New Journey 17.55.8

[Bushman]

Hope you didn't join the "Pacific Hwy" near Eden.
Most awning leak over the door ours did and a few other places mostly through the switching till I sealed it.

and your Ex-Panda ended up in a good home.

 

[BruceD]

The brain was saying "Princes" but the fingers said "Pacific".

And yes, the expanda has found a good home, as it deserves.

 

[chartrock]

Mostly we are very happy with the van’s layout and inclusions. Jury is out regards the “fake” curtains. I like the idea of being able to pull the curtains when just getting changed or sitting at the table and having light come in but a bit pf privacy.

We agree with the bit about curtains and we have asked for full tracks to be fitted on each window. Mrs CR will then make full curtains to fit. It is on the list and supposedly approved so we wait and see.

 

[Bushman]

Thanks to everyone for your support and comments.

As we bought the Journey from Jayco Albury is was fitted with a Breakaway system. During handover when they were explaining it to me I said that it wasn't a requirement in the ACT. Albury had arranged for a temporary rego permit to allow me to get the van back to the ACT. When I went to register it the next week I thought I would connect the Breakaway system up and plug the monitoring device in. Just as well as they checked that it was working correctly and said that IT is a requirement in the ACT if ATM over 2000kg. The Journey is just over 2100. I couldn't find anything on the ACT Government web site stating this.

Interestingly the Expanda 16.49.3 we had had a ATM of 2063kg and wasn't fitted with a Breakaway system We purchased it from Jayco Canberra with ACT rego.

I quiered mine as well with Canberra as I have and ATM of 2079, Was told the Break-Away is only required on vans over 2 ton "TARE" weight and the in cab monitor is an NSW requirment, personally think all vans should have break-away system for saftey sake regardless of weight.

 

[fishinglizard]

I always thought it was because it had duel wheels and could keep going down the road, a single wheel would dig in at the a frame and stop. My Tare is 1545 disco 2012 modal 17 55 5 sh and it has it.

 

[Moto Moto]

Great to hear you new van went well @BruceD

Its a pity about the sail rail leak and gas bottles, always good to find these things out on a shake down trip rather than a huge trip.

Eden is a great part of the world, i love it down there.

Regarding the breakaway query, i checked this too and my understanding is that if the GTM (which is the ATM minus the ball weight) is under 2000kg it doesn't need one. Hence why your old expnda didn't have one. I think all dual axle van require them regardless as fishinglizard mentioned.

I picked your old expanda up on Friday from Albury, only spent the one night in is so far, but i'm in love. The condition of the van is a real credit to you, everyone that has seen it doesn't belive its a year old.

 

[crackacoldie]

I always thought it was because it had duel wheels and could keep going down the road, a single wheel would dig in at the a frame and stop. My Tare is 1545 disco 2012 modal 17 55 5 sh and it has it.

from experience, the nose of a tandem still drops into the ground.

 

[BruceD]

Thought I would give an update of mods etc for our Journey. Have been away 3-4 times in it and are extremely happy with it.

We had the axles underslung by Jayco Albury when they did our first service. Raised it about 80mm which I am happy with. We now have to use a step but we have a fold-up external one, no real problem.



Added some pipes to carry the sullage hoses. I have cut mine into 5 two metre lengths with joiners. Allows me to only use as much as required.

 

[BruceD]

Oops hit the wrong button!!



Added pole carrier to A frame



Added 3 push out drawers to LHS cupboard and one to the RHS



Moved the reading lights to a better position. Still looking for the right cover to hide the holes.



Found a good spot for the broom



We fell for the dreaded strip light being left on in the awning. I don't like the new wireless switches. I like to be able to tell if a light is on/off by looking at the switch. Have since moved the switch up so it cannot be hit accidentally.




Things to do are:

• Make proper curtains. We have the material.
• Redo the drainage plumbing
• Move the hose connection. When we were at Moruya last weekend we had the slow drip and it has stained the side. Luckily I took a container of drinking water.

The other most important thing to do is get away more. Unfortunately at the moment things are against us; doctors appointments, expectant arrival of second grandchild etc.

 

[17triton]

The strip light on the awning accidentally switched on did it damage the awning or just flatten the battery? It looks burnt?

 

[BruceD]

Not sure how long and when it was turned on. When I rolled it out on the weekend the vinyl was stuck to the strip light. Had to seperate them before I could roll the awning out to its full length.

I wasn't aware before the weekend that the "OFF" button on the other light switch also turns the external and strip lights off.

 

[halbster]

Hi Bruce where do you get the joiners for the sullage hose?

Also when I moved the bed lights in my Starcraft I was looking for a cover for the old holes and found these Crome covers at Bunnings, close but not quite big enough to cover both of the small holes. Ended up using down lights not sure how they'd go in that position though? Just a couple ideas for you.

 

[BruceD]

Hi @halbster

They are from Bunnings, 25mm if I remember correctly

 

[BruceD]

Just had a week away at Regatta Point CP at Wallaga Lake near Bermagui. Very nice spot. Doesn't look much when you drive in (you feel like turning around and going elsewhere) but the sites are right on the lake and the place is very quiet, off season. The office is 3/4 into the park and the track down to the caravan sites is right back at the entrance and there is a very tight turning area to go back. Tight enough with my smallish van as there were boats and cars encroaching onto the area. Larger vans were having great difficulty, one 5th wheeler had to reverse.
Great spot for kayaking and fishing.

The new curtains are great. We had warn evenings where we had windows open, curtains closed. By early morning it got cool so we just slide the blinds 3/4 up. Best mod!!. Don't know what Jayco were thinking when they put the false ones in.

I found something suitable to cover the holes where I moved the reading lights. They are available from Bunnings and are Madico stick on antiskid floor protectors. Very thin and will do and if I find something better, ie not black, then I can remove them easily.

 

[chartrock]

Hi @BruceD, when we ordered our Journey we had the same discussion about curtains and we asked for the curtain tracks to be right across the windows, When we picked up the van, we found Jayco had fitted full curtains to all the windows, A win for us but we found one window had two different length curtains so that is being replace under warranty. Like you, we like the convenience of just pulling the curtains instead of wrestling with the blinds.

 

[Moto Moto]

Loving the well though out mods on your van @BruceD
I am still enjoying the ones you did to you last van every time we go away. '
That Caravan Park looks great, what an awesome outlook. Sometimes the parks that are not the fanciest are the best, especially with views like that.

 

[BruceD]

A few more mods to the Journey before we head off this weekend for 3 weeks up the NSW coast. Hopefully it has all dried out by now.

Added a fire blanket just inside the door on the wall behind the shower and replaced the smoke alarm with a combined smoke/CO alarm that has a battery that is supposed to last 10 years. I like the idea of the blanket as I believe it would take me too long to get to the fire extinguisher, especially where it is.

I had previously added some push drawers to the left hand cupboard but found that the door only just opened wide enough and the drawers were scrapping. Added a piano hinge so the door can open wider. (Thanks @Billrw136 for pictures etc).


Never liked the water connection coming through the van (cupboard) and then through the floor, so re-routed the connection. This position was the easiest I could find without a major re-work of piping or having a right angle bend. Added a cap to stop dust etc from getting into pipe. May need to look at some better protection for it later.



Also never liked the way that the shower and basin drained into the same pipe before heading to the outlet. Decided to separate them and add some PVC pipe. Left some clear pipe as it was easier at the time, may look at full PVC later.
This is how it was

This is how it is now


Used 100mm PVC as this allowed me to have decent slopes from the front of van to the back where the outlet is and also away from the end where the shower and basin connect. Tried using some 150mm but there wasn't enough room for the slope. When I have tested it it works fine, real test will be the coming weeks.

 

[BruceD]

On our way to Port Macquarie I had made arrangements with Holiday Annexes in Buchanan, outside Maitland, to call in and have a end wall made. I have found that with the back door being so close to the awning end that when it is windy or raining it comes straight in. I have a Coast to Coast sun screen wall but wanted something fully water proof. We left the van with Holiday Annexes overnight, went and stayed in a motel in the Hunter, and everything was ready the next day.
I got the end wall made so that I can have half of it down of the whole wall. Also got a patio roof for attaching to the front and some sail track put along the roof on the right side, non awning side, so that I can attach my Coast to Coast sub wall either side, depending on the sun.

 

[cruza driver]

So how is the Journey going @BruceD ?

 

[BruceD]

Love it, it suits my wife and I just fine.We are fairly new to this type of travelling and this van is just the right size. I am 5' 11" and the bed is just big enough and we need it extended all of the time, I sleep on the door side and find I just have to step over the end. no big deal.
As usual Jayco's finish etc is a bit off but I am enjoying put my own touch to things, eg the plumbing which is working fine.
The Territory pulls it well, just sometimes I wish it had a bigger tank.