Sorry @Crusty181 the paslode nails have that red tinged varnish coating on them and won't conduct like a 3" jolt head.
Starcraft Starcraft 18.55-3 - Jayco design team blunder - once a happy Jayco customer
- Thread starter ACTraveller
- Start date
Sorry @Crusty181 the paslode nails have that red tinged varnish coating on them and won't conduct like a 3" jolt head.
Thanks for that @ACTraveller . Looks like I will be adding some things to my list of "must check at handover". Hopefully when we pick up our van , from the factory, it will be all good. I know our guy here has sent over the plates for the van, so am assuming it is fully licensed for WA, and we don't need to do anything else.
The front boot is even more of an issue now, as they got rid of the access hatch on the side where they now place the HWS.
Must say, I've got everything crossed that our wiring is ok when it comes to pick up the van, as the factory will not help out with anything like that. Oh well, luckily we are staying at the park just down the road before we head off.
The front boot is even more of an issue now, as they got rid of the access hatch on the side where they now place the HWS.
Must say, I've got everything crossed that our wiring is ok when it comes to pick up the van, as the factory will not help out with anything like that. Oh well, luckily we are staying at the park just down the road before we head off.
some pictures to replace a 1000 words - of the
7. - our rear caravan bumper bar
8. how a properly fitting Jayco bumper bar should look
- Anderson and 12 pin plug on the DMax
- the 12 pin pin and Anderson pin on the new StarCraft as wired by Jayco Canberra
- the jockey wheel clamp that fouls the WDS operation when the jockey wheel is actually in the clamp
7. - our rear caravan bumper bar
8. how a properly fitting Jayco bumper bar should look
You may not agree but apart from that rear bumper, I don't think you've done too bad.
The WDH was going to be a given regardless regardless of the Dmax having 350kg towball weight.
Anderson plug for ESC, well fact is being a touring model you ain't going to take it offroad enough for the need to disconnect the ESC. Even for the Outback model, these are not Kedrons. So probably didn't need it.
If you had asked for the jockey wheel to be mounted inside Jayco would have charged you at least a couple of hundred $$. With your setup now it was a lot cheaper and you have the bonus of having two jockey wheels for setting up on sloping sites.
When it's pouring rain and blowing a gale you'll be glad you upgraded from the Expanda.
Vans are just like houses, you think it's going cost a certain amount and then you have all the add ons. Don't add up the costs as it's best to be in ignorant bliss.
Also we need some pics of the whole van, inside and out...stop holding out on us
The WDH was going to be a given regardless regardless of the Dmax having 350kg towball weight.
Anderson plug for ESC, well fact is being a touring model you ain't going to take it offroad enough for the need to disconnect the ESC. Even for the Outback model, these are not Kedrons. So probably didn't need it.
If you had asked for the jockey wheel to be mounted inside Jayco would have charged you at least a couple of hundred $$. With your setup now it was a lot cheaper and you have the bonus of having two jockey wheels for setting up on sloping sites.
When it's pouring rain and blowing a gale you'll be glad you upgraded from the Expanda.
Vans are just like houses, you think it's going cost a certain amount and then you have all the add ons. Don't add up the costs as it's best to be in ignorant bliss.
Also we need some pics of the whole van, inside and out...stop holding out on us
@ACTraveller I would have thought that swing away jockey wheel would have fitted swung around 90degs ? I made one fit our first Expanda, but sold it straight afterwards, but be warned there is a few stories of these failing with serious consequences. Even the one I have on our boat and that is only 1000kg takes a lot of side load and makes me nervous. No way would I have one on a van again.
Yes I agree - we only use that swivel one to take the weight off the weight distribution systems so we can remove the arms - then we can access the normal jockey wheel clamp that came with the van - Jayco must have known that at just over 2oookg loaded a WDS would be needed for most people and that the positioning of the jockey wheel clamp on the outside of the drawbar would foul that operation - that is my real gripe.
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Had the first shakedown run - all went well - it felt very unsettling initially and we both had very sweaty palms- our first full sized van and with underslung factory fitted axles we could feel the movement from side winds and passing trucks - something we never felt with our pop top Expanda. On the plus side it was very comfortable - full sized island bed, a luxury, bigger fridge that was not set on the floor so access was enhanced. Some pics below with the Jayco supplied designer bed doona and cushions- we opted for
* no microwave it gave us an extra cupboard which is much needed as we have less storage than our Expanda
* shelves in the wardrobes - we had hanging canvas drawers in our wardrobe in the Expanda
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we chose the shelves in robe option - about $250 extra
plenty of overhead lockers - but a bit high to access for the good lady
washing machine in corner next to the loo
almost like home
shower
linen cupboard next to the shower - but very restricted access - we only store stuff we don't access every day - sheets, etc
kinky blue lighting in the shower - although this pic makes it bluer than in real life
- we opted for café dinette - more stable for using computers etc - you do have an option of a trifold table as well.
* no microwave it gave us an extra cupboard which is much needed as we have less storage than our Expanda
* shelves in the wardrobes - we had hanging canvas drawers in our wardrobe in the Expanda
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Love the pics. We were at jayco yesterday and saw those blue lights for the shower. Cool how they are push button and inside the shower.
Great van and layout for two.
No roof to popeace: Almost as good as not having to Expand the beds out 
No roof to pop
eace: Almost as good as not having to Expand the beds out 
Looks great
I have only 6 more days till I pick up my 18.55-3 Outback Starcraft from Sydney.
Your pics are really great and made me more excited about my new van, thanks.
From your photos I can see that Jayco paid absolutely no attention to my email over 12 months ago when I complained to them that the position of the jockey wheel interfered with the WDH. At least they sent me a reply thanking me for the input.
I also provided that feedback, very politely in the customer feedback survey - it will be interesting to see if I get a response from Jayco - overall I am happy with our van, but these are quite simply very poor design matters given their volume and capacity and experience in this industry. I have written elsewhere in this forum about the other example of Jayco taking its customers for granted - the cutting board provided with the sink does not fit, they would not give me one that did fit and we had to take to it with a hacksaw to make the modification - see pic. I suspect this is end of year run out and they are using up all old umatched stock items - just sours the whole sale experience - makes a returning customer feel let down.
corners had to be cut out for the board to fit the sink
@ACTraveller, our cutting board fits neatly into our sink and our kitchen layout looks very similar to yours except the sink is reversed. Is the sink smaller than the cutting board? 
Short answer is yes, sink bowl is smaller and slightly different oval shape than the board, which means the cutting board would not fit - with our home made modifications it fits now - I have no idea why this happened, when we asked the dealer to get us one that fitted, they said this was what is now being used and if they ordered us one it would still be the same - we got the very distinct impression this was not a new issue and the dealer knew about it. Our guess was the sinks are old stock, but some cutting boards had gone missing from the store room, and the replacement boards are being taken from the new sink stock which are a slightly different shape - no problem it's a minor issue but irratating.
Yes. A bit annoying.
Lol, we carry our cutting board in the van like loyal puppy dogs hoping to use it one day but I'm pretty sure we've never actually used it!
Lol, we carry our cutting board in the van like loyal puppy dogs hoping to use it one day but I'm pretty sure we've never actually used it!
We are exactly the same - we never used it, but it acts as a hole filler to give us extra bench space - for most of the time we are not actually using the sink bowl. Our Expanda 14.44-3 had heaps more bench space than our new Starcraft 18.55-3, so the need for the cutting board to fit properly in the Starcraft is more critical
I like that quote .... we had an entire boarding kennel of crap we've jettisoned during the transition from the old to new van; including a bottle of Benjamin Port thats travelled 50k km unopened. (my eldests name is Ben). That bottle has over the years transformed into travellers good omen idol, so it has to stay put because it keeps foul weather and traffic jambs at bay.
Like you, we have progressed from the 14-44-3 but to the 17-55-9 Journey and have a lot less bench space in the new one but that is a small problem and easily overcome.
Hi @ACTraveller, sorry to hear about the disappointments with your new van, the bumper bar issue is a disgrace, the fact that it left the factory like this and worse still the dealer didn't pick the problem up or care enough to rectify the problem before pick up. You would have to have eyes in your nostrils to have missed that during the pre delivery. You pay enough for these things and don't expect issues like the bumper to be over looked.
Regards @TerriD
Regards @TerriD