Coast Runners Outback Expanda 14.44.2

[Coastrunner]

Thanks Jimmy.

I`ll keep an eye on them.

I remember my dad telling me to be careful never to drop a led sinker in my aluminium tinny. He told me that the dissimilar metals react and eventually a led sinker can make a rust hole in the aluminium. I was told that it was ok to use stainless steel screws in my tinny when I installed a nipper pump bracket. The boat guy said these metals were very similar. I didn`t notice the stainless shell screws or the aluminium rusting when I did this, but in saying that, I sold the tinny about a year after I did that to buy a bigger boat. Not sure if I did the right thing there. I love the big boat, but use it around half as much as the old tinny.

If I could recommened agreat 12 foot tinny, I`d recommened the Quintrex Dart 375. Was a great tinny. A bit higher and wider than most 12 footers. I liked the 2 seat option. No seat in the middle means more storage and more room. Sorry, getting caried away here. This is a caravan forum isnt it.

 

[Coastrunner]

Latest Mod Completed.

Bike Rack mounted on front A Frame.

50mm x 50mm Steel cut to size
Bolted onto 2 x 90 degree Steel angle {4 x 75mm bolts + nylock nuts}
Measured and bolted to A frame {4 x 75mm bolts + nylock nuts}



Welded at 4 points for extra strength
Pained with Rust Guard Paint
Attached bike rack bracket




Attached Triple Bike rack
Attach Bike.

 

[Coastrunner]

I know I`m doubling up here, as my pics and details are up in the technical section.
I just want to have a history of my van all together in one thread.

As I see it, there are 4 advantages having a front mounted bike rack over a rear mounted bike rack.

1. Bikes are always visible when driving. If anything goes wrong, there's a better chance of seeing and fixing it.
2. Rego plate is not obstructed.
3. Not as much weight at the rear of the van. Too much weight at rear can be dangerous.
4. On my 14.44.2 the beds folds down at the rear, so I don't have to worry about removing bikes & rack to set up. {A pain for those 1 night stops}

So now what the next mod?

LED lights - Done
Annexe - Done
12 V External Shower _ Done
External Towel Rail - Done
12 V Tv & Arial - Done - But undone to make room for bike rack.

Hmmm! Where to put arial bracket and pole?

Somewhere & somehow, I`ll have to attach something else to A frame.

Will put that off for another day.

 

[Coastrunner]

Before completing this mod I had to check a few things.

1. That I can still open my front boot with the bike rack attached.
2. That the welded serial/ chassis number on A frame was unobstructed and visible.
3. That I could still remove the spare tyre without being obstructed by the bike rack & mount.
4. Most importantly, that the bike rack was positioned far enough back so the car doesn't make contact with the bikes when turning.

Satisfying to see it all work out.

 

[Pace]

CR, have a look at my album a possible arial pole/ bracket option for you, my son made it up . Pace.

 

[Coastrunner]

How do I look at your album?

 

[Pace]

How do I look at your album?

Hover mouse over my username then click my profile option, once in their on the left hand side half way down album is there. Within the pictures there are description blurbs of all done also. enjoy. Pace.

 

[Coastrunner]

Thanks Pace.

I just had a look at your pics, in particular your antenna set up.

Well done champ.

I think I`ll use your idea.

Much Appreciated.

CR

 

[Coastrunner]

Just tested rack to see if 3 bikes fit on easily.

First bike went on very easily
Second bike a bit fiddly but relatively easy, just had to move first bikes pedal around.
Third bike, a bit more fiddly second bikes pedal and handle bars in the way a bit but got the job done.
I don`t think I`ll try for a four bike rack. Looks like Bike 4 will get dismantled and put in back of the car.

 

[Coastrunner]

Ok. So now after successfully completing the job of mounting a bike rack on the draw bar I`ve moved on to the next mod.

I had to remove my jerry can holder to make way for the bikes on the draw bar, and with that I lost my bracket to mount the tv antenna.

So over the last couple of days, I purchased some more steel [30mm x 30mm] square tube and made up a design that wouldn`t interfere with my bike rack and other mechanisms around the draw bar.

I made up, and welded a bracket that I could just slide my two piece tv antenna into.

See attached pics.

THE BRACKET WELDED TO BIKE RACK.


THE BRACKET WITH TWO PIECE ANTENA POLE & ANTENA.


TV reception was perfect at home.

Heading down to Green Patch Jervis Bay this weekend, will see how it goes out there in holiday land.

 

[Coastrunner]

That`s better. I hate it when my pics come out sideways.

 

[Coastrunner]

I just had to get myself back to the top of the list. I was gett`n awfully close to Page 2!!!

We cant have that!

So I built some shelves for my inside cupboards, well one cupboard at this stage.

To avoid having to screw from the outside of the cupboard, I decided to put 2 interior walls inside the cupboard, and screw shelf supporting timbers into them. From there, I just glued and screwed the shelf timbers onto the supporting timbers and the job was nearly done.

To finish off I attached a nice little pine timber strip along the front of both shelves.

See pic below.

 

[relgate]

nice work.

 

[Brad]

Looks great coastrunner

 

[Coastrunner]

3 Stages

1.
Measured and cut to size.
*Cut internal side walls to fit around power point and wiring.

Sorry, No matter how hard I try my pics often come out side ways. GGRRR!
2.

3. The finished product.

 

[relgate]

Does your camera have an auto function that turns the picture 'right way up'? Ours does, but if you turn the camera too much to one side it has the opposite effect

 

[Coastrunner]

Hiya Relgate.

I just used my iPhone as a camera for most of my photos. Maybe I twisted it too far to one side?

It`s quite frustrating. I've done so many mods on my van. I weld, work with timber, do basic plumbing, many small electrical jobs along with alot of other handy work BUT I CANT SEEM TO MASTER MY IPHONE AND CAMERA. I think I`ve reached old age.

 

[Brad]

I think in the photos app of the iPhone you can now edit the pics and rotate the pics.

 

[Coastrunner]

Van cover 18 months on. A little hole appeared in the top of cover, but all is good. It was $85 on ebay.

I still think it's a great investment. Even with the hole in the cover, the sealant around the edges is still very well protected.

I think the sun is the biggest threat to the sealant around the roof area on all vans.

My old van just sat outside without a cover for 10 years and the sun just baked the sealant all day everyday until it started to crack, split and create leaks when it rained. I resealed it quite a few times but never thought to buy a cover.

One of the first things I did with the Expanda was buy the cover.

Spending $100 to protect a $30,000 van is definitely a good move.

If you haven't already done this guys, I strongly recommend you do soon.

 

[Bmhdg76]

@Coastrunner, we have a cover as well but one thing we have found since using it is the van gets bloody hot inside. So much hotter than it ever did without it. Does everyone else find the same?

We have the coast to coast brand. I even leave the windows open a little but no better. I know it will protect the outside of the van but...

BJ