Ordered 2012 Select Suites 40BHSB3

[Boomerang]

Hello, everyone. I am new to this forum & have been checking it out. Looks like lots of good information here. I figured I'd start a thread.

We were shopping for a new 5er recently and looked at the Mobile Suites and loved them. Our last two trailers were from Heartland. The 43' DRVs are a little too heavy (weight & price) for me, but we liked the idea of a "bonus room" in the back.

We decided to go with the bunk house model floor plan Select Suites and upgrade it by adding some MS & ES options.

I'm thinking maybe this is the best of all worlds for us - the extra room (office/craft room/bunk house) and not as "heavy".

I would love to hear any input or comments I can get. Does anyone have this floor plan, or maybe the 40' Mobile Suites bunk house model they no longer carry? (40DB3?) Thanks in advance!

[USA in a Chevrolet]

I can't give you any info specific to the model you want to buy but I did buy a Select Suites last autumn. It is our third Fifth wheel, & we have spent about 4 months traveling in it. We love it & have had very few problems with it. The Select has a 12" frame, not as big as the Mobile frame but I'm sure it will hold up very well. We pull ours with a 2011 3500 HD dually but did tow it for about 2200 miles with a 2004 2500 HD.

DRV seems to be a great company.

[hitchup]

When you say "not as Heavy", it's only 2000 lbs less than a 43' Suite. The 40BH Select is rated up to 21,000 lbs. We looked at a 2009 Mobile Suite BH, but it didn't have the "new" carpet and some other 2009 options. It was rated around 20,000 lbs GVWR.

Sometimes, I wish we had a spare room for guests. But it's so rare now that we're more than comfortable with a larger living room.

I agree the length and price is higher on the MS or ES, so the Select can be a good option. There's a 43' triple axle Elite Suite sitting a few spaces down from us. They are pulling with a semi, which is too big for us. We're comfortable with our configuration as is.

I agree, the Select has a slightly smaller water tank, but otherwise it has nice finishes and you can customize with Mobile or Elite options easily. Now you have me curious. Which ones??

[Boomerang]

When you say "not as Heavy", it's only 2000 lbs less than a 43' Suite. The 40BH Select is rated up to 21,000 lbs. We looked at a 2009 Mobile Suite BH, but it didn't have the "new" carpet and some other 2009 options. It was rated around 20,000 lbs GVWR.

Sometimes, I wish we had a spare room for guests. But it's so rare now that we're more than comfortable with a larger living room.

I agree the length and price is higher on the MS or ES, so the Select can be a good option. There's a 43' triple axle Elite Suite sitting a few spaces down from us. They are pulling with a semi, which is too big for us. We're comfortable with our configuration as is.

I agree, the Select has a slightly smaller water tank, but otherwise it has nice finishes and you can customize with Mobile or Elite options easily. Now you have me curious. Which ones??

I think the 21,000 lbs is the maximum loaded weight. The weight of the trailer itself is TBD. Perhaps the 17.5" J rated tires & 8k lbs axles allow that maximum of 21k, but I think it'll come in quite a bit lighter than that. We'll see.

The smaller tanks don't bother us as we are parked with full hookups nearly 100% of the time. I only move the rig when my job takes me to a new city, about once a year.

When you ask "which ones?", I assume you are asking me which options we added. We upgraded to Elite Suite carpet & vinyl floor, leather chairs & couch, 6 point hydraulic landing gear, Mobile Suites dinette with cabinet, Mobile Suites counters, faucets, & lighting above kitchen island, vanity slide, dual 15k BTU a/c units with heat pump & vented return, padded ceiling, and added a second exterior door in the back room as well as a few other changes. I am really impressed with how accommodating DRV is with making changes, too.

[Motor31]

You should find out what the expected empty weight of the rig is going to be. That will give you a very rough idea of what your cargo carrying capacity will be. That's the weight allowance for your "stuff" that you will be loading into it. I doubt you will have much of any allowance given the size of the unit, the still standard 21k GVW and the tendency of DRV to build heavy units.

[Boomerang]

The sheet of floor plans I have for 2011 DRV units show a dry weight & a pin weight for most models, but the 40 BHSB3 shows both as "TBD". The floor plan is pretty new and I don't think they've built many. (someone told me that mine will be the 5th, but I'm not sure if that's accurate). The 38 TKSB3 shows a dry weight of 13,300# and dry pin weight of 2,900#. I'm thinking that my 40' will come in at about 15k# dry weight, and over 3k# dry pin weight, but we'll find out in June. If that's the case, and 21k# is my GVWR, that'll leave a bunch of margin for our stuff.

[Motor31]

Well just to give you an idea, depending on options, I wouldn't depend on those figures very much. Our 2005 38' came in at well over 16k empty and the pin weight is over 4300 lbs. actual scale weight with dry tanks and only full propane. That's one reason we can't travel with any more than just a few gallons of water in the fresh tank.

The spec sheet weight is an estimated, not actual weight for an empty no options base model.

You really should give the factory a call and ask what their base figures for that particular model are going to be and what they estimate the rig will weigh with your selected options. DRV doesn't build light and their CCC can be pretty small.

[Boomerang]

Well just to give you an idea, depending on options, I wouldn't depend on those figures very much. Our 2005 38' came in at well over 16k empty and the pin weight is over 4300 lbs. actual scale weight with dry tanks and only full propane. That's one reason we can't travel with any more than just a few gallons of water in the fresh tank.

The spec sheet weight is an estimated, not actual weight for an empty no options base model.

You really should give the factory a call and ask what their base figures for that particular model are going to be and what they estimate the rig will weigh with your selected options. DRV doesn't build light and their CCC can be pretty small.

Your 38' is a Mobile Suites with a 15" boxed frame. My 40' is a Select Suites with a 12" I beam frame. Though I would love the extra strength, I'm not willing to accept the weight penalty that it comes with. I use my TV as my daily driver & I don't want anything larger than a 3500. At least not at this time. Keep in mind I only tow about once a year on average; the rest of the time we're parked at an RV park. Does anyone know if the factory weighs every unt as it goes out the door?

[golf_bears]

At the Goshen RV rally a few years ago they told me they now weight each unit as it exits the factory.

I never was able to substantiate that but I have no reason to doubt what they told me. Perhaps someone has been to the factory and has seen them perform the weight check.

[The View 5046]

When we pick-up our 2010 Mobile Suites in 2009 we had a weigh sheet were it the MS had in fact been weigh at east point, landing gear, tires etc. Each side and so forth. I have the weigh sheet but its in the MS and were at the Super 8 in Howe so I don't know the exact numbers but it was kinda a surprise...

[rotaxman]

My 06 36TK3 Mobile Suite had a weight sticker in the kitchen cabinet by the microwave that said it's estimated weight was 12 200 if I recall correctly. I took the trailer to the scale on the way home from the dealer and it came in at 15190. My pin weight was in excess of 4300 pounds. When I went on the road in 2007 the trailer came in at 18500

On this junk 09 38TKSB3 I have not been able to locate an estimated weight sticker on any cabinet door. I did not weigh this trailer empty as I discovered it had a defective frame and never did weight it. I do know that Lippert components welded 200 pounds of steel to the inside frame rails and called it a fix.

I have weighed it since I put my stuff in and it came in at 17190 ready for local camping. It would easily go over 18500 when ready to go on the road. My pin weight on this trailer is over 4300 pounds.

I'm not going to get into the truck discussion as this is a very sensitive subject and my dog doesn't need to be in that fight. For me to be comfortable towing I had to go up to a 450 as my 350 for me wasn't the truck for the job.

Good luck with your purchase I hope that it works well for you.

As always good camping

Joyce and Jerry

[Motor31]

Boomerang, you might want to give a look to this thread and the data that was collected. It's all real world scale results as opposed to estimates. As to your truck, that's up to you.

http://www.5thwheelforums.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=3153&highlight=

As I said before contact the factory and ask them for the estimated weight for your rig as ordered. They can't give you the scale weight until it's built but they should be able to give you a reasonable ball park, assuming that they do in fact weigh each rig as it leaves the factory.

[Boomerang]

I just heard back from my dealer. The factory is estimating my empty weight to be approximately 14,500 pounds, GVW at 18,500 pounds.

As I said earlier, my empty weight estimate was 15k dry, 3k pin. I understand that many of you weighed yours & found them to be above the original estimates. I'll have to wait until mine is built to do this.

[golf_bears]

Start a pool on how much you will weigh?????

My guest is 16,800 lbs out the factory door with a pin weight of 3900 lbs.

Any other guesstimates?

[Motor31]

I'll buy in here. Since it's a 40 footer.

I estimate 17,150 dry from the factory and a pin weight of 4200 lbs.


I am really really surprised that a 40' rig has a GVW of only 18.5k when the newer 36' and 38' (2006 on) were being rated for 20k.

[Boomerang]

Sorry, looks like no pool winners here on the forum. The "certificate of origin" from DRV (like the rig's original title from the manufacturer) says 14,895# shipping weight. I did not receive a "weight sheet" like someone mentioned, but I will inquire.

My dealer told me that DRV weighs the trailer, subtracts that number from the GVW and then put THAT number on a sticker on the screen door & pin box stating "weight of cargo should not exceed x". In my case, 3.045# of cargo plus my dry weight adds (almost) to the 18,000 GVW that is now on the title. I was originally told 18,500 would be my GVW fwiw.

[terry and jo]

Boomerang,

In my 2010 38TKSB3, the "weight" paper was in with all of the manuals for the MS and all the "systems" that are a part of it. So, if you go through all those papers, you may find the sheet where they list the weights from the factory with all options installed.

Also, if your last post was an attempt to post a picture, I guess you will need to try again. Or, maybe not. At least I'm not seeing it on Internet Explorer 9. (I've been hearing that IE 9 has some issues.)

Terry

[Boomerang]

Thanks. I just went through all of my paperwork that came with the rig (and wow, there's a bunch of it.)and I did not find any weight sheet. I will ask my dealer Monday.

Although I'd like to see it, it's not a huge deal. I can use the delivery weight as a good estimate for now.

As for posting pictures, I don't know what it is with this site but I have no luck with it. I use Mozilla Firefox & Google Chrome but not Explorer. I belong to several other forums & frequently post pictures with no trouble. I don't know what the problem is, but if it can't work simply, I'll just skip it.

[wingnut60]

Maybe I'm a little dizzy in the head, but I thought I looked at Boomerangs pics a little earlier today--blue Dodge truck? If so, don't know where it went...
Joe

[Boomerang]

Maybe I'm a little dizzy in the head, but I thought I looked at Boomerangs pics a little earlier today--blue Dodge truck? If so, don't know where it went...
Joe

No, you aren't dizzy and yes, you saw them. But I was trying to post a specific picture or two rather than a link to my entire private photo album. I couldn't get it to work, so I deleted it.

If someone knows what I'm doing wrong, please let me know. I thought I would click the Img button, then ad the individual hosted photo link, then the Img button again. Didn't display the picture as I had hoped.

[wingnut60]

Well, deleted or not, it surely is a nice setup. Wish you would clean and polish the truck, tho...

Congratulations.

Joe

[GlennWest]

I came across scales at 24,400 lbs, truck full of fuel, me, small tool box, mobile suites had full fresh tank at start of trip, empty gray and black. This is with a 32 tk3. I'm 900 lbs over GMC rating.

[wingnut60]

The actual weights on the table that is in the link shows 4 SS Models--
low gross of 14375 to high of 20075??? and low PW of 3150 to 5025!!
Average for 32-36 SS is 17012 gross and 4050 PW--but that one at 20K and 5K PW is amazing.

I would think a 40' SS would have to be above 14500 dry and more like 17000 on the road.

Joe

[Boomerang]

http://2012drv.shutterfly.com/pictures/

These pictures don't show the MS kitchen back splash that was special ordered and somehow forgotten by the factory. They are sending it to us & I will have it installed.

[hitchup]

Nice photos. And without the bunks, it looks like the perfect multipurpose office/craft room.

[Gemstone]

I like that buffet/dinette...is that custom or just a new option ? Got a photo of it closed for travel ?

Thanks Gemstone

[Boomerang]

We first saw it in a 2011 Mobile Suites on the dealer's lot. I don't know what year the dinette with cabinets started. (others who know should chime in here) However, I think it is only advertised as being available for the Mobile & Elite and not the Select. We asked for it in our Select and were originally told no. I credit my dealer for talking to someone at DRV & making it happen.

[Boomerang]

The dinette pictures show the dinette in the stowed position. The slide closes with the table like this and there is a couple inches between the table & the kitchen island. The table slides out a bit from inside the cabinet when you want to seat 4 at the table.