EarthCruiser Overland Vehicles

[GR8ADV]

This is from our test track in Aus
http://youtu.be/m-ldtI6Wpsg

Nice. Looking fwd to how this compares to stock and the new product.
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Does anyone know if The vehicle could benefit from any lift? Clearly even with the modified bump stops the vehicle rocks all over Not sure what ATW does. Anyone know?

 

[EarthCruiser]

G`day GR8ADV
Since you asked......
If one was out touring I would think there would a voice suggesting an alternate course to be taken ....... We did tests with stock FUSOs vs ECs (we dug up the back yard at FUSO Sales / work shop for an open day ,--that was fun) no video of the day, sorry to say, it was a FUSO thing. To state the obvious stock springs are made to perform for max GVM equalling most dollar per KM (mile), ride or flex are low on the spec sheet. We are the opposite, we know our weights and want to get the best ride and flex. This video is a few years old now but notice how the trucks corner on a gravel road and still have the flex for the very (somewhere in the 600mmm -24 inch range) deep diagonal and single sided wombat holes, these really work the truck as you can see . Look at the in cab video. This truck had stock bump stops for this video, we wanted suspension travel and flex.




The 4x4 test track gave us excellent comparable data to work with. The new shocks we are offering in the USA complement this set up very well.

 

[GR8ADV]

I understandthat leaf suspension function is governed by several factors of design and application. . However, I am looking for some pretty basic stuff. For a) STOCK FUSO, b) THE EC, AND c) THE NEW SUSPENSION could you provide me with a couple basic things:
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1) The distance in compression from resting to the final compression point of the bump stops.
2) Could you lift the vehicle from the center of the two front wheels and tell me how much the vehicle rises before the wheels come off the ground.

For the EC AND THE NEW SUSPENSION:
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3)quantitatively what did you modify: Spring length? Spring number? Spring thickness? Geometry?
4) what shocks are you providing (make and model) What extension do they have and how much of that extension do you use.

My hope is that you can provide this info in one simple post. Thanks.

 

[EarthCruiser]

Ok lets see if this is of any help.
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1) The distance in compression from resting to the final compression point of the bump stops.
- ride height from standard is increased by approx 30mm (the trucks can be hard for some to climb into and we don`t have a wheel clearance issue 30mm (1.5 inches) works for us ) - this will of course change with - type an size of - Engine / Bullbar / winch / roof rack / motor bike rack / seat type etc fitted to the truck. For referencer EarthCruiser EXP is standard with most of these (including an engine)
2) Could you lift the vehicle from the center of the two front wheels and tell me how much the vehicle rises before the wheels come off the ground.
- How much droop? Good question and one we tried to answer in the video in real life, sorry if that was not helpful it getting the information you are looking for. The most important component (who falls up hill after all??) is droop- It is relative to some degree to the start point above.
Perhaps a more telling is to figure out how the system (the rear axle needs to move as well) works with one wheel lifted and the other drooped as in the 4x4 worlds ramp tests and competitions . The EC in the image ( i like bush setting for testing , never seen the need for a EarthCruiser drive up a fork lift) is allowing the front axle to droop roughly 24 inch (600mm) both wheels on the same axle can not droop like this at the same time of course ( why would you want that on a camper?) . This truck is a 2850 mm wheel base (112 inch) most US FG are the 134 inch (3450mm) wheel base.

For the EC AND THE NEW SUSPENSION:
.
3)quantitatively what did you modify: Spring length? Spring number? Spring thickness? Geometry?
- Every thing except Geometry. The EarthCruiser after market solution (the system i guess would guess interest most on the forum) has less droop than the photo, 18 inches is conservative number for your research purposes.
4) what shocks are you providing (make and model) What extension do they have and how much of that extension do you use.
I am sure you can respect the time and effort put in by us and colleagues in doing this and will understand why we will not offer this information.

At the end of the day, we build a system that works for a given GVM that is tested reliable and affordable for use in recreational vehicles. Proof is in the pudding as they say


All of this is relative to the load placed on the suspension by the rest of the truck.
I hope this answers your questions a little better.

 

[GR8ADV]

Nice. Thank you.
.
You folks do an excellent job. Given that I have three products to choose from, the EC, the EC aftermarket, and the ATW Parabolics it is reasonable for me to do some research. 30 mm and 18-24 inches; now we are getting somewhere! What is so secretive about the shocks? I assume that anyone can look at them? Make and model is important to me. I knew you would say 'everything' when asked what you changed so I added the word 'quantitative' hoping you would at least provide the number of leafs and the individual leaf thickness compared to stock. Again this is not very secretive as they can be seen with the naked eye. I understand that the EC has a length change and a structural change required unlike the aftermarket.
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Last but not least If you could provide us pricing for both options installed that would be grand. Thanks again for taking the time. I think more information is always beneficial to all of your customers.

 

[Michelle@EarthCruiser]

Pricing is below:

Package 1: Front/rear springs, front/rear shocks, bushings, shackles pins: $$3309
Package 2: Front/rear springs, front/rear shocks, bushings, shackles pins, 16 x 8 alloy wheels (5) single piece lug nuts: $6294

Set aside about 8 hours for install :$750 depending on truck, age and 'stuff' hanging off the chassis.

Lead time is 8 weeks.

 

[KMG]

Sent a PM

Nice. Thank you.
.
You folks do an excellent job. Given that I have three products to choose from, the EC, the EC aftermarket, and the ATW Parabolics it is reasonable for me to do some research. 30 mm and 18-24 inches; now we are getting somewhere! What is so secretive about the shocks? I assume that anyone can look at them? Make and model is important to me. I knew you would say 'everything' when asked what you changed so I added the word 'quantitative' hoping you would at least provide the number of leafs and the individual leaf thickness compared to stock. Again this is not very secretive as they can be seen with the naked eye. I understand that the EC has a length change and a structural change required unlike the aftermarket.
.
Last but not least If you could provide us pricing for both options installed that would be grand. Thanks again for taking the time. I think more information is always beneficial to all of your customers.

 

[jomobco]

Pricing is below:

Package 1: Front/rear springs, front/rear shocks, bushings, shackles pins: $$3309
Package 2: Front/rear springs, front/rear shocks, bushings, shackles pins, 16 x 8 alloy wheels (5) single piece lug nuts: $6294

Set aside about 8 hours for install :$750 depending on truck, age and 'stuff' hanging off the chassis.

Lead time is 8 weeks.

I'm a bit confused or my math is whacky, $3309 without the 5 wheels, $6294 as a "package" with the wheels/springs/shackles etc means 5 wheels are $2985.00. That's $597.00 per wheel. You list your wheels at $550.00 on your website. Did you mean 6 wheels in the "package"? That would make them $497.50 each which in my mind is a volume discount for buying a "package".

 

[mog]

I'm a bit confused or my math is whacky,

Pricing is below:
...., 16 x 8 alloy wheels (5) single piece lug nuts.

Your 'math' forgot the price of the new lug nuts that are included with the package

 

[david506th]

Pricing is below:

Package 1: Front/rear springs, front/rear shocks, bushings, shackles pins: $$3309
Package 2: Front/rear springs, front/rear shocks, bushings, shackles pins, 16 x 8 alloy wheels (5) single piece lug nuts: $6294

Set aside about 8 hours for install :$750 depending on truck, age and 'stuff' hanging off the chassis.

Lead time is 8 weeks.

Thanks for sharing with us!

 

[jomobco]

Your 'math' forgot the price of the new lug nuts that are included with the package

Is there a reason not to reuse your the current lug nuts? Is the package an alloy as well to match the wheels instead of what I assume I have which is steel lugs now? And if so how much are they normally from EC as they're not listed on the site? I'm trying to calculate the savings in a package and justify an at once cash outlay vs a piecemeal outlay.

 

[GR8ADV]

Hey Michelle. Any chance of some progress shots on the new hard sided camper?

 

[mog]

Is there a reason not to reuse your the current lug nuts? Is the package an alloy as well to match the wheels instead of what I assume I have which is steel lugs now? And if so how much are they normally from EC as they're not listed on the site? I'm trying to calculate the savings in a package and justify an at once cash outlay vs a piecemeal outlay.

Well your 'current lugnuts/lugstuds' would work kind of. If you have duels on the rear and are switching to SRW you could use the Budd studs as nuts, but that would be cutting corners when you just spent a boat load on new wheels/tires and maybe suspension. And that would also require 2 wrenches, a 41mm for the nuts (if you are 6 lug) and also a Budd wrench.
EC can answer better from their end, but I can pretty much guarantee they are not selling 'alloy' nuts. Also the thickness of the alloy wheels is thicker then your stock steel wheels, so I think the 'Allen Bling Wheels' use the Budd studs with the rear factory steel nuts to get the proper thread depth (?)
I don't thing EC would take the time to list prices of 'hardware' (nuts, bolts, rivets) etc, on their website, that would be a ton of work and crazy. When I bought my lugnuts from my local Fuso service center they were about $10 each (+/- $3). It depends on what sort of discount your Fuso center will give you.

 

[jomobco]

@Mog, good to know. I had no idea of the involvement of going to singles.

So the website price on the EC wheels doesn't include any of the hardware?
And what is the weight capacity of the EC wheels?

So if I'm switching to single alloys from duals I need to re-stud my rear if I don't want to use the budd nut extensions but my fronts are OK? I guess I'm not following why a lug nut change is in order instead of a stud length change on the rear.

 

[mog]

Yup, it can be a little (well a lot) confusing until you do the switch.
All the 'normal' Budd lugnut holes are 1.313 inches in diameter. So all of the studs on the brake drums are matched for this.

<< the word of caution here is that some aftermarket wheel makers for the rockcrawler/mudbogger/etc crowd make their "Rockwell Pattern Wheels' which is what the Fuso's wheel lug patterned is, make them with .75 inch holes for smaller studs >>

So the Buddstud on the rear (mounting the inner wheel) thread is the same diameter stud as the front wheel studs. BUT to mount the outer duel wheel the nut that mounts it to the Buddstud has a larger diameter threaded area while still remaining the 41mm wrench size (that is for a 6 stud wheels, the 5 stud wheels have a smaller nut/stud)

So when going to steel super singles, you can just reuse the lugnuts on the front, and either use the Buddstuds on the rear, or buy 12 new 'front' lugnuts to use on the rear (as the factory rear lugnuts will only work on the Buddstuds not the brake drum studs), so all lugnuts use the same socket to remove them. It also looks weird with nuts on the front and just the Buddstuds on the rear. It looks like you don't have the rear wheels secured to the non-truckdriver types. (this is what I did).

Now if the aluminum wheels are thicker, then the stud projector pass the nut needs to be accounted for.

BUT if you are putting on all new $500+ wheels (and $$ tires to go with them) I would think it is prudent to go ahead a replace all 24 lugnuts with the new 'kit' provided nuts. If you read the threads here, many many (++) guys have had lugnuts greatly overtorqued by tire shops (maybe as much as 5 times the proper torques). That crazy high over torquing can damage and stretch the threads on the lugnuts and/or studs. While changeing the studs is do-able and recommend if you see (or suspect) damage, changing out the lugnuts is simple. So even at $10 a nut, you are looking at less then 5% of the cost of the wheels and tires.
As always YMMV

Disclaimer- I am in no way connected with EarthCruiser/EC or any other Fuso Dealer, Manufacturer, Aftermarket provider. etc, etc... Just a 'normal' operator (if any Fuso operator can be normal)