Another newbie and super impressed with this site

Mr Magoo

New Member
Nov 18, 2012
2
0
0
Bendigo
Hi all. Thought I better finally join after months of stalking on here looking at all the great mods and cool info for expandas.
We sold our Outback Hawk a few months ago and ordered a 17.56.2 OB Expanda. Finally arrived last week and now wetting pants with excitement at prospect of first trip away.
This site has provided heaps of great info so thanks everyone so far. Hope I can return the favor some day.

Cheers.
 

Holden_man

Well-Known Member
Aug 21, 2012
1,407
341
113
Brisbane - Carindale
Hi Mr M,
Welcome to the forum, we have loved it also, like you say heaps of practical tips and a wealth of experience. Congrats on the new arrival, like you we are planning for our first trip. We have started with no caravan gear at all, so are in the process of organizing all the bits and pieces.

Enjoy the forum

Jas
 

MolongMick

Active Member
Oct 6, 2011
618
112
43
53
NSW
Welcome Mr Magoo,
THis is the place to be to ask for information on just about anything related to the expandas.

We love our 17-56.2OB, it is a great van. I, m sure you will love yours too.
 

relgate

Superstar
Staff member
Feb 2, 2012
2,946
1,902
113
Sydney, NSW
Welcome Mr Magoo. Love the username! (or is that your real name?!)
We also love our 17. Don't be afraid to ask questions as there's always someone willing to help here.
 

OZSHEP

New Member
Oct 5, 2012
25
1
3
Sandhurst Melbourne
Welcome Mr Magoo, Our family also sold The Hawk to purchase the Expanada.
We took delivery of it about a month ago and we just finished our first trip away. What can I say, love love love it!
Total luxury after the c/trailer. The ability to stop on the side of road and have a snack in the van was a huge plus. Air-conditioning, hot water, large fridge, easy roll awing, I could go on. :) Enjoy your first trip, we certainly did and cant wait to get away again soon.
 

Creating Memories

New Member
Oct 25, 2012
10
1
0
Nth Qld
Mr Magoo. Have had my 17-56-2 OB now two weeks and am still wetting my pants. We have used it both weekends to find our routine before our first big trip. Wife still can not fill all cupboards. Best thing we ever did. Enjoy.
Creator of Memories.
 

Deano

Well-Known Member
Aug 10, 2011
540
286
63
Bargara, Qld
Hey Mr Magoo, nice glasses.
Yes you will love the 56.2. Be sure to fill out the size poll on this forum.
Cheers Deano
4c83e2b9.jpg
 

Antman

Well-Known Member
Jul 18, 2012
870
311
63
Brisbane
almcrae.blogspot.com.au
Hey Mr M! Welcome to the forum and enjoy the wealth of knowledge and ideas on here. Looking forward to seeing some pics of your setup and hearing what type of mods you are going to do. :)

Ants
 

greynt

Active Member
Dec 15, 2012
245
171
43
Yarra Valley
G'day Burnsy,
Just wondering if you use a WDH or are the airbags enough
as we are picking up our 17.56-2OB in a couple of weeks and have a
NT GLX DiD. Also how have you found the DP chip? A worth while investment?
Can't decide between a chip or doing the exhaust first.
Cheers for your assistance.
Greynt
 

Stan53

Well-Known Member
May 27, 2012
477
293
63
Melbourne, Victoria
Welcome Mr Magoo. Your right, this site has been excellent. And welcoming also. As we can testify when they let a Swift owner tag along on a recent trip!
 

greynt

Active Member
Dec 15, 2012
245
171
43
Yarra Valley
I'll jump in as a Paj owner (NP DiD).

WDH is a must per the owner’s manual given the ball weight.

Airbags are also worth it as they add strength to the rear and support the rear springs. A WDH is good at levelling the weight across car and van axles, and lessens the Paj's nose up attitude that comes from a load and heavy ball weight and independent rear suspension.

Have a look at Bushskinz.com.au for good prices on Pajero suspension and body protection upgrades (no afiliation). Also look at teh Pajero Club of Victoria forum for anything Paj.

My Paj was stock standard when I got it which was fine for city work and towing a box trailer. I then went to an off-road camper trailer. the standard suspension was tired by then (110,000ks) so I added Lovell HD 50mm front springs (diesel, dual battery, alloy bar, steel bash plates all meant HD was the go) and 50mm SD rear springs with poly airbags (SD Lovell is more like medium duty compared to factory springs). That gave a good compromise for unladen work and add air to the bags for load and towing. that was a good solution for the CT. When I upgraded to a Swan OB, I found when the Paj and Swan were fully laden for a family of 5 on a big trip I was too nose up again even with the Polys (but by then I’d also added draws, fridge slid & cargo barrier, plus a 60ltr gas tank for diesel gas). The SD rear came out in favour of HD rears, along with Polys. That worked well with the Swan laden. When I went up to an Expanda 16.49.1 OB it worked fine on my trip back from Sydney when I collected it (unladen car and van). Once a load was added however I was again too nose up. Now have the WDH. That means I can drop the Polys from say 30psi down to 20psi for a more compliant ride.

Now I’ve tried a WDH, I wouldn't go back.

***

Edit: also look at the Airbagman airbags - same as Polys however they do a kevler sleeved one which will take substantailly more air pressure - if i had them with my SD lovells, I probably wounldn't have need to go to HD lovells.

***

As to chip or exhaust, I went chip first (Tunit brand). Decent improvement although lots of black smoke when under load ie. putting the foot down when towing uphill etc. I then added d-gas (scored an Ecoshot system and tank for a price I couldn't refuse, the rebate covered the installation). Great improvement for towing power and economy (although you lose the dicky seat space). Exhaust will be next as this one is wearing out now.

Time over, I’d do an exhaust first. I'd look at a d-gas system (or the petrol vapour system of Chip-it) as the second option. Chips add more fuel to the system for power (and has an economy benefit for normal driving flowing from the improved engine response). Exhausts make a car breath better for power and economy without altering fuelling. Likewise an intercooler upgrade improves power an economy without altering fuelling. Second option. Third option would be a D-gas or petrol vapour system which adds a small amount of vapour into the air intake to act as a catalyst. That means closer to 100% of the diesel is burnt, equals more power form the same amount of diesel, economy benefit from less throttle and less emission form less fuel and cleaner burn. Diesels normally only burn around 80% of the fuel. Chips just add more diesel, so power yes, economy in certain circumstances, emissions no.

A chip would be option 4. If I was adding a chip, it'd also be Chip-it (or Steinbauer) - those brands read more information from the engine than the more basic DP Chip / Tunit chip. Chip-it are Australian made and cheaper so I'd go them (no connection).

Chip it also do a chip / exhaust / petrol injection package. The petrol vapour injection system takes up way less space so you wouldn't loose the dicky seat space or need the false floor, and no false floor means you’d be able to add a long range tank underneath instead. As petrol vapour is a better catalyst than LPG gas, less of it is used meaning a small 5 ltr tank is under the bonnet, rather than a 30 ltr plus tank in the dicky seat space.

Anything to free up the standard engine and getting it working better is preferable in my view – exhaust, intercooler and vapour injection over chips.


Thanks mate.

I think I will do the exhaust first as that seems the best bang for your
buck. Don't know what size 2.75" or 3" as I would like the benefits of the
exhaust but not the drone that can come with it, been there done that.
I will also do the springs/shocks as well, but in the meantime we
are getting a WDH when we pick up the van. Have been in contact with
Bushskinz and he was very helpful suggesting a similar setup to what you
have on your rig. Have lots of other things to do as well as we have only
had the Paj a few months and want to do dual batts, bar/winch etc... Have
to wait on funds like most of us.... Then there's the van which we get in a few
days and want to do things to that as well.

Value your info.
Cheers again

Matt (greynt)