Enclosed Underbelly or Not
So after almost 3 years of researching trailers, I finally made the purchase. I still have time to modify a few things if needed. Here is my setup: 2014 Ram 2500 6.4 2016 Jayco 27BHS My upgrades ...
Forum Discussion
I have the thermal package that incl.'s the enclosed 4mm coroplast underbelly, heat ducts and some type of thin insulation in certain areas, like the tanks.
It will have to be removed to do work but its screwed in place along the perimeter . Unless you do it yourself, I guess that will add labor dollars to any work you need done in that area. Coroplast can be cut using a utility knife and patched if need be.
It does seem to help extend the season because it is heated as well but some owners have gone a step beyond and further insulated using solid foam boards or professional foam sprayed on the trailer bottom, then enclosed . From the factory, owners using the underbelly have reported using the TT as low 5'F to 10'F without any freeze ups. Personally if I used my TT in those temps , I would want to add those 'heat pads' to the holding tanks and 'valve heat wraps', but that's just me.
Mice....with the underbelly, the dump vales are still exposed and there are gaps around the valves as well as along the edges and corners . You will have spray foam those gaps to help mouse proof it.
I have only had a mouse problem once in 40 years of RV ownership but I was able to seal around the plumbing lines going UP into the TT . That
TT did not have any underbelly and I was then able to mouse proof it using spray foam, caulk and steel wool packed around the plumbing lines.
BTW,in my 2016 unit, Jayco did foam all those plumbing places prior to installing the underbelly . It seems to me that the underbelly really offers a little more cold weather protection rather than mouse proofing. At the end of the day, I guess im happy that I ordered it with the Thermal package.
It will have to be removed to do work but its screwed in place along the perimeter . Unless you do it yourself, I guess that will add labor dollars to any work you need done in that area. Coroplast can be cut using a utility knife and patched if need be.
It does seem to help extend the season because it is heated as well but some owners have gone a step beyond and further insulated using solid foam boards or professional foam sprayed on the trailer bottom, then enclosed . From the factory, owners using the underbelly have reported using the TT as low 5'F to 10'F without any freeze ups. Personally if I used my TT in those temps , I would want to add those 'heat pads' to the holding tanks and 'valve heat wraps', but that's just me.
Mice....with the underbelly, the dump vales are still exposed and there are gaps around the valves as well as along the edges and corners . You will have spray foam those gaps to help mouse proof it.
I have only had a mouse problem once in 40 years of RV ownership but I was able to seal around the plumbing lines going UP into the TT . That
TT did not have any underbelly and I was then able to mouse proof it using spray foam, caulk and steel wool packed around the plumbing lines.
BTW,in my 2016 unit, Jayco did foam all those plumbing places prior to installing the underbelly . It seems to me that the underbelly really offers a little more cold weather protection rather than mouse proofing. At the end of the day, I guess im happy that I ordered it with the Thermal package.
