01 What makes it unique
Gulf Stream lists the Ameri-Lite 197BH at 3,690 lb dry, a net carrying capacity of 1,395 lb and a tongue weight of 638 lb. It prints no GVWR for it.
It is 22' 2" long and 10' 8" high. Gulf Stream prints no tank capacity for it.
Among the 34 Ameri-Lite floorplans Gulf Stream’s Ameri-Lite model pages on gulfstreamcoach.com (no model year stated) lists with a published dry weight, it is number 14 from the lightest, in a range from 2,630 lb (Ameri-Lite 134BH) to 6,320 lb (Ameri-Lite 292RBH). Every figure in that comparison is Gulf Stream’s, read from the same set of model pages.
Every number on this page was read on 6 Nov 2026 from Gulf Stream’s own Ameri-Lite model pages on gulfstreamcoach.com (no model year stated) for the Ameri-Lite 197BH, which names no model year; the figures are shown as the maker published them, and no year is claimed for them.
How the 197BH differs from the other 33 Ameri-Lite floorplans. Most distinctive first. How these ranks are worked out.
- Tongue weight as a share of dry weight, 17.3%: second-largest of 34, between the 15TH (16.8%) and the 236RL (18.1%).
- Tongue weight, 638 lb: eleventh-heaviest of 34, between the 26BHG (590 lb) and the 238RK (640 lb).
- Dry weight, 3,690 lb: fourteenth-lightest of 34, between the 19RD (3,552 lb) and the 248BH (3,899 lb).
- Cargo capacity, 1,395 lb: sixteenth-smallest of 34, between the 199RK (1,370 lb) and the 251RE (1,560 lb).
- Length, 22 ft 2 in: shared with the 199RK; of 34, eleven shorter and 21 longer, nearest the 177BH, 178RB and two others (20 ft 11 in) and the 192DS (22 ft 3 in).
- Exterior height, 10 ft 8 in: shared with the 199RK and 19RD; of 34, sixteen lower and fifteen taller, nearest the 192DS and 228SB (10 ft 6 in) and the 15TH, 16RD and 22RSD (10 ft 9 in).
Next to the 19RD, the nearest lighter floorplan by dry weight, the 197BH is 138 lb heavier by dry weight, has 157 lb more cargo capacity, has a tongue weight 248 lb heavier and is 11 in shorter; the two publish the same exterior height and interior height.
Next to the 248BH, the nearest heavier floorplan by dry weight, the 197BH is 209 lb lighter by dry weight, has 2,206 lb less cargo capacity, has a tongue weight 138 lb heavier, is 4 ft 5 in shorter and stands 4 in taller; the two publish the same interior height.
02 Full specifications
Dimensions
- Exterior length
- 22' 2"
- Exterior height
- 10' 8"
- Exterior width
- 8'
- Interior height
- 6' 8"
Weights
- Dry / unit base weight (UVW)
- 3,690 lb
- GVWR (max loaded)
- Not published by Gulf Stream
- Net cargo / payload (CCC)
- 1,395 lb
- Hitch / tongue weight
- 638 lb
Capacities
- Fresh water
- Not published by Gulf Stream
- Grey water
- Not published by Gulf Stream
- Black water
- Not published by Gulf Stream
Running gear
- Hitch type
- Bumper pull
- Tire size
- Not published by Gulf Stream
Sleeping & layout
- Sleeps
- Not published by Gulf Stream
- Factory grouping (as printed)
- Ameri-Lite (Light Weight Trailers)
- Furnace
- 20,000 BTU
- Water Heater
- Tankless
- LP Tank
- 20 lb.
- Weight basis (as printed)
- Gulf Stream prints "Dry Weight", "Hitch Weight" and "Net Carrying Capacity" on this page with no unit on the figures (its own line listing states weights in lbs.; tank figures carry no unit). No GVWR is printed, so nothing is checked against one. Page footnote: "Specifications are approximate and subject to change. Check the label in your unit for actual weights and capacities."
- Model year
- Not stated by Gulf Stream; figures as published on Gulf Stream's site (https://www.gulfstreamcoach.com/products/light-weight/amerilite/model/197bh), read 6 Nov 2026
- Also sold as
- Conquest Lite, Innsbruck Lite, Kingsport Lite, Trailmaster Lite: identical floorplan codes and figures on Gulf Stream's site
- Fresh water (as printed, no unit)
- 23
- Grey tank (as printed, no unit)
- 36
- Black tank (as printed, no unit)
- 36
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
Size, with end view
Axles, wheels and nose shape are schematic; not a floorplan. Data: dataset.
03 The Ameri-Lite floorplan family
Gulf Stream’s Ameri-Lite model pages on gulfstreamcoach.com (no model year stated) lists 34 Ameri-Lite floorplans; every one with a printed weight has a page here.
| Floorplan | Nominal | Sleeps | Notable |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ameri-Lite 134BH | 16' | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 134RD | 16' | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 14RE | 15' 10" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 177BH | 20' 11" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 15TH | 16' 2" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 18QB | 20' 10" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 178RB | 20' 11" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 16RD | 16' 3" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 189DD | 20' 11" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 199DD | 20' 11" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 16RBT | 19' 1" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 199RK | 22' 2" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 19RD | 23' 1" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 197BH | 22' 2" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 248BH | 26' 7" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 192DS | 22' 3" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 241RB | 27' 4" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 22RSD | 25' 8" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 20RBS | 22' 11" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 228SB | 23' 4" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 221RK | 25' 6" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 238RK | 28' 6" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 26BHG | 29' 11" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 24RLS | 28' 10" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 275FBG | 30' | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 236RL | 28' 1" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 268BH | 29' 6" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 240RK | 26' 3" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 269BH | 29' 11" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 251RE | 30' | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 257RB | 28' 1" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 279BH | 32' 6" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 274QB | 32' 6" | — | Profiled |
| Ameri-Lite 292RBH | 33' 11" | — | Profiled |
Gulf Stream’s Ameri-Lite model pages on gulfstreamcoach.com (no model year stated) lists 34 Ameri-Lite floorplans. Every one with a printed weight has a page here.
04 Notes on this floorplan
What Gulf Stream does not publish for the Ameri-Lite 197BH
Gulf Stream prints no GVWR, tire size, grey-tank, black-tank, 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
3,552 lb dry and Not published by Gulf Stream GVWR, against this model’s 3,690 lb and Not published by Gulf Stream.
3,899 lb dry and Not published by Gulf Stream GVWR, against this model’s 3,690 lb and Not published by Gulf Stream.
06 Loading it for a trip
Cargo capacity on the Ameri-Lite 197BH is 1,395 lb.
07 Where this floorplan sits
Closest sibling: the Ameri-Lite 199RK, nearest on the published figures. It differs on 3 of the 4 fields both publish (this plan first): dry weight 3,690 lb vs 3,520 lb; cargo capacity 1,395 lb vs 1,370 lb; hitch weight 638 lb vs 490 lb. They match on length.
| Ameri-Lite plans | This plan | Position, low to high | Range |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dry weight (lb) | 3,690 | 14 of 34 | 2,630–6,320 |
| Cargo capacity (lb) | 1,395 | 16 of 34 | 610–4,330 |
| Hitch weight (lb) | 638 | 24 of 34 | 300–930 |
| Length | 22 ft 2 in | 12–13 of 34 | 15 ft 10 in–33 ft 11 in |
Either side of it by dry weight: Ameri-Lite 19RD is 138 lb lighter (3,552 lb dry); Ameri-Lite 248BH is 209 lb heavier (3,899 lb dry).
| Nearest Ameri-Lite siblings | Length | Sleeps | Dry (lb) | GVWR (lb) | CCC (lb) | Hitch (lb) | Fresh (gal) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ameri-Lite 197BH | 22 ft 2 in | — | 3,690 | — | 1,395 | 638 | — |
| Ameri-Lite 199RK | 22 ft 2 in | — | 3,520 | — | 1,370 | 490 | — |
| Ameri-Lite 228SB | 23 ft 4 in | — | 4,430 | — | 1,300 | 530 | 35 |
| Ameri-Lite 19RD | 23 ft 1 in | — | 3,552 | — | 1,238 | 390 | — |
| Ameri-Lite 192DS | 22 ft 3 in | — | 3,940 | — | 860 | 400 | — |
| Ameri-Lite 251RE | 30 ft 0 in | — | 5,990 | — | 1,560 | 550 | — |
All 34 Ameri-Lite floorplans: Ameri-Lite line hub.
| Other lines, nearest by dry weight | GVWR (lb) | Dry (lb) | Sleeps | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ameri-Lite 197BH | — | 3,690 | — | 22 ft 2 in |
| Colt 17DBS | 4,800 | 3,695 | 8 | 23 ft 7 in |
| Escape E201TB | 4,400 | 3,700 | 3 | 23 ft 9 in |
| Jay Feather 7 19XUD | 4,650 | 3,700 | — | 22 ft 5 in |
| Sonic Lite SL169VMK | — | 3,680 | 4 | 21 ft 2 in |
| Coyote CL180 | 4,500 | 3,675 | — | 23 ft 9 in |
| Jay Feather 15MRB | 4,995 | 3,675 | 4 | 20 ft 2 in |
Against the Ameri-Lite 197BH: the Colt 17DBS is 5 lb heavier and 1 ft longer; the Escape E201TB is 10 lb heavier and 2 ft longer; the Jay Feather 7 19XUD is 10 lb heavier.
08 Common questions about the Ameri-Lite 197BH
How much can the Ameri-Lite 197BH carry?
1,395 lb.
What is the tongue weight of the Ameri-Lite 197BH?
638 lb as published, 17% of the dry weight (median across 2,002 travel trailers here: 12%).
How long is the Ameri-Lite 197BH?
22' 2" overall, tongue or pin box included.
From the figures above.
09 What this page publishes, and what it does not
7 of the 18 fields this catalogue tracks are published for the Ameri-Lite 197BH. Not published: GVWR, fresh tank, grey tank, black tank, sleeps, slide count, axle count, tire specification, awning, refrigerator, air conditioning.
Sourcing rules: methodology.
10 Manuals & documents
Sources: gulfstreamcoach.com (linked below); the full source note is at the foot of the page.
11 NHTSA safety record
NHTSA holds 8 recall campaigns and 5 owner complaints (model years 2005 on) against the Ameri-Lite line (a recall and a complaint are not the same thing).
Too few reports to show a pattern. 5 complaints have been filed on this line — not enough to say what fails most often. They cover latches/locks/linkages, structure, suspension and wheels.
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 Ameri-Lite line page.