Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Keystone RV Forums > Keystone Tech Forums > Keystone Questions
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 08-31-2014, 05:04 PM   #1
JRTJH
Site Team
 
JRTJH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,846
Plant tour

Several members have commented about how their RV was built and/or wondered how things were assembled. Some people have a misconception that their RV is built like their house. That's not quite how it goes. Here is a little of the tour we took of the Cougar fifth wheel assembly line this past May.

If anyone is interested in visiting the plant, I'd strongly urge you, if in the area, to contact Keystone Customer Service through their website and find out if they have a tour that will fit into your schedule. Even if it's not the specific brand that you own, they all are pretty much built the same way with some "brand specific" differences.

Anyway, it all starts outside "in the storage lot" with stacks of frames, pallets of wheel/tire assemblies and mountains of axles, holding tanks, side wall frames and miscellaneous "stuff". It all comes together rather quickly as each plant produces an RV in about a 3 or 4 day time frame, depending on the model. Here are a few pictures of where "it all begins" Frames, axles, tires, sidewalls and the parts to build the slide and cover the rear wall.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	FRAMES.jpg
Views:	302
Size:	92.3 KB
ID:	6948   Click image for larger version

Name:	TIRES.jpg
Views:	286
Size:	94.3 KB
ID:	6949   Click image for larger version

Name:	AXLES.jpg
Views:	278
Size:	96.2 KB
ID:	6950   Click image for larger version

Name:	SIDEWALLS.jpg
Views:	281
Size:	87.6 KB
ID:	6951   Click image for larger version

Name:	SLIDES.jpg
Views:	289
Size:	94.7 KB
ID:	6952  

__________________
John



2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
JRTJH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2014, 04:28 AM   #2
Dave in Va
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: SW Virginia USA
Posts: 58
Very interesting. I'm gonna do the tour next time we're close. So it takes 3 or 4 days to complete an individual unit? How many are on the assembly line at one time?
__________________
2014 Bullet 251RBS
2013 Silverado Ext Cab 4x4 5.3/3.42

"Knowledge is good" -- Emil Faber

MM2 USN 1970-75
USS Canisteo AO-99
USS Miller DE-1091 -- The Champagne of Ships

Dave in Va is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2014, 05:25 AM   #3
JRTJH
Site Team
 
JRTJH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,846
In the various stages of completion, it looks like about 12 or 14 are in the assembly line at any given time.
__________________
John



2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
JRTJH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2014, 09:46 AM   #4
ncgrl1
Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: Hudson, N.C.
Posts: 72
Got any more pics?
__________________
2018 Ram 1500 Limited
2018 Cougar Half-Ton 24RBS
ncgrl1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2014, 10:26 AM   #5
86GT2r
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: N. Illinois
Posts: 166
When we visited the Fuzion assembly tour last summer, they wouldn't let me take pictures.
__________________
Andy & Iacie G.
2017 Impact 361
2017 F350 4x4 6.7 Powerstroke
---------------------
86GT2r is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2014, 01:57 PM   #6
Dave in Va
Member
 
Join Date: Jun 2014
Location: SW Virginia USA
Posts: 58
Quote:
Originally Posted by 86GT2r View Post
When we visited the Fuzion assembly tour last summer, they wouldn't let me take pictures.
Industrial spies--lol
__________________
2014 Bullet 251RBS
2013 Silverado Ext Cab 4x4 5.3/3.42

"Knowledge is good" -- Emil Faber

MM2 USN 1970-75
USS Canisteo AO-99
USS Miller DE-1091 -- The Champagne of Ships

Dave in Va is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2014, 02:45 PM   #7
vampress_me
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2014
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 777
JRTJH,

I'm curious if you have a picture of the roof trusses/ joists set on the walls? Or if you just remember what it is if no picture. I'm really wondering what they use for a roof structure under the OSB since we walk on that occasionally...

Thank you!
__________________
--Lynette

2019 F-350 diesel 4x4 CC LB DRW, not the mom taxi anymore...
2021 Alliance Paradigm 340RL
2016 F-350 diesel 4x4 CC LB SRW, mom taxi - sold
2014 Cougar XLite 28RDB - sold
vampress_me is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2014, 05:00 PM   #8
JRTJH
Site Team
 
JRTJH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,846
Quote:
Originally Posted by vampress_me View Post
JRTJH,

I'm curious if you have a picture of the roof trusses/ joists set on the walls? Or if you just remember what it is if no picture. I'm really wondering what they use for a roof structure under the OSB since we walk on that occasionally...

Thank you!
I wasn't able to take any pictures of the roof structure. The day we were there, they had put the sheathing on three trailers and sealed the joints to dry so they could start the next day with three trailers to put the TPO roofing on. So, there were none with the trusses exposed. According to the brochure, Cougar uses "stamped steel trusses" and is a walkable surface.
__________________
John



2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
JRTJH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2014, 05:18 PM   #9
JRTJH
Site Team
 
JRTJH's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Gaylord
Posts: 26,846
Here are a few more pictures:

The first one is of the upper deck and the black tank. You can see the tank plumbing laying on the coroplast and the way the tank sits on the crossmembers and rides above the bottom of the frame. There are no straps under it.

Second is the fresh water tank and the galley gray tank. They also ride on the crossmembers without any straps under the tanks. Note the aluminum bubble wrap insulation over the coroplast.

Third is the 2" heat duct that "supposedly" protects the tanks from freezing. Thanks Polar Pak Plus.....

Fourth is the passthrough with the utility center, hot water heater and furnace. Note all the plumbing, electrical and entertainment cables strung haphazardly through the structure.

Fifth is the roadside of the bathroom vanity/shower before the sidewall is installed.
Attached Thumbnails
Click image for larger version

Name:	BLACK TANK AND UPPER DECK.jpg
Views:	181
Size:	94.0 KB
ID:	6958   Click image for larger version

Name:	TANKS AND CROSSMEMBERS.jpg
Views:	188
Size:	93.1 KB
ID:	6959   Click image for larger version

Name:	POLAR PAC HEATING DUCT.jpg
Views:	184
Size:	86.7 KB
ID:	6960   Click image for larger version

Name:	PASSTHROUGH BEFORE SIDEWALLS INSTALLED.jpg
Views:	186
Size:	95.5 KB
ID:	6962   Click image for larger version

Name:	ROADSIDE BATHROOM BEFORE SIDEWALL INSTALL.jpg
Views:	175
Size:	89.4 KB
ID:	6963  

__________________
John



2015 F250 6.7l 4x4
2014 Cougar X Lite 27RKS
JRTJH is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 09-01-2014, 05:32 PM   #10
trueweb
Senior Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Central VA
Posts: 146
Great pictures, fun to see how they are put together. This stuff is so helpful to know as you dig into maintaining and modifying these beasts. Thanks!
trueweb is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates in any way. Keystone RV® is a registered trademark of the Keystone RV Company.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 01:49 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.