Need advise on a camper please

Thefiveofus · April 22, 2018, 03:12:49 PM

Hi! I'm new to this forum. Found some great informative threads already.

We have a soft floor camper but with 3 small kids and needing to do some quick stops, the soft floor is way too time consuming to setup and pack up. Plus it always seems to rain when we pack up and then we don't have anywhere at home to air it.

So we want something that is very quick to setup/pack up, sleeps 5 (kids are young) and can easily be aired out in a small space (single carport) if it gets wet.

We don't have a large budget - second hand under $11k.

Any ideas?

Thanks!

edz · April 22, 2018, 03:35:29 PM

G,Day and welcome .. Depending on how you pack / travel with gear wise, Maybe look at a small jayco for ease of handling [ Flite or next one up ] , Try to Hire one as a try before you buy [ not sure where you are ] if possible to get more of an idea if suitable. .
Rear folds and even forward folds with demountable double bunks are doable, probably wouldnt get them all the way open for airing out under a carport, but maybe open enough not to be a drama .
http://www.campmountaincampers.com.au/ .... https://www.adventureshack.com.au/camper-hire ...
http://testspace.com.au/complete-camper/brey-camper/

SEADOO · April 22, 2018, 09:07:35 PM

Good old Jayco is what your after.

If you up your budget a couple of grand ($11k plus the sale of your existing camper), you can pick up a good 2008ish Eagle or Hawk.

Piss easy to set up.

Thefiveofus · April 23, 2018, 02:31:09 AM

Thank you both! Have had a look at jaycos. They look great! How long do they take to setup? Without the annex?

edz · April 23, 2018, 07:44:20 AM

Extended draw bar just enough so you can have clearance to pull the bed end out, so you can stay hooked up to the tug for quick over night pull ups while traveling is a good thing to look at too ..
Set up ::: 18 V cordless Drill is your friend here, Have a mate that does his from go to whoa in just on 10 minutes including the unhook from the tug . [ not moving the tug away ] to beer time .
Pull up.. Stabilizer legs down [ drill ] ... Unclip roof / up [ drill ]... bed ends out / positioned ... door swung down velcro'd in place ..
awning wound out [ drill ] not pegged down ... chair out cracked a beer open relax ...

Thefiveofus · April 23, 2018, 10:54:29 AM

10 minutes works for me! Awesome, sounds like a jayco may be the way to go. Will check out the caravan expo in Sydney this week I think.

Is an extended drawbar an optional extra? Anything else not standard that I should aim for?

Appreciate the advice.

SEADOO · April 23, 2018, 01:21:02 PM

I could deploy mine under 5 mins for the basic set up for an over night.

1. Unhook from vehicle
2. Wind down support legs (me), unlclip the roof (wife).
3. Wind up roof
4. Pull bends out
5. Jump in and insert "hockey sticks"
6. Lower top half of door
7. Drink beer and tell your self what a legend you are.

That's prett much it.

Longer when you plug into mains power, connect the water and sullage and set the annex up.

Thefiveofus · April 23, 2018, 03:08:52 PM

5 min, even better! We don't mind it taking a little longer for longer stays but need to setup in the dark for quick overnighters a couple times a year. 5min is perfect.

How long do bed end flies take to setup?

Anything else I should check looking at a second hand one? Essential upgrades?

Alan Loy · April 23, 2018, 05:24:27 PM

Let me add that I have camped with people who take hours to setup their Jayco. This included a great deal of chatting, cigarettes and a couple of drinks.

There are many ways to skin a cat

Thefiveofus · April 23, 2018, 06:24:37 PM

We will certainly be skinning it the most efficient way, with 3 screaming kids in the back

Pottsy · April 23, 2018, 06:24:56 PM

Quote from: Alan Loy on April 23, 2018, 05:24:27 PM
Let me add that I have camped with people who take hours to setup their Jayco. This included a great deal of chatting, cigarettes and a couple of drinks.

There are many ways to skin a cat

Yep, what's the hurry, arrive early with plenty of time to set up.

Rumpig · April 23, 2018, 06:37:59 PM

Quote from: Pottsy on April 23, 2018, 06:24:56 PM
Yep, what's the hurry, arrive early with plenty of time to set up.

sometimes people don't have a choice.... work all day and get home to hook the camper up, finish packing some stuff in it and don't get to arrive at camp until 9.30 p.m, then just want to get the job done ASAP.....like me on the Thursday night of Easter. We also often will arrive at a camp after dinner time on a Friday night for a weekend away, don't get to leave home before 7.00 p.m due to work commitments, but atleast get to wake up Saturday morning at camp and enjoy the full weekend away then.

edz · April 23, 2018, 07:01:49 PM

[quote ]

How long do bed end flies take to setup?

Anything else I should check looking at a second hand one? Essential upgrades?

Quote
If you did a mod , as long as it takes to unroll them put two support poles down to the ground or at an angle to camper body and hook up a tie rope or ratchet strap to the draw bar and down to the rear bar at each end .
Idea would be to have a spreader bar with Bimini type hinge [ or 4x4 awning roll out type folding hinge ] each end with support poles already fitted along with the tie strap ..
No poles or guy ropes / pegs out at an angle to trip over this way..

Bird · April 23, 2018, 07:03:25 PM

Quote from: Rumpig
sometimes people don't have a choice.... work all day and get home to hook the camper up, finish packing some stuff in it and don't get to arrive at camp until 9.30 p.m, then just want to get the job done ASAP.....like me on the Thursday night of Easter. We also often will arrive at a camp after dinner time on a Friday night for a weekend away, don't get to leave home before 7.00 p.m due to work commitments, but atleast get to wake up Saturday morning at camp and enjoy the full weekend away then.

everything he said...
the thought of having to set up camp actually puts me off going

Alan Loy · April 23, 2018, 07:14:58 PM

Question, do you need the flys? Always, when it's hot, when it's raining?

I notice that the US equivalents do not have flys, no matter which brand (including Jayco.

Pottsy · April 23, 2018, 07:23:27 PM

Quote from: Rumpig on April 23, 2018, 06:37:59 PM
sometimes people don't have a choice.... work all day and get home to hook the camper up, finish packing some stuff in it and don't get to arrive at camp until 9.30 p.m, then just want to get the job done ASAP.....like me on the Thursday night of Easter. We also often will arrive at a camp after dinner time on a Friday night for a weekend away, don't get to leave home before 7.00 p.m due to work commitments, but atleast get to wake up Saturday morning at camp and enjoy the full weekend away then.

Appreciate what you are saying Rumpig, I'm retired so there is no hurry, didn't mean to upset anyone

glenm64 · April 23, 2018, 07:26:31 PM

I only put them up on my Coromal Pioneer if it was raining. And I dont do that very often here in WA. They were noisy in the wind, couldn't sleep with them flapping about. And no sun out at night, so they're of no use IMO.

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Rumpig · April 23, 2018, 07:34:14 PM

Quote from: Pottsy on April 23, 2018, 07:23:27 PM
Appreciate what you are saying Rumpig, I'm retired so there is no hurry, didn't mean to upset anyone

all good mate no offence taken, realise sometimes people forget that others have this dreaded thing called work that gets in the way of their lives...lol.

edz · April 23, 2018, 09:39:05 PM

The flys are not only just for the wet but supposedly help in cold frosty weather as well ?? cant realy say on that one though .

Cruiser 105Tvan · April 23, 2018, 09:59:58 PM

Your right EDZ, they do.
Fly's put an insulating air gap outside the tent. This reduces the influence of the weather outside the Tent, on the tent interior.
Also makes it darker, and reduces the extremes of temperature within the tent. Maybe not by much, but it still helps.

BC66 · April 24, 2018, 07:42:15 AM

They also give some privacy. We have the ones that cover all sides of the bed ends. We can have the flaps open and no one can see in

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Thefiveofus · April 24, 2018, 06:48:05 PM

Yeah I can see the flies are useful. Thanks. Like the mod idea thanks edz. Will have a look at the new ones tomorrow at the caravan show

Banjo16 · April 24, 2018, 07:01:25 PM

Quote from: SEADOO on April 23, 2018, 01:21:02 PM
I could deploy mine under 5 mins for the basic set up for an over night.

1. Unhook from vehicle
2. Wind down support legs (me), unlclip the roof (wife).
3. Wind up roof
4. Pull bends out
5. Jump in and insert "hockey sticks"
6. Lower top half of door
7. Drink beer and tell your self what a legend you are.
Don't know about 5 min, but with my small Starcraft I don't have a wind up roof or bed ends, that & no canvas. I'm a happy camper.
That's prett much it.

Longer when you plug into mains power, connect the water and sullage and set the annex up.

Banjo16 · April 24, 2018, 07:03:49 PM

Sorry didn't finish, I don't have a wind up roof or bed ends.
Small Jayco Starcraft is at least as quick.

Muckinhell · April 24, 2018, 07:14:57 PM

the flys also help keep any bird activity off the canvas ends be it day or NIGHT birds, like to leave there calling cards on ya canvas. otherwise a cub spacevan has heaps of room as well, there a hard floor, picked a good off road version up not long ago for 9k, no need to worry about extended draw bars etc,

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Need advise on a camper please