Rockwood Mini Lite Roof and Floor concerns ?

[FarmerJim]

Originally Posted by Dave_Monica

Given your concern over the structure and frame I don't understand why you're determined to buy a lightweight camper...it doesn't fit your requirements. You're better off buying a camper built by converntional construction with 5/8 plywood floors and 3000+ lbs carrying capacity. If it has that amount of CCC, you know that it's robust construction compared to campers with CCC that are 1/2 or 1/3 of that.

Dave

Thanks for your input Dave . Your points are valid. First of all we used to full time in the 5th wh for 9 yrs . We no longer full time and now live in a stick built house . We do still like to camp and travel some . But not as robust about it as we were in the past . Now only 6-8 wks a year . And we sold our diesel truck and have a new 1/2 ton. We realize that the trailer won't be as heavy as we have a 1/2 ton truck and you can't have it both ways ! Still I don't understand why there is something wrong with educating yourself about the trailer you may purchase ? You can't have it both ways either ! You can't criticize people for not doing their homework before their purchase and yet not understand a fellow that's trying to do just that! Whats so hard to understand about someone wanting to know whats in the floor-walls-and ceiling BEFORE you buy it ? That said I do appreciate your input ! You have a lot of useful input on this forum. Jim

[Dave_Monica]

Originally Posted by FarmerJim

Still I don't understand why there is something wrong with educating yourself about the trailer you may purchase ? You can't have it both ways either ! You can't criticize people for not doing their homework before their purchase and yet not understand a fellow that's trying to do just that! Whats so hard to understand about someone wanting to know whats in the floor-walls-and ceiling BEFORE you buy it ?

To try to answer your question, the only reference I've seen Rockwood claim is aluminum floor joists 16" on center...no reference on aluminum tubing spacing in ceiling or walls, most likely meaning that it's irregular. The Mini Lite construction is the same as the UltraLight and the Signature UltraLite for what its worth. Unless someone from the factory will step up and share some engineering drawings, that's all we know.

There's no denying that's there's been some complaints on this forum in regards to soft spots in the flooring. I can't claim that I fully understand some of these complaints as it seems that some think the floors are laminated without structure when in fact, there's a aluminum joist every 16". All I can say is that we've had no issues camping 7 - 8 weeks each of the last 3 years. Is the floor springy, hell yes, but not over so.

Some will say that this light weight, laminated construction will reduce the life expectancy on the camper and they're probably right.

Dave

[FarmerJim]

Guys here is a great example of what I'm worried about but in a Jayco.
RV.Net Open Roads Forum: Travel Trailers: TT flexing/sagging floor repair help needed
Some very good info here . Jim p.s. I don't know how to make a "small link" .

[punkaccountant]

Farmerjim,

I was curious if you ever tried contacting the factory to ask for this information? They have always been very helpful and friendly when I contacting them in the past. Also, I can tell you that the Mini-lites do not have 16" framed aluminum flooring joists. If you read the brochure I believe it even reads "Ultra lites and select Roo models only."

Thanks for your diligence in researching this issue. Let us know if you do get the schematics and what you decide.

[FarmerJim]

Originally Posted by punkaccountant

Farmerjim,

I was curious if you ever tried contacting the factory to ask for this information? They have always been very helpful and friendly when I contacting them in the past. Also, I can tell you that the Mini-lites do not have 16" framed aluminum flooring joists. If you read the brochure I believe it even reads "Ultra lites and select Roo models only."

Thanks for your diligence in researching this issue. Let us know if you do get the schematics and what you decide.

Thanks for your input on this its a great idea . As I type this I have left a message with a person at Forest River / Rockwood (Flagstaff) Division and I am requesting info on this . I'll let everyone know the outcome .
Jim

[FarmerJim]

I called 574-642-2640 and was told to speak to Brett ( don't recall last name and wouldn't print here without permission anyway ) at extension 122 . He didn't answer so I left a message and asked him to call me . Around an hour later he did call me . It was a very nice conversation and he was very helpful . I hope I can pass on some of what I learned. On any trailer over 23 feet they do have braces (joists) 16 " on center in the floor . Forest River a few years ago bought or opened its own vacuum bonding facility . Very few trailer manufactures have their own . He talked to me at length . I can't repeat , much less quote , all of what he said . For me he made ME believe that their product is as good or better than anybody else's in that price point. Also how you treat and maintain your trailer will affect how yours holds up . I do believe the are some problems with structure from time to time with all of these trailers . After all they make millions of them . After searching everywhere and doing reviews everywhere I could think of. And doing all I could do to educate myself on this issue ,I've reached a conclusion . The Rockwood / Flagstaff trailers are built as good as and probably BETTER than most all other trailers in the same class . In any trailer , of the same weight and or price range, that I have looked at I would rather own a Rockwood . That said there is going to be that employee(s) that doesn't do a good job on a trailer from time to time . The Friday afternoon build!! The question is then, how does Rockwood/Flagstaff handle that ? After all ,lots of us have worked where a product went down the line that was less than perfect ! I am going to buy a Rockwood . I'll find some problems I'm sure . The question then will be how do they respond . Thanks for everyones help and input ! Maybe there are a few people that will comment on these trailers yet . I'm looking at a 2503S . Jim

[annamarie]

Originally Posted by FarmerJim

I called 574-642-2640 and was told to speak to Brett ( don't recall last name and wouldn't print here without permission anyway ) at extension 122 . He didn't answer so I left a message and asked him to call me . Around an hour later he did call me . It was a very nice conversation and he was very helpful . I hope I can pass on some of what I learned. On any trailer over 23 feet they do have braces (joists) 16 " on center in the floor . Forest River a few years ago bought or opened its own vacuum bonding facility . Very few trailer manufactures have their own . He talked to me at length . I can't repeat , much less quote , all of what he said . For me he made ME believe that their product is as good or better than anybody else's in that price point. Also how you treat and maintain your trailer will affect how yours holds up . I do believe the are some problems with structure from time to time with all of these trailers . After all they make millions of them . After searching everywhere and doing reviews everywhere I could think of. And doing all I could do to educate myself on this issue ,I've reached a conclusion . The Rockwood / Flagstaff trailers are built as good as and probably BETTER than most all other trailers in the same class . In any trailer , of the same weight and or price range, that I have looked at I would rather own a Rockwood . That said there is going to be that employee(s) that doesn't do a good job on a trailer from time to time . The Friday afternoon build!! The question is then, how does Rockwood/Flagstaff handle that ? After all ,lots of us have worked where a product went down the line that was less than perfect ! I am going to buy a Rockwood . I'll find some problems I'm sure . The question then will be how do they respond . Thanks for everyones help and input ! Maybe there are a few people that will comment on these trailers yet . I'm looking at a 2503S . Jim

Well, we have a 2011 Rockwood that we just love. We purchased ours in Sept. 2010. We have never had an issue with the roof or floor "soft spots" as of this date. Hope this helps.

[VinceU]

Originally Posted by FarmerJim

That said there is going to be that employee(s) that doesn't do a good job on a trailer from time to time . The Friday afternoon build!! The question is then, how does Rockwood/Flagstaff handle that ? After all ,lots of us have worked where a product went down the line that was less than perfect ! I am going to buy a Rockwood . I'll find some problems I'm sure . The question then will be how do they respond . Thanks for everyones help and input ! Maybe there are a few people that will comment on these trailers yet . I'm looking at a 2503S . Jim

Sometimes ya just gotta roll yur dices and takes your chances, Good Luck, glad you came to a decision!

[tugger]

We bought ours and never looked back, happy with it so far

[FarmerJim]

Guys , I have to correct something I said earlier .I said that all trailers over 23 feet get extra braces in the floor . That's wrong . The Roos over 23 feet get extra braces in the floor. Brett (from Forest River) was very informative on the issue of using Vacuum bonding . Years ago (4 or 5 ) they had a supplier that was , unknown to them, supplying a inferior ingredient to that process (vacuum bonding floors walls etc.). Once they detected that ,they repaired and fixed all of those units . So they stepped up to the plate and did whats right . They are NOT experiencing any unusual amount of problems with this process now . And they are proactive on these issues not just reactive . Guys if we want low weight 1/2 ton towable trailers we can't have units built the "old" way . I'm convinced that the vacuum bonding process that Forest River is using now is on the cutting edge of whats available today! So I'm going to probably buy a Rockwood mini-lite ! And I am going to schedule a visit to the factory in Feb. . What a great forum ! JIm

[avocadoman1]

here's an informative thread about the "give" in the floors and the fix needed.

it seems that many of the mini-lite models have floor sections nearly 4' apart w/out any support for the luan sandwich floor.

thus, over time, it will begin to sag without additional structural repair.

i have a 2008-Rockwood 1809 and i've had to do some support modification on the underside main traffic areas.

that said, i've used my trailer nearly 20 nites per month over the past 18 months as i work out of it. i'm a 240#.

so in my situation, this is purely a function of over-use.

http://www.forestriverforums.com/for...e-23714-2.html

[HikerBob]

Our 2011 Rockwood MiniLite ETC floor is getting squishy in heavy traffic areas, but other than that we love it. The floor joist spacing is limited by the fresh water and waste water tanks. I suspect we'd have to tear the whole trailer apart to beef-up the floor, so will live with it until one of us goes through it. We're both under 150 lbs.