RV REVIEW
TOURING WITH THE THUNDER!
There’s a lot to be said for smaller vans. They’re
typically light, which in turn brings numerous
benefits. Less fuel, less engine wear, more
manoeuvrability… and, dare I say, less stress
during towing.
These were the thoughts meandering through my
mind as I hauled the rough-road-capable, single-
axle Paramount Thunder 186 pop-top around
country Victoria.
HOW IT’S MADE
Long-time Paramount Caravans dealership
Canterbury Caravans had added a lot of gear
to this rig, and it’s worth noting that all of the
extra equipment is added by the factory, not the
dealership, so it’s accounted for in the Tare noted
on the compliance plate.
Among this optional gear is Dexter sway control,
an extended A-frame, a 3.2kg top-loading
washing machine and composite cladding.
The frame is made from meranti timber, with sides
of traditional ribbed aluminium. The front and rear,
however, is smooth composite aluminium, while
the roof is a one-piece fibreglass sandwich panel.
It’s all secured to a 4in SupaGal chassis with
2in raiser, 15in alloy wheels and Dexter Torflex
independent suspension.
Two 95L fresh water tanks are supplied as
standard, which is enough for a week or so offgrid
if used sparingly. Of course, the van has a mains
water inlet – it’s mounted on a chassis rail well
out of harm’s way.
On the nearside, the Thunder 186 has a roll-out
awning, and an optional TV locker with associated
12V and antenna points; however, it doesn’t have
a mounting bracket – you’d have to rest it on the
nearby fold-down picnic table.
It comes with two checkerplate battery boxes
mounted to the offside main chassis rail, but
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