New Jayco 31 BHS

[David C]

Finally did it again! Will pick up in about two weeks, after the parking pad gets finished. Getting Equalizer hitch and Prodigy controller. Time to start getting back to some PSD rallys. Sold last TT in 1990. Have enjoyed all the comments in this forum which helped the decision process.

[V10 man]

We got our Jayco Jayflight 28FKS a few weeks ago. So far so good.

[superchargedpsd]

Just bought a 31BHDS and have a 99 F250 and 7.3 six speed, will I be overloading this truck leagally and only Load range D tires?

[David C]

Like me, you will probably be running right at the maximum allowed. I have weighed my truck fully loaded for a month's trip at 8520 pounds, with 3600 pounds on rear axle. With a trailer, some of this gear would not be taken along, and some of the weight would be distributed in the trailer. I was 800 pounds under rear axle GAWR then, so when I use the trailer I will have about 1000 pounds available for hitch weight. This is about what the trailer hitch weight will be. I will be using Equal-I-Zer 1200 pound bars to allow for some flexibility (did not want to run the 1000 pound bars pulled to maximum all the time). The rear axle loading is the only element of concern for my rig.

[mierwins]

I'm looking at getting an 08 Jayco 31BHS. Do you mind sharing what you paid and what options you had? A dealer has quoted me nineteen five for a new 08 and it seems like a good deal.

I have a 2004 F350 SD Crew Cab, FX4 w/ the 6.0PSD. I have not towed a large TT such as this in the past so all this talk of anti-sway and weight distributing hitches is a bit foreign to me. Now it sounds like I might need higher rated tires? I am ready for new tires anyhow so what do you guys recommend and what should I start looking into for the hitches?

Thanks,
Mike

Originally Posted by David C

Finally did it again! Will pick up in about two weeks, after the parking pad gets finished. Getting Equalizer hitch and Prodigy controller. Time to start getting back to some PSD rallys. Sold last TT in 1990. Have enjoyed all the comments in this forum which helped the decision process.

[Hensley Ron]

My dad just bought a Jayco 29'. They're getting quite popular. A lot of our customers have them. I'm looking forward to our first RV show this year in Hershey, PA (September). There should be some cool new products--lighter weight, better use of space, etc. The whole RV industry is trending back to the smaller stuff (though 31' is still a good sized trailer).

You'll love it. See you at the campground.

[SmokeyWren]

Originally Posted by superchargedpsd

Just bought a 31BHDS and have a 99 F250 and 7.3 six speed, will I be overloading this truck leagally

Jayco Jay Flite G2 model 31BHDS has a GVWR of 9,200 pounds, so the wet and loaded hitch weight at the ideal 12 percent would be about 1,100 pounds. Jayco 2008

'99-F-250 has a GVWR of 8,800 pounds. Subtract 1,100 pounds max hitch weight and that means your wet and loaded tow vehicle can weigh not more than 7,700 pounds without being over the GVWR of the tow vehicle.

So you need to load the truck for a long trip, load up Mama and the kiddos, go to a truckstop with a CAT scale, fill up with diesel, and weigh the wet and loaded tow vehicle. If it weighs more than 7,700 pounds, then throw out something.

Naw, your F-250 is identical to an F-350 SRW with identical options, so don't worry about it if you are a few hunded pounds over your GVWR. But you need the weights so you know where you stand. I wouldn't want to load mine to more than the 9,700 GVWR of some '99 F-350 SRWs, but I've towed thousands of miles grossing 9,620 on the 4 truck tires.

...and only Load range D tires?

The "load range" is meaningless. Go by the weight capacity of your tires.

For example, if you're talking about your truck tires, if you have LT285/75R16D tires, the weight capacity is 3,305 pounds @ 65 PSI. That's more than the standard stock tires, LT235/85R16E, which have a weight capacity of 3,042 @ 80 PSI.

For trailer tires, ST225/75R15D have a weight capacity of 2,540 pounds @ 65 PSI. That's up to 10,160 pounds on the trailer axles, provided you keep the trailer tires pumped up to 65 PSI. 10,000 pounds on the trailer axles, plus another 1,000 pounds of hitch weight, means you could overload your 9,200 pound trailer to over 11,000 pounds before you'd need to worry about trailer tire capacity.

[JW350]

Load range D usually implies an 8-ply tire vs. load range E being a 10-ply tire. The 10-ply tires can generally take more abuse and flex less, which helps reduce heat and helps control trailer sway.

[David C]

Mike, I was a little surprised to see my name, but then realized this thread was started two years back.

Okay, I paid about 17,500 for the Jayco (not the list price) and the hitch and brake controller was a few hundred more, installed. Price probably has gone up, but the current price of fuel may help keep dealer from going up too far. Dealer did excellent setup and it tows like a dream. Has not gotten the amount of use anticipated for misc family reasons/complications but has been enjoyed when we can.

Unit has a rear ladder to the roof, a large side canopy as options (included in price), and those large rear cargo side doors in aft bunkroom. Has a single AC unit. We really haven't added anything but an old TV. The dvd player/4-speaker stereo unit I believe was standard, not an option, and it plugs into the TV, wiring harness included. As equipped from factory, we saw no need for adding stuff from the dealer. I did install a couple of paper towel holders, and we carry most food and linens in plastic tubs with lids that fit under front bed and beneath dinette seats (frustrates field mice).
I am running BF Goodrich 285 AT E rated tires.

You are free to email me if you have specific questions or want to discuss anything about this choice.

[dmd]

Originally Posted by mierwins

I have a 2004 F350 SD Crew Cab, FX4 w/ the 6.0PSD. I have not towed a large TT such as this in the past so all this talk of anti-sway and weight distributing hitches is a bit foreign to me. Now it sounds like I might need higher rated tires? I am ready for new tires anyhow so what do you guys recommend and what should I start looking into for the hitches?

Thanks,
Mike

Get a Hensley Arrow and you will not have to learn about anything. I have
a Reese weight distributing anti-sway hitch in a box in the garage. Took
it off for the Hensley. Will put it back on when I sell the TT.