17' Series Things to check when picking up new van?

[The Bucky's]

Hi all,

Thanks for all of the ideas that i have read about so far, already pencilled a few in. My wife keeps telling me i'm obsessed with the new van (and this forum), and we haven't even got it yet. We've had a swan for the last 6 years, so hanging to see how much quicker and easier it is to set up the Expanda.
We are due to pick up our 17.56.2 tourer from Bayswater Jayco early in July, and would like to know what i need to check for and what questions to ask when picking it up?

Extras on the van:
1. 2 x Evenly Spaced Shelves to Robe
2. Underslung Axles
3. Drop Down jacks
4. 300mm A-Frame Extension
5. External Bed End Privacy Screens
6. External Gas Bayonet located inside A-Frame
7. 100aH Auxillary Battery
8. 120 Watt Solar Panel
9. External TV Outlet
10. Windup TV Antenna
11. External Shower
12. External Bed End Privacy Screens

Cheers Scott.

 

[mbr37746]

G'day Scott, we did the same thing, Hawk to expanda, the set up is not even comparable!! So much easier.
If you do a search for handover checklist or similar you'll find some really detailed lists.
Oh and good luck with the handover.

 

[davemc]

congrats.. we just picked up a Starcraft from Bayswater 2 weeks ago.
Here is the list I put together from other peoples posts before my pickup.
Blue what we actually did find or forgot to do

1 Check all Extras are there - missing Jerry Can from front
2 Check for any screws sticking out
3 open and close roof and awnings yourself
4 take notes and ask how to setup..
5 Check all doors (hinges and latches) including hatches and cupboards.
6 Check inside all storage areas (take a small LED torch with you so you can see inside.)
7 Check for correct functioning of all taps and drainage.
8 connect up mains water
9 check 12v pump
10 Check all lights and power points 12v & mains.
11 Check gas operation...stove, HWS, etc.
12 Carefully go around body - noticed we had a touring sticker on front outback everywhere else. One side sticker not on correctly.
Was missing a stopper on one of the Alko drop down jacks they replaced it there.
Has some sticky stuff above fridge was cleaned off.
13 check wiring underneath not hanging down.
14 Thinking I will bring a TV to check Antenna seen a few not connected - left TV at home as we came via shops, so of course not working Spent hours tracing the problem think the cable been spliced somewhere.

Jockey wheel was cross threaded at pickup, they fixed it with by re doing it although still not 100%
They said the dinette did not drop down correctly for the convertor, so showed us how it rocked and said did we want a another peice of timber cut which they did for us.

What we picked up on first trip or before trip
Missing washer on one hatch so screw just pulled through. Easy fix.
Microwave door does not pop open, you push the button it clicks then you manually open it.
Dinnette screws coming out from wall. We probably missed it on pickup as was like it when we got home

 

[Pete]

Thanks for this, we are also picking up a new expanda 17 56 2 outback in August. It is good to know some of these things. I will definitely be bringing the TV to check things out.

 

[davemc]

Just check aerial working at home I can pickup all channels just on the tv aerial lead not connected to anything

 

[Pete]

Just check aerial working at home I can pickup all channels just on the tv aerial lead not connected to anything

Interesting - I live in the country so I have no chance of picking up TV without a good antenna

 

[The Bucky's]

Thanks Dave, that's a good list. I will make sure i take a t.v.
Cheers, Scott.

 

[Bellbirdweb]

Check for water leaks. Make sure they connect to a mains pressure supply, and check inside all cupboards (including under dinette where mains supply comes in) and check for drips. Fill the sink with water and check underneath in drawer for water dripping. Check water pump connections, washing machine tap (if fitted).

This comes from recent experience with all of these leaking

 

[Hoffy]

Wow, lots of great information!!! We just ordered new van which won't be ready until October/nov. We currently have an outback swan 2013 model. Loved our trips in it but can't wait to compare the set up times between our swan and expanda. With two little ones, can be challenging setting up the swan.

 

[meandher (a frost)]

Yep, we too fell foul of the winegard antenna being stuffed.Make sure you check it in the yard as it took us 3 months to get ours replaced, I am sure it would have been done immediately if I refused to handover the bank cheque at pick up time.

Cast a critical eye on the cocky don't be rude welding on the jockey wheel, ours cracked right round and we had to resort to stacking paving bricks under the drawbar as it was bloody dangerous,and was going to be another couple of months waiting for a warranty appointment so my next door neighbour pulled out his mig welder( then called for his old man with a more powerful one because he was as bad as Jayco's finest tradie). It now is super strong, but cold galv in a can isn't as good as proper galvanising and it looks like the proverbial bag of poo.

Fit and finish of cupboards was atrocious - another warranty item, the usual Jayco problem of too small gauge screws causing drawers to fall to bits and cupboard edges to explode when they work loose.

Cabling to the van was an issue that came adrift on the road and caused angst and had Jayco listened in the first place and fitted me an Anderson plug as requested, would not have seen us having to call someone out on a warranty call to restore power from car to van in Coral Bay many miles from home. The wallies at Jayco had stripped one of the terminal screws on the live wire causing it to give intermittent power and made the fridge sound like a second hand Kalashnikov. To be honest the cable gauge is too much for the plug fitted and was bound to happen sooner rather than later as the fine thread on the brass screw cannot take the torque necessary to hold the cable. Either that or it was dodgy to start with.

Check the perpendicularity of the verticals on the awning. Mine are almost 3" out of whack. Doesn't seem to be causing any pain at the moment and must get it fixed before warranty runs out.

Check the locating pawl on the hockey sticks too is not going to let you down. Ours fell out on the first trip and the whole thing had to be jerry rigged and changed under warranty when we got back.

Have them fit a water hose in your presence and get them to fix the water leak that is bound to occur at the connection. I haven't seen one yet that doesn't leave a ring of no confidence as they all seem to leak badly. You could do a succession of future new Expanda owners a favour by having them make it not leak. If enough people do this, then it may make Jayco change their supplier and fit something decent if the dealers are seeing a pattern that is costing them labour to fix. People power works.

I had them fix up some of the silastic sealing that was applied after 15 beers at the factory methinks. Some was missing and some liberally applied where it clearly wasn't needed and looked like a two year old had been learning to clean their teeth in the vicinity.

Not a warranty issue, but get the yard to explain properly how to use the sound system to you. Unless you have a 10 year old to decipher the thing, it will give you hours of frustration trying to figure it out. And I used to laugh at my dad with the new fangled video recorder technology programming in the 80's. I guess life has a way of even- ing out the follies of youth and what goes around comes around when the fruits of your parents loins eventually mature.

Same goes for the operation of the water system. We ( okay, I )had issues of remembering what to do and the manual is less than useless.

Although the above issues were annoying at the time we are still very happy with our 'van, though whether this one will be the one we take with us on a yet to be planned two year Big Lap remains to be seen.

 

[billykidd]

We went from a hawk to expanda years ago, and continue to smile watching wind ups setting up ! You will love it.

Only thing we had wrong was the shocks were put on upside down , so don't forget to check underneath. Would also suggest you check the cupboard latches multiple times to ensure they don't stick.

 

[carpanda]

Wow lots of great tips thanks guys, will jot them down for when we pick up our expanda. Tmmrw is the day it's supposed to be finished at production. Jayco Sydney told me about 2 weeks after that it should arrive in Sydney. Does that sound about right?