I just signed a sales agreement at the Pa RV Show last week and will be taking delivery of my Infinity 3750FL on my birthday, this Saturday!
One of the things that I have been researching all week has been the frames of Fifth Wheels. A little of what I have found out is the following:
The frames for the Infinity are made by Lippert who makes frames for about 80-90% of RVs in the USA
Other Fifth wheels who have frames made by Lippert are Infinity, DRV, Wildcat, Heartland, Redwood, etc.
I really don't want to get into a bash Lippert thread, but because of the fact that they they dominate the frame manufacturing business, there will be more complaints, because there are more of them on the road.
So, to my original question, what is the best way to inspect a frame before taking delivery?
GENECOP said
09:47 AM Sep 26, 2011
Short of getting under the unit and doing a quick visual inspection there is nothing else...look for the most obvious, Rust, Welds. Many Rigs these days have enclosed bottoms, in that case you may only be able to see a few outriggers....G
flyone said
11:51 AM Sep 26, 2011
Other than what Gene has already stated, and not just specific to the frame I would suggest stay in touch with others of the same rig manufacturer (thru manufacturer's forum) keep an ear/eye open for any kind of trouble others are having and check yours out if/when they point out any problems.
Flyone
Bill and Linda said
02:19 PM Sep 26, 2011
Straying just a bit from your specific question if I may. While I doubt that you will be able to inspect the frame in anyway other than a very cursory inspection (a lot of the critical area is covered now,) I would offer an opinion of how to have a better chance of protecting the frame from damage.
Other than the obvious of don’t overload the rig, an air-ride hitch, either on the kingpin or the truck, is a huge piece of insurance to protect the most vulnerable part of the frame.That would be just ahead of the drop frame area where the pin box attaches.This area, even with a pickup as the tow vehicle, takes a huge beating over bad bumps and potholes. That’s pretty obvious when you think about it.
I prefer a certain type for my own reasons based on research, but any air-ride system is (usually) better than a rigid pin box and rigid truck receiver hitch.(BTW, stating the obvious, you don’t want an air-ride pin box and an air-ride truck receiver hitch; one or the other, but not both.)
Safe and happy travels
Bill
Terry and Jo said
09:25 PM Sep 26, 2011
Jim,
While we can't see the frames much, we can research on-line for the brand and model to see how it is constructed. In the case of the Infinity 3750, I found that its empty weight and cargo carrying capacity (CCC) would roughly be 15500 lbs. Also, on their website under "Standard Feature" on the page with that floor-plan, it says it has a 10" drop rail "Z" frame chassis.
I don't know much more than that, but I do know that a lot of brands/models have heavier frames. There are a lot of 12" I-beam frames and others as well. The DRV Select Suites models have 12" I-beams and the Mobile Suites and Elite Suites have 15" triple box frames.
Now, I am a bit nit-picky and since Jo and I are living full time in our Mobile Suites, I wanted to make sure that I got as heavy as I could get. After all, the wheels, suspension, and frames act as the foundation of our home, and it has to be able to move down the highways. Also, we have no other home.
I don't know if that helps you, but in my mind, a 10" frame is pretty light. What I don't know is the actual structure of the Infinity's frames as to whether their "configuration" makes up for the smaller size of the beams. Also, if you aren't planning on full-timing and putting on a lot of miles, the smaller size may not be a problem.
Terry
pequeajim said
03:54 PM Sep 27, 2011
Thanks Terry, yes I looked at the DRV at the hershey show, and noticed the heavier frames, but three things pushed me away from the mobile suites, weight, layout, and price. Since we are planning to do a seasonal site with our fifth wheel, I'm not too worried about the size of the frames, unless they are under sized, (which they are not). I just want to inspect them before we take delivery. The manufacture that made the frames for the Infinity is the same that made the heavier frame for the Mobile Suites.
I go on Saturday to take delivery, an will be armed with a flashlight, camera, and mirror.
I just signed a sales agreement at the Pa RV Show last week and will be taking delivery of my Infinity 3750FL on my birthday, this Saturday!
One of the things that I have been researching all week has been the frames of Fifth Wheels. A little of what I have found out is the following:
The frames for the Infinity are made by Lippert who makes frames for about 80-90% of RVs in the USA
Other Fifth wheels who have frames made by Lippert are Infinity, DRV, Wildcat, Heartland, Redwood, etc.
I really don't want to get into a bash Lippert thread, but because of the fact that they they dominate the frame manufacturing business, there will be more complaints, because there are more of them on the road.
So, to my original question, what is the best way to inspect a frame before taking delivery?
Flyone
Straying just a bit from your specific question if I may. While I doubt that you will be able to inspect the frame in anyway other than a very cursory inspection (a lot of the critical area is covered now,) I would offer an opinion of how to have a better chance of protecting the frame from damage.
Other than the obvious of don’t overload the rig, an air-ride hitch, either on the kingpin or the truck, is a huge piece of insurance to protect the most vulnerable part of the frame. That would be just ahead of the drop frame area where the pin box attaches. This area, even with a pickup as the tow vehicle, takes a huge beating over bad bumps and potholes. That’s pretty obvious when you think about it.
I prefer a certain type for my own reasons based on research, but any air-ride system is (usually) better than a rigid pin box and rigid truck receiver hitch. (BTW, stating the obvious, you don’t want an air-ride pin box and an air-ride truck receiver hitch; one or the other, but not both.)
Safe and happy travels
Bill
Jim,
While we can't see the frames much, we can research on-line for the brand and model to see how it is constructed. In the case of the Infinity 3750, I found that its empty weight and cargo carrying capacity (CCC) would roughly be 15500 lbs. Also, on their website under "Standard Feature" on the page with that floor-plan, it says it has a 10" drop rail "Z" frame chassis.
I don't know much more than that, but I do know that a lot of brands/models have heavier frames. There are a lot of 12" I-beam frames and others as well. The DRV Select Suites models have 12" I-beams and the Mobile Suites and Elite Suites have 15" triple box frames.
Now, I am a bit nit-picky and since Jo and I are living full time in our Mobile Suites, I wanted to make sure that I got as heavy as I could get. After all, the wheels, suspension, and frames act as the foundation of our home, and it has to be able to move down the highways. Also, we have no other home.
I don't know if that helps you, but in my mind, a 10" frame is pretty light. What I don't know is the actual structure of the Infinity's frames as to whether their "configuration" makes up for the smaller size of the beams. Also, if you aren't planning on full-timing and putting on a lot of miles, the smaller size may not be a problem.
Terry
I go on Saturday to take delivery, an will be armed with a flashlight, camera, and mirror.
Thanks for the information.