Our Imagine 2670MK Story

[SC_2670tp]

We have the same model camper that came with the 2nd AC in the master and we had the slide topper installed (GVWR 7050). The hitch weight from GD info is 868 lbs and our dealer installed 750lb bars with the Blue Ox WDH. Concerned about weight myself I ordered and hitch weight scale from etrailer and our weight was 925lbs which made since with load in the boot, propane etc upfront. No fresh water in the tank. I use that weight in a spread sheet built to calculate capacities for the camper and the tow vehicle. The dealer replaced with 1000lb bars after calling them out on it. That being said I just ordered a Propride 1400 hitch. Bottom line do your own math.

 

[Gimpyknee]

After reading a bunch, I saw more than once the "target" tongue weight at 10-15% of GVWR. Did the math at 15%, came up with 1274#, so just went ahead and got the 1400# bars for my Equalizer. My tongue weight is routinely 1100-1200#, and fully loaded weight is very close to GVWR.

 

[Petrovsky]

The frame isn’t a weak link
It is a full i beam
And bigger brakes will come with your new bigger axles

Agreed with your comment. While he upgrades the axles he might as well also upgrade shackles, equalizer, and possibly install shocks. The increase in cost is minimal considering that the labor will only be incremental at this point.

 

[more tired since retired]

With your background I have to ask, why did you install AGM batteries instead of Lithium? We own a Imagine 2600 and have installed 1600W of solar and replaced the lead acid batteries with 525 W of lithium. Only added about 20 lbs over the 2 lead weight and have enough power to run everything, including the AC (AC will go about 3 hours with 40% power in batteries). That would help with your trailer gross weight and pay for themselves over time.


Second, we only carry 1/3 tank of fresh water when on the road and fill the tank as close as possible to where we boondock. Also we carry 60 gallons of fresh water in a bladder in the back of the truck.

You are right about any F-150 payload. We had a 2019 F-150 Lariat 5.0 when we bought the trailer (new). First trip it pulled great but just didn't feel comfortable. When we used SmartWeigh to check everything out, we were fine with the trailer, but less that 150lb from the max truck payload when hooked up. Ordered a 2020 F-250 with diesel and it's a world of difference. While the intown mpg is only about 14 mpg, towing is about 15mpg and highway 20+. With the max tow package, our payload is about 3200lb, so we never get near that.

 

[dburdickreno]

I wish I had read this thread before ordering the 2670MK - although I'm hoping I can work with our dealer here and perhaps get into a different, more cargo capacity friendly model. I think it's really false/deceptive advertising for Grand Design to advertise a 1650 pound cargo capacity (which is still on their website) for the 2670MK when the real number is closer to 1,000 pounds. It's the difference between being able to boondock with the trailer or be limited to RV parks with hookups.

 

[CamperDiver]

With your background I have to ask, why did you install AGM batteries instead of Lithium? We own a Imagine 2600 and have installed 1600W of solar and replaced the lead acid batteries with 525 W of lithium. Only added about 20 lbs over the 2 lead weight and have enough power to run everything, including the AC (AC will go about 3 hours with 40% power in batteries). That would help with your trailer gross weight and pay for themselves over time.


Second, we only carry 1/3 tank of fresh water when on the road and fill the tank as close as possible to where we boondock. Also we carry 60 gallons of fresh water in a bladder in the back of the truck.

You are right about any F-150 payload. We had a 2019 F-150 Lariat 5.0 when we bought the trailer (new). First trip it pulled great but just didn't feel comfortable. When we used SmartWeigh to check everything out, we were fine with the trailer, but less that 150lb from the max truck payload when hooked up. Ordered a 2020 F-250 with diesel and it's a world of difference. While the intown mpg is only about 14 mpg, towing is about 15mpg and highway 20+. With the max tow package, our payload is about 3200lb, so we never get near that.

Answer to the AGM/Lithium battery question: Couple of reasons why I chose AGM. One is that I like to leave the batteries on the trailer year round even during winter storage. Here in Colorado that doesn't work well for Lithiums but OK for AGMs with good temperature specs, so long as the solar keeps them charged up (which it does). Another is that I didn't want to relocate the batteries inside the trailer. Yes there are heated Lithium batteries now but in the end I just wanted a simple to deal with battery solution for our modest needs when dry camping.

We are right at GVWR with just our personal stuff, food, and basic trailer-related things such as shore power cable, electrical adapters, water hoses, etc. Reasonable amounts of all these things (drawers and cupboards in trailer not even close to full), yet it leaves us with pretty much nothing to spare for any fresh water. We do usually put about 5 gal in for the road, but then we're slightly over GVWR and I'm losing sleep over it. But we've managed OK like this so far, filling up close to our boondocking destinations and traveling very carefully when full.

 

[CamperDiver]

Agreed with your comment. While he upgrades the axles he might as well also upgrade shackles, equalizer, and possibly install shocks. The increase in cost is minimal considering that the labor will only be incremental at this point.

Yes - all these things will improve the trailer's fundamental ability to carry weight. But none will improve the GVWR sticker on the trailer and most will add to the trailer's dry weight - making it even more difficult to stay within the legal GVWR limit.

 

[Powerpilot]

That’s funny about the moths setting off your alarm. I had a similar instance in Florida where the alarm kept going off one night. Seeing nothing wrong, I opened the back door and this little tree frog looks at me like “it’s about time!”, then it hopped out and disappeared. ��

 

[Majormaxie]

We went with a 2023 2670MK because to move us out of our incredibly trusty and well-mannered Coachmen APEX 2658RK, we had to have something that made it worth the cost. And cost it did! We found that although our 2019 RAM 1500 hemi had the towing capacity (18K lbs w/3.92) and a payload ~1400lbs, it just seemed a bit touchy on our trip to the TN mountains (from FL). We installed airbags (AIRLIFT) and such helped but the biggest precaution we took, which has worked 100%, is the ProPride 3-point WD anti-sway system. Pricey, yes, but we have never suffered sway in the 1400 mile trip nor a follow-on 7550 mile trip to the west September 2023. However, all that being said, we did suffer one aspect going to the wight of the 2670MK, the fuel range decreased drastically causing us to stop every 170-180miles. We finally did the more cost thing, and bought a 2024 GMC Denali diesel and all our woes disappeared except for the one aspect you mentioned... the storage of this size TT is less than our old one, which was 5-1/2 ft shorter. Go figure. But to address tongue weight, etc; I bought a tongue scale and balanced my load forward of the tandem axles to place ~950-980 pounds on my rear hitch (both RAM & GMC); this accounts for ~12-14% total weight we measured via CAT scales (8500-8600lbs). And yes, we kept the ProPride as it not only minimizes (eliminates) sway, even in high-wind crosswinds in MT, ID, SD< etc. but it improves maneuverability drastically getting us close to a 5er 90-deg turning angle due to extension of the towing arm. I only regret that I did not buy a diesel pre-COVID when I purchased our 2019. Prices are stupid high, but he ride was easy-pest; like being in a living room relaxing as we drove 7550 miles in 17 days, sprinting past the boring stuff and spending days at the 7 NPs we stopped at. Worked out great.

 

[dburdickreno]

Coming in late to this excellent post. I own a 2024 GD 2670 MK and it suffers from the same vey low actual sticker cargo capacity with my build - 1,100 pounds actual vs 1,650 advertised. However, I'm not concerned about this because, the real numbers to focus on are:

1. the trailer axle capacity and
2. tow vehicle hitch and cargo capacity.

The gross trailer weight for the 2670MK is listed at 8,495 pounds, The trailer axles are rated at 4,400 pounds each = 8,800 pounds total. This weight rating is for the amount of weight capacity on the axles when towing. In your example, you stated that your trailer CAT Scaled out to 8,540 pounds. However, you need to focus in on the trailer axle weight number with with weight distribution hitch installed. On my setup fully loaded, CAT Scale shows around 7,300 pounds on the trailer axle and 1,000 pounds on my hitch ( i have a weigh safe hitch with the cool little dial gauge that shows the actual hitch weight). So in actuality, I'm 1,000 + pounds under the max trailer axle rating. In other words, you have to subtract the hitch weight because your tow vehicle is carrying 10% to 15% of the trailer load.

 

[goducks14]

Coming in late to this excellent post. I own a 2024 GD 2670 MK and it suffers from the same vey low actual sticker cargo capacity with my build - 1,100 pounds actual vs 1,650 advertised. However, I'm not concerned about this because, the real numbers to focus on are:

1. the trailer axle capacity and
2. tow vehicle hitch and cargo capacity.

The gross trailer weight for the 2670MK is listed at 8,495 pounds, The trailer axles are rated at 4,400 pounds each = 8,800 pounds total. This weight rating is for the amount of weight capacity on the axles when towing. In your example, you stated that your trailer CAT Scaled out to 8,540 pounds. However, you need to focus in on the trailer axle weight number with with weight distribution hitch installed. On my setup fully loaded, CAT Scale shows around 7,300 pounds on the trailer axle and 1,000 pounds on my hitch ( i have a weigh safe hitch with the cool little dial gauge that shows the actual hitch weight). So in actuality, I'm 1,000 + pounds under the max trailer axle rating. In other words, you have to subtract the hitch weight because your tow vehicle is carrying 10% to 15% of the trailer load.

I'd be concerned about the frame and suspension parts. Yeah the axles and tires are good for more weight but what size frame is it? And are the TT brakes up to more than 8400 lbs? There's a reason it has a low GVWR. My guess it has more to do with the structural end then the axles.
So what you're saying is you can load up the TT to 8400 lbs on the axles then have a 1000 lb TW add to get 9400 lbs? Then why doesn't GD just give the TT a 9400 lb GVWR?