Real world DRV Luxury Suites Fullhouse JX450 or LX450 usage

[Goose_NC]

For the owners of DRV LUXURY SUITES FULLHOUSE JX450 or LX450 toy haulers, what is your actual pin weight. What is the weight of your toys?

I plan on carrying a 900 pound motorcycle. Maybe two at times. Or a golf cart and a motorcycle. Maybe one of those smaller two seater golf carts.

Does the generator carry the necessary load when shore power is not available? I see that these have three 15kw ac units. I am not sure the Onan 5.5 generator can handle all three running, and other electrical loads. So how does the load center manage it.

We are looking at options for a new toyhauler. This could be our last toyhauler.

Just started researching these. Hoping the luxury models are well built as the price suggests. My inspection, new or used, will be very thorough prior to purchase.

[Cummins12V98]

Is your RAM a DRW???

[Goose_NC]

Is your RAM a DRW???

Yes. I have the DRW.

On the scale, the rear axle weight is 3860 with full fuel, my usual stuff in the truck, Mopar 5th wheel hitch and my 310 pounds. GAWR is 9750. I'll have may another 220 when traveling. So I have 5670 remaining to max (9750-3860-220=5670). Not sure why the GAWR rear is stated on my sticker as 9750 (with 4.10 gears), but on the website it's a 10K GAWR rear.

[porkchop]

Usually on a DRV the pin weight is less on a 3 axle than a 2 axle so you should be OK.
BUT< if the door sticker says 9750 that's what you have, no matter what the web says.
I do not know what the toy haulers weigh. My 44' Santa Fe is rated at 25,000 lbs. Make sure your hitch is rated properly for the new trailer, no matter what brand.

Bill

[Goose_NC]

Usually on a DRV the pin weight is less on a 3 axle than a 2 axle so you should be OK.
BUT< if the door sticker says 9750 that's what you have, no matter what the web says.
I do not know what the toy haulers weigh. My 44' Santa Fe is rated at 25,000 lbs. Make sure your hitch is rated properly for the new trailer, no matter what brand.

Bill

The two I am looking at are 24k GVWR. If I go that route I will buy the 30k hitch.

I was looking for real world weights. I know to plan for 22% as an estimate, which is 5280.

[porkchop]

Your pin will be much lower than that with a 3 axle. Mine is supposedly 25k and my actual pin is 3800. My gross is 33500 loaded to go.

Bill

[Goose_NC]

Your pin will be much lower than that with a 3 axle. Mine is supposedly 25k and my actual pin is 3800. My gross is 33500 loaded to go.

Bill

That's information I was looking for. Actual pin weight.

[Cummins12V98]

You may even be within the mystical 14k GVWR. I seem to be heavier than most anyone on these Forums and my truck handles the load with ease towing WestCoast. Second pic is towing MC Trailer behind RV.


https://i.imgur.com/DnPutoMl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/lEi6SvGl.jpg

[Goose_NC]

You may even be within the mystical 14k GVWR. I seem to be heavier than most anyone on these Forums and my truck handles the load with ease towing WestCoast. Second pic is towing MC Trailer behind RV.


https://i.imgur.com/DnPutoMl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/lEi6SvGl.jpg

Oh my!! That's a load!

[Cummins12V98]

YES it's a load! But it's SAE rated to do so.

Point is your RAM will yank the TH around just fine!!!

https://i.imgur.com/l2HWSrll.jpg

[Notanlines]

We also scaled just over 32K a year ago, fully loaded, and the F450 had no problems. You will find all of the big three in the dually 350/3500/450's will have no trouble with the big loads. Avoid the gas if it's offered in the 350/3500's like a bad melon. It won't do the trick.

[Cummins12V98]

We also scaled just over 32K a year ago, fully loaded, and the F450 had no problems. You will find all of the big three in the dually 350/3500/450's will have no trouble with the big loads. Avoid the gas if it's offered in the 350/3500's like a bad melon. It won't do the trick.

Agreed! Nice combo!!!

[Goose_NC]

Nice rigs. No need for me to double tow at this time.

My 2020 RAM 3500 Tradesman with the HO diesel, Aisin, 4.10 will pull anything I am looking at. Including the DRV Fullhouse.

Doing research and am considering the upper end units. But 30-50k difference is a lot of trips for me. My thinking that buying one quality unit that will last me 20 years hopefully. If I was under 6 ft I'd seriously look at Airstreams. But at 6'7" that's not an option.

[Notanlines]

Goose, visualize you and Momma and Fido living 365 in 3 nicely appointed slide-in pickup campers bolted front to back. That is the feeling I got when I wandered around in one at the Tampa show two years ago. I just shook my head and wandered on off. No slides? We ain't goin'.

[Goose_NC]

Goose, visualize you and Momma and Fido living 365 in 3 nicely appointed slide-in pickup campers bolted front to back. That is the feeling I got when I wandered around in one at the Tampa show two years ago. I just shook my head and wandered on off. No slides? We ain't goin'.

About the time we bought our camper, so did from friends of ours. The bought a new 3500 truck and a 42 ft quad slide toyhauler. They paid over $75k for the camper. Their first big RV.

Well, their first outing, ther stopped for a couple of days at a campground, and enjoyed the camper. Then they try to leave. The one large slide would not retract. They call and two days later a mobile repair guy comes out, and get the slide in. It has to go to the shop for repairs as the slide mechanism had to be replaced. 4 days lost because of a new camper slide mechanism, fixed under warranty. With just the wife and I, not full timing, not staying one place for longer than 14 days usually, we do not 'need' slides.

Our current camper doesn't have slides. And has accommodated two couples for 10 days.

Our next camper may have slides, but I will learn which mechanism is the most reliable. Hopefully DRV has the best. And I will try to avoid the slides loaded with heavy stuff.

[Notanlines]

Gary, an old-timey RV'er much wiser than me (lots of those around) once commented "Drinks for six, dinner for four, sleeps two." That's our mantra. Wanna tag along? We'll find a nice HI Express close. I'm betting you're a relatively young guy. You've got lots to look forward to; grandkids along for short trips, etc. The day will come when you will savor that privacy and peace in the RV and not have some snotty-nosed kid make fun of you and Momma because you want to watch reruns of 'Soap' rather than some drivel like DWTS or AGT.
One of the best days of my life was when I had three of the grandkids convinced they couldn't recharge their electronics in the RV or TV because it was 'foreign voltage' and they'd have to go the whole week without them. Spoil sport grandma finally broke down and told the truth.
We may just leave them batteries and charging cords in our will.:p

[orca]

Goose...
I have an LX 450 and haul 2 heavy motorcycles. The first thing i did before loading the bikes was reinforce the tie-downs because the stock ones were just screwed into the plywood floor and i did not believe they were strong enough.
The pin weight is somewhere around 3000# when the bikes are loaded. I only put enough fuel in the onboard gas tanks to run the genset for a few hours. The two of them will hold about (if i remember correctly) 40 gal. All this weight is behind the axles so it will unload the pin weight in proportion.
The more weight that u put in the garage the more it affects the handeling of the unit. I have found that the "tail will wag the dog" if not loaded properly. I try to fill the fresh, black and gray tanks when ever possible and that helps with handling. I pull with a freightliner M2 with long wheelbase and still i find myself "white knuckled" in twisty or rough roads!!

[4happyfeet]

Hey, Goose. We live full time in a 2019 41RKSB4 Mobile Suites and play in a 2020 Voltage V4145. As to your question about if they're worth the extra money, there is no comparison between the MS and the Dutchmen Voltage! Not that the Voltage is bad, it's just not insulated to the DRV standards. Walls are thinner, single pane windows, third a/c is not plumed into the ceiling ducts, so garage a/c doesn't do any good for rest of the coach. If you want the comfort, you'll have to pay the price. My DRV pin weight is 4200#. IMHO you can't beat the MS. If DW didn't insist on the rear kitchen, we would have bought a Full House.

[Notanlines]

Orca, Id sure like to see the Cat scale ticket with your unit running loaded. We camp with two other couples with 450's and their pin weights are more in the 4000-4200 weights. One hauls a large side by side and the other two cruiser Kawasakis.

[orca]

Notanlines
I scaled it my first trip before i learned to load it properly. Unfortunately that ticket has been lost in the 5 years since.

[Notanlines]

The reason I ask is because they both make a lot of claims as if they know what they're talking about, but never seem to be able to back up or follow through with what they say. I am familiar with the 450's and their low pin weight. One of our old Raptors was a triple axle and I had a hard time explaining to them that what went into the garage didn't simply come off the pin weight. Like you, I didn't save any tickets, but for an 1100 pound bike and sidecar and all the gear it only lightened the pin by about 125-150 pounds or thereabouts. One of those guys won't join us for our 'happy hour' anymore because two of our usual group (One of them a woman who pulled fuel for Exxon for thirty years or so) made fun of their mileage claims! I only wish our F450 actually DID get that mileage!

[porthole]

made fun of their mileage claims! I only wish our F450 actually DID get that mileage!


18 towing, 22 unloaded :p

[Dan50]

You may even be within the mystical 14k GVWR. I seem to be heavier than most anyone on these Forums and my truck handles the load with ease towing WestCoast. Second pic is towing MC Trailer behind RV.


https://i.imgur.com/DnPutoMl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/lEi6SvGl.jpg


So your over on the drive axle.

[Cummins12V98]

So your over on the drive axle.

YEP, a whopping 110#. I was carrying a complete SouthBend clutch, pressure plate and flywheel at the time in my tool box.

Funny thing my truck didn't explode or the weight police did not stop me.

How about the fact I am WAYYYY over my GVWR of 14k???

[Dan50]

YEP, a whopping 110#. I was carrying a complete SouthBend clutch, pressure plate and flywheel at the time in my tool box.

Funny thing my truck didn't explode or the weight police did not stop me.

How about the fact I am WAYYYY over my GVWR of 14k???



I saw that but you called that number mystical so I just assumed you didn't care about that either seeing as how your truck is basically grossly over loaded and you seem proud of that fact. Happy camping.

[Cummins12V98]

PLEASE explain where I am "Grossly overloaded"

While you are at it please explain how I could have an unloaded 5,250# front axle and load my rear axle to it's SAE 9.750# rating and NOT be over the 14k rating?????????

No beating around the bush!!!

[porkchop]

21 towing into wind, 29 bobtail into wind w/ windows open

Bill

[Notanlines]

I'm amazed myself at how lowering the windows and sliding back the rear window will almost double the mileage...drop that tailgate and you can pick up another 5 0r 6.

[Goose_NC]

Thanks all. So nice to learn from those who are actually spending lots of time in the RVs!

[porthole]

Does the bike get much abuse from the road like that? Dirt, and road debris kicked up etc?

I'm considering an aluminum trailer to occasionally drag around the golf cart or bike. Wouldn't be all the time though.
The bike is a screamin eagle so paint is a concern.


https://i.imgur.com/l2HWSrll.jpg

[porthole]

One of the best days of my life was when I had three of the grandkids convinced they couldn't recharge their electronics in the RV or TV because it was 'foreign voltage' and they'd have to go the whole week without them.



Reminds me of a "does not work" I had my wife convinced of for 15 years (kids eventually gave me up)

I like this foreign voltage thing. Only been a few 1-2 day trips with grands so hasn't been an issue. But this will be on the back burner for sure.

[porthole]

but for an 1100 pound bike and sidecar and all the gear it only lightened the pin by about 125-150 pounds or thereabouts.



When we had a 2 axle Cyclone I used a pin weight scale and did a comparison of pin weights with the garage empty, bike loaded, bike and golf cart loaded. The bike and cart each weigh about 900 pounds. Pin weight increased about 25% of the weight added.

[Cummins12V98]

I just removed the "V" front protection on the trailer since It will contact the DRV on tight turns. With it on I have had no issues. Time will tell on our trip South soon.

You did give me an idea to place "Carpet Mask" on the front of the bike for extra protection.

[porthole]

[QUOTE=Cummins12V98;30492
You did give me an idea to place "Carpet Mask" on the front of the bike for extra protection.

[/QUOTE]


DON'T !

I brought a boat up from Fort Myers to Delaware the first week of August.
Before leaving the dealer wrapped the bow in carpet mask.

It was a real chore cleaning it off. Maybe the heat had something to do with it. Regardless, I used half a bottle of goo gone getting the residue off.

[Cummins12V98]

DON'T !

I brought a boat up from Fort Myers to Delaware the first week of August.
Before leaving the dealer wrapped the bow in carpet mask.

It was a real chore cleaning it off. Maybe the heat had something to do with it. Regardless, I used half a bottle of goo gone getting the residue off.

Was it actual "Carpet Mask" or an off brand? I did commercial construction and used the good stuff.

I think if it's in the hot Sun it will do as you mentioned. I will think about this.....

Thanks!

[porthole]

Was it actual "Carpet Mask" or an off brand? I did commercial construction and used the good stuff.

I think if it's in the hot Sun it will do as you mentioned. I will think about this.....

Thanks!

Couldn't tell you. What ever a Marine dealer uses at boat shows to protect new boats is what I would guess.

On that trip I used 2" blue painters tape on all the exposed tower legs and the windshield. That worked good. Just a lot of work taping the windshield in 95 degree Fort Myers sun.

On another recent trip, golf cart in my truck I used teh 2' cling wrap used for packaging around the windshield. That seems good to.

I guess it would depend how much buffeting you get behind the trialer.