On the verge of buying a 1975 Trillium, but is the frame damaged? - Fiberglass RV
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Old 02-05-2018, 11:28 PM   #1
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Name: Petra
Trailer: Looking for a Trillium or Boler or any 13 foot trailer...
British Columbia
Posts: 4
On the verge of buying a 1975 Trillium, but is the frame damaged?

Why yes we are brand new to the trailer world.

I made a post in the Introductions forum to say hello on behalf of my partner and myself. We're from Vancouver BC, and seriously considering selling our Westfalia van and buying a trailer instead. We went to see a Trillium today, and there are many good things about it (stove works, for example), but there are some issues that raised red flags for us...

Lifting the seats of the dinette table, we could see that there have been some wooden "patches" affixed to the underside of the trailer. There are two that have been bolted into place on the left side. On the right, there is a section of the "floor" that is obviously uneven, as if two boards had been laid side to side; it's about an inch higher on one side than the other and there's a large bolt holding it together. This runs about two feet long and possibly longer as that was as far as we get in to look. The large bolt is close to the wheel well.

The door was also out of line with the frame and did not fit well.

We know that any 1970s trailer we buy would likely be a project and we're prepared to spend a couple of thousand on fixing it up-- but if the frame is damaged that changes the equation...

Other than what looks like some rough repairs it looks good, and the price is right. We're just afraid that the frame has been bent or worse. Any advice would be warmly received!

I have a number of pictures if that would help to diagnose the health of this Trillium-- please contact if you would like to see them.

And many, many thanks!
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Old 02-06-2018, 01:42 AM   #2
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Name: Dave
Trailer: Casita SD17 2006 "Missing Link"
California
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Welcome to the forum Petra. Dave T, the Trillium King, should be along soon with some answers for your questions. As far as the door lining up, if I remember correctly, it was the Trillium that had a mold build oops when they made the doors and the molded line didn't line up with the body line.
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Old 02-06-2018, 04:43 AM   #3
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Name: Sean
Trailer: Trillium 1300 (1975)
Vermont
Posts: 13
Quote:
Originally Posted by Borrego Dave View Post
Welcome to the forum Petra. Dave T, the Trillium King, should be along soon with some answers for your questions. As far as the door lining up, if I remember correctly, it was the Trillium that had a mold build oops when they made the doors and the molded line didn't line up with the body line.
Welcome!
We had a '72 westy for 10 years. I loved driving it, but it spent most of it's time waiting for me to fix it. It taught me a lot, but I didn't love working on it.

We've owned a '75 trillium for a few years now. It's been great. More informed answers will follow, but:
I have seeming random sheet boards as floor under the front bunk. I've had them out and all seems fine underneath. My door isoff enough to be on my to do list. It has been there since we bought the trailer. It's never leaked or popped open (or threatened to). So it's never made the too of the to do list.

I took the frame off my trailer last summer to replace the rear bumper and inspect/paint it. It is straight and sound.

I'm curious to see what others will advise.
Sean
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Old 02-06-2018, 08:48 AM   #4
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Name: kootenai girl
Trailer: 1976 Trillium 1300
British Columbia
Posts: 1,411
Welcome. Yes please post pictures in this thread as that can be very helpful for people to give their input.
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Old 02-06-2018, 09:12 AM   #5
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Name: Dave W
Trailer: Trillium 4500 - 1976, 1978, 1979, 1300 - 1977, and a 1973
Alberta
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I second kootenaigirl. We need pictures.
The floor is a BIG issue. While I have been obsessed with Trilliums for several years, I have never seen a good fix for a rotted floor on a Trillium. Any soft spots in the main floor, (not the dinette) is a reason to just walk away.
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Old 02-06-2018, 09:44 AM   #6
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Trailer: 1979 Boler1700
Maple Ridge, B.C.
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Welcome to the forum. I was looking on Vancouver craigslist lastnight and there were 2 Bolers and a Bigfoot for sale. 1 of the bolers was a project trailer but the other 2 might be worth looking into.
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Old 02-06-2018, 10:46 AM   #7
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Name: bill
Trailer: 2013 Escape 19
The Mountains of North Carolina
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Quote:
Originally Posted by David Tilston View Post
I second kootenaigirl. We need pictures.
The floor is a BIG issue. While I have been obsessed with Trilliums for several years, I have never seen a good fix for a rotted floor on a Trillium. Any soft spots in the main floor, (not the dinette) is a reason to just walk away.
This says a lot, as Dave has taken on some huge Trillium projects. If he says walk away, I'd be walking away!

I remember the parts Trillium he bought with a caved in roof. Not sure if he actually rebuilt the roof, but talk about a project. I recall him saying the floor was still good on that one.
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Old 02-06-2018, 12:20 PM   #8
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Name: Dave W
Trailer: Trillium 4500 - 1976, 1978, 1979, 1300 - 1977, and a 1973
Alberta
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Registry
A rotten floor is not very common. Trillium made some design decisions that help keep the plywood in the floor dry. The pontoons on either side help to drain water away, as long as there are holes drilled in them. and the inside fibreglass of the older 1300's are water tight, so as long as the trailer is tipped toward the door, water will drain out. This is how Humpty Dumpty survived two years with a caved in roof:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...now-61473.html
Sadly, no progress, other then holding up the roof since I bought it. So now the firbreglass is mostly back to it's original shape.

Another walk away scenario is a sagging front curb side. The hole that the door requires is a large structural weakness. You want to stand on the tongue of the trailer and look down the flat section of the roof, on the curb side. If the closet forms a high point on that flat section. the front of the trailer may be sagging. Another check is a straight edge on the floor from the front of the fridge to the door. Is the floor sagging? Not a good sign:
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...but-59274.html
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Old 02-06-2018, 12:24 PM   #9
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Name: Rob
Trailer: Bigfoot
Alberta
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Frame vs Floor

You would need to have someone look at the structural integrety of the frame as well. A bright flashlight wire brush and access to the hitch/ frame may support any rework/ repair of the floor. Where any areas beefed up or have excessive size welds applied, any visable cracks from fatigue. If any concerns identified step away or have a specialist advise. In my area a spring shop does this as well can repack or replace/ advise/ estmate on repairs. What maitenance was done, have a look at the Bearings and have a look at the suspension, any area of concern?
You may want to walk away from the deal, depending on your skill level, rebuild time and initial purchase price. I just replaced 2 rims and tires for my Bigfoot $500.00 while at it I did the bearing$ as well. A trailer buyers checklist may alert you to other areas of concern, may also provide some bargaining strength if you take the project on.

All the best, Happy Trails.
Rob
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Old 02-06-2018, 02:31 PM   #10
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Name: Dave W
Trailer: Trillium 4500 - 1976, 1978, 1979, 1300 - 1977, and a 1973
Alberta
Posts: 6,926
Registry
Ummm...... Are we cross posting? That is a bit of a no no.
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...-bc-83945.html
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Old 02-06-2018, 06:27 PM   #11
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Name: Peter
Trailer: G30 Elite Class C
British Columbia
Posts: 1,509
Quote:
Originally Posted by Petrichor View Post
Why yes we are brand new to the trailer world.

I made a post in the Introductions forum to say hello on behalf of my partner and myself. We're from Vancouver BC, and seriously considering selling our Westfalia van and buying a trailer instead. We went to see a Trillium today, and there are many good things about it (stove works, for example), but there are some issues that raised red flags for us...

Lifting the seats of the dinette table, we could see that there have been some wooden "patches" affixed to the underside of the trailer. There are two that have been bolted into place on the left side. On the right, there is a section of the "floor" that is obviously uneven, as if two boards had been laid side to side; it's about an inch higher on one side than the other and there's a large bolt holding it together. This runs about two feet long and possibly longer as that was as far as we get in to look. The large bolt is close to the wheel well.

The door was also out of line with the frame and did not fit well.

We know that any 1970s trailer we buy would likely be a project and we're prepared to spend a couple of thousand on fixing it up-- but if the frame is damaged that changes the equation...

Other than what looks like some rough repairs it looks good, and the price is right. We're just afraid that the frame has been bent or worse. Any advice would be warmly received!

I have a number of pictures if that would help to diagnose the health of this Trillium-- please contact if you would like to see them.

And many, many thanks!
hat year is your westy and how many km's or miles are on it, does it come with full cooking facilities and or Manual or automatic Transmission, how much are you going to ask also is it air cooled or water cooled?
Peter
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Old 02-07-2018, 12:43 AM   #12
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Name: Petra
Trailer: Looking for a Trillium or Boler or any 13 foot trailer...
British Columbia
Posts: 4
Quote:
Originally Posted by David Tilston View Post
Ummm...... Are we cross posting? That is a bit of a no no.
http://www.fiberglassrv.com/forums/f...-bc-83945.html
My apologies-- I was afraid that I was going out of my lane, so to speak. Very sorry, and I won't make that mistake twice.

For a quick update: We backed out of buying the Trillium. The owners had a couple of other people interested, and perhaps they have more time and more skills than we do... it was too much of a project. I'm very grateful to everyone here who helped out with answers to my questions. If it might be useful, I can still upload a picture or two?

The twist ending, however, is this: last night, when we were both browsing around a bit randomly, an ad for a '75 Boler popped up on Craigslist. First reaction: "It's raining Bolers!" and second was to arrange to see it first thing the next morning (today).

Readers, we bought it. It appears to have been beautifully maintained, everything works, and I tried the axel test with a tape measure (as seen in the Boler Buyers Guide) and the axel seems to be fine. The body was painted a couple of years ago, a lovely silver colour.

So I'm sure that I'll be around again soon, checking in with questions or etcetera and talking about our lovely new silver Boler.
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Old 02-07-2018, 01:24 AM   #13
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Name: Dave
Trailer: Casita SD17 2006 "Missing Link"
California
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Congrats Petra.....sometimes the stars do line up. Now to prove the new addition to the family you need to post a few pics
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Old 02-07-2018, 09:16 AM   #14
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Name: Dave W
Trailer: Trillium 4500 - 1976, 1978, 1979, 1300 - 1977, and a 1973
Alberta
Posts: 6,926
Registry
Yes, congrats! Enjoy your new to you trailer.

And don't worry too much about the cross posting, it happens.
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