01 What makes it unique
Coachmen lists the 2025 Chaparral Lite 235RK at 6,950 lb dry, a GVWR of 8,900 lb, a net carrying capacity of 1,890 lb and a pin weight of 1,194 lb. Coachmen’s own figures do not add up — a conflict, stated not resolved: 6,950 lb dry plus 1,890 lb carrying capacity is 8,840 lb, against a printed GVWR of 8,900 lb. All three are shown as Coachmen prints them and none is corrected; the federal label on the trailer is the one to trust.
It is 27' 3" long and 12' high. Coachmen prints its tanks as 40 gal fresh, 66 gal grey, 33 gal black.
Among the 19 Chaparral floorplans Coachmen’s 2025 fifth-wheel brochure lists with a published dry weight, it is number 1 from the lightest, in a range from 6,950 lb (Chaparral Lite 235RK) to 13,080 lb (Chaparral 393MBX). Every figure in that comparison is Coachmen’s, for the same model year.
Every number on this page was read on 5 Nov 2026 from Coachmen’s 2025 fifth-wheel brochure, the maker’s own dated document for model year 2025.
How the 235RK differs from the other eighteen Chaparral floorplans. Most distinctive first. How these ranks are worked out.
- Dry weight, 6,950 lb: lightest of nineteen; next is the 25RE (7,273 lb).
- GVWR, 8,900 lb: lowest of nineteen; next are the 254RLS and 25RE (9,800 lb).
- Length, 27 ft 3 in: shortest of nineteen; next is the 25RE (29 ft 10 in).
- Cargo capacity, 1,890 lb: second-smallest of nineteen, between the 389DEK (1,779 lb) and the 30BHS (1,965 lb).
- Pin weight, 1,194 lb: second-lightest of nineteen, between the 25RE (1,115 lb) and the 254RLS (1,388 lb).
- Pin weight as a share of dry weight, 17.2%: eighth-smallest of nineteen, between the 373MBRB (17%) and the 375BAF (17.3%).
- Exterior height, 12 ft: lowest of nineteen, level with the 254RLS, 25RE and four others; next is the 368TBH (12 ft 2 in).
- Grey tank, 66 gal: shared with the 274BH, 284RL and two others; of nineteen, two smaller and twelve larger, nearest the 254RLS and 25RE (33 gal) and the 334FL and 393MBX (85 gal).
- Black tank, 33 gal: smallest of nineteen, level with the 254RLS, 25RE and four others; next are the 298RLS, 334FL and four others (45 gal).
- Fresh tank, 40 gal: smallest of nineteen, level with the 254RLS, 25RE and five others; next are the 298RLS, 334FL and nine others (48 gal).
Next to the 25RE, the nearest heavier floorplan by dry weight, the 235RK is 323 lb lighter by dry weight, has a GVWR 900 lb lower, has 637 lb less cargo capacity, has a pin weight 79 lb heavier, is 2 ft 7 in shorter and has a grey tank 33 gal larger; the two publish the same exterior height, fresh tank and black tank.
02 Full specifications
Dimensions
- Exterior length
- 27' 3"
- Exterior height
- 12'
- Exterior width
- Not published by Coachmen
- Interior height
- Printed in the brochure, not transcribed here
Weights
- Dry / unit base weight (UVW)
- 6,950 lb
- GVWR (max loaded)
- 8,900 lb
- Net cargo / payload (CCC)
- 1,890 lb
- Hitch / pin weight
- 1,194 lb
Capacities
- Fresh water
- 40 gal
- Grey water
- 66 gal
- Black water
- 33 gal
Running gear
- Hitch type
- Fifth wheel (pin box)
- Tire size
- 15" E
Sleeping & layout
- Sleeps
- Not published by Coachmen
- Awning
- 18'
- Wheel size
- 15"
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 (no width published)
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 (8,900 lb) and the upper loaded pin estimate (2,225 lb, a rule of thumb). Your vehicle’s placard and the trailer’s own weight label govern. This floorplan’s published dry weight plus cargo capacity comes to 8,840 lb, which is not its published GVWR; the check uses the published GVWR.
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).
03 The Chaparral floorplan family
Coachmen’s 2025 fifth-wheel brochure lists 19 Chaparral floorplans; every one with a printed weight has a page here.
| Floorplan | Nominal | Sleeps | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chaparral Lite 235RK | 27' 3\" | — | Profiled |
| Chaparral Lite 25RE | 29' 10\" | — | Profiled |
| Chaparral Lite 254RLS | 30' 9\" | — | Profiled |
| Chaparral Lite 274BH | 35' 11\" | — | Profiled |
| Chaparral Lite 284RL | 34' 2\" | — | Profiled |
| Chaparral Lite 30RLS | 34' 2\" | — | Profiled |
| Chaparral Lite 30BHS | 37' | — | Profiled |
| Chaparral 298RLS | 34' 8\" | — | Profiled |
| Chaparral Lite 368TBH | 42' | — | Profiled |
| Chaparral 336TSIK | 37' | — | Profiled |
| Chaparral 360IBL | 39' 9\" | — | Profiled |
| Chaparral 355FBX | 42' 7\" | — | Profiled |
| Chaparral 381DBL | 42' 6\" | — | Profiled |
| Chaparral 367BH | 42' 6\" | — | Profiled |
| Chaparral 334FL | 42' 6\" | — | Profiled |
| Chaparral 375BAF | 42' 6\" | — | Profiled |
| Chaparral 389DEK | 42' 4\" | — | Profiled |
| Chaparral 373MBRB | 42' 6\" | — | Profiled |
| Chaparral 393MBX | 42' 6\" | — | Profiled |
Coachmen’s 2025 fifth-wheel brochure lists 19 Chaparral floorplans. Every one with a printed weight has a page here.
04 Notes on this floorplan
What Coachmen does not publish for the Chaparral Lite 235RK
Coachmen prints no sleeping capacity for this model, so none is given. Nothing is filled from a sibling model, a different model year or a dealer listing.
Read the label on the trailer
Federal rules put a load-carrying label inside every RV trailer: its unloaded weight with full propane, its cargo carrying capacity and its GVWR (49 CFR 571.110 and 571.120). Those figures come from the trailer itself and govern the towing decision.
05 How it compares
7,273 lb dry and 9,800 lb GVWR, against this model’s 6,950 lb and 8,900 lb.
06 Loading it for a trip
A full 40-gallon fresh tank is about 332 lb of water (water counts as cargo: 49 CFR 571.110 S9.3.2), 18% of the Chaparral Lite 235RK’s 1,890 lb cargo capacity, leaving 1,558 lb. Across 19 Chaparral floorplans the water share runs 13% to 22%, and 3 give up more than this one. Nearest on that share: Chaparral 381DBL at 17% and Chaparral 375BAF at 19%. Your own unit’s figure is on the label inside its entry door (49 CFR 571.110 S9.3.3).
07 Where this floorplan sits
Closest sibling: the Chaparral Lite 30RLS, nearest on the published figures. It differs on 5 of the 8 fields both publish (this plan first): length 27 ft 3 in vs 34 ft 2 in; dry weight 6,950 lb vs 8,981 lb; GVWR 8,900 lb vs 11,000 lb; cargo capacity 1,890 lb vs 2,019 lb; hitch weight 1,194 lb vs 1,445 lb. They match on fresh tank, grey tank and black tank.
| Chaparral plans | This plan | Position, low to high | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| GVWR (lb) | 8,900 | 1 of 19 | 8,900–15,500 |
| Dry weight (lb) | 6,950 | 1 of 19 | 6,950–13,080 |
| Cargo capacity (lb) | 1,890 | 2 of 19 | 1,779–3,172 |
| Hitch weight (lb) | 1,194 | 2 of 19 | 1,115–2,708 |
| Length | 27 ft 3 in | 1 of 19 | 27 ft 3 in–42 ft 7 in |
| Fresh tank (gal) | 40 | 1–8 of 19 | 40–48 |
| Grey tank (gal) | 66 | 3–7 of 19 | 33–135 |
| Black tank (gal) | 33 | 1–7 of 19 | 33–90 |
Either side of it by GVWR: Chaparral Lite 254RLS is 900 lb heavier (9,800 lb GVWR).
| Nearest Chaparral siblings | Length | Sleeps | Dry (lb) | GVWR (lb) | CCC (lb) | Hitch (lb) | Fresh (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chaparral Lite 235RK | 27 ft 3 in | — | 6,950 | 8,900 | 1,890 | 1,194 | 40 |
| Chaparral Lite 30RLS | 34 ft 2 in | — | 8,981 | 11,000 | 2,019 | 1,445 | 40 |
| Chaparral Lite 274BH | 35 ft 11 in | — | 8,692 | 11,000 | 2,308 | 1,420 | 40 |
| Chaparral Lite 30BHS | 37 ft 0 in | — | 9,535 | 11,500 | 1,965 | 1,553 | 40 |
| Chaparral Lite 25RE | 29 ft 10 in | — | 7,273 | 9,800 | 2,527 | 1,115 | 40 |
| Chaparral Lite 284RL | 34 ft 2 in | — | 8,908 | 11,500 | 2,592 | 1,434 | 40 |
All 19 Chaparral floorplans: Chaparral line hub.
| Other lines, nearest by GVWR | GVWR (lb) | Dry (lb) | Sleeps | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chaparral Lite 235RK | 8,900 | 6,950 | — | 27 ft 3 in |
| Shasta Phoenix 218SE | 8,500 | 7,365 | — | 29 ft 1 in |
| Eagle 24MLE | 9,500 | 7,855 | 4 | 29 ft 3 in |
| Roamer Light Duty 24MLDS | 9,500 | 7,975 | 6 | 29 ft 3 in |
| GSL Light Duty Fifth Wheel 274BHS | 9,500 | 7,700 | 8 | 30 ft 7 in |
| Sundance Fifth Wheel 24ML | 9,500 | 8,030 | 4 | 29 ft 3 in |
| Blackthorn 229RK | 9,945 | 7,324 | — | 28 ft 1 in |
Against the Chaparral Lite 235RK: the Shasta Phoenix 218SE is 400 lb lighter and 2 ft longer; the Eagle 24MLE is 600 lb heavier and 2 ft longer; the Roamer Light Duty 24MLDS is 600 lb heavier and 2 ft longer.
08 Common questions about the Chaparral Lite 235RK
How much does the Chaparral Lite 235RK weigh?
6,950 lb dry; 8,900 lb GVWR, the most it may weigh loaded.
How much can the Chaparral Lite 235RK carry?
1,890 lb, 21% of its GVWR (median across 334 fifth wheels here: 18%). A full fresh tank uses 332 lb of it.
What is the pin weight of the Chaparral Lite 235RK?
1,194 lb as published, 17% of the dry weight (median across 540 fifth wheels here: 19%).
What size tow vehicle does the Chaparral Lite 235RK need?
A tow rating of at least 8,900 lb, plus payload for the loaded pin weight, passengers and cargo.
What are the tank capacities on the Chaparral Lite 235RK?
Fresh 40, grey 66, black 33 gallons. Off hookups, fresh water runs out first.
How long is the Chaparral Lite 235RK?
27' 3" overall, tongue or pin box included.
From the figures above.
09 What this page publishes, and what it does not
10 of the 18 fields this catalogue tracks are published for the Chaparral Lite 235RK. Not published: exterior width, interior height, sleeps, slide count, axle count, refrigerator, air conditioning, tire size (a description is published, a size is not).
Sourcing rules: methodology.
10 Manuals & documents
Sources: forestriverinc.com, library.rvusa.com (linked below); the full source note is at the foot of the page.