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  1. #1
    Fireside Member
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    New RVers and new to this forum

    Hi from Jim and Sandi from Salt Lake City and St. George, UT. We are new RVers but have many friends who have 5th wheels and coachs. We have ordered a Solitude 310GK-R. It has been built at the factory but has been waiting in a lot in Elkhart for transport to Salt Lake City for 10 days. Our dealer said it would be 5 -10 days after build until it reached SLC, but it has been 10 days and it hasn't even left yet. This is very frustrating. I have been reading the forum about problems with new RVs which appear to be many. We will be leaving with our RV for St. George where we have a second home within a couple of days after we pick the unit up. I hope this won't be a problem. I am planning on doing a very thorough inspection at the dealer (have a detailed new RV inspection list) and I am a retired engineer who can fix about anything (my motto is "if I can't fix it, it ain't busted"). We are looking forward to many wonderful days on the road with our new RV. We will be pulling it with a 2017 Ram 2500 Heavy Duty. From what I have seen so far, this site is a treasure trove of information which can be very useful.

  2. #2
    King Pin
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    Hi Jim and Sandi. Welcome. I know it's frustrating waiting on delivery. About a month ago, we were having some work done on our trailer at the Grand Design facility in Indiana. They have a campground out front for people waiting on repairs. Right next to the campground, there was a lot with literally hundreds of completed units waiting on delivery. Delivery drivers were picking them up at all hours of the day, even on the weekend. I sure wouldn't want to be the poor employees that have to coordinate the delivery schedules. I'm sure they have some kind of priority process and yours will be hitting the road soon.

    I'm a retired engineer also, and do all of my own repairs with the exception of major repairs that are free under the warranty. Even if it's a repair that would be covered under the warranty, I'll do the work myself instead of turning the rig into the dreaded dealer service department.

    I'd really encourage you to become a site sponsor on the forum ($12/yr). There is a lot of information in the forum that you can't access as a registered guest. If you're interested, click on the tab at the top of the forum "Become a Sponsor".

    Happy travels.

    Jim

  3. #3
    Big Traveler CWSWine's Avatar
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    Here is a link to my CAT scale weights on 310GK and the second weighting for 30 day trip I was within 300 lbs of my axle weights and over my GVWR. https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...-Scale-Weights

  4. #4
    Big Traveler Steve7's Avatar
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    Welcome Jim and Sandi! Congratulations on your new rig! Yes, in my mind this forum is a must if you own a Grand Design.
    We love our rig and I’m sure you will love yours!
    Steve & Sue (pups:Sky & Sierra) Gardnerville, Nv
    2017 Refelection 297RSTS
    2017 Ford 350 CC 4x4 Lariat Superduty 6.7, Long Bed

  5. #5
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    Regarding CWSWine's thread above on weights for the 310GK-R, I have looked very carefully into the weights. The biggest problem I saw was the pin weight. Since most of the storage space for the 310 is foward from the axles (the thru storage and the generator storage area), a significant portion of the load in these compartments is transferred to the pin. To counteract this, I have constructed a full width bumper rack with a storage box to hold all of my heavier items (Grand Design says the bumper is rated for 350 lbs but when you calculate the load capabilities from the member sizes and attachments, that number is very conservative). Anyway, adding weight to the rear of the RV will counteract loads forward of the axles. I am going to try to keep the pin weight around 2500 lbs. (160 lbs above dry pin weight). The axles have a combined capability of 14,000 lbs. and with a 13000 lb. actual GVW and 2500 lbs on the pin, the actual axle loading should be around 10,500 lbs. The tires have a total capacity of several thousand lbs. more than the axles. I have purchased a pin weight scale and will post updates on how well I achieved my goal. I am using an Anderson hitch which only adds 35 lbs. to my bed load. Also added air bags to keep the truck more level.

  6. #6
    Big Traveler CWSWine's Avatar
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    Good Luck but I don't think you going to keep it under 2500 pounds. With the -R you have two batteries, battery boxes, inventer and 60 pounds of propane that not included in the dry pin weights weights. I bet the day you pick up without anything in it you will have pin north of 2300 pounds.

  7. #7
    Big Traveler CWSWine's Avatar
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    I should said north of 2450 the day you pick it before you put on thing in it. That 350 pounds on the back bumper I bet will take less than 100 pounds off the pin if that much.

  8. #8
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    Picked up my Solitude 310GK-R today. Checked the dry pin weight including 60 lbs. of propane, 2 batteries and the inverter and I was surprised that it was below the 2340 lbs. stated by the manufacturer. It actually came in just at 2250 lbs. The difference is that I swapped out the water heater for a Truma on-demand water heater (which is lighter than the Suburban model that is standard) and my residential fridge is actually slightly lighter than the standard 18 cu. ft. gas/electric model. I haven't added my carrier to the back bumper yet, but my calculations are that each 100 lbs. on the rear bumper will reduce the pin weight by 70 lbs. The carrier and the tool box weigh 110 lbs. empty. Grand Design says the bumper easily can take a 350 lb. load. I did the calculations based on the member sizes and welds and that number is extremely conservative. The two 2" x 4" tubes which support the bumper have a combined load capacity of over 2600 lbs. Assuming the welds are 50% effective (a very conservative number), they will still support over 1300 lbs. I don't think I can physically put more than 500 lbs. on my carrier/tool box setup, but that will reduce the pin weight to 1900 lbs. before I start loading the RV. That gives me 1000 lbs. before I reach the 2900 lb. load. capacity of my truck. With 2 people and 3 dogs in the truck, I will use up 400 lbs. of that load capacity. I believe I can load the RV with about 600 lbs. of additional goods (all of the heavy stuff would already be on the rear carrier) such that it balances out front to back and adds very little to the pin weight. Thus I expect I will come in with a pin weight of under 2000 lbs and total truck load under 2400 lbs. Maybe I am wrong but I will let you know in this thread. In this case the GVW of the 5th wheel would be 13,200 lbs., well within the weight that my Ram 2500 heavy duty can pull.

  9. #9
    Big Traveler CWSWine's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by larsslc View Post
    Picked up my Solitude 310GK-R today. Checked the dry pin weight including 60 lbs. of propane, 2 batteries and the inverter and I was surprised that it was below the 2340 lbs. stated by the manufacturer. It actually came in just at 2250 lbs. The difference is that I swapped out the water heater for a Truma on-demand water heater (which is lighter than the Suburban model that is standard) and my residential fridge is actually slightly lighter than the standard 18 cu. ft. gas/electric model. I haven't added my carrier to the back bumper yet, but my calculations are that each 100 lbs. on the rear bumper will reduce the pin weight by 70 lbs. The carrier and the tool box weigh 110 lbs. empty. Grand Design says the bumper easily can take a 350 lb. load. I did the calculations based on the member sizes and welds and that number is extremely conservative. The two 2" x 4" tubes which support the bumper have a combined load capacity of over 2600 lbs. Assuming the welds are 50% effective (a very conservative number), they will still support over 1300 lbs. I don't think I can physically put more than 500 lbs. on my carrier/tool box setup, but that will reduce the pin weight to 1900 lbs. before I start loading the RV. That gives me 1000 lbs. before I reach the 2900 lb. load. capacity of my truck. With 2 people and 3 dogs in the truck, I will use up 400 lbs. of that load capacity. I believe I can load the RV with about 600 lbs. of additional goods (all of the heavy stuff would already be on the rear carrier) such that it balances out front to back and adds very little to the pin weight. Thus I expect I will come in with a pin weight of under 2000 lbs and total truck load under 2400 lbs. Maybe I am wrong but I will let you know in this thread. In this case the GVW of the 5th wheel would be 13,200 lbs., well within the weight that my Ram 2500 heavy duty can pull.
    So you are shooting for a 15% pin weight that way to low for a 5th wheel RV to tow well. Good Luck......

  10. #10
    Site Sponsor Cate&Rob's Avatar
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    Jim and Sandi - if you plan works out, you will have less than 15% of the 5er weight on the pin. This is well below the usual 22% +/- for most rigs. Have you considered what this might do to towing stability?

    Rob
    Cate & Rob
    2015 Reflection 303RLS

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