Lance frames

[Steve_911]

Does anyone have knowledge or experience of the frames Lance is now using?
I have been looking at a 2014 Lance 1995, and have been crawling all around under that TT. I'm very worried about the longevity and reliability of that frame. I understand about the desire for light weight but I can't help to feel this frame is going to flex a lot with all those cut-outs in the frame. And I wonder if the integrity is compromised.
If there is an issue with that kind of frame I would like to know before I purchase.
Any info, good or bad, would be much appreciated.
Thank you in advance..

[Huntindog]

This looks to me to along the designs of unibody cars.... Nothing wrong with that, as long as it is designed properly....But here is the rub. One has to pretty much accept such a TT as a whole, as many of the mods that a lot of us like to do will most certainly cause problems in a TT with this design.
So for someone who is not a modifier, or likes it as it comes from the factory... It will likely do fine.

[jmtandem]

Lance didn't make Travel Trailers 10 years ago. They only started making TT's since 2009!

WoodGlue

Lance made fifth wheels years ago. They have frames.

[bmj11]

I have a Lance 1575 and I am happy . Peoples who talk about flexing U beam do not understand how U beam work. Also many west coast owners of Lance are Boondocking , on all kind of roads . Never read any issue about the frame.
And the Lance Ownrers of America forum (LOA) do have many owners of Lance TT.

[wmoses]

myredracer wrote:
I think it is a good frame. There is almost zero welding on it and it uses huck bolts instead.

Is there an alleged problem with welded joints on these frames?

[brulaz]

Steve 911 wrote:
Thanks Steve
It's possible I would take my new TT off paved road at some point, so I'm thinking, if all other things being equal, I would opt. For a stronger frame, like what I have seen on the Nash 23 D.
Steve

Funny how those of us concerned about weak frames and off-road traveling, often end up with a Northwood frame.

[Steve_911]

Thanks Steve
It's possible I would take my new TT off paved road at some point, so I'm thinking, if all other things being equal, I would opt. For a stronger frame, like what I have seen on the Nash 23 D.
Steve

[WoodGlue]

SooperDaddy in another thread wrote:
Every time you see long train on the railroad tracks pulling tons and tons of freight down the tracks on the railway cars, transport trailers, auto transport trailers and boxcards...virtually every one of those trailers are made with huck bolted frames. Stronger than welded, simpler to build and much lighter

WoodGlue

[SteveAE]

Steve,

When I was looking at trailers about four years ago, I was also concerned about the Lance frame. So I mentioned this concern to a competing manufacture when I toured their factory and they sad "follow us". They took us out to their bone yard where there was the exact frame that was on the Lance trailers at the time. Without decking on the frame, it was easy to twist the frame in my hands. Since I anticipated using the trailer on unpaved roads, it was an easy decision for me to not get any trailer that used that type of frame. Yes, the frame will stiffen up considerably when it has a deck on it, but, IMO, the frame is the most important part of any trailer and I was not willing to skimp on it.
Perhaps their frames have been improved in the past four years. I don't know. But if I was to do it again and the frame was still that "wimpy", I would make the same choice.

Hope this helps,
Steve

p.s.; I apologize to all the Lance owners out there as I know you are likely happy with your unit and don't want to hear of possible frame issues. But this was my experience and the engineer in me just wouldn't let me compromise on this aspect of a very expensive purchase.

[Steve_911]

Thanks for your valuable opinions...I appreciate them..

[WoodGlue]

Lance didn't make Travel Trailers 10 years ago. They only started making TT's since 2009!

WoodGlue

[brulaz]

These types of BAL/Norco frames had issues with flexing and breaking years ago in Kodiak, Aerolite, Jayco, as discussed on this forum. But IIRC that was with trailers longer than 28'. Since then some manufacturers no longer use them (Kodiak) or just use them on trailers 28' or less (Jayco).

We looked at the largest Lance trailer which is about 28' long and has a very wide slide-out. I was concerned that the flexing especially with that big a cut-out in the shell.

But I think the shorter Lance's would be fine. Jayco still uses these frames in their lighter, shorter trailers and I haven't heard of any problems recently.

It's also possible that BAL/Norco has modified their design since the earlier failures, I dunno.

[myredracer]

I think it is a good frame. There is almost zero welding on it and it uses huck bolts instead. You can't weld anything to it. I seem to recall some restrictions or cautions to do with installing a WDH.

Bal/Norco Ultraframe

Jayco is using the frame but it does not have openings in the beams like the Lance ones do. It has been used on a few other makes and models in the past but I've only seen it on Lance and Jayco TTs at RV shows in the past couple of years.

There were problems with this frame about 10 years ago but I can't find any more recent reports of issues. You might want to go to the Lance forum and either search or ask. Perhaps looking at the Jayco frames to see how they differ would help.

[wmoses]

Properly designed and built cutouts in the webs of structural members are not an issue if the members were adequately designed for the loads the manufacturer decides to specify. Aircraft structural sections are full of lightening holes and they work just fine.

You should also note that the box of an RV provides strenght to the unit as a whole and reduces the flexure in the frame. It is the flexure that causes failure.

[Highway_4x4]

I do not own now and never have owned a Lance. But if I wanted to go lighter and they had the floorplan I liked, they would be on my short list. Where is Wood Glue on this one?