Hello from a prospective GD owner

[Mountaindon]

Hello All,

I have been lurking on this forum for a couple of months and have been very impressed with the positive tone of the forum. We currently own another brand Travel trailer, but are looking to move to a Grand Design. We are very impressed with what we have seen and are looking at a solitude 344gk or perhaps a reflection 320mks.

I look forward to being able to ask a lot of questions as we prepare for retirement and much longer trips in our RV

Don & Jane

[Houndbb]

Hi Don and Jane, Welcome to the forum. Lots of good advice here, lots of very professional expertise, lots of experience. Just choose your dealer wisely. There are many threads here to hopefully steer you in the right direction.
Nancy and Bruce

[AustexGP]

Welcome.

Lots of great folks with abundant knowledge on here. Don't be afraid to ask questions (I've ask some really dumb one's) but always got a good response.

[cleazenby]

Welcome, welcome. Ask away and someone will help you!

[CoChris]

Hello Don and Jane and welcome to the fourm. We are (am) a complete newbie. The Solitude 310GK is our first RV. I learned a lot from the very helpful, knowledgeable and respectable people on this site. All of my questions have been answered with very helpful replies.

We live in SE Fort Collins to and purchased from Windish last winter/spring.

Chris

[DaveMatthewsBand]

Welcome to the forum!




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[Mountaindon]

Hello Chris ,

We are in south west FC, and are also looking at a solitude 310 or 344 from Windish. ( also considering a reflection ). Still early in the process but trying to learn as much as possible.

How do you like pulling the 310 with your SRW truck?

Don

[CoChris]

The F350 pulls our 310GK (details in sig) just fine. We put about 6,000 miles on the combo this (last) year, mostly in Colorado and a big trip out to Oregon. No problems and very comfortable. That is the upside. As Paul Harvey used to say "and the rest of the story" this is the max trailer I would want to pull with the single rear wheel truck. I am below my axle/tire/wheel weight ratings, but do not have much margin. I am usually within a couple hundred pounds of my GVWR - max was 100# over (11,600#). Great on GCWR (typically 22,000~22,500# vs rating of 28,700#). I do watch what and how I load the trailer and have run it over certified scales (the CAT scales at Johnson Corner just South on I-25) multiple times. All loaded with some fresh water in the tank, I am typically 13,500 to 13,800# total in the trailer with about 2,900# of that on the pin. The truck has a lot of power (With the trailer, I can accelerate going UP I-70 either side of Eisenhower pass). The exhaust brake is fantastic! I often do not have to use any service brake - truck or trailer, coming down the passes. This is good as they (service brakes) are cool and fresh if I need them. This is also good as the trailer brakes (once that where fully bedded in) are mediocre at best. The ride is very nice (in general), both with and without the trailer. Santa just purchased an air compressor so we can lower the trucks rear tire pressure when unload (typically 65 PSI which makes a much nicer ride) and air them back up to 80 PSI for towing. Fronts stay at 65 PSI. The stock 48 gallon diesel take is very nice. Towing I plan on 9.5 MPG. Empty (sight seeing) I plan 15 MPG. Typical numbers are just a little higher (not much). The surprise (to me) was how much DEF I burn towing. Still working out the numbers, but looks to be around 500 miles per gallon! When on a 3,000+ mile trip (towing) that is most of the 7.5 gallon DEF tank. Plan accordingly. Towing in the middle of central Oregon (headed Eat) is not where you want to be getting "truck shutting down due to low DEF" messages. Ask me how I know . Never got to that point, but it had my attention. Empty, I think I am getting about 1,200~1,500 miles per gallon of DEF.

Let me know if you want more info or clarification. PM me or we can start a new thread.

Sorry, way to much info. Did not mean to high jack the intro thread. Now returning you to the regularly scheduled interrupt.

Chris

[bertschb]

@Mountaindon - welcome to the forum!!!!

[WhittleBurner]

The F350 pulls our 310GK (details in sig) just fine. We put about 6,000 miles on the combo this (last) year, mostly in Colorado and a big trip out to Oregon. No problems and very comfortable. That is the upside. As Paul Harvey used to say "and the rest of the story" this is the max trailer I would want to pull with the single rear wheel truck. I am below my axle/tire/wheel weight ratings, but do not have much margin. I am usually within a couple hundred pounds of my GVWR - max was 100# over (11,600#). Great on GCWR (typically 22,000~22,500# vs rating of 28,700#). I do watch what and how I load the trailer and have run it over certified scales (the CAT scales at Johnson Corner just South on I-25) multiple times. All loaded with some fresh water in the tank, I am typically 13,500 to 13,800# total in the trailer with about 2,900# of that on the pin. The truck has a lot of power (With the trailer, I can accelerate going UP I-70 either side of Eisenhower pass). The exhaust brake is fantastic! I often do not have to use any service brake - truck or trailer, coming down the passes. This is good as they (service brakes) are cool and fresh if I need them. This is also good as the trailer brakes (once that where fully bedded in) are mediocre at best. The ride is very nice (in general), both with and without the trailer. Santa just purchased an air compressor so we can lower the trucks rear tire pressure when unload (typically 65 PSI which makes a much nicer ride) and air them back up to 80 PSI for towing. Fronts stay at 65 PSI. The stock 48 gallon diesel take is very nice. Towing I plan on 9.5 MPG. Empty (sight seeing) I plan 15 MPG. Typical numbers are just a little higher (not much). The surprise (to me) was how much DEF I burn towing. Still working out the numbers, but looks to be around 500 miles per gallon! When on a 3,000+ mile trip (towing) that is most of the 7.5 gallon DEF tank. Plan accordingly. Towing in the middle of central Oregon (headed Eat) is not where you want to be getting "truck shutting down due to low DEF" messages. Ask me how I know . Never got to that point, but it had my attention. Empty, I think I am getting about 1,200~1,500 miles per gallon of DEF.

Let me know if you want more info or clarification. PM me or we can start a new thread.

Sorry, way to much info. Did not mean to high jack the intro thread. Now returning you to the regularly scheduled interrupt.

Chris

I also was concerned with our GMC Denali when we first got it about how much DEF it was going through. As time went on and more miles on it the DEF usage kept going down to where it is a tolerable amount now.