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Old 08-01-2014, 04:39 AM   #1
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Is the Jay Flight built for the long hall ???

Going to be using the 2015 Jay Flight{ tin & sticks } for weeks at a time and travel thousands of miles when in use. Maybe 4 - 5 months a year.
So is the Jay Flight built to take the pounding of the roads ???
Just wife and I no kids or dogs .
Like to here from owners who have done this with the Jay Flight.
Mike
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Old 08-01-2014, 04:51 AM   #2
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Campers were made from tin and sticks for years and there are a lot of older ones still going strong.Just like anything how well you take care of it will determine how well it holds up. I like the way the smooth sided trailers look but I'm not sold on them for the fact that I have seen a lot that are within 15 yrs old that have delamination and since I'm not one that trades in every few years was why I went with the Jay Flight. As far as use I use mine every weekend to several weeks on end and tow it all over without any concern.
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Old 08-01-2014, 07:10 AM   #3
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We use ours a lot and most trips are 300 miles roundtrip for a week at a time (I am able to use it for work in the warm months).

The frost-heaved roads up here are terrible and the trailer does take a pounding. The Flights seem to be built solid and I have had no issues. I like the fact that Jayco uses 5/8 plywood in the construction. I have found soft spots on floors of light weight trailers of friends and family and have always been pleased with how solid mine feels under foot.

I would suggest that the tin sided trailer might do better than fibreglass over the long lifespan with regards to being a bit more forgiving if the trailer flexes at all; stones; sun fading, etc.
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Old 08-01-2014, 08:14 AM   #4
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IMO with proper maintenance and a little TLC the Jay Filght (like any TT) will do fine.

Bob
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Old 08-01-2014, 12:25 PM   #5
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x2 on the metal siding.
The metal makes the RV look a little dated but it will look that way long after the fiberglass models are delaminated, leaking and looking bad.
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Old 08-01-2014, 12:33 PM   #6
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My family recently got back from a 3 week 3000 Mile trip in our 2015 Jay Flight. Only damage was self-imposed (darn stop sign scrapes when trying to turn around in a neighborhood with extremely narrow roads). I do think the MOR/ryde suspension is a nice to have for longevity.
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Old 08-01-2014, 03:00 PM   #7
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Tin & Sticks

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikeos View Post
Going to be using the 2015 Jay Flight{ tin & sticks } for weeks at a time and travel thousands of miles when in use. Maybe 4 - 5 months a year.
So is the Jay Flight built to take the pounding of the roads ???
Just wife and I no kids or dogs .
Like to here from owners who have done this with the Jay Flight.
Mike
Mike:
My wife & I just returned from a 13,000 adventure thru 17 States and two western Provinces in our tin & sticks Jay Flight 24RKS. The trailer and all appliances performed above expectations. The only replacement was two rear tires on the trailer which took a beating from all the switchback mountains turns. The installer checked the axle, bearings and brakes and said all were in good condition so no worries the rest of the trip. Just an aside comment- we went up and down both the American & Canadian Rocky Mountains with no major issues but had to stop half way out of the Zion Park main tunnel down the switch backs when the front brakes were over heating to 350 degrees even with drilled and slotted rotors.
P.S. Make sure all cupboards are well secured as on secondary roads its not the bumps ahead signs you have to slow down for its the ones that have no warning !!

Happy camping and welcome to the forum.

Pam & Dave
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Old 08-02-2014, 07:35 AM   #8
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I had the same question but after 7+ years of towing mines around amazingly nothing but minor things have broken. I bought mines new and have only had to replace a backing plate (maybe a bearing) and have a few things adjusted and just replaced water heater thermostat after noticing water wasn't how as used to be. My house water heater was replaced since I bought this and had a complete failure (ruptured) so I can't complain about the trailer. I live in the Midwest where the streets are bumpy and the winter salt is relentless but it is still going strong. Towed it to FL and back a few times and had it parked in my driveway and used it as a man cave too!

I always admired the smooth faced TT (fiberglass) but after reading this thread feel better about the longevity of the "tin".
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Old 08-02-2014, 08:50 AM   #9
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This is some very good input. Just what i was looking for. I too feel better about my Jayco Jay Flight.
Mike
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Old 08-02-2014, 11:52 AM   #10
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I have put a good 40K miles on my Jay Flight 26BH. It's even experienced a few stop-your-heart emergency stops (once, on a two lane road in Nevada, going down the side of a mountain on a dark, rainy night, I almost ran into a small herd of black angus cattle, which I couldn't see until I was VERY close!), and it's holding up well. It's travelled down some rough roads, been stuck on a muddy dirt road, driven over a few curbs, and even had a minor collision at the top with a concrete picnic table roof.

It's been pounded with hailstones and drenched in deluges of horizontal rain, blanketed with deep snow, blasted with barrages of blowing sand and dust, and seared in the summer sun.

I've worn one set of tires down to the steel belts and am in the process of wearing out the second set.

No problems with the water heater, air conditioning or furnace, although I did replace the stock thermostat with a digital (the Coleman-Mach thermo did do some strange things at times). The water pump had a problem running when it shouldn't, but I think it was a dirt particle holding the check valve open slightly. It's since repaired itself.

I did have to replace the toilet fresh water shutoff valve after two years of use. It started leaking a bit when it should have been shut off. Luckily I caught it before it overflowed the bowl and flooded the floor. The blade seal at the bottom of the bowl has leaked a couple of times, but a little cleaning has always fixed it.

Because of my inattention, the awning has a small rip along the top where it attaches to the trailer- I left it extended during some strong winds- but I can fix that problem with some tough flexible material and a heavy duty sewing kit.

Currently, I'm parked at a full hookup rv park, and probably will be doing this for a while. In the past it was mostly boondocking in the Northwest forests or the Arizona deserts. My generator got a good workout.

Overall, my TT has seen some hard use, over the last three years, and still seems very solid. I don't see why it wouldn't last another 10 years or more, easily.
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Old 08-02-2014, 04:22 PM   #11
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At times Jayco has been criticized on this and other forums for this video which shows a Jayflight 26BH being built in 7 hrs. But testimonies like SmokerBills who has the 26BH model show they (Jayflights) hold up well and the criticism is unfounded.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature...&v=jXMJrRQ3SVk
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Old 08-02-2014, 04:26 PM   #12
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I agree Crabman. Actually, I'm surprised that my TT is still in great shape, as rough as it's had it. But I do think that the simplicity and popularity of the model has something to do with the 26BH being particularly durable. I would guess that the 26BH build team has the process down pat.
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Old 08-02-2014, 04:37 PM   #13
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I don't own one, but I can say from an observation standpoint. They are everywhere. Every campground is full of them. So I imagine they are great trailers. And as others have mentioned I'd be willing to bet they'd hold up better than the fiberglass. There are lots of very old tin and stick trailers on the road. With the proper maintenance I think you would be fine.
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Old 08-02-2014, 06:00 PM   #14
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SmokerBill View Post
I have put a good 40K miles on my Jay Flight 26BH. It's even experienced a few stop-your-heart emergency stops (once, on a two lane road in Nevada, going down the side of a mountain on a dark, rainy night, I almost ran into a small herd of black angus cattle, which I couldn't see until I was VERY close!), and it's holding up well. It's travelled down some rough roads, been stuck on a muddy dirt road, driven over a few curbs, and even had a minor collision at the top with a concrete picnic table roof.

It's been pounded with hailstones and drenched in deluges of horizontal rain, blanketed with deep snow, blasted with barrages of blowing sand and dust, and seared in the summer sun.

I've worn one set of tires down to the steel belts and am in the process of wearing out the second set.


No problems with the water heater, air conditioning or furnace, although I did replace the stock thermostat with a digital (the Coleman-Mach thermo did do some strange things at times). The water pump had a problem running when it shouldn't, but I think it was a dirt particle holding the check valve open slightly. It's since repaired itself.

I did have to replace the toilet fresh water shutoff valve after two years of use. It started leaking a bit when it should have been shut off. Luckily I caught it before it overflowed the bowl and flooded the floor. The blade seal at the bottom of the bowl has leaked a couple of times, but a little cleaning has always fixed it.

Because of my inattention, the awning has a small rip along the top where it attaches to the trailer- I left it extended during some strong winds- but I can fix that problem with some tough flexible material and a heavy duty sewing kit.

Currently, I'm parked at a full hookup rv park, and probably will be doing this for a while. In the past it was mostly boondocking in the Northwest forests or the Arizona deserts. My generator got a good workout.

Overall, my TT has seen some hard use, over the last three years, and still seems very solid. I don't see why it wouldn't last another 10 years or more, easily.
Sweet, the 26BH is the trailer that our family is eyeballing! I had the same question about Aluminum Vs Fiberglass. Very glad to hear that it's durable! As soon as I get my 2015 Ram 1500 Ecodiesel I'm going to pull the trigger on the 26BH!
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Old 08-02-2014, 07:59 PM   #15
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We bought our 2008 Jayflight G2 BHDS this spring, and due to too many things to do, we have yet to take her out. My 11 year old son and I have had 'sleepovers' in it though, and are well pleased with the stock beds! It is in excellent shape and I am so thrilled with it. Just can't wait to take her out. Hopefully in a couple of weeks we can go. When DH and I were trailer hunting, this was the one with the exact layout I wanted. We were blessed to find one close to home for sale, and for a great price. We had thought the fiberglass sides would have been a better option, but after reading this thread, I'm thinking we lucked out!
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Old 08-03-2014, 01:48 PM   #16
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You ask if the Jay Flight is built for the long hall?

Going by the one we have, I would say Yes, very well built travel trailer. Ours is stick & tin, this is by far the best built travel trailer that we have owned.
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Old 08-07-2014, 10:13 PM   #17
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we have been full timing in our 2008 25RKS for 2 years and lots and lots of miles back and forth to Arizona for winters and it has stood up very well. I figure with tin and stick construction I can fix any damage, not so with a damaged smooth wall.
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Old 08-08-2014, 06:51 AM   #18
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Plan on an upgrade for the tires. We went up a size to 14 inch.
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