Lippert Frame? - Coachmen Apex
Through reading a number of topics here I find more people not a fan of Lippert frames than those that are. We narrowed down the RV to a Coachmen Apex and the sales rep stated they use a Lippert f...
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JBarca wrote:wibigfoot wrote:
Through reading a number of topics here I find more people not a fan of Lippert frames than those that are.
We narrowed down the RV to a Coachmen Apex and the sales rep stated they use a Lippert frame on them.
All that's going through my head is to stay away from them but I have no reason to why other then what people say here.
So run away or don't worry about it?
I do not know your Apex model, if you can post some pics of the spring hanger arrangement and the frame construction we can see if you have the problem frames.
I myself have a Lippert frame who built them to Sunline specs. I know the good and bad about it. I corrected the bad myself and now have no worries.
I know we throw out the "I beam" term but I'll tell you, the RV I shape is nothing like a true ANSI I beam. The RV I shape has very little support of the flanges on the ends of the web. A true I beam has structure to strengthen the flange to the web. That said, if they made a camper out of true I beam the weight is considerable.
So, extra reinforcement is needed to keep the spring hanger from twisting the lower flange from fatigue and cracking the frame over time. Those with heavier campers have it worse as the same thin spring hangers are used on a 5,000# GVWR camper as on a 10,000# camper. (my case) It's the turns of tandem wheels that play havoc on twisting the hangers.
Need to know more about what you have to help better
John
John - At this point we have not purchased a trailer. We are still in the shopping stage.
The trailers we have it narrowed down to is the Apex 239RBS, the Jayco Jay Flight 23RB and a slim chance on the Arctic Fox 22G.
The Apex 239RBS has the floor plan we like so it's at the top of the list. My dealer doesn't stock this model so it's buying sight unseen and factory order. The same would be true with the Jayco.
For the Arctic Fox the closest dealer is 7 hrs away and they don't stock the 22G.
For those reasons my buying is limited to online photos and videos.
