Capacity Advice

[bricknhank]

I currently have an Imagine 2600RB. When I purchased the trailer I had a RAM 1500 that I thought was well within specs for the Imagine however the first time I towed it I knew that I needed a bigger truck. I had a gas RAM 2500 ordered but I got impatient after 4 months and found a 2022 GMC 2500 Crew Cab SLT standard bed 4WD diesel with 8K miles at a nearby dealer, bought it and canceled my gas RAM. In all of my years and many vehicles this is my first diesel and I love the power. It’s like night and day between the RAM 1500 and the diesel GMC 2500 towing the Imagine. It tows so much better that I now have the fifth wheel bug. I am however somewhat gun shy after not having enough truck the first time so I don’t want to be in the same boat. I’m thinking about getting a Reflection 150 (not sure which one yet). None of them show a hitch weight above 1500lbs or gross weight above 11,000lbs. According to my door jamb sticker (attached) it appears that even the heaviest Reflection 150’s should leave enough of a buffer which shows a payload capacity of 3213lbs, max tongue weight of 2775lbs, towing capacity of 18,500lbs and GCWR of 27,500lbs.
The numbers as I see them appear fall well within the specs on the sticker but I know that everything that you take with takes away from towing capacity. Fortunately it’s just the two of us so that saves some weight.

So, asking the much more experienced RV’rs here as a newbie: am I being overly cautious or am I in the right ballpark thinking that the Reflection 150’s should be the maximum that I should be thinking about?
Thanks,
Hank

[FT4NOW]

I would load up the truck like you would for camping, including passengers and goto a CAT scale, subtract that number from your truck's GVWR (11350) and that is your available payload for a hitch and pin weight. Keep in mind pin weights are advertised low, but this will give you a good starting point. Hitches weigh up to 200+ lbs depending which style and model.

[Redapple63]

I currently have an Imagine 2600RB. When I purchased the trailer I had a RAM 1500 that I thought was well within specs for the Imagine however the first time I towed it I knew that I needed a bigger truck. I had a gas RAM 2500 ordered but I got impatient after 4 months and found a 2022 GMC 2500 Crew Cab SLT standard bed 4WD diesel with 8K miles at a nearby dealer, bought it and canceled my gas RAM. In all of my years and many vehicles this is my first diesel and I love the power. It’s like night and day between the RAM 1500 and the diesel GMC 2500 towing the Imagine. It tows so much better that I now have the fifth wheel bug. I am however somewhat gun shy after not having enough truck the first time so I don’t want to be in the same boat. I’m thinking about getting a Reflection 150 (not sure which one yet). None of them show a hitch weight above 1500lbs or gross weight above 11,000lbs. According to my door jamb sticker (attached) it appears that even the heaviest Reflection 150’s should leave enough of a buffer which shows a payload capacity of 3213lbs, max tongue weight of 2775lbs, towing capacity of 18,500lbs and GCWR of 27,500lbs.
The numbers as I see them appear fall well within the specs on the sticker but I know that everything that you take with takes away from towing capacity. Fortunately it’s just the two of us so that saves some weight.

So, asking the much more experienced RV’rs here as a newbie: am I being overly cautious or am I in the right ballpark thinking that the Reflection 150’s should be the maximum that I should be thinking about?
Thanks,
Hank

I think if you add 200 lbs for the actual hitch, and do as FT4NOW stated and go to a cat scale you will find your exact number. Numbers at first blush look good. They are very similar to my 315 bumper pull. Difference for me is tongue weight vs hitch weight. With 2775 and 200, leaves you a bit light on payload. You could do it, but may need to be careful about loading your rig. The pin weight and loaded truck will tell the story.

Bill

[Second Chance]

A few general/broad rules of thumb: Any modern light diesel truck (3/4-ton or 1-ton) will pull a brick house off its foundation... you just can't put the weight of the brick house on the rear axle of the truck. With a fifth wheel, it's all about payload - not maximum towing capacity. The problem with diesel drive trains and 4WD are that they both reduce the payload for a given truck.

Most front bedroom/rear living/non-toy-hauler fifth wheels will put about 23% of their loaded weight on the pin (excluding the Reflection 150 Series which run lighter on the pin). The advertised pin weights are almost useless. Lacking a true scale weight, use 23% of the GVWR of the fifth wheel for an estimated loaded pin weight. For example, a fully-loaded 16,000 lb. fifth wheel will put approximately 3,680 lbs. on the pin. An 11,000 lb. 150 series would have an estimated pin weight of around 2,200 lbs. Take this weight and add to it the weight of driver, passenger(s), fifth wheel hitch (250 lbs. to be safe), truck/tool box, and anything else you will carry in the truck and that is the minimum payload required for the truck. Without knowing all the details, you would probably be fine with a 150 Series or a Reflection 303.

Rob

[bricknhank]

A few general/broad rules of thumb: Any modern light diesel truck (3/4-ton or 1-ton) will pull a brick house off its foundation... you just can't put the weight of the brick house on the rear axle of the truck. With a fifth wheel, it's all about payload - not maximum towing capacity. The problem with diesel drive trains and 4WD are that they both reduce the payload for a given truck.

Most front bedroom/rear living/non-toy-hauler fifth wheels will put about 23% of their loaded weight on the pin (excluding the Reflection 150 Series which run lighter on the pin). The advertised pin weights are almost useless. Lacking a true scale weight, use 23% of the GVWR of the fifth wheel for an estimated loaded pin weight. For example, a fully-loaded 16,000 lb. fifth wheel will put approximately 3,680 lbs. on the pin. An 11,000 lb. 150 series would have an estimated pin weight of around 2,200 lbs. Take this weight and add to it the weight of driver, passenger(s), fifth wheel hitch (250 lbs. to be safe), truck/tool box, and anything else you will carry in the truck and that is the minimum payload required for the truck. Without knowing all the details, you would probably be fine with a 150 Series or a Reflection 303.

Rob

I completely understand that the diesel and 4WD components take away from the payload.
I set up a CatScale account. I’ll load it up and go weigh it.

[bricknhank]

I loaded up my truck and went to the Cat Scale today. I tried to load everything just like we were going camping plus full fuel and DEF tanks. I even included the coolers but since they were short of food and ice I loaded several full ammo cans to compensate for that. Tools, drill for the stabilizers and I threw my Equal-I-Zer hitch in the bed too. It’s not 250lbs but I’ll bet it’s every bit of 75lbs. I have a hard roll up tonneau cover and I never thought much about it but that thing probably weighs close to 150 lbs which no doubt takes away from my capacity. I was short one passenger so I’ll add 200 lbs just to be generous (but I told my wife 112lbs ). Here’s the results.
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Attachment 43413

[Castlerock]

@bricknhank,

Have a look at post #45 on the following thread.

https://www.mygrandrv.com/forum/show...0-RD-good-idea

I have posted actual CAT scale weights of a loaded 150 Series 260RD.

This should give you some idea about what to expect for pin weight. Mine runs around 16%.

[Fivecodys]

I have the same truck as you, but mine is a 2019.
Yes, the Duramax is amazing compared to the gaser I had previously.
I was surprised at what the "allowable" cargo capacity was.
We were looking at a Reflection 303 but once we added pin weight, my 200lb Pullrite Superglide hitch, me and the wife and all the crap we haul around with us we would have been over the cargo capacity of the truck.
I did that for over 10 years with my last set up. Didn't really want to go that route again.
We back tracked and went with a lighter trailer and were able to stay under cargo capacity.
Here's my door sticker:



As you can see. It doesn't take much to eat up that cargo capacity.
As the other have said. The CAT scale can give you real numbers.

Safe travels,

[bricknhank]

I have the same truck as you, but mine is a 2019.
Yes, the Duramax is amazing compared to the gaser I had previously.
I was surprised at what the "allowable" cargo capacity was.
We were looking at a Reflection 303 but once we added pin weight, my 200lb Pullrite Superglide hitch, me and the wife and all the crap we haul around with us we would have been over the cargo capacity of the truck.
I did that for over 10 years with my last set up. Didn't really want to go that route again.
We back tracked and went with a lighter trailer and were able to stay under cargo capacity.
Here's my door sticker:



As you can see. It doesn't take much to eat up that cargo capacity.
As the other have said. The CAT scale can give you real numbers.

Safe travels,

Same truck but apparently we have a few difference’s in capacity. Going to the CAT Scale was very beneficial to assist in our fifth wheel selection decision. We are still pondering though.

[Fivecodys]

Same truck but apparently we have a few difference’s in capacity. Going to the CAT Scale was very beneficial to assist in our fifth wheel selection decision. We are still pondering though.

It would be interesting to see why you have so much more capacity than I do. I need a better sticker I guess





Maybe it's a change on the later models. If I had 3200 lbs we would have purchased the 303 for sure!