Northern Lite - the good the bad and the ugly.

[username_taken]

We're about to buy our second truck camper, and we're leaning heavily towards the Northern Lite units. The light weight and simplicity (read: no slide) appeals to us, and we're looking for a camper that will last us well into retirement - 20 years or more.

Part of the reason we're looking is our first camper (Very large name brand in the TC world, purchased new 2015) was a good learning experience, but the engineering,quality, and attention to detail was SEVERELY lacking. So now we're looking for the very best unit we can buy.

Any feedback on the Northern Lite units? Are they as good as everybody says? Don't hold back - anything you've got to say, I want to hear it.

[covered_wagon]

Oh yeah.... using mine in the mountains during subfreezing weather caused condensation to build between the insulation board and fiberglass body thereby releasing the glue that holds the insulation board to the fiberglass roof. The escape hatch is helping to hold that piece up, but you can push on it and it wants to restick but won't.

Even though I vented the camper each day while at work and above freezing daytime temps the condensation built up so much the jacks circuit board went bad from moisture. It was soo cool to find a new circuit board for fifty bucks that was the old style corded remote. Never want the cordless.

[F350_RR]

We have owned our Ten 2000 EX RR (bathtub version) just shy of a year now. Have done short 2-3 day camping with longest trip at 3 weeks. We like the layout and overall build quality.
The dinette is spacious but uncomfortable like all the RV dinettes we have owned. I think dual use cushions are probably ok for sleeping on but not for sitting.
The Atwood furnace thermostat requires a small block of wood to make turning the stat on or off possible- the little arm is incredibly hard to move.
The AC is the noisiest we have ever owned, both inside and outside the TC. More noise and whine even than the much larger unit in a previous 30ft fiver.
The Atwood water heater would inconsistently light from day one and constantly flame out. After reading here some possible remedys I managed to fix it. The gas jet was quite mis-aligned with the burner tube creating a very turbulent flow. I think the copper gas line was "adjusted" from inside which caused it to pull the gas valve out of position. Wrestling it back into alignment and a minor shutter tweak fixed it. Since my wife likes the bathtub having gas and electric heat in the tank was important.
Had to change out the reading lights to marine lights. For reading in bed they were too bright and LED cold white in color temp. The marine lights are warmer, more hooded and easy to aim. Removing the original lights revealed a hurry up install- one screw right thru the hole carved for the wires, another one over driven and not really holding the base. Needs reading lights at the dinette.
The toilet paper location and design is for young people still capable of contortions.
The bathroom sink could be raised 18 inches and the little cabinet above the sink is a head banger- it's going to be removed and with some sort of hangers replacing it.
The top window in the door is frosted, it's clear in current models I believe. Perhaps mine can be replaced.
And I am adding USB and 12vdc outlets.

We saw our first NL in Rocky Harbour Newfoundland on our way up the Northern Peninsula at a laundromat. The couple graciously answered many questions. A fiberglass four season TC was the cat's meow as we like to be out year round. And it's much easier to travel with it on the ferries than the big 5th wheel.

[searun]

We bought our used 2008 8-11 Classic last fall. It was purchased at the original dealership that it was sold at and it looked as if it hadn't been used much at all.

We polished/waxed the fiberglass and it looks fantastic!

The only thing that we've done other than that is replace a handle that had broken on one of the Dometic windows (really like how they swing wide open!), and then we caulked all of the exterior seams.

We did a huge circle around the US from coast to coast, circumnavigated the Olympic Peninsula, then fly fished our way through B.C. and Alberta with no issues. About 11,000 miles in all.

I just winterized it this past week and bought a cover to put over it for the winter.
FYI; The carpet headliner in ours is in great condition and looks and behaves as new.

[covered_wagon]

I had a lot of troubles with my NL camper when new and had to give up the dealers warrantee as the work was sub Standard. Now it's been reliable after much perseverance and diligence.

Is something I'm used to doing all my life so is now a great feeling to see something so very gratifying and done right.

I just have to get rid of that boat carpet headliner and it will be much better.

[hedgehopper]

SidecarFlip wrote:
...always been my take that any camper with 'lite' in it's name isn't....lol

Lite compared to what? The Northern Lite models are lighter than comparable models made by anybody else.

[niknas]

I have a 9 year old 9.6 with 80,000 miles on it with 40,000 of those traveling down Baja. I don’t coddle it, no covered storage, etc. Only once a year waxing and sometime minor caulking around windows. I did have a drawer rail break a couple of years ago. Other than that no issues. I use it year around.

Cheers,
Nik

[SidecarFlip]

...always been my take that any camper with 'lite' in it's name isn't....lol

[adamis]

My first camper was a 2000 Lance that came with the truck when I bought it. I had no experience with campers before and much to my shock after the purchase had been completed, I realized it was a wood framed camper and there was lots of dry rot. I initially spent $3000 trying to fix it only to find more areas of damage. I got rid of it as quick as I could for pennies on the dollar. There was just no way I was going to be able to get that camper back to proper condition.

Because of the dryrot issues, I looked at Northernlites and Bigfoots because I wanted the Fiberglass shell. Honestly, I'm surprised that they are the only two companies making fiberglass campers as it seems the most logical choice given the exposure our campers go through.

A word of caution even with a fiberglass camper is that there still is plywood behind the fiberglass at least on Bigfoots. If you pull your fridge vent cap off, or some of the access doors, you will see the fiberglass shell and then the plywood backing and that is exposed to moisture if the air is damp. The wood is in decent shape for being 16 years old but I have it on the list to seal it with some sort of sealent. Basically, you will be better protected than other brands but you still have to stay vigiliant.

Another factor to consider is that fiberglass repair if necessary can be difficult to find. Your best options are likely going to be finding a boat shop that deals with fiberglass for a living versus an RV repair center that deals with it once in a while. Fiberglass is great but it isn't perfect, time will take it's toll. I have some cosmetic blemishes (spider cracking of the Gelcoat) I hope to have worked on over the winter as an example to consider.

[woodhog]

How do you get those ceiling liners cleaned, our camper has some kind of
cheap covering over it that we wipe down very often with general purpose kitchen cleaners. Do those fabric liners stink like stale cooked food
after a while?

[covered_wagon]

I fixed all the stuff wrong on my NL I bought new. Now a good camper, but I don't like the carpet headliner breaking down over time and sending poly dust throughout the cabin.

Run the fantastic fan to go in and open the back door when sun shines in the door. You'll see the dust from the carpet flying out. I did it after a complete headliner vacuuming and still emits dust. I don't think that poly stuff good for you.

[JRJR]

I will check it out. Thanks

[Homeless_by_Cho]

JRJR wrote:
These drawers seem to go in and out evenly, its just the last 1/2 to 1 inch of being closed that they bind up. Sorta like they were designed to tighten up when fully closed.

I still believe that the front mounts are too close together. As the drawer approaches the front mount, the side rails no longer bow out as they do when the drawer is partially or fully open. Remove the drawer above or below completely and try to wiggle the offending drawer side to side way up front. There should be a little side to side wiggle. If not, adjust the rail(s) slightly open.

LeRoy

[JRJR]

These drawers seem to go in and out evenly, its just the last 1/2 to 1 inch of being closed that they bind up. Sorta like they were designed to tighten up when fully closed.

[Homeless_by_Cho]

The design is the same as any kitchen/bathroom cabinet drawer. More than likely, the far inside (front) mounts were not properly installed. If they are too close together, they bind which causes the drawer to be hard to move in and out. If they are too far to one side, the drawer will not close on one side. Mine were OK but the ones in my house needed to be adjusted for being too tight and for only allowing one side of the drawer to be flush with the frame.

LeRoy