01 What makes it unique
The Cardinal 36FL has 2,952 lbs of cargo capacity between 11,283 lbs dry and its 14,235 lbs GVWR, 21% of that rating; filling its 60-gallon fresh tank at 8.3 lb a gallon uses 498 lbs of it (how to read trailer weights).
Pin weight is 2,235 lbs, 20% of the dry weight as published; it rises as the trailer is loaded and comes off the truck’s payload, not its towing rating, so check it against the payload on your own door sticker (pin weight and payload).
Off hookups: 114 gallons of grey and black capacity against 60 gallons of fresh water, so fresh water runs out first (tank sizes by length).
Against the rest of the Cardinal roster this is the 4th of 9 floorplans by dry weight, in a line that runs from 9,688 lbs to 12,033 lbs. It sits in the middle of the line by weight.
Plan the tow on loaded weight, not the 11,283 lbs dry figure: half the published cargo capacity brings this plan to about 12,759 lbs, and the published GVWR of 14,235 lbs is the limit (how to read trailer weights).
Forest River’s line listing and this floorplan’s own factory page agree on all 4 shared figures. Dry weight plus cargo capacity equals the published GVWR exactly. A missing row means Forest River does not publish that figure (how figures are verified).
Forest River publishes no floorplan description for this plan in the channel this page is built from - only the numeric specification block. Rather than describe a layout from the floorplan code, which would be a guess dressed as a fact, this page carries what the factory publishes and says where it stops. 36FL is a Cardinal designation and this site does not decode it into a layout claim.
How the 36FL differs from the other eight Cardinal floorplans. Most distinctive first. How these ranks are worked out.
- Pin weight as a share of dry weight, 19.8%: largest of nine; next is the 35CRIB (19.3%).
- Cargo capacity, 2,952 lb: third-largest of nine, between the 38DEN (2,597 lb) and the 37GALLEY (2,957 lb).
- Cargo capacity as a share of GVWR, 20.7%: third-largest of nine, between the 32CHILL (20.5%) and the 37GALLEY (21%).
- Dry weight, 11,283 lb: fourth-lightest of nine, between the 37GALLEY (11,123 lb) and the 38DEN (11,638 lb).
- GVWR, 14,235 lb: shared with the 38DEN; of nine, six lower and one higher, nearest the 36FUN (14,095 lb) and the 35CRIB (14,305 lb).
- Pin weight, 2,235 lb: shared with the 38DEN; of nine, six lighter and one heavier, nearest the 36FUN (2,095 lb) and the 35CRIB (2,305 lb).
- Length, 44 ft 5 in: shared with the 38DEN; of nine, five shorter and two longer, nearest the 36FUN and 37GALLEY (42 ft 9 in) and the 41DUB (45 ft 2 in).
- Exterior height, 13 ft 4 in: shared with the 38DEN, 41DUB and 42MASTERS; of nine, two lower and three taller, nearest the 32CHILL and 33CHEF (13 ft 3 in) and the 36FUN and 37GALLEY (13 ft 5 in).
Next to the 37GALLEY, the nearest lighter floorplan by dry weight, the 36FL is 160 lb heavier by dry weight, has a GVWR 155 lb higher, has 5 lb less cargo capacity, has a pin weight 155 lb heavier, is 1 ft 8 in longer, stands 1 in lower and has a black tank 38 gal smaller; the two publish the same fresh tank and grey tank.
Next to the 38DEN, the nearest heavier floorplan by dry weight, the 36FL is 355 lb lighter by dry weight, has 355 lb more cargo capacity and has a grey tank 38 gal larger; the two publish the same GVWR, pin weight, length, exterior height, fresh tank and black tank.
02 Full specifications
Dimensions
- Exterior length
- 44' 5"
- Exterior height
- 13' 4"
- Exterior width
- 96"
Weights
- Dry / unit base weight (UVW)
- 11,283 lbs
- GVWR (max loaded)
- 14,235 lbs
- Net cargo / payload (CCC)
- 2,952 lbs
- Hitch / pin weight
- 2,235 lbs
Capacities
- Fresh water
- 60 gal
- Grey water
- 76 gal
- Black water
- 38 gal
Running gear
- Hitch type
- Fifth wheel (pin box)
- Axles
- Not published by Forest River
- Tires
- Not published by Forest River
Sleeping & layout
- Sleeps
- Not published by Forest River
- Awnings
- 15'3"
How these published figures sit against the rest of the catalogue: fifth wheel pin weight and payload; fresh, grey and black tank sizes; camper trailer size chart.
Drawn to scale
Weight budget
Size, with end view
Holding tanks
Axles, wheels and nose shape are schematic; not a floorplan. Data: dataset.
Towing it
Check your vehicle. Enter the ratings from your owner’s manual and the door-pillar placard.
Compares your figures with this page’s published GVWR (14,235 lb) and the upper loaded pin estimate (3,559 lb, a rule of thumb). Your vehicle’s placard and the trailer’s own weight label govern.
Loaded range: 15–25% of GVWR on the pin, a rule of thumb, not a measurement of this unit. No truck ratings or hitch classes (why; NHTSA, DOT HS 809 433). The range starts at the published figure, because loaded is never lighter than that.
03 The Cardinal floorplan family
Cardinal is Forest River's extended-stay fifth wheel, aimed at people who live in the trailer for long stretches rather than long weekends, and for 2027 Forest River publishes the same nine floorplans, with the same figures, under a second badge: Wildcat. Every one of the nine ties out exactly - dry weight plus cargo capacity equals the published GVWR on all nine, under both badges. Pin weights run 1,765 to 2,305 lb.
| Floorplan | Nominal | Dry weight (lb) | GVWR (lb) | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 32CHILL | 35' 3" | 9,688 | 12,188 | Fifth Wheels |
| 33CHEF | 38' 3" | 10,558 | 13,885 | Fifth Wheels |
| 37GALLEY | 42' 9" | 11,123 | 14,080 | Fifth Wheels |
| 36FL | 44' 5" | 11,283 | 14,235 | Fifth Wheels |
| 38DEN | 44' 5" | 11,638 | 14,235 | Fifth Wheels |
| 41DUB | 45' 2" | 11,768 | 14,050 | Fifth Wheels |
| 35CRIB | 42' 8" | 11,953 | 14,305 | Fifth Wheels |
| 42MASTERS | 45' 4" | 12,008 | 13,955 | Fifth Wheels |
| 36FUN | 42' 9" | 12,033 | 14,095 | Fifth Wheels |
Forest River publishes this roster twice for 2027, as Cardinal and as Wildcat, on two separate factory line pages with their own per-plan detail pages. Both list the same nine floorplan codes, and compared field by field across all nine the two agree on every published figure: dry weight, GVWR, cargo capacity, hitch weight, length, height, all three tanks and awning size. The one gap is the 42MASTERS: its Cardinal page prints an exterior width of 96 inches and its Wildcat page prints none. GVWR is published for all nine under both badges, and dry weight plus cargo capacity equals it exactly on every plan. This site catalogues the roster once, as one set of pages carrying both names, rather than two identical page sets; the Cardinal badge is used for the page addresses because its pages publish that one extra field. Sleeping capacity, axle count, tire size and MSRP are not published in this channel and are absent rather than estimated.
04 Notes on this floorplan
What Forest River does not publish for this line
Sleeping capacity, axle count, tire size and MSRP are not in Forest River’s specification channel for Cardinal, so this page does not publish them and does not estimate them (how figures are verified).
Weigh it before you tow it
Forest River calls its unloaded weight an estimated average for a standard build, and options and dealer add-ons change it, so weigh your own trailer loaded the way you travel (how figures are verified).
05 How it compares
11,123 lbs dry against this plan's 11,283 lbs, a difference of 160 lbs.
11,638 lbs dry, 355 lbs more than this plan, and 2,597 lbs of cargo capacity against this one's 2,952 lbs.
3,327 lbs of cargo capacity, the highest of the 9 Cardinal floorplans profiled here. If payload rather than length is the binding constraint, that is the plan to compare against.
06 Loading it for a trip
A full 60-gallon fresh tank is about 498 lb of water (water counts as cargo: 49 CFR 571.120 S10.4.2), 17% of the 36FL’s 2,952 lb cargo capacity, leaving 2,454 lb. Across 9 Cardinal floorplans the water share runs 15% to 26%, and 6 give up more than this one. Nearest on that share: Cardinal 37GALLEY at 17% and Cardinal 38DEN at 19%. Your own unit’s figure is on the label inside its entry door (49 CFR 571.120 S10.4.3).
07 Where this floorplan sits
Closest sibling: the Cardinal 41DUB, nearest on the published figures. It differs on 5 of the 8 fields both publish (this plan first): length 44 ft 5 in vs 45 ft 2 in; dry weight 11,283 lb vs 11,768 lb; GVWR 14,235 lb vs 14,050 lb; cargo capacity 2,952 lb vs 2,282 lb; hitch weight 2,235 lb vs 2,050 lb. They match on fresh tank, grey tank and black tank.
| Cardinal plans | This plan | Position, low to high | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| GVWR (lb) | 14,235 | 7–8 of 9 | 12,188–14,305 |
| Dry weight (lb) | 11,283 | 4 of 9 | 9,688–12,033 |
| Cargo capacity (lb) | 2,952 | 7 of 9 | 1,947–3,327 |
| Hitch weight (lb) | 2,235 | 7–8 of 9 | 1,765–2,305 |
| Length | 44 ft 5 in | 6–7 of 9 | 35 ft 3 in–45 ft 4 in |
| Grey tank (gal) | 76 | 3–9 of 9 | 38–76 |
| Black tank (gal) | 38 | 1–5 of 9 | 38–76 |
Either side of it by GVWR: Cardinal 36FUN is 140 lb lighter (14,095 lb GVWR); Cardinal 38DEN matches it at 14,235 lb GVWR.
| Nearest Cardinal siblings | Length | Sleeps | Dry (lb) | GVWR (lb) | CCC (lb) | Hitch (lb) | Fresh (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinal 36FL | 44 ft 5 in | — | 11,283 | 14,235 | 2,952 | 2,235 | 60 |
| Cardinal 41DUB | 45 ft 2 in | — | 11,768 | 14,050 | 2,282 | 2,050 | 60 |
| Cardinal 33CHEF | 38 ft 3 in | — | 10,558 | 13,885 | 3,327 | 1,885 | 60 |
| Cardinal 37GALLEY | 42 ft 9 in | — | 11,123 | 14,080 | 2,957 | 2,080 | 60 |
| Cardinal 38DEN | 44 ft 5 in | — | 11,638 | 14,235 | 2,597 | 2,235 | 60 |
| Cardinal 35CRIB | 42 ft 8 in | — | 11,953 | 14,305 | 2,352 | 2,305 | 60 |
All 9 Cardinal floorplans: Cardinal line hub.
| Other lines, nearest by GVWR | GVWR (lb) | Dry (lb) | Sleeps | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36FL | 14,235 | 11,283 | — | 44 ft 5 in |
| Wolf Pack 275PACK15 | 14,260 | 9,313 | — | 32 ft 0 in |
| Cherokee Arctic Wolf 3950SUITE | 14,200 | 11,998 | — | 43 ft 9 in |
| Blackthorn 2990MK | 14,180 | 10,864 | — | 35 ft 0 in |
| Columbus 360FK | 14,175 | 11,489 | — | 36 ft 3 in |
| Eagle 370FBTS | 14,300 | 12,195 | 4 | 40 ft 8 in |
| Wildcat 35CRIB | 14,305 | 11,953 | — | 42 ft 8 in |
Against the 36FL: the Wolf Pack 275PACK15 is 25 lb heavier and 12 ft shorter; the Cherokee Arctic Wolf 3950SUITE is 35 lb lighter; the Blackthorn 2990MK is 55 lb lighter and 9 ft shorter.
08 Common questions about the 36FL
How much does the 36FL weigh?
11,283 lb dry; 14,235 lb GVWR, the most it may weigh loaded.
How much can the 36FL carry?
2,952 lb, 21% of its GVWR (median across 238 fifth wheels here: 18%). A full fresh tank uses 498 lb of it.
What is the pin weight of the 36FL?
2,235 lb as published, 20% of the dry weight (median across 406 fifth wheels here: 19%).
What size tow vehicle does the 36FL need?
A tow rating of at least 14,235 lb, plus payload for the loaded pin weight, passengers and cargo.
What are the tank capacities on the 36FL?
Fresh 60, grey 76, black 38 gallons. Off hookups, fresh water runs out first.
How long is the 36FL?
44' 5" overall, tongue or pin box included.
From the figures above.
09 What this page publishes, and what it does not
11 of the 18 fields this catalogue tracks are published for the 36FL. Not published: interior height, sleeps, slide count, axle count, tire specification, refrigerator, air conditioning.
Sourcing rules: methodology.
10 Manuals & documents
Sources: forestriverinc.com (linked below); the full source note is at the foot of the page.
11 NHTSA safety record
NHTSA holds 21 recall campaigns and 50 owner complaints (model years 2005 on) against the Cardinal line (a recall and a complaint are not the same thing).
What to look at on a used one. Across the 50 complaints filed on this line the most-reported components are tires (30%), structure (20%) and unknown or other (12%).
Recall coverage here is not complete, and complaints are owners’ unverified reports (how this record is built). Check a specific VIN at NHTSA before you buy. Full tables are on the Cardinal line page.