Question about my Keystone Sprinter

[Nell65]

Good evening all,

We have a 1999 Keystone Sprinter 265BH. I am towing it now with a 2004 Chevy 2500HD LT 4x4 Crew with 4:10 rear and a 6.0. I am seriously considering changing tow vehicles. I am thinking of one of the larger SUV's-Suburban, Escalade ESV, Yukon XL. I need to have more flexibility with my everyday vehicle. My truck has commercial plates on it and would prefer to have it passenger-too expensive in NYS. Also I need to run the Taconic occassionally.

I used to have a 2001 Suburban 2500LT 4x4. But it got a electrical gremlin that moved in. I still want to have a chance to tow-haven't been able to since 2009-both of us losing jobs and now restarting over hurt our camping time. I am not even sure that the Sprinter will make it again on the road-it's got issues-but other things took over because of it.

Got any ideas of how much my Sprinter weights dry, what the hitch weight is? I need to know if it's even close to being doable in a half ton truck that's not a pickup.

Thanks for the help!

[Festus2]

On some units, there is a sticker - sometimes found on the inside of a kitchen cupboard door - which will show the weight information that you are looking for. I would try looking in the cupboards for such a sticker. Have you gone to the Keystone website and looked for this model?

[KanTC]

Welcome Nell65,

The 26BHS was made from 1999-2003, but the dry weight isn't shown on Keystone's specs page.
For 1999, it does show the cargo capacity as: 2600 lbs. & dry hitch weight at 800 lbs.
http://keystone-sprinter.com/index.p...pecs&year=1999

If you can't locate the weight sticker (in the cabinet) as Festus2 suggested, then...

Locate the trailer's exterior manufacture tag, and the GVWR should be listed.
Subtract the cargo capacity (from GVWR). Answer may not be 'exact' dry weight
(due to options/modifications) but will give you a fair estimate.

Terri, the Chevy co-pilot

[JRTJH]

The website information is only a "best guess" of the actual trailer weight. I would find a scale, tow the trailer, put both axles and the tongue jack on the scale, disconnect the tow vehicle, drive it off the platform, and get a "true weight" of the trailer. Your choice of whether you have the tanks full or not, my suggestion would be empty tanks, empty trailer, battery and propane tanks full.

Then, reconnect to TV, back off the scale until only the hitch is on the platform, disconnect from TV and weigh the tongue.

That way you know for sure what you're towing and no more guessing.

Also, look at the DOT imprint on your tires. On a 1999 trailer that hasn't been towed much, you may be lulled into thinking the tires are good because there's lots of tread left. Actually, tires are only good for 3-6 years per most manufacturers. If you're dealing with original tires on a 1999 trailer, you're talking about tires that are twice as old as their recommended life.

[Nell65]

Thanks for the tips. Yes, we've replaced the tires before our last trip. We've gone down to Myrtle Beach yearly from 2001 to 2009 with the camper-and a trip to Disney. Need to repack the bearings and do the brakes before the next trip out too. The camper suffered damage in 2010 with a 30 inch snow fall and the neighbors tree. Made what repairs we could afford to at the time-both of us were out of work by then. We are still on the fence whether or not it's really realistic to make the repairs that are needed or just take it and trade it on a gently used Keystone that's a light weight.

We have only one of our kids still going camping with us-the other two are out of high school-one going to the Navy(hopefully soon) and the other finishes beauty school this year. This is why I am on the fence about a new tow vehicle. I do want to have a bit more comfort than the 2500HD-I've been driving a pickup now for 6 years, personally not a big fan these days. I've been looking at Armada's, Infiniti's, Sequoia's, Expedition's, Suburban's, Escalade ESV's. My head is spinning with towing capacities again.

If I remember from when we bought the camper-I think it was 5250 dry. 2600 for cargo added. Never had it that much. Now I've got less with two less kids going. Any suggestions about the tow vehicles? I need to find one that I can register passenger here-I do ride on the Taconic Parkway and no commercial trucks-including my 2500HD can go on it.

Thanks for all the suggestions-about where to get the weight-we have access to a scale-but the camper isn't registered at this time to be on the road.