12' Series Gibb River

CamperCathnSteve

New Member
Feb 5, 2021
2
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Perth
Hello, this is my first post. My husband and I have just paid a deposit on a 2012 Jayco Expanda Outback. Hoping to pick it up next weekend. We are planning on taking it to the Gibb River in July. Has anyone else in this Forum done the Gibb with an Expanda Outback. We know there's two camps out there - one camp who think it's a crazy idea (usually non Jayco Expanda owners) and another camp who've actually done it and recommend it can be done. I'm interested to hear from others who've done it and what they would recommend in planning etc. I picked 12 series. Is that correct? Does the 12 stand for 2012?
 
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millers

Active Member
Mar 25, 2011
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Adelaide
Hi Cath,
Welcome to the forum,
I have not done the Gibb (on the list), but have friends that have in a caravan that I would consider not as strong as an Expanda Outback. It all comes down to the conditions, how prepared you are and how you drive. The conditions can not be controlled but the other two can. Sealing from dust is one issue to have a look at and also the screws that attach the doors to the cupboards.
The 12 stands for 12 feet (the length of the van). If you know the model (usually a xx.yy.o with xx being the length in feet, model details and then o is the options). Although I would consider this to be a more general question that can be discussed across all series.
If you look at the model you are buying and can use that to look at how others (on the forum) have modified their vans.

Cheers
Stephen
 
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Drover

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Nov 7, 2013
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Welcome to the group, we have a few who have meandered along the Gibb in fact there is a thread on the subject..............
Your Jayco should have a numerical sequence like Jayco 14.44.3, the 14 is 14ft, 44 is 4.4m and 3 is the layout as in 3 bed........... OB is outback, higher than a tourer model...... of course soemone else will have a different version.
 
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jazzeddie1234

Well-Known Member
May 19, 2016
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Mandurah
I pulled my 19' starcraft over a very dry gibb season. Things I learnt:
Take a selection of screws, matches, pva glue and cabinet corner braces (the screws pull out and can be fixed with a match body dipped in glue)
Take a tube of silicon (look underneath for any thing that can rub and silicon)
Take a tyre repair kit (the tyre place half way charges a fortune)
Watch your tyre pressures to speed carefully and ignore most advice (I ran mine at 22psi and 40kmh on huge corrugations with no tyre issues but yours will be different)
Don't rush - speed kills jaycos and spoils the many things to enjoy
Secure things like the microwave, shower door, tv
Imagine a water crossing and how you might prevent water ingress (like a fridge or door vent). Duct tape is great.
Subscribe to Brigit Bradtke newsletter - she provides detailed updates every month or so
 

AussieNick

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Feb 9, 2021
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I've seen that you can get a positive pressure unit for inside the Van. Basically forces air into the caravan and is designed to help prevent dust from entering into the caravn via gaps etc as your drive down the road.


I'm sure you can find other options. But i've heard good things about that along with the suggestions above.
 

Drover

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2013
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I've seen that you can get a positive pressure unit for inside the Van. Basically forces air into the caravan and is designed to help prevent dust from entering into the caravn via gaps etc as your drive down the road.


I'm sure you can find other options. But i've heard good things about that along with the suggestions above.

I've found a good inspection inside all cupboards, of cable runs and making sure the fridge is sealed at the back, often they aren't, along with cable runs thru walls/floors, once you do that, put plugs in sink, shower drain etc, wind whistling past an open drain will create a venturi effect and make a low pressure zone in van and making sure roof vent actually shuts, magic stuff no dust, worked on 2 vans so far...... On my 14.44, I did all that then discovered the rear lower external panel was open a few mm at the bottom, dust would get inside the cavity and into the van via the wiring for the tail lights, some canned styro and a tube of silastic, the odd descriptive word and no more dust..............
 

2slow

Active Member
Jul 20, 2018
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Gawler SA
Grab a big arsed spotlight or similar then at night get a helper to shine the spotty in every cupboard, corner, nook & cranny while you're underneath keeping watch. If you can see the light then that's where the dust will get in. A couple of tubes of the appropriate silicon and problem solved.
I used 1 1/2 tubes on ours when it was brand new, Jayco should be ashamed of themselves.
 

jazzeddie1234

Well-Known Member
May 19, 2016
606
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Mandurah
Jayco should be ashamed of themselves
I ended up removing the wheel arches because there was so much dust getting through. There was no sealant at all and a couple of screws to hold the plastic wheel wells to the rough cut arch. Tidied the burrs, put down a layer of silicon, ran a strip of open weave cloth and covered that in silicon (like you would for dry wall seams) and replaced the arch before it set.
 

Smirke

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May 9, 2014
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Palmyra, WA
Hi. I took my 21-64OB (2014) on the gibb in 2016. No issues at all. Had tyres at 23psi all round on both car and van. I also did all the ‘dips’ or crossings (didn’t matter if they were wet or dry) at a slow speed. Most were done at 20km/hr and they were sharp dips. You will pass those who went too fast and broke things. Also saw a triple axel van parked alongside the pentacost.