The Marshian's New Home - 19ft New Age Gecko

[Smergen]

A couple of new additions.

Got a new BOS370 at the caravan show. Was skeptical about the price required to spend on it, but with the ease in setting up the hitch I think it will be money worth while for life on the road. Further reviews pending.

Also took the van down to the train station to find a level straight place to set up the Andersen Hitch I bought a few weeks ago. Was a little tricking around and interestingly I have different brackets to @pauljygrant. Need to check back with @Base23 and see which ones he has.

Needed some chain extensions (provided by trailer place who sold me the hitch) to get the brackets to a point where the hitch clears the reinforcement bar.

Took it for a spin around town and it seems better. Not remarkably but a bit more testing to do. Mrs Smergs thought it was much better and we agreed that whilst it wasn't "smoother" there was less bounce back from any dips and bumps that were hit. See how we go.

 

[davemc]

Happy with it

 

[Base23]

A couple of new additions.

Got a new BOS370 at the caravan show. Was skeptical about the price required to spend on it, but with the ease in setting up the hitch I think it will be money worth while for life on the road. Further reviews pending.

Also took the van down to the train station to find a level straight place to set up the Andersen Hitch I bought a few weeks ago. Was a little tricking around and interestingly I have different brackets to @pauljygrant. Need to check back with @Base23 and see which ones he has.

Needed some chain extensions (provided by trailer place who sold me the hitch) to get the brackets to a point where the hitch clears the reinforcement bar.

Took it for a spin around town and it seems better. Not remarkably but a bit more testing to do. Mrs Smergs thought it was much better and we agreed that whilst it wasn't "smoother" there was less bounce back from any dips and bumps that were hit. See how we go.

View attachment 48160

Hello Smergen.
The A frame brackets look the same as my original brackets. I have since replaced the original bracket with longer ones to suit the Jayco Outback's lower hitch mount position so the chains now run parallel.

Original bracket


New longer bracket to suit Jayco outback


As for how the Hitch can make the ride feel, I have found that 1 turn of the tension nut either tighter or looser can make a big difference.
If I am driving down the road and the van just dose not seem steady or the car seems a bit light in the front I just pull over and tighten the nuts 1 full turn and then I can sit on 100 to110 kph no problems.

 

[Smergen]

Thanks @Base23. I was wondering if they were the shorter bracket. I don't think the longer bracket would be relevant to my set up given the support bar that runs along my A-Frame. I could put it outside the bar but I don't think that would be wise given it's working against the force to which it is actually there for.

It all looks pretty good in setup up to me so hopefully we'll see how we go. Appreciate the feedback mate.

 

[Smergen]

Geez... a bit of dust has settled on this room of the forum hasn't it?!?

Anyhow, thought I better update that we have just recently moved on the Big Green Lizard... Selling was for a few reasons, none of which was that we were unhappy with the van. In fact quite the opposite. We simply love(d) the van. But every time we stood in it, it reminded us of our Big Trip. We alway would outgrow it anyhow so decided to move it on to another family to make memories in.

So what now? What have we "upgraded/sidegraded/downgraded" to?

Happy to take guesses...

 

[Pace]

Off road camper trailer with fire wood rack?

 

[Marv_mart]

Good to see you back.
We have done trips to Kinka Beach (Qld), Echuca (Vic), The Painted Silo Trail from Ouyen to Horsham (Vic) and Nelson Bay (NSW) along with our trip to Prague, Vienna and Italy last May-June since you last posted. Wow, time does fly!

 

[davemc]

How have you been.. we did two cruises in the last year not used the van as much

Seeing you are used to the kids sleeping next to you what about a camperite offroad trailer with bunks

Or could see you in a Caria for some reason

or maybe a motorhome with a supercar or helicopter

 

[Smergen]

Off road camper trailer with fire wood rack?

 

[Drover]

Time to start all over again then, 5th wheeler is the go.

 

[Smergen]

Time to start all over again then, 5th wheeler is the go.

Pass... As impressive as they often are, they are freakin' enormous. We're in a downsizing mood.

 

[Smergen]

Nice suggestions @davemc... Knowing my admiration for the Basestation, you are right about the Caria. We actually checked them out in a previous caravan life. Found them quite good inside but the sales rep really annoyed me and was enough to have me walking away.

 

[davemc]

Yes understand about sales reps we do not have a New Age as they double teamed us , did the old if you walk out today the price is going up $5k trick..Then rang us twice a day afterwards.
I was pretty much getting the 19" Mantra Ray since I started looking at vans. Gil needed the sale although would not do a couple of changes like bed convertor.

 

[Crusty181]

But every time we stood in it, it reminded us of our Big Trip

In contrast thats the very reason im quite attacted to our van. Having spent so much time living in our van its become a intrinsic part of so many great memories. Combined with all the very personal mods, i feel very comfortable and very much at home when we go away in it.

(And the bonus is, all that adds up to me not putting my hand back in my pocket to get another one)

 

[Crusty181]

Im going to take a stab at a camper trailer

 

[crackacoldie]

Im going to take a stab at a camper trailer

I agree

 

[Smergen]

In contrast thats the very reason im quite attacted to our van. Having spent so much time living in our van its become a intrinsic part of so many great memories. Combined with all the very personal mods, i feel very comfortable and very much at home when we go away in it.

(And the bonus is, all that adds up to me not putting my hand back in my pocket to get another one)

Yeah fair enough mate, and I hear you. You've invested a crapload of time in your van. One issue we had was that we knew deep down that our 3 would outgrow the van and we'd eventually NEED to change our set up regardless. So a change was required, either now or at a later date. We chose now.

 

[Smergen]

Off road camper trailer with fire wood rack?

Im going to take a stab at a camper trailer

I agree

You are correct. You weren't tipped off were you?

 

[Crusty181]

You are correct. You weren't tipped off were you?

Seemed like a likely progression. Ive often thought about getting one myself. Mostly for my older kids and their families to use, but something we could ocassionally use as well

So ..... whats your short list. I quiet like the Black Series. I know they arent high end on the structural side, but set up they always look incredibly neat, straight and well finished

 

[17triton]

Can we guess what make?