Newbie here - I asked the question in the introductions section, but got no answers, Maybe here???
I am looking to replace our 1999 Jayco poptop with a new one. The big issue is that I have 2.3 m clearance to get into my shed. Therefore I need either a 2.25 m max towing height caravan, or some other way (not take off the wheels) to get it in and out of the shed.
1 Does anyone here know of a custom builder who would build a van to 2.25 m or less height?
2 What about air suspension which I can deflate to get the van into the shed. There are plenty of vans around at 2.3 m or just over, so a collapsible suspension would work very well. It would also reduce the step height because I imagine that the suspension would be dropped when setting the van up in a park etc. Air suspension would give a great ride as well.
3 No - it is not feasible to raise the roof of my shed. Years ago, my father had a separate horizontal gate above the main doors of his caravan shed. We lifted up this door and moved the old caravan in and out quite easily, but my shed is made of bricks and it is too heavy to do this.
Had a similar problem here with 2.4 clearance, but 3 years ago I bought a 2002 Jayco Freedom Outback poptop which is 2.3 travel height, and can be popped up if I centre it in the 6m wide carport (only just)
Keeping in mind we have a Heron 2.2 a/c, so there is nothing on the top except solar panels.
Now we are looking at getting a full van which will need about 2.9 clearance (with roof top a/c) but I may be able to modify the steel and iron infill on the gable and park it in the middle.
At the moment we are looking at a new Crusader Caravan in Adelaide, and the salesman there (Cameron Caravans on South Rd) said they can custom make the height fit your shelter if need be, within reason.
I'm not saying they can reduce the height of a full van to 2.25, but should easily be able to do that with a poptop?
Our Freedom Outback is fairly high for a poptop I think, so I wouldn't have thought you would need to modify a new one anyway. (unless it's got roof a/c)
Woofta:
Thanks for the info. I'll chase up Crusader Caravans and see what they can do. From memory, they don't do poptops. We are after a poptop (for towing and to clear the shed door), with shower & toilet, A/C and single beds. My wife likes expandas, but typically they are too high. Now if we could get an expanda with air suspension.....
Still Working: (You poor soul!) That is not such a stupid idea as it first sounds. I always check the tyre pressures before I go on a trip, and then I stop about 20 or 30 km along the road to check hope they are going (as well as the wheel bearings).
Well, I have approached a couple of caravan dealers and no-one as yet has come up with a variable height air suspension for a new caravan. Corrimal and Jayco dealers reckon they don't do it. Does anyone know of a manufacturer (other than Crusader) who does air suspension as an option?
Further, does anyone here know of problems with air suspension? I would hate to buy something which gave me endless troubles further down the track. Crusader man said they could do it but the system was prone to troubles, and in any case, he could build me a van to fit under my shed door mucn cheaper than with an air suspension. The system must have variable height capability, because I need it to lower to get out of my shed, and then raise to get out of my driveway, then settle to its design height for the rest of the trip. I don't want much do I?
