Quality RV Manufacturing Features

[HBarlow]

A recent long-running thread asked members to identify quality RV brands. Several brands were mentioned and members expressed their support for their choices but few details about construction or features was provided.

I awoke too early this a. m. and while browsing on the internet ran across this post written by one of the NuWa Owner's Forum administrators listing several downloadable NuWa brochures describing contruction methods, features, and benefits of HitchHiker fifth wheels.

Available NuWa Industries, Inc. Informational Brochures (In PDF Format)

If any members are "brochure junkies" as I am, and particularly anyone who might be considering a new or newer used unit, you may find these brochures interesting reading.

 

[Grizzly]

Very impressive broachures as I expected. Actually I have their broachure and I did study it carefully before I made a selection. IMO they are as good as they can be next to the New Horizon. But if one can't afford a HH or as in my case don't want one that big and heavy, a good alternative is an Arctic Fox, with a C in the middle.



See the AF Broachure

 

[AClayton]

Brochure not broachure... ... . Grizzly,I'm just having a little fun,couldn't resist:-laf

 

[HBarlow]

Very impressive broachures as I expected. Actually I have their broachure and I did study it carefully before I made a selection. IMO they are as good as they can be next to the New Horizon. But if one can't afford a HH or as in my case don't want one that big and heavy, a good alternative is an Arctic Fox, with a C in the middle.

See the AF Broachure

Grizczly,

I got it! Put a "C" in the middle?

I agree that the Artcic Focx is a good trailer.

 

[Grizzly]

Brochure not broachure... ... . Grizzly,I'm just having a little fun,couldn't resist:-laf

You know, I went back and corrected "brochure" which was the reason why I edited my post. Don't know why it didn't take.

 

[Grizzly]

Grizczly,



I got it! Put a "C" in the middle?



I agree that the Artcic Focx is a good trailer.

Harcvey, not everything has a "C" in the middle.



On a Serious note, did you do any research on an Excel 5er?



I did some. What I found out was that on a 28' and smaller trailer, they use Lippert frames, axels and running gear. On larger then 28' they build their own 8" frame, which I believe is a C channel and they use Dexter axles. With the places we like to go to, which is the rugged mountains of northern NM and Colorado I didn't want anything larger then 24', but I settled for a 27'. All their wall frame construction is 1 1/2" wood. Nothing wrong with wood framing, except it add weight.



My point is, I wouldn't want an Excel smaller than a 28'.



PS, They also use ST China tires on 28' and smaller trailers.

 

[HBarlow]

No, I was aware of the Excel brand and think they are a good product but didn't seriously consider them. They don't seem to have a big footprint in the market.

I had been spoiled by the all-weather capability and overall high quality of a second hand Travel Supreme fiver that I owned for five years before I started shopping for a new one. I didn't want the weight or price tag of a new genuine Travel Supreme and didn't see a lot of advantage of an entry level trailer of lesser quality with a Travel Supreme label.

I got serious about HitchHikers when TDR member/writer Bill Stockard discussed his opinions of them with me. He had owned a couple of them back in the '80s - '90s and had good things to say about them.

One of the things that sold me on the HH is the vacuum bonded walls using the thick and very dense blue Dow styrofoam. I visited the factory and took the tour watching how they were constructed. I also experienced the temp differential you can feel in one on a trailer sales lot when you walk into one with no heat or air conditioning.

The Young's Welding frames used on Champagnes and some Discover America models also made an impression.

I guess many of the manufacturers are shifting over to cheap Communist Chinese ST tires. NuWa was transitioning to el cheap Chinese tires on some DA and HH II models at the time my trailer was being built. I saw a set of them on one of the new bare frames rolled into the factory on one of the many plant tours I took. I immediately e-mailed the regional sales rep that supplied the dealer I ordered my trailer from and requested American made LT tires and offered to pay the price differential.

My trailer was delivered with Uniroyal Laredo LT235/85R16 LRE tires which lasted not quite one year and maybe 16,000 towing miles. The left rear slung its tread at 65 mph on I-40 just before the Santa Rosa exit to US-84 on my way home to Lubbock. The very next morning I was at my local SAM's Club having a set of four Michelin XPS Ribs installed, which I had planned to do in another year or two anyway, and one of the tire techs who I know well pointed out a second Uniroyal that had already begun tread separation.

Michelin paid prorated replacement on two tires and paid for the trailer damage.

There are only two trailer tires I would put on a trailer I own. Michelins, preferably XPS Ribs, or BFG commerical T/As which is a subsidiary of Michelin. I wouldn't use a Chinese ST on anything faster or heavier than a lawn tractor.

 

[GAmes]

How's this for quality? RV. Net Open Roads Forum: Fifth-Wheels: Teton and Tornado

Another example that tornados are attracted to trailer parks.

 

[HBarlow]

How's this for quality? RV. Net Open Roads Forum: Fifth-Wheels: Teton and Tornado
Another example that tornados are attracted to trailer parks.

Wow! A great testimony for Teton advertising brochures. Too bad Teton is no longer. Teton probably built the best constructed all-weather full-timer fifth wheel in the industry. They were big, heavy, and expensive.

Teton and NuWa HitchHiker were the only two manufacturers in the RV industry who built their trailers with vacuum molded blue Dow styrofoam sidewalls.

Now there is one company who uses that construction method: NuWa, builder of HitchHikers.

As I posted above, NuWa's vacuum bonded dense blue Dow sidewalls and Young's Welding frames are the two primary reasons I bought a HitchHiker.

 

[Mike Ellis]

Wow, those are some NICE 5th wheels in the brochures. I wish my actual house looked half as good on the inside! :{