Quote:
Originally Posted by Capt Don
I don't believe we will ever see one. With the lack quality I am starting to find (and repair myself) If they cared they would simply do a better job to start with. I understand Cost of product vs price sold... but some of these short sighted engineering is gonna get some people killed. And in fairness from what I read on other sights it is industry wide.... gggeeezzzzzz !!!!
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It is an "industry wide problem". I was looking at a GD Reflection fifth wheel yesterday. The front passthrough doors are cut "lower than the top of the frame rails" to give a "bit more clearance and space" There is a plastic liner at the bottom of those cutouts. It appears sealed to the frame and the "J-wrap" and looks to be "water resistant". HOWEVER: If you push on the "plastic floor" with 2 fingers, it flexes and you can feel that "single layer floor" by putting your other hand under the "J-wrap". It's a "single layer plastic floor" about 1/16" thick. Put a 30 pound tool pouch in that area, "bounce down any interstate in America" and you'll be backtracking to find your tools.
Cougar, on the other hand, uses a solid floor over the outriggers in that area. Cougar, however, has elected to discontinue the "roof edge molding" located under the TPO that transitioned the OSB roof decking to the sidewall. That molding "rounded the edges" to prevent sharp edges from cutting the EPDM membrane. With TPO, apparently Keystone determined there's not enough "problem with cut roof membrane" to continue using the roof edge molding.
So, every RV manufacturer "takes weight reduction steps", some on the roof, some in the passthrough, some in other areas, but they ALL are building trailers "at the bare minimum" not "at with significant reserve strength".....