01 What makes it unique
The Cardinal 36FUN has 2,062 lbs of cargo capacity between 12,033 lbs dry and its 14,095 lbs GVWR, 15% 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 2,095 lbs, 17% 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: 152 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 9th of 9 floorplans by dry weight, in a line that runs from 9,688 lbs to 12,033 lbs. It is the heaviest plan in the line, so the tow vehicle should be settled before the floorplan is.
Plan the tow on loaded weight, not the 12,033 lbs dry figure: half the published cargo capacity brings this plan to about 13,064 lbs, and the published GVWR of 14,095 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. 36FUN is a Cardinal designation and this site does not decode it into a layout claim.
How the 36FUN differs from the other eight Cardinal floorplans. Most distinctive first. How these ranks are worked out.
- Dry weight, 12,033 lb: heaviest of nine; next is the 42MASTERS (12,008 lb).
- Cargo capacity, 2,062 lb: second-smallest of nine, between the 42MASTERS (1,947 lb) and the 41DUB (2,282 lb).
- Cargo capacity as a share of GVWR, 14.6%: second-smallest of nine, between the 42MASTERS (14%) and the 41DUB (16.2%).
- GVWR, 14,095 lb: fourth-highest of nine, between the 37GALLEY (14,080 lb) and the 36FL and 38DEN (14,235 lb).
- Pin weight, 2,095 lb: fourth-heaviest of nine, between the 37GALLEY (2,080 lb) and the 36FL and 38DEN (2,235 lb).
- Pin weight as a share of dry weight, 17.4%: shared with the 41DUB; of nine, one smaller and six larger, nearest the 42MASTERS (16.3%) and the 33CHEF (17.9%).
- Exterior height, 13 ft 5 in: shared with the 37GALLEY; of nine, six lower and one taller, nearest the 36FL, 38DEN and two others (13 ft 4 in) and the 35CRIB (13 ft 6 in).
- Black tank, 76 gal: largest of nine, level with the 35CRIB, 37GALLEY and 42MASTERS; next are the 32CHILL, 33CHEF and three others (38 gal).
- Length, 42 ft 9 in: shared with the 37GALLEY; of nine, three shorter and four longer, nearest the 35CRIB (42 ft 8 in) and the 36FL and 38DEN (44 ft 5 in).
Next to the 42MASTERS, the nearest lighter floorplan by dry weight, the 36FUN is 25 lb heavier by dry weight, has a GVWR 140 lb higher, has 115 lb more cargo capacity, has a pin weight 140 lb heavier, is 2 ft 7 in shorter and stands 1 in taller; the two publish the same fresh tank, grey tank and black tank.
02 Full specifications
Dimensions
- Exterior length
- 42' 9"
- Exterior height
- 13' 5"
- Exterior width
- 96"
Weights
- Dry / unit base weight (UVW)
- 12,033 lbs
- GVWR (max loaded)
- 14,095 lbs
- Net cargo / payload (CCC)
- 2,062 lbs
- Hitch / pin weight
- 2,095 lbs
Capacities
- Fresh water
- 60 gal
- Grey water
- 76 gal
- Black water
- 76 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
- 12' & 13'
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 (14,095 lb) and the upper loaded pin estimate (3,524 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 2026 model year
Forest River also published a 36FUN for 2026, under the Wildcat badge. That year’s record is on its own page: 2026 Forest River Wildcat 36FUN. The specifications above are the 2027 record; the two years are not merged.
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
12,008 lbs dry against this plan's 12,033 lbs, a difference of 25 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), 24% of the 36FUN’s 2,062 lb cargo capacity, leaving 1,564 lb. Across 9 Cardinal floorplans the water share runs 15% to 26%, and 1 gives up more than this one. Nearest on that share: Cardinal 41DUB at 22% and Cardinal 42MASTERS at 26%. 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 42MASTERS, nearest on the published figures. It differs on 5 of the 8 fields both publish (this plan first): length 42 ft 9 in vs 45 ft 4 in; dry weight 12,033 lb vs 12,008 lb; GVWR 14,095 lb vs 13,955 lb; cargo capacity 2,062 lb vs 1,947 lb; hitch weight 2,095 lb vs 1,955 lb. They match on fresh tank, grey tank and black tank.
| Cardinal plans | This plan | Position, low to high | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| GVWR (lb) | 14,095 | 6 of 9 | 12,188–14,305 |
| Dry weight (lb) | 12,033 | 9 of 9 | 9,688–12,033 |
| Cargo capacity (lb) | 2,062 | 2 of 9 | 1,947–3,327 |
| Hitch weight (lb) | 2,095 | 6 of 9 | 1,765–2,305 |
| Length | 42 ft 9 in | 4–5 of 9 | 35 ft 3 in–45 ft 4 in |
| Grey tank (gal) | 76 | 3–9 of 9 | 38–76 |
| Black tank (gal) | 76 | 6–9 of 9 | 38–76 |
Either side of it by GVWR: Cardinal 37GALLEY is 15 lb lighter (14,080 lb GVWR); Cardinal 36FL is 140 lb heavier (14,235 lb GVWR).
| Nearest Cardinal siblings | Length | Sleeps | Dry (lb) | GVWR (lb) | CCC (lb) | Hitch (lb) | Fresh (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinal 36FUN | 42 ft 9 in | — | 12,033 | 14,095 | 2,062 | 2,095 | 60 |
| Cardinal 42MASTERS | 45 ft 4 in | — | 12,008 | 13,955 | 1,947 | 1,955 | 60 |
| Cardinal 35CRIB | 42 ft 8 in | — | 11,953 | 14,305 | 2,352 | 2,305 | 60 |
| Cardinal 37GALLEY | 42 ft 9 in | — | 11,123 | 14,080 | 2,957 | 2,080 | 60 |
| Cardinal 41DUB | 45 ft 2 in | — | 11,768 | 14,050 | 2,282 | 2,050 | 60 |
| Cardinal 36FL | 44 ft 5 in | — | 11,283 | 14,235 | 2,952 | 2,235 | 60 |
All 9 Cardinal floorplans: Cardinal line hub.
| Other lines, nearest by GVWR | GVWR (lb) | Dry (lb) | Sleeps | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 36FUN | 14,095 | 12,033 | — | 42 ft 9 in |
| Wildcat 36FUN | 14,095 | 12,033 | — | 42 ft 9 in |
| Columbus 360FK | 14,175 | 11,489 | — | 36 ft 3 in |
| Blackthorn 2990MK | 14,180 | 10,864 | — | 35 ft 0 in |
| Eagle 370FB | 14,000 | 11,905 | 5 | 40 ft 3 in |
| Avenue 32RLS | 13,995 | 10,960 | — | 34 ft 11 in |
| Model Z 2670 | 13,995 | 10,691 | — | 29 ft 11 in |
Against the 36FUN: the Columbus 360FK is 80 lb heavier and 6 ft shorter; the Blackthorn 2990MK is 85 lb heavier and 8 ft shorter.
08 Common questions about the 36FUN
How much does the 36FUN weigh?
12,033 lb dry; 14,095 lb GVWR, the most it may weigh loaded.
How much can the 36FUN carry?
2,062 lb, 15% 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 36FUN?
2,095 lb as published, 17% of the dry weight (median across 406 fifth wheels here: 19%).
What size tow vehicle does the 36FUN need?
A tow rating of at least 14,095 lb, plus payload for the loaded pin weight, passengers and cargo.
What are the tank capacities on the 36FUN?
Fresh 60, grey 76, black 76 gallons. Off hookups, fresh water runs out first.
How long is the 36FUN?
42' 9" 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 36FUN. 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.