Elkridge VS Elkridge Extreme Lite

'Lil Guy'

Well-known member
I've looked at the Elkridge on the showroom and looks really nice. Haven't seen the E Lite yet. Huge weight difference here, both hitch and dry. What are you really giving up in quality with the shaved weight and price difference. Has to be a huge difference. Any thoughts here would be appreciated and help determine the truck size I buy. Will be upgrading in the future to a 5W. Going to be getting the new truck soon and want to make a good choice the first time. I love the weight of the lite model but don't want to get a cheap imitation. Are the slide mechanisms different? Any info would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
 

caissiel

Senior Member
I have seen many lite units and for me I will never buy one. A heavy trailer will be more stable and last much better with good axles and frames that do not twist. Even on stabilizers I have seen then twist and bend with slides that are sure to fail.
 

'Lil Guy'

Well-known member
I figured as much, for about half the price and weight, something has to give. I was hoping to get by without a dually for a TV. Thanks for the reply.
 
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TravelTiger

Founding Texas-West Chapter Leaders-Retired
I figured as much, for about half the price and weight, something has to give. I was hoping to be aboe to get by without a dually for a TV. Thanks for the reply.

Baker, I can't tell you about the XLite, but can tell you, ElkRidge is a nice product. If you want to upgrade down the road, (and many of us have or are planning to), the next step (large Gateway, Big Country, BigHorn, or Landmark) will probably put you into the "I need a dually to tow it" range.


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johnpsz

Well-known member
Not to start a war between light vs. heavy, full profile vs. mid profile, and all the other differences, let me lay my reasoning on the table and let you decide since I weighed all the options before choosing what some here seem to consider and inferior product. 1st difference, the light weight units are considered a mid profile 5th wheel, vs the full profile. I'm just under 6' and I can't really stand upright in the front bedroom, but I was OK with that and part of the trade off I was willing to make for a lighter trailer. 2nd, the frame is just as rigid as the other trailers with the same 10" steel beams, but smaller overall length, and depending on the gvwr have the same axles as the bigger units. The E30 we got was the largest lightweight they made, has dexter 5200# axles and an overall length of 34+ feet. I love the quality and look of our new lightweight trailer and it has all the options our family needed and still kept the gvwr just under 12K#. We compared it to a few SOB lightweight trailers and have to agree with others, I wouldn't buy them due to 8" frames vs 10" and just cheaper feel than the Elkridge lightweights. I even heard from other Elkridge owners that just the changes from their 2013 "express" models to my 2015 "extreme light" has been a huge difference, so some of the people on here bashing the lightweights may not understand the newer models are just as structurally sound as their rigs.


*** EDIT ***
Also, with the extreme lights you don't get a ton of "extra" storage like the full size 5th wheels so keep that in mind too. Most of the time with the lighter models you don't get the basement storage nor like mine there isn't even a pass through or underbelly storage of any sort, and without extra structure (frame below and walls to support the floor above) that is given for those types of storage areas that is another way they save weight.
 

'Lil Guy'

Well-known member
This thread was not opened to start any bashing. Like TravelTiger said, Elkridge is a nice product. The question I wanted answered is from new owners of the Elite model about what you're giving up with the weight loss. You've pretty much answered my question in your post. I'm a new owner of a Heartland NT21FBS. We shopped the lite TT's and ours seems so much better built. A lot of the other Lite TT's seemed to built rather flimsy. With that said, I'm sure this 5th wheel by Heartland is built nice also. Again, just wanting to know what I'm giving up with the weight loss. After looking at my originally posted thread, I worded it bad when I said giving up in quality. I've yet to look at one of these in person but will be looking very soon. The purpose here is to determine if I can have a 5th wheel and not go to a dually. I'm retiring soon and I want to try to get it right the second time.lol A new truck and rig replacement can get expensive. I'll be taking big hits on my TT and TV. In the brochure, the inside looks really nice and spacious. Looking forward to climbing inside and checking one out. Enjoy your new rig maybe we'll run into you down the road. Later and thanks for the reply.
 

JWalker

Northeast Region Director-Retired
We owned an ultralight Heartland North Trail fifth wheel for four years. It was a great trailer. 31' long with two slides and weighed in around 9500 pounds. We put about 10,000 miles on the unit with no issues whatsoever. We were aware that in order for them to create a lightweight fifth wheel, they would have to cut things here and there. They did not cut quality though. I would imagine the Elkridge light weight would be no different. Good Luck!!
 

Sunset4k

Well-known member
Baker, I'm a bit late reading your post but thought I would at least give you my two cents worth for what it's worth. We have a 2013 ElkRidge 34QSRL. We had a 2012 f250 SRW when we bought it and the truck pulled it just fine. An accident caused me to have buy a new truck earlier this year I went with a f350 Dually because of the extra stability in the rear. My wife tows our trailer as much as I do and feel more comfortable with those extra wheels...especially if we should have a tire blow. Our Elkridge is about 14,500 loaded...

Good luck with you decision... I think you will like either Elkridge!!
 
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