Hodge rv

Hodge RV - Coastal & Free Spirit 5th Wheelers - Made in NZ for Australia

History

Hodge RV is a family business. As a family we have travelled extensively in fifth wheels throughout the USA, New Zealand & Australia. Our passion for 5th wheels started 25 years ago in 1985. As a family we went to the USA and purchased our first fifth wheel and a Chevrolet pickup truck. We spent the year travelling to 39 different states staying in National Parks and campgrounds along the way. At the end of the year we imported our truck back to NZ, but sold our fifth wheel in the USA as it was too big for our side of the world. In the early 2000's after travelling in our new fifth wheel in the USA we started to look for smaller, lighter fifth wheels that would be more suitable for the NZ and Australian environment and market. We approached the makers of Xtreme Lite fifth wheelers/Cutloose 5th Wheelers and they began building them with doors on the correct side and with NZ/ Australian wiring etc for us. These proved to be relatively successful but for a lot of our customers they preferred to have a different decor, better choice of floorplans and more cargo capacity. As cargo capacity was a “biggie” we needed to design and build something that was lighter with superior construction. We then passed on the NZ and Australian distribution rights and began to manufacture fifth wheelers built for NZ and Australia conditions.

What we do different and why

During the process of importing light 5th wheels from the USA we were able to spend many days with the designers and in the factory where they were built. It was incredible to see dozens of units produced per day and how they actually achieved it. We were, and still are very proud of our venture as we were able to develop a very good relationship with the USA factory to produce 5th wheels with doors on the correct side and 240v wiring etc. As with many mass produced products they were built to a budget, but the good thing was we were able to pass that lower cost on to our buyers. After much research, and acting on feedback we decided to depart from importing as we found there were many Australian and NZ buyers that had different requirements. In Australia and NZ the average customer is very different as they will use the unit on a permanent basis or at least 2-3 months per year and want to keep it and use it, often for decades. Also for the semi or permanent travellers plenty of cargo space was a necessity.

For these reasons we put a lot of resources and effort into the construction of our fifth wheels. For a start we approached the issue of weight in a different way and found the biggest saver of weight was to improve the chassis. By building it out of aluminium there is an instant saving in weight and no more rusty steel due to lack of galvanizing and an added bonus of the aluminium chassis being stronger than the steel chassis. Aluminium has equivalent strength of steel at 1/3 the weight, with our chassis being just under half the weight of steel chassis we have a stronger product. With no need to paint, attach annodes or galvanize our fifth wheels have a lifetime of low maintenance. The only down side is that the aluminium chassis costs approx four times as much as a steel equivalent.

We only use welded aluminium box section and channel in the construction of all our internal walls, floors, cabinets, kitchens etc. It saves on unnecessary weight and endless problems with rot, rusty staples and screws, movement and over time huge amounts of maintenance that would come with the use of wood. Aluminium initially costs more, but lasts longer, is much stronger, neater and looks more attractive.

For insulation we use fire retardant polyurethane foam. It has an insulation factor of R-12 at 38mm, it does not absorb water, swell or disintegrate like polystyrene and its insulation factor is far superior. This is a must for the extreme temperatures experienced in both NZ and Australia. It does cost a lot more, approximately four times the price of polystyrene but we believe it is a cost that is essential in the comfort and value it provides.

For insulation we use fire retardant polyurethane foam. It has an insulation factor of R-12 at 38mm, it does not absorb water, swell or disintegrate like polystyrene and its insulation factor is far superior. This is a must for the extreme temperatures experienced in both NZ and Australia. It does cost a lot more, approximately four times the price of polystyrene but we believe it is a cost that is essential in the comfort and value it provides.
 

An average external wall on one of our 5th wheelers will use 70m of 38mm aluminium box section. The roof uses more than 100m and the floor approx 90m. We are comfortable using the extra aluminium as it not only adds strength but also enables all of our cabinetry to be attached properly and strongly into both the walls and roof. In Australia we need strong units as our travel is not going 100’s of kilometres along paved freeways. As a fifth wheeler is effectively a box, the walls provide a bulk of the overall strength and structure. Our walls are also vacuum bonded for six hours under the equivalent pressure to 50 ton of weight. We have found this process to be far superior to pinch rolled walls, where the glue has 5-10 min to absorb/etch into the surfaces and set. By vacuum bonding our walls for six hours with a slow curing glue we gain considerably better bonding.

An example of why weight is so important is as follows - with an A/C unit weighing approx 60kg, an awning 45kg, two full gas bottles 50kg, a spare wheels 20kg and a battery 20kg its very important to remember the difference between a Tare weight and a Shipping/Dry/Kerb weight. An American unit that claims a weight of say 2900kg will actually have a Tare weight of closer to 3120kg. So if it has a fresh tank size of 220L you only have 165kg for your clothes, food, plates, cutlery, pots, pans, bikes, generator, fuel, extra passengers when towed behind your Navara, which is impractical. Compare this to our Panache which has an extra 60L of water you have 540kg of weight for the above. The Panache weighs 440kg less.

The superior light weight construction is what you are paying for when you purchase a Hodge RV fifth wheeler. When buying a Hodge RV fifth wheeler from us you are buying direct from the manufacturer.