Daniel's Expanda 16.49.1

[nihonjin]

Hi all I thought it was time i started my own thread so I can share and log all of the mods and adventurers that will no doubt be many.

I will post some photos and details about my purchase soon but for now I need some advice as im trying to sort out a toolbox before i go on a trip soon.

I am using a design from this forum that came from @rjstokes but my concern is that the standard top opening lid will become awkward and difficult to access once the bed ends are setup. So im thinking of changing it to a front opening toolbox. This is the design im looking at:



I know that stacking things on top inside of the toolbox will be more difficult with this design compared to a top opening toolbox. But what are peoples thoughts about the pros and cons of top opening vs front opening?

Finally i plan to mount it using some marine ply can anyone give me some advice as to what size thickness and I assume i should also either paint or stain it to provide some weather proofing what have other people used?

Thanks.

 

[Dobbie]

I won't weigh into the top versus front opening debate but I'd be concerned, either way, about stones hitting the box and then damaging the car.

Stone stomper? Or other stone shield?

In which case the front opening one won't work.

Side opening? Have you investigated that?

It's all very problematical (and expensive!)

 

[nihonjin]

So for those of you that have toolboxes on your a frame and have expanda type vans do you have top opening toolboxes or some other? Those that have top opening do you find it inconvenient or no hassle at all accessing what you need when you need it.

Im personally leaning back towards having the top opening toolbox so as to maximize the storage and packing use as opposed to the front opening which i think will be problematic.

 

[willobee]

Another option might be draws from each end?
Half and half.
This would allow top filling and access with the beds out?

 

[nihonjin]

Another option might be draws from each end?

So do away with the outside gas bottle holders and extend the toolbox to the end and add side opening lids?

 

[willobee]

I liked those there and was thinking you could leave them in, would just need flexible lines from the bottles to allow them to move

 

[nihonjin]

I liked those there

Sorry what did you like and leave what where? Im keen to hear all ideas and thoughts and just want to understand your suggestion.

Thanks.

 

[willobee]

I liked the bottles in the pockets on the end.
Perhaps you could leave the gas bottles in these on the ends and make these and the boxinside also slide.

 

[dagree]

We have a top opening box and usually unload what we need then use it for storing items not needed (ie: chair bags, weber carry bag, straps etc). Front bed doesn't get lowered until last!

The only thing access is required for is changing gas bottle switch if needed. Can lift the box lid enough to stretch in and reach.

 

[Smirke]

We have a top opening on our box. Have genny, BBQ, BBQ trolley, hoses , chocks and store the jockey in there for traveling.
We can still raise the lid to get bags into it for storing if needed.

 

[bigcol]

I have a top opening box as well,
and like @dagree the front bed is the last thing to be setup, so I have access to the box
once the bed is finally setup, it usually means I dont need anything else out of the box

 

[DWWood]

Not sure if strength or integrity will become an issue but why not have top opening lid to get all items out prior to lowering the bed end and also have a smaller drop down door at the front to store some things in?

 

[nihonjin]

also have a smaller drop down door at the front to store some things in

I like this idea. Perhaps a smaller middle section front opening door. Ill contact the toolbox company and see what they say.

thanks.

 

[spiderpig]

When i make mine it will be forward opening, for easier access and can pack large things away or take them out without having to touch the bed end.

 

[bigcol]

everything I have in my front box (except Gas Bottle) is for setting up..........
blocks of wood for the legs, hoses, cables,
the annex is carried inside the Van

 

[nihonjin]

Well i thought I had better post some pics of my van and some of the mods that i have done and my first 2 trips I have taken in the van.

Firstly here are the pics of the van I purchased this year from a lovely couple who were looking to upgrade or downsize not sure. They had looked after it such that it looked like new when i picked her up. It is a 2010 model and my family are very excited to move our camping adventures to the next level.

 

[nihonjin]

Soon after purchasing the van we took her for our first trip to Mulgowie near Laidley in Queensland. We were keen to test her out and get a feel for how we would use the van and work out what mods we wanted to do first.

I must confess though i did do one mod before we took her out and that was to replace the lights inside and outside of the van with LED lights. I read online for what others had used and took a gamble and went with some pretty bright lights. I figured that if they were too bright i would just have spares for the outside light. To my pleasant surprise i was quite happy with how they turned out and they gave a nice white light both inside the van but also on the outside. These were the lights i purchased:



Here are some pics of the trip:

 

[nihonjin]

Whilst i found sleeping in the van ok the beds were a little hard for my liking and so I ordered a double cool gel memory foam overlay which certainly added that extra bit of comfort and Im sure when summer comes around will also provide a little extra relief from the heat at night when sleeping.

This was the overlay I ordered:

 

[bigcol]

either I keep buying the wrong stuff - or -

I'm not a great fan of the Memory foam, I found it quite uncomfortable - I am a big fella by the way
ditched it in favour of the egg shell topper type

 

[nihonjin]

For my next mod I wanted to add carpet to the van. I wanted to do this for 3 reasons. 1) it will help protect the floor from wear and tear and when the time comes to upgrade I wanted it to look as good as it does now. 2) It will be much easier to keep the van clean with carpet i think then with the hard floor. 3) I like having carpet under my feet rather then the hard cold floor that was there before.

As luck would have it when we were on our trip out at Mulgowie they had markets on at the park we stayed at and there was a stall there that had a roll of carpet that was not only the right size but in a colour that would perfectly match the colour of the existing material in the van. He only wanted $30 for the roll and it was brand new. So we bought it and got stuck into getting it ready for the van.

Firstly i got some large butchers paper and my wife taped them together to make a template of the van:




Next was to overlay the template onto the carpet and cut it to size. Again my wife took care of this:



Finally it was time to place the carpet into the van and then trim any oversize edges. We are very pleased with how it turned out. Ill have to take some photos of the finished product and post later.