The Taco Chaser - Adventures & Restoration Project

GeoYota

GeoYota

Adventurist
Some objects in the rear view mirror are actually closer than they are...which is the case for our 2003 Tacoma's perpetual tailgater:

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The history, from title records:

  • Purchased new in August 2008, and spent the next 8 years living in Colorado...outside (more on that later).
  • Second owner bought in Colorado in 2016, and trucked back to his home state of Oklahoma. Came to California through a military transfer in 2017, and lived outside again near Oceanside, California.
  • Current owner (me) purchased in March, 2018. Now residing inside a cozy garage space, finally away from the damaging elements of MN.
How it came spec'd to us (pulled from the A/T website here Adventure Trailers Chaser

  • Nose box: steel, powder coated
  • Fuel cans and holders, 2 can holders, 2 fuel cans
  • Water tank 19 gallon, and water pump (manual/hand pump)
  • 12 volt auxiliary system with led lights, usb/12V outlets, battery tray and hold down
  • Deep cycle battery: DEKA group 31 sealed battery
  • Electric brakes: 10" drums on standard axle
  • RTT 4 person, Eez Awn 1800
  • Roof rack tracks/load bars/towers/Thule brand (no lock cores)
  • Tailgate: lockable, powder coated, 14 gauge, t-handles
  • Max coupler hitch system: unrestricted movement both on and off road
In short, similarly equipped units shipping new from AT were pricing out north of $15-20K, and we paid about 2/3's less than that. There were some minor issues from the outdoor storage time, but the guts and structure of the trailer were solid.

After a good amount of time and research, very happy to be off road trailer owners.

:thumbsup
 
Pics from the day we bought it:

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Full disclosure time...I was pretty excited seeing this unit, we deployed and inspected the tent, and upper trailer body, worked the airbag system, exchanged cash and title, and headed home.

The unit was used, but in claimed "excellent working order" from the current owner.

I learned later, after towing it home and digging into the trailer a bit deeper, that there were some water tank/battery box/front frame rust issues, as well as a completely dead (11.4 volts!!!:eek:) blue top Optima battery.

Caveat emptor for sure, and lesson learned: bring a multi tester and stainless steel pick to poke at those "bubbly paint areas" of your future purchase.

Even with the minor issues, I felt we got a great trailer, and besides...now I had a project to work on!

:wrench:wrench:wrench
 
I discovered a significant amount of rust underneath the water tank tray on the front portion of the trailer, as well as around the drain area of the AT fuel can mounts.


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I began by removing the water tank and AT fuel can holders...all of the hardware was corroded or rusty. In it's past, I discovered that this trailer had been a bit neglected, and definitely stored outside.

There was also a slow leak in the water tank lower plug, which I was able to source in the irrigation aisle and quickly replace after a trip to ACE Hardware. I surmise that this leak also contributed to some of the rust in this area of the trailer.

While I was removing the AT fuel can holders I discovered another interesting area of the trailer...in between the holders. There seemed to be a collection of "organic material" that I was relieved to find out was only accumulated leaves...and some rather "historically non-valued" Shrockworks business cards. Marketing/product placement circa 2008?

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After testing the battery, and attempting to charge it, I quickly realized it was a lost cause. Thank you to @knightrider for his technical help here, and also prompting me to purchase a quality charger from CTEK.

I grabbed this unit here: CTEK 7002 Smartcharger

Then I headed over to American Battery Supply here in Escondido for a nice deep cycle marine battery. I skipped the AGM this round, as I have one of those in the Tacoma where we keep the ARB 50 qt. fridge. I went with a simple wet/deep cycle battery for $110, that I would maintain in the garage with the CTEK.

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The tongue/frame tray restoration had begun in earnest, and I was getting sore arms and wrists from all the grinding/sanding with the 40/60 grit discs.

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Over the next few weeks my compressor, air sander, and small electric sander got quite a workout. Removing the surface rust was just scratching the surface, as the original powder coating hid a lot of the neglected rust that had gone "underground."

I spent about (collectively) 20-30 hours sanding, prepping, and painting the areas of our trailer that need some metal TLC. All told, I used about 8 cans of rust primer, 8 cans of gloss black, and 6 cans of white rattle can/Rust Oleum paint, as well as 4 cans of Safety Red while restoring the fuel cans.

ACE is the place...;)
 
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During my "off-time" from working the trailer tongue/frame area, I also decided to tackle the fuel cans, which for some reason where painted black over the original tomato red/AT Trailer stock paint color. Since I was in a sandy mood, the fuel cans were stripped and re-painted as well...

Before:

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In progress:

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Almost done...

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Another round of thanks and shout-out to @knightrider for his tips on sourcing new fuel can seals and a pour spout.

Available here:

Fuel Can Gaskets

and here:

NATO Can Spout
 
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At times during this project I have to admit feeling a bit like Sir Edmund Hillary...as I was in a constant state of "discovery." :sarcasm

While deciding whether or not to entirely remove the steel nose box, and while replacing the old Optima blue top, I also found the original wiring to a bit disorganized.

Opening the nose box was a bit like...
:worms


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But at this point, I adopted the attitude of "replacement vs. peace of mind", and if we were going to count on our electrical system while camping remotely, I wanted to know it was going to function without fault. Out came the wiring, inverter, and battery hold down device.

I removed all of the old plastic covering the battery tray, and since the Sand & Paint Shop was still open, I added it to the queue. I used an old car restoration trick by soaking the tray in 2:1 water to white vinegar solution for 24 hours, and the results were impressive. I was wishing I could dip the whole trailer...


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I also took the time to remove the steel nose box and begin it's restoration.


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I skipped one of the "best" parts of the trailer restoration...visiting the DMV! :D

The trailer was a bit complicated, as it was titled in Colorado, but registered in Oklahoma.:eek:

Thankfully, one area of the Chaser that was maintained was a solid paper trail of ownership. The pot of gold at the end of the rainbow was a PTI registration of $20 for 5 years...after a 5.5 hour inspection/wait time in San Marcos.

I didn't take any photos at the DMV, because everyone can relate to a personal experience there.

The next chapter in the Chaser's ownership was which RTT to keep...and which to sell? The Chaser was bought with the AT provided Eez-Awn 1800, but we already had (and enjoyed) the Yakima Skyrise 3. First world problems for sure...and we quickly decided to keep our familiar, and lighter, Yakima Skyrise.

The mounting hardware was very corroded, so a good soak overnight with Tri-Flow lubricant helped with the removal of the nuts and bolts. Again @knightrider helped here with removal of the 1800, a re-calibration of the Thule load bars and re-install of the Skyrise. I also purchased a set of Thule lock cores for the load bars, to discourage any premature separation of the RTT from the Chaser.

Because the Skyrise weighs 115 lbs. vs. the 1800's 172 lbs. we also removed the third load bar provided by AT. The Eez-Awn was then quickly sold to another adventurer in Minnesota, wrapped on a pallet and shipped off. This was another story that is best suited for a campfire, as I was beginning to wonder if the Chaser had an axe to grind after years of sitting outside. Suffice to say when @knightrider and I left it drop shipped at the trucking facility there were big smiles on our faces...thank you Fastenal of Escondidio! :thumbsup


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Wrapped, strapped, and off to the Land O' Lakes....

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Next up was removing all of the Adventure Trailers vinyl decals. This de-badging exercise involved razor blades, adhesive remover, and quite a bit of patience!

But the effort was worth it, as The Taco Chaser went from a rolling billboard for the Prescott Chamber of Commerce, to a clean white and black machine. Plans for a little American Adventurist future swag application are in the works.

:clang
 
A you're learning, these trailers don't like humid, salty climates; something I've noted common among AT trailers that are based on the East Coast, many of which we've had to repair due to extensive corrosion. Just remember, Galvannealed Steel is your friend!

During your renovation continue to make the extra effort and provide measures that contain or eliminate corrosion. You'll be rewarded with many years of useful service!
 
TangoBlue said:
A you're learning, these trailers don't like humid, salty climates; something I've noted common among AT trailers that are based on the East Coast, many of which we've had to repair due to extensive corrosion. Just remember, Galvannealed Steel is your friend!

During your renovation continue to make the extra effort and provide measures that contain or eliminate corrosion. You'll be rewarded with many years of useful service!
Click to expand...

@TangoBlue , thanks for the advice and confirmed experiences you have seen first hand with the AT products. :)

I'm not familiar with Galvannealed Steel...is this something new to market?

So far, I have been using stainless steel fasteners while updating the trailer's fixtures.

My hope is, with appropriate maintenance (washing after use, attention to detail of the underside of the trailer, waxing the exterior) and a garaged storage environment that we will be putting the brakes on at least some of the debilitating effects of the grime/UV/tire pitting/rock rash the trailer is exposed to.
 
While everything else was getting a coat of paint, the AT jerry can holders received a sanding and fresh coat of glossy black.

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Work continued on the inside of the steel nose box. The 750W power inverter was not only bolted onto the interior of the box, but also held on with 3M gray double sided tape. This is the heavy duty adhesive tape, and required enough force upon removal that it bent the mounting tabs of the inverter. They were easily bent back, and the inverter along with all of the box interior wiring was set aside for future measurement and replacement.

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Future plans also included removing the steel nose boxes bottle opener, which was removed, sanded, and received a fresh coat of white paint.

Monochromatic for the win!!

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The "Built For Off Road" vinyl die cuts were removed...letter by letter...with a razor blade and adhesive remover...so the exterior surfaces of the steel nose box could be sanded, primered, and painted as well.

The front of the storage box had a yellow reflector sticker that wore the scratch pattern of a padlock from its port and starboard movement during travel. This is something that I would be addressing later, by protecting the freshly painted surface there with a small magnetic "cover up" sticker...something about our affinity for Labrador Retrievers in the shape of a bone. But it was perfectly situated, easily removed due to it's magnetic nature...and since we have two rescue labs, deemed appropriate.

:dog


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Did I mention the rust...it was EVERYWHERE!

:deadhorse
 
Like Hillary, you seem to be taking all the credit. When in reality, Norgay (the sander) deserves half the credit!;) Nice work!
 
I spent a good two hours with razor blade in hand and a can of brake cleaner removing ALL of the vinyl lettering...giving the Chaser a much cleaner look.

Before.

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After.

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Three coats of Meguiar's Cleaning Was helped to restore the surrounding paint, as well as diminishing the shiny letter "ghosts" from the front, rear, and driver's and passengers sides of the Chaser.

The ironic part of all the sticker removal is that we have had several folks approach us about the trailer's make, and because I put a die cut sticker "Toyoda" on the back, several have assumed it was a Toyota factory product. One could only hope...lol. :D
 
Al Swope said:
Like Hillary, you seem to be taking all the credit. When in reality, Norgay (the sander) deserves half the credit!;) Nice work!
Click to expand...

Giving credit where credit is due...my Harbor Freight orbital sander and I worked as a total TEAM, and while he saved my rotator cuff from early replacement surgery, I meticulously applied each sanding pad with delicate care, so as to preserve his "foot."

:D

HF Norgay Edition

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Tray areas were sanded and primered.

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I also pulled out all of the old weatherstrip underneath the steel nose boxes lid, and following the primer and paint stage, replaced it.

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The project timeline was from March of 2018 through June of 2018. We took our first trip with the Chaser to Aqua Caliente State Park near Anza Borrego. Going from this set up...

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...where we camped on the bed rack mounted to the Tacoma, was a great change.

Having the RTT mounted to the trailer afforded us the ability to set up camp, and use the Tacoma as our exploration vehicle without having to break down the sleeping set up. Not a big deal...but it made for a great rationale to purchase the Chaser...right? :D

Camping the first time out with the Taco Chaser...

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Positive takeaways from our first trip with the Taco Chaser:

  • Much more stable sleeping format.
  • Leveling the trailer with the tongue jack/TAAS airbags was a snap.
  • AT provided rear aluminum stabilizer was easy to use/set up.
  • The lower tent mount made deployment/packing of RTT easier...no more Tacoma jungle gymming!
  • Using the USB plugs for device charging was very nice.
  • Having a water pump/large storage area for water was really great. Made more room for other packables inside the Chaser.
  • Fully loaded with 10 gallons of gasoline, firewood, 19 gallons of water, our camping kit/cooking kit/shade stuffs the Chaser towed really well.
  • Observed mileage first trip out: 14.6 mpg from Escondido to Anza Borrego and back...not bad! :)

During this trip I noticed a small "side to side" motion when towing the trailer. After checking the air pressures, and adjusting the load out, I surmised that a bad shock absorber was to blame.

I spent some time sourcing different shock options, but settled on original replacement as I knew it would fit, and for my needs, the adjustable Rancho 9000 shocks would be perfect.
 
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The next "big trip" planned was a quick out and back to our first Expo West. We decided to camp outside of the venue, at Kaibab Lake CG, to avoid the crowds and enjoy a lake view site. But before this trip to Arizona, I replaced the worn out shocks.

I was able to grab a part number from the removed Rancho 9000's, and clicked submit on Shame A Zon:

Rancho RS9000 Shocks

They arrived a few days later, and I spent about an hour removing the old and installing the new.

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The passenger side shock didn't pass the return compression test, so I felt confident that it was the potential sway inducing culprit.

Shocks installed, fresh bushings and sleeves...all good.

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GeoYota said:
Got it...I figured as much, but wasn't sure as I hadn't heard it referred to it in that term.

@TangoBlue , would you recommend zinc plated fasteners over stainless steel for those exposed to the elements?
Click to expand...
It depends upon the application, but I think you'll find that zinc coated fasteners are often stronger than SS. Typically, the simple answer is to look at the torsional stressors applied to that fastener to be your guide.
 
Any idea on precautions when welding "galvanealed" steel? I read the wiki link, I'd guess it can be welded considering the common uses the link described. I'd guess you have to take the same precautions as regular galvanized steel.
 
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