Fiberglass versus Aluminum?

[MikeM]

I am curious of what is the big difference of your TT having fiberglass verus aluminum sides

I have seen manufacturers say their fiberglass is better than aluminum and I have seen others state their aluminum is better than fiberglass.

So what is the real advantage? Or is this just marketing hype?

How can you tell if a Sunline TT is fiberglass or aluminum?

mike

[Sunline Fan]

Hi Mike,

A Sunline has Aluminum sides if the siding is rippled and has a rough texture to it.

If it has fiberglass, the sides will be smooth and shiny.

IMHO, fiberglass is better than aluminum because it is easier to clean and will last a lot longer. The one downside to fiberglass is the weight. I don't know specifics as to how much more a fiberglass unit would weigh over an aluminum sided unit, but it is enough to worry people with small TV's.

Jon

[MikeM]

Hi Jon

I always thought fiberglass was more prone to cracking and delamination.

I am sure it is definitely more rigid than the walls on my 2363. I am glad I have aluminum though as I could not stand any more weight with my current tow vehicle.

Funny that the upgrade for the walls is fiberglass and the roof is aluminum.

I cleaned my trailer last weekend after the vacation at Ft Wilderness. I ended up doing the whole thing by hand with a can of scrubbing bubbles and a roll up paper towels. I felt it the the next day after going up and down the ladder all afternoon.

mike

[donreitz]

Either will serve you well if the exterior is routinely maintained. A fiberglass exterior tends to be heavier (and more expensive) than its aluminum counterpart, but it's more attractive and somewhat easier to maintain. Some say that fiberglass resists hail damage better than aluminum. I never experienced hail with our aluminum-sided unit, but our fiberglass-sided units have come through with no damage after some pretty severe hailstorms.
Don

[emam]

I know there are tons of pros and cons, but I've always felt it was pure cosmetic.

Personally I've always felt that the Aluminum Sided trailer tend to look older, even when they are brand new. When we were at the Sunline Factory, seeing our Fiberglass sided 2499 beside a row of Aluminum sided 2499 made ours stand out like it was something different, even though they were all the same model. But then again, thats just my logic, and most tell me I'm very illogical....LOL

Pat