Newbie to Jayco Expanda 17.56-1

[Trouble_Within]

Hi,
I am new to the forum and have just decided to upgrade from an eagle camper and purchased our pop top, Jayco Expanda 17.56-1 highway version to pick up just before Xmas.
Options we added were privacy screens, larger 150lt fridge, wind up antenna and full Bartletts annex.

Just wondering if anyone would suggest any other extras keeping in mind we won't be doing any off road camping at all? Also if anyone has any experience with the 17.56-1 model and what are the pros and cons or things to remember.

Thanks

 

[Brad]

Welcome trouble.
Air conditioner would be one. Gas outlet for BBQ would be another.
Enjoy the forum.

 

[chartrock]

Welcome to the forum Trouble. Another option I would have picked if able would be the extended draw bar.

 

[Xpandafan]

Welcome Trouble. I'm sure your Expanda experience will be relatively trouble free. Agree with Brad on the A/C - will make warm weather vanning a delight. A Weber BabyQ if you like a roast. Browse the forum in a systematic way and you'll pick up lots of great ideas for mods that will appeal to your own traveling style. Also some great destinations. I like carpet on the floor for example. From personal experience, get an extra spare set of keys cut and put somewhere safe.

 

[Bank of Dad]

Aircon - either one works
Gas bayonet
Additional power points under dinettes
Hot water system
Make sure privacy screens are black - the white ones get dirty and are hard to clean
Battery - there will come a day where you can't have a powered site until tomorrow or the day after!

Take care!

 

[Ch00ka77]

We love the following

Air con (roof mount)
Hot water
Outside fold down table
Extra awning light
Stereo with outside speakers
Outside tv outlet (entertainment pack)
Extended drawbar
Anderson plug to run fridge while travelling and to charge battery
Fixed bottom bunk which gives you more room for storage under the bunk

 

[salsimo]

DVD player/cd player thinks its about $350
4 shelfs to front wardrobe as you don't need 2 hanging spaces wife said next time get shelfs in both wardrobes

 

[macca]

Have you purchased van? or just put a deposit down? Easier to order extras when doing the purchase not after.

Next time I would get the axle under conversion, only $250 and gives you a higher ride height. 2 Tables, gas bayonets, extra gas bottle, and maybe fixed bottom bunk. Drop down jacks, ext' draw bar. I will get the toilet model for sure in next van. I presume you got free solar thrown in with the Jayco deal at the moment! Buy your own TV and stereo. Extra powerpoints under tables.

Geoff

 

[BUSH PALACE]

Welcome trouble (only by name i hope ) 12 v outlets , a/con , hws , solar panels or wired up thats what id start with ..
but youll work it out as you go along

 

[Jennymay]

Hi Trouble...welcome. An external shower is essential. Wash off sand from beach etc. Wash the kids, wash the dog, Oh yeh and wash the hubby...lol Fold down picnic table, extended draw bar and have axle reversed gives you some height in case of deep puddles or minor flooding on roads.The battery pack is essential even if in a park as sometimes you have to be on an unpowered site for a few nights during busy times. Gives you some flexibility.
Cheers Jenny

 

[Burnsy]

Hi trouble, welcome to the forum. Plenty of good suggestions above, we've had blackouts before in parks, very handy to have battery pack especially if this happens at night. Same if they need to repair a pipe that someone has driven a peg through.....just flick the tap and you have water! Also handy at home, if you need to get something out of van...just flick the switch on.

Cheers.

 

[Trouble_Within]

Thanks for all the suggestions really has opened our eyes about some valuable extras. Great tip on adding shelves in the cupboards so we will shelve the one next to the fridge and still have hanging space at the rear. I may consider also adding a gas point at the front of the van as we usually take our weber along for the trip. Does anyone know the rough cost of the gas point and how far can the weber be away from the van as we intend on putting a verandah/porch off the front of our annex for shelter. We already have a 22 inch tv with built in DVD and air con is included the heron wall unit. We also included a drop down external table which will be handy. Think the power points will be sufficient as coming from a camper which only had one double pp. We didn't get the solar panels got it priced up with them included (as was the promotion) but asked to take them out and they dropped $1500 off the price.

Does anyone have experience with the roof mount air con? Would it be worth getting and moving the microwave to above the sink where the air con currently is? Also, I am interested in getting the axles underslung. Does this effect the ride of the van and is there really a need on a 17ft van? Does anyone know the benefit of getting an extended draw bar or is it just ti fit a toolbox to? Thanks!

 

[Pace]

TW, i would go with the roof air con and move the microwave to above the sink, seeing as you got the $1500 discount, up scale your fridge the larger one if you have a large family. as for underslug, drive ability will still be good, just depends on where you intend on going off the back top. is your not not an OB version?
Cheers Pace.

 

[Brad]

Roof top air con is so much quieter. And you do claim back some space without the wall mount aircon. Extended draw bar does give you more options down the track. It is one of those options that is very hard to add on later if you wanted to. Definitely better if you want a toolbox or just want more space up front for other mods or carrying bikes etc.
Two other items. Ask to have your jockey wheel mounted on the inside of the frame. This ensures nothing gets in the way of the weight distribution hitch if you want one. Also do a search on the forum for waterproof bed ends. There are a lot of after market options and some of these can double up as the privacy bed ends also. So you should consider if the jayco standard privacy bed ends are enough or if you go for something more combined after market.

 

[Bank of Dad]

The external gas bayonet was $103 from the factory and an additional one at the back of the van was $93. I don't think they do two bayonets now.

The hose was about $50 and is 3 metres long. You take the Webber hose with gas regulator off and fit the long hose which doesn't have a regulator - the vans' gas regulator does the job.

Also I would strongly recommend up grading to a 150 litre fridge. Cost was about $900 but worth it! Also it seems nearly all 17 footers have the bigger fridge so it might be important for re-sale. In my opinion for a van that can accommodate 6 people, the 90 litre is way too small and the 150 litre should be standard.

 

[Trouble_Within]

Hi Pace, ours is/will be the highway version and will not be leaving the black top at all. The wife is more a glamper than camper so will mainly be Big 4 parks only. Just wondering if the clearance height is fine on the 17.56-1 for standard highway/town driving?

Brad, will consider the roof top option but will depend on $$ also will the Prestige caravan cover then not fit due to the extra height on the roof? With the canvas/waterproof bed ends, they sound like a good idea but would the canvas completely block out any sunlight from coming through if we had the vents open on the bed ends?

Bank of Dad, thanks for the response on the bayonet, will hopefully get a similar price from Jayco when I call today. The bonus of not carrying an extra gas bottle would be handy. Also agree on the bigger fridge that was the first of our inclusions bigger fridge = more cold beer so win/win situation.

Has anyone had any feedback on the windup antenna, this was thrown in for us but I have heard rumours that there have been issues with leaking through the fittings. Does anyone know if there is any truth to this?

 

[Brad]

Brad, will consider the roof top option but will depend on $$ also will the Prestige caravan cover then not fit due to the extra height on the roof? With the canvas/waterproof bed ends, they sound like a good idea but would the canvas completely block out any sunlight from coming through if we had the vents open on the bed ends?

Has anyone had any feedback on the windup antenna, this was thrown in for us but I have heard rumours that there have been issues with leaking through the fittings. Does anyone know if there is any truth to this?

We have a wind up antenna and so far no leaks.
Yes your caravan cover will still fit with a roof top antenna. It does make it more interesting to drag the cover over the roof but yes it does fit.
The waterproof bed ends can be all canvas or you can go for something a bit more. In my case I had bed ends made with clear plastic windows sewn in as well as the privacy material behind that. And then had zips sewn around the plastic windows so that you can still get fresh air through. But all of that came at a much larger cost than just the canvas ones. Mine were about $800 which is soooo much more than canvas ones.

 

[Brad]

These are the waterproof bed ends I had made up.
Behind the plastic I have had the privacy material Jayco provide in their version sewn into the waterproof bed ends.

 

[Bank of Dad]

We just went for the standard 17.56-2 mainly for weight reasons.

Haven't had too many issues with ground clearance but you do need to be careful and think a bit more. Don't cross the kerb at right angles, cross at an angle if you can etc....

 

[Trouble_Within]

Brad, is yours the highway version too? have you gone for the underslung axles? thinking this might be a good option just to take out any chance of bottoming out. The only thing I am worried about would be if it affects the on road ride at all.