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Old 07-29-2014, 08:24 AM   #1
Bulletman
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Bullet Roof

Just thought of something, I never asked the dealer if my Bullet roof is meant to be 'walkable". I was on it on Sunday to sweep off my slide and it seemed a little flexible. I walked the trusses but now wondering if it is intended to be walked on...?
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Old 07-29-2014, 02:13 PM   #2
Dave in Va
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I'm pretty sure it's OK to to walk on it, just don't do any square dancing up there. When I installed the fans in our last TT, I laid a padded piece of plywood on the roof. I've got Vortex fans coming for the new TT for the bath and to add one to the vent in the center of the coach. The vents don't have to be removed to install...
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Old 07-29-2014, 03:43 PM   #3
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Angry

Talked to a factory rep today and the roof on my Bullet is not walkable. They said to use plywood laid across the trusses if I have to get up there and said to make sure to place something soft on the underside of the plywood. I'm not happy. Makes me wonder just how flimsy my investment is.
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Old 07-31-2014, 04:44 AM   #4
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bulletman View Post
Talked to a factory rep today and the roof on my Bullet is not walkable. They said to use plywood laid across the trusses if I have to get up there and said to make sure to place something soft on the underside of the plywood. I'm not happy. Makes me wonder just how flimsy my investment is.
Remove the roof vent and check out the roof trusses. They don't look much heavier than aluminum drywall studs. I was kinda surprised... I'm gonna see what the dealer says. It might be CYA from the factory.
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Old 07-31-2014, 05:40 AM   #5
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Bulletman View Post
Talked to a factory rep today and the roof on my Bullet is not walkable. They said to use plywood laid across the trusses if I have to get up there and said to make sure to place something soft on the underside of the plywood. I'm not happy. Makes me wonder just how flimsy my investment is.
The Bullet is listed and advertised as an "ULTRA-LITE" travel trailer. That's even "lighter" (read: thinner materials) than the "light weight" travel trailers. There's a "fine line" between cutting out weight and compromising durability.

Just as a comparison, the Outback 316RL is 35'6" and has a shipping weight of 7560 lbs, the Bullet 310BHS is also 35'6" and has a shipping weight of 5965 lbs. The Bullet is 1600 lbs lighter. You can't reduce that much weight in the same length trailer without making things thinner. The frame rails, size of propane tanks, thickness of floor and roof decking, thickness of carpet and padding, density of cushions and many other materials used in the Bullet are much "lighter" than in the Outback. To reduce the weight, something has to "go by the wayside".

"Back in the days of heavy trailers" it wasn't uncommon to have 5/8" plywood roof decking covered with zinc coated tin. Today's "ultra-lites" are pushing the envelope in the weight category. With the current build standards, 3/8" OSB is the "norm" for "regular weight" trailers and even thinner materials are being used for "light weight" and "ultra-light" models.

It's no wonder, with such thin materials that the manufacturer would suggest not walking on the roof without some kind of "compromise" such as plywood squares to help distribute the weight. Some manufacturers are imposing restrictions of "no walking" on roofs of their models. As things get lighter (and thinner) I'd expect to see even more restrictions from all the manufacturers.

Ever looked at the "frame cut out holes" in some frame rails? It will really make you wonder if the frame can even support the trailer with so much metal "missing".....
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Old 07-31-2014, 01:26 PM   #6
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I understand what you mean about the ultra light. I've got a padded piece of plywood that I used when I got on the roof of the other TT. It makes me glad that I ordered the Vortex fan replacements, so I don't have to get up on the roof to remove what's already there.
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Old 07-31-2014, 03:08 PM   #7
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Dave,

Have you installed and used the Heng's Vortex fan inserts in the past? If not, I'd urge you to only install one, and listen to it to see if you'll be satisfied with the noise. I bought two for our Springdale, installed one in the bathroom and it was much too loud for us. I took it out, reinstalled the little fan that came with the trailer and took them back to CW, bought a Fantastic 4000 (3 speed reversible) with none of the "fancy stuff" on it. It was significantly less noisy and the DW was much happier.

You may be satisfied with the Vortex inserts, but maybe not... Just letting you know my findings when I bought mine.

Good Luck.
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Old 07-31-2014, 04:31 PM   #8
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Thanks for the heads up, John. I did 3 Fantastic Fans in our other TT, and it was quite a job.
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Old 07-31-2014, 06:26 PM   #9
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I do understand that with ultralight comes some sacrifice in durability. I am just a little disappointed in the industry as a whole and what is acceptable for fit and finish, and durability in TT's that are costing $20,000 dollars and up.

I looked at a Jayco Whitehawk today as that was my first choice before deciding on the Bullet. I must say the fit and finish was no better or worse and the Jayco in a similar size and layout was abut $5,000 more. This made me feel a lot better about my Bullet purchase.

I was suffering from a small case of buyers remorse but now I'm getting over it. I am just po'd the dealer never did tell me the roof is not walkable. My other much cheaper aluminum sided camper had a walkable roof and i inspected it several times a season.

I will survive and the Bullet is defiantly growing on me.
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Old 07-31-2014, 06:56 PM   #10
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Originally Posted by Bulletman View Post
.... My other much cheaper aluminum sided camper had a walkable roof and i inspected it several times a season.

I will survive and the Bullet is defiantly growing on me.
It's difficult to compare previous trailers to current trailers. In the military we used to say that no installation is as good as the one you just left and none will be better than the one you're going to..... The grass is always greener ????

I well remember our 1972 Jayco. We used to go to football games (before the Broncos had a stadium) and sit on the sidelines to watch the game. 8 of us would carry lawn chairs and a cooler of beer up on the roof of our Jayco.... I wouldn't dare do that with any of today's models be they "entry level" or "the best built in the industry"......


Like you, when the tree "got our Springdale" I went looking. We looked at everything from Grand Rapids to Marquette and nothing we saw compared to Keystone. A lot of the competition looked really nicer, but when you pull the cushion off the dinette, you could see the "rushed construction"...

Our Cougar does what we expect of it and does it well. It's livable for a month or two at a time without constant maintenance and is comfortable, much more comfortable than our "luxury Airstream or Holdiay Rambler". Of course a lot has changed in the past 30 years to make today's models "more livable".

Maybe giving up a walkable roof to get the interior amenities is a justified tradeoff.....
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Old 08-01-2014, 05:24 AM   #11
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Maybe giving up a walkable roof to get the interior amenities is a justified tradeoff.....

That is really the heart of the matter..... No other trailer gave us the space of our bullet in a 23.5 foot box or the the xtra little features.
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Old 08-01-2014, 05:13 PM   #12
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Just thought of something, I never asked the dealer if my Bullet roof is meant to be 'walkable". I was on it on Sunday to sweep off my slide and it seemed a little flexible. I walked the trusses but now wondering if it is intended to be walked on...?
Bullet / passport ultra lite roofs are not walkable.
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Old 08-01-2014, 07:35 PM   #13
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One of the first things I noticed when we got our Bullet was no ladder. It's that way for a reason as you have found out. Most work can be carried out from a ladder on the side and reaching over the roof like washing and installing a roof vent cover. Otherwise the padded plywood works.
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Old 08-05-2014, 09:57 PM   #14
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We had wondered why the Bullet and many lite trailers didn't have ladders on them. Found out it is because the roof is not meant to be walked on.


Thanks for the advice on what to do if we ever need to get up there. Enjoy your Bullet. We really love ours.
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Old 09-15-2014, 11:31 AM   #15
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Bullet / passport ultra lite roofs are not walkable.
Is the Bullet Premier roof constructed differently?
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