Aluminum Framed Trailer vs Wood

[rudee13]

I'm referring to a simple 5k -8k btu home window units (~$100+) with a sheet metal fabbed shroud with supply/return flex duct or semi perm mounted unit thru the wall that you can slide in when needed. Of course, they run by genny or shore but they're super cheap esp. end of season and some include heat. Works on hard or soft side campers when it's way too hot. Make sense?

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk

 

[john61ct]

Doghouse aircon units + good insulation.

 

[Louisd75]

The smaller window units sold at the box stores are what I typically see installed, I'm pretty sure they're being used in some of the manufactured trailers:

TAG trailers Boondock:

Camp Inn:

(I do like how cleanly Camp Inn integrates to the roof of the trailer, along with the wooden diffuser for the cold air)

There's also a discussion on TNTTT where they're ruggedizing one of the window units. The unit sits outside and the air is ducted to/from the trailer:
http://www.tnttt.com/viewtopic.php?f=30&t=44561

It would be pretty easy to adapt this idea to a tongue box or similar. In our trailer we just use a FanTastic Fan. It's pretty quiet on it's lowest setting and it really moves the air. We've never used it on the highest setting of approx 900cfm... our trailer inside is less than 200 cubic feet, but our weather is usually not too bad.

 

[HAFICON]

Just to chime in, have you looked into PVC board? Light will not rot, mold or mildew..... but it is $$$ Home-depot stocks the stuff in 4x8 sheets.

 

[ArkansasDon]

my wife & I are up in age 66 & 58yrs old. I built our adventure trailer & it has a RTT. I know over a period of time one of us will not have the ability to go up or down the ladder anymore. We've done tons of research on offroad teardrops, some sites will not list how the trailer structure is made of. Heck we've even called & they wont get into detail about that. We settled with WEEROLL were their trailers are constructed of all aluminum plus they show you on the web site plus we've talked with them how these trailers are constructed. Our next trailer will be a WEEROLL.

We've owned truck camper (Lance) pulling a jeep, 5th wheel most can not handle the riggers of offroad dispersed camping what we like to do. They shake themselves loose, they are bulky & hard to store out of the weather & require a ton of maintenance. & your limited on the travel off off grid camping you can do. My adventure trailer stores in one of my large shops on my farm out of the weather & isn't near the requirement of maintaining. This purchase of a teardrop will be our last hurrah for us.

 

[GkraneTX]

Arkansas Don, I have called many builders as well and quite a few do not want to get into the construction details and if they do they tell me that the wood they use is sealed so well that mo moisture could ever permeate it. Ive had one vendor tell me that they do use wood but is is built in a wood torsion box application. I don't even know if that is a real thing or not. I was really surprised to see that quite a few of the higher priced teardrops use wood in a 27-33k trailer. I looked at the WEERoll and really like it. I sent them an email to see of they can offer a bit beefier electrical package since I know nothing about installing electrical.





















ar

 

[dreadlocks]

Look i get it, I'm a heavy metal guy my self.. but using wood for floor or interior walls is nothing really to scoff at..

Here's the underside of my intech:

and here's just a frame:

 

[Teardropper]

is that the wood framed drops do not offer roof mounted A/C units possibly because the frame will not support it

All the junker campers –Jayco and the like– mount AC units on the roof. And they're wood with a greater span and any teardrop.

With teardrops, there are better places to put an AC unit.

https://vistabule.com/5000-btu-air-conditioner/

Me? I camp in the sticks. No 120V hookups.

T

 

[s.e.charles]

omg! that's so nice it brought a tear to my eye.

Q: did you rebuild a trailer or is that fabricated "from scratch"?

 

[GkraneTX]

Look i get it, I'm a heavy metal guy my self.. but using wood for floor or interior walls is nothing really to scoff at..

Here's the underside of my intech:

and here's just a frame:

I dont forsee me having a problem with a protected wood floor or interior walls. They could be replaced with a little bit of work. A wood frame for me just will not work as I have no skills to do that level of repair. Has anyone ever had a wood framed trailer fall apart after a few years? I don't know, but my budget wouldnt allow for a replacement or spendy repair.