After having a bad experience with an Aerolite Trailer and it's structural shortcomings, the search begins for another trailer.
My question, how do you know the construction details of a trailer ?
Is there a buyers guide out there that is worth buying ?
The manufacturer literature seems to be lacking in detail and when looking on Craigslist, you find a decent looking trailer and then attempt to find out how it's made and the internet seems to yeild little detail.
We went to a trailer show and the sales force there basically said to stick with "standard construction" but that type of trailer is usually heavy, too heavy.
Are there any light weight trailers out there that are made well ?
From where you live it would be a pretty easy trip to the Elkhart area. You could go on some of the factory tours and see it first hand. That's how I settled on a trailer by KZ. It's very easy to see the workmanship when you can see the inside of things.
I've heard good things about KZ.
My experience with having owned 5 different, rvs is that they are all basically, built the same, quick and with light duty materials (some to save cost and some to save weight). I am happy with my current Keystone product. One thing I do know is that when the word "light" is in the name, typically you can expect lighter framing, structure, etc. They usually aren't up to the task of longevity in my book.
One can also get a good build or a bad build on the same brand/model purely on how quick it moved through the assembly line that day. Budget minded Rvs are not known for QC.
Steve Rinker
Rochester, NY
2013 Keystone Sydney 340FBH 5'er
2012 Silverado 3500HD, SRW,LTZ,4x4, Z71, Crew, 6.0 Gasser, 4:10 Gears, Standard bed
"These days, I have problems in areas that I used to not have areas", so life is good.
A lot of RV Manufacturers will have on their websites a section called "Construction", which will show a "x-ray" view of the walls, roof and floors. Jayco for example, Crossroads, KZ and Keystone Cougars.
What you should be looking for is a full aluminum framed walls that have more that just minimal aluminum parimeter tubing, but also around doors, hatches and windows. And high pressure vacuum laminated walls.
Or fully framed wood construction with aluminum sides.
Example Cougar (Cut and past this...) http://www.roamingtimes.com/rvreports/7/images/2011-keystone-cougar-fifth-wheel-construction.jpg
Example wood framed Jayco- (cut and paste) http://www.jayco.com/g/db/construction_details_375.jpg
My posts shouldn't be taken for factual data. They are purely fictional, for entertainment purposes and should not be constituted as actually related to scientific, technical, engineering, legal, spiritual or practical advice. Amen.
Not sure if they have a dealer in your area, but around here Arctic Fox is king for high quality tt's; as well as the other product lines in the Northwood/Outdoors RV Manufacturing. If you call their plant you can normally talk to one of the people in charge to ask direct questions too.
I agree, a visit to the factory is a good way to determine if the trailer you like is the one for you. 8 years ago the trailer we liked was much to heavy for our Suburban, and I wasn't about to get rid of the Suburban, so we visited the then Western RV plant in Yakima, WA and watched a TT being put togather all the way from the frame plant to the finished product being QA'ed. The time spent there convinced us that was the TT for us. We bought one 3 months later in March of 2004 and have been living in it ever since. Part of the fun of owning a TT is in the initial looking process.
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