2019 LATEST INNOVATIONS IN 24' FAMILY BUSHTRACKER

Post by **Bushtracker** » Tue Aug 20, 2019 11:36 am

Hello Friends,
Steven Gibbs here, Director, Bushtracker,

I like to put some samples of what you will see in the Owners Section, that you are admitted to when you Order. You have months to take advantage of our coaching and can modify your Order to suit if you choose to. Anyway here is the latest, and note that this is a 24' Bushtracker, well beyond the Landcruiser capability. It is being towed with a Cummins powered Nissan Titan.

This is the Owners choice of colours, and we built it with Blackbutt solid timber bench tops.. The Tassie Oak bench tops I had in my own years ago, could dent if a bottle or something fell out of the overhead cupboards on opening them. This Blackbutt is so dense, it is unlikely to dent at all..

Here is a sample of the latest equipment we are testing, that is on this Bushtracker, and we have just done 5000 kms through the Flinders Ranges testing it. We will give evaluations on the gear in the R&D section of the Forum as well as subsequent Posts here in this Topic...

1. Simplicity LSC (load sharing coil) suspension, with the 4140 Tool steel axles of 60 tonne tensile.. This one is really interesting, and I will put a Post up with pictures in this Thread. There is a really interesting feature to it..

2. Generator free operation which includes:
a. 900a/h Lithium pack
b. 2 x DC to DC chargers for rapid charging from tow vehicle
c. 3000W / 120A combo inverter / charger
d. 10 x Solar panels (6 x 180W, 4 x 80W) 1400W total

3. Gas free cooking inside, induction cooktop and convection oven / microwave

4. Wine fridge (just a fun toy, but fun and it looks good

5. Solid blackbutt timber benchtops and table

6. 2 x Dometic Ibis 4 inverter air conditioners, with some interesting advantages...

7. Tropical rated 224L compressor fridge with a few interesting features, and we want to do more testing but this is the latest and greatest:
a. Internal circulation fan
b. Wire shelves for better airflow
c. Frost free operation
d. Large full depth vegetable drawer (compressor is at the top)
e. Integrated door latches
f. External control panel (LCD display)

8. 4G modem and wifi extender (instead of unreliable Cel-fi)

9. 3 x New model Dometic electric skylight hatches

10. And last but not least, a new power awning, that opens up to 2.7 metres, and full length awning light.

All these and the results of our testing will be coming. So far we have gone about 5000 kms and through the Flinders Ranges. More Posts coming, so stay tuned..

More coming.....

Kind regards to all, Steven Gibbs

Loki of Condor · Post by **Loki of Condor** » Tue Aug 20, 2019 4:39 pm

That's got more power than some emerging African nations....

Sal and John · Post by **Sal and John** » Tue Aug 20, 2019 9:04 pm

4G modem and wifi extender (instead of unreliable Cel-fi)

I've found the CelFi to be reasonably useful and was shortly going to buy a couple of the 4G mobile units.

Can we ask for some more info on the modem and wifi setup which you have in this van, please ?

Post by **Bushtracker** » Thu Aug 22, 2019 7:04 am

Loki, my comment on your joke...

We are pushing the boundaries of running without a generator... I mean if you look at my 23' in the Owners Section, with 600 AH of Lithiums and the big charging systems from my Dodge Ram, on a road trip for stops that don't allow generators: I can have air conditioning every night. It shuts off in hot weather in about 4 hours, or runs all night in marginal weather, but even on my van I am thinking about upgrading to the 900 AH system. Enerdrive now have made us a BMS and Balancing System to take care of the 900 AH Lithium system, so even in very hot weather I could run the a-c all night.

Anyone can jam in a big Lithium System, but the hard part is charging it back up if you deplete it running air conditioning and 99% cannot do that. Bushtracker have Engineered the way to do that with larger DC to DC systems and direct charging from the Cummins Diesel alternator.. When you are on a road trip stopping places for the night it works a treat. I used it running down to Victoria for the jump to Tasmania, and a month on the road in Tasmania and back. I have also used it on a north Queensland trip, and since with a Dodge Ram weight is not a problem, I would like the 900 AH myself..

Also anyone can flog a Lithium System, but it takes talent like Bushtracker to put in the protective systems to make it last a long time. The rest jam in the Lithiums, but they are not cost effective and will not last more than 4-5 years or even less without our BMS and Active Balancing Systems. We do it right with the proper management and balancing and charging systems to make the investment worthwhile...

****************

Sal and John, in answer to the details..

It is a specific Wi-Fi extender and amplifier. I have Cel-Fi myself, use it all the time, but the problem is that in marginal areas it only works about half the time... Matthew is away at AgQuip in Gunnedah NSW. When he is back in about a week give him a call at Bushtracker for details, or when I get more results posted in the R&D part of the Owners Section...

Kind regards, Steven Gibbs, Director

Sal and John · Post by **Sal and John** » Thu Aug 22, 2019 10:13 am

Thanks, Steve, will do. CelFi is a tad on the expensive side for what it is.

So far the only reason to use it was that, so far as I am aware, it was the only unit with ACMA authorisation for use.

Post by **Bushtracker** » Fri Aug 23, 2019 8:31 am

Hello Friends,

As you all would know by now from what 24 years of travel with Bushtracker, Load Sharing reduces the shock to the Caravan as it articulates over objects rather than hammer the van with two independent shocks in the normal so called off road suspensions of two trailing arms... The Load Sharing is in all major transport, as it shifts the load from the front to back as it hits the object, and then from the back to front as the rear hits the object or pothole. Also, it does not load up the axle as the trailing arm style takes all the weight on one axle and lifts the other off the ground as it is NOT Load Sharing...

Anyway, as any of you Experienced Owners would know, Load Sharing is a HUGE advantage, as well as our 4140 Tool Steel axles of 60 ton Tensile. We also have the longest wheel travel, the best in the Industry. Here is a new one, our same Load Sharing but in progressive coils so the ride is even softer and still load sharing.

Here is Matthew and Family in the Flinders Ranges doing the R&D on this suspension in "real time".. Doing the rough life in comfort and style.

Matthew has had the full Air Suspension, and he claims this coil load sharing rides as soft and tracks as well as the Air Suspension.. Only 5000 kms of testing so far, but it looks very promising. In an answer to another Bushtracker Owner, no it requires a new chassis design and is not able to be retrofitted...

My own 23' Bushtracker is still in the full Air Suspension, as I like the front to back and side to side manual over ride system: But it is more expense and maintenance..

Kind regards to all, more to come, Steven Gibbs, Director

Up in North Queensland doing it tough myself...

Loki of Condor · Post by **Loki of Condor** » Fri Aug 23, 2019 8:19 pm

Is the box in the circle part of an anti-sway system?

Post by **Bushtracker** » Sat Aug 24, 2019 10:41 am

Hello Loki,

And No... That is Standard Equipment for us now, just a fancy heavy duty water tight electrical connections box for the brakes.. In Electrician terms, "junction box".. A good place to join in a new backing plate or new brakes wiring, or upgrade to the 4140 Tool Steel axles of 60 tonne tensile. Just a long term maintenance addition to our program that makes upgrades simple in the future..

The anti-sway system you speak of has been abandoned by just about everyone that builds so called off-road Caravans for those conditions. It is extremely unreliable off-road, and is really just a Sales Gimmick for on road vans where is has some potential. Besides causing major problems and wearing out brakes prematurely off-road, most vehicles these days have Stability Control built in already..

However, and I know you know this Loki, but: Other Owners, even if it worked off the road, it does not beat being properly loaded, with a proper suspension in the tow vehicle, and having close to 10% ball weight. THAT is your best "anti-sway" system...

Kind regards from the Rig Junkie that does R&D, having owned Landcruisers from the 60 Series through the 200 Series, and Fords, Dodges, and Chevrolets. I DO know what I am talking about.. It is not just opinion on the Topics in TIPS ON TOW VEHICLES.. I have bought them, outfitted them, and tested all of them for over 30 years in Australia..

Jusel · Post by **Jusel** » Mon Aug 26, 2019 3:16 pm

What awning is fitted? Doesn't look to have an arms on it?

Post by **Bushtracker** » Mon Aug 26, 2019 3:20 pm

It is a new one we are testing, that is larger...

It is electric and comes out larger, compared to the Dometic 2.2 M....

It is not as easy to use, it is just in the testing stage right now and we will post the results.

The van is not back from a film show adventure, I will have pictures and start putting more information on when it comes back..

Post by **mattkurvink** » Wed Oct 16, 2019 10:12 am

Dometic RUC 8408X fridge

Our first item of interest in our current test rig is the new Dometic RUC8408X 224L refrigerator. This is available in both compressor and absorption variants. The unit we have installed is the compressor version, with the majority of our customer base choosing to also go this way.
Interestingly, there is also a 190L version available if someone didnâ€™t want the larger unit to save a little on cost, space and power.

So, I hear you ask, why consider this fridge? Here are a few of the benefits:

1. Full tropical rating, which is the highest available (guaranteed 100% efficient to 42 degrees).
2. Wire shelves to allow better air movement through the fridge.
3. Internal circulating fan which moves air past and prevents icing up of the cooling plates. Not only this, but it also moves air through the fridge to allow for even cooling.
4. The compressor is at the top allowing for a full depth crisper / fruit and veg tray at the bottom of the fridge. These are normally only half depth in most fridges due to the compressor location.
5. Built in door latch / lock with an easy to use grab handle. The locking system also allows you to put the doors into a storage mode where the fridge and freezer doors stay cracked open to prevent mould.

Weâ€™ve only used the fridge in relatively normal weather conditions so cannot comment on its performance in the really hot stuff but that will come, particularly as we use the van in the coming months.

You can read more about it on the Dometic website: Click here

It still is only early days, however there are certainly some benefits worth considering when working on the design for your new van.

Inside the fridge

Inside the freezer

Full depth crisper

Door latch (closed)

Door latch (storage setting)

Circulating fan detail

Storage features detail

External overall

tolemac · Post by **tolemac** » Sun Oct 25, 2020 7:12 pm

What's the latest on this refrigerator?

Post by **mattkurvink** » Mon Oct 26, 2020 3:45 pm

tolemac wrote:What's the latest on this refrigerator?

In short: FANTASTIC!

They are a very well designed and built fridge. Over the last 18 months since their release they have become 80-90% of what is installed in our new builds.

It has been subjected to all sorts of temperatures, high heat, high humidity and has performed remarkably all through it.

tolemac · Post by **tolemac** » Thu Oct 29, 2020 10:02 am

Happy to hear that the Isotherm era has passed.