She's a Just Dandy!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Our Camp at Mornington Peninsular

 

 

We bought our Camper Trailer at the 2013 Boat and Camping Show, a great deal which included independent suspension and about $2000 worth of show specials like a boat and bike rack etc. It is a budget Camper so nothing Flash but a great setup for us and the kids for under $10K.

 

What we liked about the camper is it is an Australian made trailer from the ground up. The tent was stitched together in China from Australian Made Ripstop Canvas (the best stuff available). Once we picked it up the Mods began in earnest for our test trip down to the Fitzgerald National Park, wher we took 155L of water and made it last for 5 nights! Not bad for 2 Adults and 3 Kids and we all had some sort of shower each day.

 

It was a fantastic break from the daily grind and a couple of highlioghts were a couple of whales playing in a couple of meters of water just off the beach and watching a pod of dolphins surfing the break. It sure opened up my eyes tho to what I needed to do to the camper!

 

This is the current specs

• 15" Sunraiser Rims with LT 235/75r15 attached and a complete spare

• Independent Supspension handles like a dream!

• 80L stailess water tank

• 500mm deep box under tent

• long draw bar with two tool boxes

• Electric breaks, which buggered up on the first day!

• Boat Rack (we are missing the boat still)

• Bike Rack

• 3 Jerry can holders

• 4kg gas bottle holder

• hand pump for hand washing on the side of the road

• tailgate kitchen with sink and electric pump, (which has a switch wired in now, after a hose issue, so no pressure is kept on the system when not used. it also is out of sight next to the tap so the kids, mainly Tayah, can't waste the water)

 

This is a list of things I have added or changed to improve the Camper.

• 12V Setup, (this will have a page of its own)

• Re-wired the pump so to work without the car being attached

• Tea Towel Rack

• LED Lights permently mounted inside the tent. Almost like daylight when on full blast! and Some not so permenant ones for the Awning/second room

• Another Tool Box Mounted to the Draw Bay for all the bulky light stuff

• Pipes for the Poles for the awning (or fishing rods!)

• Replaced the clips on the kitchen as the ones on it were crap and broke the first time we used it.

• Spare wheel mount will be converted into a compete hub setup for the dreaded time something breaks like a wheel bearing or worse!

 

Now having completed the Gibb River Road in it, I now know what the next step is! On this trip we have basically destroyed the suspension. One of the four shocks is now free of oil except for the stain on the outside! And the Springs have sagged significantly, especially the left which now sits 15mm lower than the right with more weight even being on the right side! (only anbout 20Kg) and I belive it is now a full inch and a half lower than it was when we left home, so new springs and shocks it is. Im thinking Ill put the old suspension out of the Pajero in and see what it looks like and problably match the shocks to what is currently in the Paj. One less spare to carry!

 

With that priciple in mind, I will be cutting the wheel guards out and lifting them 2 to 3 inches, (pleantly of room to do so!) and put the same rims on the trailer as is on the car. This will mean for little trips away only have the spare on the car should suffice for all round and on the flip side if the shit hits the fan on a longer trip we can use the the wheels on the trailer to get us to safety.

 

Another mod which will be the first one I do is change the hitch setup because at the moment, everytime I want to disconnect the camper from the car I have to dig a hole for the jockey wheel! I will consult my good mate Rob, on how to procced with this mod as he builds trailers for a living and I sure as **** dont want this to break!

 

The Matress in the king size bed is really bad, I use a lumbar support when I sleep just to help my back get a bit of shape as it offers no support what-so-ever and is causing my wife and I both some pain.

 

I will also be on the lookout for some hay-rake-tines to make some tent pegs, as the ones the came with the camper are ok but could be much better.

 

On the trip home we noticed the passenger side suspension had broken. We managed to get it back together and home with no significant problems. Route-Means-Cause is the fact that the RHS the suspension is fixed to is too light duty. So before it goes out again, I have to fix it. Means my birthday present this year will be a Mig Welder.