Hello. I am in the market for a fifth wheel RV and have been looking at the Vanleigh 320GK in various years. I have read, and learned a good bit here. Thank you!
I am a little conflicted about buying an older unit, but it seems that the new units are not at all immune from issues, including potential serious ones. And, it seems like Vanleigh’s have a strong reputation for being really well built.
I had a couple of initial questions and would appreciate any input:
Hitch weight - I read another post here about Vanleigh having an unusual approach to dry hitch weight numbers. I know that generally RV companies tend to understate those numbers. Does anyone know what a real world “dry” or loaded weight would be for a 320GK? I know there are a lot of variables (like generator and washer and dryer which I would not plan on having) that can affect that answer, but any reference point would help.
Frame flex and rear wall crumple - I have also read posts here about that. Again, thank you. I guess my question is how much to be concerned about that. It’s hard to gauge what percentage of units experience that problem. I would, of course, have the unit inspected, but I don’t know how hard it is to detect those issues.
Is there any advantage with these units of buying something that is “pre-COVID?”
Input on those issues would at least help me get going.
I have a 2022 320gk. We love it. Its been a very good rv for us. I bought it at 2 years old. Pin weight is advertised at 2600 dry. I’ve read it can creep up around 3000 I have never checked mine. I pull with a 2018 chevy 3500hd SRW Gas 6.0 with tow package. I added air bags for additional cushion I pull it with no issues. I have been very happy with our 320. I have not saw much about frame flex on the later model 320’s but I am sure some have experienced it. The issues I have had have been with installed equipment. We replaced rear AC unit and I had to replace the Motor and Board in the furnace. Basic maintenance goes a long way with any RV. Many of the Lippert framed Rvs are experiencing frame flex and wall crumple. Keystone, Grand Design, all of them have had issues. Its not just a Vanleigh issue its a Lippert issue.
There is a Vanleigh Buy Sell page on Facebook and there are some nice ones with many upgrades for sale. Also if you love the 320gk check out the Beacon 34RLB its the same floor plan with more upgrades and full body paint.
Thank you. That’s all helpful input. I am encouraged that the advertised pin weight is accurate. And, I am encouraged that you are pulling with a 3500 SRW with no issues. That is my plan as well (actually a 2500 with Max Trailering, that is built just like a 3500). Mine being a diesel will have a little less available payload than your gas. But, I am glad to hear the towing part is working well for you. May I ask what kind of hitch you have, and whether you have good turning clearance?
I have tried to get educated on the frame flex issues. One thing that makes it a bit of a challenge is that Lippert apparently builds frames for different manufacturers to different specifications. I know RV’s generally have issues, but I sort of hate to go down a path where a pretty major issue is likely.
Thanks for the tip for the buy/sell page. I found that and will check it out.
I weighed my Beacon 34RLB (beacon version of Vilano 320) when I purchased and before any change / upgrade to the unit. I can dig up some of those weighs along with the weight details of my unit.
You probably read my post regarding how Vanleigh approached the weight. They weighed one vanilla model unit at the beginning of the model year and all units received the same weight on the sticker regardless of additional upgrades and weight added to unit. This confused owners as they thought they still had the brochure or advertised CCC however much of it was taken up with upgrades with genset, washer, dryer etc. We chose the 34RLB knowing at that time had the largest CCC of any Vanleigh with intent to placing every upgrade on the unit from the factory along with our aftermarket upgrades.
Frame flex happens across brands however what Vanleigh experiences is not like what Grand Design experienced. GD has steel frame issues where Vanleigh experienced broken structural elements in the wall leading to broken steel in the frame. It is extremely common for all models 2021 model year and forward with exception of the Vilano 390LK and the Beacon 41LKB. It happened randomly in earlier model years however 21 forward is where it became common. Earlier units would experience other issues around the cap due to Vanleigh not stuffing the channels with wood - I can explain additional as needed. Brinkley is currently experiencing the same issue but they refer to it as “wall crack”. A Tiffin exec once told me “the only Vanleigh that hasn’t experienced Frame Flex is one that hasn’t been checked for it”. This would not stop me from buying any unit as the repairs today are solid but of course comes with a cost.
Buckling mainly only occurs on Vilanos however Beacons aren’t entirely immune but due to the rear fiberglass cap adding structural support is less common. On Beacons if an issue occurs in the rear usually has the same structural weld breaks that are seen with the “Frame Flex”. This is still very rare on Beacons.
If I were in the market to purchase a Vanleigh with the knowledge I have obtained the past several years I wouldn’t shy away from any model year due to issues. Like any R.V. they all have some nuance. I still have not found something in the price range that is better than my Vanleigh.
I have extensive photos and video from the plant for the 320 build. We were there for our build and visited the factory several times a year. If you ever want to see details on anything feel free to ask.
You are right about my reading your post on pin weights. I appreciated the information.
In terms of more significant structural issues, if I am understanding, it seems like there are three main things to consider: (1) frame flex which occurs where the frame changes levels in the front which is repaired by a triangle brace welded in the corner, etc., (2) crumpling in the rear where the wall wants to separate from the frame and (3) issues with the suspension - flattening springs, axle hanger issues, etc. Am I thinking about that right?
I’m not assuming all of that happens to every unit or that any of it would happen to me, but just to understand the worst case scenario, do you have any sense of what the cost of dealing with those issues might be? Maybe its a bit much for me to ask that. I’m not looking for assurances of any kind, just trying to understand and make a somewhat informed decision.
I have a long bed. I have a B&W gooseneck hitch under the bed, with the B&W Companion drop in 5th wheel hitch. It pulls very smooth. I am very happy with this set up. Being a long bed I do not worry about cab to 5er clearance there is plenty of room.
Yes, you’re on the right track. As you mentioned, you may never experience any of these issues yourself, but it’s still helpful to understand them and know what to look for when evaluating a prospective unit.
There is another structural issue to be aware of on some Vanleighs with the larger slide boxes: negative camber. This is nowhere near as common as the other issues we’ve discussed, but it’s common enough that I’m personally aware of more than 25 owners who have experienced it on models 21 and newer. It was extremely common on 2016 /2017 units. I also saw it frequently on units that were at the factory waiting for other repairs, and many of those owners didn’t even realize they had a camber issue.
Because the slide openings on Vanleighs are so large and tall, they can, over time, contribute to negative deflection in the rear portion of the frame. If you know what to look for, it’s fairly easy to identify units that are beginning to exhibit this issue.
I didn’t have any problems with the factory suspension, although I only ran it for about a year. That said, we put approximately 28,000 miles on it during that time before upgrading to the MORryde IS suspension.
I get the impression that you’re being thorough and doing your due diligence, so I’m sure you understand that the issues we’ve discussed are not unique to Vanleigh. They are fairly common across the fifth-wheel industry and, to some extent, are simply the nature of the beast. I certainly wouldn’t want to scare you away from a Vanleigh, as these same issues can be found in many other brands. I was simply unfortunate enough to experience all of them on my Beacon, which forced me to learn about each one in considerable depth.