01 What makes it unique
Coachmen lists the 2023 Clipper 4K 18FQ at 3,390 lb dry, a GVWR of 4,090 lb, a net carrying capacity of 700 lb and a tongue weight of 400 lb. Its dry weight plus its carrying capacity comes to exactly its GVWR.
It is 20' 5" long and 10' high. Coachmen prints its tanks as 40 gal fresh, 32 gal grey, 32 gal black.
Among the 13 Clipper floorplans Coachmen’s 2023 Clipper brochure lists with a published dry weight, it is number 7 from the lightest, in a range from 2,450 lb (Clipper 3K 14CR) to 6,226 lb (Clipper 6K 262BHS). 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 2023 Clipper brochure, the maker’s own dated document for model year 2023.
How the 18FQ differs from the other twelve Clipper floorplans. Most distinctive first. How these ranks are worked out.
- Cargo capacity, 700 lb: fourth-smallest of thirteen, between the 162RBU (630 lb) and the 18BH (705 lb).
- Tongue weight as a share of dry weight, 11.8%: fourth-largest of thirteen, between the 18BH (11.7%) and the 16CFB (12.9%).
- GVWR, 4,090 lb: sixth-highest of thirteen, between the 17MBS (4,043 lb) and the 18BH (4,125 lb).
- Dry weight, 3,390 lb: seventh-lightest of thirteen, between the 162RBU (3,250 lb) and the 18BH (3,420 lb).
- Cargo capacity as a share of GVWR, 17.1%: shared with the 18BH; of twelve, four smaller and six larger, nearest the 162RBU and 18BHS (16.2%) and the 17CFQ (24.4%).
- Tongue weight, 400 lb: shared with the 17MBS and 18BH; of thirteen, six lighter and four heavier, nearest the 162RBU (360 lb) and the 182DBU and 18BHS (425 lb).
- Length, 20 ft 5 in: shared with the 17CBH, 17CFQ and two others; of thirteen, four shorter and four longer, nearest the 162RBU (19 ft 9 in) and the 18BHS (21 ft 6 in).
Next to the 162RBU, the nearest lighter floorplan by dry weight, the 18FQ is 140 lb heavier by dry weight, has a GVWR 210 lb higher, has 70 lb more cargo capacity, has a tongue weight 40 lb heavier and is 8 in longer; the two publish the same exterior height, interior height, fresh tank, grey tank and black tank.
Next to the 18BH, the nearest heavier floorplan by dry weight, the 18FQ is 30 lb lighter by dry weight, has a GVWR 35 lb lower and has 5 lb less cargo capacity; the two publish the same tongue weight, length, exterior height, interior height, fresh tank, grey tank and black tank.
02 Full specifications
Dimensions
- Exterior length
- 20' 5"
- Exterior height
- 10'
- Exterior width
- 8'
- Interior height
- 6' 6"
Weights
- Dry / unit base weight (UVW)
- 3,390 lb
- GVWR (max loaded)
- 4,090 lb
- Net cargo / payload (CCC)
- 700 lb
- Hitch / tongue weight
- 400 lb
Capacities
- Fresh water
- 40 gal
- Grey water
- 32 gal
- Black water
- 32 gal
Running gear
- Hitch type
- Bumper pull
- Tire size
- Not published by Coachmen
Sleeping & layout
- Sleeps
- Not published by Coachmen
- Spec table heading
- Coachmen heads this table "May include estimated values"
- Weight class (as printed)
- 4K SERIES
- LP capacity (as printed)
- 4.5
- Awning
- 12'
How these published figures sit against the rest of the catalogue: travel trailer tongue weight by size; 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 (4,090 lb) and the upper loaded tongue estimate (614 lb, a rule of thumb). Your vehicle’s placard and the trailer’s own weight label govern.
Loaded range: 10–15% of GVWR on the tongue, a rule of thumb, not a measurement of this unit. No truck ratings or hitch classes (why; NHTSA, DOT HS 809 433).
03 The Clipper floorplan family
Coachmen’s 2023 Clipper brochure lists 15 Clipper floorplans; every one with a printed weight has a page here.
| Floorplan | Nominal | Sleeps | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Clipper 3K 14CR | 16' 6" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 3K 15CBH | 17' 10" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 3K 16CFB | 18' 6" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 3K 17CBH | 20' 5" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 3K 17CFQ | 20' 5" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 4K 162RBU | 19' 9" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 4K 18FQ | 20' 5" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 4K 18BH | 20' 5" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 4K 17MBS | 20' 5" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 4K 18BHS | 21' 6" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 4K 182DBU | 22' 3" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 6K 272RLS | 31' 10" | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 6K 262BHS | 32' | — | Profiled |
| Clipper 5K 251RBS | 27' 1" | — | Catalogued · Coachmen prints its weights as TBD |
| Clipper 5K 252DBUS | 25' 6" | — | Catalogued · Coachmen prints its weights as TBD |
Coachmen’s 2023 Clipper brochure lists 15 Clipper floorplans. Every one with a printed weight has a page here.
04 Notes on this floorplan
What Coachmen does not publish for the Clipper 4K 18FQ
Coachmen prints no tire size, 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
3,250 lb dry and 3,880 lb GVWR, against this model’s 3,390 lb and 4,090 lb.
3,420 lb dry and 4,125 lb GVWR, against this model’s 3,390 lb and 4,090 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), 47% of the Clipper 4K 18FQ’s 700 lb cargo capacity, leaving 368 lb. Across 13 Clipper floorplans the water share runs 16% to 67%, and 3 give up more than this one. Nearest on that share: Clipper 4K 18BH at 47% and Clipper 4K 162RBU at 53%. 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 Clipper 4K 18BH, nearest on the published figures. It differs on 3 of the 8 fields both publish (this plan first): dry weight 3,390 lb vs 3,420 lb; GVWR 4,090 lb vs 4,125 lb; cargo capacity 700 lb vs 705 lb. They match on length, hitch weight, fresh tank, grey tank and black tank.
| Clipper plans | This plan | Position, low to high | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| GVWR (lb) | 4,090 | 8 of 13 | 3,750–7,946 |
| Dry weight (lb) | 3,390 | 7 of 13 | 2,450–6,226 |
| Cargo capacity (lb) | 700 | 4 of 13 | 493–2,018 |
| Hitch weight (lb) | 400 | 7–9 of 13 | 250–946 |
| Length | 20 ft 5 in | 5–9 of 13 | 16 ft 6 in–32 ft 0 in |
| Fresh tank (gal) | 40 | 6–13 of 13 | 27–40 |
| Grey tank (gal) | 32 | 6–13 of 13 | 27–32 |
| Black tank (gal) | 32 | 6–13 of 13 | 27–32 |
Either side of it by GVWR: Clipper 4K 17MBS is 47 lb lighter (4,043 lb GVWR); Clipper 4K 18BH is 35 lb heavier (4,125 lb GVWR).
| Nearest Clipper siblings | Length | Sleeps | Dry (lb) | GVWR (lb) | CCC (lb) | Hitch (lb) | Fresh (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clipper 4K 18FQ | 20 ft 5 in | — | 3,390 | 4,090 | 700 | 400 | 40 |
| Clipper 4K 18BH | 20 ft 5 in | — | 3,420 | 4,125 | 705 | 400 | 40 |
| Clipper 4K 162RBU | 19 ft 9 in | — | 3,250 | 3,880 | 630 | 360 | 40 |
| Clipper 4K 17MBS | 20 ft 5 in | — | 3,550 | 4,043 | 493 | 400 | 40 |
| Clipper 4K 18BHS | 21 ft 6 in | — | 3,790 | 4,525 | 735 | 425 | 40 |
| Clipper 4K 182DBU | 22 ft 3 in | — | 3,840 | 4,433 | 593 | 425 | 40 |
All 13 Clipper floorplans: Clipper line hub.
| Other lines, nearest by GVWR | GVWR (lb) | Dry or base (lb) | Sleeps | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clipper 4K 18FQ | 4,090 | 3,390 | — | 20 ft 5 in |
| Viking 18BH | 4,088 | 3,479 | — | 23 ft 0 in |
| Aurora Light 13BHX | 4,143 | 2,643 | — | 16 ft 0 in |
| Jay Flight 174BH | 4,150 | 3,140 | 5 | 21 ft 8 in |
| Jay Flight SLX 174BHW | 4,150 | 3,070 | 5 | 21 ft 8 in |
| Forest River r·pod RP-171 | 4,029 | 2,529 | — | 19 ft 0 in |
| Nest 16FB | 4,000 | 3,400 | 2 | 16 ft 7 in |
Against the Clipper 4K 18FQ: the Viking 18BH is 2 lb lighter and 3 ft longer; the Aurora Light 13BHX is 53 lb heavier and 4 ft shorter; the Jay Flight 174BH is 60 lb heavier and 1 ft longer.
08 Common questions about the Clipper 4K 18FQ
How much does the Clipper 4K 18FQ weigh?
3,390 lb dry; 4,090 lb GVWR, the most it may weigh loaded.
How much can the Clipper 4K 18FQ carry?
700 lb, 17% of its GVWR (median across 1,416 travel trailers here: 23%). A full fresh tank uses 332 lb of it.
What is the tongue weight of the Clipper 4K 18FQ?
400 lb as published, 12% of the dry weight (median across 2,002 travel trailers here: 12%).
What size tow vehicle does the Clipper 4K 18FQ need?
A tow rating of at least 4,090 lb, plus payload for the loaded tongue weight, passengers and cargo.
What are the tank capacities on the Clipper 4K 18FQ?
Fresh 40, grey 32, black 32 gallons. Off hookups, fresh water runs out first.
How long is the Clipper 4K 18FQ?
20' 5" overall, tongue or pin box included.
From the figures above.
09 What this page publishes, and what it does not
12 of the 18 fields this catalogue tracks are published for the Clipper 4K 18FQ. Not published: sleeps, slide count, axle count, tire specification, refrigerator, air conditioning.
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.
11 NHTSA safety record
NHTSA holds 12 recall campaigns and 9 owner complaints (model years 2005 on) against the Clipper line (a recall and a complaint are not the same thing).
Too few reports to show a pattern. 9 complaints have been filed on this line — not enough to say what fails most often. They cover unknown or other, structure, service brakes, suspension and trailer hitches.
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 Clipper line page.