User Tag List

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12
Results 11 to 19 of 19
  1. #11
    Long Hauler howson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    NW Florida
    Posts
    2,816
    Mentioned
    49 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Harrisoncreek View Post
    I think I will check with the Chevy dealer to be certain.
    Heck yes! Check and double-check. Just beware--I received the worst information and advice from uninformed Ford dealer personnel and camper dealer salespeople*.

    I thought I knew what I was doing when I purchased a brand new 2017 F-250 Platinum (6.7L). I really thought I'd done my homework. Then I learned about the "sticker" (courtesy of this forum) and got schooled on payload. I was so mad I stayed off the forum for almost two weeks. (Mad at myself and the situation I'd gotten myself in, not at fellow forum members.) Then Fran and I fretted for almost a year and looked for alternatives to the 315. We finally came to the realization that we wanted the 315, and took the steps to get the right (for our situation) TV.

    To buy any other trailer than the 315 would have compounded my first mistake with another. Overall the TV disaster was a $10K "life lesson". My experience is why I usually try to get people to learn this stuff (by pointing to the thread in the Reference Library) prior to making a purchase.

    Good luck!

    *There was one guy at the local Camping World that was just fantastic. I wish I could have purchased from him--he gave Fran and me many, many helpful tips on what to look for in RVs.
    2017 Ford F-350 DRW 6.7L Platinum
    2019 315RLTS (purchased 16 Jul 18 from Campers Inn RV in Byron, GA)

  2. #12
    Left The Driveway
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    Kentucky
    Posts
    11
    Mentioned
    1 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    This is the answer I received from the dealer which is a huge seller of trucks. Not very clear are they? "I am being told by the shop foreman/dispatcher that you go by what is on the truck placard. The owner’s manuals are generic and could be for several different models with P rated tires or LT rated tires for example. Naturally the weight distribution goes into all aspects of the equation. The placards are VIN specific for the actual vehicle. As a general rule with your vehicle having LT rated tires up to 2,000 lbs tongue weight should be alright." Do you 315 owners think it is possible to keep the tongue weigh at or below 1500 lbs? I would not have a washer/dryer. I figure from the factory tongue weight for a 315 with 2nd air at 1114lbs plus propane and battery an additional 100 lbs plus reese strait line system at 83lbs plus I carry 195 pound of additional weight on the tongue of my Imagine 2600 (this is stuff in the front pass thru). This adds up to 1492 pounds. If I can achieve this then I have 684 pounds of truck payload capacity for my wife and I and our stuff in the truck. It also keeps me within the max parameters for GVW, GCVW, and towing capacity for my truck.

  3. #13
    Long Hauler howson's Avatar
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Location
    NW Florida
    Posts
    2,816
    Mentioned
    49 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Below is the weight ticket from the factory specific to my '19 315RLTS. This is before propane and battery. My 315 has the 2nd AC unit.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	From Factory.JPG 
Views:	8 
Size:	25.4 KB 
ID:	17847

    I'm sure you know, but for others reading this who don't know, the graphic below is a rough outline of where the axles are and all of the (fabulous) storage available in the 315RLTS. The point is the weight in the majority of the storage locations in this trailer work against you when trying to remove weight off the tongue. Remember, too, that 12%-13% of the trailer's actual total weight is needed on the tongue to control sway, so moving everything to the back is not the answer.

    Click image for larger version. 

Name:	gobs of storage.jpg 
Views:	12 
Size:	95.7 KB 
ID:	17848

    Is it possible to keep the tongue weight at or below 1500lbs? Sure it is. But you'll have to be disciplined about what you carry--and where. I'd also highly recommend getting a Sherline scale.

    I haven't documented it anywhere yet, but in my current weight-reduction campaign the mirrored closet doors are removed, most everything stored in the front closet is gone (I built kennels there for the dogs), I'm considering replacing the 30lb propane bottles with 20lb bottles, and I'm also considering replacing the glass shower doors with a curtain.

    I also drain every drop of water I can get out of the camper prior to towing. That includes opening the drain lines and emptying the hot water heater. All in an effort to stay under the trailer's GVWR. The last time I weighed the camper the tongue weight was 1,700lbs.

    Below are some threads that may be of interest.

    https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...-(First-Weigh)

    https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...-vs-Power-Jack

    https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...lbs-Overweight!

    https://www.mygrandrv.com/fo...t-of-a-315RLTS
    2017 Ford F-350 DRW 6.7L Platinum
    2019 315RLTS (purchased 16 Jul 18 from Campers Inn RV in Byron, GA)

  4. #14
    Left The Driveway
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    Kentucky
    Posts
    11
    Mentioned
    1 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Good advice. Thanks for the links. I do have a Sherline scale. I used it a lot when we were pulling TT's with a half ton. This unit certainly has more forward storage than we would use as part time campers but it is such a great layout with great features. Wish GD would make a Reflection model similar to the Imagine 2970RL. We are considering the 2970RL and the 297RSTS and both are lighter and shorter.

  5. #15
    Rolling Along jim1521's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Ft. Myers, FL
    Posts
    794
    Mentioned
    4 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Howard covers some really good points. Some things that I can add to this discussion...

    Prior to buying the F-350 that I have now, I had a 2016 Nissan Titan XD w/Cummins diesel. My 313RLTS is the predecessor to Howard's 315RLTS, but weights and dimensions are very close (no washer/dryer). I was right at the limits of both the Nissan as well as the 313RLTS - as in within 20 lbs on the truck and less than 1,000 lbs on the trailer. My problem was the same: all the storage is forward of the axles. I had to get my tongue weight to no more that 1,260 lbs in order to hit the payload numbers of the truck. My solution was to add a toolbox to the back of the 313RLTS. The hitch in the back of the RV supports 300 lbs of weight. I offloaded 300 lbs worth of tools from my truck bed, forward storage compartment, and filled that toolbox to about 275 lbs of weight, then moved as much as I could to the rear of the RV. This got the max amount of weight that I could get behind the axles to offload tongue weight. No water in any of the tanks. I ended up with 1,240 lbs of tongue weight, and the RV was at 10,450 lbs per the CAT scale. That represented about a 12% tongue weight. The truck came in at exactly 8,800 lbs GVWR, which was right on the numbers. The trailer towed like a dream in that configuration. I was able to actually balance out the tongue weight by moving items from the toolbox in the rear up to the front storage area with enough granularity to keep everything balanced out nicely.

    As Howard said, the Sherline scale is a must.
    Last edited by jim1521; 02-21-2019 at 08:50 PM.
    2016 Grand Design Reflection 313RLTS
    2020 Riverstone 39FK
    2016 Ford F350 Super Duty 6.7L Powerstroke Lariat 2WD DRW

  6. #16
    Left The Driveway
    Join Date
    Aug 2018
    Location
    Kentucky
    Posts
    11
    Mentioned
    1 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Great idea. For any Reflection with the 2" receiver a tool box to carry the blocks, chocks, hoses, etc would be nice. What type of carrier and box did you use?

  7. #17
    Rolling Along jim1521's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2017
    Location
    Ft. Myers, FL
    Posts
    794
    Mentioned
    4 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    Quote Originally Posted by Harrisoncreek View Post
    Great idea. For any Reflection with the 2" receiver a tool box to carry the blocks, chocks, hoses, etc would be nice. What type of carrier and box did you use?
    I got it at Tractor Supply. I'll see if I can find the link.

    Tractor Supply Textured Black 46 in. Single Lid Chest with Push Buttons
    Last edited by jim1521; 02-22-2019 at 09:57 AM.
    2016 Grand Design Reflection 313RLTS
    2020 Riverstone 39FK
    2016 Ford F350 Super Duty 6.7L Powerstroke Lariat 2WD DRW

  8. #18
    Seasoned Camper
    Join Date
    Apr 2018
    Location
    NW Ga
    Posts
    237
    Mentioned
    1 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    I tow with a ram 2500. Have 0 issues. Use a blue ox sway pro with the 2k bars. Pretty stock trailer with what I would term normal storage of items in basement and front closet. I have been toying with adding a carrier or box to rear receiver and may do it during this season.
    2019 REFLECTION 315RLTS
    2018 RAM 2500 4X4 CTD CCSB

  9. #19
    Site Sponsor 315RLTSinPA's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2017
    Location
    N.E.Pa
    Posts
    450
    Mentioned
    9 Post(s)
    Tagged
    0 Thread(s)
    I've always said the 315 should've been built with a 12,000lb gvwr. We are at 10,700lbs with no washer/dryer and no water.
    2018 Reflection 315RLTS
    2023 F350 Lariat 6.7L/CC/LB/FX4

Page 2 of 2 FirstFirst 12

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

DISCLAIMER:This website is not affiliated with or endorsed by Grand Design RV, LLC or any of its affiliates. This is an independent site.