Posted 2010-01-18 3:41 PM (#115425 - in reply to #115422) Subject: RE: 1999 sundowner question
Expert
Posts: 1351 Location: Decatur, Texas
Originally written by ohmysillyjester on 2010-01-18 2:42 PM
Are there any 1999 all aluminum sundowner trailer or are the all the steel frame aluminum skin ones that have all the problems?
Yes, I believe the LQ models are a 725 series and will have a double row of (red and white) DOT a tape on the lower part of the trailer and the steel frame models have a single row of DOT tape.
Not ALL steel frame Sundowner trailer have the problem! Mine is a Texas trailer and still looks new under the bottom......
Posted 2010-01-18 5:50 PM (#115431 - in reply to #115422) Subject: RE: 1999 sundowner question
Veteran
Posts: 127 Location: rapid city sd
anybody could add more dot tape. If you look at the vin on the trailer or title the last 6 of the vin will have 2 letters. VA or ZA are steel frame and LA or AA are all aluminum. This will always be correct until 09
Posted 2010-01-19 8:03 AM (#115437 - in reply to #115422) Subject: RE: 1999 sundowner question
Member
Posts: 9
Location: texoma, ok
Eventually all steel frame with alum trailers will eventually get the problem, Texas or not. It is not the bottom you look at - the problem is between the walls where you cannot see easily. On Sundowner - the grooves in the floor run for alum run opposite direction than the steel frame/alum floor on the trailers I have seen.
Posted 2010-01-19 9:43 AM (#115442 - in reply to #115437) Subject: RE: 1999 sundowner question
Expert
Posts: 1351 Location: Decatur, Texas
Originally written by buckedoff on 2010-01-19 8:03 AM
Eventually all steel frame with alum trailers will eventually get the problem, Texas or not. It is not the bottom you look at - the problem is between the walls where you cannot see easily. On Sundowner - the grooves in the floor run for alum run opposite direction than the steel frame/alum floor on the trailers I have seen.
FYI, The steel frame we are talking about on Sundowner trailers are alum upper section mounted on a steel lower frame! So if you was to remove the outter alum skin on my Sundowner you will find an alum frame for the main box that is set on a STEEL lower main frame, so there is not going to be ANY problems in the walls as you stated! Some of the onlhy problems I did see on Sundowner frame was on the far right rear corner where urine and poop builds up from lack of maintance and being lazy and not cleaning out the trailer after people use them.
Posted 2010-01-19 9:47 AM (#115443 - in reply to #115431) Subject: RE: 1999 sundowner question
Expert
Posts: 1351 Location: Decatur, Texas
For the most part, the DOT will be as stated. I have never seen or heard of anyone wanting to take the extra time or spend the extra money to add another roll of DOT tape to the side of a trailer. And then the time it takes to line it up and make it look factory on top of that
Some are just too picky for me, I was adding something simple and quick to look for when trying to figure out steel or alum.
Here a better way, buy a magnet this always works!
Posted 2010-01-19 10:08 AM (#115447 - in reply to #115442) Subject: RE: 1999 sundowner question
Location: Where the wind comes sweepin' down the plain...
Originally written by hogtownboss on 2010-01-19 9:43 AM
Originally written by buckedoff on 2010-01-19 8:03 AM
Eventually all steel frame with alum trailers will eventually get the problem, Texas or not. It is not the bottom you look at - the problem is between the walls where you cannot see easily. On Sundowner - the grooves in the floor run for alum run opposite direction than the steel frame/alum floor on the trailers I have seen.
FYI, The steel frame we are talking about on Sundowner trailers are alum upper section mounted on a steel lower frame! So if you was to remove the outter alum skin on my Sundowner you will find an alum frame for the main box that is set on a STEEL lower main frame!
Not so sure about that HTB. I know that Sundowner had trailers that had steel side wall posts in them. I'd check it with a magnet.
Posted 2010-01-19 11:01 AM (#115451 - in reply to #115422) Subject: RE: 1999 sundowner question
Member
Posts: 29 Location: Aiken, SC
Sundowner has built a line of "all aluminum" trailers since 1986 there were several different models. In 1999 if the trailer carried the name valulite it had a steel frame. If it was built in 1999 and it carried the Sunlite name it was "all aluminum." Since January 2008 every Sundowner is "all aluminum".
Posted 2010-01-19 11:07 AM (#115452 - in reply to #115422) Subject: RE: 1999 sundowner question
Regular
Posts: 83
My 2000 Valuelite has steel frame, floor and walls. I've posted many times about my trailer frame. I live in the Midwest. I bought my trailer out of WI two years ago. There was just surface rust at the time. I water blasted and coated my steel frame last year. I can see the steel wall frame in my dressing room, around the windows, in the back uprights, and have not seen a problem there. I don't use mine much in the winter. I thought the black coating on my aluminum floor was the much worse problem than the coating on the steel frame. The coating on my steel frame bubbled, and fell off instead of "trapping water and salt". I pulled off wheels to coat the frame, looked at all the steel supports. My trailer frame didn't look much different than any other metal trailer frame I've had. I think the Sundowners have had some serious problems with this issue, but to say all of them are doomed may be a stretch. I bought mine pretty cheap, I assume because of this problem. I do regular yearly maintanance on mine, including inspecting and recoating frame. I do not think I have excessive rusting problems for a 10 year old metal frame trailer. Perhaps I have a better grade of steel on mine, or do not subject it to as much salt as some. I even drilled a small hole, then recoated it, in the frame behind the tires to be sure of its condition. Hard steel all the way through.
1999 sundowner question
