178bhsk under 4000 pounds dry?

[Dgolden2727]

I am trying to find a base model 178bhsk under 4000 pounds dry weight. It seems that the 2024 and 2023 are a couple hundred pounds over this, while the 2022 and 2021 models are under this. If you have a 178bhsk, could let me know what your dry weight sticker says (sticker on the inside of the door frame usually)?

Also does anyone know why the weight would have gone up a couple hundred pounds after 2022? Any change in the slide/metal frame?

[bikendan]

It would help if you posted what brand the trailer is.
FR has around 100 different brands.
Then I can move your thread to the correct brand sub-forum.
The sub-forum you posted it in, is not rhe correct area.

[Aussieguy]

Wildwood FSX 178BHSK is 3750 dry
I guess if you looking at another one it depends on any factory add on's



https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/wildw...x/178BHSK/8458
Go through the smaller trailers listed in the ForestRiverinc website https://forestriverinc.com/


What are you towing with?


PS... if you restricted on towing weights... slides make them heavier.

[Dgolden2727]

We are looking at the Salem/Wildwood fsx 178bhsk

[Dgolden2727]

We are towing with 2023 Honda pilot AWD, max towing weight is 5000. I’m am trying to keep the total weight around 80%. We would travel light and with no water (or just a little for an emergency bathroom).

For the dry weight, the lowest sticker weight for a 2024 I found was 4150. We like the north/south Murphy bed on the new model as well as the swivel table, but since we are already at our 80% weight limit, I would prefer a 2022 with a sticker weight of 3850. I’m not sure what the extra sticker weight is besides battery/propane. We also plan on removing the outside mini fridge/stove to save a little weight and we probably wouidnt use it much. The slide adds about 500 pounds from a similar model, but we like the extra room that the slides provides.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Dgolden2727

We are towing with 2023 Honda pilot AWD, max towing weight is 5000. I’m am trying to keep the total weight around 80%. We would travel light and with no water (or just a little for an emergency bathroom).

For the dry weight, the lowest sticker weight for a 2024 I found was 4150. We like the north/south Murphy bed on the new model as well as the swivel table, but since we are already at our 80% weight limit, I would prefer a 2022 with a sticker weight of 3850. I’m not sure what the extra sticker weight is besides battery/propane. We also plan on removing the outside mini fridge/stove to save a little weight and we probably wouidnt use it much. The slide adds about 500 pounds from a similar model, but we like the extra room that the slides provides.

Your big problem is that the real world loaded tongue weight will exceed the Pilot's max hitch weight.
The fictional dry tongue weight of 430lbs doesn't include the weights of batteries, factory options, dealer add-ons, water or trailer cargo.

[Dgolden2727]

Thank you. We are looking for just a base model. No factory add ons like solar, power jack, platinum edition, etc.

Is the hitch weight (ours is 500 max), recommended to be at 80% also, or just the total towing weight? Is there any way to see what the actual hitch weight is before buying a trailer? Would some dealerships let you hook it up and/or weigh it?

[Tlmgcamp]

Website says that TT has dry tongue of 430. Add 100 for the WDH, then 50 for the battery, then 40 for propane, and you are well above the 500 max. That trailer looks like a bit too much for a Pilot

[AlBab930]

Happy to share some real-world experience towing a Wildwood with a Honda Pilot.

First, as many will share the dry weight spec numbers don't represent real world data. Even without options (solar, bike racks, battery, propane tank, etc.) the published specs are highly suspect. That said, in my experience, I am towing a 2019 Wildwood 167RB with a 2020 Pilot and I have stayed below the max tongue and total weights.

When loaded for a 3 to4 day trip with food, full propane, single battery, small amount of fresh water, clothes, etc. At the CAT scales I am right at 4000 lbs. total weight and 480 lbs. tongue weight. Published specs in the sales brochure for my rig were 3004 lbs dry and 345 hitch weight. The weights on the trailer stickers are 3241 dry, 425 hitch so quite a bit different than the sales brochures.

I am using a Curt WDH. I found without the WDH the nose of the Pilot was too light and just didn't feel stable - especially at highway speeds.

I would like my tongue weight to be a bit less for some headroom on the specs but I have been towing with this set-up for 3 years and have pulled the rig about 5000 miles over that time. We don't do dry camping so I'm staying on mostly paved roads. I can pull comfortably through the Colorado mountains and I take it nice and slow - especially coming down hill but I'm comfortable at 65 mph on the highway.

Your towing experience will be a bit different but I thought I'd share some real world experience that might help you make your decisions.

Hope you find what you want.

[bikendan]

Originally Posted by Dgolden2727

Thank you. We are looking for just a base model. No factory add ons like solar, power jack, platinum edition, etc.

Is the hitch weight (ours is 500 max), recommended to be at 80% also, or just the total towing weight? Is there any way to see what the actual hitch weight is before buying a trailer? Would some dealerships let you hook it up and/or weigh it?

That 430 number IS for a base model. You still have add WDH weight and battery weight. Just those things alone will put you well over the 500lbs max hitch weight.
Unfortunately you're one of many who have been fooled by the RV manufacturers' deceptive advertising. These larger single axle trailers are the hottest selling RVs, which are marketed to those with less capable and smaller tow vehicles. The setback single axle creates heavier loaded tongue weights, than a comparable tandem axle trailer. Many here have found too late that the trailer they bought, have tongue weights that exceed the max hitch weights of their midsize cars, like the Pilot. They focus too much on the towing weight, instead of the more important tongue weight.

[Dgolden2727]

For the tongue weight, when you add a wdh hitch, battery and propane, the total weight is added to the trailer weight, but isn’t only a percentage of it added to the tongue weight (10-15% or so based on how the trailer is loaded and other factors)?

[Aussieguy]

you could probably make it work but I would look at ... No slide

go here https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/travel-trailers

you can search using length weight filters on left side of page

There are about 7 layouts/campers that would be good to look at?
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have you considered a popup?
https://forestriverinc.com/rvs/camping-trailers

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If you want extra leg/living room look at a some sort of portable camp gazebo /outdoor lounge room

or attach walls for the awning.........we use to call that an annex

use to tow with a car when I was younger... we took risks in those days.
Now I have a full size SUV ......... the drive is so much more relaxing

I would be uncomfortable towing with a unibody smaller SUV...

[Reverse_snowbird]

You've gotten lots of good advice.

I just wanted to welcome you to the forum!