rival

Wife and I are camper shopping, and have it narrowed down to two that we really like at a dealer.

Both 2016 Keystone models... Bullet 243BHS and Outback 255UBH. Same length, floor plan, basically same base trailer, just different levels of options between the brands.

Sticker on Bullet lists dry weight at 4660, and the Outback lists at 5240.

Based on some online payload calculators with some additional weight estimates, the 5240 lbs dry seems doable with my truck (2015 SCREW 2.7 / 1600 lb payload / 7500 lb tow rating), but the 4660 would seem to be more comfortably in the range.

Driving with it will be the first time for me towing anything more than a 5x8 utility trailer a few times. Will the 580 lb difference be even noticeable?

techrep

iTrader: (1)

it would be 580lbs of more stuff you could put in the Bullet, but either is doable for your truck.

Dirttracker18

Do not go by the "dry" weight as that is completely unloaded. That means not water on board (which is very heavy and we all need water) no propane tanks at all never mind loaded, no battery (both battery and propane add to tongue weight) etc.

Ricktwuhk

Read through some of the threads in this section of the forum.

You'll need a weight-distribution hitch.

Take your 1,600 payload, and subtract the weight of you and your family, and everything you load into the truck, plus every mod you made (floor mats, bedliner), plus 100 pounds for the WDH.

Let's assume are now down to 900 pounds (having subtracted 700). Assuming 13% tongue weight, you can have a wet, fully loaded trailer of 6,923 pounds. Therefore, either trailer is fine assuming you don't load more than 1,683 pounds of stuff, water, propane, batteries, etc. into the heavy one.

rival

Yeah, I get that... I figured it a significant amount of added weight in any calculators I used, but was more using the dry numbers as a starting comparison. Ideally any load weight that we add would be equal in either camper.

I was more curious about if that difference in weight would even be noticeable when driving.

Ricktwuhk

I would think that you would notice it, yes.

marshallr

I can tell the difference on hills with our Honda when there are 2-3 passengers riding with me vs just me driving. In the truck I cannot. I don't think you'll ever notice the extra 580 lbs, but I think you'll be pushing things with either. If it were my truck I'd be trying to keep the total weight of the trailer fully loaded to around 5000 lbs. It just keeps things simpler by not having to go to a different hitch, etc. Of course a lot depends on WHERE you tow. If it is mostly on level ground near sea level I'd be more inclined to go for it. In the mountains above 5000' and I'd be less inclined to go for it.

You are going right to and slightly above my comfort zone with either trailer with this truck. I think it'll pull it, but I like a little margin for pulling in steep terrain. If it is something I pull a lot I just feel better limiting it to about 75-80% of the max it is rated for. I might go right up to the limit on rare occasions. I just feel it helps things last longer.

11screw50

At 5,000lb, I'd still use a WDH with sway control. Beyond that, when you drop the hitch on the ball, weight will shift off the front axle and onto the rear axle (probably 35-40% of tongue weight will shift off the front axle) so now you have to look real hard at the rear axle rating. Get the WDH, shift some weight back to the front axle and a little (usually about half of what gets put back on the front axle depending on trailer length and axle location) back on the trailer axles...

And yeah, 70-75% of tow rating is about as high as you can go while staying below GVWR due to tongue weight anyway.

rival

Thanks for the input, this site is a wealth of knowledge (and motivation to spend more money ).

I'm planning on a WD hitch either way.

I'm pushing for the lighter (and cheaper) Bullet, but wife wants the "nicer" Outback. We'll see how that goes...

humblerb

No need to wait and see how that goes.
It'll go the same way mine die.
Enjoy your new Outback.