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06-25-2005, 02:28 PM
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#1
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Royse City
Posts: 520
M.O.C. #2959
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3400RL Weight Problems?
Yesterday I checked out the "star rating" awarded to the 3400RL by rv.org - this is the outfit that rates most of the RV's - and is different from rv.net!!
With 5 Stars being the best, the 3400RL was rated as 0 star's - unsafe for use on the highway. What do you all think of that???
According to rv.org, the "average UVW" is 11,750. With a GVWR of 13,770, this leaves only 2020#'s total carrying capacity. By the time a battery, water, and LP is added - according to rv.org - there is only 11% carrying capacity left. re.org believes a 5th wheel should have at least 15% (of total GVWR) available for NCC, or the unit will most likely be overloaded - thus making it unsafe.
Part of the Montana problem - as I see it - is that the NCC is determined by calculating that the GVWR is equal to the UVW hitch pin weight plus the capacity of the axles - or 13,770# for the 3400RL. However, almost everyone knows that in loading the 5th wheeler to capacity will undoubtedly cause more weight to be added to the hitch pin. For example, if the measured hitch pin on a loaded 3400RL were 2200#, the unit should be able to carry 14,200# total without exceeding the axle capacity. This is considerably more than that assumed by rv.org, or in fact specified by Keystone.
Just take a look at the 3475. It's calculated GVWR is 14,225#, or 455# more, and the construction and the parts are the same as for the 3400RL. What gives?? Are we to assume the 3400RL really is UNSAFE for highway use???
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06-26-2005, 09:51 AM
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#2
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Montana Master
Join Date: Nov 2002
Location: Oceanside
Posts: 20,028
M.O.C. #20
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Rick, looking at the 2005 specs the 3400 has the least carrying capacity of any model.
GVWR probably does equal capacity of the axles plus the pinweight. At least it appears that way from the numbers. I'm not sure if that's how they come up with the GVWR but it does appear so from the numbers. Remember the trailer is not initially anywhere near the axle capacity in terms of weight on the axles. Added items will add to the axle and/or pinweight, depending on location. I have never seeen a max on pinweight, just the max it is rated to handle in total tralier weight. I'd like to see the max pinweight but have never seen that for any trailer.
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06-26-2005, 03:18 PM
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#3
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Montana Fan
Join Date: Aug 2003
Posts: 470
M.O.C. #447
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Well whatever they say our 3400 travelled 5000 miles in the last 7 weeks. Colin said it was very stable and towed really well. We were pulling heavier than normal as we had 4 year olds bicycle and other toys plus extra bedding as we had had our son and his wife and 2 year old for 2 weeks at Disney. In fact when we had unloaded quite a lot of our things before taking the fiver back to our storage it definitely did not tow as well. One sometimes has to wonder who writes these reviews and what input some companies have in them.
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06-26-2005, 06:35 PM
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#4
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Montana Master
Join Date: Jan 2005
Location: Royse City
Posts: 520
M.O.C. #2959
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Steve,
I sure wish we could get a good answer from Keystone on this issue. I personally like the layout of the 3400RL, but have been told they more realistically weight in at around 11,600#. If I add the hi-gloss siding, the UVW comes in at perhaps 12,200. This leaves me with only 1570# additional carrying capacity before I am over the "legal" GVWR limit!!!
Unfortunately, right now I am carrying about 1900# in my current trailer, and think I will probably carry even more as we begin doing more traveling. The sad thing is that I have heard it is real easy to load the 3400RL to 2200# hitch weight. This would allow the total trailer to weight in at 14200# before reaching the axle limits (and I could surely use that extra 420#). Seems like we should be able to do this "legally".
Like I mentioned in another post, it seems a shame that the lower hitch weight models should be penalized with lower GVWR even thought they are manufactured with the same components!!
Keystone - make it not so!!!
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