A bad shock

We had some damage to the braking system of the Jurgens Oryx last time we used it on a very rough track. The Oryx camper has an Al-Ko mechanical braking system which performs very well as a rule. Half way into this track we were experiencing really bad shuddering from the coupling as if the brakes were activating suddenly and harshly. We managed to get home later by concentrating on driving really smoothly over the obstacles to the extent that was possibl

Dismantling the coupling later, it was established that the damper unit had broken at the lower mount. It could not be repaired safely by welding it owing to the risk of explosion.

I could not source a replacement locally and eventually managed to order one from South Africa through Jurgens Caravans Australia who were very helpful. The bad news was that it would take about six weeks to arrive so I set my mind to coming up with a bushman’s repair so that we could continue to use the camper.

Essentially what I did was to encase the body of the damper in a length of pipe roughly the same length as the intact body (ie including the lower mount). A short plug of  red polyurethane from an old boat roller was used to plug the bottom end of the pipe and a new mounting hole was drilled through the pipe and plug.

New mounting hole drilled

The top end of the pipe was peened over to retain the damper and after some reshaping with an angle grinder to ensure the repaired unit had room to move, the modified damper was re-installed.

The repaired damper

At the same time, the polyurethane buffer which was also damaged was replaced with one cut from another bit of the boat roller. The original buffer may have been rubber but the previous owners of the camper had already improved this item.

New buffers cut from boat roller

So far, this repair is holding up well so if you find yourself a long way from spare parts, a bit of water pipe and a readily available boat roller may help you get mobile again.

The repaired parts ready for installation

By buying secondhand, we have ended up with a 6 year old camper that is in very good condition and which had been competently upgraded from the original specification by experienced campers, Tony and Chris from Canberra.

The camper has a fairly small footprint on the road with an overall length of 3500m and with a width similar to your average 4WD, there is no need for extension mirrors. At 2125mm with the roof down, the towing height is comparable to that of many pop top caravans.

Jurgens Oryx Camper Trailer

Visually, the Oryx camper looks like a brick on steroids and the aerodynamics are about the same. I’m currently researching ways to improve this in order to maximise fuel economy.

With a Tare Weight of 725kg and an ATM of 1250kg, the Oryx is, in theory, manageable by a medium sized car or 4WD. After our first couple of trips, however, we elected to trade our much loved Subaru Forester in on a Nissan Navara. The Navara can tow up to 3000kg so it handles the fully loaded camper easily as well as providing access to more challenging 4WD tracks with and without the camper.

The Oryx comes with a  generously sized double bed which folds out to one side of the van. In my view, this makes the bed much easier to get in and out of than many roof top and trailer-based beds. Beneath the bed, there is provision for a two person dinette but we doubt that we will use it very much unless inclement weather keeps us indoors and prevents the erection of the annexe.

A comfy double bed

Outside there is a drop down camp kitchen with a two burner Cramer stove and with running water provided from an upgraded 80 litre water tank via an electric pump.  Behind the kitchen is provision for crockery and cooking gear.

The camp kitchen with storage for crockery and cooking tools

Originally the unit had a water heater but this had been removed in favour of storage for a portable toilet. The heater was included in our purchase and we will be re-installing it and giving consideration to an outside shower.

The camper has provision for jerrycans on the A-frame and on the rear wall of the van. These can be used for fresh water, grey water or spare fuel.

A Howling Moon Leisure Awn 2100 provides cover for quick stops and an L-shaped annexe is provided for setting up your base camp for longer stays. The annexe makes a huge difference to the living area and quality of life available. The previous owners didn’t use the annexe much but then one of them had spent a fair bit of his life in submarines!

The awning is perfect for a quick cuppa

There is provision for a fridge to be installed within the camper but we are of a similar view to our predecessors that it makes more sense to keep the fridge in the tow vehicle so that it can be used for day excursions. For the moment, we have filled this location with plastic drawers for our socks & jocks.

Lots of options for storage

Within the camper, there is an amazing amount of room for storage for clothing, cooking gear and other essentials. With one full height wardrobe, several small cupboards and two big spaces beneath the bed, it’s tempting to pack far too much gear.

The cupboard nearest the exit comprises a camp larder and we have followed the example of the previous owners (featured in Campertrailer Australia) in using plastic fruit containers to organise most of the contents.

What's in the larder?

The Oryx is built tough for the African and Australian bush and with a safe speed rating of 180 kph, tough AL-KO independent suspension and a set of decent off road tyres, it should cope with our conditions with due care. Ron and Viv Moon tested one along the SA-Vic Border track a few years ago and were suitably impressed.

The trailer has over ride, auto reversing, drum brakes and 16 inch off road wheels and tyres. Unfortunately, this kind of braking system is incompatible with the load levelling devices that would have been required for towing fully loaded with the Subaru. In combination with the Navara, on the other hand, they represent a fairly bulletproof off road system.

The only way to tow legally with the Subaru would have been to adjust the balance of the camper to keep the towball weight below 75kg. While this was theoretically possible, it would have led to far too many compromises.

Two towing hitches were provided: the standard 50mm ball style and a Treg coupling which utilises a poly block to absorb some of the lumps and bumps. We have yet to try the Treg hitch but will be changing over to it for our next trip.

As this camper had been so well set up by Tony and Chris, we have not yet found it necessary to make many changes to customise the unit for our lifestyle. A 100 amp hour AGM battery was sourced and also an 80W folding solar panel array to be mounted on the pop top. The camper already had an excellent electrical charging and supply (12v/240v) installed including a Hercules 20 three stage charger. Additional charging on the road will be provided via an Anderson plug to be installed on the Navara.

One of the problems with caravan style electrical systems is that they require a 15 amp power cord and a 15 amp style power point if you wish to recharge at home. Living 16km from town, I narrowly avoided the expense of calling out an electrician by discovering that the power point for the pump on our spa was already suitable. So have a good look around if you have a similar problem.

On advice from the previous occupants, we have purchased a double bed sized, self inflating  sleeping mat as a stable overlay for the bed.  This maximises our comfort and ensures that we don’t disappear through the gaps between the various cushions that comprise the bed. This mat was a Jackaroo product found at the local K-Mart after searching the specialist local outdoors centres in vain.

We have also had the local canvas maker stitch a reflective layer of material on to one side of the fly that protects the outside portion of the bed. If it keeps the heat out long enough for me to sleep in sometimes, it will be money well spent!

A reflective cover for the fly makes sleep-ins possible

I should note also the fantastic customer service we enjoyed in purchasing this camper. Tony and Chris insisted on driving from Canberra to meet us at Wilmington in SA in order to hand over the camper and instruct us in its use. This was an amazing effort and puts us on the path to quickly gain the same enjoyment that they’ve had in travelling with this unique camper. Thanks folks.

I should also note that the purchase of this van was a private sale as the result of finding my way to the homepage of the Australian CamperTrailers Group. This site is a great resource and will allow the visitor to explore the features of a wide range of campers used by some of the members as well as lots of pertinent advice.

All the comforts of home.

Now it’s over to you. If you’d like to profile your own pre-loved camper, please feel free to make contact with me at: doyle@onthewallabytrack.com.au