13 range. They come with a 2 way switch, with the other side being a blue night light style. Very handy for going into the van once the kids are asleep.

Enjoy your pending new toy.

 

[The Exterminator]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone.
I have found out the LEDs are standard now which is good. I didnt worry about the 12v fan for the fridge, so I will do that myself.
I have to fit a break away alarm to the ute and do the 12 pin plug. Anyone done their own? I was thinking of adding the 12 pin but keeping the 7 pin as well for the normal box trailer I have. Any ideas?

@TTBRIDGE - if you have come from a luxury Aussie Swag and think the Jayco has more luxury, we are in for a huge surprise We are coming from a soft floor CT. It will be good to not have to worry about strong winds and rain anymore...

 

[relgate]

Thanks for the warm welcome everyone.
I have found out the LEDs are standard now which is good. I didnt worry about the 12v fan for the fridge, so I will do that myself.
I have to fit a break away alarm to the ute and do the 12 pin plug. Anyone done their own? I was thinking of adding the 12 pin but keeping the 7 pin as well for the normal box trailer I have. Any ideas?

@TTBRIDGE - if you have come from a luxury Aussie Swag and think the Jayco has more luxury, we are in for a huge surprise We are coming from a soft floor CT. It will be good to not have to worry about strong winds and rain anymore...

Hi and welcome @The Exterminator
You wont need to keep the 7 pin if it is a standard flat style. A flat 7 pin from the trailer will fit into the 12 pin on the tug no worries.

I have done the breakaway monitor on my ute. Ordered it from RV electronics. Very easy to do. From memory just one wire from unit to unit, and an earth from dash unit to chassis.
I ran the active through pin 8, and then into the unit in the van. Instructions come with the RV electronics kit

 

[The Exterminator]

@relgate Thanks for that info. I wasn't aware that a 7 pin can go into a 12 pin. That's great then. I already have run a spare 5 core trailer wire from front to the back of the ute when I was doing my reverse camera for anything I needed to add at a later date. This will come in handy for the break away. I'll look into the RV Electronics kit.

 

[relgate]

@relgate Thanks for that info. I wasn't aware that a 7 pin can go into a 12 pin. That's great then. I already have run a spare 5 core trailer wire from front to the back of the ute when I was doing my reverse camera for anything I needed to add at a later date. This will come in handy for the break away. I'll look into the RV Electronics kit.

Good idea running the extra 5 core.

Try this for the monitor:
http://rvelectronics.com.au/index.php?route=product/product&path=25&product_id=54

 

[The Exterminator]

I was just looking at them on their website. God that's an ugly unit. And I have to fit that in the front of my ute where it's visible? Are there any others on the market? I wonder if I can connect an external LED like they use for alarm systems and such and install that in the dash where it is visible and then hide that main unit behind the dash....

 

[Peter Brennan]

Hi Exterminator
Welcome to the forum. I am only new as well and have also purchased a Expanda this year and sold my Goldstream Off road camper Van for the Expanda 17.56.2 with the lot for me, my wife and 2 girls under 4.

 

[The Exterminator]

Hi Peter, welcome to the forum. There is so much helpful information on here. Are you enjoying your Expanda? Have you had many trips away in it? Do your girls like it aswell?

 

[Flanders]

G'day Exterminator. We upgraded too and are on a 3 month trip, we got the van just before we left. We love it

 

[Brad]

:welcome: @The Exterminator.
So I am guessing your profession involves the removal of 8 legged creepy crawlies?
One month wait is not bad.
Enjoy the forum.

 

[relgate]

I was just looking at them on their website. God that's an ugly unit. And I have to fit that in the front of my ute where it's visible? Are there any others on the market? I wonder if I can connect an external LED like they use for alarm systems and such and install that in the dash where it is visible and then hide that main unit behind the dash....

Redarc has one but it is exactly the same but costs more...
Not a bad idea about the LED. It also has a 'beep' which would need to be audible.
Perhaps instal with velcro and a quick connect for the wires then remove when not towing?