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barney120

Active Member
Dec 10, 2013
158
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Kangaroo Valley
Hi, I have joined up with this forum, tho I have been looking at it for a while. Myself, wife and 9yr old daughter and 7 yr old son love our 16 ft expanda brought new 2 and a half years ago. We have done a 6 week trip S.A. , Tas. via vic.. 2 week central N.S.W. and 3 week out to Broken Hill down to Vic. and home plus numerous weekend trips. I tow with a 2010 ford ranger wildtrack which has given me only a couple of little troubles, one being snapped pin in already recalled and replaced tow tongue/tow bar. A few missed heartbeats later and van stayed straight held up by crossed over safety chains and then a change of undies and all was good, no damage. The other prob was I boiled the auto trans oil by shifting down to 2nd, hill got steeper but stays locked in 2nd and wont change down unless you do it manually or put it back in D. Luckily ford gearbox oil pan is 3 to 4 inches deeper than mazda auto and no damage done. Only mods to van are shelving in cupboard, and same wet matteress as it seems everyone gets but I lowered gas strut mount on bottom mounting so front lid is at slightly more of an angle. seems to be at same angle as rear lid now and has seemed to eliminated wet front bed. Mind you after looking at forum, a lot of ideas I have had are going to happen shortly with the help of other forum pictures. No problems with van other than replacing all screws in drawer runners with longer ones as some had fallen out on drive home from dealer. Will put up some pictures when wife gets home as I am not that good with computers
 

jed

Active Member
May 16, 2013
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Welcome to the site barney 120 :) looking forward to the pics
 

barney120

Active Member
Dec 10, 2013
158
151
43
57
Kangaroo Valley
Welcome @barney120 ! I was thinking of doing the same with our front lid, good stuff mate.
yes, by changing the angle slightly downwards, the water running off lid misses the bed end where before it used to drip straight onto the bed end. It now looks to be at same angle as rear lid. Only had to lower slightly to make a big difference.
 

Xpandafan

Seriously Likeable!
Aug 24, 2012
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Kealba, Victoria
Hi, I have joined up with this forum, tho I have been looking at it for a while. Myself, wife and 9yr old daughter and 7 yr old son love our 16 ft expanda brought new 2 and a half years ago. We have done a 6 week trip S.A. , Tas. via vic.. 2 week central N.S.W. and 3 week out to Broken Hill down to Vic. and home plus numerous weekend trips. I tow with a 2010 ford ranger wildtrack which has given me only a couple of little troubles, one being snapped pin in already recalled and replaced tow tongue/tow bar. A few missed heartbeats later and van stayed straight held up by crossed over safety chains and then a change of undies and all was good, no damage. The other prob was I boiled the auto trans oil by shifting down to 2nd, hill got steeper but stays locked in 2nd and wont change down unless you do it manually or put it back in D. Luckily ford gearbox oil pan is 3 to 4 inches deeper than mazda auto and no damage done. Only mods to van are shelving in cupboard, and same wet matteress as it seems everyone gets but I lowered gas strut mount on bottom mounting so front lid is at slightly more of an angle. seems to be at same angle as rear lid now and has seemed to eliminated wet front bed. Mind you after looking at forum, a lot of ideas I have had are going to happen shortly with the help of other forum pictures. No problems with van other than replacing all screws in drawer runners with longer ones as some had fallen out on drive home from dealer. Will put up some pictures when wife gets home as I am not that good with computers
Welcome @barney120. Look forward to those pics.
 

barney120

Active Member
Dec 10, 2013
158
151
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Kangaroo Valley
:welcome: @barney120. See your not that far from us, have stayed in the Valley a few times, but last was well over 12 mths ago.
at Glenmac CP
I see there are a few people close by bushman. Yes, Kangaroo Valley is a nice spot, I am friends with owner at glenmac and cravan park at the bridge. Good free camping at bendeela also. But my friends with vans come to my place as we are on 2 and a half acres.