Travel Trailer Construction - Exterior Identification

[DallasSteve]

A recent thread addressed the construction of travel trailers and it identified 2 basic styles of construction:

Old - wood stud, fiberglass insulation, aluminum siding
New - aluminum tubing, solid foam insulation, fiberglass skin

When I am browsing travel trailers for sale I see basically two styles of appearance as represented in this photo. Is the bottom-left trailer appearance (with the ridges on the wall) always the Old construction and the top-right (with the flat walls) always the New construction?

[rbpru]

I doubt that you can get hand hewn beams, stainless steel frames or a titanium hitch either.

There is just not enough market to justify some ideas for the mega owners or the smaller operations.

However, there are custom builders that make you one. They have shown some great custom units on the Travel Channel.

[Atlee]

The Jayco Jay Flight and Jay Flight SLX lines are wood frame and Aluminum skin.

The Jay Flights have an option of a fiberglass skin. So it can never be definitive by looking at them. One must investigate how they are made.

[hvac]

Can they? With 3 or 4 mega manufacturers left dominating the industry, I submit not many choices for the consumer. Plywood floors are a good example. We all know what happens to them when not if a leak occurs. Then add trapped moisture from belly insulation. Soft floors are the result and very difficult to repair. Airstream on down uses plywood floors. Can you order as an option marine grade? No.

[rbpru]

If the question is which construction is bigger, stronger, jumps higher, runs faster, last longer? There is no right answer.

Some people keep their TTs decades, others about 6 or 7 years. Some folks are so enamored with older units they restore them or buy retro models. New models abound every year as do new construction materials and techniques. Most of this is cost driven.

Aluminum, the so called stick and tin, as stood the test of time and is not going away any time soon. Fiberglass and other smooth sided materials have also been around for decades. Their materials allows more modern shapes and provides an easel for some fantastic art work.

Like roof materials, windows, frames, axles and other TT items, the manufacturer uses what they feel are the most appropriate for the market share they are trying to capture.

Fortunately for the TT buyer, they can pick and choose as they see fit.

[hvac]

The all metal top to bottom on ATC toyhaulers are a good place to start comparing construction methods and durability. Don't let pretty and bigger is better get into your decision process. We use ours as a travel trailer. Converted garage into a living room.

[bfast54]

azdryheat wrote:
I don't believe any builder is using wood any more. It's good that you're looking into how they're built. Many trailers are built so cheaply it's a wonder they hold together.

You are absolutely incorrect .....ALMOST all of the aluminum sided trailers ...are wood Frame construction.

I go to many RV factories

[theoldwizard1]

azrving wrote:

That's the best thing to do. Pay attention to floor materials and construction methods. SOME lightweight models will use sandwich foam which can have issues with soft spots forming.

Sadly true ! In most (all ?) cases the floor was fabricated pretty much a wall would be built. Aluminum frame, solid foam, Azdel (or similar) bonded to both sides. This is fine for a wall, but the load placed on the floor from walking on it causes the panel to flex and the bond to fail. IMHO, if a lot more aluminum tubing was used in that frame it might work ! A thicker composite (Azdel) would help a lot.

Most trailers use 3/4" plywood, just like in your house. The problem is, roof leaks can, and often do, run down the inside of the wall and then on to the floor. If the floor starts to rot, the RV will likely have to be scrapped (too expensive to remove the affected interior cabinets/appliance to replace the floor).

Only toy haulers, eggshell RVs(?) and high end Class A RV use metal floors.

[azrving]

DallasSteve wrote:
Thanks for the feedback. It appears that I'll just have to check the construction on the trailers that interest me regardless of the outside appearance.

That's the best thing to do. Pay attention to floor materials and construction methods. SOME lightweight models will use sandwich foam which can have issues with soft spots forming.

[DallasSteve]

Thanks for the feedback. It appears that I'll just have to check the construction on the trailers that interest me regardless of the outside appearance.

[TurnThePage]

And as pointed out in the other thread, it looks like Nash trailers are wood framed with fiberglass siding.

[Iraqvet05]

azdryheat wrote:
I don't believe any builder is using wood any more. It's good that you're looking into how they're built. Many trailers are built so cheaply it's a wonder they hold together.

Most still use wood frames:
2017 Jayco

2015Forrest River
2017 Puma

[Chris_Bryant]

That trailer with corrugated siding could well be fiberglass over luan, so smooth vs corrugated is not the way to determine construction.
In fact, it is aluminum, but just a heads up.

[ScottG]

They still make wood framed trailers with corrugated aluminum siding.
It's a price point.

[DallasSteve]

azrving wrote:
They still build new ones with aluminum like the lower pic.

Oh! (That's a big long Oh!)

So are you saying some trailers with aluminum frames (not wood) have the aluminum exterior with the ridges?