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Old 10-24-2011, 10:05 PM   #1
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Eagle vs Eagle Super Lite 5th wheels

Hi all, new to this forum and I would like to get input on a couple of Jayco 5ers.

Can anyone tell me definitively what the difference in construction is between the Eagle and Superlite Eagle 5ers? I have been looking on the Jayco web site and it looks like the roof on the regular Eagle is 1/4" plywood and the lite is 3/8" plywood. Can this be right, the "lite" has heavier roof construction? I'm missing something here and I don't know what it is. Also, the floor on the regular Eagle is 5/8" tongue in groove and it doesn't really say what the floor material is in the Lite.

It has always been my thought that anything in life that carries the "lite" in its name is some what lacking in either quality or flavor.

We will be buying in the spring and I want to make sure we choose the right unit for us. Hopefully this will be the last trailer we will be buying so it must last us.

We go out about 10 to 12 times a year usually for a week at a time with a mix of dry camping and private parks. We hope to make a cross country trip in the not to distant future for a couple of months.

After looking at way more brands than I care to think about, we have narrowed it down to Jayco and we like 2 models, the Eagle 321RLTS and the Superlite 31.5 RLTS. The 321 is at the outer limit of length for us so I am leaning toward the Superlite but I want to be comfortable knowing that it will last us for several years.

Thanks

Steve
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Old 10-25-2011, 06:37 AM   #2
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I`m wondering if that is a typo on the roof thickness. Even the Jayflight TT line has 3/8 ply for a roof. The floors on the Eagles are 5/8 T&G ply where the lites have a sandwich of foam and luan. Also in most cases the lites have less cargo carrying capacity and smaller holding tanks to keep the GVWR lower.
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Old 10-25-2011, 08:37 AM   #3
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On the regular Eagle fivers, the roof is 1/4" ply because the foam insulation helps distribute any load. The Jayflights and the 2011 and earlier Eagle TTs (don't know about the 2012s; Jayco's literature is totally fouled up) have a 3/8" roof because the insulation is glass. Based on that, I suspect the Eagle Superlight fivers have glass insulation (it's hard to tell from Jayco's piddle poor literature) which would account for the 3/8" roof. Glass is probably lighter weight than foam. It definitely is less expensive.
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Old 10-25-2011, 09:37 AM   #4
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We have the 321RLTS and the thing that put me in this one vs the lite was the bedroom ceiling hieght.I can walk around the bed and not have to stoop over,I'm 6'1.IIRC the shower on the lite is part of the bedroom also which we didnt like.
Either unit you wont be sorry,but we really like our 321.
Get the insulation upgrade and if down south get the 2 ac's.we've camped here in east Tex this summer when way over 100 and had no problem keeping the rv cool.
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Old 10-25-2011, 12:16 PM   #5
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We purchased a 2011 31.5RLTS early this year after considering both the 31.5RLTS and the 321RLTS. We went with the 31.5RLTS for a couple of reasons. We were able to work a better deal and, the most important, was that we calculated that the extra pin weight of the 321 RLTS would probably put us over the GVWR of the truck. After getting the 31.5 and getting it loaded (really pretty conservatively) for a trip to the Yukon and Alaska we found that we actually had exceed the GVW of truck by a few hundred pounds (weighed on a CAT scale). And, that is on a new truck with the 10,000lb GVWR! With regard to the units construction we had the same questions before starting out, but after 8K miles on all types of gravel, dirt and frost-heaved roads the unit turned out to be pretty bullet-proof. When walking on the roof there is no difference between it and our previous Arctic Fox. However, there were a host of "workmanship" issues, mostly in the interior, that we had to have taken care of before leaving on the trip. A few more minor interior things needed attention when we returned (loose trim, etc). Overall, our experience has been good, although if it was not for an excellent dealer we might feel a little different.
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Old 10-25-2011, 05:21 PM   #6
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Quote:
Originally Posted by poohbear View Post
We have the 321RLTS and the thing that put me in this one vs the lite was the bedroom ceiling hieght.I can walk around the bed and not have to stoop over,I'm 6'1.IIRC the shower on the lite is part of the bedroom also which we didnt like.
Either unit you wont be sorry,but we really like our 321.
Get the insulation upgrade and if down south get the 2 ac's.we've camped here in east Tex this summer when way over 100 and had no problem keeping the rv cool.
Thanks, Height in the BR is not a problem for us as I'm only 5'8" and the wife is 5' so we can get by with the ceiling height and the shower is in a separate bath room on the 31.5RLTS. Will remember the advise on the second AC

Steve
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Old 10-25-2011, 06:08 PM   #7
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Originally Posted by geo/kim Edgerton View Post
We were able to work a better deal and, the most important, was that we calculated that the extra pin weight of the 321 RLTS would probably put us over the GVWR of the truck. After getting the 31.5 and getting it loaded (really pretty conservatively) for a trip to the Yukon and Alaska we found that we actually had exceed the GVW of truck by a few hundred pounds (weighed on a CAT scale). And, that is on a new truck with the 10,000lb GVWR! A few more minor interior things needed attention when we returned (loose trim, etc). Overall, our experience has been good, although if it was not for an excellent dealer we might feel a little different.
I'm not as concerned with the GVWR of the truck as I am of the RAWR and the rating of the tires. Based on those numbers I should be good up to about 6300# on the rear axle and with an empty wt of 2900 on that axle I can put a 321 or the 31.5 on there with no problem. I am going to put either air bags or the Roadmaster Active Suspension system to enhance the ride and help keep the truck level.

Glad to hear you put the 31.5 to the acid test and it survived.

Thanks a bunch for the feedback.

Steve
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Old 10-25-2011, 07:36 PM   #8
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You get what you pay for. The Eagle has bigger holding tanks, water heater, etc. They use better materials, nicer cabinets, etc. More standard, and available options.

If its the last trailer you will buy, why not make it a nice one.

You wont regret getting the eagle!

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Old 10-25-2011, 07:45 PM   #9
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Steve, the RAW on the CAT scale with the loaded 31.5 was about 5900lbs and I think the axle GAWR is 6200lbs on our truck.
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Old 10-25-2011, 08:40 PM   #10
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I bought an 321RLTS Eagle in May, No majotr problems so far, 2 a/c's is a must, I traded in an Laredo I had for 2 years because of the a/c. It only had one.
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Old 10-25-2011, 09:24 PM   #11
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Originally Posted by Panhead View Post
I'm not as concerned with the GVWR of the truck as I am of the RAWR and the rating of the tires. Based on those numbers I should be good up to about 6300# on the rear axle and with an empty wt of 2900 on that axle I can put a 321 or the 31.5 on there with no problem....snip
Steve,

Welcome to the Jayco forums.

You didn't mention what kind of TV you have, and I'm not sure where the 2,900lb empty weight came from (CAT scale??). Is the 6,300lb your actual specified RGAWR?

Since you are in the do-diligence part of the process I would run your TV across a CAT scale under simulated "loaded" conditions to confirm your TV and axle weights to your TV's specified weight limits, this way you are working with real numbers.

Just thinking out loud..........,,

321RLTS: 2,340lb dry pin, 10,525lb UVW, 14,500lb GVWR

Worst condition: 14,500lb loaded FW @ 20% = 2,900lb loaded pin weight plus couple 100lbs for the hitch.

31.5RLTS: 2,170lb dry pin, 9,280lb UVW, 11,900lb GVWR

Worst condition: 11,900lb loaded FW @ 20% = 2,380lb loaded pin weight plus couple 100lbs for the hitch.

Of course we all load our trailers differently, so you could be looking at lower loaded weights..., but as mentioned both the TV's GVWR and RGAWR are the targeted weight limits to stay within.

Bob
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Old 10-26-2011, 12:05 AM   #12
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Originally Posted by Rustic Eagle View Post
Steve,

Welcome to the Jayco forums.

You didn't mention what kind of TV you have, and I'm not sure where the 2,900lb empty weight came from (CAT scale??). Is the 6,300lb your actual specified RGAWR?

Since you are in the do-diligence part of the process I would run your TV across a CAT scale under simulated "loaded" conditions to confirm your TV and axle weights to your TV's specified weight limits, this way you are working with real numbers.

Just thinking out loud..........,,

321RLTS: 2,340lb dry pin, 10,525lb UVW, 14,500lb GVWR

Worst condition: 14,500lb loaded FW @ 20% = 2,900lb loaded pin weight plus couple 100lbs for the hitch.

31.5RLTS: 2,170lb dry pin, 9,280lb UVW, 11,900lb GVWR

Worst condition: 11,900lb loaded FW @ 20% = 2,380lb loaded pin weight plus couple 100lbs for the hitch.

Of course we all load our trailers differently, so you could be looking at lower loaded weights..., but as mentioned both the TV's GVWR and RGAWR are the targeted weight limits to stay within.

Bob

Thanks for the wecome Bob,

My TV is a 2007 F250 PSD 2WD, Weight ratings on the door post are: GVWR 9600, RAWR 6100 FAWR 4400

Cat Scale weights are Front 4020#, Rear 2880#, Total 6900# The truck was weighed with just me in the truck empty bed and a near full tank,(over 3/4 full). With no hitch installed as yet.

I would feel comfortable putting another 3100 or 3200# on the truck (including the weight of a hitch system of course.)That would keep me within the axle ratings and like I said as long as I'm within the axle ratings I really am not concerned with GVWR as is isn't an enforceable spec. I am also going to add the Roadmaster Active Suspension system to assist in handling and ride quality and keep the headlights out of the trees.

Just working with rough numbers here but based on what we carry with us now in our TT I would guess that there would be an additional 800 to 1000# at the outside, based on your numbers above I think I'd be good with either the Eagle or the Superlite. I can't think of a situation where I would ever load the Eagle anywhere near the 14,500# rating of that unit. Even if I throw my Honda Trail 90 (about 150#) on the back end we would be fine on weight.

Thanks

Steve
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Old 11-06-2011, 07:45 PM   #13
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We bought our 2012 31.5 RLTS Eagle lite in July and are really enjoying it. No problems so far. Our model has the shower within the bathroom (not in the bedroom). We previously owned a 2006 29 rks. Took a trip across country in that and it was great! We traded for the RLTS for the extra slides. We decided a slide in the bedroom was a MUST!
Good luck in your decision. You can't loose with a Jayco!!
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