Jayco All Terrain Stone Stomper Installation

Jayco All Terrain Stone Stomper Installation

Jayco All Terrain Stone Stomper Installation

 

Our Jayco All Terrain Stone Stomper installation has a reinforced one piece truck mesh trapeze style stone guard. It protects our car and All Terrain caravan from, rocks, bitumen and road debris. It’s designed and manufactured in Australia using Australian made products.

We do a lot off offroad and dirt road travel so we’ve installed an aussie made Stone Stomper® to protect our tow vehicle and Jayco All Terrain offroad caravan. It’s a bit of an investment but in the long run we reckon it’ll be money well spent.

The Stone Stomper® protects the rear of our tow vehicle and canopy as well as the complete drawbar, DO35 hitch, drawbar tap, gas bottles, tool box and the front of the van. The mesh isn’t made from crappy old shade cloth like a lot of el cheapo home made jobs. The mesh on the Stone Stomper® fitted to our Jayco All Terrain is made from one piece truck mesh. Manufactured by professional canvas makers. Stone Stomper® make each order to custom fit your tow vehicle, tow hitch setup and caravan or camper trailer. All provided metal work is laser cut and electroplated for durability.

Stone Stomper On Jayco All Terrain At Beresford Siding On The Oodnadatta Track

Stone Stomper On Jayco All Terrain At Beresford Siding On The Oodnadatta Track

Ordering Our Stone Stomper

I sent them an email and they got back to me quickly with an info pack outlining what measurements they needed to custom manufacture our Stone Stomper as well as questions about our tow vehicle and hitch. I took a photo of the van a frame from both front on and side on and took the measurements, made up a diagram and emailed it through to them. After ordering the Stone Stomper was delivered to us in under a week, this was in August 2020. They reckon it can take longer than this at times depanding upon demand which varies at different times of the year.

Stone Stomper Drawbar Measurements

Stone Stomper Jayco All Terrain Drawbar Measurements

Installing Our Stone Stomper

It took me less than 30 minutes to install The Stone Stomper®. Connecting and disconnecting takes us less than 10 seconds. The kit comes complete with everything you need to install it. I had to do drill a few holes and then use the provided tek screws to mount the mounting points on the van, I used some silicone underneath the bracket to prevent any water ever getting in.

Bracket Fitted To Jayco All Terrain

Stone Stomper Bracket Fitted To Jayco All Terrain

Because the Jayco All Terrain has an extended drawbar the people at Stone Stomper recommended a second set of mounting points on the front of the toolbox. These were easy to fit. A few more pilot holes, a dab of silicone then three tek screws in each side and it is job done. The extra brackets do make a difference to how the StoneStomper fits on our Jaycl All Terrain and it was a great suggestion from the StoneStomper team.

Stone Stomper Jayco All Terrain Toolbox Support Brackets Fitted

Jayco All Terrain Toolbox Support Brackets Fitted

I then wrapped the provided foam around potential rub points and cable tied it in place. It didn’t say to in the instructions however I then wrapped the foam in insulation tape to make it look nice and neat.

Finally I had to fit the rear bar section to the ute. We use a DO35 hitch so I ordered the correct bar section and flaps to suit. I used the high tensile steel bolts with Nyloc nuts provided in the kit. Stone Stomper really don’t skimp on the quality it’s all top shelf stuff.

Stone Stomper Rear Bar Fitted To Nissan Navara NP300

Rear Bar Fitted To Nissan Navara NP300

Stone Stomper® Gives Your Vehicle And Caravan Or Camper Trailer Maximum Protection

With Stone Stomper® the vehicle is not only protected but the entire A frame, gas bottles, brake cables, coupling and front of the van from damaging stones, rocks and debris. Additionally it prevents tar stains on the van due to bitumen and in the wet it prevents road spray from deflecting onto the van’s front from the towing vehicle.

There Is More To Stone Stomper® Than Planned Off-road Use

Often, you come across road works on bitumen with wet tar and stones only to be diverted to a dirt bypass. During your journey, your plans may change, as one of our recent customers reported after a three-month trip to North Queensland. With his newly purchased on-road Jayco Sterling, he had no intention of venturing off-road. Lawn Hill National Park, 180 kilometers of dirt roads away, was recommended as a ‘must see’ along the way. He was glad he had fitted a Stone Stomper® before leaving, keeping his car and van in pristine condition.

The truck mesh we manufacture is reinforced ONE PIECE, not shade cloth. To ensure maximum protection, each order is tailored to fit individual measurements. There is a 12 month warranty on all metal work that is laser cut and electroplated for durability.

Jayco All Terrain With StoneStomper Fitted

Jayco All Terrain With Stone Stomper Fitted

Stone Stomper® Fits Easily To Most Towball Hitches

The Stone Stomper® fits existing Hayman Reese/Eaz-Lift WDHs, Treg/Triggs, DO35s, AT35s, OzHitchs, Hitch-Ezys, Mitchell Bros., McHitchs, Hylands, as well as standard tow ball hitches. All types of hitches can be equipped with a variety of bar attachment options. The different bar options we offer ensure mesh coverage and protection is maximized by mounting the bar as closely as possible to the vehicle. Stone stomper® attaches to the tow bar and vehicle without drilling or modification. Your existing hitch will fit all bar attachment options.

Jayco All Terrain Stone Stomper – How Much Did It Cost?

All up our Stone Stomper delivered to our door in rural NSW was $735. This included the additional support brackets for the front of the Jayco All Terrain Toolbox. The one we bought previously for our Supreme Getaway offroad caravan was $675 delivered to our door in rural NSW back in 2019. This included additional pads to prevent chafing by the bottom of the jerry can holders.

Jayco All Terrain Stone Stomper – How Long Did It Take After Ordering To Be Delivered?

We were quoted a lead time of 9 weeks for the delivery of our Jayco All Terrain Stone Stomper. They were good to their word and delivered it to us in 8 weeks from the time the order was finalised and paid for. As an aside, the one we bought three years ago only took a week to be delivered. I think this is a great testimony to just how popular Stone Stompers have become. It’s awesome to see an aussie manufacturer using aussie materials doing so well!

Jayco All Terrain Stone Stomper – Conclusion

We had one installed on our previous caravan and it really did an awesome job. When we bought the new Jayco All Terrain installing a StoneStomper was a complete no brainer. It was the first thing we did. We’ve already done a few offroad trips (Oodnadatta Track amongst other places)  with the Stone Stomper installed and the front of the caravan doesn’t have a mark on it.

Jayco All Terrain Review – The Good And The Bad

Jayco All Terrain Review – The Good And The Bad

Jayco All Terrain Review – The Good And The Bad

Our Jayco All Terrain Review. We’ve had ours for over 3 years. After nearly 120 nights & 25,000km we are very happy. Read our review so far. It hasn’t been all plain sailing and we’ll let you know about that too.

  • We are very happy with our Jayco All Terrain despite having had a few problems with it so far. The problems have all been fixed to our satisfaction under warranty by our dealer or third party suppliers. The van has been a lot better than I was expecting it to be.
  • It has been great offroad travelling the Oodnadatta Track twice and the full length of the Great Central Road (GCR). It travels very well behind our Navara and has let in no dust at all. The 240ah lithium batteries and solar set up have proved to be more than enough to run the upgraded compressor fridge we specced.
  • Once you get through any warranty issues (they have been handled well by our dealer) and you have sorted out the underbody protection you have yourself a very capable offroad and offgrid caravan.
  • All up – if you are considering buying one then go out and do it!
Pros & ConsJayco All Terrain Review Of ProblemsJayco All Terrain Review Of Our Buying ProcessWhich Vans Did We Consider?List Of Things We Wanted In Our New VanJayco All Terrain Review Model SelectionAdditions At PurchaseAdditions After PurchaseModificationsWhere We’ve Been In Our Jayco All TerrainOverall Summary – Jayco All Terrain Review

Jayco All Terrain 17.55-9.AT-MY22 Camped At Bethungra Dam

Jayco All Terrain Review 17.55-9.AT-MY22 Camped At Bethungra Dam

Pros & Cons

Pros – Jayco All Terrain Review Of What We Like
  • Pricing was great compared to other vans we looked at of the same specification and features
  • Build quality is surprisingly good
  • Offroad performance has been excellent
  • All parts used in the build are from name brand suppliers and replacements are readily available
  • Loads of living room inside for a relatively small caravan
  • Lots of storage space inside and outside with the tunnel boot and huge front toolbox

Jayco All Terrain Single Bed Layout 17.55-9.AT

Jayco All Terrain Single Bed Layout 17.55-9.AT

Cons – Jayco All Terrain Review Of What We Don’t Like
  • Electrical issues
  • Had to sort out protection of underbody wiring and plumbing ourselves
  • Niggly build issues that could have been done right the first time with a bit more care and attention
  • Terrible hand over experience

Jayco All Terrain Review Added Underbody Protection

Jayco All Terrain Review Added Underbody Protection

Jayco All Terrain Review Of Problems

It hasn’t been all plain sailing with our Jayco All Terrain. We have had had some issues. Some have been niggly little things that were easy to fix however there was one that forced us to pull the pin on the last week of a 4 week adventure and come home.

The Small Issues

Handover Was An Abomination
  • We turned up to pick up our van from the dealer and upon being presented the van the first thing we saw was water leaking everywhere under the van. The slide out kitchen plumbing hadn’t been correctly installed. Problem was resolved during the handover.
  • The bloke who did the walkthrough with us knew very little about the caravan. I doubt that he knew much about caravans at all. Don’t get me wrong he was a lovely bloke but he was pretty clueless. These are hi-tech vans with complex electrical systems and I had a load of questions I wanted to ask but it was a waste of time.
  • Anderson plug hadn’t been installed on drawbar. We requested an Anderson plug be installed on drawbar and for it to go to the DCDC charger and this hadn’t been done. An Anderson plug to the DCDC charger was incorrectly spliced in to the wiring during the handover.
  • Bedside CIG outlets for our sleep apnoea machines hadn’t been installed. One was installed during the handover the other was done a month later during the first service.
  • Light in shower wouldn’t turn off. Problem was resolved during the handover.
  • Table fitted to seating area was way too big. It was so big that not even the world’s skinniest supermodel would have been able to wedge herself in. It was totally not usable. When we got the van home I made a temporary table out of plywood and fitted it. The correct table was installed a month later during the first service.
Sink Tap
  • Whenever we tried to run water inside the van via the water pump the taps would sputter and fart and we’d never get a good solid stream of water.
  • It turns out the problem was a leaky diaphragm inside the sink mixer tap was allowing air into the system. The tap was replaced during the first service and the problem was fixed.
DCDC Charger Not Charging
  • The Projecta PMDC-30 DCDC charger didn’t work from day one.
  • We asked for this to be fixed at the vans first service. We arrived to pick up the van after the first service and at that point they told us the DCDC charger still wasn’t working. We had left the van with them for a week and phoned the day before to check it was ready and no mention was made of it not being fixed. It’s a five hour round trip to drop the van off to the dealer and another five hours to pick it up. I was not happy.
  • I spoke to Projecta and they told me the reason the DCDC charger wasn’t working was insufficient diameter wiring being used by Jayco between the Anderson plug and the charger. Projecta said it is a very common problem with the Jayco factory installation of the Projecta PMDC-30 DCDC charger.
  • After speaking with our dealers service department they agreed that Jayco would pay for our auto-electrician to run bigger wiring from the Anderson plug to the charger.
  • Our auto electrician ran bigger wiring from the Anderson plug to the charger. This didn’t fix the problem.
  • The van was back at our dealer two more times before the DCDC charger worked. From buying the van to finally having a working DCDC charger took two years.
Ensuite Sink Mixer Tap Rattled Loose
  • On the Oodnadatta Track our ensuite sink mixer tap rattled loose and fell out.
  • Luckily our friends we were travelling with had a 10mm socket long enough to reach the mounting nut underneath the sink. I used this and some Loctite to refit the tap and it was good from there on. While I was at it I used Loctite to refit the kitchen sink tap just in case.
Under Sink Water Filter Rattled Loose
  • On the Oodnadatta Track our undersink water filter rattled loose and fell off it’s mounting.
  • I used a load of silicone to refit it and used some thicker screws I carry as spare.
J-Mould Coming Away
  • The J mould is coming away in a short section between the checkerplate and van siding in a short section.
  • This has been fixed by the dealer as a warranty item.
Rangehood Stopped Working
  • The rangehood died and wouldn’t turn off after about 12 months. It was back at the dealers to be fixed under warranty twice. However both times they didn’t have a replacement rangehood in stock to do the work. A year after reporting the issue they finally ordered a replacement in. So to be fair Jayco didn’t make the rangehood so it isn’t their fault that it died. However despite having reported the issue to the dealer many times it wasn’t fixed the two times that they had the van in for work.
  • The dealer now has a replacement in (October 2024). We are arranging for it to be picked up from the dealer and will get it fitted ourselves.
Shower Screen Came Off Its Hinges
  • The shower screen jumped out off its hinges a few times on rough dirt roads.
  • I removed the shower screen and Amanda and replaced it with a shower curtain. We still have the shower screen and it will take about 30 minutes to put back in if we ever want to sell the van.
A Few Loose Screws
  • On the Oodnadatta Track in August 2024 we had a few cupboard screws and a bit of timber bracing inside a cupboard come loose.
  • At Alice Springs I glued the screws and the bracing back in place. After then completing the full length of the Great Central Road the screws and bracing haven’t moved.
Power Button On The Projecta LCD Control Screen Stopped Working
  • The power button on the control screen for Projecta PM335J Stopped working (June 2025). It wasn’t the end of the world as you could still turn the power on and off using the phone app.
  • I contacted Projecta and they quickly arranged for a replacement screen to be posted to us. Projecta once again were great to deal with.
  • I replaced the screen. It was a very simple 5 minute job and the replacement works perfectly.

Removing Dress Ring From New Projecta LCD Screen

Removing Dress Ring From New Projecta LCD Screen

The Show Stopping Issue

Projecta PM335J Battery Management System Stopped Working On 12v

Ever since we had first used the Jayco All Terrain we had been experiencing intermittent power outage issues while free camping. The 12v system is crucial to us as we rarely ever stay in a caravan hooked up to power. At random intervals the 12v system was cutting out and not charging or supplying power literally leaving us in the dark.

One evening while we were free camping at Winton in outback QLD the Projecta PM335J battery management system stopped working and would not restart. After running through all of the usual checks such as connections and fuses I could not find anything obvious. So we got the torches out, cooked dinner and had an early night.

Getting Help From Projecta

In the morning I phoned Projecta to ask for advice. They had me run through a whole range of checks. After about an hour on the phone they couldn’t work out why the Projecta PM335J couldn’t see the batteries either and suspected that the unit had failed. After getting off the phone I thought I would remove the cover that goes over the wire inputs just for one last check. And I found the problem. The input to the unit where the positive lead from the batteries goes in to the Projecta PM335J was all brown and melted. Not white and normal like all of the other inputs.

Jayco All Terrain Review PM335J Not Working

Jayco All Terrain Review PM335J Not Working

I called Projecta back and they asked me to see if I could put the wire in and tighten it up and see what happened. It was soon pretty obvious that the wire input receptacle could not be tightened due to it having melted. Projecta asked me to jam the house battery positive wire in to it’s terminal and try to restart the unit. I did this and nothing started up. Projecta told me that the unit was most likely fried and would need a replacement be fitted. Projecta said that it wasn’t the first time they had experienced this issue and they believed the culprit to be the Jayco Factory not tightening the screw on the terminal correctly.

Getting Help From Our Dealer

Next I called our dealer and was put on to the service department. They were very good about the whole thing and said that they would get on to Jayco head office and organise a replacement unit to be fitted. They offered to send one up to Winton and we could arrange an auto electrician to fit it.

After doing some thinking we decided that it wouldn’t be feasible to get it fixed in Winton. The unit would take a day to be despatched from Projecta then a minimum of two days to get to Winton. Then if the moon and stars lined up an auto electrician would be available the next day to install it then we could be on our way. As we had to be back home within seven days and we were 1,800km from home we decided to end our holiday early and hightail it back home. We took everything out of the van fridge we could fit in to our Bushman fridge in the ute and gave the rest away. First night on the way home we stayed in a rest area outside of Augathella QLD in heavy rain which was great as were able to run our generator in the evening so we could make dinner. Second night we stayed at a rest stop at Nyngan NSW and had dinner at the RSL. The following day we made it home. It was a hectic two days where we covered 900km a day.

The Projecta PM335J unit has now been replaced under warranty by our dealer. The 12v system is back up and running perfectly. And yes – the first thing I did when I got the Jayco All Terrain back home was check out the input terminals on the Projecta PM335J to make sure they were all nice and tight! Overall looking at what the dealer has done with the installation of the new unit I have to say they have done a much nicer and neater installation than what the Jayco factory managed to do.

Jayco All Terrain Projecta 335J

Jayco All Terrain Projecta 335J

Jayco All Terrain Review Of Our Buying Process

Before I begin with the reasons why we bought a Jayco All Terrain let me say that when we were looking for a new van we had no intentions of buying a Jayco. We had heard the stories of Junko this and rubbish that so a Jayco wasn’t really on our purchasing radar.

We had been travelling offroad with a caravan for quite a few years with our Supreme Getaway so we knew what it was like to have a reliable offroad caravan. Being a 2000 model we also knew what it was like to have an offroad caravan minus a lot of the modern bits available in newer vans.

Why We Wanted A New Caravan

We loved the Supreme Getaway but as we are planning on doing a lot more offroad travel in the years to come it was time to get something with a few more things to keep us in a little bit more comfort. For example the Supreme Getaway had a small cramped internal toilet shower combo. It was so small and cramped that we always set up a shower tent and used the external shower instead of the one inside. To use the toilet was an act more achievable by a circus contortionist than a mid fifties overweight bloke!

We began our hunt for the new van the same way as most people do by researching on the internet. Over the years we have been avid visitors to caravan and camping shows so had a list of vans that we liked and we researched all of these. We’d been thinking about our next van for a while so I had already joined a few Facebook groups for the brands and read through posts looking for common problems with different models so that helped rule a few out.

As an example we had seen the EzyTrail Parkes 15 at a couple of shows and liked it and it ticked most of our boxes but the issues users were reporting were varied and constant and didn’t seem to be addressed with new models. Problems were persistent with no sign of improvement.

Which Vans Did We Consider?

Brand Model Length Price Why We Ruled It Out
Bushtracker Various 17ft $120,000+ – Too heavy*
Crusader Various 18ft $100,000+ – Not available as pop top
EzyTrail Parkes 15 MkII Twin 15ft $59,990 – Fold out bed
– Combo ensuite
– Reliability & build quality issues
JB Various 17ft $90,000+ – Not available as pop top
Lotus Freelander 17ft $90,000+ – Too heavy
– Not available as pop top
MARS 15 Deluxe 15ft $59,990 – Fold out bed
– Combo ensuite
– Reliability & build quality issues
New Age Desert Rose 18ft $110,000 – Too heavy
– Not available as pop top
New Age Road Owl + Adventure Pack 16ft $70,000 – Not convinced it would handle any offroad work
Rhinomax Various 16ft $100,000+ – Combo ensuite
– Didn’t like available internal layouts
Supreme Territory 16ft $90,000+ – Too heavy
– Didn’t like finish quality on vans we looked at
– Salespeople not helpful

List Of Things We Wanted In Our New Van

We spent a lot of time deciding what we wanted in our next caravan. We kept a list for about a year and added to and subtracted from it many times before we came up with the 30 things we really wanted. we didn’t get everything but we came very close. A few things we didn’t know we needed made the final selection.  A few things we thought we needed it turned out that we didn’t.

1. DO35 Hitch

We had a DO35 on our Supreme Getaway and it was a must have on the new van.

YES. Standard.

2. Pop Top

We wanted a pop top as we like the lower travel height as it’s easier to get in to camp sites at the end of tracks with overhanging branches.

YES. Standard.

3. Maximum Length of 17ft

Storage space at home under the carport is a bit limited.

YES. Standard.

4. Full Ensuite

We wanted a full ensuite as the combo ensuite we had in the Supreme Getaway wasn’t very practical for us.

YES. Standard.

5. Independent Suspension

A lot of our travel is offroad and we go in to a lot of camp sites that are hard to get in to. Common consensus is that independent suspension is more suited.

YES. Standard.

6. Single Axle

I find a single axle caravan to be more manoeuvrable when parking or navigating obstacles on tracks than dual axle. Also where the van is kept at home requires some very tight reversing to get it in.

NO. Comes as a dual axle van. despite wanting a single axle van I have found the dual axle to tow better than our old single axle.

7. Single Beds

We had single beds in the Getaway – never intended getting them until we saw a van with them. The extra space they give between them for getting dressed and for the dog to sleep is the reason we like them.

YES. Standard.

8. No Microwave

As we are rarely camped in a caravan park 240v power is not available. The option to delete the microwave and have a drawer or cupboard fitted in place was desirable to us.

YES. As a no charge option. Factory fitted an additional large pot drawer and gave us a refund of $121.

9. No Oven

All of our cooking is done outside on a BBQ or in a camp oven so an oven is of no use to us. The option to not have one and have a drawer or cupboard for more storage was of more use.

YES. As a no charge option. Factory fitted an additional storage drawer.

10. Cafe Seating

Cafe seating is our preferred option. There is only ever the two of us so a compact seating arrangement suits. We play a lot of board games and cards at night or if it’s raining and miserable outside so cafe seating is better as you sit face to face. Amanda is a terrible cheat when it comes to games and I don’t want her peeking at my cards!

NO. Came with “L” shaped seating cafe seating not an option. We had the dealer install a MAPA movable table at a cost of $600 but still would have preferred cafe seating.

11. Plenty Of USB CIG Outlets Inside

I use a sleep apnoea machine so need a CIG outlet to plug in to alongside the bed. Between us we have four mobile phones (personal and work) plus a couple of iPads and other rechargeable devices such as speakers and bluetooth speakers. Therefore we needed a LOT of charging points inside the van.

YES. As a factory fitted option at $200. We had additional outlets fitted alongside each bed. Van came with more than enough outlets in other places inside.

12. CIG Outlets Outside

Often we will put up extra LED lighting so external CIG outlets are useful to us. If we are camped near a river for a week we’ll heat up water in a boiler and plug a 12v shower pump in an external CIG outlet and use our shower tent to save our tank water.

YES. As a factory fitted option at $100. We wanted the additional outlet on the drivers side as there was already one on the passenger side. They got it wrong and we have ended up with two on the passenger side. Close enough.

13. Slide Out Kitchen

All of our cooking is done outside except for things like boiling a kettle. We wanted a slide out kitchen on the new van. With Supreme Getaway we had to use a cooker we carried in the ute and on a long road trip with a lot of stops you  get tired of pulling it out and packing it away.

YES. As a factory fitted option at $1690. The slide out kitchen has a sink and a cooker and a spot for a BBQ that we had to modify ourselves to fit a tiny Ziggy. The cooker was all but useless so we aren’t happy with the slide out kitchen provided. We have since removed the slideout kitchen and replaced it with a pullout BBQ and box – much more impressed with that.

Ziggy BBQ Slide Jayco All Terrain

Ziggy BBQ Slide Jayco All Terrain

14. Generator Storage

We had never owned a generator before but seeing as we wanted a large compressor fridge in this van we thought it a good option to carry one for those times where you get a lot of cloudy days in a row while camped in one place. So we needed a place to store it in the van when not in use.

YES. Standard. In the large front toolbox – it even has a slide.

15. Good Ground Clearance

Getting in to a lot of the places we camp requires good ground clearance. We don’t do any extreme type offroading however most free camps we have been to have humps and hollows and obstacles you need to be able to get over. Good ground clearance is a must have item.

YES. Standard.

16. Big Compressor Fridge

Three way fridges. We don’t like them. The ones we have owned struggled in high heat and basically didn’t do much at all when the van was being towed and they were set to “12v”. We swapped out the 3way fridge in our Supreme Getaway for a Bushman 12v upright and the performance and usability was in a different dimension. The Bushman we installed was a direct replacement size wise and we found it a bit small for remote area travel. A big compressor fridge was a non negotiable item for us – we had to have one.

YES. As a factory fitted option. We had a Dometic RUC6 188 litre compressor fridge fitted an additional cost of $990.

17. Lithium Battery Setup

When we were looking at vans it was 2021 and lithium batteries had come down in price from a few years earlier. Being able to deplete them safely to 20% as opposed to 50% for AGM batteries coupled with the weight saving made them an attractive proposition. Throw in a big compressor fridge and a lithium battery setup became a must have item for us.

YES. Comes standard with 1 x 100ah lithium battery. We had 2 x 12ah lithium batteries as a factory fitted option for an additional cost of $1290.

18. DCDC Charger

Installation of a DCDC charger on our old van transformed the way our batteries were charged and maintained while driving. It made that much of a difference that the new van had to have one factory fitted.

YES. As a factory fitted option. Originally I asked for an Enerdrive 12V 40A DC2DC+ Battery Charger to be fitted by the dealer and was told that yes it was an option for $750 and I said go for it thanks. That’s the one we had in our previous van and it was awesome. When the van was delivered to the dealer it had a Projecta PMDC-30 DC-DC Charger (Intelli-Jay Integration) already fitted – I was charged an additional $600 for the Projecta unit.

19. Decent Amount Of Solar On Roof

A good amount of solar on the roof was important. With the compressor fridge and my sleep apnoea machine running there is a fair bit going out. Factor in cloudy days and a good quantity of solar plus room to install more became an important item.

YES. Standard with 2 x 200watt solar panels mounted on the roof. There’s plenty of room to fit at least another two if required.

20. External Solar Input For Portable Solar Panel

As above we wanted to be able to plug in an external unregulated panel for cloudy days.

YES. Standard.

21. Minimum 200 Litre Water Tanks

Water carrying capability is important to us. We do a lot of travel in areas where potable water can be many days between fills.

YES. As a factory fitted option. As standard originally it came with 2 x 160 litre tanks so we asked for third to be fitted as a factory option at a cost of $600. A few months before the build was to commence we were told that the van now came with 2 x 160 litre tanks and a grey water tank and a third water tank wasn’t an option. I told the dealer to cancel our order and the dealer agreed to remove the grey water tank and install a third 80 litre tank as originally agreed upon.

Jayco All Terrain Added water Tank Plumbing Protection

Jayco All Terrain Added Water Tank Plumbing Protection

22. Good Underbody Protection

Dirt road travel is one of our favourite things. The underside of a van cops an absolute hammering from stones on this kind of road so it’s important that a van has plumbing and wiring protected.

NO. The underbody protection isn’t good as delivered. I had to spend a lot of time getting it sorted. We chucked the stoneguard on the front and fitted a StoneStomper and that’s the front of the van and back of our vehicle protected. I then bought a pile of saddle clamps and screws and a few bags of STRONG cable ties and got underneath and secured all wiring and plumbing properly. I had to replace a load of the Jayco cable ties as the ones they use are useless. While under there I looked at the flap they have installed across the front and had a good think. I was looking at what stones travelling front to back can hit. I ended up moving the factory fitted front protection flap across fully to the drivers side as it had stuff exposed on that side. Then I bought some two ply 6mm insertion rubber and replicated the flap underneath to protect what needed protecting. Some corrugated split tubing in a few places is good added protection. Again while I was under the van I looked at the plumbing fittings used and ordered some spares plus some straight through joiners and a few metres of pipe. I always carry a pile of different size wire and some appropriate crimps as spares. We’ve done well over 1500km on dirt including the Oodnadatta Track since we’ve had our AT and the underside tank guards and other bits have copped a hammering but nothing has been broken. We’ve been travelling offroad for years so have a bit of an understanding of what goes on. At first look underneath our AT I was not too impressed but after a bit of time thinking and a bit of time sorting things out it’s not too bad.

23. External Shower

An external shower is good to give yourself a quick hose down if you get covered in mud. It saves dragging dirt in to the van.

YES. Standard.

24. Tap On Drawbar

Amanda has always wanted to have a tap on the drawbar. I was never really sure why. Now that I have one I use it every single day when rinsing out the coffee plunger. I actually love the bloody thing and I didn’t know I needed it!

YES. Standard.

25. Dust Reduction – Scupper Vent

We wanted a way of applying positive air pressure inside the van to reduce dust ingress. Our Supreme Getaway had a scupper vent, the canopy on the ute has a scupper vent and we have found it to be very effective.

YES standard. Comes fitted with a Dometic Dust Reduction System. We have found it to work very well at reducing dust inside the van.

26. External Bayonet Fitting For BBQ

Our BBQ gets used all of the time. One of the best things we added to our last van was an external bayonet point so the new van had to have one. It’s a lot better than carrying an extra bottle.

YES. Standard.

27. Adequate Storage Inside

As a rule we travel light so don’t need a lot of storage space. The new van needed to have enough space for us to have a few weeks worth of clothing each and food for a few weeks. Massive amounts of storage weren’t needed inside.

YES. The van has more than enough inside storage for us. We did ask for the wardrobe hanging space to be replaced with shelves and this was done at no charge by the dealer. I have installed a drawer underneath the sink in what was otherwise a blank space – it looks factory fitted. I also fitted an additional shelve in the cupboard underneath the sink increasing usable storage by a large degree.

28. Dual Spare Tyres

A lot of our travel is in remote areas and an additional spare for the van is advantageous. Once you get one flat tyre you can’t fix with a plug you get a bit nervous when you still have another 500km to go to find a replacement.

NO. The van came with a single spare tyre mounted on the rear bar. Due to weight limitation on the rear bar another one can not be installed there. There might be a possibility to install an underbody spare at the back.

29. Minimum 600kg Payload (Minus Water)

We wanted a decent payload on the van. As I mentioned under the adequate storage requirement we like to travel light however we also like to do it legally. From time to time we’ll strap down some firewood or want a few jerries of water on board and the weight all adds up. We’ve always been mindful of weight and we thought a payload of 600kg would give be more than enough.

YES. Standard.

30. ATM Of Less Than 2850kg

We did the maths before buying our previous van so we know the legal towing capacity of our vehicle very well. It works out to be around 2850kg with a towball weight of 250kg. We like and trust our tow vehicle and have spent a small fortune setting it up to suit ourselves so we have no intention of replacing it.

YES. Standard. With the 600kg payload the ATM is just under 2850kg. The towball weight comes in at 290kg loaded up and ready to roll so that was a bit higher than we were after. However due to the extra storage in this van we have been able to remove some items from the back of the ute and in to the van to balance this out.

 

Jayco All Terrain Review Model Selection

Here’s a quick rundown of the different models in the current (Oct 2022) Jayco All Terrain Range. We purchased the 17.55-9.AT as it best suited our requirements.

Model Type Length Tare Payload Bed Bunks Ensuite Axles Water Tanks (80L) Grey Water
13.43-2.AT Pop Top 13ft 1720kg 500kg East/West Combo 1 2 Y
17.58-3.AT Pop Top 17ft 2213kg 600kg East/West 2 Combo 2 2 or 3 Y
17.55-8.AT Pop Top 17ft 2154kg 600kg Island Full 2 2 or 3 Y
17.55-9.AT Pop Top 17ft 2184kg 600kg Singles Full 2 2 or 3 Y
19.61-2.AT Full 19ft 2446kg 600kg Island Full 2 2 or 3 Y
19.61-3.AT Full 19ft 2436kg 600kg East/West 2 Full 2 2 or 3 Y
22.68-1.AT Full 22ft 2605kg 600kg Island 2 Full 2 2 or 3 Y
19.61-2.GX.AT Full 19ft 2436kg 600kg Island Full 2 2 or 3 Y
19.61-3.GX.AT Full 19ft 2436kg 600kg East/West 2 Full 2 2 or 3 Y
22.68-1.GX.AT Full 22ft 2605kg 600kg Island 2 Full 2 2 or 3 Y

Additions At Purchase

We added quite a few items to our Jayco All Terrain17.55-9.AT at time of build.

  • Pull Out Kitchen +$1690
  • Extra 80 Litre Water Tank +$450
  • Compressor Fridge In Place Of 3way Fridge +$990
  • Change 1 x 100ah Lithium Battery to 2 x 120ah Lithium Batteries +$1295
  • MAPA Table +$1000
  • Additional CIG Outlets Beside Both Beds +$250
  • Anderson Plug On Drawbar to DCDC Charger $100
  • PMDC-30 DCDC Charger +$400
  • Water Filter Under Sink +$199
  • Anti Flap Kit +$450
  • Delete Microwave (-$121)
  • Pot Drawer To Replace Microwave +$0
  • Shelves Instead Of Hanging In Wardrobe +$0
  • Maximum Payload Upgrade +$0

Additions After Purchase

Ark XO 750 Jockey Wheel Fitted To Jayco All Terrain

Ark XO 750 Jockey Wheel Fitted To Jayco All Terrain

Modifications

Where We’ve Been In Our Jayco All Terrain

We have done just on 25,000km with our Jayco All Terrain since we picked it up from the dealer in May 2022. That includes over 120 nights – just about all of that has been fully off grid.

  • We have done many local trips close to home. Bethungra Dam is 100% off grid with a long dirt road in and out.
  • From home to Clunes VIC. About 1,200km return.
  • 4 week road trip. Marree, Farina, William Creek, Coward Springs, Algebuckina Bridge, The Pink Roadhouse at Oodnadatta, Coober Pedy, Uluru, Alice Springs, Tennant Creek, Longreach and Winton. About 9,000km all up with about 1,000km on dirt.
  • 6 week road trip. One Tree, Menindee, Orroroo, Farina, Curdimurka, Algebuckina Waterhole, Coongra Creek, Alice Springs, Kings Canyon, Yulara (Uluru), Docker River, Great Central Road, Gwalia, Kalgoorlie, Perth, Hyden, Norseman, Caiguna,  Koonalda Homestead, Bunda Cliffs, Wudinna, Burra, Robinvale, Carrathool. About 10,000km all up with about 3,500km on dirt.

Jayco All Terrain Oodnadatta Track

Jayco All Terrain Review – Oodnadatta Track

Overall Summary – Jayco All Terrain Review

  • We are very happy with our Jayco All Terrain despite having had a few problems with it so far. The problems have all been fixed to our satisfaction under warranty by our dealer. The van has been a lot better than I was anticipating.
  • It has been great offroad travelling the Oodnadatta Track. It travels very well behind our Navara and has let in no dust at all. The 240ah lithium batteries and solar set up have proved to be more than enough to run the upgraded compressor fridge we specced.
  • Once you get through any warranty issues and you have sorted out the underbody protection you have yourself a very capable offroad and offgrid caravan.
  • All up – if you are considering buying one then go out and do it!
How To Clean Your Caravan Or Camper Trailer Water Tanks

How To Clean Your Caravan Or Camper Trailer Water Tanks

How To Clean Your Caravan Or Camper Trailer Water Tanks

Dirty grubby foul tasting water in your caravan water tanks. Yes it’s horrible. How do you clean your caravan water tanks? I will explain how in easy to follow steps.

I have spent some time researching and testing and have come up with the following method to clean my caravan water tanks. It’s simple and it follows on from sound government safety guidelines*. Alrighty then, let’s get started!

  1. Drain tank water lines and taps
  2. Add a small amount of plain household bleach and refill your caravan water tanks
  3. Leave it to sit for a day
  4. Turn all of your caravan taps on and let them go until water runs clear. Drain your tanks
  5. Refill your tanks with clean water.
  6. Turn all of your caravan taps on and let them run for a minute.

Read on below for detailed step by step instructions to clean your caravan or camper trailer tanks as outlined above. It’s easy to do and it’s very cost effective.

Clean Caravan Water

Clean Caravan Water

1. Drain Tank Water Lines And Taps

Before you add in any cleaning products it’s a good idea to empty the water out of your tanks and taps. Two reasons to do this are.

  1. If your caravan tank water is infected with nasties then it makes sense to be cleaning the tank and not the water.
  2. Start with fresh water. Refilling your caravan water tanks gives a better chance of the cleaning chemicals you will be adding being able to mix well.
But I Keep My Caravan Water Tanks empty?

Give your water tanks a rinse out first if you keep your tanks supposedly “empty”. Why do I say supposedly? Ever had a look at where the drain plug is on your tanks and at the baffles in the bottom of your tanks? There’s no way you’ll ever get them completely empty without removing them and standing them on their end or side for a few hours.

Plain Bleach

Plain Bleach

2. Add A Small Amount Of Plain Household Bleach And Refill Your Caravan Water Tanks

What Do I Use As A Sanitiser In My Caravan Water Tanks?

Bleach is what’s recommended by Govt authorities to disinfect water tanks. The VIC Health Dept recommends you use 12.5 millilitres (mL) of liquid bleach (4% available chlorine) for every 100 litres (L) of tank capacity.
Bleach is cheap and effective as a disinfectant. It kills off many common bacteria such as salmonella, staphylococcus, streptococcus and E. coli. You can buy liquid household bleach at a supermarket or hardware store. Check the product has at least four per cent (4%) available chlorine and has no additives such as fragrances or detergents

How Much Bleach Do I Add To My Caravan Water Tanks?

Use the following table to work out how much bleach to add to your caravan water tanks to clean and sanitise them.

Tank Capacity Qty Of Bleach Tank Capacity Qty Of Bleach
50 Litres 06.25 ml 300 Litres 37.50 ml
100 Litres 12.50 ml 350 Litres 43.75 ml
150 Litres 18.75 ml 400 Litres 50.00 ml
200 Litres 25.00 ml 450 Litres 56.25 ml
250 Litres 31.25 ml 500 Litres 62.50 ml
Other Cleaning Products Will Do The Same Job However They Cost A Lot More

If you have 200 litres water tanks here is the cost to use bleach compared to commercially prepared solutions. Remember that bleach will do the same job and bleach is what the government agencies recommend.

  • Milton Antibacterial Solution about $2.75
  • Camec Tank Clean about $15.00
  • Household bleach about $0.10
Refill Your Caravan Water Tanks

Fill the tanks up as much as possible. This will make sure that the cleaning solution is in contact with as much of the tank surface as you can. This will slosh the cleaning product around and make sure it’s fully mixed in.

Bonus Tip
If you find it hard to pour bleach into your caravan’s water filler then pour it in to the end of your filler hose. The water will push it through plus it’ll likely give it a swirl around inside the tank as it goes in. Plus it’ll even give the inside of your hose a clean!

Caravan Water Tanks

Caravan Water Tanks

3. Leave It To Sit For A Day

The times vary depending on what you read. One site says 15 minutes, another says 6 hours. According to the Department of Health and Human Services Victoria you should wait at least 24 hours after treating the water before using it. This allows for microorganisms to be destroyed.

In any case I recommend being cautious. Go with the longer version if different sources say different things. All you’ll lose is a little time. Waiting longer is a better option than the disinfectant not doing its job and you still getting sick.

Bonus Tip
Take your caravan for a drive during this time. Even though the tanks should be completely full there will likely be air pockets. Going for a drive will slosh the cleaning solution around and get to those pockets. It will also give the caravan water tank cleaning solution a chance to mix together again.

4. Turn All Of Your Caravan Taps On And Let Them Go Until Water Runs Clear. Drain Your Tanks

After you have waited for 24 hours it’s time to drain the water and flush your caravan water tanks. Everything I read suggests that the tanks should now be completely disinfected and the water should be safe to drink. Personally I would use this opportunity to drain the tanks and use the drained water to water the plants. Unless you live near a drought affected area where water is scarce. By emptying the tanks, any debris or dead germs will be removed. It will also help get rid of any bleach or chlorine taste that may hang around. Depending on the availability of water you might prefer to flush it another time to totally remove the taste.

B.E-S.T Water Filter

B.E-S.T Water Filter

5. Refill Your Tanks With Clean Water

After cleaning the caravan tanks it’s time to refill them with fresh water. Use the 24 hours you are waiting for the bleach to do it’s job of disinfecting your caravan water tank to get an inline water filter. If you don’t already have one you really should. The one to get is a B.E.S.T Inline Water Filter (cheap on eBay). We find them to be the best inline water filter to use while filling your tanks.

When Filling Your Water Tanks Why Use An Inline Water Filter?

The Problem
As a traveler, you can expect some big changes if you are used to town water or tank water at home. Some places have over-chlorinated water and others have under-chlorinated water, leaving you vulnerable to bacterial contamination. You may have access to town supplies as well as water from other sources. For example the caravan park in Forbes is supplied by chlorinated town water but if you travel a few kilometers out of town to the free camping area it is supplied by untreated channel water. There are many towns in Australia that are forced to shut down their water supply due to contamination. Alternatively you can take water from a rainwater tank or a creek. It might even be as simple as a change in the taste of the water that can upset your stomach.

The Solution
What is the Solution? A high temperature is set in your hot water to kill off bacteria, including legionella. Too often, I have heard RVers say that they “heat the hotwater just enough to take a shower”. Unless you are sure there are no bacteria in your hotwater system, let it run until it shuts off. The same thing happens when you lay your water hose on the ground and it becomes heated by the sun. This is the worst thing that can happen to the “domestic-style” filters. They are not meant to handle hot water. They breed bacteria more quickly, and the cheaper ones break down faster. With the B.E.S.T., this problem will be eradicated. Hot Water Systems NOT the B.E.S.T. !

Bonus Tip
Now is probably a great time to check your caravan plumbing lines, taps and fitting for leaks and repair or replace as necessary.

6. Turn All Of Your Caravan Taps On And Let Them Run For A Minute

Finally you want to flush out any taste of bleach or chlorine from your water lines and taps. Turn your taps on and let them run for a minute to give the lines and taps a good flushing.

Myths As To How To Clean Your Caravan Water Tanks

There are LOTS of crazy ideas on social media for ways to clean your water tanks that are complicated or just don’t work. Some of them are even downright stupid. A few even border on being dangerous.

  • Red Cordial – how is that supposed to work?
  • Vinegar – if it was the best method then government agencies would recommend it. Leave the vinegar for your chips!
  • BiCarbonate Soda – I’m no scientist so it might work, but how are you meant to get a box of dry powder in to your water tanks?

Clean Your Caravan Or Camper Trailer Water Tanks As Part Of Your regular Maintenance Schedule

When it comes to owning a caravan or camper trailer it’s really important to regularly maintain your gear. Keeping a regular maintenance schedule and tracking the completion of tasks is the best way to keep your rig in tip top condition. Things like regularly checking the tyres, water pipes and drains for leaks and checking batteries and safety equipment like smoke detectors.

A regular schedule will help you catch things early and prevent any small issues before they have a chance to become big ones. A big one that needs to happen regularly is cleaning asnd sanitising your caravan or camper trailer water tank.

Benefits of Cleaning Your Tanks

Whether you are on the road full time or take your caravan, RV or camper trailer out occasionally it’s important to clean and sanitize your caravan water tanks. You drink this water and if it becomes contaminated in any way it could have an effect on your health. When we regularly clean the caravan, RV or camper trailer fresh water tank and water lines it helps keeps us healthy and prevents illnesses.

How Often Should You Clean Your Caravan Water Tanks?

  • When it comes to cleaning your caravan water tank you should do it at least every six months.
  • If you are full-time on the road a six-month schedule works fine.
  • If you are an occasional camper when using your RV for camping trips you might want to consider a more regular RV maintenance schedule like every 3 months. What happens in the tank is mould, mildew, and bacteria can build up and water that sits in the tank for long periods becomes stale.
  • As you use the water in the tank the water level lowers and the areas not in the water build up moisture making it a perfect breeding ground. When you empty and fill it up over and over the water quality eventually can become less drinkable or have a bad taste even if you are using a water filter.

How Much Time Does It Take to Clean Your Tanks?

Cleaning your caravan fresh water water tank is a bit of a process. Allow about 24 hours to sanitize everything properly. You have to let the solution sit in the tank long enough to actually kill any bacteria and clean it out. This process can be done in about five to eight hours if you are in a hurry but for best results you need to allocate 24 hours.

Summary

I’ll admit it. I’ve been tricked in to buying and using Milton’s and Tank Clean in the past. It is pretty easy and cheap to clean your caravan’s water tanks. In the end bleach is what water scientists recommend (and it’s the cheapest solution).

* I’m in no way a health professional so I recommend you do your own research before following my step by step instructions to clean your caravan or camper trailer water tanks.

6 Steps To Clean Caravan Water Tanks

6 Steps To Clean Caravan Water Tanks

Ark XO 750 Jockey Wheel Fitted To Jayco All Terrain Caravan

Ark XO 750 Jockey Wheel Fitted To Jayco All Terrain Caravan

Ark XO 750 Jockey Wheel Fitted To Jayco All Terrain Caravan

I have fitted an Ark XO 750 jockey wheel to our new Jayco All Terrain 17.55-9.AT-MY22. It’s a massive improvement over the originally fitted jockey wheel. It’s the same process for other Jayco All Terrains.

We have had an Ark XO jockey wheel on a previous caravan and camper trailer and they are the best and toughest jockey wheels you can buy. We have dragged a heavy offroad caravan sideways with the Ark XO 750 jockey wheel on a gnarly track after getting stuck and it didn’t fail. The jockey wheel fitted to the Jayco All Terrain as purchased is honestly a bit of a joke. After paying nearly $70k for a caravan you’d expect a better jockey wheel. Particularly on a caravan that you are meant to be able to take up tough tracks and on iconic outback roads.

At some point if you are using your Jayco All Terrain pop top as it’s meant to be used you are going to have to skulldrag the thing on it’s jockey wheel. Well we are anyway! Fortunately everything else on our new Jayco All Terrain 17.55-9.AT-MY22 seems to be well made and of excellent design and quality.

Ark XO 750 Jockey Wheel Fitted To Jayco All Terrain

Ark XO 750 Jockey Wheel Fitted To Jayco All Terrain

Fitting Issues

Fitment is pretty straightforward. On a Jayco All Terrain there is plenty of room for the Ark XO 750. You need to fit it either side of the A-frame crossmember in order to make it fit. One issue I had was lining up the top left bolt between a couple of letters on the welded on VIN number.

Ark XO 750 Jockey Wheel Fit In This Section On Jayco All Terrain

Ark XO 750 Jockey Wheel Fit In This Section On Jayco All Terrain

The other issue I had was making sure I had room to turn the handle on the original jockey wheel mount so I could remove it. After a false start I and a bit of swearing I moved the mount about 10mm to the right and it worked. After removing the old red mount handle I fitted a shortened bolt in it’s place. I have left the original mount in place in case I ever need to fit a basic jockey wheel.

Ark XO 750 Jockey Wheel Fit In This Section On Jayco All Terrain

Ark XO 750 Jockey Wheel Being Fitted To A Jayco All-Terrain

Swing Away Jockey Wheel On A Jayco All Terrain

The adjustment allowed for by an Ark XO jockey wheel means it swings up and out of the way when not in use. It weighs about 16kg so you need to account for this with your tow ball weight. That being said, the removable jockey wheel is a good 6 or 7kg on it’s own. The original while not of the swing away variety I’d put in the toolbox on the drawbar when not in use or right towards the back of the ute.

Ark XO 750 Jockey Wheel Folded Up

Ark XO 750 Jockey Wheel Folded Up

About The Ark XO 750 Jockey Wheel

Heavy duty body with 750kg rating
• Increases load carrying capacity and eliminates the likelihood of “bend” under weight

Heavy duty swivel clamp
• 4 bolt pivot point ensures no more bowing under weight
• Suitable for 75mm, 100mm, 130mm and 150mm drawbars
• Comes with mounting hardware – no more welding on to drawbars

4 x adjustable height positions
• 250mm height adjustability at each of the 4 positions, whilst maintaining a central swivel point for extra strength

Dual wheels with sealed bearings & Off road tread
• 2 x 8″ Premium wheels
• Increases off road grip and spreads the load

Variable yoke lock
• Allows you to lock the yoke in 1 of 5 positions when the jockey wheel is stowed, to allow for clearance of stone guards, toolboxes, jerry can holders etc

Easy-pivot trailing yoke design
• Wheel pivots easily, even under heavy load or on soft ground

Magnetic, removable, side-winding handle
• Easier raising & lowering of trailers/caravans – away from stone guards, toolboxes or jerry can holders
• Magnetic, removable handle ensures safe stowage and prevents damage in offroad situations

Ark XO 750 Jockey Wheel Box

Ark XO 750 Jockey Wheel Box

13 Ways To Improve Efficiency Of A 3Way Fridge

13 Ways To Improve Efficiency Of A 3Way Fridge

13 Ways To Improve Efficiency Of A 3Way Fridge

You can do many simple things to improve efficiency of a 3way fridge and help it run better and colder during your holiday – particularly in hot weather.

About Caravan 3Way Fridges

There seems to be no end to Australia’s summertime temperature increases. In the summer months when a lot of us enjoy our caravanning adventures keeping the fridges cold is particularly important. Warm beer and ruined food are the last things we want to find after opening the door to your 3way fridge.

There’s no surprise that Caravan owners choose a 3-way fridge. They are the most convenient on the road since they can be powered by 12v while driving and 240v when available or LPG gas when free camping.

As well as being extremely efficient they are also very quiet. Perfect for enclosed spaces. In contrast to compressor refrigerators 3-way refrigerators are usually affected by the ambient temperature and are unable to cool to lower temperatures. Typically 3way fridges can cool to a certain temperature below the ambient temperature outside. Tropical rated threeway fridges can cool up to 30 degrees below ambient temperature while non tropical rated 3-way fridges can cool to about 20 degrees below ambient temperature.

13 Ways To Improve Efficiency Of A 3Way Fridge

1. Get A Tropical Rated 3 Way Fridge

Tropical rated 3 way fridges cool to about 30 degrees below ambient temperature – non tropical rated three way fridges only to cool to 20 degrees below ambient temperature

2. Shade The Fridge Vents On The Exterior Of The Caravan

Shade the fridge vents on the exterior of the caravan with shadecloth or a canvas awning. You can increase efficiency by up to 20% by keeping direct sunlight off the side of your caravan and away from the vents

3. In Hot Climates Install A 12v Computer Cooling External Vent Fan

In hot climates install a 12V computer cooling external vent fan behind the refrigerator. Hot air will be forced out cooling behind the 3way fridge and improving its efficiency.

4. Install An Internal Fridge Fan

Installing an internal fridge fan reduces frost build up to help your three way fridge cool evenly. It works by circulating the air inside your 3way fridge making sure the cool air gets to all areas.

5. Keep Your Caravan Level

By keeping your caravan level the gas will be absorbed better.

6. Pre Cool 3way Fridge Before Setting Off

Before heading off on a trip, turn the fridge on at home a couple of days using mains power or on gas so it can cool to a constant temperature before you leave. Putting some frozen bottles of water inside your 3-way fridge will greatly improve the initial cooling process.

7. Don’t Fill Your 3way Fridge With Warm Items

Don’t put warm food or drinks in your 3way fridge before heading off on your trip. Cool them in your home fridge first.

8. Clean Vents

Regularly clear the external vents of dust and debris to improve circulation.

9. Turn The Fridge Upside Down

Turn the fridge upside down – for a three way fridge to work the chemicals inside need to be mixed. If the fridge has sat still for a long time the chemicals inside the 3way fridge separate out and the fridge doesn’t work. The fridge needs to be shaken up and an easy way to do this is to remove the 3-way fridge and turn the fridge upside down and side to side.

10. Go For A Long Drive On A Bumpy Road

Go for a long drive on a bumpy road – for a three way fridge to work the chemicals inside need to be mixed. If the caravan jasn’t moved for a long time the chemicals inside the 3way fridge separate out and the fridge doesn’t work. A good long drive on a bumpy road will often fix it.

11. Check Your Gas Regulator

Make sure your gas regulator is in good working order – have it inspected and tested by a licenced gas fitter.

12. Door Seals

Check that your 3way fridges door is sealing correctly. If it isn’t then you can buy replacement 3way fridge door seal kits.

13. Maintenance

Regular maintenance on your 3-way fridge will always make it work better.

Conclusion

A 3way fridge is a simple and excellent choice for your caravan as long as you understand their limitations as to how far below ambient temperature they will work. Regular maintenance and correct installation will help them work to their peak performance level. If all else fails then you can always swap it out for a 12v compressor fridge.

Installing A Stone Stomper On Our Offroad Caravan

Installing A Stone Stomper On Our Offroad Caravan

Installing A Stone Stomper On Our Offroad Caravan

We do a lot off offroad and dirt road travel so we’ve installed an aussie made Stone Stomper® to protect our tow vehicle and offroad caravan. It’s a bit of an investment but in the long run we reckon it’ll be money well spent.

The Stone Stomper® protects your tow vehicle as well as the complete drawbar, gas bottles, gas and brake cables, coupling and the front of the van. The mesh isn’t made from crappy old shade cloth like a lot of el cheapo home made jobs, it’s made from one piece truck mesah that is manufactured by professional canvas makers. They make each order to custom fit your tow vehicle, tow hitch setup and carvan/camper trailer. All provided metal work is laser cut and electroplated for durability.

Stone Stomper Fitted To Nissan Navara NP300 Supreme Getaway

Stone Stomper Fitted To Nissan Navara NP300 And Supreme Getaway Offroad Caravan

Ordering Our Stone Stomper

I sent them an email and they got back to me quickly with an info pack outlining what measurements they needed to custom manufacture our Stone Stomper as well as questions about our tow vehicle and hitch. I took a photo of the van a frame from both front on and side on and took the measurements, made up a diagram and emailed it through to them. After ordering the Stone Stomper was delivered to us in under a week, this was in August 2020. They reckon it can take longer than this at times depanding upon demand which varies at different times of the year.

stone Stomper Drawbar Measurements

Stone Stomper Drawbar Measurements

Installing Our Stone Stomper

It took me less than 30 minutes to install The Stone Stomper®. Connecting and disconnecting takes us less than 10 seconds. The kit comes complete with everything you need to install it. I had to do drill a few holes and then use the provided tek screws to mount the mounting points on the van, I used some silicone underneath the bracket to prevent any water ever getting in.

Stone Stomper Mounting Bracket Installation

Stone Stomper Mounting Bracket Installation

I then wrapped the provided foam around potential rub points and cable tied it in place, it didn’t say to in the instuctions however I then wrapped the foam in insulation tape to make it look nice and neat. Finally I had to fit the rear bar section to the ute. We use a DO35 hitch so I ordered the correct bar section and flaps to suit.

Stone Stomper Foam Wrapping Potential Rub Points

Stone Stomper Foam Wrapping Potential Rub Points

Conclusion

We’ve already done a few offroad trips with the Stone Stomper installed and the sound of stones pinging in to the back of the ute has completely stopped. We should have installed one a few years ago!