My family

Mavo73

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Jul 16, 2019
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Hello to all I hope we are all well .
We have recently purchased our our jayco exspanda outback caravan we up grade from our MDC cruzie slide forward camper trailer which we sold after having it for a couple of years then I suffered a back injury that ended quite alot of things for myself and my much loved family. In that time I've had many operations on my back amd other things that have come from the injury and have lost around 4 year's of time which we will never get back my injury is classed as I will never work again in my life time . What lead us to the exspanda outback was we went to the Barrington tops this year for the 1st snow fall with friend's and they have a jayco StarCraft and while we were not cold or neither warm in the camper they were warm and comfortable in there's. Our friends were always asking us to go away with them but due to begin so restricted it was hard to set the camper up . So on the way home my darling wife said those words why don't we look at selling the camper and her thing a jayco that we can all be comfortable in and we start travelling around and going with our friends when the ask ( at that point i was speechless LOL ) . I said yes we can do that we already had the VRX pajero turbo diesel to tow with and we had the funds to do it so with that when we got home we started looking we needed something that would do all 7 of us yes 7 myself the wife and our 5 lovely kids after looking at the range of vans out there and different types sizes you name it we looked . 1 night the wife come across the exspanda outback which was more than capable of doing the task . So with it decided the hunt started for 1 and we fund 4 we could chose from all different types of lay outs fit out . The 1 we settled on was 1 a couple had since new and was not even 2 year's old with some upgrade that he had done it looks brand new still has that brand new smell about it so we purchased the Jayco exspanda outback so setting up was heaps easier on both of i guess they say you learn from doing things . We've had some outings in it already in it the longest begin to the pilliga national park in nsw as a bit of a run before we set sail to the gold Coast for a week and then on to 1 place I've always wanted to go to which is the northern territory we will be going for 8 to 10 weeks and the kids are at the age were it won't have any effect on school we've asked for school work for that time . We are very happy with our jayco and are very happy to be part of the jayco family .
I look forward to hints tips and any modifications inside or out that people can and would like to share and I'm the same in I do any things to mine I will share them as well. And please I very open minded to modifications if i put a idea dear up and someone thinks something different will work then please feel free to day it thank you very much for the joining of the page
With Thanks Andrew if you see us on the road or in a camping spot come amd say hello
 

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Drover

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Welcome to the group, have a big browse through the threads and you will certainly find plenty of ideas to make your camping life more enjoyable.
 
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Mavo73

Member
Jul 16, 2019
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Lake Macquarie
Welcome to the group, have a big browse through the threads and you will certainly find plenty of ideas to make your camping life more enjoyable.
That's for sure I've seen some I'm very interested in doing. Thanks for the welcome just doing the cry vacing of the steaks and the things that need to be
Thanks again
 

Mavo73

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Jul 16, 2019
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Thank you we will after 4 years of back operations including 3 spinal fusions it's time to start living again . The final peace going on the 200 series Landcruiser today
 

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Mavo73

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Jul 16, 2019
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Thank you chartrock I will keep you all posted
The final peace of the power upgraded going on the 200 series Landcruiser once done it will have serious grunt not that it hasn't already
 

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Bluey

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Nice ...... i have the 2014 model GX 200 ..... same year as my van 1756=2 outback im looking at getting the Gmv upgrade but would love a new system for better sound and more power and its cheaper than the gvm but both is needed ...... good luck to you many new memories to be made and great times and places ahead and towing with the best tow car around will be easy and safe 5 stars
 
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carco

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Jan 20, 2019
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Can you post a pic of your receiver please.
Standard drop receiver is very high on the 200, most need a bigger drop.
Coupling can sometimes be lifted but that would depend on your coupling.
That setup will be perfect for your family, happy travels.
 

Bluey

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Mar 31, 2014
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Can you post a pic of your receiver please.
Standard drop receiver is very high on the 200, most need a bigger drop.
Coupling can sometimes be lifted but that would depend on your coupling.
That setup will be perfect for your family, happy travels.
This is my hitch its under the van so not the best pic but you will see it you can get the drop hitch from tow bar places
My WDH bolts straight onto it easy its a reese product its on there web sites mine also has the stone stomper on it van sits nice and level
20190721_112432.jpg
 

carco

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Yep, know that one.
Have you tried to lift it, will test out your crook back for sure.
With levelling bars they're bloody heavy but you won't need bars on a 200.
Is it a ball coupling or a DO35, can't see from the photo.
I just found a 100mm drop x 4500kg forged receiver on the net, looks the goods at $95 delivered.
Not sure if 100 drop is enough though.
 

Bluey

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Mar 31, 2014
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Yep, know that one.
Have you tried to lift it, will test out your crook back for sure.
With levelling bars they're bloody heavy but you won't need bars on a 200.
Is it a ball coupling or a DO35, can't see from the photo.
I just found a 100mm drop x 4500kg forged receiver on the net, looks the goods at $95 delivered.
Not sure if 100 drop is enough though.
Its a ball dont have the fancy one
The bars take out any porpoiseing i like to use them and will continue useing them its not that heavy compaired to my 15 hp boat motor 30 kg .... 80 kg 3.5 meter inflatable boat like a zodiac and collapsible trailor 35 kg on the roof of car
 

carco

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Ball is good on the 17.56.2.
DO 35's handbrake fouls the bit of rhs welded across the chassis top.
Had to modify our brake handle.
 

carco

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That DO35 makes hooking up pretty easy, within a few inches and it's all good.
But the handbrake, bit of a design fail.
 
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Drover

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If I had a Cruiseota with a plough fitted I would be doing a upgrade to the van coupling, see so many cruisers with lifts and the van has a low slung hitch, defies the purpose of a lift and looks just dumb....don't bother sprouting regs I know them and many new vans don't follow them either..
 

carco

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Would be the best option with the Jayco ball type coupling. Unfortunately can't do it with that DO35.
Plough is a piece of work hey.
And expensive!
 

Drover

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Mate recently fitted a new Alko job on his, reckons its great, bustard got it for $150 at a show on last day, can be touchy if ball is a tad oversize though....
 

carco

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Handle even comes right down and squashes your fingers.
 

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