My new pride and joy

[trayon517]

I have recently picked up my NEW Trayon Camper Dual-cab and thought you all might like to see my rig as it stands today.

This will be my second Trayon as I foolishly sold my first one thinking that there was something else better out there, after burning my fingers with a Chinese made camper (whose name I will not mention and whose wheels and axle are still on a track up in the cape) now have returned to my first love. It worked out well actually as my new Trayon has some updated features that my last one did not have.

I read all the warnings about imported campers and thought that I could overcome the issues with regular maintenance and repair (after all it was a quarter of the price of my new Trayon) how foolish I was, on its first trip everything started to go wrong with the Chinese trailer, the water tank even ruptured while traversing a speed bump on Rosette st in Chermside :o

Bottom line is, I had my first Trayon camper for over 5 years and it never gave me any hassles, not so much as a hick-up, I did the Canning, Gibb, Gun-barrel, York, Arnhem land and Vic high-country with it on the back and never had any issues.

Now I am set up (again) ready for my retirement adventures the way it was meant to be from the start, this is not a ploy of any sorts, I just believe to pay credit where credit is due and after what I went through with the imported Junker, I can’t praise Trayon enough (best slide-on by far):cool:


Off to the cape I go.....:D

Jo

[TheTree]

That looks great , have fun at the Cape :D

[vnx205]

Welcome back! :D

Mine is number 247, manufactured in 2003, so is probably similar to your original one.

A couple of years ago at a camping expo I looked at the changes on the later models. The water tank was bigger and the shallow storage under the sink was gone and there was a gauge for the water tank. The steps were different. There was a third, clear layer on the windows. There was an extra window at the side of the bed.

The previous owner had fitted a length of hose as an outside water outlet. I can just lift the end up until the water stops flowing to tell me the water level in the tank.

I have never felt the need for more ventilation than the very generous amount provided on mine, but I agree that the clear layer is a great idea. Otherwise when it rains, you are left in the dark. A friend with a Trayon told me that some owners had made a half sized clear window held in place with velcro tabs. I might do that one day.

Are there any other major changes on yours?

[trayon517]

oh yes, alot more extras than my last one all the things you mentioned and bigger fridge (100lt fridge/freezer 2-way) on-board 240v charger, LED lighting with a great dual purpose top peak strip light, 120amp deep cycle battery, new fancy brass taps, new dual-layer mattress (oh the comfort) , new tropical fly and for even more ventilation they put in an extra window on the bed side. I added in as optional extras -- external drop-down table, inverter, dc to dc charger and great little fold out solar kit

I made a list of the new additions and extras compared to my beloved older Trayon, before I placed the order for the new one.

What gets me is it only weighs in at 373kg, which is so light compared to my mate’s slide-on that weighs a whopping 812KG, serves him right though for buying an imported slide-on made out of fibreglass (silly man) and what’s more the salesman lied to him about the weight. He had to pay another 4,500 to have his landcruiser's suspension upgraded just to take his behemoth slide-on (you can take a horse to the water but…..). Both my Trayon’s went straight on with no mods required and I weight them both, no lies there... Well done Trayon!!!

Oh yes, the cape is going to be an enjoyable experience this time, Im back in a Trayon again….:p

[Ranga]

Lucky bugger - nice unit. ;)

Anyone who knows me well enough can attest to the fact that I research thoroughly before committing, to a fault. This has lead me to believe that the Trayon is the best option to suit my purposes.

I think the weight was something that impressed me no end. MY slide on canopy - albeit totally made of alloy, is apparently about 150kg empty. After adding all my stuff, including 2 drop-down fridge slides, it's now up to about 650kg! :eek: The 130 is still more than capable with this weight luckily. However, I'd become a real weight-watcher when it comes to the gear I carry.

Travelling with Alan (VNX205) confirmed my suspicions - I'd turn away, and the bugger would be set up with his Kelly Kettle bubbling away before I'd even started unpacking my slide-on canopy!

I'm still working on ways to convince him that I need it more than him :twisted: I've found a nice unit to fit a single cab that would be much better for you Alan :)

[vnx205]

oh yes, alot more extras than my last one all the things you mentioned and bigger fridge (100lt fridge/freezer 2-way) on-board 240v charger, LED lighting with a great dual purpose top peak strip light, 120amp deep cycle battery, new fancy brass taps, new dual-layer mattress (oh the comfort) , new tropical fly and for even more ventilation they put in an extra window on the bed side. I added in as optional extras -- external drop-down table, inverter, dc to dc charger and great little fold out solar kit.
... .... ..

Some of those new features might be part of the reason that the price has crept up a bit since mine was built.

LED lighting probably wasn't a viable option a decade ago, but I have converted the lights to LED and made up a light with 72 LEDs on a metre long PCB inside an acrylic tube that I can use inside and outside. It is probably a DIY version of the strip light fitted to yours. The position of the original inside light greatly reduces its usefulness. The overhead strip is brilliant (literally).



.. ... .... ..
Travelling with Alan (VNX205) confirmed my suspicions - I'd turn away, and the bugger would be set up with his Kelly Kettle bubbling away before I'd even started unpacking my slide-on canopy!

I'm still working on ways to convince him that I need it more than him :twisted: I've found a nice unit to fit a single cab that would be much better for you Alan :)

Thanks for the offer Ranga, but I have become attached to mine. :)

It is just possible that I might be able to track down one identical to mine. It is number 250 and I borrowed it for a weekend before I bought mine. It belongs to a couple I have known for 20 years or so. A couple of years ago the husband died and the wife realised it isn't really suitable for her on her own. Their children have families that are too large for it.

She told me last year that she planned to sell it and I offered to let people on this forum know about it. She wanted to give it a bit of a cleanup first and I think one of her children had it at the time.

It is possible that it is already sold, but if people are interested, I could get in touch with her again to see what the situation is.

[Ranga]

It is possible that it is already sold, but if people are interested, I could get in touch with her again to see what the situation is.

Forget anyone else, track it down just for me! It would be a good excuse to come down for a visit to God's (or any other deity's) country again :)

[austastar]

Hi,
they are a nice unit. If I was not living in a cool moist climate it would have been my first choice.
Yep, mine is all fiberglass, no canvas to get wet except a vinyl roll out awning.

cheers

[vnx205]

Forget anyone else, track it down just for me! It would be a good excuse to come down for a visit to God's (or any other deity's) country again :)

PM sent.

[130man]

Hi Trayon517, They are very good. I bought mine last year, secondhand, but in very nice condition. It was made in 2000, the same year as my 130 extracab, so they go together nicely. The only thing that has gone wrong so far is a gas strut failure while we were in Tasmania, easily fixed and quite cheaply as well, once we got home. I found a silver tarp from Bunnings to be a fairly close fit, sizewise, for extra weather protection and it sure makes a difference to the heat load in bright sunlight as well as keeping the canvas drier in dew and rain. I haven't tracked down the clear plastic material that is used in the windows in rain so if anyone knows where to get it I would appreciate knowing. Mine doesn't have the mod cons of the current model, but I am sure you will enjoy them. A friend with a late model one with the hot water heater had the plumbing fracture but he remounted it with flexible piping, I think, to over come that issue. Cheers, 130man.

[trayon517]

hi all

I have also looked at the second hand market before i bought me second Trayon, it is hens teeth, people hang on to their Trayon for dear life. Even if they let go of them they get more than they paid for it. I lost no money on my first Trayon when i sold it after over 5 years of use (got what i paid for it new, amazing resale value) besides i now have a ten year warranty on my new Trayon:D

The 130 is a good old boy with the Trayon, i have made no modification to take the Trayon on it, my previose vehicle was a redeo so it is a bit of a change for me but they work well together....

[Ranga]

Thanks to VNX205, I've finally sourced one! Can't wait to pick it up in a few weeks.

It has a diesel heater, which probably won't get much use up here, so I'll make an assessment about whether to keep it or use the space for something else.

No I just need to sell my home-made camper canopy...

[trayon517]

well done Ranga, good choice, you wont regret it. Diesel heater, so it must be their "Diesel Deluxe" model, that's the model above mine. well worth it i think, you will love it. Now we all can join in on the Trayon Annual meet, you, me, and VNX205. Maybe ill even see my old (first) Trayon again at the big get-together camp.:p

What number Trayon did you buy?

[vnx205]

Ranga's is either number 250 or 254. I borrowed it for a weekend about seven years ago before I bought mine and thought it was 250, but the original owner says it is 254. Mine is number 247, so they may have been on the production line at the same time.

The diesel heater wasn't in it when I borrowed it, so the original owners must have added it since then. Mine is one step more luxurious that that. The original owner of mine lived in Katherine and had a very young baby, so he got them to fit a reverse cycle air conditioner. It was the first time Trayon had air conditioned one of their campers. Since I don't have generator and rarely stay in caravan parks, I haven't used it much. However, I must say it was very nice one very hot afternoon in the Maree Caravan Park.

When I went to Tassie in February, the vehicle behind me on the ferry was fitted with a Trayon and I saw another one in the queue. As the owner behind me said, it must have looked as if we were headed to a Trayon Owners Gathering. :)