Hi Gloss Gel Coat Weight

[Cat320]

A while back we had a discussion on the weight the Hi Gloss Gel Coat option adds to the rig. I think richfaa said he got some information from Keystone saying that the total fiberglass weight was 600, with 400 being the normal fiberglass and 200 being the gel coat. I was just looking through my brochure, and there is an asterisk under the spec chart stating: "Hi-gloss fiberglass option will add approximately 600 lbs." Rich, if you are there, did this come from a reliable source at Keystone? Does anybody know which is 'really' correct? If their brochure is correct, it knocks off about 25% of the cargo capacity on some models.

[lightningjack11]

Haven't looked at the specs lately but I was always told it was a noninal 500 depending on size so I would suspect your 600 figure is correct.

[Cat320]

Just got off the phone with a different dealer than we had been talking to regarding the gel coat. He said that the 2006 brochure (saying 600 for the option) is incorrect and that Rich's figures are accurate....go figure.

[lightningjack11]

I never could figure how the gelcoat could add 500 to weight. Just didn't seem possible. So maybe it does not.

[richfaa]

That's what the keystone person I spoke to said also,His name we Jeff..you would have do do a search to find his name and number in my post at the time..It was a few months ago. I also could not believe that it would ADD 600lbs to the weight. It was also said the the dual pane windows also added 600 lbs to the weight..those numbers did not make sense as that would be an additional 1200lbs which would really cut into the carrying capacity.Also if you research the difference between the regular and High Gloss it is clear that it could not add 600lbs. Oh well???

[Searchers]

I wonder what reaction a potential purchaser would get from a dealer if they insisted upon a certified weight comparison between rigs with different options before commiting to a deal? With all the confusion on actual weight figures I think I'd try it if I can ever afford a new unit.

[sreigle]

My understanding is 600 lbs is the total weight of the high gloss. But you don't have the standard fibreglass sides so to figure the additional you'd have to know how much the standard sides weigh. I've heard the net difference is 200 and I've heard 300. In any case, for us the high gloss is worth the extra weight. Just my opinion but I don't think 300 lbs is enough to worry about. That works out to 2% of the total towed weight of our particular rig. Again, just my opinion.

[Searchers]

Hmmm, Charles Wade told me the Hi Gloss is the same Filon material with an extra layer of gel coat, making it less flexible, heavier and more labor intensive to install. We may never know for sure.

[sreigle]

Don, when you see the high gloss it does not look like another layer. It looks like completely different panels. And it does flex so that doesn't fit, either. I guess in the rv industry they call it the "automotive finish" although that doesn't quite fit for me, either. As you said, we may never know. I don't think it's really gel coat, either. The end caps are gel coat, like fibreglass boats. Hard. These are different than that. Maybe someone out there can fill us in on exactly what this is.

[CountryGuy]

Steve, ole memories working here, but I thought I remembered at the plant they told us it was the same stuff, just more coatings of clear finish. Note disclaimer of ole memories! And, every time Al reads that it was in reality only 200 pounds more total weight he gets ill and irritable. SIGH

[richfaa]

The information I got on the weight is under the topic" More Weight information"..page 8.. and being feeble minded the guys name was Charles Wade..not Jeff. If you google High gloss gel coat you will see that the difference as stated above is additional coats of Clear coat finish, now as I recall it is expensive at @ 50 to 65.00 per gallon but that it was additional coats of finish is what made me suspect the 600lbs additional weight was bogus and prompted the search for someone at Keystone who knew the real weight. Also note that although the option cost for High Gloss Gel coat is the same for all models of the Montana the 2955 will have less high gloss than the 3400 simply because it is a smaller unit. I mean the 2955 High Gloss finish may be 156lbs and the 3400 may be 216lbs....But..it is not 600 additional lbs.. I agree that these units should be weighed when they leave the factory as, for example, because of differing options no two 3400 units will be exactly the same weight..

[sreigle]

I stand corrected on my statement about thinking it is different and not just more coatings. And here I was afraid the day would get by without me learning anything new.

I suspect the retail cost for the high gloss is an average of rigs built. Everybody pays the same. Makes it easy for the bean counters although they probably worry when their projected sales per model numbers change.