Estes AWS prides itself on producing weapon lockers and storage boxes of the highest quality and is always looking for ways to help our products stand out from the competition. One of the reasons upfitters and law enforcement agencies choose us is because we work hard to provide the best possible solutions for each standard fleet vehicle make and model. Our commitment to providing secure mounting systems that are easy to install utilizing our drop-and-bolt formula for Chevy, Dodge, and Ford, has become a unique distinction that our customer base counts on year after year.
Design Advantages
We are able to achieve this goal year after year for a variety of reasons. Estes AWS has unique capabilities that not every other competitor can support, starting with our CAD software. With state-of-the-art design software and access to CAD files from Chevy, Dodge, and Ford, we are able to begin the mounting system design process often before new model vehicles even enter production! This enables us to stay ahead of demand and be the first to offer installation solutions for new model vehicles.
Easy Installation
Obviously the Big Three names (Ford, Chevy, and Dodge) in standard fleet vehicle makes are completely different from each other in size, layout, and features. With our design capabilities and access to vehicles through our strategic partnerships, we have created mounting systems that are unique to each vehicle type and also provide the absolute best solution for each vehicle space. All three standard-fleet-vehicle installation kits benefit from our drop-and-bolt formula, and as a result, our mounting solutions require no cutting or drilling like so many of our competitors. The brackets bolt directly into factory threaded hard-points already located in the vehicle.
Ford, Chevy, Dodge Specifics
We strongly believe in creating products that not only “work” in each standard fleet vehicle type but also products that are completely optimized for each one.
2020 Ford PIU
In order to establish a design for the Ford PIU that was structurally sound, maximized the space, and still gave an array of options for the customer, we knew that we would have to give the mounting brackets serious attention to accomplish all these requirements. Utilizing our network of strategic partnerships, we were
able to spend time at the Ford plant in Michigan to test our design on one of the first 2020 Ford PIU prototypes. This allowed us the opportunity to gather valuable information to finalize the mounting bracket design. While at first glance it may just appear to be a solid looking, black powder-coated bracket, each feature on the bracket helps play a specific role in the stack-up of accessories Estes AWS offers. From the very bottom of the bracket that attaches to factory hard points in the vehicle, which greatly reduces installation time, to the reliefs in the front wall that allow an electronics tray to pass through, to the very top that allows our storage boxes and weapon lockers alike to be bolted directly on brackets. We believe quality shines through in the details.
Chevy Tahoe
The Chevy Tahoe has long offered the most amount of space in the cargo area. This lends itself well to new design ideas and making the most of the area available. The 2021+ Tahoe offered a unique challenge in that the battery in the cargo area is mounted behind a trim panel on the driver side, and upfitters need easy access to power sources for vehicle configuration. Staying true to our drop-and-bolt formula, we borrowed from the 2020 Ford PIU design to create a mounting system that is able to house all the same accessories as our Ford PIU but also stay far enough away from the battery panel so that upfitters will not lose access to it. Another noteworthy feature on our Chevy Tahoe design is the compatibility with other manufacturer’s partition systems. With our low profile forward mounting foot, our mounting system is a great fit for partitions and greatly reduces the amount of modifications needed to put in a partition from another manufacturer.
Dodge Durango
With the availability of the Dodge Durango Pursuit, this SUV is becoming a very popular option with the added features and its cheaper cost. It does however, offer the least amount of rear cargo space out of the big three. This makes it much harder to achieve as wide a variety of locker and storage box accessories as with Chevy and Ford. We are still able to offer a factory hard point mounting system and even have a shorter “floor” kit mounting system that allows for double stacking lockers or storage box/locker combos. This is no small feat given the tight space with which to work.
There are many storage and weapon locker options available to law enforcement and upfitters, but what sets Estes AWS apart is our constant push to improve our products and make them as perfect a match for each vehicle as possible. With our unique and extensive in-house capabilities, we are able to meet the ever-changing needs of law enforcement quicker than most. Our commitment to each customer extends far beyond the point of sale, and you’ll have a partnership like none other when you choose Estes AWS. Contact Estes AWS today to learn more about our Ford, Chevy, and Dodge product offerings!