Benrosenicks 2013 17.56-2 OB

benrosenick

Active Member
Nov 26, 2013
146
181
43
Sydney, NSW
www.bushpalace.com.au
So, we collected our 17.56-2 from Jayco Newcastle yesterday. It is a new ex-stock Outback, and I noticed that they have another two on the yard already (December delivered). Looks like they are ordering on spec from the factory and hoping that impatient people like us will come along and buy them. Seems to be working...

We bought it on 24 November. Extras were:

Truma air
gas bayonet to front
Drifter
150L fridge
wind up aerial
stereo
privacy screens
external shower

We added
170w solar
picnic table
bed converter
external speakers
gas bayonet to rear
full annex
and also got the 12 pin plug, hotwire, breakaway monitor and WDH for the Prado.

Interestingly the sales guy told us we wouldn't get a battery with the solar, so we should take it from the Swan that we traded. The Swan only had a 40ah battery, so I bought a brand new calcium 130ah battery for $240... turns out solar does come with a 100ah battery - so if anyone is in the market for a 130ah battery let me know, happy to let it go to a good home for a sensible price.

We had been told that the awning probably wouldn't be ready in time, and were ok with that. As it turned out they managed to get the awning onsite the night before, and fitted the sail tracks etc on the morning that we were picking it up. Great of them to do that, but it caused a bit of chaos in the handover process which in the end took almost 6 hours! First we had to wait for them to finish fitting the awning - not a problem, waited for an hour. Then there was no-one to do the handover, so we waited another 30 mins. Then the sales guy came and told us the he had been told to stop what he was in the middle of and do a handover - then realised it was for us...
While he was taking us through the van the sparky was supposed to be doing the car. We could see that he wasn't so kept asking - in the end he started it after the walk through was finished... another hour delay. Then we reminded them that we wanted the WDH fitted - more delay while he waited for the sparky to finish.
All in all we were happy (especially given they got the awning done), but to be honest we were made to feel like we were in the way most of the morning - quite disappointing given how much we were looking forward to picking it up.

Anyway, we headed off to @Burnsy for a bike rack mount & some bumper bar strengthening, and after making him sit in the sun for an hour doing that gratefully headed home. We had planned to head to a place in Swansea to set it up quickly and have a look through, but after the long handover we had run out of time and had to head straight back to Sydney.

Don't have many photos yet, but we're heading off at the end of the week and will have the camera ready to go.


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Edit - running list of mods
Added bike rack to rear
Curtains to bunks
Apex 2055 toolbox
dual pole carriers
roof mounted shower fitting
replaced external shower head
Crustt's clears fitted
Clarrie's awning clips
External TV mount & aerial point
Visidec internal TV mount
Dual rear view/reversing camera
magazine racks
BEST water filter
Shelves to robe
LED light strip under awning
dual sail tracks
removed bike rack
spare to rear (mkI)
CO & gas detector
GPS tracker
spare to rear Mk II
Gas bayonet dust caps
 
Last edited:

benrosenick

Active Member
Nov 26, 2013
146
181
43
Sydney, NSW
www.bushpalace.com.au
Great choice of Van. Congrats.
So any more mods on the way?


Thanks @Soaring, we're pleased so far - looking forward to getting away in it! I have already got the LED strip with remote for the awning and will hopefully fit it over Christmas, likewise the Visidec TV bracket and 24" tv are sitting on boxes waiting to be mounted as well.

Then I want to do the shelves, roll out pantry, clear screens for the pop top, external TV aerial (probably under the floor rather than out of the side wall), roof clips for shower head and some other smaller stuff.

Stuff I'd like to do but won't yet are a slide out drawer for front boot, toolbox, front bike mount a la @Zammm, curtains to bunks, and on, and on, and on....

And then what I would love to do but can't is widen my battle-axe driveway by a metre and move my house back by 3 metres so I can get it up my driveway!
 

Kingy

Member
Apr 29, 2012
61
58
18
Cashmere, Brisbane
Wow that looks very nice, you guys will have a great trip.
We'll have to try and do a halfway meet some time.
In 2014 We are looking at two weeks to do the Birdsville trip we missed out on last year.
 

17triton

Well-Known Member
Feb 24, 2013
3,717
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Ballarat
You can park it in MY driveway;)! With the tv mount are you drilling through the bench or using the hole already there? If using the hole already there you need to pack out the hole and you need some big washers to support it better.
 
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benrosenick

Active Member
Nov 26, 2013
146
181
43
Sydney, NSW
www.bushpalace.com.au
You can park it in MY driveway;)! With the tv mount are you drilling through the bench or using the hole already there? If using the hole already there you need to pack out the hole and you need some big washers to support it better.

Only if my kids can stay there too!

Was hoping to use the existing hole but I don't know where I can get the very large washer-any suggestions?
 

17triton

Well-Known Member
Feb 24, 2013
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Ballarat
Only if my kids can stay there too!

Was hoping to use the existing hole but I don't know where I can get the very large washer-any suggestions?
Lol theres always a catch isn`t there! I got a mate to make some on a lathe out of 5mm stainless, do you know any metal fab places near you?
 
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benrosenick

Active Member
Nov 26, 2013
146
181
43
Sydney, NSW
www.bushpalace.com.au
Well, we're back after a few weeks away over the break and the Expanda was great. A few minor issues (external 12v not connected - now fixed; broken handles on under bed lockers; a bit of rain leaking under the sail track for the awning) and a few slightly less minor (bayonet leaking gas) but overall very happy. Got the clear windows from @crustt , a B.E.S.T water filter, added an LED light strip under the awning, and today got a rear view camera fitted (can't speak highly enough of Safety Dave where I bought the gear from, Or Stephen at Shamrock Caravan Workshop who came to me to fit it. I called about it on Tuesday, and by Thursday its been delivered to me, and Shamrock had an opening and have fitted it today. Brilliant!). Went with the twin camera and a 5.8" monitor in the Prado as I already have a reversing camera on the car.
Have also got mini curtain track ready to go for curtains for the bunks; We're away in it again this weekend so hopefully will knock that off then!

What a great piece of kit these Expandas are....
 

macca

(aka maccayak)
Mar 20, 2012
1,660
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Victoria
Hi benrosenick. Nice set up. Just an observation, on my computer screen with the images of your van it looks like the angle of your afk's into the awning is not correct (it could be my monitor). The hole in the awning has to be higher, nearly past the 10 o'clock position. You need it so there is not dip in the awning material where it joins to the roller (hard to describe). Otherwise in a storm the awning can hold water and sometimes tear. I will look for a photo. It took me heaps of practice to get right.
 
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