Excited Newbie family

[warren cook]

you only have set places for how high you can have it with the ratchet ones.......

if you can find the older style with the screw, easier to control whatever distance you need to set it to

That makes sense.

Looking at the footprint on them I assume they are sturdier than a jockey wheel?

The reason I ask is when I have the corner steadies down and taking the required load I can still get movement on the van if I shake it from the a-frame, The movement seems to be the from the jockey wheel even when it is lowered and taking the weight along with the drop downs, is this normal with a jockey wheel and will the axle stand limit the movement or am I doing something wrong or worrying over nothing?

 

[bigcol]

will the axle stand limit the movement

to a degree, yes it will limit the "side to side" movement at the draw bar (soft sand / mud / etc are the variables............)

you can (and I have done sometimes in soft sand) put a block of wood under the Jack Stand, to help make it a wee bit firmer

 

[Bluey]

@warren cook thank you so much just reading some of your posts with tears in my eyes in laughter the way you wright well done that an aussie wide annex yes ?? The add a room is a real pain to set up biggest waist of money never use it and never will just try to get it back in its bag no chance belive me so many poles to set up evan the bloke who set our annex up had trouble
One for your list make sure you un clip all roof clips before lifting roof it helps alot

 

[dagree]

evan the bloke who set our annex up had trouble

Might need to send Terry (WA Australiawide Rep) over @Bluey ... He would "talk" it up

 

[caax]

@warren cook van looks sensational mate enjoy.
Also like the look of the Annex
Happy Holidaying

 

[warren cook]

@warren cook thank you so much just reading some of your posts with tears in my eyes in laughter the way you wright well done that an aussie wide annex yes ?? The add a room is a real pain to set up biggest waist of money never use it and never will just try to get it back in its bag no chance belive me so many poles to set up evan the bloke who set our annex up had trouble
One for your list make sure you un clip all roof clips before lifting roof it helps alot

Cheers @Bluey,

Let me tell you I certainly wasn't laughing at the time but still took it all in my stride, something tells me I'm not the first to do things like that and probably wont be the last.

Yes it is an Auswide Annex, set up for the first time was pretty easy, a few things I had to get my head around was really the set up of the awning legs height and the angle of the cross bar so that things went into place easy. As for the annex itself just getting used to lining the panels up correctly to make the zipping easier was what I learned. It's also got a few good configurations which I like, depending on site position and length of stay that I can choose from.

The captains quarters was a "do we or don't we" purchase at the time, we decided to run with it as the cost factored in to the whole expense at the time was negligible but not something we would have probably done further down the line. The plan is to use it for long stays and somewhere to store all the bikes and scooters or even our nephew if he should join us ( I don't mean caged up as it probably sounds). I heard the poles are a pain from another forum, might have to do a few test runs at home first. I do have a concern with whether it would fit onto some of the sites at the caravan parks, I guess I will know when it is put up.

I'll pop up some pictures of the possible event, can't promise whether they will be of the room set up or a bag sitting on the shelf in the garage with broken poles on the floor though and a few empty stubbies next to them.

Just checking regarding the roof clips, are you talking about a pop top van? If so not something I have to worry about as its a full caravan. However I can also assume this is one of the learning curves you experienced on a trip hey, how long until you realised and how many expletives were thrown around?

 

[warren cook]

@warren cook van looks sensational mate enjoy.
Also like the look of the Annex
Happy Holidaying

Thanks @caax,

Taking the family away next week for a few days and I'm like a kid at Christmas counting down the days. Is it just me or do cold beverages seem to taste better when you're away?

 

[caax]

Spot on mate they do taste better and needing a lot more. Just finished 2 bottle of Makers Mark last night.
A few glasses (not drunk) sure does make you sleep well.

Our next trip is in Feb to South West Rocks

 

[Bluey]

Cheers @Bluey,

Let me tell you I certainly wasn't laughing at the time but still took it all in my stride, something tells me I'm not the first to do things like that and probably wont be the last.

Yes it is an Auswide Annex, set up for the first time was pretty easy, a few things I had to get my head around was really the set up of the awning legs height and the angle of the cross bar so that things went into place easy. As for the annex itself just getting used to lining the panels up correctly to make the zipping easier was what I learned. It's also got a few good configurations which I like, depending on site position and length of stay that I can choose from.

The captains quarters was a "do we or don't we" purchase at the time, we decided to run with it as the cost factored in to the whole expense at the time was negligible but not something we would have probably done further down the line. The plan is to use it for long stays and somewhere to store all the bikes and scooters or even our nephew if he should join us ( I don't mean caged up as it probably sounds). I heard the poles are a pain from another forum, might have to do a few test runs at home first. I do have a concern with whether it would fit onto some of the sites at the caravan parks, I guess I will know when it is put up.

I'll pop up some pictures of the possible event, can't promise whether they will be of the room set up or a bag sitting on the shelf in the garage with broken poles on the floor though and a few empty stubbies next to them.

Just checking regarding the roof clips, are you talking about a pop top van? If so not something I have to worry about as its a full caravan. However I can also assume this is one of the learning curves you experienced on a trip hey, how long until you realised and how many expletives were thrown around?

In regards to last comments quite a few and yes i saw after you van is full size somthing i wish i had
As for the add a room bag and all the poles are heavy when we are trying to keep things light if your going to try putting it up go your local park this is where i learnt the finer things about putting up my annex and quickly learnt the add a room would spend its days in my shed

 

[warren cook]

In regards to last comments quite a few and yes i saw after you van is full size somthing i wish i had
As for the add a room bag and all the poles are heavy when we are trying to keep things light if your going to try putting it up go your local park this is where i learnt the finer things about putting up my annex and quickly learnt the add a room would spend its days in my shed

Its a shame when you spend that kind of money on something and it not work out, one of the more expensive purchases made.

Agree on the weight of the annex alone being too heavy, let alone the extension room (probably will not be something that gets packed too often). Do you have the porch on the front? if so how does that work out for you?

Do you carry your annex inside the van, in a tool box or in the vehicle?, as I am still trying to figure out the best way to transport the whole thing, at the moment it sits between the rear dinette seats just past the axle.

Also what is the problem you came across with setting up the poles? are there too many, hard to fit or unstable? Any tips would be handy matey.

 

[warren cook]

Spot on mate they do taste better and needing a lot more. Just finished 2 bottle of Makers Mark last night.
A few glasses (not drunk) sure does make you sleep well.

Our next trip is in Feb to South West Rocks

Just finished 2 bottle of Makers Mark last night.

and your awake to tell the tale, hope I don't bump in to you down a dark alley!!!!


Must be nearly beer o'clock then for you!!!!

 

[bigcol]

Do you carry your annex inside the van, in a tool box or in the vehicle?, as I am still trying to figure out the best way to transport the whole thing, at the moment it sits between the rear dinette seats just past the axle.

until I can think of a better place, mine are on the floor, near the middle of the Van - helping to make sure no doors or draws open while on the road

 

[Bluey]

My annex is in back of car i find that not too heavy for what it is i like 4 bags and how it packs up as for add a room i have no advice no help too many poles too confusing to much trouble would rather put up canvas tent i have front and back pourch but again never used them much it goes so high with my pop up roof i love the annex the rest is a bit useless maybe one time we can get togeather and burn our add a rooms over a few quite ones and discuss how good they could have been

 

[warren cook]

My annex is in back of car i find that not too heavy for what it is i like 4 bags and how it packs up as for add a room i have no advice no help too many poles too confusing to much trouble would rather put up canvas tent i have front and back pourch but again never used them much it goes so high with my pop up roof i love the annex the rest is a bit useless maybe one time we can get togeather and burn our add a rooms over a few quite ones and discuss how good they could have been

From the sounds of it a sacrificial burn to the beer gods could be on the cards.

 

[warren cook]

until I can think of a better place, mine are on the floor, near the middle of the Van - helping to make sure no doors or draws open while on the road

It sounds like a common theme then with the annex on the floor in the van, maybe I can stop thinking about where to pack it (the wife likes everything to have a place put away) and get in to some other mods.

I'm trying to source some 100 x 100mm square pvc/aluminium box tubing, similar to gutter downpipes to use for storing poles and hoses etc. I know most people use the normal round ones but I have seen some on google images where they stack together neater and you can also turn it into a slide out tray type system, like below:

Any thought?

 

[megcam]

@warren cook - nice looking van there. Fun times ahead.

That makes sense.
The reason I ask is when I have the corner steadies down and taking the required load I can still get movement on the van if I shake it from the a-frame

I always chock the wheels with these which helps reduce that side to side movement.

 

[bigcol]

I'm trying to source some 100 x 100mm square pvc/aluminium box tubing, similar to gutter downpipes to use for storing poles and hoses etc. I know most people use the normal round ones but I have seen some on google images where they stack together neater and you can also turn it into a slide out tray type system, like below:

what a great idea......................

 

[warren cook]

@warren cook - nice looking van there. Fun times ahead.



I always chock the wheels with these which helps reduce that side to side movement.

Thanks @megcam,

Off to the shops it is to give it a go. Appreciate the heads up.

 

[warren cook]

@megcam



I always chock the wheels with these which helps reduce that side to side movement.
[ATTACH]55421[/ATTACH]

Went out and purchased these yesterday, thanks @megc

 

[warren cook]

Just came back from campsmart and I now have the Coast to Coast shade walls. While the guy was out the back getting them my eyes started to wander around. I now am the owner of a collapsible laundry bucket, water hose and sullage hose bag and 2 more 9ft poles. Of course I really needed them right!!!!

The only thing I need from Santa now is the beeswax stick for the WDH and we are ready to go on our trip.

We leave on Boxing day in the early AM's and head to Sapphire Beach near Coffs Harbour for a few nights. We then travel to Treasure Island caravan park in QLD for a week before coming back down to Valla Beach for 2 nights and then on to Sydney.

This is our first trip away other than a few weekend trips so I think were prepared, although who knows what's going to happen.

We are taking two cars so I will be cruising along with the van enjoying the serenity while the missus has the 4 girls in her car screaming over what DVD to watch. I have offered to take two of them with me but they would rather go with mummy, so I didn't put up much of a fight and moved on.

Anyway, I will do some reviews of the parks as we go.

PS, Just looked at my Avatar and noticed I am now a Well Known Member, love it!!!!!