Solitude vs Bighorn in Quality

[trance728]

I have started full-timing and will be upgrading to a 5th wheel from my TT soon. My current choice is between a Grand Design Solitude or a Heartland Bighorn. Both have features I like but overall I want something that is going to last. I haven't found much online in comparing the 2 so I'd like to see what you all think. What would be my better choice for quality and long life?

[TucsonJim]

trance728 wrote:
Hey Jim, that's a little confusing. The engineers said it's not good to have a wood roof with a metal frame, but you said the Solitude has a metal frame and wooden trusses for the roof? Can you clarify that?

After reading my post, even I was confused! :S

Regarding the roof. It is plywood secured to wood trusses (16 inch on center). The walls and floor have a metal frame. The metal studs in the wall are bonded as part of the wall manufacturing process with the interior panels, insulation and exterior fiberglass.

Reading back through the thread, another primary reason for using wooden trusses it that when the wood roofing material is screwed down, the screw bites all the way into the wood vs a very small bite through a hollow metal structure.

I'm summarizing a very long thread, so I'm putting a link here if anybody is interested.

Aluminum vs. Wood Roof Trusses

[trance728]

Hey Jim, that's a little confusing. The engineers said it's not good to have a wood roof with a metal frame, but you said the Solitude has a metal frame and wooden trusses for the roof? Can you clarify that?

[TucsonJim]

I'm happy with my Grand Design purchase and their quality. I have a Reflection FW, and the Solitude is their next step up.

You can also go on their forum and ask questions. Here's a link:

Grand Design Owner's Forum

The Grand Design forum is owned my customers, and not the company, so you won't get filtered responses to your questions.

BTW, the Solitude has a metal frame on the floor and sidewalls and wooden roof trusses. We asked about this in their forum. Grand Design engineering explained that when you have a wood roof, you don't want to secure it to a metal frame. There is too much dissimilarity in the materials. Continuous heating and cooling over the years can cause fasteners to back out and potential roof damage.

Jim

[ReneeG]

Agree on going to the Heartland Forum. We purchased our Bighorn in 2010 and it's been a sound unit. We are impressed with the quality. I'm not familiar with the Solitude so can't say.

[justafordguy]

Not sure about the Grand design but the Big Horn has all metal wall, floor, and roof structure like my Gateway. Seems like a lot of the other brands use wood for floor joists and roof rafters. That would be the first thing I checked on the grand design.

[SH]

Ask your question at the Heartland Owners Forum. Great forum and you will get some honest answers. We owned a Big Country for a few years and really enjoyed it. Heartland customer service was great.