Bed size and storage

[TJG]

Greetings from The Land Downunder!
As I write the outside temperature is nudging 42 degC - thank goodness for A/C!
Anyway, I’ve a T6.1 on order and am having a full conversion done by Skyline Campers when it finally arrives. Their standard layout is sink, cupboards etc etc from behind drivers seat through to the rear of the van with a 1200mm wide rock and roll bed. The storage space under the bed is 350mm high. They also offer a setup with no cupboards etc except for a small unit with a benchtop,sink and 80L fridge behind the drivers seat. The rock and roll bed is 1500mm wide.
We are both of average height and build and are thinking the 1200mm bed might be too ‘squeezy’ for us. However, if we opt for the larger 1500mm bed we lose most of our storage space!
We are not at all interested in the roof top bed due to advancing age and our inability to imitate monkeys
We’d love to hear from others re their bed size and getting a restful nights sleep.
Cheers
Trevor

 

[Garny999]

Hello Trevor, as i write the outside temperature is -1 deg C in UK .thank goodness for diesel heater . Funny how its either too hot or too cold and never just right.
Seriously though, It is difficult to imitate others and it all depends what is important to you only. I had that dilemma and ended up going for the Cali bed on rails. I too thought this may be a squeeze but is actually not too bad at all. I suggest going to have a look at one with a 1200 and a full width. If you are happy to take lots of storage boxes the full width will give you ample room at night but substituting the all important storage was a no no for me. Loads do have full width and are happy though.

 

[AussieMick]

Hello from a fellow Australian, we are currently camped in our van down the south coast of Adelaide and it's also 42+degrees.
We have a standard size rock and roll bed which is ok for us , also standard size.

The best thing I fitted for hot weather is a decent 12v sorroco fan like the yatchies use. that we can swivel to face the bed.
Last night was 30+ all night and the fan made sleep possible where as our friends were too hot to sleep.
I find that the more storage you have the better as you will certainly tend to fill it when traveling.
I find an 80lt fridge the minimum for long term travel. That's what I have.
Good luck on your adventures.
Depends what you want the van for.

 

[CAB]

Can you hire one from them, or similar?

Even if it seems extortionate, it's nothing compared to the cost of the conversion.

 

[TJG]

Hello from a fellow Australian, we are currently camped in our van down the south coast of Adelaide and it's also 42+degrees.
We have a standard size rock and roll bed which is ok for us , also standard size.

The best thing I fitted for hot weather is a decent 12v sorroco fan like the yatchies use. that we can swivel to face the bed.
Last night was 30+ all night and the fan made sleep possible where as our friends were too hot to sleep.
I find that the more storage you have the better as you will certainly tend to fill it when traveling.
I find an 80lt fridge the minimum for long term travel. That's what I have.
Good luck on your adventures.
Depends what you want the van for.

Hi Mick! It’s great to find another South Aussie on this forum. Sounds as if the 1200mm is the go and yes, we are having a Sirroco fan fitted - had one in our last caravan - was brilliant!
Did you do your own conversion? Is there anything you have in the van that you wish you hadn’t and conversely is there anything you wish you had included? Sorry for being a bit nosey but people like yourself are a very valuable resource!
Cheers

Can you hire one from them, or similar?

Even if it seems extortionate, it's nothing compared to the cost of the conversion.

Unfortunately the conversion company I’m using is 1200km away and noone any closer I’m aware of rents out their campers. But, as the vast majority of their vans have the 1200mm beds, I can only conclude that this size bed suits most people

 

[AussieMick]

I had the conversion done by Achtung Campers in Geelong. I had a temporary conversion that I did which was only a bed and we put plastic tubs under it for storage.
Used it for 2 years like that then had it converted 2 years ago to a full campervan.
After using mine for many trips some quite lengthy I think the more cupboards and storage the better.
Also a decent size fridge is important as is a decent size auxiliary battery as in hot weather your fridge runs a lot more drawing down your battery. Always recommend a lithium LifePo4 battery if you can afford it as you can draw them down to 20% without damaging them, and they weigh much less than a agm battery but cost 3 times the price.
Solar is important if traveling to keep battery charged but not if staying in caravan parks with 240v.
I dont have a stove fitted in the van as I cook outside under the awning, this suits me but not everyone.
I find an awning a must in the Aussie weather for sun and rain.
I think every van is a bit of a compromise as there is no perfect setup due to the limited space.
Ask as much as you like as many members on here have many good ideas and all are willing to share.

 

[TJG]

I had the conversion done by Achtung Campers in Geelong. I had a temporary conversion that I did which was only a bed and we put plastic tubs under it for storage.
Used it for 2 years like that then had it converted 2 years ago to a full campervan.
After using mine for many trips some quite lengthy I think the more cupboards and storage the better.
Also a decent size fridge is important as is a decent size auxiliary battery as in hot weather your fridge runs a lot more drawing down your battery. Always recommend a lithium LifePo4 battery if you can afford it as you can draw them down to 20% without damaging them, and they weigh much less than a agm battery but cost 3 times the price.
Solar is important if traveling to keep battery charged but not if staying in caravan parks with 240v.
I dont have a stove fitted in the van as I cook outside under the awning, this suits me but not everyone.
I find an awning a must in the Aussie weather for sun and rain.
I think every van is a bit of a compromise as there is no perfect setup due to the limited space.
Ask as much as you like as many members on here have many good ideas and all are willing to share.

Thanks Mick! All taken on board!

 

[peter61@]

Hi Trevor, we have had a Skyline Campers T6 for about a year and have the 1200mm wide bed. We are average size (I’m 6ft) and find the width fine, but definitely less room than a queen size bed! I’d rather have the additional storage than the wider bed and we’ve been very happy with the van overall and like Mick prefer to cook outdoors with an LPG cooker rather than the spirit/butane one in the drawer under the sink. We’re in Brisbane but have been to Geelong and back (pre-COVID) and have not found it too hard to keep cool.
we have just the standard 110AH battery and find that works fine, we have a 200W solar blanket to use when stopped for more than a day or two, thinking about mounting one on the roof. I’ve installed a proper battery monitor to keep track of charge in/out so I can make better decisions about when it needs charge. If the battery ever fails, I would put a LiPo4 battery in.
If you need to know anything else just yell.
Cheers, Peter

 

[JSJQ]

Hi Trevor,

Seeing we are talking locations and temps, we are from Brisbane where it’s 28C at 2.00pm. Why live anywhere else?

We have had a Skyline Camper since July 2019 and have the 1200 bed. There is plenty of room for us both. The cupboards are essential, we think. I don’t know the newest layout but see if Kris can do something about access to the space under the cupboard bottom shelf. The water pump is mounted there and with the rest empty space. We keep an electric drill and a rattle gun to remove the wheel nuts - an essential piece of equipment. We have had the wheels removed and copper grease smeared on the hubs. The wheels can be a pig to remove. A rubber mallet helps.

We find the Hilo roof not ideal for Australian conditions as heat comes in the sides much more than with the traditional poptop. We are about to try a temporary fix using two windscreen shades on the outside held in place with a strap. We have found a shade on the inside made a big difference when we were at Lorne Hill last year.

The 110a/h battery supplied is good for 2 to 3 days depending on the outside temperature. We have a removable shade attached to the fridge side of the vanto help the fridge along. With a 250watt panel the fridge goes indefinitely.

In addition, we have had Pedders install updated rear springs. They have a T6 package. This has made a positive difference to the ride when loaded. Unloaded it’s less comfortable but still good.

We are off to Mooloolaba at the end of the week for a few days. Let’s know if there is anything we can help you with.

regards,

John

 

[TJG]

Hi Trevor, we have had a Skyline Campers T6 for about a year and have the 1200mm wide bed. We are average size (I’m 6ft) and find the width fine, but definitely less room than a queen size bed! I’d rather have the additional storage than the wider bed and we’ve been very happy with the van overall and like Mick prefer to cook outdoors with an LPG cooker rather than the spirit/butane one in the drawer under the sink. We’re in Brisbane but have been to Geelong and back (pre-COVID) and have not found it too hard to keep cool.
we have just the standard 110AH battery and find that works fine, we have a 200W solar blanket to use when stopped for more than a day or two, thinking about mounting one on the roof. I’ve installed a proper battery monitor to keep track of charge in/out so I can make better decisions about when it needs charge. If the battery ever fails, I would put a LiPo4 battery in.
If you need to know anything else just yell.
Cheers, Peter

Thanks Peter! I appreciate your input. What is the breed of your new battery monitor please?

 

[peter61@]

Thanks Peter! I appreciate your input. What is the breed of your new battery monitor please?

It’s a Projecta BM320 which works well. I think the Victron Smartshunt talked about in the forum about battery monitoring would also be good and has Bluetooth capability as well.

 

[TJG]

Hi Trevor,

Seeing we are talking locations and temps, we are from Brisbane where it’s 28C at 2.00pm. Why live anywhere else?

We have had a Skyline Camper since July 2019 and have the 1200 bed. There is plenty of room for us both. The cupboards are essential, we think. I don’t know the newest layout but see if Kris can do something about access to the space under the cupboard bottom shelf. The water pump is mounted there and with the rest empty space. We keep an electric drill and a rattle gun to remove the wheel nuts - an essential piece of equipment. We have had the wheels removed and copper grease smeared on the hubs. The wheels can be a pig to remove. A rubber mallet helps.

We find the Hilo roof not ideal for Australian conditions as heat comes in the sides much more than with the traditional poptop. We are about to try a temporary fix using two windscreen shades on the outside held in place with a strap. We have found a shade on the inside made a big difference when we were at Lorne Hill last year.

The 110a/h battery supplied is good for 2 to 3 days depending on the outside temperature. We have a removable shade attached to the fridge side of the vanto help the fridge along. With a 250watt panel the fridge goes indefinitely.

In addition, we have had Pedders install updated rear springs. They have a T6 package. This has made a positive difference to the ride when loaded. Unloaded it’s less comfortable but still good.

We are off to Mooloolaba at the end of the week for a few days. Let’s know if there is anything we can help you with.

regards,

John

Hi John! Thanks for your interest. Is your pop top the one Skyline fit as standard? I looked up HiLo roofs and they appear to be massively high compared to pics on the Skyline site in Aust
Cheers

 

[AussieMick]

The victron bmv712 has bluetooth to your phone and is a good battery monitor allowing you to see how much is going in or out of battery and how long you have left with how much current you are drawing .

 

[TJG]

It’s a Projecta BM320 which works well. I think the Victron Smartshunt talked about in the forum about battery monitoring would also be good and has Bluetooth capability as well.

I think Skyline are using or intend using Victron but have no idea of specs

 

[JSJQ]

Hi John! Thanks for your interest. Is your pop top the one Skyline fit as standard? I looked up HiLo roofs and they appear to be massively high compared to pics on the Skyline site in Aust
Cheers

Yes, it is. An average height bloke can reach the handles at the front of the roof. We hired a camper in the UK several years ago with a Hilo roof. I would have needed to stand on something to reach the handles if not for the straps. Talk to Kris too about the handles to make sure they have the new fixiings. The previous fixings came loose. He no longer ties the roof to the handles but uses a bracket attached through the roof. Because of COVID and the Queensland border being closed from time to time I have yet to get down to Gosford to see what he can do about the loose handles.

Having said that, Kris did send me the new brackets and offered to pay for a pro to mount them and said he would reimburse me. In the end I did it myself but was nervous at drilling through the roof. No leaks though so it seems all good.

Regards,

John

 

[peter61@]

Similar here with regards to pop top handles. One of ours let go while we were driving, lucky the top wasn’t damaged. Kris sent me the parts and I’ve fitted the more secure tie-downs for the pop top.

 

[peter61@]

Hi Trevor,

Seeing we are talking locations and temps, we are from Brisbane where it’s 28C at 2.00pm. Why live anywhere else?

We have had a Skyline Camper since July 2019 and have the 1200 bed. There is plenty of room for us both. The cupboards are essential, we think. I don’t know the newest layout but see if Kris can do something about access to the space under the cupboard bottom shelf. The water pump is mounted there and with the rest empty space. We keep an electric drill and a rattle gun to remove the wheel nuts - an essential piece of equipment. We have had the wheels removed and copper grease smeared on the hubs. The wheels can be a pig to remove. A rubber mallet helps.

We find the Hilo roof not ideal for Australian conditions as heat comes in the sides much more than with the traditional poptop. We are about to try a temporary fix using two windscreen shades on the outside held in place with a strap. We have found a shade on the inside made a big difference when we were at Lorne Hill last year.

The 110a/h battery supplied is good for 2 to 3 days depending on the outside temperature. We have a removable shade attached to the fridge side of the vanto help the fridge along. With a 250watt panel the fridge goes indefinitely.

In addition, we have had Pedders install updated rear springs. They have a T6 package. This has made a positive difference to the ride when loaded. Unloaded it’s less comfortable but still good.

We are off to Mooloolaba at the end of the week for a few days. Let’s know if there is anything we can help you with.

regards,

John

Hi John, just some questions about the Pedders springs as I have been thinking about doing the same thing.
Did you get new shocks along with the springs?
How much did it raise the rear by?
and when you say not so good when not loaded, what do you consider as loaded? I would have thought just the normal fit out would load it up enough at all times?
cheers, Peter.
and yes, why live anywhere else??

 

[JSJQ]

Hi John, just some questions about the Pedders springs as I have been thinking about doing the same thing.
Did you get new shocks along with the springs?
How much did it raise the rear by?
and when you say not so good when not loaded, what do you consider as loaded? I would have thought just the normal fit out would load it up enough at all times?
cheers, Peter.
and yes, why live anywhere else??

Hi Peter,

Yes we had the shocks fitted as part of the package.

By loaded I’m thinking of full fuel and water tanks, enough food for two weeks, tool box, toilet, camping chairs etc.

When I said not so good unloaded I was talking comparatively to when the van is loaded rather than a poor ride. If that makes sense.

I guess the rear is about 2 cm higher. It’s noticeable but only
if you’re looking for it. Pedders will give an estimate increase in height and provide an “all wheel“ alignment.which is essential.

Would I do it again? Absolutely.

Regards,

John

 

[TJG]

Thanks to all for your interest and for sharing your experiences - we’ve decided to go with the 1200mm bed
Cheers & happy travels!!

 

[JSJQ]

Best wishes for your travels.

Regards,

John