2024 23FB hitch weight is only 500?

[asttttt]

Hi,

I’m new to RV world and looking into TV and TT.
I’m researching on how a full size suv can tow with 4 people, I notice in the spec
https://www.airstream.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2024-Flying-Cloud-Brochure.pdf
2024 23FB hitch weight is only 500lb, it’s way below the other bigger model and even less than Bambi 19-22ft.
Is this number real? Is it based on curb weight (5000lb) or GVWR (6000)? I think hitch weight (tongue weight) should be usually 10%~15%

[NutmegsCamper]

I can tell you, from my experience owning a ‘23 23fbt, the tongue weigh loaded, with a full tank of fresh water, is 650 pounds. Without water, it’s about 625 pounds. Those weights are with 2 full 30lb propane tanks and AGM batteries.

Spend $100 and buy a SimpleWeigh tongue scale. Go to the dealership and look at the campers you like. Ask them the tongue weight. Then, pull out your scale and measure it, reassuring the dealer that it is better to be safe than sorry.

And yes, a smaller camper can have a heavier tongue weight than a larger camper. It depends on equipment and where the weight is carried - in front of or behind the wheels - fulcrum point.

Enjoy!

[Andy543]

10%-15% hitch weight is old conventional wisdom. 15% is actually too much as it can cause oversteer, leading to a jackknife accident. You are better off with 10%. 8% is fine, too.

[NutmegsCamper]

Oh, and tongue weight should be 10-15% of the actual weight of the trailer, which should be somewhere between the curb weight and the gvwr, unless you are just going to tow around a camper without any of your stuff added - then it would be curb weight.

For reference, ours is 5865 fully loaded, and tongue weight is 625 (no water). That puts us at 10.7% tongue weight. 625 / 5865…

[Escape21]

Our 23 FC fbt loaded without water, full propane by the scales is 590lbs. Equalizer hitch not attached. Minimum 600lbs and with water over 600.

[aftermath]

Asttttt, welcome fellow Washingtonian. I am a conventional wisdom kind of guy and have been towing trailers since the mid 80's. We now have a 25FB that we have pulled around for over 65K miles since 2009. The 25FB is a bit heavy on the nose, mine comes in anywhere between 900 to 1000 pounds depending. It is very close to the 15% end of the 10-15% range and I can tell you it is rock solid. Of course I have a good WD system with built in sway and, get this, my TV is a little half ton! You hear folks here say you will get sway and a jack knife accident if you go over 10% for tongue weight. These are the same people who tell you not to us a WD sway hitch as it will cause accidents! Unbelievable. Their solution is to get a one ton, or heavier, throw it on the ball and pull away. Not a bad solution but it is not the only solution. Off the top of my head, I am thinking the 500 pound TW shouldn't be an issue and it is likely to be heavier than that. I have two propane tanks, two batteries and a spare tire all on the tongue. That will add pounds. Airstreams are the single best designed trailer for towing. I doubt you will be in trouble with a TW that is slightly under the 10% estimate and I KNOW you won't have an issue with one that is close to 15%.
Best wishes as you move forward. I do like the idea of getting a scale to measure the TW.

[Scott S]

I suspect that the published tongue weight is for an empty trailer of the most basic, stripped-out version. No propane, no water, no options. The company stands to gain the most by using the most optimistic numbers that their lawyers will permit. In other words, don't believe it because that will not be what you will actually be pulling down the road.

[uncle_bob]

Hi

The spec sheet numbers are based on the "typical" weight of that trailer when empty. I believe that this means no propane and no water as well as no gear. Since this is "never the same way twice" AS, it's a good bet that things like propane go into the numbers in some years and not in other years.

How much shows up on your trailer after being loaded depends a *lot* on just how you distribute your gear in the trailer. What one person does may not be what the next person does.

Your tow vehicle will have the trailer, the shank, and the hitch sitting on the back end of it. Your receiver needs to be rated to handle the sum of those three numbers. Put on an exotic (=expensive) hitch and the numbers go up a bit over a basic setup.

Bob

[switz]

Our 2015 23D International Serenity had a literature tongue weight of 720 pounds. After all of our mods, the tongue weight is 968 pounds with a loaded weight of 6,068 pounds. We upgraded from the OEM 3,000 pound rated axles with 10" drum brakes and five lug wheels with 14" Load C tires to Dexter 3,600 pound rated axles with 12" dual puck six lug disc brakes, 3" lift plates and six lug wheels with 15" Michelin LTX (P) 235/75R15 XL tires with derated capacity of 2,044 pounds.

Real numbers:

Tongue………928
Front….1,280……1,246 - total front axle 2,526
Rear…..1,376……1,233 - total rear axle 2,609
Total Axles………5,135
Total Trailer….6,063

[JCWDCW]

I believe Andy Thompson said that the 23FB benefits with a full tank of water because the tongue weight is a bit light.
We have a lot of equalizer dialed in on our Benz and we don't seem to need the full tank. However I always run with 1/4 to 3/8 of a tank of FW
We do have a Hensley Cub so that adds to the tongue weight

[Seabrat1]

I think the 23fb is a little light on the tongue. Mine while RVing has 565 measured tongue weight and 5240 on scales with full propane and no water. When I have a choice I usually load it with weight in the front or under the bed. It rides just fine.

[Turbulence]

The specs on the website indicate "Hitch Weight with LP & Batteries (lbs.)". I don't know why everyone keeps saying the LP and batteries are not included in the specs.

I had a 2019 23FB and the hitch weight with LP and batteries and no water was very close to what they have in the specs (467 or something).

I have a 2022 27FB and the hitch weight with LP and batteries and no water is very close to what they have in the specs.

Yes, practical weights will be higher and a Sherline scale can help ease concerns.

Thanks,
Scotty

[dlenhert]

Just traded up from my 2018 22ft Bambi (tongue weight of 450lbs loaded) to a new 2023 Flying Cloud 23FBT. With all tanks empty and only some camping gear inside, 2 30lb propane tanks full with 2 agm batteries, my WeighSafe hitch showed right at 500lbs--which surprised me. My Blue Ox Sway Pro hitch will add at least another 50lbs. My front storage lockers are only lightly loaded at the moment. I expect I'll be over 600lbs when I'm fully loaded.
I had considered going for the 25FBT but the jump in tongue weight would pretty much max out my Ram's 1500 max payload. The 25FBT is also a half foot wider than the 23, so a noticeable jump in weight.

[TLBNJ27]

We did a jump from 23FBQ to a 25 FBQ F150 to a F250 and hated the overall experience. Way too much for our style of camping and frequent moving.
Way too much truck for non towing driving.
After 9k miles we swapped back to a 23 and now selling 250 to downsize that as well.
Bigger is not always better.

[Lafitte]

You can always have too much trailer behind a truck but you can never have too much truck in front of a trailer.

[FredWilma]

Originally Posted by Lafitte

You can always have too much trailer behind a truck but you can never have too much truck in front of a trailer.

The pros and cons of ever larger trucks has been discussed at some length on this forum. In the end it is personal choice. My reference point is the tens of thousands of semis on the road with tractors of 20,000# hauling 80,000 # trailers and they seem to do fine

[JJTX]

Originally Posted by Lafitte

You can always have too much trailer behind a truck but you can never have too much truck in front of a trailer.

...... thats usually true but not in the case of travel trailers.

I believe my bambi 19 manual says not to use a F350+ frame to tow it. I will have to look it up.

[JJTX]

Originally Posted by asttttt

Hi,

I’m new to RV world and looking into TV and TT.
I’m researching on how a full size suv can tow with 4 people, I notice in the spec
https://www.airstream.com/wp-content...d-Brochure.pdf
2024 23FB hitch weight is only 500lb, it’s way below the other bigger model and even less than Bambi 19-22ft.
Is this number real? Is it based on curb weight (5000lb) or GVWR (6000)? I think hitch weight (tongue weight) should be usually 10%~15%

It'll be closer to 600 range, probably a little more. Correct.