Sunrise caravans head further off-road

At a time when the number of independent chassis and suspension manufacturers is shrinking, Queensland’s multi-brand retailer Sunrise Caravans has hitched its star to long-time Melbourne independent manufacturer, Roadrunner Chassis and its latest Oz Glider and full off-road Oz Trekker trailing arm coil spring and shock absorber suspension systems.

The latest Roadrunner chassis and its matched Oz Glider suspension will become an exclusive standard feature on all new 3000kg-rated Sunrise semi off-road tandem-axle caravans ordered this year and beyond, replacing previous rock ‘n roller leaf spring suspensions. 

Meanwhile Roadrunner’s more robust full off-road Oz Trekker independent suspension will now be fitted to Sunrise, Sunset, Blue Sky and Montana caravans fitted with 3500kg-rated tandem axles, regardless of their chassis brand.

“Leaf spring rock ’n roller suspension has been around and served travelling Australians well for many years, but it’s time to move on," explained said Sunrise Caravans founder and Director, Steve Andonovski.

“Quite simply, the new Roadrunner suspension systems will allow owners to travel further to enjoy their favourite secluded holiday spots for longer.”

Sunrise Caravans’ move follows the rise in popularity of semi-off-road caravans as more Australians look to explore remote areas due to overseas travel restrictions.

Typically, semi-off-road designs are based on standard caravans, but are fitted with recognised semi off-road suspensions, bigger wheels and tyres and offer higher ground clearance, with many featuring either a two or three-inch chassis riser to handle undulating terrain.

Steve Andonovski said Sunrise has been using Roadrunner Chassis for some years as the preferred chassis manufacturer for its portfolio of Melbourne-sourced caravan brands, as they offered nearly four decades of industry and manufacturing experience; use only Australian steel, including on their six-inch diameter A-frames, and they also manufacture their own matching off-road suspension.

“You can specify either Dexter or AL-KO 10-inch brakes on tandem-axle chassis; they can be matched to these companies’ respective anti-sway systems and all Roadrunner suspension systems come with single Pedders shock absorbers and springs as standard, so using top brands means greater reliability and easy servicing,” he said.

“Plus, they really understand the relationship between the chassis and suspension and where owners want to travel. It’s that depth of experience that we have been able to build our business on and to give our customers peace of mind.”

Related: Big Queensland dealer embraces aluminium caravan framing