Greetings from the Space Coast

[Papa Bear]

Hello folks,
Just joined today, but I have used the site as a resource prior to upgrading our 1998 Dutchman Aerolite to a 2013 Keystone Bullet 281bhs. Haven't taken it camping yet but plan on a November trip to Charleston S.C. and we can't wait.
"We" are my wife, 3 yr old daughter, 11 month old pup and myself. This is my first post on ANY forum and this is only our second year as camper owners. Last year when my wife mentioned that we should get a camper I jumped at the chance before she changed her mind! But two trips with our old musty Aerolite and we were hooked, and I started plotting my upgrade.
My tow vehicle is a 2005 Nissan Titan XE King Cab. The XE is the weakest of the Titans when it comes to towing (6500lbs), so the Bullet ultralight was a good fit...although I imagine I will be pushing it to the max once cargo is added.
My wife and I have been pleasantly surprised by how nice almost everyone is in the "camper community", being new to it we have been very appreciative of all the friendly advice offered by fellow campers on our two trips. Look forward to talking to y'all!

[tileman]

Hi and welcome to the forums I see you are in fl me to :)

[hankpage]

We welcome your family to our forum family. Enjoy your new Bullet and travel safely, Hank :wlcm:

[Festus2]

Papa Bear -
Hello, welcome to the group and nice to see that you chose this forum for your first post. Hopefully you will continue to find us and your fellow campers a friendly, welcoming bunch.
I think you may be right in your comment about "pushing the limits" with respect to the Titan and the Bullet. If you are at all concerned about being overweight and towing beyond the capacity of the Titan, then I would find the nearest weigh scale and get everything weighed. You didn't give us any specifics about that year/model of Titan or the numbers for the Bullet so it is difficult to comment as to whether or not it is a good mix.
In the meantime, enjoy your new RV with your family and friends.

[snow]

:wlcm: Welcome to the club ,I am sure you will love your bullet we've had ours out 6 times this year with one more to go with no issues , hope you enjoy this forum and your new home away from home "bouncey:⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄⛄

[curlyfungirl]

Welcome aboard and happy camping! It's the best way to vacation!

[Papa Bear]

Papa Bear -
Hello, welcome to the group and nice to see that you chose this forum for your first post. Hopefully you will continue to find us and your fellow campers a friendly, welcoming bunch.
I think you may be right in your comment about "pushing the limits" with respect to the Titan and the Bullet. If you are at all concerned about being overweight and towing beyond the capacity of the Titan, then I would find the nearest weigh scale and get everything weighed. You didn't give us any specifics about that year/model of Titan or the numbers for the Bullet so it is difficult to comment as to whether or not it is a good mix.
In the meantime, enjoy your new RV with your family and friends.


Hello Festus

And thanks to all for the warm welcome. My journey on determining the towing capacity of my 2005 Nissan Titan XE has been extremely frustrating. Been surfing the Titan forums, devouring the owners manual, talking with Nissan customer service, decoding the VIN, and ofcourse face to face to truck lessons in frustration with multiple Nissan service reps. All with strange and radically different outcomes.
I bought the truck used, from a dealership (not Nissan). Nissan customer service says it didn't leave the assembly line with a towing package as per the VIN...yet has characteristics of a towing package. It is obvious the previous owner added a few after market goodies (mostly cosmetic) however I am left to error on the side of caution and assume its capacity for towing is that of the basic XE witch is 6500 lbs.
The bullet's dry weight is 5125 lbs and the carrying capacity is 2465 lbs. With my 6500 lbs towing capacity on Titan, that leaves me a little over 1300 lbs to play with. I recently added a RAS system to my truck to increase tongue weight capacity and help with handling while towing. RAS is Roadmaster Active Suspension...kind of a shock absorber on the leaf springs that the Titan forum folks seem to love, check activesuspension.com.
Leaving the dealership with the new Bullet, I certainly noticed a difference in the weight compared with the Aerolite but the truck didn't seem to be hurting or struggling at all, ofcourse no cargo yet. Another issue that remains unresolved with my Titan, because everyone has a different answer is what gear to tow in. People get down right insulting with each other on Titan forums when this subject comes up.
The battle lines are drawn over wether to shift in to 4th gear while activating the "tow mode" button. Or, to remain in Drive and activate tow mode, which may or may not take you out of overdrive depending on who you side with. I have not experimented with the 4th gear thing yet. Was unaware of it on both my previous trips with Aerolite...one to Charleston, SC and another to Tybee Island, Ga...both originating from Merritt Island, Fl, cruised the whole way in D and tow mode without any issues.
Okay...getting long winded now! Thank you for the reply and interest in my issue, and hope somebody out their may have an answer. And yes, I will find a scale and weigh the fully loaded camper for my peace of mind.

[JoeofNSB]

Welcome to the forum and happy travels to you. Im just of the road from you!!!!

[JBE-Dad]

Welcome to the forum. I grew up in Merritt Island and live in Tampa now. Many great places to camp in short driving distances.

[Festus2]

Papa Bear -
Given the data that you have outlined in your post, by the time you add all of your camping "stuff" in the TT and in the Nissan (passengers, fuel, hitch weight, etc.) you are probably very close to being maxed out.
I think it is important to realize that the addition of airbags, spring helpers and other similar devices (RAS??) do not increase the carrying capacity of the TV. While add-ons such as these may help in the comfort level of the ride and make the TV and TT sit evenly when hooked up, that is all they do. They do not enhance the capacity of your TV to pull heavier loads.
I am not familiar with Nissan's Tow Haul configuration as to which gear or mode to use to give you the best towing results. That is best left to those who are knowledgeable about that system and what works best.
Again, I would highly recommend a trip to a weigh station. This visit should be made with your TT and TV loaded in such a way that would be considered your normal packing and loading weight - including wife, kids, dog(s), and all the other "stuff" you take with you. Knowing the axle weights, etc., should provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision.

[fla-gypsy]

Welcome to the group