New member needs help with Apollo revamp

Welcome, how can we help ?
please add your town/camper/vehicle to profile please Ta
Que
Posts: 45
Joined: January 26th, 2015, 9:57 pm

Re: New member needs help with Apollo revamp

Post: # 13767Post Que
June 18th, 2016, 11:58 pm

To get a professional job done on the resealing you will find that many local caravan servicing and repair centres will tackle it for you, but it is time consuming and they charge by the hour plus materials. The job is not that difficult just time consuming so as a DIY project very satisfying and you save a bomb. Before you are tempted to have the manufacturer do any work, take a look at ours when you come down to Devon and make up your own mind. I should have stuck to DIY!
Nissan D40 KingCab
Apollo Demountable
Weston-Super-Mare

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zildjian
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Posts: 22052
Joined: September 8th, 2013, 3:30 pm

Re: New member needs help with Apollo revamp

Post: # 13769Post zildjian
June 19th, 2016, 8:02 am

Sent you my number so not sure on anything give me a call
and would be helpful I think if you can join us next weekend yes,

Rocket_man
Posts: 42
Joined: June 14th, 2016, 7:48 pm
Location: Cambridgeshire

Re: New member needs help with Apollo revamp

Post: # 13778Post Rocket_man
June 19th, 2016, 6:17 pm

Hi all,

Thanks Zildjian, I got your email with the number in. I will add it to my phone and email you my mobile also.

Mike, I will definately wait to do anything until I meet up with you guys.

This might seem like a silly question, but I am slightly concerned about the fact the double beds sits over the cab of the truck with no supports. Basically hangs over it! How does it take the weight of the bed and two people? Especially finding out the construction is only timber. I imagine we will wake up on the truck roof! Hope you guys can make me sleep better knowing it is not magic!

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zildjian
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Joined: September 8th, 2013, 3:30 pm

Re: New member needs help with Apollo revamp

Post: # 13780Post zildjian
June 19th, 2016, 6:30 pm

Cantilever, its strength is from the two side walls, your mattress rests on slats themselves mounted off those side walls,

relax (literally) Apollo seem to have copied that aspect of the design of everybody successfully, its the other end of their product that always leaks

Rocket_man
Posts: 42
Joined: June 14th, 2016, 7:48 pm
Location: Cambridgeshire

Re: New member needs help with Apollo revamp

Post: # 13826Post Rocket_man
June 21st, 2016, 5:30 pm

Guys I need more advice !

As I mentioned the Apollo came on the back of a 2001 Mazda double cab (95,000 miles ). My mechanic has had a look at it and says it needs new rear springs and stronger ones, plus steering needs sorting and front disc brakes. Something along those lines. Basically it will cost about £1000 to fix. He has also just serviced my 2010 Navara (97,000 miles).

He say the Navara can only take 1 ton of weight on the back. Where the Mazda can take 1.3 ton of weight. By changing the suspension for harder, it does not alter how much weight it can take, but just how stable it is. He thinks the Apollo is about 1.1 ton. If the Apollo goes on the back of the Navara this would take it to over 3.5 ton total, so changing its category. He feels we should get the Mazda set up better for the Apollo and use this for the going on holiday and my collecting materials for work. This way also I am less lickely to worry about scratching the vehicle. Which does make sense as I was undoing a ratchet strap and the strap fell against the side of the Mazda. If that had been my Navara I would have been annoyed.

Has anyone got any thoughts on this. I really feel like I never should of gone near this Apollo and truck.

One good thing is, if I do spend £1000 sorting out the Mazda I can claim it against my end of year tax for the business.

Thanks confused.me!

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zildjian
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Joined: September 8th, 2013, 3:30 pm

Re: New member needs help with Apollo revamp

Post: # 13828Post zildjian
June 21st, 2016, 6:11 pm

Hi,
hindsight is a wonderful thing, and had you known about us beforehand we could have helped avoid a lot of this
anyway..
I agree with your man on the Mazda as long as He's satisfied there isn't anything terminal with truck, they are a tried tested (and proven) carrier, the Navara maybe not so much in light of recent chassis transplants by Nissan and my own instinct is not to compound a bad situation.

Yes heavier springs or add an air suspension kit, this will allow you to drop truck back to present height, whereas fitting any new springs (heavy duty or not) will make truck sit higher initially anyway,
your mechanic is also about right on weights given its an earlier Apollo it will be built of heavier materials that aren't necessarily used these days on lighter campers,
weight is a killer on any vehicle goes really without saying but Mazda again, probably better suited as I think higher GVW

have you driven mazda & camper together, how did you find it?

Rocket_man
Posts: 42
Joined: June 14th, 2016, 7:48 pm
Location: Cambridgeshire

Re: New member needs help with Apollo revamp

Post: # 13829Post Rocket_man
June 21st, 2016, 7:43 pm

Thanks Zildjian,

What you say makes good sense to me. Also makes me feel better knowing my mechanic words are sound.

Yes we drove the Mazda back when we bought the Apollo, so about 90 miles. It felt OK to drive, not as comfy and high up as the Navara, but felt OK to drive. Also I feel it was better on fuel, although that might have been my imagination.

Ok I will tell him to do the work on the Mazda. We will not get it back till Friday, so I hope we can make it Friday night in Devon. Traffic will be a nightmare. We was going to originally set out on Thursday morning.

By the way Zildjian, I text you earlier about speaking to you, but you never text back!

Cheers

Tim

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zildjian
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Re: New member needs help with Apollo revamp

Post: # 13830Post zildjian
June 21st, 2016, 7:55 pm

I have internet access here but next to no network unless we are in nearest town

mjb666
Posts: 618
Joined: August 23rd, 2014, 5:07 pm
Location: Surrey. M3-Junction 4.

Re: New member needs help with Apollo revamp

Post: # 13833Post mjb666
June 21st, 2016, 9:49 pm

Hi Tim,

I used to run a Isuzu Double cab & wanted to get a De-Mountable to put on it. I knew very little about them six years ago, i know a little bit more now.

So i went a slightly different route, i purchased a Mazda B2200 single cab 4x2 with an Unknown make of De-Mountable on it. I honestly just took a punt on it like you, give the whole idea a go and if We liked it, purchase a newer unit by itself to go on the Isuzu & sell the entry level combi.

Well, i've since upgraded the Isuzu for a Nissan Navara Kingcab ready for the De-Mountable upgrade but having enjoyed the initial De-Mountable so much have recently upgraded the Mazda for a Mitsubishi L200. I'm obviously running two trucks which defeats the whole idea in my view but it's working for me at the moment.

Why not bite the bullet, run the Mazda c/w Apollo, sort the damp issue, sort all the issue's & sell the combi on in a couple of years and get a more modern unit to fit the current truck. There is a growing market for people prepared to give it a go on a modest budget so i'm sure it will sell when sorted.

Hope to meet you over the weekend

Mike
2005 Mitsubishi L200 Single Cab 4x2
Unknown Demountable

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zildjian
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Joined: September 8th, 2013, 3:30 pm

Re: New member needs help with Apollo revamp

Post: # 13836Post zildjian
June 22nd, 2016, 8:13 am

'run the Mazda c/w Apollo, sort the damp issue, & sell the combi on in a couple of years and get a more modern unit to fit the current truck. There is a growing market for people prepared to give it a go on a modest budget'

As you've found yourself there's a market for modestly priced combo's
this is why Apollo come up for sale, people buy & try (almost always have to carry our some level of repair) then sell up or buy up if when they like the idea,


run the Nissan alongside for a year and maybe buy a camper from Europe where there's more choice

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