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Post-Build Changes
They say Rome wasn't built in a day. Well, neither is a motorhome it seems.
When we took delivery of Matariki we were very pleased with all the build options we'd chosen, but that didn't last long!
After a few trips away we discovered some improvements that would either make our lives easier or safer on the road.
Here's a quick rundown of the changes we've made since taking delivery of Matariki.
In this Article
Front Recovery Points
In our first 18 months of travelling we didn't get into any serious situations that would have required us having to be towed out after getting bogged.
However, there's always that nagging thought in the back of the mind that one day it might happen, which would make life very difficult without rated recovery points.
A few months earlier we'd purchased a set of Maxtrax recovery gear, at a cost of $546, including:
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1 x 10m kinetic rope
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1 x 5m static rope
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1 x fuse shackle
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2 x core shackles.
It was great having our own recovery gear should the need arise, but we didn't have a suitable point to attach it to on the vehicle. This is what prompted us to have the recovery points fitted.​
With that decision made we did some research on the Explorer Motorhomes Facebook group to read about other peoples' experiences, then set about trying to find a company that could fit them for us. Sounds easy!
After many phone calls and Google searches I was on the point of giving up on this idea because companies said they flat out couldn't do it, or the brand of recovery points that they sold weren't rated for the Hilux.
After another desperate read through the Explorer Facebook group I came across a reference to Opposite Lock having fitted recovery points on another motorhome owner's vehicle, so I gave them a call and they asked me to take the vehicle out so they could assess whether or not they could the job. Thankfully they said yes and a few days, and $770 later, we had shiny new, bright yellow recovery points fitted.
Bonnet Struts
Anybody who's ever tried to lift a Hilux bonnet, especially anybody height-challenged, knows how hard that can be. For some strange reason the Hilux doesn't come standard with bonnet struts to make this task easier, and the bonnet is really heavy to open.
After having been on the road for some time, and after deflating and inflating tyres on rough roads several times using the onboard, under bonnet compressor, we thought we should do something to make lifting the bonnet easier.
Turns out that Toyota don't have factory struts, so it was onto the Explorer Motorhomes Facebook group to check out how other owners had solved this issue. The only option was after-market struts, so it was just a matter of finding the right ones.
We eventually decided to go with struts that another Explorer owner had fitted, which we purchased from OCAM 4X4 Accessories in North Lakes. The model of struts we used was "OCAM Bonnet Strut Kit for Toyota Hilux N80 2015-Current (2 pcs)", which cost $125.
Fitting the struts was quite fiddly but we eventually managed to get the job done, while also having to relocate the supplementary fuse box away from the side of the engine bay because it would have interfered with the strut on the left-hand side.
TIP: When fitting the lower end of the struts to the side of the engine bay, you have to very awkwardly get the securing nut in behind a small gap, whilst trying to screw the other end into the nut. Very important tip we read on the Explorer Facebook group is to tie some string, or whatever, onto the nut before attempting this because you're quite likely to drop the nut and, if you do, it'll be gone forever!
A little while after we'd fitted the struts our motorhome went into Explorer for its annual service, and as part of that service we asked to have an extension hose fitted for the onboard compressor to bring the connector out onto the bull bar, which meant we didn't have to open the bonnet anymore to use the compressor.
Still pleased all the same that we fitted the struts.
One little gotcha with the struts, unless you have them professionally fitted, is that when you open the bonnet it raises to its full height, which is too high to then close without standing on some sort of stool to be able to reach it.
I have a workaround in mind to overcome this, which I'll share if it works.
Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
This addition falls into the category of things we hadn't given a thought to before hearing others talking about how important it is to have a tyre pressure monitoring system (TPMS), dynamically monitoring pressures while you drive. We later learnt that most new cars now ship with a TMPS, and that they are mandatory in the U.S on new vehicles.
Once having decided that this was an important addition, the only choice we had to make was which brand to buy. Another Explorer owner had helpfully posted a Choice report on TPMSs in the Explorer Facebook group, which I studied, then Googled possibilities before settling on the Promata External Tyre Pressure Monitor - Solar Power Display, MATA2E, which we purchased from SuperCheap Auto for $228.
This model was not as expensive as some, but still included most features of the more expensive models, and came in 3rd on the Choice report.
Installation for the sender units is as simple as screwing them onto the valve stem, then securing with a lock nut using a supplied special spanner. The solar-powered display is fixed to the dash with double-sided adhesive tape, and configured for your required settings.
While we are happy with the performance of this TMPS, one shortcoming is that it doesn't provide an accurate pressure reading until the vehicle is in motion, something that the more expensive models include, which allows you to include tyre pressures in your pre-flight checks.
Apart from the above we haven't had any issues so far with our TPMS, apart from the occasional false high temperature alarm when the vehicle has been sitting parked in the sun for some time. The alarm goes off however as soon the motor is started.
Onboard Compressor Coupling Extension
Before we fitted the bonnet struts mentioned above, we had to lift the very heavy bonnet in order to access the onboard compressor coupling when deflating or inflating tyres.
Although the bonnet struts helped when using the compressor, we decided to have the compressor coupling moved out onto the bull bar, so that we wouldn't have to open the bonnet at all to use the compressor.
The new coupling was fitted while the motorhome was being serviced at the Explorer factory for a cost of $185.
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