Newbie: Aluminum vs. Wood Framing

[jgaffney]

My wife and I are getting ready to step up to a 5th wheel and tow rig. We went to an RV show at the local fairgrounds, and walked thru a LOT of trailers. It was a good thing I kept brochures, because after a while, there were too many to remember. Next time, I'll take my camera.

We really liked the 26ft Komfort with the rear kitchen. One of the big selling points the salesman tried to make was the benefit of having an aluminum frame, instead of the normal wood framing. I thanked him for the info, and left.

Can anyone else vouch for the benefits of an aluminum frame? Will I have trouble down the road if I pass it up?

Thanks for the help.

 

[John From Detroit]

I suspect an aluminum frame is lighter, load for load, I don't know if it's stronger though.

Aluminum and wood have different attributes when stressed, Generally wood is easier to fix (Nail up a splint) hopefully this will never be a factor. 

One major differnece is when you bolt heavy stuff to the RV, you try to hit a frame member. With wood you know when you succeed and they may well be easier to find.  With an aluminum sided rig,,, might not be.

But you can get a diagram from the maker.

Oh yes... If it gets wet,say from a leaking roof... Wood rots. Aluminum... Does not.. That is kind of a biggie

It is also termite proof

My parents had an all steel house (US steel Home a day system) Never had a problem with the walls[br]Date Posted: August 06, 2005, 05:07:31 AMI suspect an aluminum frame is lighter, load for load, I don't know if it's stronger though.

Aluminum and wood have different attributes when stressed, Generally wood is easier to fix (Nail up a splint) hopefully this will never be a factor. 

One major differnece is when you bolt heavy stuff to the RV, you try to hit a frame member. With wood you know when you succeed and they may well be easier to find.  With an aluminum sided rig,,, might not be.

But you can get a diagram from the maker.

Oh yes... If it gets wet,say from a leaking roof... Wood rots. Aluminum... Does not.. That is kind of a biggie

It is also termite proof



My parents had an all steel house (US steel Home a day system) Never had a problem with the walls

Of course that is a "Fixed" not a mobile (Looks like a standard stick built house, and like stick built it's on a foundation over a basement and the like,  Just steel instead of wood)

 

[thenosyone]

Just compare the price of aluminum to wood...

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

Aluminum - or steel - framing is good.  Sturdy, rot-proof and aluminum frames are lighter than equivalent wood. The majority of mid-to-upper grade trailers and motorhomes are built with metal sidewall framing these days. Ditto for the floor structure on motorhomes.

But I wouldn't rule out an RV I liked just because it had wood framing either. There is nothing "bad" about a well-constructed wood frame.