Journey with Confidence RV GPS App RV Trip Planner RV LIFE Campground Reviews RV Maintenance Take a Speed Test Free 7 Day Trial ×
 

Go Back   Keystone RV Forums > Welcome to KeystoneForums.com! > New Member Check in!
Click Here to Login

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 12-30-2020, 06:18 PM   #1
Alsalright
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Johnstown
Posts: 3
Smile First Time Keystone Bullet Hauler

Hello, we have purchased a used 2018, 18' Keystone Bullet. It is sitting on our property under one foot of snow so, we haven't had a chance to investigate what we have. Any advice for first time people is greatly appreciated. We want to take it on an experimental trip this spring and we are wondering how long we can expect to survive without electricity. The battery is new. How do we keep it charged? How long to charge if we use the vehicle to charge it? Simple questions but we hope to learn before experience. We are using a 2021 Honda Passport to pull it. Hope to meet some of you out there.
Alsalright is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-30-2020, 07:20 PM   #2
LewisB
Senior Member
 
LewisB's Avatar
 
Join Date: Aug 2013
Location: Tucson
Posts: 822
Welcome to the forum. It sounds like you are new to towing, so glad you checked in and asked your questions:

To answer some of your questions.
  • Battery; the battery will discharge rather quickly (a week or so). Even if the unit has an "electrical disconnect" switch, there are safety related items that are always connected to the battery and will drain it quickly.
  • You will need to connect an extension cord to the shore power connection on the trailer. Make sure the power center on the trailer (which will include a battery charger) is working properly. Use a voltmeter to check the battery voltage while charging - should be (say) 13+ volts, or:
  • Remove the battery, take in in the garage, and put a "battery tender" type charger on the battery.
  • Has the trailer been "winterized"? Ask the prior owner. If not and it has water in the tank or lines and is sitting under the snow, you could have issues. The trailer needs to be drained of water and "winterized" if you plan to leave it for the winter. Search the forum for "winderized" to get more details.
  • Assuming you have a full RV style connection to your tow vehicle, the battery will charge as you tow. Depending on how much power you use when parked, you will potentially need additional battery power, hook ups, a solar charging system, or a small generator. You probably need to get some experience under your belt to know enough to investigate this issue in the future.
Now the potential bad news:
  • Are you aware of the "payload" and towing capacity for your Honda Passport? Look for the yellow and white sticker in the driver's door opening. It will have a statement that cargo "should not exceed XXX pounds." Cargo will include all passengers, luggage, pets, bikes, accessories added by the dealer, a trailer hitch, and the tongue weight of your trailer. Anything that adds weight to your tow vehicle.
  • The internet site I found says the 2021 Honda Passport has a towing capacity of 3500 lbs. and has a Payload capacity of 1332 pounds.
  • The lightest 2018 Bullet, model 1650EX, has a GVWR of nearly 4,750 pounds with an anticipated hitch weight of at least 618 pounds.
  • If the above numbers are correct, your Passport can NOT safely tow your trailer. Additionally, since your Passport is a unibody type construction, my guess is that you can not use a "weight distribution" hitch between your tow vehicle and trailer.
If I have made some incorrect assumptions above, PLEASE don't be offended or feel attacked! My desire is to see you be successful and SAFE at the same time. If the numbers I assumed are incorrect, please post photos of your payload sticker for the Passport and the sticker from your trailer with the GVWR rating. We have lots of members here who will be more than willing to share expertise and their experiences. I suspect someone has told you "sure, you can pull that trailer with your passport" - let us look at the facts and see if that is really true.
Blessings!
__________________
Brad & Penny (50 years!)
2017 F350 DRW CC 4x4 Payload=5560
2018 Raptor 353TS
2019 Can Am Maverick Sport XRC - the "Blue Goose"

On YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCjc...yZ_w7jyofaPLVQ
LewisB is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2020, 08:48 AM   #3
Alsalright
Junior Member
 
Join Date: Dec 2020
Location: Johnstown
Posts: 3
My Bullet

Wow! Thanks so much for taking the time to post a reply to my questions! I had a transmission cooler and hitch installed when I purchased my Passport. According to the owner's manual, that brings the towing capacity up to 5,000 lbs. I'm hoping this, at least will allow me to tow an empty camper. If not, I'm about $50,000 in the hole. It's cold outside and freezing rain at the moment so I really don't feel like going outside to photograph the label but I'm surely going to need some help along the way this spring so, thanks again and I'll be careful about the additional weight.
Alsalright is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-31-2020, 10:13 AM   #4
flybouy
Site Team
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Location: Joppa, MD
Posts: 11,714
Quote:
Originally Posted by Alsalright View Post
Wow! Thanks so much for taking the time to post a reply to my questions! I had a transmission cooler and hitch installed when I purchased my Passport. According to the owner's manual, that brings the towing capacity up to 5,000 lbs. I'm hoping this, at least will allow me to tow an empty camper. If not, I'm about $50,000 in the hole. It's cold outside and freezing rain at the moment so I really don't feel like going outside to photograph the label but I'm surely going to need some help along the way this spring so, thanks again and I'll be careful about the additional weight.
A transmission cooler has zero effect on HOW MUCH you can tow. Towing capacity (how much you can tow) does not translate to LOAD CAPACITY (how much weight the vehicle can bear). Think of it this way....

Go to Home Depot or Lowes and in the garden center load up a flat (4 wheeled cart) with about 500 lbs of whatever. Now pull it. That's towing.
Now go get a wheelbarrow. Transfer that load to the wheel barrow. Now try lifting and the wheelbarrow handles. That's the LOAD you must support.

Max towing capacity is based on a low center of gravity load dispersed primarily on the trailer axel(s). A travel trailer tongue weight is generally around 12% of the trailer's total weight. The published "empty weight" of a travel trailer is based on the weight it was when it left the factory. It will never be that light again. Here's why...

"Empty weight" does not include dealer installed items, i.e. battery, propane tanks, spare tire. You will never tow an empty trailer once you have towed it home. You will need everything you have at home to support all the people camping for the duration of your trip. Think about it, clothes, food, drinks, bedding, towels, soaps, pots & pans, something to eat on and with, something to drink out of, kids toys, water hose, sewer hose, leveling blocks, tools, and the list goes on.

No one is trying to rain on your parade but rather inform you of the plain and simple truth. Small light vehicles are great for what they are designed to do and that is not towing a travel trailer. We haven't even discussed the effects of a slab sided travel trailer being pushed around in the wind behind a light vehichle. I think that vehichle would be suited for pulling a pop up or small trailer like an RPod.

Good luck in your new venture.
__________________
Marshall
2012 Laredo 303 TG
2010 F250 LT Super Cab, long bed, 4X4, 6.4 Turbo Diesel
flybouy is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2021, 02:46 PM   #5
ACJCF2
Member
 
ACJCF2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2020
Location: Port Royal
Posts: 97
Welcome aboard. As many have stated, we are genuinely interested in your safe towing. Please do your due diligence and research. Happy camping!
Jim
__________________
2018 RAM 3500HD, CC, DRW, 4X4, 6 Sp., 408 Cu.In. CTD 3.73
2020 Carbon 348
USMC Vet
Retired Asst. Fire Chief
Keep Calm, Play Tuba
ACJCF2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 01-03-2021, 04:56 PM   #6
sourdough
Site Team
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: W. Texas
Posts: 17,601
Some thoughts before you go check that payload sticker.....and tow that trailer.

The Passport was never meant to be a "tow" vehicle. You have to dig and search to find anything in depth or definitive from Honda because....it's not meant for it; I pulled up the Passport owner's manual.

The Passport is a unibody construction vehicle. It will not handle big torsional loads coming from the back. It didn't come with a hitch because it wasn't meant to be towing something that fits in a 2" receiver. You had to add the tranny cooler...why? I've already pointed that out. Back to that yellow sticker inside the door; whatever it is you can deduct the added receiver and trans cooler/associated equipment from it.

The 5000lb towing capacity limits the vehicle to 2 people....nothing else. If you have more it lowers the capacity (page 380). Then there's all the gear that will be in the vehicle, and no, it won't be empty; btdt a zillion times over many hundreds of thousands of miles....never empty. The kicker is that your vehicle and the new hitch will not support more than 500lbs. MAX and that is for 2 people only and reduced by any additional load (page 381).

Just a few quick points that pop up that highlight the inadequacies of the Passport for towing an RV. There will be more. Look at the tires on it; they are low profile, low load sporty tires never meant for carrying a load....

Telling you this stuff makes me feel terrible but it has to be said - if for no other reason than to inform you of the dangers you face. It doesn't even make allowances for a weight distribution hitch which is downright dangerous in that kind of setup. But why wouldn't they? The additional stress and load put back into the vehicle which it is not designed for. Bad deal.

The members here want you to have a great, even wonderful RV experience but we also want you to be safe along with your family. You aren't the first to hear this kind of message and won't be the last; I've been on the receiving end. You won't be the first to get rid of a new vehicle to get a proper tow vehicle and won't be the last if you choose to do so; I've done the same. Not happy news or something you want to hear - just reality.
__________________
Danny and Susan, wife of 56 years
2019 Ram 3500 Laramie CC SWB SB 6.4 4x4 4.10
2020 Montana High Country 331RL
sourdough is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Tags
bullet, keystone

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Forum Jump

» Featured Campgrounds

Reviews provided by

Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3
Disclaimer:

This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Keystone RV Company or any of its affiliates in any way. Keystone RV® is a registered trademark of the Keystone RV Company.


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 02:11 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.9
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.