Mobile suites weight and mobility question

janegowest wrote:
Wow...sounds like too much to jump into for a first rig to zip around in, to see if we like the lifestyle.

Why? I'd just make sure the unit is in good shape and make sure you have the truck to tow it with....It'll be easier to "like the lifestyle" in that 5er:)

Wow...sounds like too much to jump into for a first rig to zip around in, to see if we like the lifestyle.

Stacey Franks AKA "Stripit" who posted earlier is hiding his light under a bushel on this weight thread as he used to weight these rigs professionally with independent certified wheel scales.

I'm willing to bet he never saw a 36' Mobile Suites weigh under 15K unless it was empty of everything; no flatware, no portable BBQ, nada in the storage bay, empty.

with liquids we have added 5100lbs to our 5th,, that Includes the Harley..

kakampers wrote:

jimmac28 wrote:

kakampers wrote:
Our "yellow tag" is on the entry door frame (as are all Heartlands). We came out of the factory at 13,864 lbs. This includes all options as it is weighed going out the door of the factory. We have dual panes, generator, two airs, etc.

We are fulltimers and after moving from one rig to the other, we went directly to the scales and our gross weight was just under 17,600 lbs...that is almost 3,800 lbs, which included NO fluids.

adding 1,000 for cargo is WAY under reality IMHO!

I'm not trying to say that people don't carry a lot of weight in their trailers, that's completely up to them. I have 38 years of camping 2 pop-ups, three travel trailers, ones park model and two fifth wheels and I know how you can carry a lot of stuff. But lets put things in reality, A 2015 Chevy Malibu LT weights 3439lb's with a driver and a full tank of gas. But at 3800 lb.'s, good for you, you can't want for anything.

Just to let you know my next trailer is going to be a DRV, and I'm going full timing, after I fill it up, well I'll see and report back LOL.

We've been at this over 30 years also...I will bet my last dollar when you go fulltime your cargo weight will be a lot closer to my 3,800 lbs than to your estimated 1,000.

As for "not wanting for anything"...you are correct...that's the whole point of fulltiming. It's our home and everything we need is with us...there is very little, if anything, we carry that is unnecessary.

You pretty much nailed it kakampers..

jimmac28 wrote:

kakampers wrote:
Our "yellow tag" is on the entry door frame (as are all Heartlands). We came out of the factory at 13,864 lbs. This includes all options as it is weighed going out the door of the factory. We have dual panes, generator, two airs, etc.

We are fulltimers and after moving from one rig to the other, we went directly to the scales and our gross weight was just under 17,600 lbs...that is almost 3,800 lbs, which included NO fluids.

adding 1,000 for cargo is WAY under reality IMHO!

I'm not trying to say that people don't carry a lot of weight in their trailers, that's completely up to them. I have 38 years of camping 2 pop-ups, three travel trailers, ones park model and two fifth wheels and I know how you can carry a lot of stuff. But lets put things in reality, A 2015 Chevy Malibu LT weights 3439lb's with a driver and a full tank of gas. But at 3800 lb.'s, good for you, you can't want for anything.

Just to let you know my next trailer is going to be a DRV, and I'm going full timing, after I fill it up, well I'll see and report back LOL.

We've been at this over 30 years also...I will bet my last dollar when you go fulltime your cargo weight will be a lot closer to my 3,800 lbs than to your estimated 1,000.

As for "not wanting for anything"...you are correct...that's the whole point of fulltiming. It's our home and everything we need is with us...there is very little, if anything, we carry that is unnecessary.

Slightly off topic but related... why don't the RV dealers
run the rigs up onto a scale and print out a real world listing
as the rig arrived on the lot ???

I see a win-win for the seller and buyer. I would have appreciated it.
This is not to imply or infer that the dry weights are inaccurate,...
but options add up quickly,

Charles

jimmac28 wrote:

kakampers wrote:
Our "yellow tag" is on the entry door frame (as are all Heartlands). We came out of the factory at 13,864 lbs. This includes all options as it is weighed going out the door of the factory. We have dual panes, generator, two airs, etc.

We are fulltimers and after moving from one rig to the other, we went directly to the scales and our gross weight was just under 17,600 lbs...that is almost 3,800 lbs, which included NO fluids.

adding 1,000 for cargo is WAY under reality IMHO!

I'm not trying to say that people don't carry a lot of weight in their trailers, that's completely up to them. I have 38 years of camping 2 pop-ups, three travel trailers, one park model and two fifth wheels and I know how you can carry a lot of stuff. But lets put things in reality, A 2015 Chevy Malibu LT weights 3439lb's with a driver and a full tank of gas. But at 3800 lb.'s, good for you, you can't want for anything.

Just to let you know my next trailer is going to be a DRV, and I'm going full timing, after I fill it up, well I'll see and report back LOL.

DRV's are heavy right off the bat...and if you're going to full time, guess you WILL find out how much you'll carry...make sure you weigh it, make sure you have the right truck to tow it with.

I've got 44 yrs of camping experience, had pop-up's, TT's, a HiLo, and 5er's...but that doesn't necessarily make me an expert on how much one will load into their 5er, (I address 5er's, because this is a 5er forum)......So, good luck to you and make sure you do all the weights, if for no other reason than peace of mind....:)..

kakampers wrote:
Our "yellow tag" is on the entry door frame (as are all Heartlands). We came out of the factory at 13,864 lbs. This includes all options as it is weighed going out the door of the factory. We have dual panes, generator, two airs, etc.

We are fulltimers and after moving from one rig to the other, we went directly to the scales and our gross weight was just under 17,600 lbs...that is almost 3,800 lbs, which included NO fluids.

adding 1,000 for cargo is WAY under reality IMHO!

I'm not trying to say that people don't carry a lot of weight in their trailers, that's completely up to them. I have 38 years of camping 2 pop-ups, three travel trailers, one park model and two fifth wheels and I know how you can carry a lot of stuff. But lets put things in reality, A 2015 Chevy Malibu LT weights 3439lb's with a driver and a full tank of gas. But at 3800 lb.'s, good for you, you can't want for anything.

Just to let you know my next trailer is going to be a DRV, and I'm going full timing, after I fill it up, well I'll see and report back LOL.

We have a 2012 36' Mobile Suite, don't know what it weighed coming from the factory. We bought it off the lot, transferred our stuff from the 2007 Drv Select Suite and took off. When we weighed it at the scale it was 19,400 (we had previously weighed the truck). All good advice from other posters, these rigs have heavy frames, lots of insulation. It's a really good unit.