How Sturdy, How Well Built?

[JFulford]

Hi, my wife and I are seriously interested in buying either a 2518 or 2720 trailer, (probably the KS/QS version) but we have a couple of questions that we can't trust a TM Sales Rep to answer honestly. We love the concept (we own a 2005 Hi-Lo trailer on its last legs) of a folding trailer! But we have a couple of concerns about TMs...
First, the shells are made of Styrofoam sandwiched between two layers of aluminum. How thick is each aluminum sheet (aluminum foil or as thick as a Airstream trailer wall) and how sturdy are the walls and roof? What happened when a sizeable tree limb fell on your roof?

Second, is the roof walkable and is there any wood (like luan) in it that might rot if a leak develops in a seam? This was a big problem with our Hi-Lo.

Third, new TMs are a lot more expensive (~$40,000) than many other trailers but are lighter and more aerodynamic than others. As owners, is the additional cost worth it to you?

Thanks in advance for your advice!

[Shane826]

You don’t want to ply WrestleMania inside but they are sturdy enough. The aluminum is a skin, it’s not very thick at all.. If a tree falls on it, it’s probably all done but that’s true with most any camper.

As for the roof, there is no luan in the roof (there is a layer of luan in the floor). The only wood in the upper sections anymore is on the open end of each roof shell, so the bag seals have something to be staples to. Otherwise it’s 1”x1” aluminum square framing around the perimeter of the upper walls and roof. The lower box is still framed in wood but it’s not really a leak/rot issue. You still want to keep up with sealing the roof seams because water entry can degrade the adhesive between the aluminum and foam core, and the roof will lose its crown. If that happens there’s really no way to fix it. Along those same lines, no the roof is not walkable. There are no cross beams on the roof other than the perimeter. It’s like a unibody car, the shape of the roof is what holds the shape of the roof. A lot of folks have used Eternabond tape to seal the seams permanently. The roof is aluminum, not rubber, so it won’t leak except at those seams and won’t tear. You can certainly get on the roof to work on it but you’ll want to stay low and spread your weight as much as possible, and never get on the roof with your camper open.

Cost. That’s a big factor. If a new one was in the budget when I bought my TM, yea I would’ve bought a new one. The folks in South Dakota do a great job building these campers and fully stand by their product. In fact they are currently building a larger factory to keep up with demand, so clearly the price is in line with what you get. Don’t think of it as a really expensive pop-up camper, because it is so much more than that.

Any other questions, feel free to ask!

[Bill]

Shane has pretty much covered it. Some minor comments ...

Originally Posted by JFulford

What happened when a sizeable tree limb fell on your roof?

That is a pretty open-ended question, of course, depending on how big the tree limb is, what it weighs, how far it fell, how it landed. Most any trailer can be badly damaged if the hit is right. With no damage, we have had several 2" branches coming down from a height of 20' above the roof in windstorms. And although we have not experienced it, hail will dent the roof of most any trailer.

Second, is the roof walkable.

I wouldn't get up there and stroll around like a walk in the park. I have been up there, but I first put down a 4'x4' hunk of thick rug, then a half sheet of kinda-flexy 1/4" plywood, and then I crawled around on it on my hands and knees, staying toward the edge of the roof as much as possible. Spreading the weight this way seems to prevent dimples and dents. As Shane pointed out, though, this technique still leaves the roof supporting your entire weight, and if the roof is already weak, deformed, or (especially) losing its arch, I would recommend staying off it.

Third, new TMs are a lot more expensive (~$40,000) than many other trailers but are lighter and more aerodynamic than others. As owners, is the additional cost worth it to you?

For us, tow-ability and mpg were not a big consideration, though it is nice, of course. The big draw was the complete livability and comfort, and the ability to keep it in our garage. We had almost pulled the trigger on a big Coleman pop-up - so glad we didn't.

Bill

[JFulford]

Thanks for your help! I was just trading emails with the National Sales & Marketing Director for TrailManor and learned that the roof and walls of their trailers are made of polystyrene foam (like Styrofoam) laminated to aluminum sheets that are 19 mils thick on the exterior and 24 mils thick on the interior. That makes TMs exceptionally light -- but geez, that doesn't seem very puncture or dent resistant to me.

That's why I was trying to find out how large a tree limb could fall on the roof while camping without puncturing the aluminum seal and possibly leaving a gouge that would need a fiberglass patch. It sounds like I'd be safe up to a 2" tree limb from what Bill said. I visited a TM dealer south of Baltimore today and looked over two trailers. They are well designed, appear well built and I'm sure I won't have to worry about sway when towing one. But I'm having some trouble with the idea of spending ~$40,000 to buy a trailer made of styrofoam and extra heavy duty aluminum foil. My wife and I are weighing the pros and cons of that...

Thanks for helping us to make an informed decision!

[Shane826]

I’m not sure what you think is in the core of the walls on a regular smooth side trailer, but it’s foam.

If you want a stick & tin camper you want one with the corrugated aluminum siding. Those will have wood studs 16” on center and usually rolled fiberglass insulation.

[JFulford]

That's not quite accurate. Apex Nanos and Forest River Geo Pros do have a foam center for insulation sandwiched between two layers of a composite material called Azdel (no rotting and no stick/tin), vacuum bonded to a fiberglass exterior and a TPO or EDPM roof. It's much sturdier and can handle tree limbs and hail much better. But they don't fold down like Hi-Los and TMs, are about 400 pounds heavier and reduce gas mileage to about 10 mpg. Yet they are also $5,000 - $10,000 less expensive and equally well-built. So, there are lots of trade-offs to be considered between TMs and Geo Pros, at least for my wife and me. Thanks for your input!

[Shane826]

Azdel uses a composite layer instead of luan. But it’s a foam core either way.

[Bill]

It is true that a Trailmanor is not for everyone. Of course, if you look at any trailer, you can find things you wish were different. If you start off with notions of what a Trailmanor should be, and what it should cost, then it is likely that you would never be satisfied with one if you bought it. That isn't a good situation to put yourself in. The lure of higher MPG will fade, but if you start your evaluation by considering the TM to be "a trailer made of styrofoam and extra heavy duty aluminum foil", you will likely never get past that. And while the TM Owners Forum members can help with a lot of things, there are some that are beyond our ability to change. It may be time to redirect your search.

Bill

[LoveToCamp]

If you are concerned about these items with a TrailManor, please be fair in your evaluation of the less-expensive, full-height trailers. I have had two TrailManors, and now have a Lance travel trailer. All were known for being more expensive than competitors. BUT, I feel both brands are worth the extra $$.
The TrailManor expands more than the Hi-Lo, and, in my opinion, are very well-built. The design is different than any other trailer, but it is a design that has been in production since the '80s. Tried and true.
Anyone that takes care of their trailers will likely not have problems with a TrailManor. I can't say the same for most other less-expensive trailers, as most of them are stapled together, and some are a bit better with some clue in addition to the staples. The only reason I don't still have a TrailManor is that the wife wanted a walk-around bed. Otherwise, I am very fond of the TrailManor design and build quality. The current owners are much more skilled, and much more detail-oriented than the previous owner, so the quality has improved drastically.
Bottom line, in my mind is, they are worth the price, due to ease of towing, ease of setup, and liveability.