Winjana Strzelecki 520

WE LIKED:
>> Single axle design – there’re aren’t many around
>> General decor inside
>> Simple but effective layout

WE WOULD HAVE LIKED:
>> Nothing of note, given the design limitations

I’ve often wondered why just about every fifth wheeler I’ve seen has tandem axles. I understand there are good engineering reasons for this, but it doesn’t make sense when there are plenty of single-axle caravans around.

There are some good reasons for having tandem axles, but what if a smaller rig is desired?

Well, Winjana RV principal Andrew Brennan decided to find out. Well actually, it happened by accident.

A customer of Andrew’s had a slide-on camper but was a bit unhappy with the slightly top-heavy ride. Given the base structure of the slide-on was sound, the Winjana RV team decided to add an overhang and an axle… and the Strzelecki 520 was born!

SHORT BUT STRONG

This rig is well suited to people who want a short van that can handle undulating terrain. I experienced these two benefits firsthand during a test tow in the back country around Toowoomba.

This rig’s other asset, I discovered, is that sharp corners are more easily handled.

Like the rest of the Winjana fleet, the Strzelecki is built on a powder-coated 150x50mm steel chassis.

Being a fifth wheeler, part of the chassis design includes the overhang structure for the pin hitch, which in this case is external to the bodywork – there’s nothing wrong with this, and it does give a neat mounting point for two 9kg gas cylinders.

Al-Ko torsion-style independent suspension is fitted to the single axle, along with shock absorbers and 16in wheels shod with offroad tyres.

The ‘landing gear’, i.e., the front jacks for lifting the 520 off the tow vehicle, is manually operated and quite easy to use.

Unlike the time-honoured meranti timber that many RV manufacturers use for their framework, Andrew Brennan imports Canadian spruce and used 1½x1in pieces for the main frame and three-quarter-inch ply for the floor.

Above, three-eighths-inch structural plywood is used for the entire roof.

This all comes with a 25mm layer of polyester insulation and aluminium cladding on the outside, with acrylic hopper windows and a Camec security door completing the structure.

However, there’s a twist… As can be seen from two of the pics shown, Winjana fifth wheelers are built using the inside-out method.

That is, after the floor is laid on the chassis, the internal fit-out is completed before the frame and external cladding are added.

The obvious advantage to this method is that it’s somewhat easier to construct the interior without the constraint of walls and roof, and the risk of accidental damage is reduced.

Once the interior fittings are complete, the external Canadian Spruce frame is added. Note how the frame is constructed in a box section structure.

With a rig this size, external storage capacity is going to be a bit limited, but there’s a bin door at the nearside rear that gives access to a large locker under the dinette seat.

Next to that, a smaller door hides a 12V socket and gas outlet. A second bin at the offside-front is mostly taken up by the house batteries.

Naturally, an awning is fitted and out of sight on the roof are two 150W solar panels.

LIVABLE LAYOUT

So what’s the layout of this mini fifth wheeler like?

Well, with one exception, that being the fridge location, it’s very similar to the layout of a Toyota Hilux-based motorhome, with the entry door directly behind where the passenger seat might be.

The bed is in the overhang, the bathroom is on the offside, and a small dinette fills the rear, leaving just enough room for a kitchen bench along the nearside wall.

Each of the cupboard doors, drawer fronts and pelmets are nicely finished in North American oak and, despite its small size, the 520 really doesn’t feel that cramped.

Up front, the bedroom is quite simple, with a queen-size mattress on the floor base, small bedside cabinets, and windows either side.

The wall-mounted LED lights are a nice touch, too.

The bathroom is surprisingly large for a rig of this size. Indeed, there is a separate shower cubicle, Thetford cassette toilet cubicle and a small vanity with a washbasin.

Both window and roof hatch ventilate the bathroom adequately.

Undoubtedly the most compact element in the 520 is the kitchen bench. It’s just lengthy enough for a four-burner cooktop/grill, and a stainless steel sink and drainer with tank and filtered water.

The microwave sits in the cabinetry above the cooktop, the fridge on the other side of the doorway tucked into the bed base. Extra kitchen storage is provided by way of a two-door cupboard, drawer and floor locker.

It’s all very tightly fitted together but certainly very workable.

In the rear, the dinette with windows all round has a good view of the outside world. The two sideways lounges face each other and there’s a table in between that can be lifted out of the way if not needed.

The remaining space between the dinette and the bathroom is nicely filled by a wardrobe cabinet; the top half for hanging clothes, the lower area being drawers and a cupboard.

VERDICT

Apart from anything else, reviewing this Winjana fifth wheeler gave me good practice at spelling the word Strzelecki!

That aside, the 520 is an interesting and useful addition to the Winjana range. With its limited internal space when compared to a tandem-axle rig, it won’t be for everybody, but it offers plenty for a couple who are happy with a smaller rig.

And let’s not forget the benefits to stability offered by fifth wheelers. It’s no secret having the coupling directly above the axle, rather than well behind, significantly improves towing dynamics.

WINJANA RV STRZELECKI 520

External length: 5.95m (19ft 6in)
External width: 2.33m (7ft 8in)
Internal height: 1.96m (6ft 5in)
Travel height: 2.96m (9ft 9in)
Nameplate Tare: 1720kg
Nameplate ATM: 2450kg
Pin weight: 360kg
Frame: Canadian Spruce timber
Chassis: Steel, powder coated
Suspension: Al-Ko independent   
Cooktop: Dometic four-burner/grill
Fridge: Waeco 136 litre
Shower: Separate cubicle
Toilet: Thetford cassette
Lighting: 12V LED
Gas: 2 x 9kg
Fresh water: 160 litre 
Grey water: 102 litre
Price: $65,195 (on-road, Qld)
Supplied by: Winjana RV, Toowoomba, Qld