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Old 07-11-2018, 03:48 AM   #1
Jefster
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New keystone owner in MI

Hi all! I'm really excited to be taking delivery today of our 2018 Passport 3290bh!

We started camping with 2 kids in a pop up about 9 years ago. When we got to 5 kids we moved up to a 3 bunk hybrid, which we've been using for the last 7 years. Now with 6 of our own (bio and adopted) and we usually have anywhere from 1-4 foster kids with us, the hybrid wasn't quite cutting it anymore.

Pulling with an Express 3500 van. With the rear seat taken out it seats 11, plus I can fit 6 bikes and 6 inflatable kayaks in the back.

Looking forward to many adventures in the new bunkhouse. The goal is to be able to go longer distances because we will need less set up and tear down time than the hybrid.
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Old 07-11-2018, 04:46 AM   #2
LuvsPalmTrees
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Welcome from a fellow Michigander. Sounds like you all are going to have a wonderful time and make many memories.
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Old 07-11-2018, 11:22 AM   #3
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Wow sounds like you are going to out grow the 32 pretty quick. Welcome from NW Ohio
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Old 07-11-2018, 02:02 PM   #4
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Wow sounds like you are going to out grow the 32 pretty quick. Welcome from NW Ohio
I definitely hope not, the bunkhouse has opposing slides and can actually sleep 6 comfortably. I think I could do 8 back there fairly easily actually, without having to use dinette and couch.
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Old 07-11-2018, 11:22 AM   #5
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Welcome from Enid, Oklahoma
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Old 07-11-2018, 12:49 PM   #6
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Welcome to the forum from Fowlerville Michigan!
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Old 07-11-2018, 01:48 PM   #7
sourdough
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Welcome to the forum and congrats on the new trailer! Sounds like you plan on having a lot of fun with "the gang". I would just suggest that you load the van up like you're going camping with ALL the folks and camping gear and weigh it. Then compare that to the specs inside the driver door. I suspect the 3500 has a decent payload but 11 people and lots of gear is sure going to cut it down fast.....then, there's the trailer. Figure 1000 lbs. for the tongue weight then see where you are at.

Not trying to rain on your parade but just want to raise that flag in the event you weren't thinking about it. Don't want anything to happen to a van load of kids. Get a good WDH.
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Old 07-11-2018, 02:02 PM   #8
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Old 07-11-2018, 02:23 PM   #9
Jefster
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Yes, that's good thanks! I got a good wdh and upgraded to a new one for the extra weight. I definitely load the van down, but I think the trailer is pretty well within my total capacity. Towing home was great, we'll see how it goes with a full load.
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Old 07-11-2018, 04:14 PM   #10
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Bless you for what you do for those kids. Sounds like they're lucky to have you. Welcome to the forum from SE Texas.
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Old 07-11-2018, 04:16 PM   #11
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I thought about your van weight and it got me to thinking how heavy it may be. Could I bother you to tell us the figures on your yellow tag on the driver door column? Thanks, you’re hauling a lot IN the van with bikes, kids, and kayaks.
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Old 07-11-2018, 05:10 PM   #12
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Old 07-11-2018, 08:17 PM   #13
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Welcome and congrats on the new trailer. Not sure, we dont keep that kind of info, but you may be the member with the most kids. Wow.

Just be careful pulling that big trailer with your van. Crosswinds will be a challenge with both the van and the trailer being big sails. Keep us posted how things are going and enjoy.
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Old 07-12-2018, 02:43 AM   #14
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Welcome to the forum from Commerce Twp. Mi! Enjoy
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Old 07-12-2018, 05:18 AM   #15
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Hey thanks for all the concern with the van. I've been around long enough not to buy the heaviest trailer I think my vehicle is rated for without accounting for passenegers and cargo. That being said, I also needed to have a trailer big enough to make camping work for us, so trying to balance the two. My brother had a camper with a similar floor plan that weighed over 8000 pounds. No way I'd try that. When I found the passport weighed in less than. 6600 dry weight, I got very interested in the upgrade.

My van has a gvwr of 9600 lbs. With 1000 for the tongue, plus kids and bikes, I expect I'm within that, but pretty darn close. 10,000 is the tow capacity, the trailer gvwr is 8000. We only bring extra kids on shorter trips, when we do bigger things out of state that's generally with just our 6 kids. And for those we may or may not bother with bikes, depending on where we're headed.

I couldn't hardly tell my old jayco hybrid was behind me when towing it with the big van, but of course this one I definitely can feel it back there. Still not bad, and I had some fast passing trucks and semi trailers on the drive home yesterday to get a feel for the draft a bit.
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Old 07-19-2018, 01:18 PM   #16
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Well I hit the scales for the first time ever today, cross that one off my list of things I need to experience. So per my vehicle door tag:
Gvwr - 9600 lb
Gawr front - 4300 lb
Gawr rear - 6084
And I know my tow capacity is 10,000 lb.

Fully loaded today the scales said:
Front axle - 3380 lb
Rear axle - 5060 lb
Rv - 6460 lb
Total gross weight - 14,900 lb

So I'm a newbie reading scales, but it sounds to me like I'm pretty well within my limits?
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Old 07-19-2018, 01:39 PM   #17
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jefster View Post
Well I hit the scales for the first time ever today, cross that one off my list of things I need to experience. So per my vehicle door tag:
Gvwr - 9600 lb
Gawr front - 4300 lb
Gawr rear - 6084
And I know my tow capacity is 10,000 lb.

Fully loaded today the scales said:
Front axle - 3380 lb
Rear axle - 5060 lb
Rv - 6460 lb
Total gross weight - 14,900 lb

So I'm a newbie reading scales, but it sounds to me like I'm pretty well within my limits?
Did the kids enjoy the experience? Usually doing something different like this is pretty rad to kids that age...
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Old 07-19-2018, 02:47 PM   #18
sourdough
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Jefster View Post
Well I hit the scales for the first time ever today, cross that one off my list of things I need to experience. So per my vehicle door tag:
Gvwr - 9600 lb
Gawr front - 4300 lb
Gawr rear - 6084
And I know my tow capacity is 10,000 lb.

Fully loaded today the scales said:
Front axle - 3380 lb
Rear axle - 5060 lb
Rv - 6460 lb
Total gross weight - 14,900 lb

So I'm a newbie reading scales, but it sounds to me like I'm pretty well within my limits?

It appears your numbers are all within limits. It would have been interesting to see what the van weighed prior to putting the RV on it.

I am assuming the van was loaded with kids, gear, 6 bikes?, 4 kayaks?, tents, mom, dad, toys, Ipads and a partridge in a pear tree?? Looks like you're looking good but I'm wondering about the rear weight. Probably OK but don't want to have a light front end with all that thrown at the back of the van.
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Old 07-19-2018, 03:27 PM   #19
Jefster
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Originally Posted by sourdough View Post
It appears your numbers are all within limits. It would have been interesting to see what the van weighed prior to putting the RV on it.

I am assuming the van was loaded with kids, gear, 6 bikes?, 4 kayaks?, tents, mom, dad, toys, Ipads and a partridge in a pear tree?? Looks like you're looking good but I'm wondering about the rear weight. Probably OK but don't want to have a light front end with all that thrown at the back of the van.
Close. I was missing my spouse and 1 of the kids. Had all the bikes, but no kayaks. The kayaks are inflatable, they weigh 27 lbs each. So that will put me closer on the rear axle.
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Old 07-19-2018, 03:31 PM   #20
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Wow, congrats on the new camper! My BIL and SIL were foster parents. Thanks to your famiy for all you do to make the kids lives better!
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