Born Free introduces its first towable RV at Louisville

LOUISVILLE, Ky.—Dodgen Industries, renowned for its high quality Class C Born Free motorhomes, unveiled its first-ever travel trailer this week at the RV National Trade Show in Louisville, Kentucky. The concept Born Free Trail-R Lodge is poised as a high-end titan with the quality of construction and amenities on par with its Class C motorhome.

The trailer is 23 feet long, eight feet wide, with a hefty base weight of 6,160 lbs. According to Dennis Day, vice president of the Born Free commercial division, the trailer was built in response to the overall market conditions and to fit in with the company’s new wholesale marketing strategy. This is a new approach for Born Free, which has sold its RVs only on a factory direct basis until recently. Day said the company's new dealer base will give it more market penetration while firming up after-sale support for its RVs, which carry a three-year bumper to bumper warranty, as well as a 10-year fiberglass and floor warranty.

While the production unit may see some significant changes, the concept trailer framing, built by Aluma Trailer, features a full two by eight inch aluminum trailer frame with cross members on 16 inch centers. The body construction is built in basically the same way as its motor coaches, except the roll bar construction is made of aluminum instead of steel. The glossy fiberglass construction is attractive and easy to maintain, and the coach features "basement" style compartments under the floor, which is unusual for this style trailer, but does result in a higher than usual trailer frame. The Trail-R Lodge will be available as a true four-season unit, with standard radius thermo-pane windows, and a fully enclosed and heated underbelly. The waste holding tanks are under the floor, but the fresh water is located under the galley sink.

The concept unit has a GVWR of 8,000 lbs., and a net cargo carrying capacity as equipped of 1,840 lbs., which is ample for a unit this size, and allows good use of the many solid wood cabinets inside the coach, as well as the outside storage. The Trail-R Lodge is slated to come with a substantial standard equipment list, which includes a 13,500 BTU Roof A/C, a 30,000 BTU LP furnace (which is impressive for a coach this size), Jack TV antenna, 26” LCD TV, and A&E manual awning. Options will include a microwave/convection oven, rear trailer hitch for tandem towing, stabilizer jacks, bedroom TV and more.

In addition, the coach is equipped with two-20 lb LP gas cylinders which are mounted on the tongue but which may be integrated into the front cap on production units. The coach comes with two absorbed glass mat maintenance free deep cycle batteries, which are installed within one of the underside compartments.

Day says the Trail-R Lodge will have an estimated MSRP of $85,500. He expects production to begin during the first quarter of 2012.