Southern Cross Expedition Fifth-Wheeler

$136,454 - 138,454 AUD
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Taking its name from the famous constellation, Southern Cross is a caravan and fifth-wheeler manufacturer that has a design unlike many on the market.

 

Southern Cross is an Australian manufacturer working hard at competing head on with the imported fifth-wheelers. To do that, Southern Cross has taken a new direction in fifth-wheeler design. With a hitch that extends clear of the gooseneck to allow for a deeper gooseneck, moving the bed from the gooseneck to the middle of the van and incorporating a flat floor design that doesn't have intrusive wheel arches taking up precious floor space, Southern Cross has what it takes to take on the American fifth-wheelers.

 

Located near Brisbane, Southern Cross has nearly 20 years experience producing horse floats and caravans, so it is very experienced in design and engineering intelligence with its new and exciting range of fifth-wheelers.

 

Southern Cross doesn't only make fifth-wheelers, but also offers a tow vehicle modification service to help you get ready to tow a fifth-wheeler. Starting with your average utility (preferably with a flat tray), Southern Cross can then perform a variety of custom modification including airbag systems, storage boxes, water tanks, diesel tanks, battery boxes, generators and toolboxes. All modifications are engineer approved and certified, meaning you can have peace of mind as you travel down the highway in your Southern Cross Expedition fifth-wheeler.

 

Externally, the Southern Cross Expedition features a Dometic roll-out awning for those sunnier days and two exterior lights brighten up the awning area when needed, meaning day or night the Expedition has you covered. Chequerplate protects the lower extremities of the Expedition and underneath the gooseneck and hitch area.

 

When it comes to storage room, there's plenty inside the Expedition, especially in the kitchen area that also boasts ample bench space. Storage space includes under-bed storage at the rear. The stainless steel single bowl sink is filled via a flick mixer tap connected to a 130L freshwater tank and a Suburban gas/electric hot water system.

 

Take a closer look and you'll soon notice that this fifth-wheeler's hitch is different to that of its competitors as it protrudes clear of the gooseneck. Also, the gooseneck is noticeably deeper than most other RVs. This combination allows for reasonably tight turning while permitting a more flexible internal design.

 

Inside the Expedition, you'll find a bright interior layout that takes advantage of the extra space provided by Southern Cross's unique fifth-wheeler design. The wraparound club lounge is situated in the gooseneck, where you'd normally find the bed on other fifth-wheelers. Thanks to the Expedition's unique gooseneck design, there's plenty of headroom on offer. Naturally, top-quality appliances are used throughout like the Sharp 1100W microwave or the Ibis Air Command A/C.

 

A large through-boot in the gooseneck of the Expedition also houses the controls for the airbag suspension. This combined with remote control drop-down front legs means set up is so easy, anybody can do it.

 

The Southern Cross Expedition fifth-wheeler levels out the highways with its factory built, fully adjustable airbag suspension. The airbag system is made on-site to Southern Cross's own design including heavy-duty mounts and adjusting cams. That means it's possible to easily adjust both camber and toe-in, so the Expedition fifth-wheeler will always ride well with less wear and tear on tyres. What's more, the rolling sleeve airbags provide 200mm travel and operate on a very low air pressure to ensure a smooth ride over reasonably lump tracks.

 

Because the Expedition is built light but very strong, you won't need a full-size American pick-up to haul this fifth-wheeler. You can use your average ute like Southern Cross's very own Mazda BT-50. Southern Cross can also undertake the modifications needed to pull a fifth-wheeler to your ute (whatever it may be) and have it fully engineer certified. The tow coupling and ball are ADR approved and rated to 10 tonnes.

 

Southern Cross keeps all the monitoring systems and main switches neatly hidden away in this cabinet. This helps to keep them safe from any potential damage and gives the cabin a nice clean look.

 

A TCL flat-screen television and an AM/FM radio CD/DVD player handle on-board entertainment with four internal speakers.

 

Southern Cross states that two of the main advantages of having a fifth-wheeler over a regular caravan are safety and manoeuvrability. With the weight of the front portion of the fifth-wheeler over the rear axle and not hanging off the rear end, this creates stability by putting the weight where it's meant to be.

 

With the weight of the van attached to the rear of your tow vehicle, this can work like a counter lever and can create sway, pitching and instability. Southern Cross believes that once you tow an Expedition, you won't go back to a traditional caravan.

 

On the opposite side of the kitchen, we find the Thetford 3+1 gas/electric stove and oven. When not in use, a section of bench folds down over the top to create even more bench space. Just like on the other side of the van, there's a slide-out pantry giving you plenty of room for food and sundries. Pushbutton latches secure all the cupboards and drawers.

 

TECHNICAL SPECS

 

MAKE/MODEL: Southern Cross Cooper River Expedition

 

CHASSIS NUMBER: SCE031

 

EXTERNAL BODY LENGTH: 7.6m (25ft)

 

EXTERNAL WIDTH: 2.5m

 

VIN TARE WEIGHT: 2600kg

 

BALL WEIGHT: 130 kg

 

R.R.P: $136,454

 

NB: length and width are external measurements of the vehicle shell (and awning) only

 

FOR MORE NFORMATION

 

CONTACT INFORMATION

 

CONTACT PERSON: Sales team

 

NAME: Southern Cross Caravans

 

ADDRESS: 19 Nestor Drive, Meadowbrook QLD 4131

 

PHONE: (07) 3200 6924

 

FAX: (07) 3200 8999

 

EMAIL: [email protected]

 

WEBSITE: http://www.southerncrosscaravans.com.au

 

MANUFACTURER: Southern Cross Caravans

 

 

Please note that current prices may vary from this review. Please confirm with the manufacturer.