16' Series Newbie questions

[Blybo]

Hi Guy's. We picked up our 2016 16.49.4 Touring a few weeks ago and have had 1 night away in it which has led to a few newbie questions that I want to clear up;

• We've had a Swan previously but never had a roll out awning. Ours is a Carefree with new vinyl and tube. What should we be wary of as I know some people pack them up when the wind gets up, or use ropes to tie them down (our van came with 2 ropes with the spring ends and wooden tension adjuster). Does the wind lift and tear them? Or break the arms? Are they reasonably safe to leave wound out if tied down whilst away at the beach or on a day trip?
• The innerspring mattresses are a joke. We had a roughly 5cm Ikea memory foam topper on top of it and could still feel the springs. We previously used this on the foam mattress in our Swan and slept better than at home. We will be adding a thick wool under blanket over the Christmas trip to see if that helps enough. I've even found a mob in Melbourne that will do custom 16cm thick memory foam with the zip up the middle. We have a Tempur mattress at home so like the memory foam feel. Unfortunately they can't provide a sample to lie on so unsure if we should drop $5-600 on it as a leap of faith.
• The fresh water tank is about 80% full. Is there a bung or valve on the tank to drain it? We have no water pump. I don't want to carry the weight and have bought an inline filter for mains water, as we really only stay in caravan parks.
• We bought ours with storm covers but no privacy screens. Do they both use the same track for fitment? I'd probably find privacy screens more useful.
• 1 drop down ALKO steadie has snapped at the top of the swinging arm. I've ordered a replacement but they all barely swing down to vertical on our touring model. Is that fairly standard? The new 1 I've ordered says they are 17mm winding nut. Has the size changed in the last 3 years? I couldn't get any smaller than a 19mm ratchet on our installed ones, I'm almost certain it wasn't me getting too fierce with the impact driver that damaged it, but will be using a drill with torque limiter in future.

All up we are delighted at how quick & easy this is to set up and pack away and questions raised are not make or break. Also love the idea of being able to store all our clothes in draws and cupboards without bags permanently on the beds. I made shelves for the wardrobe to be our pantry, and love being able to pre pack it instead of carrying numerous boxes with us. We will use the original pantry as clothes storage. We've deliberately tried to simplify the amount of gear we take with us purely to make set up and pack up easy enough for weekend use, as my kids are in primary school and we are still in our 40's, so working full time.

 

[millers]

Hi @Blybo ,
I will comment on the awning and water.

Ours is a 16.49.1 (2011). If we only have the awning out we would roll it up if we go out and overnight. Then pull it out when we get back or in the morning.

We do not have stays (ropes for ours) and in general do not want to be the ones coming back to a van with an awning rapped around the caravan. To me there is not that much under the awning that can't be placed under the caravan (or locked away) if we go out or overnight. Suggest that when you roll it out secure it with the ropes and each trip try and guage (while you are at the caravan) what wind strength you are prepared to accept. After a while you will set your limit. Do not forget that the awning is also attached to the pop top and will put pressure on your roof.

For the water there should be a screw on cap one the connector to the tank. As ours is an outback it may be different. It will be on the filler side (non door).
Of the top of my head, there is a 4 way connector screwed onto the bottom of the tank (1. is the screw on to the tank, 2 is a 19mm for the fill hose, 3. is a 12mm for the hand pump, 4. is the screw on cap to drain the tank.

Hope this helps

 

[chartrock]

G'day @Blybo, I leave my awning out day and night unless weather forecasts are for high winds. I do have anti flap kit fitted with a couple of centre ribs but I use these clips to tie the awning down but as @millers has said, the awning being attached to the pop top will tend to pull the roof sideways. To prevent this I have two short adjustable poles jammed in between the top of the van and under the pop top, one front and one rear.

But it is still wise to take the awning in if in doubt.

 

[Drover]

Regards to awning, when you open it, pull out awning to full length, lift and lock in arms, push against the barrel to tension awning and tighten arm locks nuts as you do, this will give the awning a reasonable tension then lift to desired height, have one end slightly lower so no chance of water pooling. At the very least put guy ropes down, especially near the beach as one little gust on a quiet day can flip the awning onto the roof, not pleasant.

Most times I will fit some ropes off the ends with a spring and pegged into ground even if I set the legs to vertical they get a peg whacked in and I will still fit my tent ropes to hold it a down just in case........ if just doing an overnighter then awning comoes out and put away once we head inside so no tie downs...

...There are many fancy dancy ropes but the basic tent guy with springs wins for cost and durablity, I made a bigger eye in the end which just loops thru itself around the barrel....mine are old as the hills just a new rope about 20 yrs ago...


I also use these thingys to ensure the ends don't flap as it drives me nuts they come in a smaller size but the big ones are better just cost a lot.

.

I also have a set of these anti flap rails, now they are good for long stays, cost a monza but do a great job but you have to get it right in the set up....at over$300 or more, great for off grid but van park might be overkill... Big Mal came with them otherwise I wouldn't have got them...

...................

When packing up and there is a breeze, work up wind drop the big arm down, then the other, then drop the downwind upper arm then the up wind upper arm, hit the lever and roll the bugga up, try not to roll up missus if she's hanging onto the strap, few practice sessions and you will get to know how to pack it up super quick when the wind comes up, there is an art to it and practice make sit better....The idea being that the wind pushes down on the awning and doesn't get underneath.... Done it in some gully rakers and come close to loosing the lot.

As @chartrock said if in doubt don't...

One final point when you pack up get into the habit of a standard check walk around before you drive off, a most important one being "Check the lock Knobs" on the arms are done up tight, if one falls off they are a pain to replace and will slug you $25 or more..... if handy remove arm and give the end of bolt a flare to stop them unwinding on their own....

Steady legs throw a pic up but a bit of a lube helps.

Water tanks should have a little bung like n oil drum to drain.

 

[Blybo]

Thanks for the tips guys. Our swan actually came with metal roof supports, I'll measure up and make 4 for the Panda.

 

[Drover]

Thanks for the tips guys. Our swan actually came with metal roof supports, I'll measure up and make 4 for the Panda.

PVC pipe or tent pole with door stops on end work well.

 

[Blybo]

Steady legs throw a pic up but a bit of a lube helps.

Beyond a bit of lube helping, . I think she's toast , new 1 on the way.

 

[Drover]

I'll say, looks like the undercarriage lowered at the wrong time..............hammer, vice, bench basher and welder, certainly fixable...

 

[Blybo]

I'll say, looks like the undercarriage lowered at the wrong time..............hammer, vice, bench basher and welder, certainly fixable...

you are welcome to it. For the sake of $70 and a lack of most of those tools you mention, I'll just fit a new one.

Ordered a XL anti flap device for our pop top and an awning roll clip as @chartrock suggested. Better arrive in time for Christmas. WE have to stay in the van on Christmas eve at my inlaws farm out in Garfield Vic, than head to Wye River on Boxing day.

 

[Blybo]

Another question for the seasoned Expanda travelers. Do you remove your carefree angled brackets from the van on longer stays and use them vertically under the awning end barrel?

I didn't know it came off the lower van fixing point until looking at a photo of a van with an annex installed. We will be away for 10 days over Christmas and thought it might be safer and more resilient to wind this way.

 

[Drover]

It's an either/either sort of thing, if we have to duck under the arm then we will drop that one and peg it to ground especially if we have the long shade screen up, saves bashing heads, with the screen up- and pegged down using pegs and okky straps, legs pegged with tie down they hold reasonably well but off the van I believe is more resilient to wind but both ways need tie downs......... Either way there have been times when I have thrown a rope over the whole thing and tied it down just to make sure when no time to fold it up........... many go flying when people try to pack up and sometimes safer to just add some more tie downs....... When you fit a screen never tie it down unless you have a tie down that will expand, like a spring or okky, a firm tie down will giveway or tear with movements.... My screens are all tied down with okky straps and hold very well in winds, the awning tie down has a spring and my pegs are usually about 10mm and reasonably long, belted in at an angle with a large Knockometer.

.A handy security addition which may slow or stop someone knocking off your rig is to fit a padlock in the adjuster holes in the arm making folding up the awning exceedingly difficult and some have had vans packed up, hooked up and knocked off from a campsite, folk just thought they were leaving.....so being unable to pack up an awning and driving off with it flapping around is a dead giveaway something is not right.............

 

[Blybo]

Thanks @Drover . I'm going to buy some supapegs before our trip. Mine are old and rusty with blunt ends, and being a popular caravan park, the ground can be rock hard. I'll be sure to tie down the awning with the spring ended guy rope. I have bought a privacy end screen, I just threw it in the van in the cardboard box but better check if it has the occy strap tie down points... I have a feeling they were just d rings on the bottom.

At least I have Monday and Tuesday to get sorted.

 

[Drover]

Most have D rings, I halve the okky strap and loop the bight thru the ring, you then have both hooks free to hook onto the tent peg, then if the peg comes out the okky strap doesn't fly away and garrot someone, keeps a nice tension on the screen even in a good breeze ............. I buy a bag of them 20 or 30 in a bag at Bunnings for $25 they last a year or 2, bin when tatty.........

 

[Blybo]

Most have D rings, I halve the okky strap and loop the bight thru the ring, you then have both hooks free to hook onto the tent peg, then if the peg comes out the okky strap doesn't fly away and garrot someone, keeps a nice tension on the screen even in a good breeze ............. I buy a bag of them 20 or 30 in a bag at Bunnings for $25 they last a year or 2, bin when tatty.........

View attachment 64345

I think for ease of use and safety I will get the shock cord loops instead often used for tarp tie downs etc..

 

[Drover]

Same thing, bungy cords in a different package... Mine get used for different things not just screens, I have even made my own up to suit various needs....its not the product but how they are used that is the danger......If the shock cord loop is of a decent length it will work, a short one wont....