Equipt's Chaser Overhaul

[Equipt]

Big plans for the Equipt Chaser!



I started working with Adventure Trailers back in 2006. Equipt Expedition Outfitters was a relatively new company importing Eezi-Awn roof top tents to the US, and was looking to expand it's market. Scott Brady of Expedtions West introduced me to Mario and Martyn at the SEMA Show in the fall of 2006. They were searching for a quality tent option for their trailers and there I was. Since then we have nurtured a strategic business alliance over the years and become good friends. Back then it seemed only logical to get an AT trailer to showcase our tents and haul gear to events. I purchased my Chaser in early spring of 2007, and have loved it ever since.

The Equipt Chaser has been over an incredible amount of ground over the years. All over the western US, and several excursions deep into Baja. It has been the workhorse of the company, hauling product and gear over tens of thousands of miles. We did a suspension swap with frame modifications a few years back, and the top has seen multiple versions of Eezi-Awn 1800s, Globe Trotters, and Globe Drifters. We have made a few minor adjustments along the way, but nothing to significant.

Well, that changed this summer. The Equipt Chaser is in for the most extensive overhaul that AT Overland has done to a trailer to date. A complete tear down. Why? A couple reasons. First, Equipt picked up a new tow vehicle. A 2013 Toyota 4Runner Trail Edition. You can see that build here. http://www.expeditionportal.com/forum/threads/98414-2013-Toyota-4Runner-Equipt-Edition-Build The other reason is that since 2007, AT Overland has constantly improved their craft. Suspension improvements, nose box alterations, load bar fabrication, electrical upgrades, frame modifications, etc. The Equipt Chaser was showing some wear too, and it displays as much for AT as it does for Equipt. It was time to make some changes.

So here is what my Chaser looked like over the last 6 years.



And here is what it looks like now.



What is in store for Equipt Chaser 2.0? Sit down. This might take a while.

We are working from the ground up. We are replacing the entire frame. The old frame had been modified before, for a suspension move. The amount of additional modification to upgrade to the latest suspension, frame additions and electrical improvements made it impractical to keep the frame. The tub and lid are getting a fresh coat of paint to match the 4Runner, as well as a light coat of line-x in the interior. A brand new nose box that is much bigger than the last, new max coupler, brakes, electrical, fridge, load bars, 4Runner rims and matching tires, rear swing out kitchen and much more. I have a special height Globe Trotter for it already. It should be as good as new by the time AT finishes it.

I will take some photos along the way, so you can see what they can do. I really appreciate what the guys at AT are taking on here. It's going to look great when it is done. Stay tuned.

Cheers,

 

[Mark Harley]

I love matching toys! Can't wait to see the final results...........

 

[goodtimes]

I'm sure that there is sound reasoning behind the answer to this question - but it needs to be asked:

Why go through such an extensive overhaul instead of simply starting with a new trailer? It sounds like the box and lid are about all that is being kept, and considering the amount of "non production" work involved in the overhaul vs building a standard (?) production trailer, seems - at least on the surface - to exceed the opportunity cost of just starting new.

If you were to factor in the potential resale value of the original trailer to mitigate costs, is it really that much less expensive? Or were there other reasons?

Inquiring minds want to know!

 

[Equipt]

Great question! And very valid. And in hind sight, it might very well would have been the path of least resistance. But here is why we are where we are.

The original goal was to do a suspension upgrade and swap out a nose box and load bars, and a little line-x to cover some gravel nicks around the tub. A couple items to bring the old girl up to snuf. To do the suspension, the tub had to be removed. After the tub was removed and the frame was more closely examined, we found a few issues that we didn't like. When the suspension was updated before, the frame was media blasted and re-powder coated. Apparently the media blaster did not remove all the media from inside the frame. That media has caused a significant amount of internal rust. There is also some complications on rerouting electrical. We were going to add some outrigging in front and behind the wheels and extend the tongue length. An analysis of what would be necessary to bring the original frame up to where we wanted it was more expensive and time consuming than simply replacing it. It was too far along to reverse the process and simply sell the trailer complete. 20/20 hind sight. That is where the "while we're at its" started. New paint, line the tub, new rims and tires, etc. Looking at it now, offsetting a new trailer with the sale of the old trailer might of made sense. I am a bit sentimental. I like the things that have been with me through it all. Heck I had the 100 for a dozen years. So updating MY trailer has value to it as well. Long term, I am sure I will be happy we updated instead of sold. She hasn't given up on me, so I won't give up on her.

Cheers,

 

[Titanpat57]

Yummy!!

Can't wait to see the finished product!

 

[elcoyote]

Paul, you failed to mention the refrigerated lines being added inside the chassis tubes going from the kegs to the tap head :beer:

 

[goodtimes]

Great question! And very valid. And in hind sight, it might very well would have been the path of least resistance. But here is why we are where we are.

The original goal was to do a suspension upgrade and swap out a nose box and load bars, and a little line-x to cover some gravel nicks around the tub. A couple items to bring the old girl up to snuf. To do the suspension, the tub had to be removed. After the tub was removed and the frame was more closely examined, we found a few issues that we didn't like. When the suspension was updated before, the frame was media blasted and re-powder coated. Apparently the media blaster did not remove all the media from inside the frame. That media has caused a significant amount of internal rust. There is also some complications on rerouting electrical. We were going to add some outrigging in front and behind the wheels and extend the tongue length. An analysis of what would be necessary to bring the original frame up to where we wanted it was more expensive and time consuming than simply replacing it. It was too far along to reverse the process and simply sell the trailer complete. 20/20 hind sight. That is where the "while we're at its" started. New paint, line the tub, new rims and tires, etc. Looking at it now, offsetting a new trailer with the sale of the old trailer might of made sense. I am a bit sentimental. I like the things that have been with me through it all. Heck I had the 100 for a dozen years. So updating MY trailer has value to it as well. Long term, I am sure I will be happy we updated instead of sold. She hasn't given up on me, so I won't give up on her.

Cheers,

Thanks for the honest answer Paul - even the bit on the sentimental part. I have a feeling that "sentimental value" plays a role in a lot of peoples choices on such things (I'm no exception), whether they want to admit it or not.

I'm no stranger to the "little project that turned into a big project" thing either. It kind of describes everything that happens in my garage.

 

[AZLS]

It looks like this will be a great overhaul.

 

[brentbba]

Look forward to watching this Paul!

 

[Ozarker]

Several mentions of the suspension upgrades, improving to newer or better suspension.....what is it, specifically? Why was the old suspension "outdated" or no longer functional? Was it due to the upgrades adding weight? Asking because I have a trailer to rehab as well. Thanks

 

[brboyer]

Several mentions of the suspension upgrades, improving to newer or better suspension.....what is it, specifically? Why was the old suspension "outdated" or no longer functional? Was it due to the upgrades adding weight? Asking because I have a trailer to rehab as well. Thanks

See this article from Adventure Trailers -->http://www.adventuretrailers.com/suspension.html

 

[Mlachica]

How exciting Paul, I look forward to watching the progress! I just got my first AT Chaser not too long ago, a 2007 model also.

The kitchen on the swingout that you're referrening to, are you going a custom route or are you planning on AT's production kitchen?

 

[Equipt]

Chaser 2.0 Kitchen

For this year's Overland Expo, I decided to try something new. I worked with the AT guys on a prototype kitchen concept, similar to what they have been running with the swing and Pelican Case. But since I import the Alu-Box aluminum storage cases, I wanted to see what we could do to incorporate those into the kitchen. What came out the other side is incredible. We used an Alu-Box ABA-81 case. It is 31"L x 13"W x 15"H. We oriented the lid horizontally, and built out the interior using TrekPak modular dividing system. We incorporated a Partners Propane Stove into the case, and a cutting board insert for the lid when open. I think it turned out pretty good.

 

[Equipt]

See this article from Adventure Trailers -->http://www.adventuretrailers.com/suspension.html

That is a great place to start to understand the evolution of the suspensions. My first suspension was the TASS 2. The air bag and Rancho shock variation. It worked quite well. It did have a tendency to sway a bit if the air bags were not inflated properly or the Ranchos dampening was light. The second suspension was the TASS 3. This one has the gas strut inside the air bag. It is a great improvement in trailer control. Much more adjustability and the tracking improved quite a bit. It required the relocation of the cross members on the frame to make it work. They have a new version of the suspension now, that harkens back to TASS 2 a little bit. The air bag and shock are separate again. Perhaps Mario can chime in on this one and let us know a bit more.

It is not the case that the old systems were bad. It is like most anything. The evolution of improvement. Each suspension builds upon it's predecessors.

Cheers,

 

[elcoyote]

The TAAS 4.0 as Paul says, is similar to TAAS 2.0 with different geometry and different a shock arrangement. While TAAS 3.0 had great handling, replacement parts were not ubiquitous world wide. The goal with TAAS 4.0 was to equal or improve upon handling characteristics while utilizing core components that would be available as replacement parts world wide. We achieved just what we had hoped and parts are backwards compatible so that we can continue to support our clients with earlier versions.