17' Series Lurker for a while, now to get serious

[Meanderthals]

Hi, we've been looking at various Forums for a while trying to get sufficient info to decide what tow vehicle and van would best suit our needs. As the tow vehicle side is now settled and we're awaiting the imminent arrival of the Ranger, it's now time to discard so many vans considered and I think you can guess that there's a reason for posting here.

We've considered a number of different Expanda's but our preference has come down to the 17.51-2 Work n Play. We could have gone with one of the other more normal Expanda's but as we live in the tropics it's more likely that we will travel South in the cooler months and we just don't think that we can cope with too much canvas sleeping while there. At the same time we would like the Expanda for warmer weather while North or travelling to or from South. We feel that with the Expanda in front and bunks in the rear it would give us the best arrangement for our needs. At the same time we have some ideas about customising the rear that would add to its usability. Not likey at our age that we would want to transport more than bikes but it gives us freedom to choose how much we want to take. The bonus is that it has a 600kg payload and we could travel with full tanks and not breach the load limit. A pop-top version would have been better but as there isn't one we'll just have to take it as is.

The van would be optioned with as much as we can get fitted at factory and included in the Tare weight. The Outback version with solar and extra battery plus heater would be ordered, and with many other items as well while I think that she will agree. In discussions with a Dealer and some email contact with Jayco itself the only issue at the moment is whether they will allow me to supply a set of rims & tyres to match the Ranger and for them to supply axles to match the bolt pattern.

I've tried doing searches in this Forum and others but as yet can't find anyone else who has one. The only downside I've seen so far is a mention of the small kitchen bench area, but as the chief cook has given it her blessing even after actually looking through one, that isn't a real issue for us.

Phil & Lyn

 

[chartrock]

Welcome Phil and Lyn to the friendly forum. :welcome: It looks like you have really done your research and have found a van that will do all you want. When do you get it? Lots of ideas for mods on here so you will probably spend the waiting time planning mods and trips. Look forward to seeing some photos and reading about plans and trips.

 

[Meanderthals]

The Dealer advice was that Jayco do batches of particular models at a time and the next batch of these is in about March, with the next at about June. We want to be able to pick it up from South and use it on a trip back here. With a few family events taking place over the period to May the June run is most appropriate as an August pick up suits us best. That would give the Dealer time to add a couple of items as well, particularly a heater. Apparently Jayco wont fit a Diesel one. I'm thinking of just having the heater unit in the front under bed bin and fitting a storage box on the "A" frame with a tank incorporated somehow. Have read recently about a Webasto Dual top Evo7 combo unit (water & air, plus is diesel or 240V) and wondering about if it is possible to have in a van.

Waiting until August also gives us time for some house modifications. At the moment a full sized van can't get to the rear yard. Being in a cyclone area we also need to do some tie down points which means some large(ish) concrete footings to be done. I had enquired about chassis mounted points and got a negative reply, but with the tandem axle Work n Play I think that there's enough points to do this without welded on additions. This is to comply with insurance requirements.

Our long search would take a book to detail. Being so far from being able to easily go and see examples of those that interested us enough has meant doing most of it online, with a couple of short physical looks while I had trips to Adelaide for other reasons. You can't see much up here. We've been quite amazed at the poor websites run by so many Makers and Dealers with out of date info, incorrect or limited info, lack of pricing and unable to easily see current stock. There is quite a contrast to vehicle manufacturers. With a couple of Dealers of well known brands I did get to in Adelaide they looked very much like the caravan side of their operation wasn't being taken very seriously. Two Dealers in Victoria that I did have an initial email and phone contact with they just haven't bothered to follow up on with the info I needed. I find it hard to believe that business is so good that a sale of this amount isn't worth bothering about to secure.

As to ideas of modifications in the future, from what I've seen here so far I can see a need to keep monitoring very frequently.

Thanks for the welcome.

Phil

 

[cruza driver]

:welcome: Phil, as Chartrock said it sounds like you have done your homework.

It sure would get good airflow through the van with the rear door. I agree it would be good if they did a pop top version of this van too.

 

[BUSH PALACE]

Hey Phil & Lyn welcome aboard guys , wow youve done a bit of homework there sure youll work it out ..we are coming your way in April chasing warmth into Kakadu

cheers Russell

 

[Burnsy]

Welcome Phil, I'll look forward to some pics of your work n play!

Cheers.

 

[macca]

Have you thought about a gas heater, you wont need to worry about tank then!

Geoff

 

[Meanderthals]

I know I shouldn't feel this way and maybe I'm too paranoid, and I also know that I'll probably get some flak for it, but I just don't trust gas. I know I can't eliminate it from the fridge but I have this fear of using gas in an enclosed environment. It comes from a couple of experiences, one of which almost resulted in the death of a few workmates in a van at a remote job. We don't have gas here at home except for BBQ's and I would never have it plumbed in to the house anyway. Fortunately here in the tropics it would only ever be used for cooking anyway and the weather is just about always suitable to be outside. The wife pretty well agrees with me that our intention is to as much as possible to do cooking outdoors of the van to keep smells and any mess out there. If it were at all possible we wouldn't have the 3 burner stove top but there seems to be no alternative. Our preference would have been one electric and one gas but will probably have to have a portable 240V induction cooker. We don't have any high requirements for extensive cooking and would use a Weber Baby Q when ever possible. If the air/water heater was gas powered it would be in the bin under the Expanda which isn't sealed from the inside van area. I may be wrong but I thought that the fridge was sealed that way and vented to outside. I would be having a CO and/or gas detector(s) anyway.

Phil

 

[macca]

Easy solved. 12v compressor fridge (no gas}. Your stove can be turned of under the van, however they are very safe . You can leave it off all the time. You wont cop any flak, remember appliances are very safe these days.

You would find the gas hot plates are good for resale, like you we dont cook inside, so just leave them off. The Truma gas heater is room sealed , meaning it uses outside air for combustion and no flue gasses enter the inside. It s computer controlled.

The fridge is not room sealed, it does however have a flue so the exhaust gasses find their way to outside.

CO detector is a good safety device and still can be uded for diesel appliances so that will be a bonus.

 

[Brad]

Welcome Phil and Lyn
I must say that I have also never seen a request of yours for the different rims with the stud pattern.
Got any reply from Jayco on this request yet?

 

[Meanderthals]

I had an email from someone at Jayco a few months ago saying that yes they can do it. A month later while down South I went to a Dealer to take the whole purchase a bit further and while he was on the phone to a Jayco person on another matter he asked them about it and it was a definite NO. Earlier this month after returning home I sent the Dealer the email that I had OK'ing then idea and for him to chase up its truth and have had a reply that was a bit vague as the Delaer thought that I wanted Jayco to supply rims and tyres. I reconfirmed that I would be able to supply both rims & tyres but haven't received a reply yet. So I'm still no closer to a definitive answer. I'll have to let you all know how I get on, but I'd really like to have a common set of fully interchangeable wheels. I don't understand why it should be a difficult proposition, and this goes for altering internal layouts within the furniture modules that they have across the full range of vans. They just don't seem interested. This is one of the main things we like about the Work n Play as the rear is a blank canvas so to speak.

As to the previous posting about using a 12V compressor fridge I will have a look at what's available and their comparison performances but I'm not sure at the moment if Jayco have one as an alternative.

Getting a little bit further with the Ford Ranger though. Was advised today that the canopy I want is now available, but it's just a shame that they can't tell me when the car arrives.

Phil

 

[macca]

Re your rims and tyres. I would have thought that being a new product from a mass producer, they would have to supply the van with new wheels and tyres (for warranty/insurance reasons), then the dealer could swap the wheels and tyres. A bit like Holden/HSV. Holden produce the car, fit new steel rims/tyres deliver new to HSV, they then replace wheels with 20" alloys and sell the new/old steel rims to wheel retailers.

I have a friend who swears by the Novakool fridge, it has a Grundfoss compressor. Why they don't seem interested in changes is they are trying to reduce the number of individual changes people make. They want to simplify the options available, which I can understand why. The more changes the more to go wrong with your order. But no harm in asking!

 

[Meanderthals]

I would have been supplying rims and tyres that equalled or bettered the load ratings of what was standard. The point of wanting Jayco to do it was that then they would be on the Compliance plate. Later fitment would require updating that plate with some difficulties here probably due to shortage of people to certify it. The standard bolt pattern would have to be different for the PCD of the Ranger rims and there was a question of rim Offset. Anyway all I want is a definitive yes or no which I'm not getting and if it's is no then I'll wait until warranty expiration to get it done, somewhere.

As to getting any changes, I don't understand the attitude of a Company that would completely rule out any changes and therefore lock itself out of a large segment of the market that wants a more custom setup. Example, we were seriously looking at a 14.44-5 but had ideas for a different layout that combined some modules of other models. I had measured up a few things while looking at some and they would fit physically. I do understand that there are limitations for the purposes of weight distribution but surely it isn't that difficult in these days of CAD programs. The answer from a couple of people was that Jayco have set layouts and if you want a custom one there are other Companies that do that. Even if you have 45% of the market, why would you not want to increase that percentage?

I suppose that this is getting past a truly "Member Introduction" posting so should probably leave it at that.

Phil

 

[Brad]

I think Jayco have taken on the working model any car company takes.
I can go and choose from a small range of Holden commodors.
But if I really want to modify then the car needs to go to HSV.
Perhaps Jayco needs to start up another arm called JSV.