Siding replacement

[buzzard616]

Siding on signature TT has seen a couple of hailstorms over the years and is starting to look like a square golf ball.

If I replace it I'm not using the same tin-foil siding it came with.

Is there something else, even vinyl siding that will work and be able to stand small hail?

[dougrainer]

Ralph Cramden wrote:

dougrainer wrote:

Ralph Cramden wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
"The RV manufacturers get the stuff dirt cheap. A lot actually roll their own."

You know this HOW? I have NEVER seen any RV maker that had their own aluminum plant to "roll" their own Metal siding.

I know it because I watched them do it. The machinery needed to roll that siding is a drop in the bucket when compared to the jigs, tables, and presses they have in a dedicated plant for making laminated walls and floors, but I suppose they don't have those either. The space needed to set up a line to roll RV siding amounts to about a 2 car garage. It's not much different than the seamless gutter guy who rolls gutters out the rear of a box van.

WHAT OEM? I have worked in the RV business 44 years. I UNLOADED pallets of Metal for Coachmen when I was in High school and ALL the Metal we have replaced in the 38 years as a Tech the OEM's NEVER had the metal. They had to have THEIR supplier to make the required metal OR until a few years ago there were regional Metal fabricators that would build the RV metal to the OEM specs. Now, if you are comparing Laminated, we are talking S lock metal siding that is manually hung. You are comparing Apples and Oranges. Doug

I don't care to be questioned, nor do I have a desire to prove anything to you. Whatever you say. Based on your 44 years of empirical knowledge.......I digress.

Are you a politician?????? All you had to do was answer what OEM you saw making the metal. SIMPLE question and answer. Doug

[Ralph_Cramden]

dougrainer wrote:

Ralph Cramden wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
"The RV manufacturers get the stuff dirt cheap. A lot actually roll their own."

You know this HOW? I have NEVER seen any RV maker that had their own aluminum plant to "roll" their own Metal siding.

I know it because I watched them do it. The machinery needed to roll that siding is a drop in the bucket when compared to the jigs, tables, and presses they have in a dedicated plant for making laminated walls and floors, but I suppose they don't have those either. The space needed to set up a line to roll RV siding amounts to about a 2 car garage. It's not much different than the seamless gutter guy who rolls gutters out the rear of a box van.

WHAT OEM? I have worked in the RV business 44 years. I UNLOADED pallets of Metal for Coachmen when I was in High school and ALL the Metal we have replaced in the 38 years as a Tech the OEM's NEVER had the metal. They had to have THEIR supplier to make the required metal OR until a few years ago there were regional Metal fabricators that would build the RV metal to the OEM specs. Now, if you are comparing Laminated, we are talking S lock metal siding that is manually hung. You are comparing Apples and Oranges. Doug

I don't care to be questioned, nor do I have a desire to prove anything to you. Whatever you say. Based on your 44 years of empirical knowledge.......I digress.

[dougrainer]

Ralph Cramden wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
"The RV manufacturers get the stuff dirt cheap. A lot actually roll their own."

You know this HOW? I have NEVER seen any RV maker that had their own aluminum plant to "roll" their own Metal siding.

I know it because I watched them do it. The machinery needed to roll that siding is a drop in the bucket when compared to the jigs, tables, and presses they have in a dedicated plant for making laminated walls and floors, but I suppose they don't have those either. The space needed to set up a line to roll RV siding amounts to about a 2 car garage. It's not much different than the seamless gutter guy who rolls gutters out the rear of a box van.

WHAT OEM? I have worked in the RV business 44 years. I UNLOADED pallets of Metal for Coachmen when I was in High school and ALL the Metal we have replaced in the 38 years as a Tech the OEM's NEVER had the metal. They had to have THEIR supplier to make the required metal OR until a few years ago there were regional Metal fabricators that would build the RV metal to the OEM specs. Now, if you are comparing Laminated, we are talking S lock metal siding that is manually hung. You are comparing Apples and Oranges. Doug

[Ralph_Cramden]

Ralph Cramden wrote:

dougrainer wrote:
"The RV manufacturers get the stuff dirt cheap. A lot actually roll their own."

You know this HOW? I have NEVER seen any RV maker that had their own aluminum plant to "roll" their own Metal siding.

I know it because I watched them do it. The machinery needed to roll that siding is a drop in the bucket when compared to the jigs, tables, and presses they have in a dedicated plant for making laminated walls and floors, but I suppose they don't have those either. The space needed to set up a line to roll RV siding amounts to about a 2 car garage. It's not much different than the seamless gutter guy who rolls gutters out the rear of a box van. In fact the gutter guy is using a heavier gauge coil. I don't remember stating that there are RV manufacturers running in house aluminum smelting plants.

[Chris_Bryant]

That made me remember the '93 International Airstream rally in Bismark, ND- grapefruit sized hail. The rigs were known as "Bismarcked".

[Ralph_Cramden]

dougrainer wrote:
"The RV manufacturers get the stuff dirt cheap. A lot actually roll their own."

You know this HOW? I have NEVER seen any RV maker that had their own aluminum plant to "roll" their own Metal siding.

I know it because I watched them do it. The machinery needed to roll that siding is a drop in the bucket when compared to the jigs, tables, and presses they have in a dedicated plant for making laminated walls and floors, but I suppose they don't have those either. The space needed to set up a line to roll RV siding amounts to about a 2 car garage. It's not much different than the seamless gutter guy who rolls gutters out the rear of a box van.

[buzzard616]

gbopp wrote:
It's even more cost effective to learn to love the dimples. 🙂

That's what I figured but I had to ask. :S

[dougrainer]

"The RV manufacturers get the stuff dirt cheap. A lot actually roll their own."

You know this HOW? I have NEVER seen any RV maker that had their own aluminum plant to "roll" their own Metal siding. The OP seems to have an 18 year old Trailer. Which means it is worth--ZERO dollars. Especially with Hail damage. He needs to live with it unless it leaks from the dents. Years ago they tried to use fiberglass MESA siding on some RV's as a test. Bad mistake. The Fiberglass had waves in it between the studs. Then they realized you had to have a flat wood surface and glue the fiberglass to the wood. Which meant flat fiberglass, no mesa. The only realistic choice the OP has is to buy Metal mesa panels(same gauge) and rehang the sidewall metal. Trying to go larger(thicker) with other material will cause problems with the windows and doors and corner edge moldings that will not fit correctly. Doug

[gbopp]

Ralph Cramden wrote:
It's probably more cost effective to buy a new trailer.

It's even more cost effective to learn to love the dimples. 🙂

[Ralph_Cramden]

Chris Bryant wrote:
Not really-

An understatement LOL.

That siding is typically custom made if you are trying to match existing, and there are quite a few profiles. It comes in two thickness usually, .024 or .030. Depending on the profile/gauge anywhere from $3 to $8 a sq ft foot. A 30' trailer could run you $3K to $5K doing it all custom made, and that's not counting all the other stuff needed such as moldings (you'll booger up the existing ones for the most part), butyl tape, etc. You also have to add the crating charges and motor freight shipping of which neither are cheap. Also with motor freight you stand about a 50% chance of them damaging the entire kaboodle during shipping no matter how well it's crated, and then you start over after doing battle with them.

The RV manufacturers get the stuff dirt cheap. A lot actually roll their own.

Now if you could drive to the Elkhart IN area with a flat trailer you may be able to lay your hands on some at one of the surplus places. Here is some for around $2 sq ft. RV Surplus Online won't do you much as their inventory changes constantly. You have to call them. Traveling to IN. is not an option for most.

It's probably more cost effective to buy a new trailer.

[Chris_Bryant]

Not really- Filon is available, but that is a different construction technique- laminated walls. I'm not sure how much you need to replace, but that siding is not cheap.