Jayco Swan Independant suspension/advice

Hi - after owning the slide in sailtrack type and bagged bed flys I would suggest you have a go at the dealer rolling them back up into the bag. They can be difficult and require patience. No doubt the dealer will say you will get better with experience but unless you roll/unroll these things every weekend they take some time and patience. With this in mind i would not buy a bagged annexe or side awning roof. Reason - its much longer than bed flys and unless you can guarantee that everytime you have to pack up you will have someone holding up the other end and even possibly the centre, how will you get it back up and zipped into the bag without a lot of swearing and cursing. The bed flys can be a pain due to their bulk with the sides on them. Having said that I roll ours back up on my own but it is a slow and very unhappy event. I am happy with the bed flys with sides whenthey are up. They give great privacy in the day and shelter from rain if you want windows open. A roll out type awning roof would be the easiest i think. How it is with annexe walls compared to a normal fitted roof I am not sure. Some say they are noisier.

Look around at after market supply and fitting. Going through a dealer will cost you big time. I have even found that when buying directly off Jayco different outlets have different prices as they may use different suppliers. It does apply to annexes, flys and walls from the calls i have made to them.

The roof rack is only good if you actually use it. If you are not sure leave it and buy it later from Jayco. Easy enough to fit yourself, remember to use silicone in the holes before screwing it on. May even be worthwhile ringing a different Jayco dealer and ask for prices on supply of accessories only. It may surprise you how much your dealer is charging you. You would normally think by buying so much you get a great deal - its not always the case.

The rear bumper could be useful if you need it. I have fitted one myself and apart from mounting a bike rack every now and then it is handy to stand on and also prevents you hitting the van back when pushing it around. (Some including Jayco may say you should not fir a bike rack to the rear.)

What does the 12V kit do? The BBQ line could be handy. A lot of owners cook outside only and if thats what you do could be worthwhile. However some use different methods of cooking other than a BBQ so will depend on you. Same with drop down jacks. They are probably quick but are they worth the cost to you?

Sounds like this maybe your first van/camper. If thatsthe case i would suggest that what you think is necessary now before using it will be different after you actually gain experience afterwards. With that in mind maybe better buying the absolute essentials and then price the difference in dealer doing and you buying later and fitting all the rest.

Alpine Annexes in Ringwood/Vic do not supply the dealer in Sydney or Nowra. As I said earlier it is done locally. You can but bed flys direct from Coast to Coast etc. Cheers....

I haven't seen any Jayco Camper trailers with Roll Out awnings. I was under the impression the roof/uprights were not sturdy enough to hold the weight. Unless that has changed with the newer models. :) I have seen them on other brands.

We don't have any trouble rolling up both the bag awning and the bag bed end fly's, except its a 2 person job and this can be made difficult if the missus is looking after the kids. We will admit its not our favourite job. If you can, it would be worth putting a Roll out awning on. We also don't use the bed end fly's for 1 or 2 night stops (unless its raining).

Enjoy

I have had both types of bed-flies and awnings on a Swan and a Dove over 12 years. I prefer the slide-ins everytime.

On my new Dove I had the Alko drop-jacks fitted - brilliant.

Gidday

I’ve had Fiamma F45 awnings on two camper vans and found them to be very easy to roll out and back in. The latest model is a lot more robust than the earlier units.

I wouldn’t be buying awnings walls at this stage unless you intend staying in the one spot for a week or so (you’ll be surprised how many second hand vans are sold with unused walls).

If you do decide to purchase walls, don’t forget the draught skirt to run along the bottom of the van.

Yes, the drop down jacks are well worth the extra money.

Here are few other things I'd recommend you consider also (depending on the budget):

1. A roll up jockey wheel.
2. Two 60L water tanks with a 12V pump. Also have a good quality Flikmaster tap installed
3. Water tank gauges
4. Hyland articulating hitch
5. Anderson plug to power the 12v system from the car when on the move
6. A Black & Stone gas gauge
7. Lastly, and this happens often, will the camper trailer fit into the car port or the garage?

If you want to discuss the set up further, give me a ring at work on (03) 97055467.

Regards

Kim