lightweight off road caravans

Thanks GW, is this your first caravan ? hope you many happy trails. Gazza

Yes Gary it's our first Van. I know of the disgruntled FS buyer and it was a wheel bearing issue from a supplied suspension and wheel package. I would suggest those type of issues can happen with 3rd party suppliers. We went for the FS because per foot in length they are lighter, there is no timber frame- joinery framing Ali also. They have excellent insulation qualities, air bag suspension etc etc. If I'm not mistaken Mother Hen has Bushtracker. Do your home work and happy shopping

Mother Hens thread was for a rather peeved Sea Change Van built by the Haines group- phew- we looked at the seachange 640 but I preferred the FS suspension and chassis setup. Current FS owners I spoke to were glowing in their praise of the Van. Type free spirit in the caravaners.com.au forum-
If looking seriously at FS make sure you get your head around their payment terms-its up front staged progress payments- we decided the van quality was worth it.

Cheers

If you are referring to caravanersforum.com Backchat, I must remind readers that the strict moderation under their 'naming and shaming policy' ensures that only good reports for caravans remain.

Not at all.
Simply requires the use of 21st century materials and construction techniques instead of the typical 19th century stuff that is more common.
This company supplies sandwich panel to several caravan manufacturers. I would start with them. http://vanglass.homestead.com/

Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 Motorhome

First thing I thought too Mooseman. I don't care what it's made of, 18 ft and full height and width is not going to make it where I would want a 'lightweight offroad van' to go.

"Simply requires the use of 21st century materials and construction techniques instead of the typical 19th century stuff that is more common."

I agree Peter.

This subject reminds me of the 1954 R

"Simply requires the use of 21st century materials and construction techniques instead of the typical 19th century stuff that is more common."

I agree Peter.

This subject reminds me of the 1954 Redex trail when Jack Murray pounded the living daylights out of a 1948

"Simply requires the use of 21st century materials and construction techniques instead of the typical 19th century stuff that is more common."

I agree Peter.

This subject reminds me of the 1954 Redex trail when Jack Murray pounded the living daylights out of a 1948 Ford V8 sedan right around the country to win the trial. The front I beam axle on those cars weigh a fraction under 10 kilos and are about 48 inches long. 48 inches of 50 mm square steel bar of the type many van and trailer axles are made from weighs 34 kilos.

It is good design and materials that build a good off road van, not huge amounts of weight.

Hell no need for the 21st century technology ...... just reasonably modest mid 20'th century would be better than most vans and trailers are built from.

And design input from someone other than a partly qualified welder.

cheers

Thanks Wildmax I will do that. Gazza