Thread: My new set-up

Looks like a great setup. I'm jealous.

Well done Neil, good luck with your travels heres hoping they are all safe ones.
Cheers Rumnut

Yep dead jealous. My redundancy payout has to go straight into my super. Might be going for a small off road camper trailer some time in the following year.

Enjoy it...looks like a good plan to me.

Nice one Neil

2 or 4wd?

Very jealous. I'm 17 years away from achieving that. Love the car/camper combo, very slick. Enjoy your retirement, well deserved

Good looking setup. Is the enough solar/battery to power your mobile lathe ?

Welcome to the world of the grey nomads. We plan on doing your trip in reverse next winter.
Great looking rig.👍

Slide-ons are great, we've had ours for a couple of years now. I retired in August this year and we've just arrived home after a two and a half month trip to places various.

You may though start to stretch the vehicle a bit if your trailer has a heavy ball weight, there is a lot of weight behind the rear axle as it is.

Our vehicle is a space-cab chassis, which also has a restricted tray back, however we have had our chassis extended with a wheel base now of 3,500mm; best thing we've done. QLD is where you get your chassis extended, if you ever contemplate it.

We are in Melbourne, if your interested we could meet up.

Mick.Camper3.jpg

Originally Posted by DJ's Timber

2 or 4wd?

4WD, knew I forgot something . I have been caught out a few time without 4WD trying to get timber out from farms.

Originally Posted by dabbler

Good looking setup. Is the enough solar/battery to power your mobile lathe ?

Nah, that would be asking a lot. I will only be using the lathe when I have 240V access. Mind you, I do have a mobile 13hp (10KW) generator I could pack if need be

Originally Posted by Optimark

You may though start to stretch the vehicle a bit if your trailer has a heavy ball weight, there is a lot of weight behind the rear axle as it is.

Our vehicle is a space-cab chassis, which also has a restricted tray back, however we have had our chassis extended with a wheel base now of 3,500mm; best thing we've done. QLD is where you get your chassis extended, if you ever contemplate it.

We are in Melbourne, if your interested we could meet up.

Yes, definitely stretching its capacity. I put the load helpers on to ease the dragging rear end issues, but I will have to ensure the trailer is packed well so the tow ball load is minimised. The camper unloaded is 500kgs, so allowing for 85 ltr tank, 2 batteries, cloths, food, tools and all my extras (and myself/others), it will be probably close to the ton. The payload of this Mazda is only 1.14t, so I want to keep the ball weight down to "liftable unaided". Mind you, I will be taking it over the scales, measuring all axles to check axled loads and GCM.

I will be in Melbourne late Feb, so yes we could catch up, I will be travelling to a few places - 's, Jim's, Neil's (ie the harbour loop ) plus others. I will also be going to the Wagga Wagga Turnabout if you are into turning.

Cheers

Originally Posted by dai sensei

I will be in Melbourne late Feb, so yes we could catch up, I will be travelling to a few places - 's, Jim's, Neil's (ie the harbour loop ) plus others. I will also be going to the Wagga Wagga Turnabout if you are into turning.

Cheers

And whilst you're in Melbourne I'll be up on the Gold Coast visiting my in-laws during the last week in Feb. Was planning on calling in and saying g'day but now not possible.


Peter.

Originally Posted by Sturdee

And whilst you're in Melbourne I'll be up on the Gold Coast visiting my in-laws during the last week in Feb. Was planning on calling in and saying g'day but now not possible.


Peter.

Ok I have almost finished the fit-out, just some minor little shelf caddies, then make the bed and fill the shelves etc.

Electrics - I added a few 240V and 12V power points, plus an inverter (300W constant, 600W max) for fan and chargers. The power points are in the open, but the rest and supporting cabling/junction boxes are under the seats. I wasn't happy with having these exposed to moving items, so resized some old fly wire screens from the house to cover them, I also added a few vents around the inverter (these things get pretty hot even with its own fan). Under the sink the power point for the fridge and heater plus the circuit breaker needs access, but the actual water heater needed some protection for the canned items that will fill this cupboard, so again I added some modified old fly wire screens.

under seat electrics.jpg under sink electrics.jpg
Kitchen shelf - Primarily for the microwave (also an oven and griller), but I made the remainder of the shelf into a plates/bowls/cups etc cupboard with a lift-up lid. Photos show them with the main camper roof down and cupboard closed, then roof up and cupboard open.

kitchen shelf top down.jpg kitchen shelf plus cupboard open.jpg

Fold-up shelves plus TV - I needed fold up shelves on both side, one for the fan the other for bedside needs. I made simple boxes that fold up on either side. I also mounted the TV via a pivoting stand so I could watch it from the seating area, or whilst in bed, plus able to fold out of the way whilst sleeping/travelling. Under one shelf is a powerboard for all 240V run off the inverter (fan/chargers etc).

fan shelf folded plus TV down.jpg fan shelf plus TV for tabel.jpg fan shelf plus TV for bed.jpg fan shelf plus TV with top down.jpg TV mount.jpg

Small vacuum & bathroom - I mounted the vaccumunder the table, but I also put in a few switches to the inverter, plus the multi 12V plug under the seat. This way I don't need to reach in the cupboard to turn things off. In the bathroom I also put in a small mirrored cupboard, a soap/shampoo rack and toilet roll holder etc. Note I have to cover the toilet rolls with plastic bags to ensure they don't get wet when I have a shower. The shower handle actually lifts out of its holder via a flexible hose and connects to the roof holder.

vacuum under table.jpg bathroom.jpg

Outside to come

Cheers

Ok outside I put the vent cover and TV/aerial mount, but I also modified the ladder. The ladder was fine for when on the ute, but when off and lowered, it was too big. So I basically cut it in half, slicing it with a piece of timber, but made so when using just the top section the adjustable feet can be inserted.

spliced ladder.jpg short ladder.jpg ladder halves.jpg camper down.jpg

I also did some plumbing, joining the bathroom area outlet to the sink/heater drains, so there was actually only one outlet. That way when needed, I can add the grey water hose extension, to drain it away to sump outlet or container (required in some national parks) as needed. All this is actually under the camper at the end, just beyond the ute tray floor.

Cheers