01 What makes it unique
Coachmen lists the 2025 Chaparral Lite 254RLS at 7,512 lb dry, a GVWR of 9,800 lb, a net carrying capacity of 2,288 lb and a pin weight of 1,388 lb. Its dry weight plus its carrying capacity comes to exactly its GVWR.
It is 30' 9" long and 12' high. Coachmen prints its tanks as 40 gal fresh, 33 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 3 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 254RLS differs from the other eighteen Chaparral floorplans. Most distinctive first. How these ranks are worked out.
- Cargo capacity as a share of GVWR, 23.3%: second-largest of eighteen, between the 284RL (22.5%) and the 25RE (25.8%).
- Dry weight, 7,512 lb: third-lightest of nineteen, between the 25RE (7,273 lb) and the 274BH (8,692 lb).
- Pin weight, 1,388 lb: third-lightest of nineteen, between the 235RK (1,194 lb) and the 274BH (1,420 lb).
- Length, 30 ft 9 in: third-shortest of nineteen, between the 25RE (29 ft 10 in) and the 284RL and 30RLS (34 ft 2 in).
- Pin weight as a share of dry weight, 18.5%: fifth-largest of nineteen, between the 360IBL (18.3%) and the 393MBX (19.1%).
- Grey tank, 33 gal: smallest of nineteen, level with the 25RE; next are the 235RK, 274BH and three others (66 gal).
- GVWR, 9,800 lb: shared with the 25RE; of nineteen, one lower and sixteen higher, nearest the 235RK (8,900 lb) and the 274BH and 30RLS (11,000 lb).
- Cargo capacity, 2,288 lb: seventh-smallest of nineteen, between the 375BAF (2,078 lb) and the 274BH (2,308 lb).
- Exterior height, 12 ft: lowest of nineteen, level with the 235RK, 25RE and four others; next is the 368TBH (12 ft 2 in).
- Black tank, 33 gal: smallest of nineteen, level with the 235RK, 25RE and four others; next are the 298RLS, 334FL and four others (45 gal).
- Fresh tank, 40 gal: smallest of nineteen, level with the 235RK, 25RE and five others; next are the 298RLS, 334FL and nine others (48 gal).
Next to the 25RE, the nearest lighter floorplan by dry weight, the 254RLS is 239 lb heavier by dry weight, has 239 lb less cargo capacity, has a pin weight 273 lb heavier and is 11 in longer; the two publish the same GVWR, exterior height, fresh tank, grey tank and black tank.
Next to the 274BH, the nearest heavier floorplan by dry weight, the 254RLS is 1,180 lb lighter by dry weight, has a GVWR 1,200 lb lower, has 20 lb less cargo capacity, has a pin weight 32 lb lighter, is 5 ft 2 in shorter and has a grey tank 33 gal smaller; the two publish the same exterior height, fresh tank and black tank.
02 Full specifications
Dimensions
- Exterior length
- 30' 9"
- Exterior height
- 12'
- Exterior width
- Not published by Coachmen
- Interior height
- Printed in the brochure, not transcribed here
Weights
- Dry / unit base weight (UVW)
- 7,512 lb
- GVWR (max loaded)
- 9,800 lb
- Net cargo / payload (CCC)
- 2,288 lb
- Hitch / pin weight
- 1,388 lb
Capacities
- Fresh water
- 40 gal
- Grey water
- 33 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
- 20'
- 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 (9,800 lb) and the upper loaded pin estimate (2,450 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).
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 254RLS
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 7,512 lb and 9,800 lb.
8,692 lb dry and 11,000 lb GVWR, against this model’s 7,512 lb and 9,800 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), 15% of the Chaparral Lite 254RLS’s 2,288 lb cargo capacity, leaving 1,956 lb. Across 19 Chaparral floorplans the water share runs 13% to 22%, and 11 give up more than this one. Nearest on that share: Chaparral Lite 274BH at 14% and Chaparral 334FL at 15%. 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 25RE, nearest on the published figures. It differs on 4 of the 8 fields both publish (this plan first): length 30 ft 9 in vs 29 ft 10 in; dry weight 7,512 lb vs 7,273 lb; cargo capacity 2,288 lb vs 2,527 lb; hitch weight 1,388 lb vs 1,115 lb. They match on GVWR, fresh tank, grey tank and black tank.
| Chaparral plans | This plan | Position, low to high | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| GVWR (lb) | 9,800 | 2–3 of 19 | 8,900–15,500 |
| Dry weight (lb) | 7,512 | 3 of 19 | 6,950–13,080 |
| Cargo capacity (lb) | 2,288 | 7 of 19 | 1,779–3,172 |
| Hitch weight (lb) | 1,388 | 3 of 19 | 1,115–2,708 |
| Length | 30 ft 9 in | 3 of 19 | 27 ft 3 in–42 ft 7 in |
| Fresh tank (gal) | 40 | 1–8 of 19 | 40–48 |
| Grey tank (gal) | 33 | 1–2 of 19 | 33–135 |
| Black tank (gal) | 33 | 1–7 of 19 | 33–90 |
Either side of it by GVWR: Chaparral Lite 235RK is 900 lb lighter (8,900 lb GVWR); Chaparral Lite 25RE matches it at 9,800 lb GVWR.
| Nearest Chaparral siblings | Length | Sleeps | Dry (lb) | GVWR (lb) | CCC (lb) | Hitch (lb) | Fresh (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chaparral Lite 254RLS | 30 ft 9 in | — | 7,512 | 9,800 | 2,288 | 1,388 | 40 |
| Chaparral Lite 25RE | 29 ft 10 in | — | 7,273 | 9,800 | 2,527 | 1,115 | 40 |
| Chaparral Lite 274BH | 35 ft 11 in | — | 8,692 | 11,000 | 2,308 | 1,420 | 40 |
| Chaparral Lite 30RLS | 34 ft 2 in | — | 8,981 | 11,000 | 2,019 | 1,445 | 40 |
| Chaparral Lite 284RL | 34 ft 2 in | — | 8,908 | 11,500 | 2,592 | 1,434 | 40 |
| Chaparral Lite 235RK | 27 ft 3 in | — | 6,950 | 8,900 | 1,890 | 1,194 | 40 |
All 19 Chaparral floorplans: Chaparral line hub.
| Other lines, nearest by GVWR | GVWR (lb) | Dry (lb) | Sleeps | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chaparral Lite 254RLS | 9,800 | 7,512 | — | 30 ft 9 in |
| Eagle 25RUC | 9,800 | 8,120 | 4 | 29 ft 9 in |
| Shasta Phoenix 254RLS | 9,800 | 7,511 | — | 30 ft 9 in |
| Blackthorn 229RK | 9,945 | 7,324 | — | 28 ft 1 in |
| Arctic Wolf 27SGS | 9,995 | 7,893 | — | 29 ft 11 in |
| Roamer Light Duty 28DBSS | 9,995 | 8,525 | 10 | 34 ft 6 in |
| Sundance Fifth Wheel 28DB | 9,995 | 8,605 | 10 | 34 ft 7 in |
Against the Chaparral Lite 254RLS: the Eagle 25RUC is 1 ft shorter; the Blackthorn 229RK is 145 lb heavier and 3 ft shorter.
08 Common questions about the Chaparral Lite 254RLS
How much does the Chaparral Lite 254RLS weigh?
7,512 lb dry; 9,800 lb GVWR, the most it may weigh loaded.
How much can the Chaparral Lite 254RLS carry?
2,288 lb, 23% 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 254RLS?
1,388 lb as published, 18% of the dry weight (median across 540 fifth wheels here: 19%).
What size tow vehicle does the Chaparral Lite 254RLS need?
A tow rating of at least 9,800 lb, plus payload for the loaded pin weight, passengers and cargo.
What are the tank capacities on the Chaparral Lite 254RLS?
Fresh 40, grey 33, black 33 gallons. Off hookups, fresh water runs out first.
How long is the Chaparral Lite 254RLS?
30' 9" 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 254RLS. 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.