Picking up a new EarthCruiser 4x4 Core truck chassis to build my Expedition Camper
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- Опубликовано: 14 янв 2022
- I pick up a brand new customized EarthCruiser CORE #4 Mitsubishi Fuso 4x4 and share with you my first driving experiences, some problems and issues, as well as my excitement for finally having a truck chassis to build out my DIY expedition camper into an expedition camper for long-term domestic and global travels. Offroad all-season capable expedition truck with four-wheel drive for full-time DIY RV travels, adventures and exploration.
@EarthCruiserOverlandVehicles #VanLife #Overlanding, @DynatracProducts #MitsubishiFuso #ExpeditionTravel #ExpeditionTruck #VanTripping #4x4 @toyotires #ECB #HeroTranserCase #Subframe #CamperPassthru @GarminInt #DeaverSpring @methodracewheels @outliersoverland
I can be reached directly at KC@VanTripping.com 
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First of all I want to compliment you for all the blood, sweat and tears you spent on this project. And the incredible analysis you did to make the decisions you did. I learned so much from this content and studying the path you took. The results for me was not to go down this choice of decisions as there is a better path to achieve the end goal.
Thank you. It has been a lot of work, and tough to keep plugging along when I can only work on it part time, so taking longer then I'd like but gall that what I am sharing is helping you and others with your projects. And I look forward to hearing and seeing what you're creating too, we all learn from each other.
If you trust other countries you can get a complete composite build for $7500 plus $3500 ocean freight (add taxes and duties). And the labor for the box build is not necessary. (empty box 4200mm L X 2200mm W X 2100mm H) The wall thickness is 55mm. Add $1200 for subframe.@@vantripping
Love cab over 4x4’s
Yeah, they are so very space efficient, and have excellent forward visibility.
KC, the quality planning and building of your Sprinter is EPIC. I cant wait to see your EarthCruiser build, bigger and badder! I'm envious :)
Thank you. I have a lot of very cool and new features planned and excited to share with you.
Like a kid in a candy store. You were grinning from ear to ear. One could see the truck built out as you painted the vision of your build.
Yeah, it’s exciting as each milestone gets closer to the completed plan.
Waiting for your videos with baited breath. Your going to save me 10s of thousands. So exciting. Pros and cons are invaluable! Thank you for doing what you do.
Awesome and glad to hear. Thank you for your feedback and let me know if any areas to focus on.
Wow! Congrats on your brand new Earth Cruiser! Looking forward to learn more about the chassis and your design decisions. I really liked your Sprinter conversion and it will be sad to see it spending time in the shadow of the new toy, but hopefully you’ll find a good second life for it too.
thank you much! I am excited to and can't wait to get to building out the camper and sharing the innovations I plan to install in it. Thanks for watching, and yes, I actually miss my Sprinter and looking for an excuse to get it out for an adventure,
That thing looks Mega Bad Ass sitting in your garage. Look forward to watching it evolve!! Congrats
Yes it is pretty bad ass and even more so with the camper on it and more parts soon to be added and shared in my future videos. Come on over and see it in person.
very good your videos. I'm building a camper and the information is very important.
Great. Good luck with your project.
Super cool. Congrats!
Thank you much! Andreas and the @TotalComposites team has been there along almost all of this two year journey and supporting this and other expedition camper build outs, and I am so excited to share the build of the camper box in soon to be released videos.
I hope EC are watching your videos and correct some of the problems you are having. Ty for sharing the video
You are welcome. I have to believe that EC wants to correct things. Best place to start is to listen to customers and actively working to improve. Without a focus on taking care of customers, a business really can't improve. I hope my videos not only help them but also customers of any company so that we all can build and buy better products and receive good service.
thank you for sharing the video
from Australia
You're welcome.
That rig will really improve with some weight on her back i have 1995 gmc w4 basically npr gas and its a TANK youll give before it gives and my check engine light intermittent since new .....
Yes, now that I have the camper on it, and nearly built out, it rides decently. Will update on the drive once I get it a little more complete. Bummer about your check engine light. Mine was caused by a leak at the fuel tank vent line to the fuel filler.
Congratulations 🎊🎈 KC!!
Thank you so very much! It's great to be progressing into the actual building of the camper.
You guys are so lucky that this truck comes with a V8 there, much prefer that over the diesel.
Strange that Earthcruiser didn’t calibrate the speedo for you with the larger tyres?
But so happy for you with the overall truck, so looking forward to seeing your camper!
I completely agree that it is strange that they didn't calibrate the speedo as any 4x4 conversion or gearing or significant tire size change would require to be done and yes, one would think this would just be as common as an alignment following a conversion, which also wasn't done. I'll share more about the gas V8 later. Thanks again, I am stoked to be building out the camper and very much look forward to sharing the full build out underway.
If you haven't addressed it yet, we discovered while traveling with friends recently that the steering problem was due to a faulty steering arm at the box. It was slipping on box splines. Serious safety issue! Believe there is a recall on this with earthcrusier replacing their part with an oe part.
Yes, thanks for letting me know. There is a recall--was informed two months ago yet no communications to complete the repair yet from EarthCruiser. Have they replaced yours yet?
@@vantripping We don't have an EC. We were traveling with friends with a new EC and I drove it and determined that something MUST be wrong. These trucks are typically rock solid at speed on winding roads with zero play in the steering. Following them on dirt roads you could clearly see the wheels flopping uncontrollably back and forth over bumps. We got under it and looked while someone turned the wheel and the problem was immediately evident. They told me about the recall a week later. Haven't heard if the problem is resolved yet.
@@fidoexpeditions9366 OK, thanks, I thought you had one. Yeah, I haven't heard anything about the fix since announced almost two months ago, but EC is the opposite of fast even if it's important like safety or a customer concern.
Love to hear these types of comments. Will save money, time and maybe injury.
Congratulations in your purchase looking forward to see all your videos I just have a question how much do you pay For the truck
Thank you much! I am excited for what it is going to become. So many plans and ideas to bring to fruition. The cost of this is best coming from EarthCruiser as I'm sure prices have changed and there are several options. Unfortunately, it is more than I would prefer to spend on the chassis.
How much $ for fully-built? And how long? - you know - all the usual questions. Many builders are over a year and are charging premiums due to either supply-chain challenges and/or labor restrictions. Over a year in many cases. But nevertheless considering one of these for the future. In the meantime I love my Sprinter!
Thanks! My Sprinter will be put up for sale over the next few months. I am building this part by part, so I will share costs as I near completion of the build.
How do you engage the 4x4 since it’s a conversion?
Good question. There are two shift levers in next to the driver's seat that allow the front and/or rear axle input to be shifted into high or low range or neutral, so the vehicle can be operated in two or four wheel drive on either axle and in low or high range. There are also air lockers in the front and rear axles.
Love your videos!! It appears that Acela is offering the Straya dual cab new, now. Would you consider that now or too much length? There are a few other 4WD converters out there where you can convert various class 6 rigs like the Kenworth K370, Peterbilt 220 etc. We seem to be at a bit of an awkward crossroads with gas vs diesel vs electric. Until we get high density solid state (5yrs? 10?) it appears that long range electric brings too much of a weight penalty (and concerns over water crossing) for off-road not to mention that 4WD isn’t yet available in a chassis. I’m debating whether it’s worth converting a diesel chassis over a gas for longevity/efficiency/heating solutions…
Thanks! I love the Acela Straya and wish it was available at the time I purchased the EC Core, as I really like the CTIS, electronic shifting, and those axles. I was looking at those axles long before I purchased the EC Core yet few options exist on the market. I did also look at the Kenworth K370 with 4x4 conversion, but the cab doesn't fit taller people like me without a cab extension, and it's a large truck. I agree that we are at the crossroads between gasoline, diesel and electric. I think the the best option today is an electric drivetrain with a small generator for extended range, which I thought about building myself but over my capability today and surprisingly nothing on the market. We seem to have a large gap or delay in the manufacturers supplying new products and innovating. I think gas is becoming the better option but not for all applications. An electric drivetrain is fully waterproof whereas no engine can ever be since they burn air. And an electric drivetrain will be immensely more reliable than any fuel-powered one and with thousands of few parts and way more simple. Acela has great option if they can get those axles and supply them. I hope to see some around.
@@vantripping Great thoughts! Yeah I’ve thought about a diesel generator hybrid solution (plus solar) to recharge while boondocking but looking at current road going electric chassis like Lion6, K370E etc. they all seem to employ electric cooling fans and a mess of wires that all need protection. It’ll be interesting to see future battery management cooling solutions in intense desert environments. It think that Straya (and those axles) is pretty perfect with possibly a better power curve for some applications, at least for North America highways. But then at $130K you could build a pretty lux, multipurpose powerful F550/5500 with smaller camper as well, where the wider axles offer a tighter turning radius than standard. But then you’re stuck with an extra 5’ cab and 15” in width vs same length NRR. Generally the narrower the better for deep woods applications but the Earthroamer type model could offer some stability advantages. So many options, we go in circles.lol Anyway, thanks for sharing so much great analysis for all of us to add to our adventure databases and nerd out on! Your build is absolutely epic!
@@skyfiblue Yes, that 5 feet of hood and 10" of extra width on a full size pick up chassis was a deal killer for me as those two things sorely hurt all driving performance, from parking lot to trail, and why add 5 feet of length just for a hood when that can go to a camper and still have a six foot shorter wheelbase. I do love those ProTech axles (now Meritor) and too wish we had more chassis available in the US and ones with electric drivetrains. We live in a market ruled by the outdated and space-inefficient pick up design. I'm hopeful more options will come soon. For now, we have what we have.
What do you estimate the top highway speed will be once completed? Or should I say top comfortable cruising speed? 80mph?
So far without weight on board it seems to cruise between 70-75 just fine and likely can up to 80, but will know better after weight is on the suspension.
Can you access the engine underneath the seat without tilting the cab
the single cab tilts forward 90 degrees for full easy access to the entire engine from the ground. This adds complexity to my cab to camper pass thru but I think I have this worked out. The dual cab has access to the engine thru removable floor panels, but I think that will make maintenance to the engine much more difficult. Having recently added a second alternator dedicated to the camper, it was easy access with the cab tilted forward.
Will your chassis flex independently from your leisure box
yes, my Total Composites camper box that I have built is attached to a subframe built by EarthCruiser that they have used for years on their campers to isolate the flex of the chassis frame. I have tested this in a video that I recently released here on my channel and the subframe is working great and the chassis flexes much more than estimated with an ability to easily roll over three foot boulders on one corner.
Hi KC! Seems like you may be in CO as well? I’d love to meet up and pick your brain as I’m embarking on a few builds. Like the approach you took to write it all down. I did the buy all the vehicles approach and ended up with too many options. I’m currently thinking of building out my LMTV or a NPR Crew. I know you opted out of both options for reasons I understand. Anyway. Hit me up if you have time.
Howdy. I am not in Colorado but the Reno-LakeTahoe area, although in Colorado about once a year. I was just there but no plans for next time there. Happy to help provide insights into your process. I did drive a LMTV, a NPR crew (although I don't need a crew cab), a Ram 5500 and Ford F550 cab-chassis, E450 cut away chassis, Unimog U500, Kenworth K370 4x4, International CV and several other vehicles in my quest to find the "perfect" truck platform for my camper. All have their pros and cons, but after just returning from a backcountry camping trip, all listed would had been either too long, too long of a hood or turning radius, or too wide to fit into the area we camped and likely would not have even been able to have gotten to the campsite that the other smaller vehicles could get into, while the NPR/Fuso is just right size to fit while supporting a larger camper. Happy to share more if I can, or even chat. Just reach out via comments in my videos or the website and email links I provide. I have provided insights to many others.
@@vantripping thank you!! I’ll have to reach out as I come up on elements in your videos intersecting with my build. Thanks for the offer!!
@@iAmMarchal Reach out when you're ready--happy to help how I can.
Congrats. Did you buy the chassis by yourself? How did cost you for the EarthCruiser conversation? Why not choose ISUZU FTR?
Thank you. I should of bought the chassis myself. EarthCruiser said there would be no difference whether I bought it and brought a new chassis to them for 4x4 system installation or they did thru the dealer, but there were many tax, warranty, registration and timing challenges or problems with not buying the chassis direct from the dealer for me so I wish I had done that yet to my better judgement trusted the info from EC which has proved to be riddled with incorrect info. I did consider the an Isuzu FTR, but not available in US in four-wheel drive and limited options to convert to 4x4, plus a little larger than I wanted in width, height and length and certainly larger than the NPRs & Fuso which are a pretty ideal size.
how much this truck new in chasis end where I can buy en usa?
EarthCruiser sells them in the US and there are a few others also converting Isuzu NPR's to 4x4 here in the US.
What was the check engine light indicator for?
It was triggered right after pick up from EarthCruiser, before I even left Bend. Not sure, EarthCruiser won't resolve it, or send me a code reader to use for a day to check. So I purchased the one they said they use so that I can read the code(s) and report back to them for help or to self-resolve. The code reader they said to buy doesn't read the Fuso--they claim it used to--so I had to buy another one. The code is what I expected--it's the evaporative system from the fuel tank mod they made--which any dealer will just say it's been modified and send me away, which I told EarthCruiser, so not sure why they won't resolve when it's from their modification. It's been frustrating from their lack of resolution and customer support.
@@vantripping When is your next video? I'd love to see the box going on. Lisa and I were in awe watching these videos. Heck I'm having trouble getting a new converter installed in our little trailer to charge our lithium battery!!
@@richardcohen8769 Glad you're liking the videos. The box building and installing videos will be coming shortly. Trying to design, build and edit videos at the same time, And oh yeah, work too.
What is the maximum payload?
Good question and it depends on many variables. The EC CORE two-door weight almost 8,000 pounds with me in it and accessories and nearly full tank of fuel which gives it about 6,500 pounds of payload capacity to the GVWR yet the axles, brakes, wheels and tires have all been upgraded on a chassis that can come with a 18,500 pound GVWR, so I'd say payload is comfortably around 8,000 pounds, which is in line with something EarthCruiser said to me.
Nice C.O.R.E. chassis. Did u consider a 4x4 Ford chassis with the 7.3l Gotzilla engine, if available?
I very much did, as well as the new E450 with the same engine. I love the E450 option with a 4x4 conversion as the "walk" thru is already complete and large, and I like that engine but the engine doghouse in the van makes the passenger seat very uncomfortable which was THE deal killer. As for the F450/F550, I love it but 10" wider and about 6 feet longer wheelbase and truck for the same size camper as this chassis, Check out video on the truck chassis selection here in which I detail out my chassis choice with hundreds of decision criteria:
ruclips.net/video/liZisJ-AmOk/видео.html
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@@vantripping the approach we r taking depends on the Mission, for me the ride is important to get there 80% paved roads and 20% offroad. Very interesting your point as to the size of the box. I will check your video, thanks.
Yep, I agree each of us has different intended uses and priorities. I also agree that the ride is important, but I could not get over a 200+" wheelbase and 26+ foot total length need to support a 16 foot camper box on a F550. Some other drawbacks too, even though the ride and interior are nice. Check out my spreadsheet my subscribing to my website VanTripping.com so you can see my analysis, and use to help with you judgement. I drove about 20 different trucks before deciding upon a chassis for my camper. I think the Fuso Canter ride will improve with the weight of the camper build-out, air pressure and some other mods that I will consider.
@@vantripping thank for the indepth review and analisys, plenty of critical thinking and critical reasoning, we will be following.
@@rightright6582 Thank you for your comments and you're welcome.
Nice!! How much was the chassis?
It was a lot. The truck itself is about $50+k new, but the 4x4 conversion which includes replacement with all new axles and driveshafts, transfer case, wheels, tires, brakes, springs, and then new rear bumper, rear winch mount, new front bumper bull bar, front winch, roof rack with scrub bars added another $80+k. I'd reach out to EarthCruiser for updated pricing and options. This is an expensive chassis once converted, but I don't think there is another chassis available in the US as a new vehicle with as much trail and payload capability and as maneuverable. I drove just about every chassis available from LMTVs, to pick ups, vans, Unimogs, older Mercedes fire trucks, etc.
Very strange the vehicle speedometer wasn't wasn't calibrated, I wonder if that was legal?
I think you will find the difference is approximately 14% over what would have been standard tyres, although as I understand it, there are no standard tyres for either the Fuso or Isuzu sourced light trucks from this vendor as they have replaced almost everything underneath the chassis rails. Our speedometer is virtually identical to our GPS reading at any given speed, so once yours is calibrated correctly, I think you'll be fine.
As for your very bumpy ride with an empty chassis; did you drop the air pressure in the tyres to compensate for no load?
I think what you have will be very popular and probably what I would seriously consider if I was buying a truck again, the Core vehicle that is. Although not available in my country.
An alignment and shimming of the front end to virtually zero was done to our truck after final build and almost fully loaded. We have an Isuzu NPS 300 single cab chassis, in Australia.
Yeah, I assumed they would've calibrated the speedo but it is off but about the percentage you calculated. Also surprisingly, the alignment is way since picking up new, so I don't think they did any alignment. One tire is significantly toed-out while the other seemingly straight. I think this will be a great truck once these minor thins are correct and the camper weight compresses the rear suspension some.
@@vantripping Our truck was done by All Terrain Warriors (ATW) in Australia. Once the truck is finished, they take it to a truck wheel and tyre specialist called Big Wheels. These people shim the front end for as near as possible dead correct camber and alignment, I spent some time at another Big Wheels franchise and watched as they did exactly that to another 2021 build Isuzu NPS. I was there getting 6 new tyres, a happenchance thing, they mentioned that doing the front end on trucks was best done with whatever front axle load will be normal.
@@allanhugh2044 Thanks for your input! I'll bring my truck over to Australia when done and visit a Big Wheels to get the alignment done right. Actually, I really do want to do that, and hope to, but will certainly get the alignment done once the camper is mostly completed and therefore load is near to what it will likely remain. I figure alignment will change as it gets loaded, so I expected to have that done at some point but one wheel is visibly out so it was not set even close to right before I picked it up. How do you like your ATW? They look great from the videos I've watched.
@@vantripping The ATW conversion to the Isuzu 4x4 75/155 (NPS 300) has been extremely good. Essentially we have a single cab chassis with a tray on the back and ATW bolted our 12 year old slide-on camper that we had on another vehicle for 10 years. I have met up with a couple of ATW go anywhere motorhomes/expedition light trucks, each one is different and each was great in their own way. Family business.
@@allanhugh2044 Right on! They look great and I'm envious that we don't have them (yet) as an option here in the US.
Better hope it's a v8 not the canter diesel. You will be paying out the rear if it's the canter engine.
Yep, it's the GM LS V8. I felt that was the better drivetrain for durability, power, reliability, global parts availability and a great Allison transmission too.
Two main reasons why I'm NOT interested in the medium-duty cab-over trucks sold in the U.S → [1] No Safety Airbags. [2] EC Core & Acela Straya offer only the gas models.
Yes, it is a real bummer that US vehicle safety regs requiring airbags don't apply to trucks and that truck manufacturers don't care enough about their customers to install them. As for diesel vs gas, I did drive each as available in these trucks and did a full cost-benefit analysis as well as qualitative comparison and see no value to owning a diesel vs the newer gas engines and good transmissions, as the diesel is more expensive with a fuel-cost savings payback of about 15 years and with more problems and less performance. I share an overview of my analysis in my video here: ruclips.net/video/liZisJ-AmOk/видео.html
I’ll pass, I’ll stick with my 4x4 sprinter van. You appear to be bouncing around in the cab while on a smooth highway and you get how many miles per gallon?
This is my progression from two Sprinter camper vans. This vehicle is the same width as a Sprinter but actually two feet shorter than my 170 Sprinter's total length--and a much better turning radius and over three feet less of a wheelbase of a 170 and a foot less than a 144 wheelbase Sprinter, so it fits into and is easier to park than the Sprinter--that was a key criteria of mine. And yet it provides two more usable feet of camper but nearly double the interior volume and weight carrying capacity of a Sprinter. Yes, the ride was rough when fully unloaded with springs designed to carry twice the weight of the unloaded chassis. I do remember picking up my my brand new yet empty Sprinter cargo van and how rough of a ride and noisy it was until the camper got built out and insulation added. I think this new camper will provide nearly all of the things I am looking for that my Sprinter couldn't provide. The one thing it does not do well is improving upon fuel economy. Some time soon electric drivetrains will provide better performance and lower operating costs to this class of trucks. Stay tuned and I'll share more of these details and the drivability and usability as I get to using it.
I’ll pass, I’ll stick with my 4x4 sprinter van, it fits into parking spaces so you can buy food. You could carry a couple e-bikes to offset the ridiculous size barrier, maybe a mountain bike so you can really go anywhere. Also you appear to be bouncing around in the cab while on a smooth highway and you get how many miles per gallon? Yeah good luck.
Yeah, this has been a progression for me from two Sprinter camper vans. This vehicle is the same width as a Sprinter but actually two feet shorter than my 170 Sprinter's total length--and a much better turning radius, so it fits into and is easy to park than the Sprinter; that was a key criteria of mine. And yet it provides two more usable feet of camper but nearly double the interior volume and weight carrying capacity of a Sprinter. Yes, the ride was rough when fully unloaded with springs designed to carry twice the weight of the unloaded chassis. I do remember picking up my my brand new yet empty Sprinter cargo van and how rough of a ride and noisy it was until the camper got built out and insulation added. I think this new camper will provide nearly all of the things I am looking for that my Sprinter couldn't provide. The one thing it does not do well is improving upon fuel economy. Some time soon electric drivetrains will provide better performance and lower operating costs to this class of trucks. Stay tuned and I'll share more of these details and the drivability and usability as I get to using it.
Hmmmmm A gas engine?
Yes, while diesel has benefits of density and safety, it adds a large exhaust regeneration system taking up much side storage or stair space, plus adds another fluid to manage and likely more maintenance issues, and from my experiences owning diesel vehicles and what I am seeing globally as a movement away from diesel fuel, making it gradually harder to come by and manage. Plus the new gas engines have better economy yet much better driving performance.
@@vantripping Diesel is the staple outside of the US and is much less expensive outside of the US. I had a LMTV and if I were using gas the cost would have crushed me down here in Central America. And you are wrong about the economy of the gas engine. You don't get outside of the US much do you? The world runs on diesel. There are places down here where gas isn't even available. But your call, good luck.
@@spencervidal3168 After driving the gasoline and diesel drivetrains available in this truck, I much preferred the gas version, and it has a much more globally ubiquitous and durable engine and transmission than the more unique diesel one and it's transmission which I feel will have lower reliability, so I felt the gas engine was the better option. In your LMTV, there is only a diesel option, and it's a robust drivetrain that can burn poor quality fuel, so it works well for that truck.In my experience traveling to over 12 countries a month over many years, diesel has been very available in Europe and Africa, but that is changing as it is being outlawed in much of Europe, and not that available in my experience as gasoline in much of central and South America, as well as Mexico. As you've experienced it's available, but I was trying to plan for all parts of the world, future proof, and have reliability. Diesel fuel quality can be poor in some areas. Asia is hit or miss, but generally becoming less available in many areas. Nonetheless, it will be available for decades to come but likely diminishing.
@@vantripping I buy ex- military, multi fuel trucks.. Mostly Caterpillar or Cummins engines. Parts are readily available and they will literally run on anything.. Diesel, kerosine, old engine oil or old transmission fluid or the deep fryer oil. as well as gas. Gas is 2 to 5 dollars more per gallon down here. And the possibility of bio-diesel, from kelp or even hemp are real potentials. The prospect of finding parts for an LS engine would be daunting. There are tones of Toyota Hilux trucks down here and they cant find parts for those. Often they take months to have the parts sent from Japan. Cat and Cummins are a no brainer. Most of the chicken busses have Cummins motors, Those are my engine choices..
@@spencervidal3168 The Fuso's diesel is unique and same with its transmission, which are not very common nor great to drive from my experience and from talking with many others that own it. Compared with the gas engine, which has one of the most common and robust transmissions found in the world, including in LMTVs, and one of the most popular engines ever made with well over 100 million made and 40 iterations of it. So between the two, the gas engine and its transmission are very robust, great to drive, and easily serviced compared with the very unique engine and transmission of the the diesel drivetrain on this vehicle. I hear you that a diesel would have better economy because of its higher volumetric energy density--which would be great--but with the two available drivetrains on this vehicle, the gas one was the better choice for me and many others who also recently bought these for expedition vehicles. Parts for any vehicle will be tough to come by in many areas, which is why I chose the drivetrain that is likely to be much more dependable and easier to repair.