Forum Discussion

Makingtrax's avatar
Makingtrax
Explorer
Dec 27, 2013

In a quandry

I'm about to go out and get started on repairing rot in my 2007 Lance 815. I'll not get into details, but I'm fixing it up good enough to make our trip - delayed by 3 days because of the rot I discovered while prepping the camper. At least I got 2 new tools out of the repair experience.
So, I'm inclined to leave the camper out west at a dealer, either on trade or consignment. Don't worry, I'm not passing this off without full disclosure of the problems.
I'm contemplating a Livin' Lite or a Northstar 800, which I had before the Lance and would have kept if my wife hadn't wanted something a bit more upscale.
The Livin Lite is not light on the pocketbook, around 20k, but I like the idea of a durable aluminum frame. I know there are folks down on aluminum because of breaks, corrosion, etc. but I've yet to hear from someone who actually had those problems.
Or I could just return home with an empty truck and contemplate what, if anything, I'll get next.
Any thoughts, input, suggestions?
Truck Campers
  • garryk6's avatar
    garryk6
    Explorer
    Dec 28, 2013
    Desertboy wrote:
    I just feel like if aluminum were so bad about cracking and breaking then we should be seeing this problem by now in all aluminum Horse Trailers and semi trailers. That's just my opinion, and could be wrong. It just stands to reason that 40 feet of 5th wheel filled with horses would do a lot more twisting and tweaking than a short stubby box riding on back of a truck. Again that's just my opinion, and Im certainly no expert on aluminum. And I don't have a Livin Lite.


    I own an all aluminum river boat, and it takes a beating and hasn't cracked. But some friends if ours bought an AlumLite travel trailer and took it down through Baja California from WA state, then on the ferry to interior Mexico, and by the time they got to family near Jalisco, the entire rear portion if the trailer was coming apart due to the welds holding the thin aluminum tubing started failing and cracking.

    I believe that the cracking issue is when you combine extreme rough roads with thin aluminum tubing, you can have some failures.

    Just my $.02

    Garry
  • Desertboy's avatar
    Desertboy
    Explorer
    Dec 28, 2013
    Sorry to hear your wife got sick Buddy, And I believe your making a good choice in campers. Later Man.
  • Makingtrax's avatar
    Makingtrax
    Explorer
    Dec 28, 2013
    Thanks guys. Your thoughts are appreciated and they match what I've been thinking too. Seems like resale would be better too.
    I've spent three days of my holiday vacation dealing with this******and I don't plan to do that again.
    I finally got everything patched up to go on what will be the last trip in this camper. It's a shame, too, because this camper was something my wife wanted to be a bit more comfortable. We bought it after making a good profit on a stock deal. She only got to take 4-5 trips in it before she got sick.
    I suppose it will be good for a fresh start in a new unit. I just wish it had come about under different circumstances.
  • Jaxom's avatar
    Jaxom
    Explorer
    Dec 27, 2013
    Makingtrax wrote:

    I'm contemplating a Livin' Lite or a Northstar 800, which I had before the Lance and would have kept if my wife hadn't wanted something a bit more upscale.

    I wish I could honestly say that Livin'Lite was an "upscale" TC, I cannot. Drawers would be nice. A bathroom sink would be nice.
    Still, I would buy another in a heartbeat, simply due to to NO WOOD, NO ROT concept. The lighter weight is certainly a bonus as well.
  • rooney77's avatar
    rooney77
    Explorer
    Dec 27, 2013
    My next camper will be aluminum framed. Not sure where the cracking idea came from. I've never seen or heard of aluminum cracking. In fact in high end rockcrawlers there are suspension links made from aluminum because they bend back to their original shape. And those links get beat on all the time.
  • ScottG's avatar
    ScottG
    Nomad
    Dec 27, 2013
    I think Will has a good point. We don't see problems with commercial rigs of that type and we don't even read much on RV.net about real failures. Even the cheaply made tt's like mine don't ever seem to have problems with the aluminum framing.
    I wouldn't hesitate to get an aluminum framed TC and in fact that's probably the only type I would buy.
  • Desertboy's avatar
    Desertboy
    Explorer
    Dec 27, 2013
    I just feel like if aluminum were so bad about cracking and breaking then we should be seeing this problem by now in all aluminum Horse Trailers and semi trailers. That's just my opinion, and could be wrong. It just stands to reason that 40 feet of 5th wheel filled with horses would do a lot more twisting and tweaking than a short stubby box riding on back of a truck. Again that's just my opinion, and Im certainly no expert on aluminum. And I don't have a Livin Lite.
  • RoyB's avatar
    RoyB
    Explorer II
    Dec 27, 2013
    I'm guessing if it has the aluminum floor you won't have to worry about wood rot any more.

    I always thought I would end with a Tc but I would never have enough room left for all the stuff I carry along on my trips. I would definitely have to pull a small util trailer behind the truck. Living out of the bed of truck is a must have storage space for us... I'm a PLAN B nut for sure...

    I also always thought the crank up tent top for the TC's was a neat idea but that probably really opens up the possibility of water getting inside...

    Seems like the damage I am seeing of late has to do with the tie down between the truck and camper. Folks like to overtightened them I think... Was a good report on here with pics last week showing where the TC frame was pulled apart due to this.

    Got to keep the wife happy with whatever you end up doing... My wife is full blown TEXAN - they all shoot first and then ask question later...

    Roy ken
  • kerry4951's avatar
    kerry4951
    Explorer
    Dec 27, 2013
    Well if you trade, out west would be the place to do it. Maybe you want to look at a Wolf Creek when you are out west. Many good reports on those.

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