New Trailer & Towing Question

[Hamiltonian]

Hi there everyone,

We currently own a Jayco Travel Trailer but are considering buying a 2020 Grand design Reflection 290BH.

First question does anyone have any experience with this trailer for livability, use etc or issues concerns?

Second and most importantly, this will be our first 5th wheel trailer, and I'm wondering if anyone can shed some light how it will be to tow? Fuel consumption, acceleration, control etc etc.

I have a 2019 Ford F-250 with the 6.2L gas engine and 3.73 gears.

Any comments/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

[boyscout]

Hi there, and welcome.

I don't have any knowledge or experience with your trailer, but this forum is a very busy place and I see your post already being pushed towards the bottom of the thread list page. So I'm responding mostly to push it back up in the hope that someone who knows more will notice it before it disappears.

If my idle speculation is worth something to you - and it shouldn't be - then I'll note that the 150-series Reflections are designed to be towable by 1/2-ton pickups so your 3/4-ton 250 will almost certainly be comfortable and within safety limits when towing (if the trailer is loaded within specs). I'm a big fan of having more truck than you absolutely need and I'd guess you'll be very comfortable with your setup.

I'll also speculate that you'll feel comfort and safety like you won't believe from the fact that you'll be towing a fifth wheel rather than a travel trailer. It's a very different experience.

Good luck, and I hope you get better answers re: "livability, use etc or issues concerns" and "Fuel consumption, acceleration, control etc etc."

[Steven@147]

Hi there everyone,

We currently own a Jayco Travel Trailer but are considering buying a 2020 Grand design Reflection 290BH.

First question does anyone have any experience with this trailer for livability, use etc or issues concerns?

Second and most importantly, this will be our first 5th wheel trailer, and I'm wondering if anyone can shed some light how it will be to tow? Fuel consumption, acceleration, control etc etc.

I have a 2019 Ford F-250 with the 6.2L gas engine and 3.73 gears.

Any comments/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Hello Hamiltonian, I'll give it a shot. No experience with the 290BH. If it fits your wish list and needs ok. Where do you plan to go with it? Primarily vacations with the family? Livability - looks like you have plenty of room, I guess you have children since you're looking at a bunk house. Plenty or room for the kids to play if caught indoors?
The wife and I like our viewing out of our coach on the right side overlooking our camp site, but that is just us. Don't know what kind of Jayco you had/have as far as length and weight. 5th wheels tow much better, more stable less sway, than travel trailers. If your Jayco is about the same length and weight as the 290BH then your driving experience with your current tow vehicle probably will not change as far as power, acceleration and fuel consumption goes. Control will be much more stable with a 5th wheel. If you go forward you'll have to select the 5th wheel hitch that best matches your truck, example is your truck a short bed? If so you may need a slider 5th wheel hitch.

Good Luck, Wish You the Best Adventures

[Cqyqte]

Use this link to find the GCVWR and payloads for your truck https://www.ford.com/cmslibs/content...DtyPU_May4.pdf
Then use this link to obtain an Excel spreadsheet to enter your numbers to see if your truck will handle the trailer.
http://www.keepyourdaydream.com/wp-c...load-Calc.xlsx

[Hamiltonian]

Hello Hamiltonian, I'll give it a shot. No experience with the 290BH. If it fits your wish list and needs ok. Where do you plan to go with it? Primarily vacations with the family? Livability - looks like you have plenty of room, I guess you have children since you're looking at a bunk house. Plenty or room for the kids to play if caught indoors?
The wife and I like our viewing out of our coach on the right side overlooking our camp site, but that is just us. Don't know what kind of Jayco you had/have as far as length and weight. 5th wheels tow much better, more stable less sway, than travel trailers. If your Jayco is about the same length and weight as the 290BH then your driving experience with your current tow vehicle probably will not change as far as power, acceleration and fuel consumption goes. Control will be much more stable with a 5th wheel. If you go forward you'll have to select the 5th wheel hitch that best matches your truck, example is your truck a short bed? If so you may need a slider 5th wheel hitch.

Good Luck, Wish You the Best Adventures

We're mostly weekenders and hopefully with this trailer start to do some more week long trips with it. And yes we have 2 young children so we're hopefully going to do bigger and better trips as they mature. Only had the Jayco for a year, but we typically did 400-500km round trips per weekend away.
The new trailer will be about 2ft longer end to end and about 2100lbs heavier. I do have a 6' 7" bed, so I wouldn't consider it short, but I know it's not as long as the 8ft er.

[cfowler55]

So , your overall length should be a bit less than with the Jayco , since the front is in the bed instead of the whole RV being behind the bumper. 150series Reflections should have a pivoting pin box , which eliminates the need for a slider hitch. You will be carrying more of the RV weight over the axle instead , resulting in a better towing experience. Bumper pulls are generally measured rear bumper to center of hitch , fifth wheels to center of pin. So you should gain 5 or so feet of living area given the two foot longer overall length.
There has been a learning curve to backing a fifth wheel. They just don’t react like a bp.
I don’t have any personal experience towing with gas , but my neighbor is getting 8-9.5 towing with a 4x4 version of the truck you listed towing a 26’ travel trailer.
Good luck , Charlie

[backtrack2015]

The towing experience with a fifth-wheel is a bit different than a TT. The biggest nuisance items are: (1) they track significantly inside the arc of the tow vehicle on turns, (2) they don't respond as quickly to subtle inputs when backing, and (3) they are taller so you have to pay more attention to tree branches and overhead clearances. The great thing is that they are wonderfully stable cruising down the highway.

Fifth-wheels are great for maximizing living space and storage in the same overall length (TV + trailer). The primary downside is that you lose the ability to carry bikes, rafts, canoes, etc. easily in the back of the truck (have to carry these in some other manner, which can be a relative hassle or add to your overall length).

[manofslip]

Hi there everyone,

We currently own a Jayco Travel Trailer but are considering buying a 2020 Grand design Reflection 290BH.

First question does anyone have any experience with this trailer for livability, use etc or issues concerns?

Second and most importantly, this will be our first 5th wheel trailer, and I'm wondering if anyone can shed some light how it will be to tow? Fuel consumption, acceleration, control etc etc.

I have a 2019 Ford F-250 with the 6.2L gas engine and 3.73 gears.

Any comments/advice would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks!

Hello,

First of all Congratulations.

So we went from a 34 foot travel trailer to a 290BH. I am currently towing with a F250 , 6.2L with a 3.73 rear 6.75 bed. In one word.....Awesome.
livability, - We removed the table and put a recliner couch in its place. So much better to watch TV during those times weather does not cooperate outside. We do not miss the table. The bunk house is awesome. The kids have their own TV so no arguing over what to watch and you can close the door.
use etc or issues concerns - No real concerns, love the storage, counter space, bath, bunks...
towing? - So much better to tow this over the last travel trailer. No sway to speak of. I use the Turning point feature with a Husky 16K hitch using the custom Reese Wedge plate to lock the hitch. I have had this set up for a year now. The best mod for towability was the custom wedge plate.
Fuel consumption, acceleration, control - Fuel consumption - I still might be in break in but the best I got was 9 mpg. Average 7 to 8mpg. I have a lot of hills between me and most of the campgrounds I go to. I can accelerate with little issue. The only time you will struggle is on those steep long grades. I am sure a diesel will out perform me but I am not full time and I am happy with the choice I made with the F250 gasser. There is a learning curve between a Travel Trailer and 5th wheel. It just takes time to account for making turns and backing up.

If you have questions, let me know.

Have a great day!

[jkwilson]

I tow a 303RLS, which is similar in size and around 2000lb heavier, with a 250 6.2 3.73. No issues. Gas engine needs RPM for power, so it will make some noise. 5th wheel is much more stable at speed. Maneuvering takes some learning, but it’s not worse, just different.

My biggest dislike about the 290BH floorplan is that there is no comfortable place to watch TV in the main living area. The TV is to your left when sitting on the couch, and the only good view is from the dinette. You have to give and take to get the bunkhouse though.

[boyscout]

I do have a 6' 7" bed, so I wouldn't consider it short, but I know it's not as long as the 8ft er.

I think your bed is 6.75 feet, so 6' 9" rather than 6' 7". My F350's bed is that length. They are considered short beds.

I emphasize again that I don't know the trailer you're considering. However to get worry-free maneuverability with our short-bed, like many others we use a heavy and expensive auto-slider hitch that automatically pushes the trailer back during turns so that the trailer's nose doesn't crush into the cab of the truck when turning sharply.

There are people who don't go this route. Some purchase a manual slider hitch that must be manually unlocked and moved back before tight turns. Some have other options - more new ones have appeared recently. A few just have a regular fixed fifth wheel hitch and suffer the limited turning capability and high vigilance required by it.

Again, I don't know if the 150 series is more forgiving in this regard but it's possibly a very important consideration with your short-bed truck. You should ask your dealer, but if your dealer is like many less than competent dealers you should also investigate elsewhere.

Just found a thread here that may be interesting, I've only glanced at it. If it doesn't give you clear answers to this question that satisfy you, keep looking for them.

https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/show...setup-question

Good luck with your choices.