what mid-range 5th wheels are out there w/o lippert?

Jayco 5th wheel in my sig. has lippert frame and slide components.

Another vote for NuWa HitchHikers, all of the newer ones are on Young's frames, built like a tank and rated for full time, they still have a few new ones as well as a lot of used ones that have been refurbished. Check out Kansas RV in Chanute.

thomasmnile wrote:

B.O. Plenty wrote:
I would be willing to bet that percentage wise the problems that people have with their frames is extremely low. You have to consider that probably 90% or more of the thousands of frames built for RVs come from a Lippert plant..It certainly won't stop me from buying one. Especially if I have to drive half way across he country to buy something else. If I'm not mistaken even Jayco is using Lippert frames now. If they were that bad why would they change?

B.O.

True. Leland Engineering (Jayco's frame supplier for some of their product lines)was acquired by Dexter Chassis Group, who in turn was apparently acquired by Drew Industries (parent company of LCI).

My Jayco TT is riding on a Lippert frame and Dexter axles.

Lippert frames riding on China bomb tires! OH MY!

B.O. Plenty wrote:
I would be willing to bet that percentage wise the problems that people have with their frames is extremely low. You have to consider that probably 90% or more of the thousands of frames built for RVs come from a Lippert plant..It certainly won't stop me from buying one. Especially if I have to drive half way across he country to buy something else. If I'm not mistaken even Jayco is using Lippert frames now. If they were that bad why would they change?

B.O.

True. Leland Engineering (Jayco's frame supplier for some of their product lines)was acquired by Dexter Chassis Group, who in turn was apparently acquired by Drew Industries (parent company of LCI).

My Jayco TT is riding on a Lippert frame and Dexter axles.

Sure must be a lot of trailers pulled over on the side of the roads on any given weekend with Lippert frames.....

Not on any roads I travel.....

goducks10 wrote:
Lippert is like a cancer. It's taking over. I doubt you can by any RV that doesn't have something made by or for Lippert.
http://www.lci1.com/catalog/catalog.pdf

Where's a good Aussie-built suspension when you need one? :-)

Lyle

Michelle.S wrote:
Don't know about all, but I'm pretty sure some of the Lippert Frames are built to the RV Mfr's specs and since they're just building the frames they don't know what the Mfr is putting on top of it. So just guessing that maybe some of the frame problems have to do with the RV Mfr putting just too much on the frame and suspension and not that any of us would do it, but owners just packing too much weight on top of that. Again, just thinking out loud, but food for thought.

While that may also be an issue, from my reading here the past several years, a lot of the failures showed very poorly made frames, with bad welds probably being the major culprit. I will say that, anecdotally, 2013's been a pretty good year in that there have been almost no frame failures reported here. 2011 and 2012 had a number. I do remember seeing a post that Lippert is now using certified welders whereas they were not before. Besides the frame failure reports, there were also factory tour reports that stated that some of the build processes witnessed were shoddy at best. That's something else that I've seen little of this year, compared to past years.

Lyle

srosa wrote:

Me Again wrote:

n7bsn wrote:

colliehauler wrote:
Excel makes a midrange model Winslow. They build there own frames in house.

Couldn't slam Excel for quality, but even their "cheaper" rigs are not what I would call "mid-range".

Given deep pocket, they would certainly be on my list

I would not buy an Excel unless I lived near the factory or it was in my Snowbird route. Most of the Excel owners in our park routinely stop for service at the factory. They are very good about taking care of issues, and that is telling in a way! As most have had issues, leaks and dry rot being one of the big ones!

Chris

Ugh...more anectodotal advice on Excels

Srosa your more P/C then I.

Lippert is like a cancer. It's taking over. I doubt you can by any RV that doesn't have something made by or for Lippert.
http://www.lci1.com/catalog/catalog.pdf

Lifestyle RV's (and Carriage) as stated above.

OJ