# Grp v Aluminium



## coppo (May 27, 2009)

I am just reading another thread with dismay at how the bodywork of new grp motorhomes can fail after so short a time.

Is it because they try and make it so thin to save weight or just havn't mastered the art of it yet.

Give me aluminium anyday, it may dent but its very tough and hardwearing.

Paul.


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## barryd (May 9, 2008)

Im no expert but didn't the price of GRP go up quite a bit in the last 20 years?

I had a 1989 Motor Cruiser for quite a few years which I sold soon after we got the van and it was built like a battle ship. It survived at least two direct impacts with the wooden pier where it was birthed where it simply sliced a wedge shaped hole in the planks. I had a look at some of the newer ones when I was thinking of upgrading and they looked like they would break up if they hit a couple of twigs at speed.

Dunno if its the same with vans but a lot of the newer ones I have looked at (ours is 1996) do seem a bit flimsy. Having said that they do seem to be getting heavier.
.


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

*Alu-Tech*

The way to go is Alu-Tech and no wooden base structure, which I understand Bailey are using on their new motorhomes.
Many of the newer articulated double deck semi trailers have been using this material for a few years now and it is well proved within the commercial industry. It saves about one ton on each trailer. 
On top of that it is very strong!
I am very surprised that some of the larger motorhome builders have not used it. Maybe cost as it is not cheap!
If Bailey had the habitation door on the other side, maybe I would consider one and only for the Alu-Tech reason.


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## SilverF1 (Feb 27, 2009)

*Re: Alu-Tech*



Grath said:


> The way to go is Alu-Tech and no wooden base structure, which I understand Bailey are using on their new motorhomes.
> 
> I am very surprised that some of the larger motorhome builders have not used it. Maybe cost as it is not cheap!


Don't Hymer's use this construction?


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## stewartwebr (May 27, 2005)

My vote goes for GRP everytime. I have had a mix of both over the years and have certainly found the GRP to be the stronger of the two. Aluminium just dents too bloody easy. You only have to look at it.

I remember back in 2001 when I bought a new Bel Air 730. It was GRP, some yob 2 days into ownership decided to take a nail down the side of the van and sign his name with the same nail across the back. The dealer told me it would require a complete new back panel and the a total respray on the side,

One of the guys suggested I contact a company in Doncaster. I took the van there were the guy told me GRP was very forgiving and he thought he could buff it out.

He did the job for me and brought the van back to like new. A very good job and you could never tell the van had been damaged.

Would have been a different story with Aluminium, where over the years I have noticed small dents on the vans with no idea how they happened.

Current van is Aluminium but as said would far prefer GRP. Was once told by Swiift that they moved back to Aluminium when the started the silver sides on the kon tiki's as the perfect paint finish in such a dark colour was not possible on GRP???

Stewart


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## peedee (May 10, 2005)

Plenty of comment in >this thread<

peedee


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## 113016 (Jun 5, 2008)

*Re: Alu-Tech*



SilverF1 said:


> Grath said:
> 
> 
> > The way to go is Alu-Tech and no wooden base structure, which I understand Bailey are using on their new motorhomes.
> ...


I think that the Alu-Tech panels used on commercial vehicle trailers do not have any foam in the honeycombe construction. 
Don't know if the same applies to the panels used on M/h's but I would imagine they would be the same.

From memory I think that the Hymer panels do have foam.


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