My new Customline camper

[Utemad]

Hi all,

We took delivery of our new Customline Camper Trailer yesterday.

We got the normal offroad camper package plus
water tank
fully screened annex
bigger jockey wheel
bike carrier bracket
disco steel wheels
extra jerry can holder on drivers side

We got the standard ball coupling as I want to get a Hyland coupling for ease of using different tow vehicles and towing other trailers.

No kitchen yet as I'll build one myself.

I can actually open the rear door of the disco almost to its full extent before hitting the trailer spare tyre. So we still have full access to the back of the car but we can't fully extend the RHS cargo drawer. This is better than I thought I'd be able to do.

We have three trips planned between now and the end of January with the first beginning on 27 December so not long to go but I'm itching to go!

The first photo makes it look short but the trailer is pretty damn long I think.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2006/12/50.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2006/12/51.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2006/12/52.jpg

[DiscoDan]

Sweet dude :D

look forward to seeing it at the next trip, shame it won't be at JanOwen:eek: but maybe next trip.

Dan

[Utemad]

Insured it with NRMA today. Same as the Disco. I feel safe enough to let it out of the lock up garage now :)

What Janowen trip would that be? The mag says the long weekend trip was cancelled however I think I have my name down for the Mon Repos trip for the same weekend. I should call Vince and check.

Have you got a Janowen trip going on the sly ;)

[Utemad]

I also got all of the extra poles to stiffen it up in a storm. Plus it allows you to remove two of the front annex poles so it is more open yet still have the support.

Can't wait to try it out :):):)

[George130]

Looks good.

[Utemad]

Thanks Edd.

I've got a question for all you engineering people out there. What is the deal with mounting the shackles like this?

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2006/12/30.jpg

It looks wrong to me. I would have thought that the shackle would slope the other way like on a car. I willl have to check with other Customline owners but I have been told that this is the way Customline mount them and it wasn't a mistake (told by a friend who used to build trailers).

Any thoughts? It wouldn't take much to move the shackle mount forward to change the shackle angle if that is a better proposition.

I'll call Customline about it but they take 4 weeks off over Christmas and that only started yesterday. Although he probably still answers his mobile and email.

[Utemad]

Well we are back from its first trip. Double Island.

It towed perfectly and followed us with ease through the soft sand.

Initial setup took us about 1 1/2 hours but we didn't really know what we were doing. You can see in this photo that as there was no wind that we could use minimal ropes on the annex due to have the full frame poles. It meant we could park the Disco really close so as to utilise the battery to run the lights and water pump.
When we packed it up we managed to easily fit all the extra canvas on top of the tent. This gives heaps more room inside the trailer. We also managed to leave the roof of the annex zipped onto the tent when we folded it up. Just used the 9 foot centre annex pole to push it over the top of the tent before folding it up. A tip we picked up from a previous trip.
I also discovered it is a PITA to remove the jerry can which is stowed on the flip up side of the camper when everything is setup. You have to undo some of the velcro of the annex and undo the storm flap on that side of the tent if you have tied it down. Not really a problem I suppose but if you want it in a hurry then put it on the other side (I had a water jerry on the other side).

The annex looks a little loose in the photo below but that is because of the very uneven ground.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2007/01/277.jpg


https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2008/10/495.jpg

[Utemad]

I've got a question for all you engineering people out there. What is the deal with mounting the shackles like this?

Looks like I answered my own question.

http://www.alko.com.au/vehicle/springs/shackle.html

Well I followed a link in another thread and stumbled across it :D

I'd still like to know what difference the shackle angles make.

[Stepho_62]

Looks like I answered my own question.

http://www.alko.com.au/vehicle/springs/shackle.html

Well I followed a link in another thread and stumbled across it :D

I'd still like to know what difference the shackle angles make.
G'day

I meant to say a while ago, Nice camper. As you can see I just purchased one too.

Spring shackles where the mounting pin and the shackle pin are "inside" the centreline of the mounting point allow for more travel. As the load comes on the leaves and they straighten out the radius of the spring decreases and the spring lengthens. The trick is to make sure the buggers don't turn inside out :eek: as happened to one "richard cranium" I saw recently who had been frigging with the rear leaves in his short WB 75 series landy :D:D:D

[Utemad]

Thanks Stevo. I have been watching your camper thread too. Looks like a good'un.
That is what I thought too. So perhaps this method with the shackle sloping backwards just doesn't give as much travel? It would be good to know the exact theory behind it.
I have never seen a leaf sprung trailer to have much in the way of travel either way. Generally at low speed when you are watching them they just go over stuff with little in the way of suspension movement. Maybe it has more to do with high speed bump resistance?

[Utemad]

The kitchen begins.......

I have done all the upright bits and the top as well but no pics of that yet.
The gas stove is recessed into the top so I can put a board over it to have more level space.

I have a stainless round sink to fit and pressure pump but that will happen last.

Do you like the tyre tread? I'm hoping that will clean/sand off.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2007/08/204.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2007/08/205.jpg

[DiscoDan]

you are not suppose to park the car on the ply to clamp it together.

Mitre 10 sells the clamps you want,

Will the kitchen fit into your car?

Will it be ready for the next club trip?

[p38arover]

Customline?

That's not a Customline. :eek:

This is a Customline:

http://uniquecars.carpoint.ninemsn.com.au/carcontent/reviews/ford/customline09b.jpg

[Utemad]

you are not suppose to park the car on the ply to clamp it together.

It was the trailer actually I had the ply sheets on the garage floor and pushed the trailer back in on top of them. That is what happens when you live in a townhouse. Which is also why we are looking at a bigger place.


Mitre 10 sells the clamps you want,

I have got some clamps but who needs clamps when I have nearly 100 screws holding it together so far as well as the Liquid Nails :cool:


Will the kitchen fit into your car?

It might be a squeeze to get it into the car but it fits the trailer fine. Well it should unless I buggered the measurements :angel:


Will it be ready for the next club trip?

Should be.

[Utemad]

More kitchen progress.

It rained the last two weekends so nothing happened. I cut the hole for the sink today.
Next up is fitting a dividing wall immediately left of the sink. That should hold the weight of the water nicely. Then whatever shelves and doors. Then plumbing and electrics.
The drawers will be last as they're proving to be a real PITA.

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2007/08/51.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2007/08/52.jpg

https://www.aulro.com/afvb/images/imported/2007/08/53.jpg

[seqfisho]

Thats one flash sink :o

You sure your not going to do a granite bench top:p

[Utemad]

The sink was $20 from the Ikea damaged goods shelf :)

My SIL spotted it and rang me as she new I was after a sink. It was minus it's fitting brackets and has a small ding where the bottom becomes the side but is much better than what I was planning to fit. I'm pretty happy about it :cool:

[100I]

That's looking good, what colour tiles you going with?:p

I'm watching all these campers closely, it's top priority when the house is finished.

You could dose the benchtop in varnish to waterproof the ply.

[Utemad]

You sure your not going to do a granite bench top:p


That's looking good, what colour tiles you going with?:p

:)

I was thinking of folding SS sheet over the little back bit and the bench top. However I thought that was going over the top just a tad.
I do plan to varnish the entire thing to water proof it from splashes and rain etc.