5er's..Aluminum framing or wood? Which is better?

[jjdiesel]

They say the aluminum is stronger and lighter but it sweats and ruins everything else around it... what do you guys think,Aluminum framing or Wood?

 

[Champane Flight]

JJ, I think they both have there plus and minus. I am going to aluminum soon and I think if built properly will outlast wood. I have an old wood frame Hitchiker,which has lasted well. It is however on its last legs(joints loosening and causeing wall movement). It has been a good trailer,it has not been babyed and has been on some rough roads. I think the trick with any trailer aluminum or wood is storing under cover of sun and elements when not in use. Direct sunlight and elements will take its toll in short order.

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95 Dodge 2500 Luverne grill guard,headache rack,running boards and Amzoiled. Soon to be mildly bombed. 84 Dodge d-150, 318 Hooker headers,Edelbrok intake,mallory ignition,Carter Afb,Accel coil,and Custom dual exhaust. Boat,fifthwheel,motorcycles,and shop,job to support toys. Yuck...

 

[Tagalong]

JJ, There are as many opinions on this topic as there are on the TDR! #ad
We've had various wood framed towables since '83 and like many out there we got into larger units over time.
I have always wanted an aluminum framed RV for its strength to take the abuse you'll give it over-the-road. I've heard all about the moisture etc. and wood framed has the same problem... only they rot. As you know ANY & ALL RV will form condensation, so the key factor is how well you VENT the unit! Especially when the RV is used in locals with temperature or humidity extremes, i. e. Fla. , winter camping, etc.
We finally purchased an aluminum framed unit (see sig. ) but this unit has a wood trussed roof. (We bought it off the floor, you can order it ALL aluminum construction. ) Personally, I prefer the aluminum for its strength and weight. It also makes for much better looking side walls. We have a brother-in-law who camped almost every weekend over the course of a year, winter and all, after about 8 years he had to get into floors and some walls. There was tremendous moisture in that unit (31') but the damage turned out to be mainly from the bath area!
The other thing I've notice about long wooden
TT's they can twist. Next time your behind a long TT (particularly the bumper hitch kind)
study the structure from the back to the front and you'll be surprised to see just how much these units bend and/or twist. I think this may occur in units over 28'. Another thing to be aware of, is cold weather camping produces tremendous amounts of moisture when an RV is lived in. Additionally, if a unit is leveled and supported at the corners a good frost heave can literally twist the unit bad enough that doors will not open or close! And it does NOT correct itself!
The key to RV longevity, wood or aluminum...
G O O D V E N T I L A T I O N !
I hope this helps?

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White 2001, 3500, Auto,3:54 (soon to be 4:10),QC,2WD,LB,34' DBL slide Cardinal 5er


[This message has been edited by Tagalong (edited 02-23-2001). ]

 

[JSchooley]

It's not so much the question of wood vs. aluminum as it is in quality. Some of fleetwoods trailers are wood, stapled together with week skin. Peterson Industries makes one of the best units on the market in the Excell line. They also are wood, but I believe vacuum bond construction.

My Sea Breaze trailer framing is sheet metal! They are the only ones using this construction. But like aircraft, most of the strength is in the skin. I think all modern trailers of high quality use vacuum bond construction and that produces a strong long life product as long as the glue and process is proper.

I don't know about the sweating problem with aluminum but if it were serious I think the high end manufacturers would either solve the problem or use another process.

Just my . 02 pesos.

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John S. '99 QC 1T 4. 11 A/T Leather Driftwood, 50 Gal aux tank/tool box, gearvendors, BD brake/autolok, BD ISB comp, guages, BD Pressure Lock and Pract. Sol. Boost Elbow.

Just a Little BOMBed and liking it a lot.

 

[jjdiesel]

I appreciate all your guys' comments. There's a lot of good experience on this TDR board... lot of guys have 'been there, done that. ' It provides a lot of useful information. Thanks for the info!

 

[Turbo Thom]

I bought the one I did partly because of the wood frame. Aluminim does sweat and it has to go somewhere. Where? The wood frame I got is as strong as the other as long as I keep it on the 4 tires. If it flips who cares? Its shot anyway. My 31 ft. fifthwheel wieghts in at 11,000 lbs. Loaded. I've seen the others wieght more. My point is I'm happy where I am.
Happy Towing.
Preston


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96 3500, Black SLT, 5 speed, turbo diesel, , with US Gear overdrive, Rhino liner, Reese 15,000 lb. fifth wheel hitch, US Gear de-celarator exhaust brake, muffler elimination kit, Amsoil lub. , Mag-hytec rear cover, dual-remote by-pass filters, and Roadmaster Active system, AutoMeter Pyro & boost, Primeloc

 

[dabubba]

JJ, I've had both wood and alum frames and grew up in them since I was a kid - I went combo- alum walls and wood roof- yes there is a little condensation during the winter but ventalation is the key and a dehumidifier will help in storage- the biggest key any rv repairman will tell you is chalking- you need to inspect the chalking on a regular schedule- water leaks from the roof and around the windows and doors will cause 90% of the water damage to your coach- my biggest sugestion is to find a floor plan you like in the price range you can afford (remember this is your vacation home so don't be CHEAP!)Also an overlooked consideration is the bathroom- check the butwipe clearance- I had a rig for many years fith too little bwc and my elbows still hurt thinking about it---- happy hunting----bub

 

[merryman]

I have no personal experience, but have had reports of rotted out floors in aluminum framed rigs----the condensation problem is not so much on the inside walls, as it is inside the walls where it runs down and wets the wood flooring. Whether its a sufficient problem to be concerned about, I don,t know.

Vaughn

 

[Big MAK]

I've heard the disadvantage of aluminum is lack of flexibility. Flex is good (properly constructed and not too extreme of course). Look at your truck when you're parked on an uneven surface. Bending is better then breaking as the saying goes. I'm sure the length is a factor. Just some thoughts. I have no idea which is actually 'better'.

 

[TowPro]

My dads Coachman MH is alumimum framed, and my 2000 Terry 5th wheel is Wood. We have been camping side by side. I have been in his and you can look down the side (inside) and see the studs have damp on the inside wall, where I don't see it on my Terry.

I looked at both Wood and Alunumum build 5ers, Honistly I bought the Terry because it was what we wanted and we could afford it.
The next step up were were looking at was a hitchhiker, but we liked what we got in the Terry better, and it was a couple $K less.

Our family has been towing wood frame RV's since the 60's and we have not had problems with any of them. I fell if any of them leak, your going to get rot, maybe not a stud but it will still distroy something else, like the floor, inside wall, etc.