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Old 06-27-2021, 06:28 PM   #1
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Jay Flight 29rks

DW and I are working remotely. Our half ton is paid for, and we currently are not in a place to buy a new truck, nor do we want to. We have searched high and low for floorplans that will work well for us. Seating options are critical due to physical and ergonomic issues. The 29rks Jay Flight is the best overall floorplan for us. We would pull the freestanding dinette and replace it with a sit-stand table. Again, we have searched Jayco every which way known to man and several other brands as well.

Our concern is weight. Our TV has the following weight ratings: front axle 3,700 lbs., rear axle 3,900 lbs., payload 1,600 lbs., maximum tow 8,500 lbs. The Jay Flight 29rks we are considering is 7,200 lbs. We carry 500 lbs. on a loaded trip. We travel very light. The dry tongue for the 29rks is 820. We currently use an Equalizer 10k WDH. Is it even remotely possible that we could tow this trailer? We will use the trailer at home as our office 85-90% of the time. The trips we take are basically flat freeway with 3-4 hours drive time, and we never speed (55-60 mph is regular speed range).

We have outgrown our 23rbm. There are some other options, but they come up short with our work space and physical needs. We really appreciate your help.
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Old 06-29-2021, 01:42 AM   #2
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How does the TV do with your current camper? What is the axle ratio of the truck? Jay
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Old 06-29-2021, 08:38 AM   #3
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Need to look at GCWR also, likely listed on drivers door jamb.

You will be close, and you won't win any races, but my knee jerk answer is that it will work.

If you have a GM half ton, save up for a transmission change at roughly 150k especially if it is a 4 speed transmission. I'm not bad mouthing.... I'm a GM guy.

Larry
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Old 06-29-2021, 09:47 AM   #4
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How does the TV do with your current camper? What is the axle ratio of the truck? Jay
The truck does excellent with the Feather. The axle ratio is 3:55.
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Old 06-29-2021, 09:50 AM   #5
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Need to look at GCWR also, likely listed on drivers door jamb.

You will be close, and you won't win any races, but my knee jerk answer is that it will work.

If you have a GM half ton, save up for a transmission change at roughly 150k especially if it is a 4 speed transmission. I'm not bad mouthing.... I'm a GM guy.

Larry
The truck's GVWR is 6,600. It's GCWR is 1,613.
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Old 06-29-2021, 10:03 AM   #6
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In our current set up due to limited TT space, we have 350-375lbs in the truck and on the tongue that we would be able to load on and to the rear of the 29rks. This includes 2 bikes that we currently have to mount on the tongue, over the propane tanks. We would move them to the rear hitch on the 29rks.

With our current set up, we have 800lbs on the tongue with WDH engaged. We have a 1,000lbs max for the tongue. The 29rks has stated dry tongue of 820, and the Feather has a stated dry tongue of 460lbs. I am wondering if I shed the 350lbs. out of the truck and tongue to the axles and behind the axles of the TT, would we get in a decent weight range for the tongue.

In other words, I currently have 200lbs. to spare. I would pick up 360lbs. with the 29rks, but I would empty the truck bed and move the bike off of the tongue to distribute more weight to the TT axles.

We only make a few regional interstate trips in AL and MS each year. The vast majority of the time and use is as an office on our property for DW and me.
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Old 07-04-2021, 04:25 PM   #7
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Gunafulltime, i have a 29RKS and the wife and I love it. It’s a great floor plan for us. My tongue weight varies from 1260 to 1340 based on my in-laws farm scale. I have a Ram 2500 and use a E2 hitch with 1200lbs bars. I’m thinking next year I’ll go move to the 14,000lbs Equalizer brand hitch.
Before moving to our current set up, I had a Ram 1500 pulling a 21QB with about 820 on the hitch. I wouldn’t feel comfortable pulling my 29RKS with my 1500. I’m glad a have a 3/4 ton to pull my current trailer.
Just my experience, yours may vary.
Safe travels.
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Old 07-04-2021, 06:07 PM   #8
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snip........Our concern is weight. Our TV has the following weight ratings: front axle 3,700 lbs., rear axle 3,900 lbs., payload 1,600 lbs., maximum tow 8,500 lbs. The Jay Flight 29rks we are considering is 7,200 lbs. We carry 500 lbs. on a loaded trip. We travel very light.....snip
I would start with an actual weight.......; Take your 1/2 ton TV under loaded conditions (full fuel, passengers, cargo, etc) to a CAT scale for a weigh-in. Subtract the CAT weight from your TV's GVWR....., the remaining weight is your "actual available" cargo capacity for supporting a TT's loaded tongue weight, WDH weight, and any other TV weight not accounted for at the CAT.

The 29RKS is 34ft long with a 9,500lb GVWR. The specific 29RKS you are looking at has a 7,200lb UVW (yellow sticker).

Your very "conservative" loaded 29RKS: (7,200lbs UVW) + (100lbs dealer battery, WDH, etc.) + (your 500lb cargo weight) + (no fluids) = 7,800lbs Loaded TT

Recommended Loaded TT tongue weight range: (7,800lb loaded 29RKS) = 1,014lbs to 1,170lbs (13% to 15%). New WDH rated at 1,200lbs minimum required, but 1,400lb rated WDH would be ideal.

IMO I don't see a loaded 29RKS crossing a CAT scale under 8,000lbs and not a good match for a 1/2 ton TV......, especially in less than ideal towing conditions (wind, sudden maneuver, poor road conditions, etc.).

Just food for thought.

Bob
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Old 07-04-2021, 06:21 PM   #9
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As we did research we found that payload tended to be the limiting factor. Your payload is 1,600 lbs. If you subtract from that the weight of passengers and stuff you would have in your truck that's going to give you usable payload. The tongue weight is usually 10% - 15% of the trailer weight. The maximum gross weight of the trailer is 9,500 lbs so 10% -15% is 950lbs - 1,425 lbs and in the real world it's probably going to be closer to the top end than bottom.
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Old 07-11-2021, 10:32 AM   #10
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I own a 2015 29RKS. The loaded tongue weight on it consistently comes in at 1300-1400 pounds. I had an older 200) Ford F-250 (8800 GVWR) when I bought it and it was just too much trailer for that truck. I ended up buying a 2017 RAM 3500 (12300 GVWR) which pulls it like a dream. I use the, now discontinued, Husky Centerline HD WDH.
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Old 07-24-2021, 07:06 AM   #11
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We took our 2016 Jay Feather to Ohio last weekend to trade it in on a new 2021 Jay Flight 29RKS. According to our CAT scale numbers, we have 1,100lbs of available payload. We knew this new unit would consume most if not all of that available capacity. On our way home, we hit the scale and did just one check with wd engaged. The TV axles were pretty close to where they need to be, and the the 29rks, of course, has days of unused capacity.

We are going to set the trailer up for normal travel and do all three weighs at the scale. I think we will be very close. We travel very light, no where near what most folks take. It's just the two of us travelling minimally. When it's all said and done, I predict we will have 100-200lbs. of remaining payload. I will let you know.

As for the truck, it handled the trip home extremely well. We were amazed actually. We aren't speeders (steady 55-60mph). The truck barely broke a sweat on the 725 mile trip back to Alabama. We installed Timbrens before we left. We only take a few regional extended stay trips a year. We primarily use the coach as our remote office spaces. Eventually, we will get a 3500, but I think the 1500 will give us 2-3 more years. She's paid for and in very good condition. We also took y'all's advice on the beefier WDH. We went with an Equalizer 14k. I need to get it fully dialed-in as well. The dealer did a decent job, but it will need fine tuning for sure.

I will post after our comprehensive Cat scale weigh.
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