hung sidewalls vs laminated sidewalls

[Retired02]

We are in the market for a new 5th wheel and have been looking at the Cruiser line by CrossroadsRV. They have a "hung sidewall" where both interior and exterior sidewalls are adhered to an inner framework of aluminum studs on 16" centers along with outside perimeter and door and window openings. A flexible adhesive is applied to only the studs, perimeter and frames around openings. The outside sidewall is then "hung" on the frame and screwed down along perimeter and openings. Areas in between are held down by clamping until adhesive sets.

My questions about this type of constuction are: 1) As durable over the long term as a laminated sidewall, 2) Sidewalls have more or less flexibility than laminated, 3) Anyone have problems with hung walls where sidewalls separate from studding in certain areas over time and allow more sway and flexing in whole body of the coach?

Most of the industry uses laminated sidewalls that are either vacuum bonded or pinch rolled. I am not certain if this is for production time saving/costs or because laminated sidewalls provide a more rigid and durable coach body overall. Appreciate anyone with industry or direct knowledge through experience give their opinion. Thanks.

[Pull Dog]

When I was in the market for a 5th wheel we looked at several makes and models that were constructed with laminated sidewalls. I begin to see another trait of this construction that really turned me off............De-lamination!! When this occurs the RV will lose much of it's value because there is no way to successfully repair the delamination! I looked at several used models with this problem. It must be very common.





The Crossroads method must be better because our 2006 CF29CK has no problems with walls delaminating or any structurely related issues.

[Dayle1]

I agree with Pull Dog to an extent, delamination with vacuum bonded or pinch rolled walls means total removal of the wall for complete repair or otherwise some sort of questionable patch job. With hung walls, the exterior skin can be removed and replaced w/o affecting the framing or interior (yes, it has been done). Delamination may be less likely with vacuum bonded or pinch rolled walls due to greater bonding area, but if it is due to water damage, then the proper repair will be expensive.

Another advantage of hung walls is the ez ability to place wiring inside the wall cavity and change locations of outlets, switches, etc. With vacuum bonded or pinch rolled walls, it is more difficult, and you frequently see models with odd placements or few outlets/switches.

To be fair, the advantages of the other construction methods can be less weight, since a single thickness of lauan paneling can be used behind the fiberglas skin and maybe a more solid sounding wall.

[calliopeguy]

One major advantage of hung walls is the ability to add decorations, coat racks, etc to the exterior walls. It is relatively simple to find the aluminum stud, which occurs every 16". I also like the idea of electrical fixtures placed in the walls where they belong instead of under the cabinets, on the cabinets, ceiling or wherever.
Like said previously, the word "Delamination" is really scary and to my knowledge that word is not in the Crossroads vocabulary.

[Hunter11]

I would not be at all surprised if you do not see the Cruiser go to vacuum bonded or pinched rolled side wall construction in the near future. The Redwood/Blackwood and Rushmore are both done that way and I can't see Crossroads using two different types of construction for their lines. Only time will tell.....