Journey 17.58-3 options for front toolbox

DavoR

New Member
Mar 4, 2018
9
7
3
Melbourne
First time poster here so go easy!!
I've read the forums in here and couldn't find an answer to my question.

My family placed an order on a OB 17.58-3 for delivery in July-18. We are all pretty excited and working towards a half lap starting April 2019.
Our van will have an extended A frame.
I'm thinking of fitting a custom tool box to the front of the van (carrying a weber q and gennie and anything else I can get in) with the gas bottles positioned further towards the coupling.
My question to any one else who has done something similar; is there anything I should be specifying with Jayco before the build is finalised to facilitate what I'm proposing.

Eg. Ideally I don't want to have to take a grinder to a newly delivered van to make a toolbox fit. Any tips or advice would be greatly appreciated.Also dimensions and designs of fitted toolboxes will be appreciated also.

Thanks again
 

Crusty181

Well-Known Member
Feb 7, 2010
6,854
13,971
113
Mentone, VIC
Hi @DavoR congrats on the purchase, and welcome to the forum. Seasoned caravanner or newby ???

There is a bucket load of stuff on here with regards to drawer bar boxes. Some of the guys are very clever at finding stuff via the search box .... Im not so gifted with that

I have a reasonably priced off the shelf 2.5mm 600wx500hx1800 alum tool box on my ext drawe rbar, from G7 Australia in QLD (they delivered to Melb). Its bolted through the factory gas bottle mounting plates which are whats welded to the drawer bar to hold the gas bottles brackets. Once you unbolt the gas bottle brackets there are metal plates flat against the edge of the chassis which are ideal to sandwich plate and bolt through your tool box floor.

I relocated the gas bottle brackets to a new position in front of the tool box, along with a couple of outrigger jerry can holders. With the ext drawer bar I still have clear swing room for the car lock to lock, and enough space behind the tool box for a 150mm sewer pipe and 100mm water pipe for anti flap kit etc and fishing rods. It has all survived 50k km's so far.

I designed and built it, and after I completed the work mysteriously the new off road Jayco Adventurer was released with a very VERY similar gas bottle/jerry mounting set up as my design. (Mines still better. Admittedly Jaycos welding maybe a little sweeter than mine .... but thats not the point). I suspect they copied my brilliant design; I back this up with Jayco's history of, left to their own devices, regular standard issue, not so brilliant design

You'll need to very mindful of the significant extra weight youll be adding to the vans ball weight, and ultimately the tow veh towbar. Unchecked, your likely to exceed both your tow bar and ball weight maximums if your not very careful. Anything to do mods which add weight always seem to blow out, ie. add 50kg of mods and it somehow morphs into 80kg of weight

My tool box adds well over 100kg to the factory ball weight. We calculated all that into the vans construction and design which came with a very light ball weight of 140kg allowed us to be able to add such a large box without compromising safety and weight maximums

If you want to see more pics, sing out

P1010827.JPG
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Delano and Drover

DavoR

New Member
Mar 4, 2018
9
7
3
Melbourne
Champion crusty181 I appreciate the reply

I've done the natural progression of tent to camper trailer and now to caravan (the family is excited about this upgrade!)

Just looking at that photo has given me a lot of reassurance. I wasn't confident that a toolbox with gas bottles mounted forward would leave enough room for a WDH. Your photo tells me otherwise.

A couple of close up photos of the bracket you welded up for the gas bottles and Jerry cans will be appreciated.
Did you have to relocate your spare to the rear of the van?

Thanks for the advice on the tow ball weight; the ball weight of the 17.58-3 will give me plenty of scope to add something substantial before I get near maxing out the ball weight of my MUX. However it would be easy to get carried away.

Thanks again
 
  • Like
Reactions: Crusty181

Crusty181

Well-Known Member
Feb 7, 2010
6,854
13,971
113
Mentone, VIC
Champion crusty181 I appreciate the reply

I've done the natural progression of tent to camper trailer and now to caravan (the family is excited about this upgrade!)

Just looking at that photo has given me a lot of reassurance. I wasn't confident that a toolbox with gas bottles mounted forward would leave enough room for a WDH. Your photo tells me otherwise.

A couple of close up photos of the bracket you welded up for the gas bottles and Jerry cans will be appreciated.
Did you have to relocate your spare to the rear of the van?

Thanks for the advice on the tow ball weight; the ball weight of the 17.58-3 will give me plenty of scope to add something substantial before I get near maxing out the ball weight of my MUX. However it would be easy to get carried away.

Thanks again
Once you move off the ground and into a van, there's no going back. I'll dig out the build pics. I have the longer of the 2 sizes of V5 WDH bars; the chassis brackets are snug against the gas bottle mount but the shorter bars would give a few inches clearance if needed. We only have the front bed end, so the spare was on the rear bumper from the factory
 
  • Like
Reactions: Drover

Drover

Well-Known Member
Nov 7, 2013
12,723
19,450
113
QLD
Crusty's set up really looks good in real life as well, a nicely done mod for sure.................................he only took that pic to show that he does get it dirty.

Don't bank on the weight figures given in the brochure, go by actually scale readings, the ball weight in brochures and compliance plates can be so far out it's scary.......................
 

Crusty181

Well-Known Member
Feb 7, 2010
6,854
13,971
113
Mentone, VIC
Champion crusty181 I appreciate the reply

I've done the natural progression of tent to camper trailer and now to caravan (the family is excited about this upgrade!)

Just looking at that photo has given me a lot of reassurance. I wasn't confident that a toolbox with gas bottles mounted forward would leave enough room for a WDH. Your photo tells me otherwise.

A couple of close up photos of the bracket you welded up for the gas bottles and Jerry cans will be appreciated.
Did you have to relocate your spare to the rear of the van?

Thanks for the advice on the tow ball weight; the ball weight of the 17.58-3 will give me plenty of scope to add something substantial before I get near maxing out the ball weight of my MUX. However it would be easy to get carried away.

Thanks again

Id be interested in what a real engineer thinks of my thinking below, and reasons behind my design. (be careful $hit canning it too much tho, because its survived 50,000km's and 1000's of km's of crappy outback tracks. Possibly dumb luck, but hey I'll cop any constructive, or insulting criticism)

100mm wide x 5mm plate, which was cut to shape lengthwise to maximise the size and also fit neatly between the tool box and WDH chassis brackets. The 5mm plate is then "U" bolted to the chassis. There's a short 50x20x3 for the gas bottles brackets, and a full length 50x20x3 for the jerry can holders, both 50x20's are welded to the same 5mm mount plate. The "U" bolted mount plates eliminate welding to the chassis, provides a larger weld surface than the chassis, and provides some flex by not being welded to the chassis. Im certainly no engineer, but I guessed some significant flex in the end where the jerrys sit would absorb the corrugations and protect the mount plate welds. I wasnt convinced the 50x20 alone was sufficient for the full jerrys allowing too much flex with 25kg bouncing off each end so I stitch a 20x20 angle along the entire rear edge of the 50x20. Adding another short of 20x20 angle along the front of the 50x20 only as long as the jerry holders themselves gave me more surface and support (90mm) to weld the jerry holders to.

The Adventurer has a single 50x20 and its welded straight across the top of the drawer bar; again Im not an engineer but that would seem less than ideal for an "off road" specific van. My thinking is that would encourage flex across the entire weld of under 50mm, plus Im told welding across the drawer bar is apparently a bit of a no no

Clearance of the 600mm box with the 150mm sewer pipe behind the box
20150830_152632-resized-1920.jpg

The gas bottle bracket mounts factory welded to the drawer bar. Drilled holes in them and sandwich plated the tool box (I dont have anything else under the box, its mounted directly to those plates
20150903_154148-resized-1920.jpg

The cleaner and shinier box before I blasted it with red dust
img_20150926_103925-resized-1920.jpg
 
  • Like
Reactions: Drover

DavoR

New Member
Mar 4, 2018
9
7
3
Melbourne
Thanks again to crusty / drover and triton; you’ve given me a wealth of knowledge that I can go on with and create something well above what I was originally thinking was feasible.

I will be sure to post pictures to you of the van once I have a crack at this project after the van is delivered.

Cheers

Dave
 

Ben Sweetnam

Member
Oct 17, 2017
27
58
13
52
Sydney
Some photos of my box, my factory drawbar weight was 168kg and Jayco measured it (with a very basic scale) and like in the pictures was 205kg
 

Attachments

  • 11.jpg
    11.jpg
    108.7 KB · Views: 1,287
  • 33.jpg
    33.jpg
    148.8 KB · Views: 1,239
  • 22.jpg
    22.jpg
    126.9 KB · Views: 1,241
  • 44.jpg
    44.jpg
    132.5 KB · Views: 1,138
  • 55.jpg
    55.jpg
    109 KB · Views: 1,685
  • 66.jpg
    66.jpg
    126.8 KB · Views: 1,934
  • 77.jpg
    77.jpg
    135.8 KB · Views: 1,665

DavoR

New Member
Mar 4, 2018
9
7
3
Melbourne
Some photos of my box, my factory drawbar weight was 168kg and Jayco measured it (with a very basic scale) and like in the pictures was 205kg
Some photos of my box, my factory drawbar weight was 168kg and Jayco measured it (with a very basic scale) and like in the pictures was 205kg
Very nice Ben,

Just expanding one of your photos and you got your box from ds custom toolboxes in Campbellfield?

Can I be forward enough to ask the cost?

Looks very slick is there anything you would change?

Thanks

Dave
 

Ben Sweetnam

Member
Oct 17, 2017
27
58
13
52
Sydney
It was $2800 delivered to Sydney - in that freight was nearly $300. The little roof racks were about $400 extra but worth it. I have plenty of storage in and around the gas bottles and around the genny. My Weber is a 200 so larger than most of those i see. DS was good - i have one little issue and they offered to freight it back, fix it and send it back up to make sure i was happy but i sorted it myself.
 

Smirke

Well-Known Member
May 9, 2014
1,687
2,915
113
Palmyra, WA
Hi and welcome. We put a box on the front of our expanda. We got the extended draw bar in the build and that was it as far as mods to the front was. We relocated the gas bottles infront and had enough pipe work to bend it forward (fiL is an ex plumber and tafe lecturer so did that bit for us....just in case). One thing I didnt think of, was the tap on the draw bar. I moved it, but instead of drilling new holes, I used one existing hole and used a stack of silicon to hold it in place. It survived 23500km around oz, which included river crossings and dirt/gravel roads and hasnt moved at all. I keep BBQ, genny (honda 20i) tackle box, bbq stand, snorkelling gear for 10 (dont ask) and shadecloth in there.
Forgot to mention, the spare was relocated to the back bumper.
 

Attachments

  • IMG_0559.jpg
    IMG_0559.jpg
    564.8 KB · Views: 727

DavoR

New Member
Mar 4, 2018
9
7
3
Melbourne
I appreciate your replies Ben and Smirke(the expandas downunder sticker on the toolbox was a nice touch!!); everybody here has given me plenty to go on with and I'm really impressed how hopeful everybody has been

thanks again
 

EASTY

New Member
Apr 25, 2018
17
10
3
Gold Coast
Some photos of my box, my factory drawbar weight was 168kg and Jayco measured it (with a very basic scale) and like in the pictures was 205kg

Hi @Ben Sweetnam , does your van have the extended drawbar? Also would you have the dimensions of this box, there are some great ideas on this thread but I don’t think I have enough room to fit my bottles in front of a box due to the standard drawbar size...
My van has a slide out bbq/kitchen in the front but my thoughts were a small fridge/freezer and a washing machine for the mrs :) happy wife happy life as they say.
Cheers
Easty
 

Ben Sweetnam

Member
Oct 17, 2017
27
58
13
52
Sydney
Hi Easty

Yes mine has the extended drawbar.... From my quote

Custom Combo Caravan Box - 2100L x 570W x 510H -
Left Hand compartment 650L - 2KVA Generator on Slide (end access door)
Middle Compartment 600L for 2 Gas Bottles (top access door)
Right hand compartment 850L for webber 2000 on slide (end access door)
 

EASTY

New Member
Apr 25, 2018
17
10
3
Gold Coast
Awesome, thanks for the info @Ben Sweetnam i will have to do some measurements as I am not as well equiped in the length department, hahaha I should never admit that!
How have you plumed the gas line into the box for the bottles?
Cheers
Easty