Grand Design Reflection 29RS - Or Comparable

[RedLionCookie]

I'm making plans to purchase a new 5'ver. I have a 2007 Dodge Mega with the Hemi. It is rated for 10,000 lbs. I really like the floorplan of the Grand Design but I'd like to consider some other brands with similar options.

Obviously weight needs to be considered (8000 dry). It is just my wife and I so we are looking for something with a rear living room and no bunkhouse. I would also like an outdoor kitchen.

What do others have that I should consider? Thoughts from those who own the Grand Design. Likes/Dislikes etc?

[johndeerefarmer]

RedLionCookie wrote:
Just to follow up. I do live in Pennsylvania and I certainly appreciate all the information and points of view you all are providing. I didn’t take my truck to a scale and weigh it but I did go through my paperwork and it appears the shipping weight of my truck was just under 6400 lbs. I have a 30 gallon fuel tank so I’ll add 200 lbs for fuel. It’s me, my wife and 3 dogs. I’ll add another 600 lbs for us and another 200 for the hitch and whatever else we might throw in to make it an even 1000 lbs..

So here is my new math 10,000 - 6,400 - 1,000 = 2,600.

Based on the post from the GD owner saying loaded with no water he is at 2100 pin weight with no water. He also said he was at 10,100 total weight. Based on all of this I’ll pin weight shouldn’t be a problem and although I’ll be pushing the 10 ,000 lb payload if I’m controlled with what I pack I should be ok. And now back to your regularly scheduled program. Does anyone have something similar to the. GD 29 RS in my weight category they like? The 29RS has a rear living room with an outside kitchen.

I have a 29rs. The two things I don't like are the autoleveling system and the outdoor kitchen. I removed the TV and fridge from the kitchen area and made storage out of it. The problem with the autoleveling system is the jacks. They are too close to the ground under certain conditions. I tore one of them up and had to replace it for over $400. If you buy one- keep it on level ground.
I wish the table was on the curbside but other than that it's a great floor plan.
BTW get the second a/c and consider the dual pane windows

[wrvond]

Federal law prohibits the removal of emissions systems. It does not prohibit owning a vehicle in which the emissions devices have been removed. State and local authorities where the vehicle is registered enforce emissions standards.
I pull RVs professionally and usually get waved off at weigh stations. When I'm not waved off, the inspectors want to see my logs and verify that I am licensed appropriately for the GVWR I am pulling. In other words, a non-CDL puller cannot pull the same GVWR as a CDL class A regardless of the capabilities of the truck.
Once I remove the company DOT placards from my truck, I am free to pull anything I want, and have never pulled into a weigh station.
That being said, there are still safety laws that can be enforced, such as safety chains for gooseneck trailers, brakes on campers and trailers, working lights, etc. that cover everybody and should be complied with.

[B_O__Plenty]

MACHZER wrote:

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

I have lived in the Minneapolis are for over 50 years. I frequently travel west on Interstate 94 and have never seen a privately owned RV pulled over to be weighed. In addition I have never seen a pickup, RV or anything else being checked for emissions equipment. Are you sure you were in Minnesota??

B.O.

[Walaby]

MACHZER wrote:
You truck LEGALLY cannot go over your GVWR, (10,000) with your trailer attached. That's why it's there on your sticker.

MACHZER wrote:
Not sure about the Laws in the USA regarding being over GVWR.

Thanks for clarifying. Since you're not 'sure' then future readers should understand that if they read this thread six months from now, and they read your emphasis that one cannot legally tow above GVWR of truck.

MACHIZER wrote:

THe Grand Design RV are real nice and will be our next trailer for sure!
GREAT CHOICE!

Im really liking the GD RV's and they are on my short list as well for my next rig.

Mike

[MACHZER]

It could have been Commercial Haulers, But they were pulling everyone in,

Not sure about the Laws in the USA regarding being over GVWR.

THe Grand Design RV are real nice and will be our next trailer for sure!

GREAT CHOICE!

[Butch50]

MACHZER wrote:


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

You probably seen commercial RV haulers being weighed. They have to follow the same rules as semi haulers I believe because they are hauling for money (commercial). A regular RVer was most likely waved on through. Now a RVer could be checked for emissions compliance I suppose.

This IMO

[goducks10]

I'm not advocating towing over GVWR, but I'm over my 9600 lb GVWR by 200 lbs. Under RAWR by 1100 lbs and under GCVWR by about 2000 lbs. Under tow rating by 3500 lbs. Pulls, corners and stops like a dream.
I would tow that 29RS with my 12 Ram 2500 CTD any day.
I'm just not seeing the big deal here.

[Mike_E_]

OP, your numbers look good. An actual weight of your truck with everybody on board would certainly make everything crystal clear though.

Even though it looks like you'll have some breathing room payload-wise you could free up some of that by using an Andersen rail-mount hitch like I have. Rails/brackets and hitch right around the 100lb mark.

It's a very nice trailer. Make sure you try one out first though. The bedroom is a bit tight around the bed, and there's a small step up to get to the overhead cabinets above the bed.
This last trip I went for a nice tumble trying to turn myself around while next to the bed, and of course, I didn't land on the nice soft bed. Wife thought I was down for the count 🙂
Something worth checking out in real time as opposed to looking at floorplans online. Get yourself into the trailer and see if it'll work.

Cheers,
Mike

[troubledwaters]

MACHZER wrote:
...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

There is no law in the US that forbids non-commercial vehicles from exceeding their GVWR.

[RedLionCookie]

Just to follow up. I do live in Pennsylvania and I certainly appreciate all the information and points of view you all are providing. I didn’t take my truck to a scale and weigh it but I did go through my paperwork and it appears the shipping weight of my truck was just under 6400 lbs. I have a 30 gallon fuel tank so I’ll add 200 lbs for fuel. It’s me, my wife and 3 dogs. I’ll add another 600 lbs for us and another 200 for the hitch and whatever else we might throw in to make it an even 1000 lbs..

So here is my new math 10,000 - 6,400 - 1,000 = 2,600.

Based on the post from the GD owner saying loaded with no water he is at 2100 pin weight with no water. He also said he was at 10,100 total weight. Based on all of this I’ll pin weight shouldn’t be a problem and although I’ll be pushing the 10 ,000 lb payload if I’m controlled with what I pack I should be ok. And now back to your regularly scheduled program. Does anyone have something similar to the. GD 29 RS in my weight category they like? The 29RS has a rear living room with an outside kitchen.

[MACHZER]

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

[Walaby]

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

[MACHZER]

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

[MFL]

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