What I recall of my tour of the Excel factory this past October:

Excel uses a 10" box tube frame with 1/4" sidewalls and this frame extends from the rear to just forward of the front jacks. The frame from the jacks forward is, from what I remember, a 8" box tube that is welded below the 10" frame effectively lowering the frame at from there forward to the pin box. This gives a bit more storage in the basement and Excel claims lower center of gravity. Excel makes there frames in house and I haven't heard of any one having frame problems with the Excel. I personally would rather have the 10" box tube run the entire length of the coach but apparently it is not necessary.

The one thing that turned me off from Excel is the wood frame construction and the way the wall studs are secured to the top and bottom plates. Each stud is stapled with either 4 or 5 large staples and to me that weakens the joint. I personally saw during the tour a completed wall that had a stud with a 2 foot split in it. The installer obviously knew that the stud was split but put it in any how. I've built houses and a stud like that would have been discarded.

There is an Excel owners section on IRV2.com where everyone there seems to be in love with their Excels and are helpful with any questions. The president of Excel, Bryan Tillett, posts on there regularly and will answer questions you may have.

-- Edited by R12 on Sunday 16th of March 2014 07:35:56 AM

Sorry Terry, but I've only been wrong ONCE in my life. It was the time I thought I was wrong but I wasn't.

Excel has a 10" box frame with 1/4" sidewalls. This link to an Excel frame construction video shows it in detail.

http://www.excelrvs.com/construction-videos/frame-design-video

New Horizons has a 18" I beam frame. I'm not sure what thickness the vertical is. Jack Mayer can probably chime in on that.

DRV has a 15" box tube frame with two 2x6 box tubes with 11 gauge sidewalls and a 2x3 box tube with 1/4" sidewalls, stacked and welded to form the 15" (except for the Tradition which has a smaller frame.) The 43' DRV's have a 15" stacked box tube frame and all the sidewalls are 1/4".

Here is a picture of the frame on my 38TKSB3 that I had DRV beef up to 1/4" sidewalls on all three frame tubes, the same as the 43' models.

 

 

-- Edited by R12 on Sunday 16th of March 2014 04:12:17 PM

-- Edited by R12 on Sunday 16th of March 2014 04:13:21 PM

-- Edited by R12 on Sunday 16th of March 2014 04:16:50 PM

-- Edited by R12 on Sunday 16th of March 2014 04:18:43 PM

No Cheryl, I'm not saying that. Excel is a quality rv and the frame question is largely academic here. The reason Excel can use a 10" frame with boxed or rectangular tubing is because Excel does not produce the longer fifth wheels as do the other companies mentioned. A 34 foot camper puts much less stress on the frame than a 40 foot camper and the boxed tubing is stronger than an I-beam. With thermal pane windows the Excel advertises comfortable living in down to -10 degrees F.

The three mfgs. mentioned here all produce a very livable full time unit. The '06 model you started this thread with almost certainly will have generator prep and 50 amp service and I'd be very surprised if this is not the case. Good luck and don't over think the frame. It is more than adequate for long life of the trailer.

Excel produces a very nice unit at it's price point. I would caution people, though, about assuming that a manufacturers claim that a unit will not "freeze up" at -10* is equivalent to "comfortable". -10* is exceptionally challenging for ANY RV, and to assume you are going to live in comfort at that temperature without taking other measures is not an assumption I personally would make.

does that mean the RV park at the north pole is'nt doable..?

so much for frozen margaritas & polar bears !!!!!!