"Lite" 5th wheels

[salem]

I seem to be seeing a lot of 5th wheels that are designated as "LITE." What exactly is the difference? Any reason to avoid the so called Lite trailers? The guy next to us has a Rockwood Lite 5th wheel that is 5 feet longer than mine but is about the same weight. I was just curious.

[TXiceman]

LITE generally means CHEAP and lower quality on construction.

Ken

[laknox]

It's because of the proliferation of people wanting "trucks", i.e. half-ton, or lighter, trucks. Mfrs started making all these so-called 1500 or "half-ton" models which, in most cases, should be towed by a 3/4t, once they're loaded for camping.

Lyle

[memtb]

Pretty much like comparing a “wood framed” WWI airplane to a WW II P-51 Mustang. They both will fly......! 😉 memtb

[RobWNY]

"Lite" usually means Lite on Quality, Lite on Durability and often times means a lighter hit to your wallet but there are real problems and concerns if you go this route. I know. I bought a "Lite" 5th wheel new a year and a half ago and it's falling apart. So far I've had to stain and finish the dinette table, cut 1/4" off one leg of a dinette chair so it doesn't rock, tried to match a stain to hide the paper thin veneer on the MDF cabinets that has rubbed away, re-adjusted interior doors so they would close (wall flexing during towing is the culprit), Put gorilla tape over worn out areas where it rubs when opening/closing the trifold couch (this happened after using it as a bed maybe 20 times), Window treatments falling off etc. Then there's the lack of wall thickness and insulation that not only effects heating and cooling but there's no sound dampening either so you can hear everyone outside and everyone outside can hear you. These are just a few of the issues I've had in the one year of ownership of my "Lite" 5th wheel. Never again!

[All_I_could_aff]

LITE DUTY stickers on the trailer would really clarify things

[wowens79]

We’ve got a “lite”travel trailer, and to save weight they use really thin wood in lots of places. The “plywood” under the cushions of the dinette lasted 2 trips until my daughters knee went through it. The material reminded me of the balsa wood airplanes I played with. The floor is made of 2 pieces of a really thin plywood with foam between them. The floor feels springy when you walk on it.

Things can be made light and strong, but that usually is a more expensive material or construction method, neither of which I’ve seen on my trailer.

Unless you really need to save weight I would avoid the lite ones.

[work2much]

Some things I have noticed in some cases.

Smaller tanks, fridges, water heaters, frame sections, axles, wall sections, payload capacities, less durable interior finish materials. Often no generator option, single AC unit.