Thread: My Setup

Hey

This is my millard 16ft poptop that was a handme down for the inlaws. I am looking at giving her more ground clearance, flipping the axle/larger tyres.

It's all a little too comfortable for the family now, not sure how I'm going to get them back into tents for a birdsville/simpson/aryes rock later this year.

The pop top was a hand me down from the inlaws, therefore being free outweights any bad points. My wife 'Megan' is much happier now when we go camping as we have a few more creature comforts and less to setup overall.

Setting up - I have never timed myself however I'm pretty sure i'm setup well under 30min, only need Megs to help with sliding the awaning in the track and holding the poles. It's a 1980 model and is starting to require a bit of maintenance, fridge needed some repairs, trims falling off the benches, door/draw latches breaking, fly screen ripping. One good thing is the canvass is still in good nick and the van has been parked under cover for all its life. A down point is the fridge does not have a 12V heater it's only 240vand gas, I'm not keen to spend $150 or so on a heater for a 25 year old absorbion (however you spell it) fridge, I have an Engle in the defender which I keep milk, meat etc in until I'm set up and than transfer to the van fridge. When I'm driving under 2 hours to the camping area I run the fridge for a couple of days prior to leaving and fill the freezer compartment will frozen stuff, remove the freezer door and this keeps the fridge cold while driving. We try to go camping once a month howver it's more like once every three months.

Towing - the van tows great, being a pop top its lower than both the rangie I had and now the defender so I'm not pushing too much extra wind. I haven't towed it on a long trip (150-200km has been about the longest) but I'm gueesing we would use a little more fuel. I sit on a 100km/h with no worries although the defender slows up a bit on the long hills. I needed the levelling bars when I had the rangie and although I have poly airs in the defender I still use them as I think it also keeps the setup more ridge/stable when zooming along at 100. I think I mention in the orginal post that i'm thinking of putting the axle under the springs for a bit more clearance. It's fitted with electric brakes which I have never used. The defender has a trailer brake controller fitted, I must get around to making it all work, it cannot be to hard, just need a few hours.

I don't reckon I will ever get rid of her looking at the prices for new vans, my father has offered me his camper trailer which is smaller, lighter but probably takes about as long to setup. I sure my sister will take it on.

I'm keen to take the van up Cooloola beach instead of tents, there always a few on the beach so it can not be too hard getting them on and off.

It's back to tents in Sept for our simpson crossing and aryes rock trip, not sure if Megs will be a happer camper, a bit more work for me each day.