17' Series Cannot fit load levelers due to Jerry can holder

[Luke.sleeman]

We just picked up our new Jayco expanda 17.56-2 Outback yesterday! Jayco seem to be fitting a Jerry can holder which sits exactly where a load leveler should be attached! The bracket looks to be welded on, so the only way to remove it would be with an angle grinder! This will obviously mess up the galvanising on my shiny new van.

I'm wondering if anybody else has this problem and how the solved it?

 

[Luke.sleeman]

Here is a photo of what's going on:

Reading through the Hayman Reese catalog, I see they make the classic 600lb weight distributor, with 28" long bars, which may possibly allow me to fit something in - I'll have to go out with a tape measure and check things out carefully.

I'm curious what other people have done, as I saw these jerry can holders on a lot of other expandas which were on display. Surely I'm not the only person to have this problem?

 

[Drover]

If that rack is within 900mm of your hitch then there's a good chance it will connect with the back of your tug when turning tight, I would throw it on the back bar and just cut the bracket off the draw bar, cut off just above the weld and round off the edge with a grinder, don't try to cut the weld off or grind it off, just leave it give a spray with Galmet and a hit of silvereen, time will blend it in.
An extra 20kgs on the draw bar is probably not really needed anyway......Just because the manufacturer fits something doesn't mean its in a good spot or even needed.

Basically travel west of the Newell a jerry is a good idea but east of it, nah, plenty of fuel stops.

 

[2slow]

I’m currently in the process of fitting an Andersen WDH to my Expanda and am working on a similar problem to yours. However because of the design of the Andersen our exact problems and solutions may be poles apart.

As can be seen in the photo the WDH bracket sits proud of the A-frame by approx. 30mm and it needs to sit at the very LHS of the jerry can carrier i.e as far back along the A-frame as possible.
My current thoughts are to cut a notch in the jerry can holder and its support bracket (30 x 25mm) for the WDH bracket to fit through. I believe the JC carrier and support bracket are easily strong enough for this and that it not cause a mishap.
After doing this I will put a false bottom in the JC carrier so that a JC would sit proud of the WDH bracket and not risk having a hole rubbed in it by the bracket.

Personally I agree with Drover that JC’s are overrated. Took our 2.2t Expanda to Birdsville, Innamincka, Cameron Corner and Arkaroola (3,700kms) and used a JC once and even then was in no real danger of running empty. And this is in a Pajero Sport which have a notoriously small fuel tank so I'm not even sure why I'm trying so hard to save it and if I had to I could just carry two 10lt cans in either the car or van boot.

Next problem is that the jockey wheel will have to be moved to the inside of the A-frame.
I’m starting to wonder if it’s worth it!!!!!!
But I’ve paid my money and there’s no going back now.

 

[Drover]

I have seen jockey wheels which have had to be moved and the clamp instead of being welded onto the inside of the draw bar ( I reckon the less welds and holes done to the draw bar the better ) the clamp is mounted on a fitting that clamps to the top and bottom of the draw bar rail, easily made fitted and can be removed.....I never got a photo of the ones I have seen and am yet to make one up myself.

 

[2slow]

Drover,
Is the clamp you mention an off the shelf product?

Is this similar to the clamp you were thinking of?
This particular one is for mounting a sat dish so obviously not strong enough for my purposes but the design is headed in the right direction.

 

[Drover]

Sort of, had a channel for top and bottom, the lower channel had the clamp attached and the top channel slotted into it and dropped over the rail with 2 screw downs on the inside.......... (edit to original post as I had it mickey verta..........)

after doing a search around the web , no sign of anything like it so can only assume it was a local made job in limited numbers.

 

[Luke.sleeman]

If that rack is within 900mm of your hitch then there's a good chance it will connect with the back of your tug when turning tight, I would throw it on the back bar and just cut the bracket off the draw bar, cut off just above the weld and round off the edge with a grinder, don't try to cut the weld off or grind it off, just leave it give a spray with Galmet and a hit of silvereen, time will blend it in.

Yeah, I strongly suspect angle grinding it off is what I'm going to have to do. Not sure about fitting it to the rear bumper. I'm pretty sure I read somewhere that the rear bumpers for some vans are not designed to take extra weight and putting stuff on could damage them. Not sure how things sit with the expanda bumper bar.

I contacted Jayco asking them "what's the recommended way to fit a WDH to my van" and they basically said "ask your dealer" which is a pretty poor response. Expecting people to either take an angle grinder to their vans or not fit a WDH seems like a recipe for disaster - your either going to get mangled a frames from bad DIY or unsafe tow combinations that need a WDH but can't have one.