Shopping for new TT. Aluminum or fiberglass?

[Zhanna]

A few months ago, we sold our TT. We have a 5-year plan to get another one. There is no way we will make it five years!

Unemployment has slowed the process, but we are still looking/shopping/dreaming!

So the question of the moment is Aluminum or fiberglass for the outside walls? I have done some online research, but would really like the opinion of you experts!

I love this forum! I love all the shared knowledge! I love the humor! Y'all make me happy!

[LandJ]

I wondered the same thing. Salesman (gotta take with grain of salt) told me fiberglass was better and made his case.

I bought fiberglass, hope he was telling the truth as I was thinking aluminum and he changed my mind. Aluminum skin with lumber framing does seem to make a heavier trailer, I didn't want to need a bigger TV, so it all made sense.

Hopefully someone smarter than me answers your question.

[Mountndream]

They make aircraft out of aluminum not fiberglass. With that said, you pay a premium for the aluminum.

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by Mountndream

They make aircraft out of aluminum not fiberglass. With that said, you pay a premium for the aluminum.

I don't get the impression the OP is thinking about an Airstream.

[hondo]

One advantage of fiberglass it will usually hold up better if it hails. Aluminum dents easily.

[harderd]

Delamination is the only real downside of FG. If you get the Asdale backed FG it will not delaminate. The luan backing gets wet and swells causing the delamination.

[Mountndream]

Originally Posted by dustman_stx

I don't get the impression the OP is thinking about an Airstream.

Nor I, I know that there are other manufactures make aluminum trailers as well. Living Lite makes a very similar trailer as my Flagstaff 21fbrs and it is easily 12 grand more.

[donniedu]

To me the corrogated aluminum stuff makes a trailer look old and cheap. Besides, smooth wall makes for much easier washing and waxing. And just plane look better!

[The_Rhino]

For the price of a new & heavier stick & tin TT we bought a slightly used lightwieght fiberglass TT with aluminum frame. Since it was a couple years old & hadn't delaminated, I figured it came from the factory built fairly well.

Before the PDI I spent 2 hours looking behind every access panel for water damage & found none. The dealer then provided a FREE pressure leak test & re-caulking combined with a 2.5 hour PDI. We have camped over 60 days over 2 summers & haven't had any problems (not caused by me...) So if I had to do it all over again I would definitely make the same choice to buy a used fiberglass w/alum. frame vs. stick & tin.

Now the all-aluminum skinned Airstreams, etc. are a different story.... You pay a LOT more & they generally don't come with today's roomy floorplans w/multiple slideouts. I can buy (3-4) TT's just like mine for the price of an Airstream...

[pwrstroke2012]

x2 on FB being easier to wax and wash. I wish you lived closer to Ohio, I have a gently used fiberglass TT for sale.

[Hank2355]

I recently bought a new TT. When I asked this question of the salesman he offered that as long as you were covered by a warranty it really was a matter of personal choice. Once you were on your own and had siding damage, the aluminum was easier on the wallet.

[KAS]

Aluminum is easily dented, fiberglass can crack. In my opinion, the framing is more important. I had an aluminum-clad RV with wood framing, the wood rotted due to leaks and I had to rebuild the ceiling (using pressure-treated wood) from the inside, what a job, never again! Now I have a fiberglass RV. I recently had a leak which was fixed, so far no visible damage.

[Stovebolt]

Originally Posted by The_Rhino

For the price of a new & heavier stick & tin TT we bought a slightly used lightwieght fiberglass TT with aluminum frame. Since it was a couple years old & hadn't delaminated, I figured it came from the factory built fairly well.

Before the PDI I spent 2 hours looking behind every access panel for water damage & found none. The dealer then provided a FREE pressure leak test & re-caulking combined with a 2.5 hour PDI. We have camped over 60 days over 2 summers & haven't had any problems (not caused by me...) So if I had to do it all over again I would definitely make the same choice to buy a used fiberglass w/alum. frame vs. stick & tin.

Now the all-aluminum skinned Airstreams, etc. are a different story.... You pay a LOT more & they generally don't come with today's roomy floorplans w/multiple slideouts. I can buy (3-4) TT's just like mine for the price of an Airstream...

All true but the fact is, the Airstream will be around 30 years from now and still worth a ton of money used. :-)

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by harderd

Delamination is the only real downside of FG. If you get the Asdale backed FG it will not delaminate. The luan backing gets wet and swells causing the delamination.

I understand this to not be true. My understanding is that Azdel resists delam because it doesn't absorb moisture like Luan and it has no formaldehyde. But if you ever get water intrusion it will still delam.

[dustman_stx]

Originally Posted by Mountndream

Nor I, I know that there are other manufactures make aluminum trailers as well. Living Lite makes a very similar trailer as my Flagstaff 21fbrs and it is easily 12 grand more.

But there are other companies that will have a very similar floor plan in a stick and tin for 3-5 grand less.

[bikendan]

The OP needs to come back and tell us which aluminum she's asking about, Stick n Tin or Airstream style.

If the OP is talking about trailers like Airstream, the choices are quite few.

[FreedomTracker]

Originally Posted by donniedu

To me the corrogated aluminum stuff makes a trailer look old and cheap. Besides, smooth wall makes for much easier washing and waxing. And just plane look better!

X2

[D_B Travelers]

When the DW and I were shopping for a new TT last year we knew we were going to pull it all over the country as were retiring very soon. Both of our parents had aluminum covered TT in the past and found that after a couple of years pulling them they started leaking; around the windows and at the corners especially. As I did research I felt the welded aluminum frame and Fiberglas skin would better handle high mileage without shifting as wood framed units will do. We went with a bit higher priced aluminum framed Fiberglas unit and currently, with over 8,000 miles in 1 1/2 years, do not have any issues or second thoughts.

That said, if you are planning on just using the TT for a few camp outs a year and perhaps a week or two while on vacation, then the lower cost of a quality built wood/aluminum trailer makes excellent sense. We just expected to be on the road much more and felt it would endure the rough roads and miles better.

[Loraura]

That depends on how much damage you want to have to deal with should water get in.

While I like the look of fiberglass, what sold me on my fiber glass was aluminum framing. I've seen how much work it takes to repair the structure if water rots the wooden framing.

My Coachmen FE is Azdel, so I saw no drawback at all, and it let me get a larger trailer for less weight.

To be honest, I had ruled out the aluminum siding TT's from the start. I just don't like the way they look.

[Zhanna]

I was referring to the stick and tin.

Thank you ALL for your opinions and input!!! We definitely want the aluminum frame! So fiberglass it is!