Aluminum or wood frame?
Look to purchase a new tt. We camp 3 to 4 times a year. We travel anywhere from 1-6 hrs away. We also looking to go cross country in the next few years. Wondering what's better aluminum or wood frame....
Forum Discussion
I think it can matter if you plan to do much cold weather camping. If you don't properly address humidity, moisture will migrate to the outer wall skin and condense. Won' affect aluminum much but can lead to wood rotting & mold.
RVs aren't built properly as far as wall and ceiling construction goes because there is no vapor retarder/barrier on the warm side like in houses & buildings. The foam in fiberglass sided TTs is open cell and moisture will migrate straight through it. I don't any fiberglass TTs use closed cell foam due to cost.
One thing I do know about aluminum framing is that welds can fail due to fatigue if you have a weak frame like some ultra-lites and the higher degree of flexing of the frame. Happened to us on a brand new previous TT. Can't post a photo at the moment due to what photobucket has done. Welds are hidden behind wall and ceiling panelling and you can't see them. I happened to being do a mod. and stumbled across the failed weld. Could have been more, I never did find out.
I understand Outdoors RV TTs have aluminum framed walls but roof trussed are wood - likely to avoid issues from towing on rough roads (their TTs have off-road certified HD frames).
RVs aren't built properly as far as wall and ceiling construction goes because there is no vapor retarder/barrier on the warm side like in houses & buildings. The foam in fiberglass sided TTs is open cell and moisture will migrate straight through it. I don't any fiberglass TTs use closed cell foam due to cost.
One thing I do know about aluminum framing is that welds can fail due to fatigue if you have a weak frame like some ultra-lites and the higher degree of flexing of the frame. Happened to us on a brand new previous TT. Can't post a photo at the moment due to what photobucket has done. Welds are hidden behind wall and ceiling panelling and you can't see them. I happened to being do a mod. and stumbled across the failed weld. Could have been more, I never did find out.
I understand Outdoors RV TTs have aluminum framed walls but roof trussed are wood - likely to avoid issues from towing on rough roads (their TTs have off-road certified HD frames).
