soren wrote:
joshuajim wrote:
From a structural standpoint fewer windows means greater shear value from the walls. This COULD result in reducing the main frame.
As a homebuilder, designer and having a bit of engineering knowledge, I would say you are 100% correct, except.........You would pass out if you saw some of the design and construction hidden in trailer walls.
The brochure says, "welded aluminum square tube stud construction" and then you tour the plant, and watch a guy carry a structural side wall from the pile of them to the laminating table. No headers over smaller openings, a "stud" every 36", no backer for the substrate sheet, and a 26' long wall that he is carrying with one hand. The only reason it's not built lighter, and with less material, is that they are simply out of corners to cut. They need something to define the perimeter, and to screw the doors, floor and roof to. The average RV owner is under the misconception that the structure of the rig they own is FAR more substantial that it actually is. They think they own a lunch pail, but they really have a nicely decorated paper bag.
Man if that isn't the truth. I have been trough Jaycos factory in Middlebury, Rockwoods in Millersburg, A few other Forest River plants, Grand Designs plant, and a couple of Keystone plants in Goshen. They're all the same just as you describe. That entire wall is then attached to the frame / floor with nothing more than half a dozen or so 5/16" bolts through the bottom plate, into some 14 gauge stamped outriggers.
Most people, if they had a little construction or engineering knowledge, would never buy one of these POS's if they take one of those factory tours. The best was the Forest River plant we visited that housed a cabinetry shop. They made cabinet frames and doors for multiple divisions. The amount of garbage fiberboard being used was amazing. What is advertised as wood cabinetry is actually wood door panels and styles made from scrap/by product/cutoff hardwood glued back together into boards. The rest, such as the cabinet frame itself is fiberboard laminated with 1/8 plywood, wrapped in vinyl. But hey, its glued and screwed lol.
