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So, in your opinion, does the Eldiss "watertight" construction match up to the Bailey monocoque construction?

I'll nail my colours to the flag: Bailey Alutech avoids structural problems whether water gets in or not. And without a pressure test on each 'van, Eldiss will never get every one water tight. And as timber is still used in the construction, delamination will still occur.

Nice try, but a bit short on innovation IMHO.

I aplaud bailey in getting rid of wood in the shell of the caravan, and with it they have a system that once they have ironed out all the imperfections be probably the best construction in UK vans. Eldis have made improvements in the sealing of the vans but IMO until they get rid of a wooden frame in the walls they will never get rid of the basic problem of rot..

Hey tentz i'll take it you've never seen a refer body with delamination then  

The best body you can get on a commercial trailer including fridges is ally sheets and rivets just like a caravan, the reason the industry has moved from that is mainly for cosmetic reasons i.e smooth sides that look better signwritten as apposed to looking like a tonka truck,

Bessie

Adria have grp sidewalls, which i think is the same grp as in commercial vehicles i'e glass reinforced plywood. this construction is a nightmare over 45 ft as the sidewalls end up warping deaming the trailers scrap.

I think it works ok on the adrias as the sidewall is smaller, personally i wish all caravans were made of this as its solid, bailey are now making caravans the same way as the old fruehauf boxvans, ally and steel hopefully this should last years and hopefully the trend will spread to the other manufactures.

What fridges did you run Tentz G&A 

bessie   

Quote: Originally posted by bessie500 on 06/9/2012

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What fridges did you run Tentz G&A

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Quote: Originally posted by Simontodd on 06/9/2012

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Whats all this Bailey talk about no wood? The whole floor is ply, it really amazes me the saleman speak that people accept and pass on as fact. Alu-tech is a clamping system not a no-wood system. SoLiD is a bonding system that removes the need for a secondary sealant.
Bailey are certainly not monocoque or wood free> The proof will out in time. Bailey have had loads of damp Alu-Techs but no more that any other manufaturers. In a couple of years we'll all know how Elddis have got on. To me, it seems a good step, if it was then linked to a composite frame rather than wood, that may be a further improvement.
As for Bailey avoiding structural problems, I havent really heard of too many of those from any manufacturer, poor internal finishing and damp seem to be by far the most issues in the last 3 years.
Just my thoughts
Simon

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Quote: Originally posted by Simontodd on 06/9/2012

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And a Hymer has no wood?, My Eriba (I sold last month) still had Ply floor.
In addition to my comments earlier, those of you that read caravan talk forums will be familiar with the countless threads currently discussing vans now having to be returned to factory for possible floor replacement. Water appears to be getting in front lockers and grab handles pooling underneath plastic inner skin. This is leading to the underfloor rotting.


Post last edited on 06/09/2012 19:28:15

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Look at my post I stressed the ALL caravans have wooden floors, in addition Hymer vans have a wooden inner lining to the walls but unlike other vans it is marine ply, and is completely isolated from the oputside by totally impervious materials. The outer aluminium may get punctured but the polyurethans foam throws off any water, unlike the polystyrene usaed in most vans which just becomes water looged, if the water gets down by the screws it enters the aluminium frame and is held there by the aluminium. Do Hymer vans leak, I would be very surprised if they dd not but unlike other vans if they leak they do not rot and other things that Hymer do to prevent water ingress all help to make the structuire a much more sound one.

Water getting into the front locker and roting the floor is bad design, the floor in the gas locker of my Humer is not the same as the floor inside the van and there is a gap between that floor and the walls of the van, if it gets wet then the fibre glass ( I presume or similar material ) floor simply shrugs it off. Bailey need to look at it properly they need to refine their idea and iron out its imperfections.

Quote: Originally posted by IainM on 06/9/2012

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Having seen a couple of Elddis modeks with SOLID construction last weekend, they did appear well built BUT they are rather uninspiring inside ... we found them very dull inside compared to our Sterling with its sunroof and very pale woodwork.

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