toytacoma8 wrote:
I've been looking at 30ft bunkhouse models and liked this floor plan as it's about a foor shorter than most. The tounge weight is listed as 906lbs which is more than some of their longer and heavier models and kind of defeats the purpose of it being a shorter trailer. Anyone have experience with one of these or know how accurate the tounge weight ratings are?
30'11. 6048dry. 7906gross
Using a 2018 max tow F150 with 1850lbs payload
I looked up the camper you are thinking about. Is it this one?
https://cruiserrv.com/rv-model/shadow-cruiser-ultra-lite-259bhs/The floor plan and how storage is placed in the camper add to or subtract from the loaded tongue weight. The spec numbers you posted caught my eye; I ran into this before but on a rear living layout, not a bunkhouse.
Here is what I see and what may happen to that camper unless you can sort this out.
The listed specs are 906# dry on a dry 6,048 GVW. This is 906/6048=0.15. Or 15% dry tongue weight. That set off the bells ringing; this camper pending the floor plan and storage, can go up in loaded tongue weight quickly.
Now to the floor plan and your front "patented" full-body storage feature. This video shows the extra storage in the front of the camper as their full body storage feature.
https://youtu.be/O_lPCG1bd1oYour slide and kitchen are mainly over the axles; this is good because added cargo does not add or subtract much from loaded tongue weight.
The back bunks, not sure what storage is back here, but this area subtracts from loaded tongue weight. There may be some storage in the outside kitchen; this can help lower some of the tongue weight.
Here is the main issue, as you are on a 1500 truck. You have a "lot" of storage upfront on that camper. When cargo is added to this substantial front storage, under the bed, the bedroom cabinets, and the large-sized cargo hole with this full-body storage option, this quantity of front storage can add a lot of tongue weight, pending the stuff you put up there.
Your 906# dry weight will grow to approx 43# for LP gas, and apprx. 45# for a standard grp 24 battery; not sure if you will add a power tongue jack, but your 906# can reach 1,000# quickly, and that is before you add more weight to the front cargo area. You could end up with a 1,200 to 1,300 # loaded tongue weight. Even higher pending what all you put in the storage you have.
The heads up, you will have to manage where you put cargo in that floor plan, or you can go over your truck GVWR and possibly the rear axle rating. By the last weights you posted, you have approx 410# of payload to spare. You will be close to or on top of, or over the weight ratings on your truck.
I recommend you get a Sheline tongue scale if you get this camper, to keep track of what adds and what subtracts weight-wise as you load up the camper. You will have to manage the truck bed weight to also not get any higher.
I had a similar problem long ago; my 7,000# GVWR-rated camper reached 21% loaded tongue weight. The floor plan and your "stuff" drives loaded tongue weight. I ended up trading my 1500 truck for a 2500 Suburban. We loved the camper too much; the truck had to go, and I was glad we traded up.
Hope this helps. Best of luck with your new camper.
John
2005 Ford F350 Super Duty, 4x4; 6.8L V10 with 4.10 RA, 21,000 GCWR, 11,000 GVWR, upgraded 2 1/2" Towbeast Receiver. Hitched with a 1,700# Reese HP WD, HP Dual Cam to a 2004 Sunline Solaris T310R travel trailer.
