scratching my head
Howdy. went to RV show over the weekend. Saw quite a few trailers (slide and non slide) I asked all reps "What is the axle rating on this unit?" It seems the one commom factor among all these trailers...
Forum Discussion
I spoke to a Nash factory rep. at a show yesterday. Nash designs and makes their own frame and gets them independently certified to their HD off-road specs. He agreed that their are no industry standards and anything that is enforceable. Looking at Jayco TTs at the show, it looks like they have switched to the BAL/Norco Ultraframe. Looks pretty nice and looks better than the version Lance was or is still using. If you go to the Ultraframe website, there is almost no tech. data.
If there are any standards like perhaps by SAE, I'd really like to know what they are. Frame builders, like say L*****t, can build whatever they want with no accountability and no repercussions. If you find that your frame has serious flaws, there is no gov't agency of any kind (that oversees a standard) that you can complain to. The only thing you can do is complain to NHTSA or Transport Canada. I've been through major frame issues first hand in the past and have experienced the frame manufacturer's indifference. It's pretty sad IMHO.
If you do have a major frame problem, and you are still under warranty, the TT manufacturer sometimes will simply tell you to go deal directly with the frame manufacturer. That also is wrong IMO.
The RVIA does not create, control or enforce design standards or require recalls. The general public can't even access their information. They're a self-serving organization simply there for dealers and manufacturers, not the public.
I've yet to see a manufacturer's brochure with any real spec's on axles and tires and of course, frames. I've asked factory reps at shows and they can't tell me anything about frames, suspensions, axles or tires. I asked a dealer a simple question once - why would anyone want to pay for an upgrade option of load range D tires and he had no idea. A TT manufacturer can call their frame heavy duty when in fact, it can one of the weakest out there. It seems like you are on your own to ferret out the info. and truth.
The saddest thing of all is that when the majority of people go shopping for a new TT, they buy all the bling and features and have no idea what it is sitting on. There's an expectation that there could never be anything wrong with the frame and that someone has taken care of that for you.
If there are any standards like perhaps by SAE, I'd really like to know what they are. Frame builders, like say L*****t, can build whatever they want with no accountability and no repercussions. If you find that your frame has serious flaws, there is no gov't agency of any kind (that oversees a standard) that you can complain to. The only thing you can do is complain to NHTSA or Transport Canada. I've been through major frame issues first hand in the past and have experienced the frame manufacturer's indifference. It's pretty sad IMHO.
If you do have a major frame problem, and you are still under warranty, the TT manufacturer sometimes will simply tell you to go deal directly with the frame manufacturer. That also is wrong IMO.
The RVIA does not create, control or enforce design standards or require recalls. The general public can't even access their information. They're a self-serving organization simply there for dealers and manufacturers, not the public.
I've yet to see a manufacturer's brochure with any real spec's on axles and tires and of course, frames. I've asked factory reps at shows and they can't tell me anything about frames, suspensions, axles or tires. I asked a dealer a simple question once - why would anyone want to pay for an upgrade option of load range D tires and he had no idea. A TT manufacturer can call their frame heavy duty when in fact, it can one of the weakest out there. It seems like you are on your own to ferret out the info. and truth.
The saddest thing of all is that when the majority of people go shopping for a new TT, they buy all the bling and features and have no idea what it is sitting on. There's an expectation that there could never be anything wrong with the frame and that someone has taken care of that for you.
MM49 wrote:
“There are NO standards used for sizing axles or for designing TT frames” The RVIA might have a little to say about this. They have issued two recals this year just for typo errors on vehicle labels.
“Sometimes it's the tires that are under-rated.” The RVIA controls this also. The specifications are managed by Keystone manufacturing.
“Don't expect a dealer, a factory rep. or even the plant to be able to tell you much on tech. info. on a frame and components. A brochure will tell you nothing about frames and axles” Every catolog I've seen gives axle ratings and tire size with rating.“The axle rating only needs to equal the GVWR-the tongue weight” The axle rating has nothing to do with the tongue weight.
MM49
