New to this forum and this will be my very first travel trailer. All perspectives welcomed and appreciated.. After the Tampa show, these are the 2 I like the most.. The Rep said GD uses OSB vs we use plywood and he feels that because of this, GD is less quailty.. I thought it would be best to try and ask actual Jayco owners.. Thoughts between these 2?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AxHlBhwduwQ
****VS****
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jLsoi9LtYWQ
Plywood is not higher quality compared to the proper OSB, I would take a outside rated OSB over plywood any day, its stronger (for the same thickness) way way more resistand to delamanation due to moisture, water proof resin/glues to make it, more dimentionaly stable than plywood, its cheeper, and more enviormentaly friendly. there is a reason OSB has been replaced plywood, in every part of building construction.
for me it is about finding the floor plan you can use for a long time. most of the reasons people buy new rv's is because the floor plan no longer works, weather it is because they have kids, get rid of kids or it just doesnt work like they thought it would.. take your time to figure out what you need for your situation, then look at anything besides jayco 😁 seriously though, look at the quality of the interior stuff, like the kitchan drawer construction, the trip work and cabnets..
I'm getting mixed reviews.. you say OSB, other say Plywood.. What gets me about GD is OSB, Luan, NO azdel, lippert frames while Jayco, plywood, Azdel double sided, BAL Norco frames with the huckbolts and jayco cost less than Grand Design..
The next time I check out a jayco, I'll look at the interior cabintry and drawers... however I must say, the 2 Wawa gas stations being built here, plywood was used around the building and on the roof decking... it just seems GD is using cheaper materials and charging more
ya its debatable whats better in some peoples minds, its all enginered wood, Exterior OSB is more resistant to mositure and resists delamanating better. you can get exterior grade plywood, but realy I don't think the extra cost warents it. it costs more only because it uses thin sheets of wood, not because it is superior, just a more expensive process. I guess it depends where you live on weather you see more OSB or more Plywood, if the builder gets a good deal on plywood it might be cheeper, but generaly you can go thiner with the same strength with osb over plywood, although because it costs less to start with I would be tempted to go thicker on the floor. OSB weighs more than the same thickness of plywood also so that could be a factor also a company spending a bit more to save weight at the sacrafice of water resistance and strenght. I used OSB instead of drywall to do the inside of my shop, I couldnt believe how heavy it actualy was compart to some plywood I had laying around.
Since it's your first trailer, do alot of soul searching about how you're really gonna use it and be honest with yourself about how often you're really going to be able to use it. 99% of RVs spend their life in the driveway or storage facility because people have to work, and when the weekend rolls around, there's always something to catch up on. Mine sat in my driveway for the last (3) years untouched because life often got in the way, plus somewhat of a changing lifestyle...motorcycles.
Things to think about:
What is your tow vehicle
How often will you use it, maybe an occasional weekend and 1-2 weeks over the summer
What outdoor activities do you participate in that will complement having a RV, and what will compete with it
How far will you travel. Will you be staying local or alot of cross country trips? Gas gets expensive
Will it be something you sleep in primarily, or someplace that you park and don't want to leave the confines of the trailer
Will you be primarily staying in campgrounds that have facilities (shower, bathrooms, electric) or more boondocking where you're on your own
Alot of questions to think about. Most people buy their 1st camper only to become quickly aware of what they actually needed instead of what they thought they wanted. Also, alot of times, you might not really know what features are important until you get out a couple of times and either don't have it with you, or never actually use it. We did that, so that's why were in the market again
Well, I sold my motorcycle to buy one.. I work 2 jobs.. my main is from home and PT at a electronics boutique.... my plan is to work from it at least 1-2 weeks a month, then take a week or 2 vacay during the summer and 1 during the fall..
my outdoor activties are hiking, pedal biking, exploring. my tow vehicle is a 2022 Silverado LT with the 2.7 High Output turbo 4 beater..
GD has slid alot since they were bought out by Winnebago, Jayco not so much. However, I wouldn't buy either of them personally. Look at either Northwood Mfg or Outdoors RV Mfg out of Oregon, Lance or Alliance...but nothing is perfect.
https://www.youtube.com/@undercoverrvtech
This guy has some good content and things to help you make a better purchase decision. Good Luck
All those RVs you listed are pretty darn pimp.. I watch some of Thompsons RV in Pennalton OR (spelling) and those rigs are supper nice.. I like the alliance and the lance as well and would love to own a Nash from NW MFG but I have to be real.. I'm broke and on a tight budget(Thx Joe) and those rigs are just way out of my prince range and I live the Southeast and Outdoors and NW aren't available in my area.
I respect your opinion that you wouldn't buy either, but if you were force to choose which would you pick?
According to Joe, the economy is doing great and we're all wrong and that we should be thankful that he has brought inflation down from the 9% when he took the reigns. HAHAHA. I wouldn't but any of them to be honest. We're casually looking, and this is what we've been most impressed with so far. Not the biggest or flashiest by far, but probably one of the best built ones on the market now.
https://www.opuscamper.us/op-15/
No personal preference here but some advice. First, look at the frame height. That will tell you how rigid the trailer will be. A 4" frame is fine for a single axle but awful for two axles due to flex. Whatever you end up with, make sure you get and take a video of the pre delivery inspection. No question is silly and if the person giving the pdi won't/can't answer a question, do not proceed with the inspection until someone can give you an answer. It would also be helpful if you had someone who was familiar with travel trailers along with you for the pdi.
Be aware that perfect trailers right out of the factory are as rare as hens teeth. A good prep crew will take care of issues before you get there but there will always be something either at the pdi or after. Minor issues after delivery are best when done by you as even something minor like a bad shade can put your unit on a dealers lot for months at a time. This is one hobby that can make a handyperson out of you or use your skills to do better than the designers.
Some info on OSB: it is used in most high end homes due to the inherent stability.
Never let the small stuff ruin a trip.
I appreciate your response. but how do I tell the frame height? it doesn't say on either MFGs website.. I do know that the jayco has the BAL A frame with huckbolts from Norco vs the GD has the welded frame from lippert, but I'm weary of Lippert with all the frame flex issues GD is having right now..
I can appreciate the engineering lesson given to you but the RV industry does not use exotic or high strength materials in their frames. Yes, a box beam can be built strong enough to attach aircraft wings to but we are talking about building as cheaply as possible. That precludes exotic materials being used.
I have had three trailers: one with a 4" frame which did ok but lots of things needed to be resecured due to flexing. The 5" frame was actually the most rigid as it had an "I" beam with 1/4" material all around but was very heavy for the size and the current unit has a 6" "I" beam that is about 3/16" thick and is very rigid without adding a lot of weight. I have no experience with Huck fastened frames but they have been used on frames for semis for many years.
The height of the frame (I.e.: the web of the beam) is not the sole determining factor for the strength of the frame. The flexural strength of the beam (section modulus) is determined by several factors, depth of the web being only one such factor. I can make a 2-inch webbed beam with a higher section modulus than a 6-inch webbed beam, by easily changing one of several factors which could include thickness, steel strength, shape of the section, cutouts, etc.. The thing is, you could easily by fooled by a manufacturer by looks alone without knowing which one actually has the higher section modulus. And good luck trying to find that little nugget of information.
this is soo above my paygrade..
