Aussie Swag CT's - questions

Submitted: Tuesday, Nov 11, 2008 at 19:59

ThreadID: 63440 Views:6602 Replies:5 FollowUps:13

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Outbackogre

Hi everyone, I like the look of Aussie Swag and the fact that several year old second hand (classic or challenger) units can be had for about 10 grand. My research suggests that units of this age have angle iron draw bars and slipper rather than eye to eye leaf springs. Can anyone confirm and/or comment on this? Does the angle iron work ok? What year were eye to eye springs introduced? Thanks. Rob.

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Reply By: Member - Alan H (QLD) - Tuesday, Nov 11, 2008 at 20:47

Tuesday, Nov 11, 2008 at 20:47

I have a 2001 Challenger Aussie Swag which has been great. It has gone down many a track out west, high country and up north.

It has angle iron drawbar and slipper springs. The only design niggle that we have had is the stone guard tends to come loose. I notice that new ones have a brace to help hold them and would be a doable retrofit.

Our problem really came after one of those huge chooks run into the trailer after missing the vehicle and bent the angle on the bottom of the stone guard. Although straightened, it has never held tolly firm since. But a swing on the spanner evry now and then fixes it.

Just came back from trip out the centre and as stated I love it. The only down side is the outside kitchen in rain. while the kitchen functions well the awnings do not protect the kitchen if the wind is blowing. But it has hardly ever rained on any trips anyhow.

Alan

AnswerID: 334730

Follow Up By: Outbackogre - Tuesday, Nov 11, 2008 at 20:57

Tuesday, Nov 11, 2008 at 20:57

Thanks Alan, good to hear you've had a near trouble free run. It's amazing that AS's can get away with angle iron drawbar and slipper springs. Most experts would say these are two of the very designs to avoid. Rob.

FollowupID: 602521

Reply By: Member - Mark R (QLD) - Thursday, Nov 13, 2008 at 17:22

Thursday, Nov 13, 2008 at 17:22

Hi Rob,

We have the AS Ultra 2004 which we have found great. We have travelled about 90,000 K in it & have had no trouble other then catching the stone guard on a creek bank & bending it. I would stack it up against any other camper on the market. I myself prefer the independent suspension which has worked great where ever we have travelled around Australia.
Regards
Mark R

AnswerID: 335058

Follow Up By: Outbackogre - Thursday, Nov 13, 2008 at 18:08

Thursday, Nov 13, 2008 at 18:08

Thanks Mark. I'd like the independent suspension too but I don't think the budget will stretch to one of the recent models. Have you measured how much weight you have on the tow ball? Rob.

FollowupID: 602793

Follow Up By: Member - Mark R (QLD) - Thursday, Nov 13, 2008 at 21:03

Thursday, Nov 13, 2008 at 21:03

Hi Rob,

I have abpot 90kilo on the ball.
I also have changed the Gene & Box to a Hondi 20I instead of the STD 10I.
regards,
Mark R

FollowupID: 602826

Follow Up By: Outbackogre - Thursday, Nov 13, 2008 at 21:48

Thursday, Nov 13, 2008 at 21:48

Thanks again Mark, sounds like a nice rig. I can dream. Rob.

FollowupID: 602839

Reply By: Shaker - Thursday, Nov 13, 2008 at 22:34

Thursday, Nov 13, 2008 at 22:34

Have you looked at a Track Desert Eagle?
Same chassis & MC2 suspension as the Tvan on the later models.

AnswerID: 335137

Follow Up By: Outbackogre - Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 08:43

Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 08:43

Thanks Shaker, I have no doubts about the quality of the MC2 suspension. It's just that I'm keen on a hard floor unit (I believe the Desert Eagle is a soft floor - flip over the side). Cheers. Rob.

FollowupID: 602869

Follow Up By: Shaker - Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 09:19

Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 09:19

Correct, but the trade off is a better trailer & a bigger tent, the time difference in putting them up would be minimal, around 2 minutes for the hard floor & 5 minutes for the soft floor, once you get to doing awnings it is exactly the same.

FollowupID: 602878

Follow Up By: Outbackogre - Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 09:47

Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 09:47

Shaker, it's not just the setup and packup times that concern me. My last CT was a Tambo, a good basic soft floor CT. However, between the dust and the mud it was very difficult to pack it up and stay clean. Also, it was a pain getting the soft floor clean before packup (otherwise the dirt/sand would end up on the bed). I love the idea of being able to sweep the dirt quickly out of a hard floor. Rob.

FollowupID: 602879

Follow Up By: Shaker - Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 09:53

Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 09:53

I also had a soft floor camper & now have a hard floor, there is very lttle storage in the hard floor, unless you want to stack everything in the box on the draw bar & create coupling weight issues, also pretty well nothing can go on the bed, in some hard floors even the pillows have to be removed, you will find that for extended trips storage will be a major issue.

FollowupID: 602881

Follow Up By: Outbackogre - Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 10:22

Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 10:22

Yeah, the storage on the Aussie Swag and others does look a bit tight. I'm also considering the Cub Supamatic off road. I know it's not as strong as other hard floor units but it is larger (room for a queen size bed) and storage is better. I note the old posts of Peter (with the Humvee) about experiences with Cubs. He reckons it's best to keep any CT lightly loaded and keep the heavy gear in the vehicle. Rob.

FollowupID: 602885

Reply By: tdv - Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 09:55

Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 09:55

Hi

I have the Aussie Swag Challenger 2001 model. It has the fridge box on the front, slide out draw under bed, outboard mount and slipper springs. Last year we did NQ to Broome via Roper Bar, Kakadu, Coburg, Litchefield, Gregory NP including the old stock tracks, Mitchell Plateau, Kalumburu, Cape Leveque, Tanami etc with boat on top. Never missed a beat. The kitchen folds back against the body which is a far better design in my opinion.

You couldn't go wrong with one.

Cheers

Terry

AnswerID: 335184

Follow Up By: Outbackogre - Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 10:24

Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 10:24

Thanks Terry, they certainly have a good reputation. Have you ever measured the length of the leaf springs? Surely they are longer than the average box trailer. I'm amazed that they perform so well. Cheers. Rob.

FollowupID: 602887

Follow Up By: tdv - Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 14:44

Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 14:44

They are around 750mm long and have 7 or 8 leaves. I too researched everything before I purchased and was concerned about not having coils after reading all the info regarding how suspension should be.

After all the trips we have done including up the Cape several times and along endless areas of corrugation it has never let us down and tows extremely well. It is fitted with shocks of course and has a heavy duty axle etc.

Cheers

Terry

FollowupID: 602924

Follow Up By: Outbackogre - Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 15:57

Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 15:57

Thanks again Terry.

FollowupID: 602930

Reply By: Member - OzGazza - Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 14:10

Friday, Nov 14, 2008 at 14:10

I too could not speak highly enough of them.

We have a 2001 ish Ultra which has been across the SD and and several thousands of ks of corregations with us.

I have the Independant Suspension so cannot speak to the leaf spring models. Mine tows like a dream on the roughest of tracks.

Noel and team make a great trailer because they actual use them regularly.

I'd buy another one any day if I was looking again.

AnswerID: 335213