After listening to your suggestions on the Lantern LT 17B, Coleman went to work to create a extra couples-friendly journey trailer with extra dwelling house and storage capability. The consequence?

Enter the Lantern LT 17R, one in every of Coleman’s latest light-weight journey trailers.

Right here you’ll get an insider’s take a look at all that goes on behind the scenes to create the Coleman Lanter LT 17R. However first, let’s get an summary of this Coleman camper earlier than we dive into the way it’s made. 

The Coleman Lantern LT 17R

Journey Trailer Specs

• Size: 21’5”
• Peak: 9’9”
• Dry Weight: 2,970 kilos
• Sleeping Capability: As much as 3

The 17R boasts extra flooring house and 2-3 occasions extra storage than the 17B. Coleman eliminated the bunks and changed them with a extra spacious lavatory that incorporates a floor-to-ceiling wardrobe closet. 

A few of its greatest options embrace a full-size convertible dinette, powered exterior awning, electrical fire, air-con, and a fully-equipped kitchen. It’s additionally prepped for solar panels and a backup camera.

Learn more about this Coleman trailer or check our nationwide inventory.

How the Coleman Lantern LT 17R Is Made

From body to complete, right here’s Coleman’s manufacturing course of for this towable camper:

High quality Management

High quality is job one.

Your complete Coleman Lantern LT 17R manufacturing course of consists of six fundamental stations. All through these stations, 5-6 high quality management specialists are devoted completely to making sure each RV is constructed to RVIA specs.  

At every station, a top quality management maintain – QC Maintain – may be positioned on any unit that doesn’t meet Coleman’s requirements. Particular points have to be mounted earlier than the unit can transfer to the subsequent station. And we start with the trailer body, the muse for the remainder of the unit’s construction and options.

Trailer Body

This Coleman journey trailer is constructed on a single-axle trailer body with full-width outriggers that assist the trailer’s physique. 

When it enters the manufacturing facility, the body is flipped to put in the axle, tires, suspension, and manual stabilizing jacks. Wiring can also be run for the trailer lights, and the propane traces are put in whereas the body is inverted.

Holding Tanks, Electrical, Plumbing, Propane, and Ducting Programs

The body is flipped again over earlier than the grey and black water holding tanks are put in. All holding tanks are rotomolded in the 17R, and it boasts the next holding tank capacities: 

• Grey Water: 28 gallons
• Black Water: 28 gallons

Shade-coded wiring is run for the holding tank sensors and different electrical components earlier than the body strikes into the flooring station. Shade-coded PEX piping can also be run for the RV’s plumbing programs. 

Flooring

On the subsequent station, specialists set up the Lantern’s no-seam flooring. It includes ⅝” OSB topped with linoleum with a Darco underlay.

Darco is a woven materials used as a moisture-resistant barrier.

The Darco underlay is the bottom-most materials you see when climbing beneath this trailer. After the Darco is put in, 2”x2” framing is ready in place and topped with a layer of ⅝” OSB decking, which is screwed into the cross members of the trailer body. 

The ground is completed with linoleum, which is glued down and stapled across the edges, and in any respect factors the place base units will probably be put in. The bottom units ultimately cowl these staples so none are uncovered when development is full. 

As soon as the ground is full, the trailer’s 27-gallon fresh water holding tank is put in, and water traces are run on the subsequent station.

Base Set

With the ground in place, it’s time for the inside base units to enter place. This consists of the framing for the toilet, kitchen, mattress, dinette, and overhead cabinetry framing. Valances, interior lights, and inside vents are additionally put in. 

Setting the inside base additionally consists of the set up of the water heater, shower basin and surround, plumbing vents, and toilet. With the preliminary base set in place, the entrance, rear, and aspect exterior partitions are subsequent within the manufacturing course of.  

These partitions are constructed from the principle line utilizing 2” x 2” framing and a sheet of paneling on the inside. They’re then put in and screwed right down to the ground and to one another for structural integrity.

Specialists then glue insulation between the vertical wall studs earlier than the outside is completed with 024 corrugated metallic, offering wonderful climate resistance and sturdiness. When full, the partitions are put in on high of the ground and screwed into place. 

Roof Set

Then it’s time to put in the Coleman trailer’s absolutely walkable TPO roof. The roof framing is constructed off the principle line in sections utilizing 2” x 2” framing and ⅜” OSB decking.

TPO stands for thermoplastic olefin, which is a single-ply, heat-resistant roofing membrane.

These roof sections are set on high of the outside partitions and nailed into place. Wiring is run for the roof vent fans, Winegard antenna, and different roof-mounted RV equipment, akin to your air conditioning unit and the prep for a photo voltaic panel set up. 

Insulation is added between the horizontal framing studs earlier than the ⅜” OSB decking sheets are laid on high of the framing and nailed down. Further openings are minimize for the roof vents, septic vents, and A/C unit earlier than the sides are sanded, and the seams are taped.

Glue is unfold on sure areas of the roof decking earlier than the rubber membrane is stretched and pulled tight, permitting for correct enlargement and contraction in sure climates. A squeegee helps to take away air bubbles and guarantee full adhesion. 

The seam rails are then nailed into place, and the roof-mounted equipment are put in. With all of the rails and equipment in place, the ultimate step for the roof set is the liberal software round all equipment and alongside every roof seam. 

As soon as full, Coleman’s roof set boasts an 18-year guarantee.

Pre-Remaining

Within the pre-final station, the trailer’s furnishings and home equipment are put in. All working home equipment, such because the microwave, fridge, and air conditioner, are bar-coded for simpler recall service and guarantee alternative.

Ending touches additionally happen on the inside cabinetry, and the doorways, framed home windows, and decals are put in. The bed, dinette desk, and cushions are additionally put in on this station. 

This station can also be the place the management programs and security tools for the 17R are put in. That features the fire extinguisher, fire alarm, carbon monoxide, and LP gas alarm. 

Exterior, a lap sealant is utilized alongside the wall seams and round all compartment and entry doorways, home windows, and acceptable equipment installations. The Lantern LT 17R’s powered exterior awning is put in at this station. 

The unit’s electrical programs are examined within the pre-final station to make sure all inside and exterior lights perform correctly. Different checks on this station embrace working all working home equipment and security alarms. 

Remaining

Within the last station, the propane and plumbing systems are examined utilizing the identical checks that Tenting World technicians conduct throughout a post-delivery inspection. This consists of an LP leak-down check on the propane system and a leak check on the plumbing system. 

Along with these checks, high quality management specialists verify all exterior seams, search for free or lacking screws, guarantee the bottom set covers all flooring staples, and rather more. They appear over each inch of the trailer from high to backside and tackle excellent gadgets earlier than it leaves the manufacturing line. 

Shine Bay

Now it’s time to make the Coleman Lantern LT 17R shine. The inside is washed from roof to border, and the identical is finished inside. The shine bay preps every unit to make sure it arrives on the dealership tour-ready and in nice form for its debut journey.  

Stress Testing

One unit per day goes into their rain bay, which sprays a whole bunch of gallons of water from completely different angles to stress-test all exterior seams and seals. This ensures every batch of 17R trailers that come off the road is prepared for no matter nature throws at them. 

If leaks are discovered, your complete batch could also be re-evaluated to make sure a manufacturing error wasn’t extra widespread on that day. Moreover, each unit is backed by a three-year structural producer guarantee.

Involved in studying extra about Coleman RVs? 

Check out our article on what real RV owners love about their Coleman RV. 

What else do you wish to know in regards to the Coleman manufacturing course of? Share within the feedback under.