Reinforced Walls - Good Idea?

[StillCampin]

I got walls 1-5 in my 5.0 because I like being able to mount things where I want them, not where framing happens to be located. I currently have a counter extension on the kitchen/dinette wall and I have a knife holder and Umbra cubby yet to mount. So far the dinette/fridge wall only has a fan on it. I did the fridge/pantry wall & pantry/bath for potential pantry shelf changes. The pantry/bath wall has a well anchored vertical grab bar/shower height adjustment bar on it. The bath front wall has umbra hooks and a fan on it right now. It might get more stuff.

My scale weight is still under 6,000 pounds so my truck hardly knows its back there.

[Fox hunt]

i did not add any reinforced walls -haven't needed any either

[Roger C H]

It would seem to me that needing reinforced walls indicates the thing is made too light to begin with.

[Ron in BC]

Originally Posted by Roger C H

It would seem to me that needing reinforced walls indicates the thing is made too light to begin with.

Where would Lotus have been if Colin Chapman thought that way? One of the benefits of an Escape is that it is more lightweight than some others and that's often a critical factor for some.

There are a whole bunch of us who have lot's of experience with Escapes and who don't feel the need to add weight by making every wall a heavy solid one.

This seems a be a classic case of herd mentality. One person gets several walls reinforced, often on spec. and suddenly a bunch more are thinking that they to should get all their wall reinforced.

Ron

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Where would Lotus have been if Colin Chapman thought that way? One of the benefits of an Escape is that it is more lightweight than some others and that's often a critical factor for some.



There are a whole bunch of us who have lot's of experience with Escapes and who don't feel the need to add weight by making every wall a heavy solid one.



This seems a be a classic case of herd mentality. One person gets several walls reinforced, often on spec. and suddenly a bunch more are thinking that they to should get all their wall reinforced.



Ron

Reace would roll his eyes at how many walls he reinforced.

[gbaglo]

Originally Posted by Ron in BC

Where would Lotus have been if Colin Chapman thought that way? One of the benefits of an Escape is that it is more lightweight than some others and that's often a critical factor for some.

Ron

I have no reinforced walls and I have a light-weight trailer. Besides, who needs more clutter, sticking stuff on every available surface?

[cpaharley2008]

Herd mentality excellent observation Ron, hit the nail on the head. Some people do not want to be troubled with making decisions as minutia as to where to install items, nor do they want to plan ahead, so they just cover their lack of foresight with plywood. Then they complain of poor gas mileage...IMHO, They do the same with other options also, like the inverter. It is easier rather that way.

[MikeS]

Originally Posted by StillCampin

I got walls 1-5 in my 5.0 because I like being able to mount things where I want them, not where framing happens to be located. I currently have a counter extension on the kitchen/dinette wall and I have a knife holder and Umbra cubby yet to mount. So far the dinette/fridge wall only has a fan on it. I did the fridge/pantry wall & pantry/bath for potential pantry shelf changes. The pantry/bath wall has a well anchored vertical grab bar/shower height adjustment bar on it. The bath front wall has umbra hooks and a fan on it right now. It might get more stuff.

My scale weight is still under 6,000 pounds so my truck hardly knows its back there.

Are you over the 5,500 lbs GVWR?

[Donna D.]

Originally Posted by cpaharley2008

Herd mentality excellent observation Ron, hit the nail on the head. Some people do not want to be troubled with making decisions as minutia as to where to install items, nor do they want to plan ahead, so they just cover their lack of foresight with plywood. Then they complain of poor gas mileage...IMHO, They do the same with other options also, like the inverter. It is easier rather that way.

A bit harsh don't you think? A vast amount of people haven't be able to spend any kind of quality time inside an ETI build to even know or remember what much of anything looks like, let alone the walls (how large are they). There are folks buying trailers sight unseen as well. Trying to plan ahead is seriously compromised when there isn't any valid information especially in ones memory bank. IF someone is getting poor fuel mileage, I doubt it's due to 100 extra pounds from reinforced walls.

[Vermilye]

I didn't get any reinforced walls in either my 17B or 21. I found that careful placement of added items, along with the use of adhesive, wing toggles & other techniques for hollow walls has worked for me.

Since I travel 6-8 months of the year & carry far too much stuff, I tend to load the 21 close to its GVWR, so I'm glad I avoided the additional weight of the reinforced walls.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by MikeS

Are you over the 5,500 lbs GVWR?

I was wondering the same thing. Man, I went hard customizing my trailer and when loaded broke 5,500 a bit. Some removing and changing of items got me back below.

[cpaharley2008]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

A bit harsh don't you think? A vast amount of people haven't be able to spend any kind of quality time inside an ETI build to even know or remember what much of anything looks like, let alone the walls (how large are they). There are folks buying trailers sight unseen as well. Trying to plan ahead is seriously compromised when there isn't any valid information especially in ones memory bank. IF someone is getting poor fuel mileage, I doubt it's due to 100 extra pounds from reinforced walls.

True, but all they have to do is research posts on reinforce walls. Plus I believe it is closer to 35 # per wall and at 6 walls closer to 200 pounds.

[Jim Bennett]

Originally Posted by Vermilye

Since I travel 6-8 months of the year & carry far too much stuff, I tend to load the 21 close to its GVWR, so I'm glad I avoided the additional weight of the reinforced walls.

Yes, but who was it I borrowed a drill bit from a couple years, and an MC4 crimper laser year? Pretty sure it was from someone who carries said "too much stuff". [emoji6]

Oh yeah, it was you. Thanks again. [emoji4]

[cpaharley2008]

Jon is the "Home Hardware" on wheels........

[StillCampin]

Originally Posted by MikeS

Are you over the 5,500 lbs GVWR?

As a matter of fact, I was a tad over that. But I was also carrying my replacement inverter, solar controller, power center/converter, tools & supplies for the mods I was working on as I took it home. And a bunch of stuff from the rv I was using until the Escape was delivered. That Anderson hitch and not having the wind/weather protection of the tonneau cover forced me to carry things inside the Escape. I now have a bunch of stuff in my storage shed to sell and/or take to the next rally "sell & swap". I'll weigh again once my mods are done & I've emptied the entry cabinets of supplies & such.

[Patandlinda]

Originally Posted by Donna D.

A bit harsh don't you think? A vast amount of people haven't be able to spend any kind of quality time inside an ETI build to even know or remember what much of anything looks like, let alone the walls (how large are they). There are folks buying trailers sight unseen as well. Trying to plan ahead is seriously compromised when there isn't any valid information especially in ones memory bank. IF someone is getting poor fuel mileage, I doubt it's due to 100 extra pounds from reinforced walls.

In our case with 3 walls and they only went 1/2 up about maybe 75 lbs . And we routinely remove unnecessary stuff that doesn’t need to be in trailer if it isn’ t being used . Pat

[h2owmn]

i agree with Donna. I reinforced one wall (entry/refrig side) in my 17A because my daughter has mobility issues and I wanted an handhold inside the door as well as outside. I suppose I could have asked for just a smaller reinforced section but i wasn't sure where I wanted it till i got to ETI. I am no spring chicken and I use it, too. It was a safety issue.

[Patandlinda]

When we were ordering trailer , I asked for some reinforcements in the walls . Must of been a new requests because They had to get back to me after they talked to Reace ,if they could and a price . Probably why they only went down about 1/2 of the wall . But that was ok for us because it was the top half I wanted done anyway

[Ronn]

Originally Posted by Roger C H

It would seem to me that needing reinforced walls indicates the thing is made too light to begin with.

Think of your home, I'm not sure how thick the sheet rock is in my home, but we wouldn't think of having plywood reinforcement throughout the house. We can't just hang anything on the walls at home either.

[steve dunham]

Originally Posted by Ronn

Think of your home, I'm not sure how thick the sheet rock is in my home, but we wouldn't think of having plywood reinforcement throughout the house. We can't just hang anything on the walls at home either.

Years back I worked on high end custom homes . The builders put blocking in the walls for hanging cabinets , hand rails , draperies , kitchen & bath fixtures , wall mounted TV’s / appliances , hanging large pieces of art or wall decorations, ETC , ETC , ETC
Figuring out where to place blocking is not rocket science nor do you need to be clairvoyant , it just takes a little common sense and a builder ,carpenters who care.

Doesn’t Escape advertise itself as a builder of high quality , custom trailers.?

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