Bigfoot (old vs new)
Does anyone know how the construction of Bigfoot TC’s has evolved over the years? Used BFs (pre 2009) are substantially lighter than the new models of the same dimensions. Based on the literature on 2...
Forum Discussion
I read that same article about the newer Bigfoots and I was envious to an extent. I believe one change they made that you didn't mention was the switch to real wood for their cabinetry. Not sure how much that would change things but I'm guessing it is slightly heavier. Another thing that stuck out to me was the adaption of CNC for cutting materials. This leads to more accurate joinery and a better finish.
In regards to the fiberglass, although I bought a Bigfoot because of the reputation for being water tight, but that really isn't the case. Yes, the roof is the best aspect of fiberglass as it doesn't deteriorate over time like other solutions. However, older Bigfoots were not without their issues.
The first issue I encountered was the use of non stainless steel screws for everything on the outside of my Bigfoot (2001). Couple that with the first owner living on the coast and the constant thermal changes of cold mornings led to the screws rusting out over time. I went back through and replaced everything with stainless where I could. I emailed Grant at Bigfoot and he said he thought they changed to stainless shortly after mine was built.
The second issue is the screws themselves when it comes to exterior compartments. What they did was just drill holes for the compartment hatches directly into the fiberglass and then screw into that fiberglass. There is no backing to give extra bite for the screw. In most areas there is nothing behind the fiberglass but foam so if you have to service the seal on the compartment, you have to be very careful you don't strip out the 1/8" fiberglass the screw goes into.
Another issue is the Propane hatch. First, the hatch itself is on a flat plane however where it integrates with the fiberglass shell it comes together with two slightly different angles. What that means is that it is a bit of a 3d surface so the hatch won't seal flush on the upper fiberglass shell. Extra sealant is required and be very careful about trying to tighten the screws to pull a tighter seal per my previous issue mentioned. I ended up getting some small metal "U" clips that I put on that gripped on both sides so when I put a screw in, it grabs the metal clip on the backside and gives more bite than the fiberglass alone would.
Dry rot can still be a problem, specifically around the battery compartment, propane hatch and fridge hatch. For the propane hatch, on my camper there is a lip that goes around rim of the hatch except for at the bottom. What I realized is that if it is raining, the water will drip down the hatch door and can fall into the metal frame where it has equal chance to flow either back out and continue down the outside or can flow into the propane compartment and find its way into the corners where it is a square box for with a curved rim giving the opportunity for water to flow between the backside of the fiberglass right on top of the wood where the metal bracket for the jack brackets is located. Had they continued the lip all the way around the hatch compartment, the water would have just rolled out. In my case, I can see the wood has gotten wet and though it doesn't appear to be completely rotted out, is certainly softer than I would like it to be. This same problem by the way can be at the fridge hatch and battery compartment as they also doesn't have a lip on the bottom to keep water from flowing inside the compartment.
Now I haven't seen a new Bigfoot so I don't know if they addressed these issues. I suspect that they did at least make some changes as Grant at Bigfoot seems pretty keen on process improvement. If you buy a new one, look at these items and make sure they aren't a factor or fix them right when you get it home so they won't become an issue. If you are buying a used camper, especially an older one, double check these issues and make sure they aren't a problem.
Don't get me wrong, I love my Bigfoot and would consider it again in a heartbeat if I was in the market for a new non slide camper. Just don't get too caught up in the idea that fiberglass can't have water issues.
Lastly, if you do make the investment, spend some money to figure out how to store it with a roof over it. So many water issues would be solved just by keeping it covered from the elements to begin with, especially when one isn't using it and thus is prone to miss leaks while it is stored.
In regards to the fiberglass, although I bought a Bigfoot because of the reputation for being water tight, but that really isn't the case. Yes, the roof is the best aspect of fiberglass as it doesn't deteriorate over time like other solutions. However, older Bigfoots were not without their issues.
The first issue I encountered was the use of non stainless steel screws for everything on the outside of my Bigfoot (2001). Couple that with the first owner living on the coast and the constant thermal changes of cold mornings led to the screws rusting out over time. I went back through and replaced everything with stainless where I could. I emailed Grant at Bigfoot and he said he thought they changed to stainless shortly after mine was built.
The second issue is the screws themselves when it comes to exterior compartments. What they did was just drill holes for the compartment hatches directly into the fiberglass and then screw into that fiberglass. There is no backing to give extra bite for the screw. In most areas there is nothing behind the fiberglass but foam so if you have to service the seal on the compartment, you have to be very careful you don't strip out the 1/8" fiberglass the screw goes into.
Another issue is the Propane hatch. First, the hatch itself is on a flat plane however where it integrates with the fiberglass shell it comes together with two slightly different angles. What that means is that it is a bit of a 3d surface so the hatch won't seal flush on the upper fiberglass shell. Extra sealant is required and be very careful about trying to tighten the screws to pull a tighter seal per my previous issue mentioned. I ended up getting some small metal "U" clips that I put on that gripped on both sides so when I put a screw in, it grabs the metal clip on the backside and gives more bite than the fiberglass alone would.
Dry rot can still be a problem, specifically around the battery compartment, propane hatch and fridge hatch. For the propane hatch, on my camper there is a lip that goes around rim of the hatch except for at the bottom. What I realized is that if it is raining, the water will drip down the hatch door and can fall into the metal frame where it has equal chance to flow either back out and continue down the outside or can flow into the propane compartment and find its way into the corners where it is a square box for with a curved rim giving the opportunity for water to flow between the backside of the fiberglass right on top of the wood where the metal bracket for the jack brackets is located. Had they continued the lip all the way around the hatch compartment, the water would have just rolled out. In my case, I can see the wood has gotten wet and though it doesn't appear to be completely rotted out, is certainly softer than I would like it to be. This same problem by the way can be at the fridge hatch and battery compartment as they also doesn't have a lip on the bottom to keep water from flowing inside the compartment.
Now I haven't seen a new Bigfoot so I don't know if they addressed these issues. I suspect that they did at least make some changes as Grant at Bigfoot seems pretty keen on process improvement. If you buy a new one, look at these items and make sure they aren't a factor or fix them right when you get it home so they won't become an issue. If you are buying a used camper, especially an older one, double check these issues and make sure they aren't a problem.
Don't get me wrong, I love my Bigfoot and would consider it again in a heartbeat if I was in the market for a new non slide camper. Just don't get too caught up in the idea that fiberglass can't have water issues.
Lastly, if you do make the investment, spend some money to figure out how to store it with a roof over it. So many water issues would be solved just by keeping it covered from the elements to begin with, especially when one isn't using it and thus is prone to miss leaks while it is stored.
