Difference between flat and profiled body panels?

[MickyLuv]

Is the difference just based on the type of metal or material used?
I'm looking at trailers on Kijiji and wondering in which way one type of panel or another gives an indication of build quality?

Regards,

Mike

[MickyLuv]

Arctic Fox is an atypical build. They build a framed trailer and skin it with a fiber reinforced composite sheeting. Most fiberglass trailers with flat walls are a box assembled from laminated foam-core walls, rather than being framed. Fiberglass trailers with all corners rounded are usually molded shell, like the hull of a fiberglass boat.

Thus what it looks like only sometimes tells you how it was built, and for the most common building methods, whether framed or laminated panels, there are big differences in quality from manufacturer to manufacturer. A lot depends on how the box gets assembled and what it sits on.
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For tops in structural integrity, look at the Canadian-built Bigfoot 2500 line, which is molded shell and goes up to medium sizes. Most TTs built this way are tiny, all are expensive for their size, because they are expensive to build, compared to laminating two or three flat wall panels, screwing them to a floor and roof at the edges, and fabricating a cap or lightly framed cover for remaining openings.

Visit some RV factories if you are concerned about structure. Don't, if you are concerned about lowest price, because seeing those built can be disturbing (at least to an engineer).

That is some explanation Tom, thanks.

Mike

[tatest]

MickyLuv wrote:

wanderingbob wrote:
Profiled would be stronger if all things were equal . Look a corrugated roofing , most times items with bends and curves are put in to add strength and lesson weight .

The Arctic Fox trailer I'm looking at online seems to have all, or mainly flat panels. Doing a search for Arctic Fox opinions on this site brings up a lot of positive reviews on the build quality. I get the impression that it's a combination of what's seen on the surface with what's going on beneath.

Regards,

Mike

Arctic Fox is an atypical build. They build a framed trailer and skin it with a fiber reinforced composite sheeting. Most fiberglass trailers with flat walls are a box assembled from laminated foam-core walls, rather than being framed. Fiberglass trailers with all corners rounded are usually molded shell, like the hull of a fiberglass boat.

Thus what it looks like only sometimes tells you how it was built, and for the most common building methods, whether framed or laminated panels, there are big differences in quality from manufacturer to manufacturer. A lot depends on how the box gets assembled and what it sits on.

For tops in structural integrity, look at the Canadian-built Bigfoot 2500 line, which is molded shell and goes up to medium sizes. Most TTs built this way are tiny, all are expensive for their size, because they are expensive to build, compared to laminating two or three flat wall panels, screwing them to a floor and roof at the edges, and fabricating a cap or lightly framed cover for remaining openings.

Visit some RV factories if you are concerned about structure. Don't, if you are concerned about lowest price, because seeing those built can be disturbing (at least to an engineer).

[Grit_dog]

You're talking about corrugated aluminum siding vs smooth fiberglass siding/panels right?
Difference is cost. Metal panels are cheaper than fiberglass. In and of themselves the type of siding has very little to do with the overall durability or lifespan of the rv.

[MickyLuv]

wanderingbob wrote:
Profiled would be stronger if all things were equal . Look a corrugated roofing , most times items with bends and curves are put in to add strength and lesson weight .

The Arctic Fox trailer I'm looking at online seems to have all, or mainly flat panels. Doing a search for Arctic Fox opinions on this site brings up a lot of positive reviews on the build quality. I get the impression that it's a combination of what's seen on the surface with what's going on beneath.

Regards,

Mike

[wanderingbob]

Profiled would be stronger if all things were equal . Look a corrugated roofing , most times items with bends and curves are put in to add strength and lesson weight .

[MickyLuv]

2oldman wrote:
It would be my assumption that profiles are more expensive to make than flat.

Thanks, that makes sense, though the way the panels integrate with the sub-structure will be an important factor. That and the quality of the design. I don't know much about RVs. The "Used" market adds yet another range of potential problems.

Here in Calgary where I'm currently based, hail damage seems to be a big problem. That and roof rot, perhaps mainly due to poor roof design/quality.

The only roofs Ive seen on trailers that impress me as being strong and weatherproof are the expensive Airstream ones. The only other roofs that come with the same reassuring shape (domed?) and look of good integrity are the roofs on class B motorhomes, which have lots of space and storage limitations.

As I said, I'm an ignorant newcomer to the subject of RVs, please excuse any obvious flaws in my view of things.

Regards,

Mike

[2oldman]

It would be my assumption that profiles are more expensive to make than flat.