Reflection 297RSTS towing question

[PatHoppe]

After going back and forth between a fifth wheel and a TT, we decided on the TT. As we get older, the lack of steps inside is a real plus. It’s not the climbing of them, but rather the falling in the middle of the night that bothers me. 👨**🦳

We are going back and forth between the Reflection 297RSTS and the Imagine 2670 MK. My questions are for those that have one of these.

Do you pull it with a ProPride or Hensley hitch? If so, what is your experience with the hitch.

Have you measured the tongue weight?

The 2670 MK has a scaled down nautilus water management system. Is it an issue because of it?

Lastly, what are you towing it with and how does it affect your mileage?

Sorry for all the questions, but we hope to buy our first and last travel trailer.

Btw, we love the desk in the Imagine, if the Reflection had one, it would be the best of both worlds.

Thanks in advance,

Pat

[Calbar]

After going back and forth between a fifth wheel and a TT, we decided on the TT. As we get older, the lack of steps inside is a real plus. It’s not the climbing of them, but rather the falling in the middle of the night that bothers me. ��**��

We are going back and forth between the Reflection 297RSTS and the Imagine 2670 MK. My questions are for those that have one of these.

Do you pull it with a ProPride or Hensley hitch? If so, what is your experience with the hitch.

Have you measured the tongue weight?

The 2670 MK has a scaled down nautilus water management system. Is it an issue because of it?

Lastly, what are you towing it with and how does it affect your mileage?

Sorry for all the questions, but we hope to buy our first and last travel trailer.

Btw, we love the desk in the Imagine, if the Reflection had one, it would be the best of both worlds.

Thanks in advance,

Pat

We tow our 297RSTS using the Reese Dual Cam hitch system and it tows very well. We did tow it for a year with a Tundra. Now we tow it with a RAM 3500 SRW 6.7 Cummins. Tongue weight is usually between 1300 - 1500 lbs if we have some water in the fresh water tank or not. First trip with the RAM is averaged 10 MPG with the best being 12 and the worst just of 8 in heavy headwinds. That is at 75 MPH too. Truck so far gets about 17.5 MPG highway with some city.

Rob

[charley patton]

rob, you may recall my trials and tribulations with the unfortunate marriage of my 303rls and ram 2500 diesel. i'm exploring two options: trading up to a 3500 or trading for a 297rsts. you're welcome to comment on what you see as advantages/disadvantages of my two selected options, but in an effort to stay on topic, let me ask: you indicated up to 1500 lbs of tongue weight. wow. that's way above what gd says is the average hitch weight(of course, i don't know how they calculate that). if i put a lot of "stuff" in the bed of my truck because i lose the front storage compartment, add another battery, etc. i may be right back in the proverbial soup. specifically, what do you include as tongue weight, and would you recommend a 3500 to pull this trailer as well?

[Calbar]

rob, you may recall my trials and tribulations with the unfortunate marriage of my 303rls and ram 2500 diesel. i'm exploring two options: trading up to a 3500 or trading for a 297rsts. you're welcome to comment on what you see as advantages/disadvantages of my two selected options, but in an effort to stay on topic, let me ask: you indicated up to 1500 lbs of tongue weight. wow. that's way above what gd says is the average hitch weight(of course, i don't know how they calculate that). if i put a lot of "stuff" in the bed of my truck because i lose the front storage compartment, add another battery, etc. i may be right back in the proverbial soup. specifically, what do you include as tongue weight, and would you recommend a 3500 to pull this trailer as well?

Charley,

Mine was nearly 200 lbs heavier on the tpngue than GD shows on the website. Add two 30lb tanks of propane, 1 of each the 24 and 34 battery plus nearly all of the storage is in the front the tongue weight goes up quickly. Fresh water tank is in front of the axles as well so if I add some fresh water for overnight at Walmart or a rest stop that adds to the tongue weight as well. I think my 3500 is overkill for this trailer as I did tow it with a Tundra so I am pretty sure you will be fine with a 2500. I went 3500 as Barb and I think we will be moving up to a 5ver at some point like the 367 BHS and wanted to make sure I had enough truck.

The 297 has a GVWR of 9995 lbs and a bumper pull usually runs between 12-15% tongue weight so I am right in there.

Rob

[charley patton]

thanks for the input. i only load about 800 lbs of stuff in the rv. add that to the 297's uvw of 7895, and you get 8695 gvwr. at 15%, that's 1305 lbs. my truck weighed in at 8260 with two of us and two dogs. so, it looks like i'm at about 9565 gvwr with a ceiling of 10,000 lbs. that gives me about 400 lbs of margin for stuff i might have to put in the bed. does that seem about right if i did my arithmetic correctly?

[Calbar]

thanks for the input. i only load about 800 lbs of stuff in the rv. add that to the 297's uvw of 7895, and you get 8695 gvwr. at 15%, that's 1305 lbs. my truck weighed in at 8260 with two of us and two dogs. so, it looks like i'm at about 9565 gvwr with a ceiling of 10,000 lbs. that gives me about 400 lbs of margin for stuff i might have to put in the bed. does that seem about right if i did my arithmetic correctly?

Seems about right. My 297 was a couple hundred pounds heavier from the factory but that would only at 20 lbs. Need to add propane and battery to the weight that you are adding as well so maybe another 200 lbs. I think you will be fine. Mine loaded to camp comes in at 9380 lbs loaded and ready to camp.

Rob

[papermakermd]

Hi! PatHoppe. I'm just got my 297 rsts in June and I'm towing with a Chevy 2500 HD. I'm using the same Reese hitch As Calbar and have experienced no problems at all. We have done two short weekend trips and just returned today from a nearly 1100 mile R/T to Myrtle Beach. I usually travel between 60 to 65 MPH. I had my tongue weight checked at the dealer with my usual load and came in at 1150 lbs. I don"t carry anything in my tanks. I will be going on an extended trip the first of the year and will add a few things which will probably bring my tongue weight closer to 1300 or so. My truck has the 6.O L gas engine. You should be fine.

[PatHoppe]

Thanks for sharing your experiences.
Safe Travels with your new tt

Pat

[jdmert]

After going back and forth between a fifth wheel and a TT, we decided on the TT. As we get older, the lack of steps inside is a real plus. It’s not the climbing of them, but rather the falling in the middle of the night that bothers me. ��**��

We are going back and forth between the Reflection 297RSTS and the Imagine 2670 MK. My questions are for those that have one of these.

Do you pull it with a ProPride or Hensley hitch? If so, what is your experience with the hitch.

Have you measured the tongue weight?

The 2670 MK has a scaled down nautilus water management system. Is it an issue because of it?

Lastly, what are you towing it with and how does it affect your mileage?

Sorry for all the questions, but we hope to buy our first and last travel trailer.

Btw, we love the desk in the Imagine, if the Reflection had one, it would be the best of both worlds.

Thanks in advance,

Pat

I don't use either of the mentioned hitches, I have the 297 RSTS I use a Husky Center Line w/ sway control... no problems so far. I have not measured the tongue weight, but my guess it is right about the same as others have mentioned. I am towing with a 2017 Dodge Ram 2500 tradesman CC long bed 4wd with diesel engine. I pretty much average 12.5 mpg with a little less going over the Cascades and a little better going to the ocean on the more level straighter roads. I carry fair amount of stuff in the back of the truck 100- 400 lbs depending on where we are headed.
I will say that as far as the 297 is concerned, be sure to check that the furnace works as it should, mine was wired wrong and when I was able to talk a couple of the dealers locally into letting me look at the wiring in the ones on their lots they were also wired the wrong way... finally figured out how it should be. Otherwise we have found it to be a great trailer for us. It is our first TT also.

[charley patton]

i want to get your reese hitch. i'm working with etrailer. do you have a model number or something i can refer to?