Is there an actual quality lightweight trailer in reality?

[ardvark16]

I owned a Rockwood pop up from the 80s and loved it. I went tent camping for years. I have been looking into a camper for a while and have been told that Jayco and Thor is all junk. Grand Design is great!!!, but then I read that they are no different than any other company. I read horror stories about the Micro Minnie. The only trailers I don't hear anything negative about is Outdoors RV and Northwood. So is it even worth it to try to find a mid range trailer? I looked at a Jayco and it really was junk. The Grand Design looks nice, but who knows. The fact that there is no lemon law or protection is really a major negative. Is there an actual mid range company?

[450Donn]

Northwood, OutdoorRV and Lance are all pretty decent. To answer your basic question no "light weight" trailer is going to be as well built, as strong, nor have as big tank capacities as regular trailers of the same length.

[bneukam]

All manufacturers put out good and bad units. Methods, materials, and tolerances within the construction make a quality product, not weight. Then their is workmanship, and we all know today that can depend on the day, or hour.
Even Lance, and Northwoods has materials, and methods within parts of their trailers that are less than ideal.

[Normal_Dave]

I think the industry itself has lowered the bar, since the 2008 recession, many of the older brands are just that, brand names now owned by a big conglomerate, Thor comes to mind, of course there are others. We as consumers have agreed as a whole, since we keep buying junk.

I think you were hunting a bunkhouse and a Minnie 2455BHS was in the running. Sunnybrook Harmony would have been a great mid-level, lighter weight, quality built trailer, but Winnebago bought them out to start their travel trailer business. Many of the great features in the Sunnybrook line have been dropped by Winnebago over time.

Here is one of my current favorites, by IntechRV, but it is small. I think if they built a larger version, it would be a real winner in terms of quality and weight. InTech Trailer builds custom race trailers, industrial, and vendor trailers. The InTechRV division has some folks leftover from the former LivinLite trailer company, so good stuff there.
https://www.intechrv.com/models/sol/horizon/

Factory build walk through IntechRV Sol:
https://youtu.be/bE1z7FofOOQ

It won't be light, but a Nash 25C or other made by Northwood, offers a lot of quality for the dollar. With all that said, it seems the smaller, privately held companies seem to do a better job of meeting customer needs, and supporting them from the factory and through dealer networks when trouble does arrive.

[ardvark16]

I honestly think I might find something cheap used and when I get the new truck next year I’ll get the Nash bunkhouse if I can.

[Normal_Dave]

So here's a used Sunnybrook, Remington built early in the Winnebago takeover. These eventually became the Minnie line of trailers. It is a bunkhouse, and should still be a decent trailer. Not too far from you.
https://www.tomschaeffers.com/produc...bhs-1129228-29

Closest brochure is a 2013 model. Note porcelain toilet, higher quality fixtures, fiberglass exterior gloss, etc. A step down from the Harmony line, but not too far down. Bunkhouse, aluminum superstructure. Still had high quality cabinets, heavy duty axles, optional trail air suspension, ducted A/C, heated/enclosed tanks and more.
https://winnebago.com/brochure-archi...Remington#5326

2450bhs floorplan for 2014
http://www.winnebagoind.com/resource...chure_2014.pdf

[ardvark16]

Sale pending. But now I gotta keep my eyes out. Thanks for that info. It’s worth it to snatch one and just get it home with my truck. Even if it’s a bit heavy for now. I can always get it home and then figure it out. That’s actually what I’m looking for. A well made bunkhouse that I won’t want to dump in a year.

[Normal_Dave]

If you like it, reach out to them. Sale pending often means pending finance approval, etc. Get yourself in line, hire a certified RV tech to do a pre-purchase inspection, if the other deal gets weak, you are ready to go.

Sunnybrook/Remington is not a well known name brand except to the Sunnybrook fans, and it's a Winnebago only by build decal, so I wouldn't expect it to be a hot seller these days, especially when some many buy brand new models only by determining monthly payments.

Good Luck!

[shane_the_ee]

Originally Posted by ardvark16

I owned a Rockwood pop up from the 80s and loved it. I went tent camping for years. I have been looking into a camper for a while and have been told that Jayco and Thor is all junk. Grand Design is great!!!, but then I read that they are no different than any other company. I read horror stories about the Micro Minnie. The only trailers I don't hear anything negative about is Outdoors RV and Northwood. So is it even worth it to try to find a mid range trailer? I looked at a Jayco and it really was junk. The Grand Design looks nice, but who knows. The fact that there is no lemon law or protection is really a major negative. Is there an actual mid range company?

Price, weight and quality: pick two. The only one I know of offering quality and lightweight is Lance. Northwoods and ORV are quality but they're anything but light.

[ardvark16]

I called. It’s not available. But he does have a new Keystone. Pass. The hunt continues

[bneukam]

A Casita, or Bigfoot would make a nice used unit.
Nash IMO is low quality on the construction materials used.
You really just have to dig into the details of construction on the manufacturers that your considering, and figuring out what you can live with.

[lamokadave]

2 other brands worth looking into for build quality would be Oliver, and Escape. Both fiberglass shell designs so no slides and layouts that work around curves, but well built

[Mtn. Lion]

Northwood would be the best from your list. Have you looked at the Black Series? They are an Australian design. Production was farmed to China (not Indiana). I'm too tall for them at 6' 3", which isn't that tall. The trailers are short in interior height, but f'ing incredibly sturdy and well built.

[BPTS]

Chinese trailer?
What could possibly go wrong?

I saw a bit of advertisement on the Blacks. Interesting enough but I will keep my ORV. From what I saw they are clearly a warm weather rig.