a look around my camper trailer

Chris & Sally's Customline

 

 

 

Chris & Sally's Customline

         

 

      Like many others we had lots of camping gear and a tent that had seen it best days many years earlier. We debated over the purchase of another tent but still needed a trailer to carry everything away for a trip. The hunt was on.!

      When we decided that it was time for the camper upgrade we spent around 6 months looking at different styles, makes and even sifting through the second hand market. We had so many brochures, option lists, prices and memories of so many different campers things started getting ‘As clear as mud’. Only one camper kept getting put on top of the pile due to its quality of canvas and workmanship, features and price - that was the Customline Camper Trailer. We purchased our Customline in 2000 when it was a backyard operation out of Dave Jenners backyard shed. The camper is personally made not a ‘production line’ model with the quality that only Dave could make.

      Because we purchased the camper during the early years of Customline Camper Trailers it was not without some problems. The problems are common throughout camper trailers - Dust and Water. Dust came in through the trailer floor and rear door but silicon and extra sealing has this fixed. Water comes through the join of the floor and walls, into the storage box on the drawbar and under the rear of the cover when traveling. These and many other problems have been fixed by feedback to Dave.

      As I mentioned earlier, the Customline is a soft floor camper that unfolds off the side of the trailer. This gives us plenty of room inside to set up bed for the kids. The camper does not need any extra poles to be set for a quick overnight stop just flip-over and extend the poles that are attached to the side of the trailer. With a couple of bags in the corners the camper is ready. Setting up the awning takes a little longer using 5 poles, ropes and pegs.

      It has a queen size mattress (now due for replacement) on top of the trailer. The bed base can be opened for access into the trailer. The camper top can be opened (when camper packed) for access into the trailer. This opens from the passenger’s side so it can be safely done on the side of a busy road. This top can be removed if the trailer is required for other duties.  

      Our kitchen is a home made slide out style kitchen made from angle iron and aluminum with ‘Stakka Drawers’ for plates, food, etc. It was design and built around a very old Chescold 3-way fridge that has since been replaced. The new fridge can just fits in the same position but only during camping. It is too big to fit inside the trailer. Opening the rear tailgate and sliding out gives access to the kitchen. The Stakka Drawers stay in position.

     A box is fitted to the drawbar along with the spare wheel with a gas bottle ring and jerry can holder on the side of the trailer. These are standard items. I store shade cloth, ropes, pegs, hammers, axe, caravan leg winder, shower tent, etc and anything else I can squeeze into this box.

      The options that I have fitted are a poly block Treg coupling and a water tank with the tap located near the gas bottle ring. I have taken this trailer through some medium 4WDing terrain and it handled it with ease. The caravan legs and poly block coupling are the only things to touch.

      Things we would like to change include............

* Brakes. The camper is about 750Kg when loaded and that weight has pushed the car on downhill gravel roads.

* An electric pump tap. The standard hand pump works great but a little less effort whilst camping makes it all the more enjoyable.

* New wheels from six stud 15” to 16” that match the Patrol I now own.

 

Thanks to Chris and Sally