Dry weight of FR3 30DS

[Grandma99]

Can someone tell me what the dry weight of a 30DS is? I think that would include full gas tank & propane tank. I can't find any specs that give this info. Also, does it come with a TV antenna of any kind? What about a fantastic fan?
Thanks for any info.
Grandma99

[Ford Idaho]

Sorry just noticed that is gross weight.

Have you talked to a dealer yet?

New 2014 Forest River RV FR3 30DS Motor Home Class A at General RV | Wixom, MI | #IT102596

[Enconcapt]

Small tv antenna, not sure what kind, no fantastic fans, only a very small standard fan. Bath does not have a fan at all. I got the dealer to install two fantastic fans with covers, and drop the price on my 25 much Lower than the best internet price.

[BarbaraG]

The sticker behind the driver's seat says the GVWR is 18,000 lbs, with the GVWR front axle being 7,000 lbs, and the rear being 12,000 lbs (they don't add, but, hey, that's what it says).

There is a yellow sticker inside the door jamb that says the dry weight is 14,804 lbs. It then says that the total weight of cargo and occupants should not exceed 2,535 lbs. That gets you to 17,339. It reminds you that a full water tank weighs 416 lbs, which gets you to 17,755. If you add a full tank of gas at 90 gal x ~6 lb/gal = 540 lb and propane at 20 gal x ~ 4lb/gal = 80 lbs, that would get you to 18,375. If you were riding with the max cargo/occupant load, a full water tank, gas tank, and propane tank, it looks like you'd be a little over the GVWR. Oh, it also mentions that tongue weight of a towed vehicle counts toward cargo.

One thing that was recommended to me, and which I had the opportunity to do, is to have the rig weighed, not just total, but by each tire to assure you have a relatively balanced load and aren't exceeding either the tire or axle rating.

Barbara
2014 FR3 30 DS - bought September 2013

[cucamelsmd15]

Originally Posted by BarbaraG

The sticker behind the driver's seat says the GVWR is 18,000 lbs, with the GVWR front axle being 7,000 lbs, and the rear being 12,000 lbs (they don't add, but, hey, that's what it says).


Barbara
2014 FR3 30 DS - bought September 2013

The weights never add. Our F150 has GAWR of 3900 and 4050, but a GVWR of 7700. So the combined axle weights are 250lbs over the GVWR, which allows for weight distribution variance.

As far as other weights, here are some of mine:
For reference, since the weight has been kicked around in this thread:
Motorhome with 2 occupants full of water and fuel:
6420lb steer
10000lb drive
16420 combined

Motorhome with 3 occupants full of water and fuel, and weekend provisions
6470lb steer
10300lb drive
16770 RV
3890 Mazda CX-5 on dolly
20660 combined

I havent pulled the race trailer as of yet, but I would expect it to be in the 4500lb range.

FWIW, my CCC sticker says 2757lb.

Typically, a "dry" weight includes NO gas and NO propane.

As previously mentioned, the CCC sticker assumes one average occupant at 150lb and full fuel. Some weights of various items include:
Propane: 100.8lb per 24 gal tank
Gas: 504lb per 80 gal tank
Water: 525lbs per 57 gallon fresh and 6gal water heater

So, in my case with 2757lb, and the fact that I am not an average occupant ...

2757
100lb for propane
50lb for me
525lb of water

Gets me down to 2082lb of REAL cargo capacity.

As far as exceeding the axle rating, I think its possible on either end with a poorly loaded motorhome, but it would take some doing. As far as exceeding the tire rating? At 90psi, the tires have almost 1000lb gratiuity on the front axle, and about 2600lb on the rear axle. The Goodyears that FR provides are load range G, and significant overkill for this application.

Edit: Ive been playing the GVWR, GCWR, GAWR weight game for a number of years now, so if there are any questions, please ask. Chances are, I know the answer after dealing with everything from a 1/2 ton pickup to a federally governed 80,000lb toterhome.

[Grandma99]

Thank you all very much for the info. Even though we will not be getting our unit for another month, we are trying to get all the info. we can beforehand. We had not been able to find out the CCC nor if it had a fan or TV antenna. The fan is a necessity since we dry camp quite a bit.
Grandma99

[Pammyjams]

Cucamel, you knocked it out of the park again! I always look for your answers to posts and make sure Cowboy Bob reads them too! Thank you!!

[cucamelsmd15]

Aw shucks, I just do what I can.

[PhotoMaster]

Originally Posted by Grandma99

We had not been able to find out the CCC nor if it had a fan or TV antenna. The fan is a necessity since we dry camp quite a bit.
Grandma99

Mine has a fixed antenna that doesn't get raised or lowered, so if the generator is running, the TV can be watched by passengers while I'm driving. (I want to add an inverter.) Mine has no fans at all. Over the stove is a mock vent fan that pulls cooking odors through a filter and re-vents the air to the cabin. I want to add a fan in the bathroom, but running the electric could be an issue.

[Enconcapt]

I had the dealer add to fans to my FR3 25 and the nice black covers to all three vents. I put a simple fantastic fan in the bath, it is powered off the light switch on the wall but you can turn light off and run just the fan, or switch the fan off and run just the light.

In the main coach they put in one of the better fans that has thermostat, blows in or out and is variable speed. That one is powered off the main coach lights so at night you would turn the three ceiling lights off if you want the fan on. Not a big hassle and it will also solve the kitchen vent issue. That one has the large knob that you turn to raise and lower the cover.

[PhotoMaster]

How much did the dealers charge you to install the fans?

[Enconcapt]

I had them installed as part of my offer to buy. They agreed and still came in $4000 less than the next closest dealer.

[Grandma99]

Thanks for the additional info. We are still anxiously waiting for our new camper to get here. Should be here by mid-March if everything is on schedule. At this point, we have no idea what equipment they will include on it. All we know is that it is supposed to have all the optional features in addition to whatever standard equipment it comes with. Forest River has obviously changed their list of standard things several times. The one I read was the one that was on the website on 1/31/14 which appear to be the latest changes. Will let you know when it gets here what came on it. I am sure we will be very happy with it & are already planning several trips with it.
Grandma99

[spicyrv]

PhotoMaster, we had three fantastic fans installed (main cabin, bathroom and bedroom). There are different models. Our can both push air out and pull it in (reversible). I believe our dealer installed all of them for $900. We also put smoke-colored covers over all of them so we could run the fans while moving or while it's raining.

[PhotoMaster]

Just went to the local scales and total weight with loaded camper, full fuel tank, full propane tank, driver (me), empty water and holding tanks. Weighed in at 16,140 total and 10,260 rear. That would give me 5,880 front (by subtraction). I have to look at my stickers but think I'm relatively good. I need to figure my tire pressures now that I added my extended (135°) valve stems for my dually's. I need to figure how close I'll be since I'll be pulling a 900lb trailer with two 300lb scooters (1,500 lbs total) with tongue weight approximately 150 lbs.

[Grandma99]

We weighed our camper with only full fuel & propane. Couldn't get individual axles on the scales we were using, but did get front & rear axles:
Front - 5760
Rear - 9960
The total of the entire camper = 15,720. That should give us plenty of carrying capacity for the amount of stuff we usually carry.

[PhotoMaster]

My next question is pertaining to the weight vs tire capacity. My tires are 245/70R29.5 and the max load capacity is 4540lbs (single) and 4410lbs (dual). If my front weight is 5580, is it figured as 2799/tire? Since the rear weight is 10260, is it figured as 2565/tire? This is new to me, but this is my guess work. Otherwise I'd be over weight right from the factory.

[PhotoMaster]

This is my chart and I am now thoroughly confused!

If my front weight is 5,580 lbs divided over the two front tires would be about 2,940 lbs per tire, which is lower than what appears on the chart. Since the rear weight is 10,260 lbs divided over four tires (two duallies) would be about 2,565 lbs per tire which again is lower than any value that appears on the chart.

My logic on this is obviously wrong somehow and I am clueless as to what information I am missing. If I don't divide the weight by the number of tires, I am way overweight right off the assembly line without putting anything in the coach at all. If I do divide by the number of tires I am so underweight the chart doesn't apply! My post this morning got no replies, so I'm reposting now with more information.

EDIT: I just noticed the next line in the chart is for the newer versions of this tire, which changes the air pressure but still doesn't provide a solution to my problem.

[cucamelsmd15]

Yes, divide by number of tires. It would be really tough to get the weight skewed so far to overload one of them. You would definitely notice something like that.

The chart you posted is the max weight per pressure. If you run them at the 85psi that FR recommends, the tires will support more than the axles are rated for. The tires are overkill for this application like I previously posted, but thats NOT a bad thing. What it gets you is headroom for inflation and stiffer sidewalls to prevent walking, wandering etc.

Ill take an overrated tire thats inflated properly and run at 80% of its capacity like we are doing versus a marginal tire thats run at 100% of its capacity. I have load range D tires on my trailer even though load range C is sufficient. Why? D has more ply, theyre stiffer, and they are smoother. And Ive had a LOT less issues than others I know that tow frequently with their C range tires at the limit. Same reason I have load range E tires on a 1/2 ton truck, even though a P tire would be fine. Again, no towing issues with that either.

[PhotoMaster]

Thank you cucamelsmd15. I was thinking of going with the recommended pressure, but again wasn't sure because of the weight differences.

Thanks again!