01 What makes it unique
Coachmen lists the 2025 Chaparral 389DEK at 12,721 lb dry, a GVWR of 14,500 lb, a net carrying capacity of 1,779 lb and a pin weight of 2,320 lb. Its dry weight plus its carrying capacity comes to exactly its GVWR.
It is 42' 4" long and 13' high. Coachmen prints its tanks as 48 gal fresh, 135 gal grey, 45 gal black.
Among the 19 Chaparral floorplans Coachmen’s 2025 fifth-wheel brochure lists with a published dry weight, it is number 17 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 389DEK differs from the other eighteen Chaparral floorplans. Most distinctive first. How these ranks are worked out.
- Cargo capacity, 1,779 lb: smallest of nineteen; next is the 235RK (1,890 lb).
- Cargo capacity as a share of GVWR, 12.3%: smallest of eighteen; next is the 373MBRB (13.1%).
- Dry weight, 12,721 lb: third-heaviest of nineteen, between the 375BAF (12,422 lb) and the 373MBRB (13,031 lb).
- Pin weight, 2,320 lb: third-heaviest of nineteen, between the 373MBRB (2,219 lb) and the 393MBX (2,498 lb).
- Grey tank, 135 gal: largest of nineteen, level with the 355FBX; next is the 373MBRB (120 gal).
- Pin weight as a share of dry weight, 18.2%: seventh-largest of nineteen, between the 336TSIK (17.9%) and the 360IBL (18.3%).
- Length, 42 ft 4 in: eighth-longest of nineteen, between the 368TBH (42 ft) and the 334FL, 367BH and four others (42 ft 6 in).
- GVWR, 14,500 lb: shared with the 355FBX, 375BAF and 381DBL; of nineteen, eleven lower and four higher, nearest the 360IBL (14,000 lb) and the 334FL and 373MBRB (15,000 lb).
- Exterior height, 13 ft: tallest of nineteen, level with the 334FL, 355FBX and five others; next are the 298RLS, 336TSIK and 360IBL (12 ft 10 in).
- Black tank, 45 gal: shared with the 298RLS, 334FL and three others; of nineteen, seven smaller and six larger, nearest the 235RK, 254RLS and five others (33 gal) and the 368TBH (66 gal).
Next to the 375BAF, the nearest lighter floorplan by dry weight, the 389DEK is 299 lb heavier by dry weight, has 299 lb less cargo capacity, has a pin weight 168 lb heavier, is 2 in shorter, has a grey tank 23 gal larger and has a black tank 27 gal smaller; the two publish the same GVWR, exterior height and fresh tank.
Next to the 373MBRB, the nearest heavier floorplan by dry weight, the 389DEK is 310 lb lighter by dry weight, has a GVWR 500 lb lower, has 190 lb less cargo capacity, has a pin weight 101 lb heavier, is 2 in shorter, has a grey tank 15 gal larger and has a black tank 30 gal smaller; the two publish the same exterior height and fresh tank.
02 Full specifications
Dimensions
- Exterior length
- 42' 4"
- Exterior height
- 13'
- Exterior width
- Not published by Coachmen
- Interior height
- Printed in the brochure, not transcribed here
Weights
- Dry / unit base weight (UVW)
- 12,721 lb
- GVWR (max loaded)
- 14,500 lb
- Net cargo / payload (CCC)
- 1,779 lb
- Hitch / pin weight
- 2,320 lb
Capacities
- Fresh water
- 48 gal
- Grey water
- 135 gal
- Black water
- 45 gal
Running gear
- Hitch type
- Fifth wheel (pin box)
- Tire size
- 16" G
Sleeping & layout
- Sleeps
- Not published by Coachmen
- Awning
- 18'
- Wheel size
- 16"
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 (14,500 lb) and the upper loaded pin estimate (3,625 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 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 389DEK
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
12,422 lb dry and 14,500 lb GVWR, against this model’s 12,721 lb and 14,500 lb.
13,031 lb dry and 15,000 lb GVWR, against this model’s 12,721 lb and 14,500 lb.
06 Loading it for a trip
A full 48-gallon fresh tank is about 398 lb of water (water counts as cargo: 49 CFR 571.120 S10.4.2), 22% of the Chaparral 389DEK’s 1,779 lb cargo capacity, leaving 1,381 lb. Across 19 Chaparral floorplans the water share runs 13% to 22%, and this plan’s is the highest. Nearest on that share: Chaparral 373MBRB at 20%. 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 Chaparral 373MBRB, nearest on the published figures. It differs on 7 of the 8 fields both publish (this plan first): length 42 ft 4 in vs 42 ft 6 in; dry weight 12,721 lb vs 13,031 lb; GVWR 14,500 lb vs 15,000 lb; cargo capacity 1,779 lb vs 1,969 lb; hitch weight 2,320 lb vs 2,219 lb; grey tank 135 gal vs 120 gal; black tank 45 gal vs 75 gal. They match on fresh tank.
| Chaparral plans | This plan | Position, low to high | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| GVWR (lb) | 14,500 | 12–15 of 19 | 8,900–15,500 |
| Dry weight (lb) | 12,721 | 17 of 19 | 6,950–13,080 |
| Cargo capacity (lb) | 1,779 | 1 of 19 | 1,779–3,172 |
| Hitch weight (lb) | 2,320 | 17 of 19 | 1,115–2,708 |
| Length | 42 ft 4 in | 12 of 19 | 27 ft 3 in–42 ft 7 in |
| Fresh tank (gal) | 48 | 9–19 of 19 | 40–48 |
| Grey tank (gal) | 135 | 18–19 of 19 | 33–135 |
| Black tank (gal) | 45 | 8–13 of 19 | 33–90 |
Either side of it by GVWR: Chaparral 381DBL matches it at 14,500 lb GVWR; Chaparral 334FL is 500 lb heavier (15,000 lb GVWR).
| Nearest Chaparral siblings | Length | Sleeps | Dry (lb) | GVWR (lb) | CCC (lb) | Hitch (lb) | Fresh (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chaparral 389DEK | 42 ft 4 in | — | 12,721 | 14,500 | 1,779 | 2,320 | 48 |
| Chaparral 373MBRB | 42 ft 6 in | — | 13,031 | 15,000 | 1,969 | 2,219 | 48 |
| Chaparral 375BAF | 42 ft 6 in | — | 12,422 | 14,500 | 2,078 | 2,152 | 48 |
| Chaparral 393MBX | 42 ft 6 in | — | 13,080 | 15,500 | 2,420 | 2,498 | 48 |
| Chaparral 334FL | 42 ft 6 in | — | 12,400 | 15,000 | 2,600 | 2,708 | 48 |
| Chaparral 360IBL | 39 ft 9 in | — | 11,450 | 14,000 | 2,550 | 2,100 | 48 |
All 19 Chaparral floorplans: Chaparral line hub.
| Other lines, nearest by GVWR | GVWR (lb) | Dry (lb) | Sleeps | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Chaparral 389DEK | 14,500 | 12,721 | — | 42 ft 4 in |
| Brookstone 290RL | 14,500 | 11,472 | — | 36 ft 4 in |
| Shasta Phoenix 370BAF | 14,500 | 12,421 | — | 42 ft 6 in |
| Ridgeway 36MBL | 14,495 | 12,200 | 8 | 41 ft 0 in |
| Wolf Pack 290PACK13 | 14,470 | 11,173 | — | 39 ft 5 in |
| Cedar Creek 311RL | 14,435 | 11,244 | — | 37 ft 0 in |
| Sierra 3480RL | 14,609 | 11,509 | — | 38 ft 6 in |
Against the Chaparral 389DEK: the Brookstone 290RL is 6 ft shorter; the Ridgeway 36MBL is 5 lb lighter and 1 ft shorter.
08 Common questions about the Chaparral 389DEK
How much does the Chaparral 389DEK weigh?
12,721 lb dry; 14,500 lb GVWR, the most it may weigh loaded.
How much can the Chaparral 389DEK carry?
1,779 lb, 12% of its GVWR (median across 334 fifth wheels here: 18%). A full fresh tank uses 398 lb of it.
What is the pin weight of the Chaparral 389DEK?
2,320 lb as published, 18% of the dry weight (median across 540 fifth wheels here: 19%).
What size tow vehicle does the Chaparral 389DEK need?
A tow rating of at least 14,500 lb, plus payload for the loaded pin weight, passengers and cargo.
What are the tank capacities on the Chaparral 389DEK?
Fresh 48, grey 135, black 45 gallons. Off hookups, fresh water runs out first.
How long is the Chaparral 389DEK?
42' 4" 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 389DEK. 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.