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Old 07-28-2017, 07:24 AM   #281
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Originally Posted by Ken C View Post
Some have posted dryrot. You can get a non wood floor in Livin' Lite, Oliver, Happier Camper, Snoozy, Parkliner, airstream Nest, and armadillotrialers.net

You can hand flush with a jug of RV antifreeze Lynn, and not use the 12V water pump.
Which trailer is that a picture of, Ken? I'm almost positive it's not a Casita...
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Old 07-28-2017, 08:13 AM   #282
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Originally Posted by Perryb67 View Post
As far as Casita's having rotten floors, ALL campers with any kind of wood floor WILL rot if you don't catch leaks.
Not if the floor is encased, and your design allows water to drain without affecting the floor. The material used for the floor isn't really the problem (except perhaps when a manufacturer uses cheap OSB in an RV), the design is.
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Originally Posted by Perryb67 View Post
I looked at a three year old 13' Deluxe Scamp this spring that looked like it was at least 20 years old. You could see where water had sat in numerous places. That's not Scamps fault, that's the owners.
Not exactly. Why would a trailer that is only 3 years old leak like that? Design and build quality DO enter the picture, and that's on the manufacturer -unless the owners didn't care at all and left the windows open in the rain or something like that.
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Old 07-28-2017, 08:44 AM   #283
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Originally Posted by rbryan View Post
Why would a trailer that is only 3 years old leak like that? Design and build quality DO enter the picture, and that's on the manufacturer -unless the owners didn't care at all and left the windows open in the rain or something like that.
One winter without winterization plus ignore leaks = floor damage. I have friends who have never winterized their trailer because it doesn't have a fresh water tank. Well it still has a sink and p trap and it has a city water connection to the sink faucet. All of that freezes if not winterized. Needless to say they now have issues.
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Old 07-28-2017, 08:49 AM   #284
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Originally Posted by thrifty bill View Post
One winter without winterization plus ignore leaks = floor damage. I have friends who have never winterized their trailer because it doesn't have a fresh water tank. Well it still has a sink and p trap and it has a city water connection to the sink faucet. All of that freezes if not winterized. Needless to say they now have issues.
Right, but that's a case of obvious neglect. My comment was more along the lines that there should be no reason why a relatively new trailer should leak.
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Old 07-28-2017, 09:00 AM   #285
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I would disagree somewhat, Robert. Fully encased floors can rot. Screw holes, cracks, and other openings can create openings for water to enter. Once in, there's no way out. I have seen threads in which owners of fully encased floors had to deal with rotten plywood or OSB inside.

For the most part these are older trailers, so I'd say encasing does in general make the floor less vulnerable to short-term exposure to water, such as a burst pipe or unexpected leak. However it can also hide long-term exposure so that by the time you detect a soft spot, the wood inside is mush. Once it gets that far, repair of a fully encased floor is more complex. And, of course, it adds weight and cost.

Bottom line... no design is perfect. I'll venture to say that's true even of those that have no wood at all. They are all fairly new designs, so whatever issues might afflict Olivers, Happier Campers, etc. won't be known for another 20-30 years.

As to a 3-year-old Scamp with water damage, there is not enough information here to assign blame. Sad, though. Sometimes life happens- illness, death, job change- and a trailer just sits for a number of years. Scary how fast any man-made object falls apart when unattended and uncared for.
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Old 07-28-2017, 09:22 AM   #286
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Right, but that's a case of obvious neglect. My comment was more along the lines that there should be no reason why a relatively new trailer should leak.
Ain't that the truth. Unfortunately my new Trillium leaked at the belly band. Poor craftsmanship sealing the seam. Repair was an adventure . My encased floor is still intact so I can only assume none of the water got in there. Because it is encased there is no way to dry it out. In the storage holds where the plywood is exposed I recently removed the plastic mats after finding dampness underneath.
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Old 07-28-2017, 09:34 AM   #287
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Perry, how in the world can you camp in a Casita in sub-freezing weather without the pipes and tanks freezing? It's not an all-season trailer. Or do you winterize and then not use the Casita's plumbing
Your answer was in your last sentence. Our Scamp was winterized and our 2007 Spirit SD Casita had no fresh, grey or black tanks, or heater (we carried a 1500W oil heater). You'd be surprised at the number of campers who camp until they close the campgrounds because they don't plow the snow in winter.

Enjoy,

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Old 07-28-2017, 09:49 AM   #288
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Originally Posted by rbryan View Post
Not if the floor is encased, and your design allows water to drain without affecting the floor. The material used for the floor isn't really the problem (except perhaps when a manufacturer uses cheap OSB in an RV), the design is.

Not exactly. Why would a trailer that is only 3 years old leak like that? Design and build quality DO enter the picture, and that's on the manufacturer -unless the owners didn't care at all and left the windows open in the rain or something like that.
The Scamp Deluxe had a sink drain leak that I temporarily fixed by merely grabbing the nut and tightening, and the toilet had a pipe that dripped but appeared to be tight, plus it looked like the vent was left open. All campers can vibrate and cause leaks. NONE are immune from those problems, even Olivers, for example. I've never been so lucky as to buy a new camper, and over 30 years of used I've learned to check each fitting every year. I've seen many leaky sink drains.

While I agree there are some poor designs, the major problem is lack of upkeep by the owners. Show me a 100% correctly designed and assembled camper and we'll finally buy our first new camper.

Quote:
Originally Posted by rbryan View Post
Right, but that's a case of obvious neglect. My comment was more along the lines that there should be no reason why a relatively new trailer should leak.
Read my last sentence above.



Enjoy,

Perry
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Old 07-28-2017, 09:56 AM   #289
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Perry, I think we are saying the same thing in a different way. I'm talking about manufacturing defects or bad design - not things that can break or leak over time due to lack of maintenance.
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Old 08-03-2017, 11:27 PM   #290
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Go Big or go home ...I mean Bigfoot

we all have biases and those that say they don't have any are trying to sell you something. We've enjoyed the Bigfoot trailer first as the 17.5' single axle and now the 21' dual axle. The small 17.5 is solid, its large, it tows well (if you have a proper TV and I'm confident the Sprinter you have will do it). The only negative was the couch bed. I had to climb over my wife for my nightly trip to the can. Then grandkids started showing up like four of them. So we moved up to a 21'. These are built in British Columbia and with the US dollar still strong you can pick a good used one if you can find one. We sold the 17.5' to folks who were looking for 2 years. Check out their dealers in BC. The re-sale value is amazing on a well kept Bigfoot. The dealer in Abbotsford BC on the border with Sumas WA is Getaway RV and they seem to have good inventory of new ones. Not cheap but I say buy quality and cry once!
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Old 09-01-2017, 08:43 PM   #291
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Fiberglass under freezing conditions

...In the continuation of the topic about using Scamp under low temperature conditions...
How fiberglass is "doing" if it is -35C and even lower (I am from Canada) - it is not cracking?
Thank you in advance for answers. :-)
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Old 09-18-2017, 08:51 AM   #292
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After veering off for the summer and looking at T@B's, the LGMax, and then a 16' Airstream Sport we are back with the 18.5' Oliver. Seems the only trailer that will perform to our needs. We watched a youtube video starring the couple with the LEII and George was complaining a little bit about the Andersen No-Sway Hitch system. He says it is very hard to hook up to if the TV and trailer are not perfectly aligned. He does not think he even needs it now that they have logged so many miles. Anyone have any advice to share?

Also, what about the inverter? I understand they are very important to have. True?

What about the factory solar package vs a mobile one? Some sales consultants believe having a mobile solar suitcase is better so you can park your trailer in the shade.

My brother wants me to get a Netgear WiFi extender N600 in lieu of Oliver's WiFi booster. What do you think?

Any other helpful experiences you can share with us would be appreciated. Getting ready to pull the trigger.
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Old 09-18-2017, 10:19 AM   #293
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rogue,

There has been a lot of discussion about the Anderson hitch. I got one as part of the deal with my used Oliver LE2, but have never used it.
It seems people just assume they need one and so they order it with their new trailer and then they find out it is a hassle, has some design problems and can even cause instability.
I have never heard of anyone having stability problems with an Oliver while towing without a sway control system. They are extremely stable. Meanwhile, Anderson has been replacing the friction piece over and over but can't get it right.

My trailer did not have the inverter option, but I like them and will be installing one. In the mean time, I use the small inverter in my truck to charge my computer and phone, or I have a cigarette lighter inverter that does the same thing in the trailer and can run a DVD player too. A large one that can run a power tool or the microwave is very handy.

I personally don't like the rooftop factory solar. It needs to be kept clean, the orientation is never quite right, it adds more weight and wind resistance aloft and it requires parking in the sun.

Don't know how much value you'd get from a WIfi booster, but a cell booster seems like a good idea. I wish mine had one and I'm looking into it.
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Old 09-18-2017, 11:10 AM   #294
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Originally Posted by Raspy View Post
rogue,

There has been a lot of discussion about the Anderson hitch. I got one as part of the deal with my used Oliver LE2, but have never used it.
It seems people just assume they need one and so they order it with their new trailer and then they find out it is a hassle, has some design problems and can even cause instability.
I have never heard of anyone having stability problems with an Oliver while towing without a sway control system. They are extremely stable. Meanwhile, Anderson has been replacing the friction piece over and over but can't get it right.

My trailer did not have the inverter option, but I like them and will be installing one. In the mean time, I use the small inverter in my truck to charge my computer and phone, or I have a cigarette lighter inverter that does the same thing in the trailer and can run a DVD player too. A large one that can run a power tool or the microwave is very handy.

I personally don't like the rooftop factory solar. It needs to be kept clean, the orientation is never quite right, it adds more weight and wind resistance aloft and it requires parking in the sun.

Don't know how much value you'd get from a WIfi booster, but a cell booster seems like a good idea. I wish mine had one and I'm looking into it.
Definitely gonna do the inverter, cancel the WiFi booster, and cancel the rooftop solar based on your suggestion and this sales consultant for Airstream who made complete sense to me when talking about the advantages of a solar suitcase. If I can add an Andersen no-sway hitch later then perhaps I will try first without one. You are a big help. Thanks.
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Old 09-18-2017, 12:06 PM   #295
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Quote:
Originally Posted by roguebooks View Post
After veering off for the summer and looking at T@B's, the LGMax, and then a 16' Airstream Sport we are back with the 18.5' Oliver. Seems the only trailer that will perform to our needs. We watched a youtube video starring the couple with the LEII and George was complaining a little bit about the Andersen No-Sway Hitch system. He says it is very hard to hook up to if the TV and trailer are not perfectly aligned. He does not think he even needs it now that they have logged so many miles. Anyone have any advice to share?

Also, what about the inverter? I understand they are very important to have. True?

What about the factory solar package vs a mobile one? Some sales consultants believe having a mobile solar suitcase is better so you can park your trailer in the shade.

My brother wants me to get a Netgear WiFi extender N600 in lieu of Oliver's WiFi booster. What do you think?

Any other helpful experiences you can share with us would be appreciated. Getting ready to pull the trigger.
I'm glad I'm not the only one having difficulties with the big decision! It seems that every fiberglass trailer I like would necessitate my making some mods in my garage door. I live in a neighborhood with a HOA so can't leave a trailer in the driveway. The door is only 7' tall and I'd have to spend that much more money to increase the height! Don't mean to get off the topic but...I saw a Safari Alto, with a roof that can be raised and lowered, yesterday. It's not fiberglass but it will fit in my garage and it seems perfect for me. I'll take a few more weeks to think about it but the Alto may be the one.
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Old 09-18-2017, 04:46 PM   #296
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That 'Alto' is pretty cool. Can you get in and use it when the roof is down? We've found that awfully handy for stops on the road, just for lunch or a nap.

/Mr Lynn
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Old 09-18-2017, 05:06 PM   #297
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That 'Alto' is pretty cool. Can you get in and use it when the roof is down? We've found that awfully handy for stops on the road, just for lunch or a nap.

/Mr Lynn
Yes, as long as you can either stand up or stoop. You can sleep, have coffee, take a little break! However, it's as easy as a car's convertible top to raise. It's a cross between a teardrop and a small Airstream (but no rivets!). Really nice.
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Old 09-18-2017, 11:20 PM   #298
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Originally Posted by roguebooks View Post
If I can add an Andersen no-sway hitch later then perhaps I will try first without one. You are a big help. Thanks.
The Anderson hitch can be added anytime. No modifications are needed.
What is your tow vehicle?
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Old 09-19-2017, 03:48 AM   #299
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The Anderson hitch can be added anytime. No modifications are needed.
What is your tow vehicle?
Tacoma TRD Sport 4x4
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Old 09-19-2017, 04:31 PM   #300
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I'm glad I'm not the only one having difficulties with the big decision! It seems that every fiberglass trailer I like would necessitate my making some mods in my garage door. I live in a neighborhood with a HOA so can't leave a trailer in the driveway. The door is only 7' tall and I'd have to spend that much more money to increase the height!
You've probably already checked on yours, but my first reaction on hearing that someone can't park a trailer in their driveway because of an HOA and instead will raise the height of their garage door is to wonder if that modification to the exterior of the house would be permitted in that HOA. When they start writing "appearance code" they can get fussy.
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