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We have had our Trayon for about 18 months now and we really do love
it. We purchased it from a couple from Central Queensland as they
were getting to old to climb into the bunk with their bad backs.
They purchased a Mercedes mobile home. Prior to the purchase I had
spent about $8000 upgrading the Hilux which was new. I had planned
for a long time to purchase a Trayon so I had the planning for the
Hilux well in hand. Not long after I purchased the Hilux I went to
ARB and had the complete suspension upgraded with medium springs all
round and Air Bags on the rear. The upgrade also included a 50mm
(2inch) lift. In addition I had a second battery installed in the
Hilux with Anderson plugs. Other installations included a Glind
shower heat exchanger, Rhino Roof rack and Michelle Sacks Bag and
fold up shower tent.
The
Trayon fitted perfectly onto the 2300 X 1830 aluminium tray and is
secured by four threaded bolts with a curved attachment to secure it
to the tray at each corner. If I have one concern it is this method
of securing the Trayon to the tray. I feel that in the event of a
serious rollover or crash I believe that the Trayon would tear away
from the tray. If I had had a choice I would have gone for a steel
tray which would give a stronger base for attachment. The other part
of the fitting would be different bolts or some other form of
securing/tiedown. The unit stands on four legs which are the manual
wind down type. It takes about 30 minutes to remove from the tray
and have it secured on the legs. I have four stainless wire cables
which attach to each corner and I secure these with large tent pegs
underneath the centre of the Trayon. I could have these cables
extend outwards from each corner instead of underneath but then you
would probably trip over the cables in the night or when a little
tipsy. The unit is very stable when secured this way and you could
comfortably live like this for a long time, freeing up your vehicle
for day trips or what ever. We lived like this in various caravan
parks and free camping for up to three weeks at a time. The legs are
stored in a box which is part of the storage under one of the bench
seats and is accessible from outside. This storage is very generous
and I store tools, ropes second stove and any other junk that I feel
is necessary. There is also another storage box at the front which
contains the gas bottle, safety valves and also the isolating switch
for the water pump. Above this is the lockable water filler for the
80 litre tank. Also there is an external water hose for ease of
access when outside.
Our model was built in 2003 and the steps are made from aluminium
and when closed are completely hidden inside. Later models have
fibreglass moulded steps and are visible when the door is closed.
Inside the Trayon as you climb the steps you find the fridge (3way
Dometic) and stove on top of the fridge. I modified the 12volt
wiring to the fridge to bypass fuses and joins in the cable. I ran a
direct cable from the second battery to the fridge with one Anderson
plug and included a 50amp safety fuse. The fridge now works much
better on 12volt when travelling. The stove in our model is not
removable as is in later series but it works great and have cooked
many a good meal. I also have a second camping stove and small gas
bottle that sits on a removable table that attaches to the tie down
rail of the tray which we use to cook meat, bacon etc to keep
cooking smells out of the Trayon.
Next to the stove is a work bench which has three drawers underneath
with lockable doors. In the corner is a stainless bowl under which
there is more storage and the water pump for the pressurised tap
over the sink. Under the sink are two more storage drawers with
lockable doors as well as the 80 litre water tank. Next to the sink
is the caravan style dining table and seats. Under the seats there
is more storage which also includes storage for the porta-loo and a
second battery if required. The storage over all is quite adequate
even for extended stays away and we put blankets, pillows etc in. In
fact we lived in the Trayon for 4 months.
When opened the roof becomes a very comfortable double bed which is
high density foam and underneath we have breathable matting which
removes the chance of moisture damaging the mattress and stopping
mould etc. This is a necessity in colder climates when condensation
really dampens the underneath of the mattress. There is enough room
to leave sheets and a blanket or two on the bed when moving and
closing the roof. This saves time not having to make up the bed at
the next camp. The mattress is secured by three straps.
The roof is easy to open and the hardest part is the initial lift
which is made easier by using my shoulder to push up. Once you get
past the centre balance the roof opens and you can control the
downwards motion by holding onto the purpose built strap that is
attached to the centre roof support. Closing is just as easy and the
instructions supplied are easy to understand. It takes no more than
10 minutes to setup. The roof and walls are made of high quality
canvas and the two long side walls each have two large zippered
windows with fly screens. The reason we purchased the Trayon was the
totally enclosed internal living area, which makes cooking, eating
and relaxing completely fly free. This was our main criteria as was
weight and ease of moving and removing from tray. The unit has 240
light as well as internal and external 12volt lighting. I have also
installed a removable 12 volt LED strip which attaches to the front
roof support over the sink to give more light when cooking cleaning
and eating at the table.
The unit does not have radio or TV but I use an iPod for music and I
have a laptop and use Avermedia PCMCIA TV adapter card which
provides digital TV. We use HP GPS and I have Natmap on laptop with
USB GPS for bush tracks etc.
On my wish list are electrically operated leg jacks, reversing
camera and solar panels.
Overall the Trayon is a fantastic unit. Its main features are weight
(450kgs) , ease of putting up and removing from truck. As I have
stated earlier we travelled and lived in the Trayon for 4 to 6
months and fully loaded with food, water, clothes, tools and two
passengers and a dog as well as 145ltrs of fuel our gross weight
over weigh bridge was 2.88 tons. I could report on the Hilux but I
will email those interested if you send me an email.
Our only criticism is the height of the entrance door. Overall this
unit is great for two people and with the addition of an annex
(which we have) you could have 2 kids on camping beds. The Trayon is
designed for two people only and the design uses all of the space of
the tray. We have an Extra cab Hilux but with a single cab you would
have the capacity to build a storage box on the tray between the cab
and the Trayon. Later units have changed and have features such as
removable stove and external gas point, hot water/shower at rear.
You need to check with the manufacturer. My unit is valued at $21500
which includes full annex and I believe this is great value for
money. You have low weight, low height, and you do not have to tow
which gives you great opportunities to get into those hard to access
places or to go camping on the beach at Noosa North Shore or travel
the deserts and outback. The Trayon is great and we use it at least
once a month for a weekend beside the river at Batemans Bay or
wherever.
We love it.
February 2008 |
