1st Trip in New Camper

[robsjack]

Picked up my GIC Offroad camper just prior to christmas and set it up at a friends place just after Christmas to season the tent. My wife and I have just come back last week after spending our first week camping in it at Coolendel on the south coast. All in all very pleased with the camper although there are a couple of things that I need to address with GIC.

Firstly there are a couple of small holes in one of the screens between the annex area and the main camper. It looks like a manufacturing fault. We used the annex with walls so it was no problem for the first camp. On contact with GIC there said to photograph it and email details and they would address it in the new year when their office was back up and running.


The second thing I've discovered is that the drop down rear supports seem to be fitted too low. Hence when you drop them down the angle is too shallow and they don't wind out far enough to support properly. Again this was not a huge problem for the first trip but another thing I want to address with GIC. Has anyone else found this with their IC campers?

When we purchased our camper, GIC threw in a couple of extras being struts, kitchen and water tank. The third issue raised itself the first time I filled up the water tank. Water leaking everywhere. After tightening all the hose clamps it was still leaking from the drain plug. After removing and refitting with some teflon tape all seemed ok. Proceeded to fill to top and water leaking again! This time from the top of the tank. So drain tank, remove the tank guard (which also holds the tank) and discover that there is a connection point on the top of the tank covered only with a sticker (of all things). Unfortunately I wasn't able to find a suitable plug and so decided to fill the hole permanently. Using a hot glue gun I proceeded to fill the hole. This has seemed to work ok.

Finally the gas bottle holder seems to be too small. Both 'swap and go' type standard 4kg gas bottle holders wont fit

I've read a couple of comments on this site about GIC's lack of attention to detail when it comes to fitting their options and this certainly has been true with me. The overall camper is good value for money but they don't spend any extra time or money when it comes to the standard of their fitting.

Our first week camping was really good though. The pillowtop mattress we picked ensures a great nights sleep and there is plenty of room in the camper. We had a little rain (drizzle) most days and I used (as I always do) a good sized tarp over the whole setup. All in all very pleased. Will post some pics tomorrow.

I will keep this thread updated on my dealings with GIC.

rob

[davidy61]

We had a little rain (drizzle) most days and I used (as I always do) a good sized tarp over the whole setup. All in all very pleased. Will post some pics tomorrow.

Is this a common thing?  Being new to the CT world i have not heard of this.  I can udnerstand why you've done it, just had not thought of or about it.  May have to measure my set up and get a big tarp packed away with some spare ropes.

Looking forward to the pics.

Cheers
David

[robsjack]

Hi David

This is my first camper but I've been camping in tents for years. I have always used a tarp over tents to gain a an annex area, keep the sun off (and so the heat) down and provide a bit more protection from falling branches. I do try to camp away from trees but sometimes you don't have the room. I had a small branch destroy the annex roof of an old tent I had several years ago.
For the camper I feel it will help keep the temperature down in summer, keep the bird poo off the canvas and also provide additional protection from branches. We were also able to do most of the packing up in the wet without getting the camper soaked (and so avoiding having to re-set up the camper to dry for days on arriving home.

rob

[GU Rich]

Gday Rob,
 Are you sure that hole on top of the water tank you sealed isn't where the breather hose runs from?
Like this one.





Cheers

rich

[robsjack]

Rich

That's probably right. In my case though the breather wasn't fitted  and the installation of the tanks in the GIC campers won't actually allow it since the tank is pushed up hard against the bottom sheet metal of the camper floor!
It will be interesting to see the response to GIC on that one

[GU Rich]

G Day Rob,
 Offroad Dave of the forum here is a good mate of mine and he built his camper trailer so I called him in for his expertise on fitment of the tank. If you look in this pic you can see the spacers under the camper that the tank is help up against. The breather runs over the top of the spacer via a hose to the back of the filler. Inside your your filler there is a hole that is there for this purpose. I have towed this camper many KM's and it has held together perfectly.




 
Rich

[BigJules]

If your tank does sit flush against the floor, you might consider plumbing another breather into the side/top edge as high as you can get it. More than a few folks have been caught out, thinking their tank was full as it was overflowing, when in fact it only had a small amount of water in it, but was blowing back.

[robsjack]

Bigjules

Yes - had a terrible time trying to fill up the tank while I was away and was thinking I'd have to look at fitting a breather. It never occured when I had the tank out that the top hole was for exactly that. Wouldn't have mattered anyhow since there is no space there in the way GIC had mounted the tank.

GIC replied to say they had my email and I'm just waiting to hear from their Operations Manager. I did reply to indicate that the unplugged hole should have been fitted with a breather. Will just have to wait and see their response

I couldn't help but mention that I had posted the contents online and was eagerly waiting their response so I could share it with the world

[robsjack]

Just heard back from GIC. They indicated over the phone that they will fix all the issues so that's very encouraging. Seems as though there was a falling down in the factory but they will make sure everything is put right.

That's a big tick for GIC customer service at least 

[GU Rich]

That sound promisng Rob!

Keep us posted.

Rich

[Lemo79]

Hi Rob, how did you go with your water tank breather, our GIC's water tank has a shallow hollow in the centre allowing the breather barb to fit with the tank top against the floor of the trailer. They must of changed tanks at some stage in the past 5 months. I actullay searched and came accross this thread as i am in the process of adding a hose to the breather, like you when filling water leaks from the breather, and i feal we would be loosing water while travelling.

Thanks.
Lemo.

[Lemo79]

Here's a pic of the breather, and also a pic of the gas bottle holders on our GIC, they must have changed thos aswell as ours has adjusters on them and fit the 4kg bottle snug, actually had to adjust to tighten, so plenty of room for difference's in some cylinders.

Cheers.

Lemo.

[robsjack]

Hi Lemo

Have been very busy over the last month and anly got to take the trailer back to GIC on Sat (just gone).

Initially on the phone they indicated they would fix everything no probs when I got up there the view changed a little. They will address the issues with the water tank breather but were hesitant to fix the issue with the tank not been  located correctly and fact that the stone cover doesn't cover completly one edge of the tank. A far as the issues with the drop down legs well part of that problem was me. To get the drop down legs to drop vertically you need to make sure the jockey wheel is wound down. They will replace the loose one though. As far as the gas bottle holder goes they recon that there are too many different size 4kg gas bottles on the market these days and nothing is common. I'm not sure what to do with this now? My original 4kg bottle (just) fitted with the adjuster wound all the way out but when I got a swap re-fill the new one won't go.

Will have to wait and see what GIC come back with later in the week.

rob

[Lemo79]

Hopefully all works out for you Rob, would be nice to know there is a bit of backup service to go with the GIC. Sounds like we may have different stabalizer legs aswell. Ours are sissor type ones that run accross the very back of the trailer, and be it good or bad are welded on. I have seen different ones on a GIC. Let us know how it goes.

Lemo.

[Muso]

Had our first trip last weekend to Waikerie CP on the Murray River, a 2 hr drive from Adelaide. Reports were increasing river levels at Renmark etc, and the water is High at Waikerie, but it's great to see most of the lagoons filled which gives the impression of a very wide river. Checked out a freesite at Ramco and Hogwash Bend, but the access road is covered in about a metre of water whch is a bit deep for the old Commodore. Cub CT was everything we expected, great to tow at 100kmh and used 7.89 L/100.
One thing we did learn (which we will never do again) was to drive there in air-conditioned comfort. When we arrived it was very warm and humid and the sweat was pouring out (making room for beer) , so in future for the last hour to our destination we will wind the windows down to acclimatise (or just switch off the a/c).
Got there just after midday and had butt parked about 45 minutes later. Thunderstorms around and from 4 - 5.30 p.m it p.....ssed down. CT was bone dry but will need another end for the awning as the rain forced us to cramp into 2 metre square dry zone during the rain.
Have to get those modular (snap together) square plastic lattice type thingy about 2 foot square, and lay them out by the entrance and the cooking area. Too much dirt etc tracked in and would end up on the beds if we flipped the floor closed.
The only thing the CT needs modifying is to install stainless hose clamps on the water pump, and get my custom designed tackle box up the front.
A design error I'm not happy with is the awning zip starts from the front and goes rearward. If it started at the back, the awning could be zipped on as the lid is flipped and you could reach the apex frame before it gets too high and out of reach, so we leave the awning on all the time.
As Macka in the morning says "well I luv it"