1500 Ram and hideout 29BKS

[Willie]

I have a 2007 Quad Cab Dodge Ram with the 5.7. I ordered a new floor plan29BKS and the weights are

Shipping Weight - 7050
carrying CApacity - 2505
Hitch - 755

I have a WDH that will be fitted for this but haveing second thoughts on the weight.:confused:

Thoughts?
(tx)

[GaryWT]

Nice camper, enjoy. As for towing, what is the payload of the truck and the tow value. You might not use the full carrying weight but at least a 1,000 or so pounds might be added. Good luck, hope it works for you.

[audio1der]

Which rear end gears do you have? What is your max towing weight? SO many considerations, but it does sound like you'll be flirting with some limits.

[greengiant]

I have a 2007 Quad Cab Dodge Ram with the 5.7. I ordered a new floor plan29BKS and the weights are

Shipping Weight - 7050
carrying CApacity - 2505
Hitch - 755

I have a WDH that will be fitted for this but haveing second thoughts on the weight.:confused:

Thoughts?
(tx)

My 2013 Hideout 29BHS has just about the same 3 weights as what you ordered. We love ours and hope you'll think the same. I tow with a 3/4 ton and to be honest, would not want to do so with a 1/2 ton (even though it's within the limits of most 1/2 tons).
It all comes down to your towing comfort level combined with your actual tow weights being in the range of the vehichle specs. There are plenty of towing threads (just look or search the towing forum) that can help you hit a scale and know exactly how to weight up your setup.
To consider: I'm 7k dry, about 9k loaded down. By the time I add the tongue weight, 5 people, 140lbs of dog, 5 bikes, three wheel barrows of firewood, and a cooler to the truck- you can guess I'm pushing the rear axle weight limit. I plan to recheck that number as soon as the trailer melts out of winter.
One more thought, and then I'll shut up. Hideouts are heavy compared to a bunch of other Keystone lines. I'm guessing it has something to do with the mega slide system and maybe bigger main frame (just my guess). This has benefits, one of which is the very sizeable outdoor storage areas compared to units that sit closer to the ground. Another is the 2500lbs cargo carrying capacity vs the other, ultra-light units that from what I've seen, have less than 1500 lbs CCC.
Good luck!

[Willie]

After some digging I have 3.92 gears and a tow package (all the extra coolers) and the max is 8450. So it see I could pull it a short distance 2 hours from my house. I wouldn't have too much stuff piled in it since their is three of us.

Any other thoughts would be great!


Thanks for all of those who chimed in




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[Willie]

http://img.tapatalk.com/d/14/03/27/2ava4y5a.jpg


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[JRTJH]

After some digging I have 3.92 gears and a tow package (all the extra coolers) and the max is 8450. So it see I could pull it a short distance 2 hours from my house. I wouldn't have too much stuff piled in it since their is three of us.

Any other thoughts would be great!

Thanks for all of those who chimed in

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The issue I think you'll face more than any other is trailer tongue weight/payload of the truck. The empty tongue weight is 755 lbs. add 60 lbs of propane and a 50 lb battery and the empty tongue weight is closer to 865 lbs. If you load about 800 lbs into the trailer (and that's a conservative figure) you'll be pushing close to 900 lbs or more of tongue weight. The max payload of your truck is 1260 lbs. Subtract the tongue weight of 900 lbs and you've only got 360 lbs remaining for everything else. There is a "driver weight allowance" of 150 lbs, so if we add that, you're about 510 lbs. Now, subtract the weight of yourself and your other two family members and what's left is all you'll have for the weight of the distribution hitch, cooler, toys/games for the youngest member and any bikes, or other camping equipment you'd want to carry in the bed of the truck. Don't forget to also deduct anything you've added to your truck such as a bed liner, tool box, running boards, tonneau cover, cap, etc. All of that must be considered in the payload.....

You'll be close, very VERY close to your max carrying capacity even though you'll have almost 2000 lbs of extra "trailer towing" capacity left before you hit the "maximum trailer towing capacity" of 8500 lbs that's advertised in the brochure.

[Willie]

Just called to canceled the order for the camper. Thanks for all for your information. Search begins again.


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[Willie]

Why do they a WD hitch what is the point?


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[JRTJH]

Why do they a WD hitch what is the point?


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What is your question regarding WD hitch? from what you wrote, it's difficult to decipher what you're asking....

[Willie]

Does the hitch redistribute some of the weight.


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[Javi]

Does the hitch redistribute some of the weight.


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Yes a W/D hitch transfers a small amount of the hitch weight to the front wheels of the tow vehicle and a even smaller amount to the trailer wheels. But don't expect this to correct an overload situation, it's primary function is to put the headlights back on the road and out of the treetops.

[homer3]

Willie, son (SoCalCPA) has 28RBS similar to your choice. He pulls with new RAM 1500, tow package and works with WDH. He says truck pulls well. He had some sag on rear end. It was suggested that he put add iar bags to rear suspension which did, He says things are all fine. Not sure how you contact using this blog, how you query a used ID on here see above if you figure it out. I will pass onto him.

[Willie]

What would be a safe hitch weight? Getting really confused on what is a safe and what is not. Can I go more hitch weight and less camper weight?


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[KJcachers]

Hitch/tongue weight of trailer + cargo and passengers in truck can't exceed the payload capacity of your truck.

[KJcachers]

Btw, we pull a bullet 246rbs with our 1500 ram. Knowing my tow was about 8800 I didn't want to push it so we went with the lite weight bullet. Even so, the tongue can get heavy with gear in the front storage, 2 full propane tanks and the battery on the tongue. Sags my truck almost 4 inches. The coils are soft for a smooth ride but I need to add air bags to firm them up while towing.

[x96mnn]

IN my opinion not a great combination. I own a 1500 and tow sprinter 266 and it is 6500pds. Truck tows it and I can keep the speed limit but you know there is a camper behind you, but it does it. I tow my neighbours camper which is the same length but weighs 1700pds less and it is a night and day difference. You do not even know there is a camper behind you!

Ask them to hook it up and take it for a test tow and decide for yourself. I think you would be pushing the limit but meet legal requirements.

[Willie]

I am looking for a different camper maybe a bullet but some of those campers have a heavy tongue weight was well so I am limited on what I cam get.


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[x96mnn]

It is not keystone but my friend has a sunset trail super lite model st270bh. Dry weight is 5300pds and works very will with a 1500 truck. They have a 33ft model there as well listed 6000pds. Made by cross roads.

[JRTJH]

It is not keystone but my friend has a sunset trail super lite model st270bh. Dry weight is 5300pds and works very will with a 1500 truck. They have a 33ft model there as well listed 6000pds. Made by cross roads.

A 33' trailer will be extremely long for a short wheelbase 1500 series truck. There are a couple of posts in the last 2 days concerning wheelbase/trailer length. Look them up to get the formula to calculate max lengths. No matter if the tongue weight and total weight are "OK" if you get pushed around by passing 18 wheelers and side winds. It's no fun having a short wheelbase truck being pushed from lane to lane while dragging a "too long" trailer behind you that acts as a big sail with every passing truck.

[Willie]

So since the first one is too heavy for the truck I have to choose from what the dealer has since I can not get my $2000 deposit back. They are willing to let me more the deposit to another camper so this is what I have to pick from any one have good or bad about the list below.

2014 Coachmen Freedom Express 282BH
2014 Keystone Cougar X-Lite 33RBI
2014 Keystone Cougar X-Lite 29RBK
2014 Keystone Bullet 281BHS
2014 Keystone Bullet 272BH



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[fla-gypsy]

With a 1/2 ton truck it is all about payload vs tongue weight

[Willie]

Well with a 1200 payload and a WD I'm going to try to stay under 700.


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[HappyCamperMN]

The Bullet 272BHS has a pretty light (published) tongue weight. While more or less the same floor plan the 281 is 90 lbs heavier on the tongue.

[RandT1016]

Willie...I had the same dilemma...I owned a 02 Dodge Ram 1500 but it had the small tranny. I upgraded to a 2008 GMC 1500 Sierra SLT All Terrain Z71 (5.3L V8, 3.73). All the trailers we looked at in the Ultra Lite category were still heavy for the specs we were looking for (bunks and table & couch). I went with the Keystone Bullet 272 you have on your shopping list and we just took the maiden voyage last weekend and LOVED it! The GMC pulled it with no problems, even up a few good grades. I went with a Curt class IV hitch and the Anderson WD/Anti-sway: <http://www.thehitchstore.com/silent-nosway-weight-distribution-hitch-4in-droprise-p-3918.html?gclid=CN_q_Pjk4r0CFcRefgodASwAqQ>
My only complaint on the Bullet is the grey tank is a little small and I will probably stick with full hook up camps as we had to empty it once over the weekend. (there are 4 of us - my wife and I and 2 boys)
We first looked at a Coleman but the weight being about 1700# more than the Bullet had me a little nervous, and after pulling the Bullet (loaded with gear and 1/3 tank fresh) I am SOOO glad we went with the Bullet. The weight was perfect for pulling and even had to butt about a 30-40mph head and side wind. The WD hitch kept the trailer in line perfectly. Let me know if you want more details on the trailer!

[Willie]

RandT1016...do the bunks get hot? Looking at the AC ducts the nearest outlet is about 3feet away. Did you do any modifications to the bunk area to help it keep cool?


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[RandT1016]

It didn't get too cold overnight...maybe low 40's....and the winter package held the overall heat very well, the boys did not complain about the heat at all. The only drawback I can foresee is the tstat is inside the curtain when it's pulled, which will effect the overall cabin temp. Airflow was great; we had tested it out in front of the house during a few real cold snaps in February while we had it home for some decorating/prep time, the furnace is more than sufficient. A/C is centralized in the ceiling if you don't want to run thru the floor registers, but I won't have a real gauge until later this summer (we have a 4th of July planned along the Snake River in southern Washington) The bigger bunks were one of the reasons we went with the Bullet, and each has (2) windows, which can let in some night air.

[audio1der]

That Bullet sounds like a great unit.
To the concern of the small gray tank, a "blue boy" portable gray tank is worth its weight in gold. We fill our grey in record time but have never run out of fresh or filled the black so pulling the blue boy to the dump station is a great alternative.

[gwbillett]

I have a 2013 ram 1500 cc with 3.92 and we have the Bullet 308BHS and it tows it's just fine!!! We just took a trip down to Charlottesville Va ( Shenandoah ) from Md and it was a 3 1/2 hr ride and it tow it perfect and only burned a half tank of gas on the way down. A little more on the way up. They finally posted numbers for my TT and it is just under 6200 dry and loaded comes to 7600 with a hitch weight of 700.

I have a EZ-hitch WDH with 1000lb bars what the dealer sold.

So far I love our Bullet and we have gotten a ton of comps at the campground. I think if the floor plan is what you like go for it. I had no issues with sway either b/c I know some will say that 35' is too long for my rig. I had no issues when big rigs went by and it was windy on the way up.

Good luck with your search. I hope you can find something they have that you will love and enjoy and make a ton of good memories in!!!

[Willie]

I saw the 308 and thought about it was no pricing and was not sure with the length.


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[gwbillett]

Well I might be a little Bias but we love it and we like the extra bunk in the back and you still get the outside Kitchen which worked perfect this past week. I haven't had any issues other than getting use to the length when back it up but that is going from a 20' to this one. After a couple times I have gotten the hang of it. I didn't have any issues on the highway even when big rigs going blowing by..... The truck pulled it just fine...

[RandT1016]

After the first trip I realized how small a 30gal grey tank is....we may be investing in the portable!

[Willie]

Well jump ship from Keystone and went to heartland wilderness 2850 thanks for your help.


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