Hung wall systems

Jim.mcgallan · 03-21-2014, 06:10 AM

I am curious about the "Hung wall" construction of the Cedar creek fifth wheels. We are looking at purchasing a Cedar Creek 38CK and it has the hung wall system. What do you owners think of it, good or bad. I would think that with bouncing down the road over the years the batt insulation would start to fall and leave voids. Can or has this happened? Do you feel it is superior construction to the vacuum bonded wall system? All opinions would be appreciated. This will be pour retirement Fifthwheel and we plan on living in for at least 2 years while travelling North America. Thanks in advance for comments.

Jim

MIFarmer · 03-21-2014, 08:56 AM

Lamination gets its strength from the interior and exterior wall material and its adhesion to the wall framework. If that system starts to de-bond, then it looses its strength. I think of it like a soda can - a perfectly smooth can will support your weight, but put a little dent in it and it loses structural integrity and will flatten. With the hung wall system the strength is in the frame, so it can't de-laminate and lose structural integrity.

Another advantage to CC's frames is that they're not welded together. The joints are screwed and glued together which allows some flex. The frames then absorb the twists and shocks and will give before they break. Same concept as buildings in earthquake-prone parts of the world - the ones that flex will remain and the rigid ones don't fare so well. Now consider that our campers are pretty much in an earthquake every time we hitch up and head down the road...

Insulation wise, I don't know how much settling can go on in the walls. The wall space for the insulation is only about 2" thick, so there really isn't anywhere for the insulation to settle to. Plus the inside of the walls are rough, so they "grab" the insulation and keep it from falling. I'm not going to say there isn't any settling, but I would suggest that if there is, it probably wouldn't be enough to notice.

For me, the non-laminated walls of the Silverback were a major selling factor and far outweighed the possibility of maybe having a little settling in the wall insulation.

Jim.mcgallan · 03-21-2014, 09:41 AM

Very informative. Thanks so much for the reply

sidney · 03-21-2014, 12:41 PM

Here's a link to a video of the construction process.

Cedar Creek Fifth Wheel by Forest River

At about 7:27 they state the wall insulation is glued in place.

BigJohnD · 03-21-2014, 03:45 PM

Couldn't have said it any better than MIFarmer. I won't own a laminated wall coach if at all possible. The 2 motorhomes had laminated walls, and even though we didn't have a problem, I don't like them. Another point, the hung wall is a LOT easier to repair when it comes to fiberglass work. Fiberglass is also a LOT thicker on the CC and SB than you'll see on the typical laminated filon wall. If damaged, sometimes you might have to replace an entire wall on the laminated system, where as the hung wall you can cut a section out and never interfere with the interior or framing.

kablair · 03-21-2014, 06:08 PM

I realize it's not the most practical solution, but going to the factory would instill a great deal of confidence. Not just in 'how' it's built, but in 'who' is building it.

We had a warranty issue that required us to go to the factory. I was already very pleased with our Silverback and CC; now even more so.

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