Time to Roam Magazine Issue 11 - October/November 2014 | Page 38

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tried + tested camper review

JAYCO SWAN
Trailer Specifications
Length: 5365mm
Width: 2240mm
Height: 1685mm (offroad model)
Weight: 1275kg tare and
1575kg GTM (offroad)

Electrical
Battery: 1 X 100Ah
Solar: 120W roof mounted (optional)

Water
82L underfloor tank
Electric pump at kitchen

Mechanical
Chassis: 150 x 50 chassis, 125 x 50
drawbar, hot dip galvanised, 50mm
ball coupling, Trailing arm coil spring
and shock suspension, 16in alloy
rims with 245/70R16 nitrogen filled
tyres, Rear mounted spare, Electrical
brakes with hand brake, Welded steel
body with stainless steel trimmings
93L Thetford three-way fridge,
4-burner Smev cooktop plus grill,
Microwave oven, One jerry can holder
9kg gas bottle in boot, LED interior
lights, Stainless steel sink, Mains
pressure and hand pump taps to sink
Inner spring mattresses, 12V
reading lights and fans to bed
ends, Sleeps four-six, Vinyl floor,
Rubber-backed removable curtains

Warranty
12 months

Web
www.jayco.com.au

$29,310 (offroad)

38

timetoroam.com.au

standard double) and ideal for two children. The
mattresses are inner spring for good comfort,
and as an option you can convert the dinette to
another double bed. Plenty of sleeping potential.
The roof, as with all the Jayco campers, is a
pop top, cranked up via their patented roof lifter
system. This requires a little elbow grease at
the crank handle inserted in the front, but a nifty
do-it-yourself option that we saw one camper
using was to make up another cranking bar with
an old screwdriver end welded into the outer end
and it went up and down via a cordless drill very
neatly and quickly. The newly redesigned door
top drops down quickly and easily into place.
Nevertheless, the set-up is pretty quick and
easy, and you’re soon ready to enjoy the camper.
Internally the Swan comes with a comfortable
lounge at the front end, with a well equipped
kitchen and dinette towards the back.
The kitchen consists of a 93L Thetford upright
three-way fridge, stainless sink with mains
pressure (for life in caravan parks) and hand
pump taps and Smev four-burner (three gas and
one electric) stove and grill above a microwave
oven, with plenty of cupboard and drawer space
beneath. Opposite that is the four-seat dinette.
There is more storage in the Swan than you’re
ever likely to use, given that the “carrying load”
is 300kg, which includes your 82 litre water
tank and 9kg gas bottle (adds 91kg when both
are full). By the time you add crockery, cutlery,
food, clothing, bedding and other utensils of
comfort you’re going to never fill all the space

available to you without being overloaded,
which includes storage bays under the lounge,
cupboard space in the buffet in front of the dinette
and the stand-up wardrobe next to the bed.
Inside the Swan, like all the pop-top Jaycos,
is light and airy, with great 360 degree views
through the clear plastic windows. Curtains
are provided all the way around. Each of
the beds has plenty of ventilation to keep
you comfortable on those hot nights.
All Jayco camper trailers are built on a
sturdy hot dip galvanised frames – what they
call their Endurance Chassis - with 150 x
50mm RHS main chassis members and 125
x 50mm RHS drawbar. Beneath the floor is a
web of pressed steel C-section supports.
Jayco offers all its campers in a standard
on-road fitout and an optional offroad set-up.
The latter replaces the single beam axle with
the newly developed JTECH independent
suspension. This is a trailing arm set-up with
Pedders coil springs and shock absorbers, Aeon
rubber internal springs and Al-Ko stub axles. With
full toe-in and toe-out adjustment it is a classy
bit of gear that gives the offroad Jaycos a soft
and compliant ride over the roughest terrain.
The whole set-up works well with optional Al-Ko
Electronic Stability Control, a great innovation
for those looking for absolute safety while
towing. Add to these the standard nitrogenfilled tyres on alloy wheels and you have a
rig that’s well set up for highway cruising.
If you choose to up-spec your Jayco to offroad