Cheaper parts to reduce production cost?

[BrucePerens]

There are lots of companies that make foam composite panels these days, since they are used for stationary building construction. I've been thinking about an aluminum shell frame on the outside of the RV with panels that are bolted in and caulked. It would be a great deal easier to repair and perhaps to construct. It could have hard points where appropriate, for accessories on the roof and walls.

Also, kill the Krystal Kote. It doesn't last once it gets enough ultraviolet, it's impossible to touch up, and it makes the surface of the Trailmanor a pain to clean because it's chemically sensitive and you're not supposed to wax it or use any number of conventional cleaning materials. I cleaned my roof with tide and saw an entire layer of the stuff slough off, probably due to ultraviolet. Just use modern white automobile paint with no clear coat so that it's a cinch to touch up.

[Padgett]

Think the first thing I would do is to visit the other RV plants and take a tour just to see what the standard practices are.

Standardize on just king bed models (one rear module), two front modules (with/without slide). And three center modules (25, 29, 31 ft). Standardise on a 5K axle clocked to avoid need for a lift kit.

Develop a power opening option. Update the electronics. Add a "dry camping" package. Increase solar from 80 to 200W.

[klpauba]

Originally Posted by BrucePerens

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Just use modern white automobile paint with no clear coat so that it's a cinch to touch up.

Doesn't the automotive clear coat protect the base/color coat from UV? I think you can easily touch up by painting over the clear coat with the base color and then applying a few coats of clear.

I agree with you on the existing coating ... my first impulse was to clean with the same soaps and waxes I use for my car.

[LoveToCamp]

Padgett, the problem with discontinuing the 2720 is that, with the swing hitch, it fits in more garages than the 2922 will. That is why the 2720 is the most-popular model. Of course, those production numbers are from when they were producing trailers, and the 2922 had just come out.

Maybe the 2922 would be more popular, if anything were being made. But, I imagine the 2720 will still be the largest number of models sold, for the garage reason.

[jquarles]

This has been a great thread to follow for sure. I am not sure how many parts could be cheapened. Most of the "bolt on" parts are standard RV stuff like Suburban heaters, thermostats and fridges. Most of the "hand built" parts are what make TM's special, light and unlike the other TTs out there. As someone said earlier, it's a niche market.

I work in aerospace and we are in the niche market business of custom products. One thing we have to strive for is efficiencies in production. A less efficient assembly line and easily double your labor costs. That may be a better place to look. I have seen dramatic cost savings in some plants by utilizing Lean, Kaizen, Six Sigma and Just-In-Time principles. Doesn't work everywhere, but it can sometimes really help. I haven't been to this plant, but I did take a tour of my boat sponsors manufacturing plant and was really shocked at how inefficient it was.

Anyway, those were just a few of my humble thoughts off the top of my head

[BrucePerens]

Originally Posted by klpauba

Doesn't the automotive clear coat protect the base/color coat from UV?

Urethanes and polyurethane clearcoat are in general used in conjunction with metallic finishes, where the look of the paint is enhanced by the presence of fine metallic grains which reflect sparkles of light. Clearcoat makes metallic paint more robust in several ways, besides protecting it the clear coat doesn't show scratches as badly as the metallic paint alone.

If you are not using a metallic finish, it makes more sense for the ultraviolet resistance to be in the layer of white paint alone, which contains lots of titanium dioxide pigment to reflect that ultraviolet away.

Conventional automobile clearcoat is damaged by abrasive cleaning. In general we can use rubbing and polishing compound on plain white paint.