All Aluminum RVs

[otterslide]

Other than the 2007-2008 Starcraft StarStream and the AirStreams, is there anything else with all aluminum construction(walls/roof) ?

I also wonder what the starcraft StarStream uses for flooring if anyone knows.. is it plywood under the vinyl?.. OSB?

Is the "TuffShell" StarCraft only aluminum frame, or does it have any aluminum that makes up the wall as well?.. From the photo it almost looks like it has a thin layer of metal , but it says bonded laminate with aluminum frame.
Also I wonder what the climate package adds in terms of insulation.

[colliehauler]

NEnative wrote:
Colliehauler, I apologize if that sounded like a jab.

Not taken that way at all. We need correct information.

[NEnative]

Colliehauler, I apologize if that sounded like a jab.

[colliehauler]

NEnative wrote:
Colliehauler, that Air Hawaii jets cabin did not fail due to corrosion, it failed due to the use of triangular rivets which after years of pressurization/depressurization leads to cracks in the aluminum skin.

Thanks for the clarification. I stand corrected.

[NEnative]

Colliehauler, that Air Hawaii jets cabin did not fail due to corrosion, it failed due to the use of triangular rivets which after years of pressurization/depressurization leads to cracks in the aluminum skin.

[CavemanCharlie]

Back in the day they used to make Aluminum Livestock Trailers designed to be pulled by a pickup for hauling hogs. If you had one of those trailers that had a aluminum gate held on by steel hinge pins the gate would be stuck shut within 2 years.

[Gdetrailer]

GrandpaKip wrote:

valhalla360 wrote:

GrandpaKip wrote:
With stainless steel fittings attached with SS screws. Some have brass and copper attached, also.

Absolute NO NO!!!

If you go to the boat forums, you will find long discussions of how to isolate aluminum from stainless steel because it cause the aluminum to fail or how a DIY job turned ugly in just a couple years because the guy didn't understand this.

My 52 year old Columbia 8.7 had all SS rigging attached to anodized spars. When you drill a pilot hole, the inside is not anodized. Not one failure for probably a hundred or so screw or rivet points. Most of the couple hundred sailboats at the boat yard where I spent most of my growing up had the same.


Now, the Al in an RV isn’t the same as a boat. I have seen corroded and falling apart Al in various situations. Mainly from little or no maintenance. Electrolysis will eat Al fairly quickly if allowed to.
My original point was that Al is an excellent building material when properly maintained.

Consider yourself extremely lucky.

Perhaps you need to go tell Ford your personal "discovery" and prove them WRONG.

Ford on their aluminum body vehicles in order to interface EVERY possible point of contact with steel HAS INSULATED the contact points WITH PLASTIC INTERFACES.

I know this because I am a owner of a 2019 F250 with aluminum body.

The FEW places that there is some sort of steal screw contacting the aluminum it IS ZINC PLATED (from my searching a stainless steel screw which is ZINC PLATED coating IS RECOMMENDED OVER A PLAIN FULLY STAINLESS SCREW). There is no DIRECT steel OR STAINLESS STEEL to aluminum interface without some sort of buffer.

I am painfully aware of this because I had one heck of time figuring out how and where to mount my Ham radio antenna AND find a good grounding point. Made a 1hr-2hr turn into 5hr-6hr job to fully insure I didn't create a potential point of corrosion to the body.

Per HERE

"Galvanic Corrosion

The process of galvanic corrosion occurs when two different metals are touching each other in the presence of an electrolyte, a fluid that allows the flow of electrons from one metal to the other. As the process continues, one of the metals will deteriorate quickly as its electrons flow steadily to the other metal. When you fasten aluminum using screws made from a different metal, especially in situations where the metal is exposed to salt water, galvanic corrosion may cause significant deterioration of the aluminum base metal.
Aluminum Screws

Because galvanic corrosion happens when dissimilar metals come into contact with each other, the simplest way to prevent the process is to use screws made from the same metal as the metal you're fastening. Aluminum screws will not cause corrosion in aluminum base metal, even if the screws aren't plated or treated with any corrosion-resistant material.

Carbon Steel Screws

Unplated steel screws will cause corrosion in aluminum in a wet environment. They'll rust quickly themselves, as well, so they're not a good choice for fastening aluminum. Galvanized steel screws, however, are plated with a corrosion-resistant coating, usually consisting of zinc, that is not nearly as reactive with aluminum. The zinc plating prevents the underlying steel from coming into contact with the aluminum, and the risk of corrosion of the aluminum is reduced significantly.

Stainless Steel Screws

Stainless steel is an alloy of carbon steel that is, itself, resistant to corrosion. However, stainless steel is reactive with aluminum, and when a stainless steel screw is in contact with an aluminum base metal, the aluminum is likely to corrode. As is the case with carbon steel screws, a plated stainless steel screw is less likely to corrode aluminum; screws treated with a high-quality coating consisting of zinc and aluminum flakes are especially resistant to corrosion.

Brass Screws

Brass is very reactive with aluminum, and brass screws will cause substantial corrosion of an aluminum base metal in a wet environment. The process of galvanic corrosion depends on the presence of an electrolyte, though, so in a totally dry environment the risk of corrosion is low, even if you use uncoated brass screws."


That is just ONE of the websites/resources which say you are wrong, I would highly recommend that you go do some searching and reading..

HERE is a search link that will get you started in the right direction..

To folks who think that aluminum trailers will last longer or are superior to wood stick framed, THINK AGAIN.

Aluminum framing only means they were able to save some weight in the final product, does not mean it is better or superior.

Example, my 2019 F250 "Aluminaduty" weighs 300 lbs LESS than my 2013 F250 steel body truck..

[colliehauler]

I remember the aluminum roof coming off a Boeing jet that was in Hawaiian service a few decades back due to corrosion. They made a safe landing.

[GrandpaKip]

valhalla360 wrote:

GrandpaKip wrote:
With stainless steel fittings attached with SS screws. Some have brass and copper attached, also.

Absolute NO NO!!!

If you go to the boat forums, you will find long discussions of how to isolate aluminum from stainless steel because it cause the aluminum to fail or how a DIY job turned ugly in just a couple years because the guy didn't understand this.

My 52 year old Columbia 8.7 had all SS rigging attached to anodized spars. When you drill a pilot hole, the inside is not anodized. Not one failure for probably a hundred or so screw or rivet points. Most of the couple hundred sailboats at the boat yard where I spent most of my growing up had the same.
Now, the Al in an RV isn’t the same as a boat. I have seen corroded and falling apart Al in various situations. Mainly from little or no maintenance. Electrolysis will eat Al fairly quickly if allowed to.
My original point was that Al is an excellent building material when properly maintained.

[valhalla360]

GrandpaKip wrote:
With stainless steel fittings attached with SS screws. Some have brass and copper attached, also.

Absolute NO NO!!!

If you go to the boat forums, you will find long discussions of how to isolate aluminum from stainless steel because it cause the aluminum to fail or how a DIY job turned ugly in just a couple years because the guy didn't understand this.

[trailer_newbe]

Look at commodity prices and look at who makes aluminum Trailers. Now look at the price tag.

[Gdetrailer]

GrandpaKip wrote:
There are probably hundreds of thousands of aluminum spars on sailboats around the world existing in a marine environment. All aluminum hulls, too. With stainless steel fittings attached with SS screws. Some have brass and copper attached, also.
No building material lasts forever. But with proper maintenance, any of them will probably outlast you.

Untreated/unfinished, raw or unpainted aluminum in contact with the wrong metal AND water/moisture simply dooms the aluminum.

The "marine" uses you speak of for aluminum ARE treated and or painted.

Copper, steel and even many types of stainless steel and possibly brass (which contains copper) in direct contact with aluminum are a absolute no no.

The aluminum used for interior framing of RVs is most likely UNTREATED AND/OR UNPAINTED.

To protect raw aluminum, it MUST be anodized (chemical/heat treatment) which creates a controlled stable oxidization layer on the surface of the aluminum OR SEALED VIA PAINT.

Granted, aluminum does create a oxidation layer on it's surface when scratched, but keep in mind, that layer is extremely thin and will deteriorate at a higher rate than anodized aluminum.

I seriously doubt that any RV manufacturer is going to be willing to anodize the aluminum structure/framing inside the walls/roof/floor due to costs and hazards of setting up a anodizing line (welds/rivets other fastener holes and cut ends need sealed).

Constant water/moisture exposure will eventually corrode the untreated aluminum to the point it simply turns to powder..

Ask anyone who has had RV aluminum develop PINHOLES in it out of nowhere.

ZERO "advantage" of a all aluminum framed RV, if you keep a RV dry by checking and replacing old caulk, pretty much any type of RV can last for a long, long time. Fail to do the maintenance and aluminum framed trailers can fail just as quickly as a wood stick framed RV.

[GrandpaKip]

There are probably hundreds of thousands of aluminum spars on sailboats around the world existing in a marine environment. All aluminum hulls, too. With stainless steel fittings attached with SS screws. Some have brass and copper attached, also.
No building material lasts forever. But with proper maintenance, any of them will probably outlast you.
The Starstream is pretty cool looking. From a quick search, it seems the walls, floor, and roof are Al framed, styrofoam panels with luaun on both sides. The roof and walls are skinned with Al with a “special” coating similar to an automobile finish.

[valhalla360]

midnightsadie wrote:
I,ve been told aluminum does not like treated wood.

Aluminum HATES dissimilar metals. It creates a battery that will eat thru it very quickly. I've heard of stories where people have dropped a coin in the bilge of an aluminum boat and it literally ate a coin size hole in the bottom.

Treated wood uses metals in the treatment, which can create a similar effect.

Assuming the aluminum is isolated, it's a very good material that will last a very long time. The biggest issue is the airstream style RVs are so expensive, you could replaces them 3 times over and still come out better financially.

[afidel]

Living Lite made a series of all aluminum travel trailers, truck campers, small toy haulers, and one 5er, even the cabinets are metal. To me the interiors are a bit Spartan on everything but the 2018 models.