oh dear... we bought a Supreme Getaway

[Rodt]

one thing the owner mentioned...

it has a scupper style vent on top.

Apparently it sits closed if the van is stationary and then open up (lifts up at the front) when the van is moving.

This is to slightly pressurise the van. They said that it's always kept all the dust out.

*except* for that time his wife left the rear roof vent open on a road in the gulf. He was saying that everything down the back of the van had a light coating of dust. But the bed being up the front and directly under the scupper vent... was just fine.

Don't need to be open when driving on the bitumen. Are meant to be opened up on gravel/dirt roads however the design flaw is that when a vehicle comes the other way it will suck in the dust in the air generated from them. Have heard some people put in foam etc as an air filter. Whatever you do don't seal up the fridge vents trying to make it air tight. Some apparently do and wonder why their fridge doesn't work properly

[wakychapmans]

Don't forget to attach the "80kph speed limited" sticker to the back.

towing it behind a 1HZ... be lucky if we can up to 80kph...

[Rodt]

Without intending to get into a speed argument I was driving home from Dorrigo through Armidale and Tamworth on Monday and the winds were absolutely howling and was shaking the van (brick on wheels) to the extent that I slowed down to 90km mostly so that I had some acceleration power if I needed it. A number of vans overtook me at a fair rate of knots with some looking to have little wobbles as they did.

Plenty of overtaking lanes and decent straights so wasn't holding traffic up too much

[DCP]

G`Day Muru.
All I can say is you got one of the best OFF ROADERS built. I`ve got a 2001 built 14.6 ft side door Getaway, bought it in 2002 and since then has done possible 400 thousand Ks and around half to three quarters of that on dirt and rough tracks. Have given mine some hard times and touch wood it has never let me down.  Mine is a two single bed jigger and the only major mods I made were to remove the wine glass base off the table as it was difficult to get ones feet in and out and replace it with a home made fully adjustable mount coming off the floor and up the wall and as the wall is steel, mounting was a piece of cake. I also made a 25lt grey water tank so as to please all the authorities. I also made stone protection on all the venerable bits underneath using conveyor  belting. I also added 200watts of solar on the roof with 150 AH of optima battery power.
I notice yours still has the original skirt, I replaced mine about 2 years ago. Also looking at the hubs you may have 2.5 ton rated bearings or possibly 3 ton like mine. What suspension has it got, should be interdependent, If so you wont fault it. Brakes may be 12 inch but as its over ride more than likely 10inch, and as it should come in under 2 ton a breakaway system is not a legal requirement, well not in SA. Well done with a top buy, and I  know you will be happy as when you hit the tracks.   



     

[Bird]

Don't forget to attach the "80kph speed limited" sticker to the back.

[wakychapmans]

so can anyone clarify the braking question for me?

the van has mechanical override brakes std. (it also has electric, tow vehicle remote operated brakes)

The previous owner believes that it is legal to tow it behind our Landcruiser relying on the override brakes.

I checked the NSW RMS website and found this: https://www.rms.nsw.gov.au/roads/safety-rules/road-rules/towing.html

Braking system
The minimum braking system for a trailer depends on the type of trailer, its weight and the weight of the vehicle:

0 – 750 kg loaded weight – no brakes required.
751 – 2000 kg loaded weight – braking on both wheels on at least one axle.
2001– 4500 kg loaded weight – braking on all wheels, and an automatic breakaway system in case the trailer becomes detached from the vehicle.

Brakes must be operable from the driver’s seating position.

Weight wise we're well under the 2,000kg mark. So we're in the 2nd category.

but the last point "must be operable from the driver's seating position"... Override brakes are activated under braking. Which I do when seated...

am I understanding this correctly?

[Craig Tomkinson]

As it says you will be fine,  In QLD if your trailer is under 2000kg you only need breaks on front axle like it says,  overide drum or electric drum or Hydraulic disc which I prefer, I have override 8inch drums brakes on my pop Our van, it is under a ton, the brakes are hopeless but work good enough to help, My boat and trailer are 1,4ton the old 80 1HZ tows that all day on 95 to 100ks  hills knock it around get 18l per hundred towing with 80 and boat loaded, Craig

[wakychapmans]

As it says you will be fine, 
hills knock it around get 18l per hundred towing with 80 and boat loaded, Craig

thanks Craig.

I rarely see 95kph when towing... or even not towing for that matter...

I find that the fuel economy drops off in the 105 Series when I go past about 85kph. If I hit 100, then I use around 20% more. (don't want to think what 110 would be like...)

So I cruise at 80 most of the time.

[edz]

 "must be operable from the driver's seating position"... Override brakes are activated under braking. Which I do when seated...

am I understanding this correctly?....     




I would say that is a yes .... Will be looking at  fitting over ride discs to our  X-Over build even though it will be only around the 550 + -  Kg mark .

[Rodt]

but the last point "must be operable from the driver's seating position"... Override brakes are activated under braking. Which I do when seated...

am I understanding this correctly?

I was told a few years ago that they say this as there was debate going around when it was first mandated that if all they had to have were brakes then the hand brake on the trailer was enough. To get around this they added in the words about operating from the drivers seat. Don't know if it is true or not but reading and listening to some people's views in regards to towing laws (specifically mirrors and self-contained) I can only imagine what it was like when the brakes requirement was being introduced

[DCP]

Over ride brakes on a trailer or caravan UNDER 2TON is totally LEGAL and if fitted with a breakaway system, which there are some around then it is legal on over 2ton. 45 years in the brake industry as a workshop foreman taught me a few things.

[wakychapmans]

thanks edz, RodT, DCP. I feel better about picking it up tomorrow now...

next stoopid question...

The van has the old Sugar Glider independent suspension.

1) are all stub axles and the hubs on them interchangeable?

2) what is required to swap hubs on the vans stub axles to match our 5 bolt cruiser?

[DCP]

G`Day mate .
You will have to change the hubs but thats not a problem. The only thing is you have to check what bearings are fitted. As I said mine has 3 ton rated bearings and going by the look of the caps on the hubs, yours will be either 2 ton or three. These bearings are a lot larger that the Holden of Falcon that are normally fitted. If you remove a hub and drum and hopefully they are separate (which they should be ) then a trailer suspension or specialist brake shop should be able to supply and machine all the parts to the specifications you require. Send me a PM with your number as its much easier to discus things over the phone.   

[Fizzie]

So I cruise at 80 most of the time.

& it's taken you till now to get a caravan

Looks awesome though

[edz]

I was told a few years ago that they say this as there was debate going around when it was first mandated that if all they had to have were brakes then the hand brake on the trailer was enough. To get around this they added in the words about operating from the drivers seat. Don't know if it is true or not but reading and listening to some people's views in regards to towing laws (specifically mirrors and self-contained) I can only imagine what it was like when the brakes requirement was being introduced

I remember the old man fitting up Vacuum operated brakes to what used to be an overide hydraulic set up on our 18' van back in the 60's
We had the PBR set up https://www.wingate.web.za/reconditioning-brakes-clutch-cylinders/

[mynance]

In my opinion these were the best of Supreme vans the larger ones were rubbish.
3 in Hervey Bay had bent chassis in less than 12 months and were write off’s


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[GBC]

I remember the old man fitting up Vacuum operated brakes to what used to be an overide hydraulic set up on our 18' van back in the 60's
We had the PBR set up https://www.wingate.web.za/reconditioning-brakes-clutch-cylinders/

They worked well on vans, but at low revs they ran out of puff quick. Back in the 70’s the sound of a cruiser Ute revving hard to try to stop a big boat dragging it down the boat ramp was a common sound. It was a whole new driving style that had to be learned. Many fell victim too. Our ex PMG cruiser Ute dragging a savage bluefin on hydro brakes took a quick dip in Urangan harbour once when someone pressed the brakes one too many times and they disappeared.

[chester ver2.0]

Don't need to be open when driving on the bitumen. Are meant to be opened up on gravel/dirt roads however the design flaw is that when a vehicle comes the other way it will suck in the dust in the air generated from them. Have heard some people put in foam etc as an air filter. Whatever you do don't seal up the fridge vents trying to make it air tight. Some apparently do and wonder why their fridge doesn't work properly

Yeah we had one of these vents on the gold stream it was useless and we left it shut. Even on bitumen if a car came the other way it would suck all the road crap right in. You just have to expect a bit of dust
Best ever thing we bought was a bed swag which is basically a big canvass bag for your bed. So even if the rest of the van looked like a tornado had gone through it you got a good night sleep on clean sheets

[Fizzie]

Best ever thing we bought was a bed swag which is basically a big canvass bag for your bed. So even if the rest of the van looked like a tornado had gone through it you got a good night sleep on clean sheets

Now there's a thought, thanks, Chester

We've got a sort of parachute material car cover in the cupboard which wont actually fit any of our current cars - might have a look at putting it over the bed in the van.

[chester ver2.0]

Now there's a thought, thanks, Chester

We've got a sort of parachute material car cover in the cupboard which wont actually fit any of our current cars - might have a look at putting it over the bed in the van.

Think basically this (see Link) with the mattress removed and queen size. You basically just roll the top down and then roll it up the next day and you will always have a clean bed

I had a guy in Perth make it up for me sorry cant remember what it is called
The lady who makes the canvass products on this forum could probably do it
http://www.campingcentral.com.au/oztrail-cooper-expedition-double-canvas-swag-with-mattress/

[Claws]

one thing the owner mentioned...

it has a scupper style vent on top.

 But the bed being up the front and directly under the scupper vent... was just fine.

Yeah.... NO.... bloody scupper is metal so collects condensation which then drips onto your head... at least it did in our case as the scupper was right above our pillows....

[wakychapmans]

thought it might be nice to bring this one up to date...

where it started.

where it got to...

where it was a month ago...

http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=56736.125[/b]]http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=56736.125

[Bird]

thought it might be nice to bring this one up to date...

where it started.

where it got to...

where it was a month ago...

http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=56736.125[/b]]http://www.myswag.org/index.php?topic=56736.125

Lookin good Wayno... bet ya itching now! Comin down this way?

[wakychapmans]

Lookin good Wayno... bet ya itching now! Comin down this way?

probably at XMAS.

and we won't be heading back to the mountains after that either.

the current plan is head to Melb, visit inlaws. Stay for a month or two. Then hit the road west and north.