Wood vs Aluminum framed travel trailers

Donstar · July 10, 2017

I have been looking for the right travel trailer for several months. I have enjoyed the process and am glad I didn't impulse buy! I originally would not consider a wood framed trailer but am starting to find that they are much better priced for a comparably equipped metal framed trailer. I am also not seeing much of a difference in weight. My worry is that I'm starting to soften my stance because these are what are left on the lots this far into the season. I know there are many variations of construction techniques for trailers however I worry that a trailer built from wood will not stand up long term like an aluminum caged trailer! There are reasons why metals and plastics have replaced wood in non-stationary structures and I would rather not find out why "the hard way". Should I avoid buying a wood framed trailer or are there some non-cost advantages to wood vs aluminum?

diyer2 · July 10, 2017

Aluminum. Lance trailer.

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · July 10, 2017

Well would you rather have a metal or wood frame truck or car? Of course wood is and can be strong, I mean houses are still using wood stud (haven't seen a house but have seen commercial buildings with thin metal studs). I think would be fine strength wise, but I think it would be more maintenance. You would probably have to keep putting new protective coats on it every few years. Plus with aluminum you won't have the rust issue where with wood you can still have a rot issue. Remember when they used to have Woodys and wood floors for old trucks, well they don't use wood for trim anymore and the only wood floor you see on a truck is a classic show truck. This is just my non experienced opinion so take it for what it's worth.

sdeeter19555 · July 10, 2017

Well would you rather have a metal or wood frame truck or car? Of course wood is and can be strong, I mean houses are still using wood stud (haven't seen a house but have seen commercial buildings with thin metal studs). I think would be fine strength wise, but I think it would be more maintenance. You would probably have to keep putting new protective coats on it every few years. Plus with aluminum you won't have the rust issue where with wood you can still have a rot issue. Remember when they used to have Woodys and wood floors for old trucks, well they don't use wood for trim anymore and the only wood floor you see on a truck is a classic show truck. This is just my non experienced opinion so take it for what it's worth.

Not for nothing, but they are building six story hotels local to me that are completely wood framed...wood frames can be just as durable and strong as metal framed in a camper.

There are only a few things I will note having owned both...

Wood joints are stapled and that does get loose after a while...you will go from a very quiet trailer to one that creaks and squeaks once and a while...when really bad (say one that was drug on rough roads all its life), you can feel them move around when walking through them.

Wood used in construction of the frames is usually poplar and will rot very fast if you get a leak, not to mention the staples used will rust off.

Aluminum framed campers can be lighter than their wood counterpart.

Wood frames are easier to repair than metal should something happen...I have repaired two wood framed campers myself, doubt I could do that on a metal frame without someone to weld in new pieces.

Aluminum frame campers still have wood components. And that's usually the base the frame is set on...

We bought an aluminum framed one this last go around because we suffered leaks in the previous two used campers and that caused irreparable damage. Had we bought a new wood-framed camper we would have probably been fine too.

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Loco-diablo · July 10, 2017

Jayco. Join the Jayco owners forum and poke around. Tons of TT info on there. I own a 2016 41' jay flight 38FDDS.. wooden frame with aluminum siding. It's stationary on a perm site.. check the forum.

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Mike Hamm · July 10, 2017

I don't know what you want in a trailer, but we decided we didn't want a slideout. And, we wanted something on the smaller side. So, we ended up buying an Arctic Fox 22G. Walls are aluminum framed, welded construction. There are wood inserts placed inside the aluminum tubing wherever fasteners have to go into the framing. That way there is plenty of "meat" for the fasteners to grab onto. Attached are a couple of pictures from our recent Northwood mfg tour (mfr of our trailer). The roofs are wood trusses. However, they are not held together with just staples. They use similar looking ties that are used in home roof truss construction. Northwood does make an all wood framed line, Nash.

If you are shopping by price, then aluminum framed could be out of your budget. But, don't let just the framing determine why you buy one. Northwood also builds their own chassis. And the chassis are independently certified to what is close to home earthquake standards. Nash's chassis are the same way.

Note that we didn't have to negotiate a whole lot on our 22G, and the dealer met us in the middle between their asking price and our first offer. Plus they threw in a few goodies to sweeten the deal.

Not trying to push Arctic Fox or Nash, but you'd be hard pressed to find a better value.

Donstar · July 10, 2017

Aluminum. Lance trailer.

I agree that the Lance trailers are very nice. The base model 1475 is over $10K more than a well equipped wood frame trailer of a similar size. It is difficult to justify spending more on hidden building components when my better half focuses on cosmetic features!

Mike Hamm · July 10, 2017

I agree that the Lance trailers are very nice. The base model 1475 is over $10K more than a well equipped wood frame trailer of a similar size. It is difficult to justify spending more on hidden building components when my better half focuses on cosmetic features!

I seriously considered Lance. I ended up joining the Lance Owner's of America (LOA) forum and glad I did because their quality has really gone downhill. Not worth the money IMO. They are charging what they are charging based on reputation alone now. I get it that forums are magnets for complaints more than positive reviews, but go to the Northwood RV Owners of America (NROA) forum and compare complaints to compliments.

I really like the phrase "it's like putting lipstick on a pig" when referring to cosmetics on top of what's underneath. Sure, the cheaper ones may be flashier looking, but it's the bones that matter. Lipstick on a pig still means there's a pig under there.

Forgive me for sounding like a shill for Northwood. I'm really not, but my search ended with Northwood once I started really looking deep.

SouthernSilveradoGuy85 · July 10, 2017

Not for nothing, but they are building six story hotels local to me that are completely wood framed...wood frames can be just as durable and strong as metal framed in a camper.

There are only a few things I will note having owned both...

Wood joints are stapled and that does get loose after a while...you will go from a very quiet trailer to one that creaks and squeaks once and a while...when really bad (say one that was drug on rough roads all its life), you can feel them move around when walking through them.

Wood used in construction of the frames is usually poplar and will rot very fast if you get a leak, not to mention the staples used will rust off.

Aluminum framed campers can be lighter than their wood counterpart.

Wood frames are easier to repair than metal should something happen...I have repaired two wood framed campers myself, doubt I could do that on a metal frame without someone to weld in new pieces.

Aluminum frame campers still have wood components. And that's usually the base the frame is set on...

We bought an aluminum framed one this last go around because we suffered leaks in the previous two used campers and that caused irreparable damage. Had we bought a new wood-framed camper we would have probably been fine too.

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I used to deliver building materials to construction sites both residential and commercial so I know wood is very strong. But when you talk about frames of something that will be on the road with rain, salt and other things I prefer aluminum. Most of a house is some type of wood, but it's all covered or treated like salt treated lumber for decks and porches.

Donstar · July 10, 2017

I seriously considered Lance. I ended up joining the Lance Owner's of America (LOA) forum and glad I did because their quality has really gone downhill. Not worth the money IMO. They are charging what they are charging based on reputation alone now. I get it that forums are magnets for complaints more than positive reviews, but go to the Northwood RV Owners of America (NROA) forum and compare complaints to compliments.

I really like the phrase "it's like putting lipstick on a pig" when referring to cosmetics on top of what's underneath. Sure, the cheaper ones may be flashier looking, but it's the bones that matter. Lipstick on a pig still means there's a pig under there.

Forgive me for sounding like a shill for Northwood. I'm really not, but my search ended with Northwood once I started really looking deep.

Northwood does make nice solid trailers. They are selling for a premium price (new or used) around here. They are also on the heavier side but this translates to a very solid trailer! The 5th wheel Actic Fox's and slide in campers are absolutely beautiful!

Mike Hamm · July 10, 2017

... The 5th wheel Actic Fox's and slide in campers are absolutely beautiful!

As are the "bumper pulls".

Loco-diablo · July 12, 2017

The wood will not rot unless you have water intrusion in which case it's usually the floor that gets most affected. They ALL have plywood flooring. Important to maintain the sealant on the rubber roof and around all the seams. Another consideration is fiberglass vs aluminum siding. Both have their ups and downs. Fiberglass is known to fade and delaminate, while aluminum can't dent quite easily. Fiberglass is expensive/difficult to repair, while aluminum is easier and less costly to repair.

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Donstar · July 12, 2017

I now am looking closely at a Forest River Flagstaff Micro lite 21DS. It is "aluminum cage construction". It costs a little more than I was hoping to spend but appears to be a good price for the quality and features. As always, your help is appreciated!

sdeeter19555 · July 12, 2017

Review the Forest River products well...they are one of the more troublesome manufacturers from what I remember.

The Keystone Passport is another aluminum frame to consider.

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sdeeter19555 · July 12, 2017

I don't know what you want in a trailer, but we decided we didn't want a slideout. And, we wanted something on the smaller side. So, we ended up buying an Arctic Fox 22G. Walls are aluminum framed, welded construction. There are wood inserts placed inside the aluminum tubing wherever fasteners have to go into the framing. That way there is plenty of "meat" for the fasteners to grab onto. Attached are a couple of pictures from our recent Northwood mfg tour (mfr of our trailer). The roofs are wood trusses. However, they are not held together with just staples. They use similar looking ties that are used in home roof truss construction. Northwood does make an all wood framed line, Nash.

If you are shopping by price, then aluminum framed could be out of your budget. But, don't let just the framing determine why you buy one. Northwood also builds their own chassis. And the chassis are independently certified to what is close to home earthquake standards. Nash's chassis are the same way.

Note that we didn't have to negotiate a whole lot on our 22G, and the dealer met us in the middle between their asking price and our first offer. Plus they threw in a few goodies to sweeten the deal.

Not trying to push Arctic Fox or Nash, but you'd be hard pressed to find a better value.

And you will pay three times as much for an Arctic Fox or Nash than others, not to mention they are a very regional thing and somewhat hard to find on the east coast. And that "quality" makes them a lot heavier than their counterparts...

Just pointing out they all have their pros and cons...

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