Grand Design Reflection 29RS - Or Comparable

Walaby wrote:

MACHZER wrote:
They scale in Canada so they go more by payload than anything else.
As early mentioned, weight the truck full of gear and fuel and passengers
Subtract from your GVWR 10,000 for most 3/4 tons and there is your allowable pin weight
That simple

OP's not from Canada, unless PA stands for something other than Pennsylvania.

Two schools of thought.. those who swear by and live by the GVWR, and those who go by the GAWR. Your choice which way you go, but many folks (myself included) understand that the GVWR of a 3/4 is generally artificially capped at 10,000, and the truck is more capable than that. Hence the recommendation to use GAWR and not exceed that.

As others have said, you have weight on your rear axle with nothing in your bed. That is why you need to weigh the truck, full of fuel, and use the value that represents the drive axle weight. Subtract the drive axle weight from the GAWR, and that tells you how much capacity you have left for the pin weight of your 5er.

Mike

Yes, I am in Canada, however I was leaving Minneapolis going west on the interstate and just outside of the city, they where pulling over all trucks and RV's checking that emission components were on the truck and weighing trucks with Rv trailers, Funny, only weighted the truck with trailer attached. I was happy I was not in my deleted truck that time! I had no RV either but was watching others being scaled. Only thing they could be checking is GVWR

To the OP, do what you want of course its your rig!

You cannot change the gross payload of your truck no matter how you think it should work or how you want to play with the numbers
You truck LEGALLY cannot go over your GVWR, (10,000) with your trailer attached. That's why it's there on your sticker. You have an accident it could be a factor if a lawyer is on the ball which most are. I am going through the same thing now with my 2016 F350 SWR long box with a 11,500 GVWR, after I weighted the truck which came in at 9200, that only leaves me with only a payload or pin weight of 2,300. 5th wheel toy hauler now out the window
Again its your truck and ultimately you have to decide. Pick a great camper and have fun! Later

MACHZER wrote:
They scale in Canada so they go more by payload than anything else.
As early mentioned, weight the truck full of gear and fuel and passengers
Subtract from your GVWR 10,000 for most 3/4 tons and there is your allowable pin weight
That simple

OP's not from Canada, unless PA stands for something other than Pennsylvania.

Two schools of thought.. those who swear by and live by the GVWR, and those who go by the GAWR. Your choice which way you go, but many folks (myself included) understand that the GVWR of a 3/4 is generally artificially capped at 10,000, and the truck is more capable than that. Hence the recommendation to use GAWR and not exceed that.

As others have said, you have weight on your rear axle with nothing in your bed. That is why you need to weigh the truck, full of fuel, and use the value that represents the drive axle weight. Subtract the drive axle weight from the GAWR, and that tells you how much capacity you have left for the pin weight of your 5er.

Mike

They scale in Canada so they go more by payload than anything else.
As early mentioned, weight the truck full of gear and fuel and passengers
Subtract from your GVWR 10,000 for most 3/4 tons and there is your allowable pin weight
That simple

While the OP was not really asking about his trucks ability to carry said FW, or similar, Mike E was able to give a good wt example.

I don't think the OPs 2500 will have any problem going over RAWR with a FW GVWR of 10,900. OPs truck has a 10K tow limit, from drive train limitations.

Can't help as far as choosing model, but seems many GD owners are happy.

Jerry

You have not considered what the rear of the truck already weighs; before you add passengers, cargo, pin weight, etc. A good place to start for some good, unbiased information is here.

No, weigh your truck full fuel and # of passengers,
Then take that weight and subtract from 10,000 lbs
What's left over 1500lbs for example is all the pin weight you can have or your over weight

That's how they do random roadside weight checks with the police

RedLionCookie wrote:

Second Chance wrote:
Forget dry weights - work only with the GVWR from the sticker on the fifth wheel you are considering. Use 23% of that number for an estimated loaded pin weight. Using that pin weight, determine whether or not you have enough rear axle capacity remaining on the truck after it is fueled up, loaded, all passengers are aboard, and the weight of your hitch added. This can be obtained by utilizing nearby CAT scales, the door sticker on your truck, and a calculator. Forget the general towing numbers published by the manufacturer.

That said, it's hard to do better in that price and weight range than the Reflection... but I'm prejudiced that way.

Rob

Ok so here is what I've found out and calculated. Am I doing this correctly?

Sticker on my Truck door says GAWR Rear is 6010 Lbs.

Camper Dry weight is 8500 lbs
Gross Weight is 10995 lbs
Hitch Weight is 1538 lbs.

23% of 10995 lbs is 2529 lbs.

So depending on what you use

6010 - 2529 = 3481
6010 - 1538 = 4472

As long as my fuel, passengers and load are under 3000 lbs I should be good.

Am I calculating this correctly?

No - you have to know what the rear axle already weighs. On my previous SRW truck, that was 3,080 lbs. You would have 481 lbs. left for everything else. Not enough.

Rob

I have an '18 29RS.

Here's my fully loaded (no water and empty tanks) weights:

Trailer total: 10,100lbs
Pin weight: 2100lbs


Mike

Second Chance wrote:
Forget dry weights - work only with the GVWR from the sticker on the fifth wheel you are considering. Use 23% of that number for an estimated loaded pin weight. Using that pin weight, determine whether or not you have enough rear axle capacity remaining on the truck after it is fueled up, loaded, all passengers are aboard, and the weight of your hitch added. This can be obtained by utilizing nearby CAT scales, the door sticker on your truck, and a calculator. Forget the general towing numbers published by the manufacturer.

That said, it's hard to do better in that price and weight range than the Reflection... but I'm prejudiced that way.

Rob

Ok so here is what I've found out and calculated. Am I doing this correctly?

Sticker on my Truck door says GAWR Rear is 6010 Lbs.

Camper Dry weight is 8500 lbs
Gross Weight is 10995 lbs
Hitch Weight is 1538 lbs.

23% of 10995 lbs is 2529 lbs.

So depending on what you use

6010 - 2529 = 3481
6010 - 1538 = 4472

As long as my fuel, passengers and load are under 3000 lbs I should be good.

Am I calculating this correctly?

You'll be at 9,000 lbs dry just adding propane and a couple batteries. Load your typical 1000 lbs of gear and you're going to be at or over 10,000 lbs. Definitely over if you travel with any water in the tanks.
Here's an example.
http://www.trailerhitchrv.com/product/new-2018-grand-design-reflection-29rs-805848-5