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Fifth Wheel · Mid-Profile Affordable-Luxury · Single-Source Profile

2026 Forest River Wildcat36FUN

The dual-entry split-bedroom family plan — a three-slide coach with a rear king master and full bath, a front bunkhouse suite with bunk beds, a queen and a second full bath, and a mid living room with theater seating, a kitchen island and a fireplace, sleeping eight across two full bathrooms and two entry doors.

Tow-Critical Data — as built, MY2026

12,033lb
Dry Weight
14,095lb
GVWR
2,095lb
Pin Weight
42ft
Length
Sleeps 8 Mid-Profile Fifth Wheel · Rear king master + front bunkhouse suite + two full baths, dual entry Built by · Forest River Construction · 2" vacuum-bonded aluminum · 16 cu ft 12V fridge

01 What makes it unique

The 36FUN is Wildcat’s dual-entry split-bedroom family plan. It pairs a rear king master with a full rear bath against a front bunkhouse suite (bunk beds plus a queen) with its own second full bath, joined by a mid living room (theater seating, a kitchen island, an entertainment center and a fireplace), opened by three slide-outs with dual entry doors, sleeping eight. With a king master at one end and a bunk-and-queen suite at the other it puts two private sleeping zones and two full bathrooms on a single coach. It rides the full Wildcat build: a 2-inch vacuum-bonded aluminum-framed sidewall structure, a one-piece molded fiberglass front cap, a PVC roof membrane with a lifetime warranty, a heated and enclosed underbelly with 12-volt tank heat pads and sectioned ABS armor, and 4-point automatic leveling.

Forest River publishes a 12,033-pound UVW, a 2,062-pound CCC and a 14,095-pound GVWR (the published GVWR equals UVW plus CCC exactly), against a 2,095-pound dry pin. It carries the line’s larger 76-gallon grey and black tanks (matched to its two full bathrooms). A 45,000-BTU three-air-conditioner system, a 35,000-BTU furnace, a 5,000-BTU electric fireplace, a 60,000-BTU tankless water heater, a 16-cubic-foot 12-volt refrigerator, a 21-inch 2-in-1 oven range, a 30-inch over-the-range microwave and a 60-gallon fresh tank are standard, with a 200-watt rooftop solar prep; Forest River does not yet publish an awning size for this plan on the factory floorplan record.

US street pricing has commonly run in the low-to-mid $60,000s. It is the dual-entry, two-bedroom-style family Wildcat. For a multi-generation family that wants a private rear king master and a front bunkhouse suite with two full bathrooms and dual entry doors — towed behind a properly rated three-quarter-ton or larger truck — the 36FUN is the line’s split-bedroom family plan. It is sold as the Cardinal 36FUN under a sister badge.

02 Full specifications

Dimensions

Exterior length
42' 9"
Exterior width
8' 0"
Exterior height
13' 5"
Interior height
6' 5"

Weights

Dry / unit base weight (UVW)
12,033 lbs
GVWR (max loaded)
14,095 lbs
Net cargo / payload (CCC)
2,062 lbs
Dry pin (hitch) weight
2,095 lbs

Capacities

Fresh water
60 gal
Grey water
76 gal
Black water
76 gal
Refrigerator
16 cu ft 12V

Construction

Frame
2" vacuum-bonded aluminum-framed sidewalls · high-density block-foam insulation · welded aluminum structure
Walls
Laminated aluminum-framed walls · one-piece molded fiberglass front cap · residential fiberglass roof & floor insulation
Roof
PVC roof membrane (lifetime warranty) · 5" arched roof rafters · 6′ 5" upper-deck height
Underbelly
Heated & enclosed underbelly · 12V tank heat pads · sectioned ABS underbelly armor · 5/8" T&G plywood floor

Running gear

Axles
2 (tandem) · per-axle GAWR not separately published *
Hitch
Fifth-wheel (in-bed) · 4-point automatic leveling · 200W rooftop solar prep
Brakes
Electric · self-adjusting · 50-amp service
Tires
Aluminum wheels · outside shower · dual 20-lb LP

Galley & bath

Cooktop
21" 2-in-1 oven range · 30" OTR microwave · 60K tankless water heater
Refrigerator
16 cu ft 12V
A/C
45,000 BTU 3-A/C system
Water heater
60,000-BTU tankless · on-demand

Sleeping & layout

Sleeps
8
Slides
3
Entries
2
Awnings
Not published *
Primary bed
King 66×80

Verified specs, drawn to scale

Original graphics built from this floorplan’s own verified figures.

Loaded weight budget

Loaded weight budget for the 36FUNHorizontal bar. Dry weight 12,033 pounds, then cargo capacity 2,062 pounds, against a GVWR of 14,095 pounds. Dry pin weight 2,095 pounds on the same scale.GVWR 14,095 lbsDry 12,033 lbsCargo capacity 2,062 lbsDry pin weight 2,095 lbs — same scale
Drawn from this page’s published figures. The bar runs from empty to GVWR: the dark band is dry weight, the light band is everything you are allowed to add — water, propane, batteries and gear all come out of it.

Size, drawn to scale

Scale outline of the 36FUNScale outline of the 36FUN. Overall length 42' 9", overall height 13' 5", overall width 8' 0". 2 axles as published.end view8' 0"42' 9" overall length13' 5"
Overall length and height are drawn true to scale from the published figures, and the end view uses the same scale. Axle count is as published; axle position, wheel size and the nose profile are schematic. This is a size drawing, not a floorplan, and not a claim about body shape.

Holding tanks

Holding tank capacities for the 36FUNHolding tank capacities: fresh 60 gallons, grey 76 gallons, black 76 gallons.Fresh60 galGrey76 galBlack76 gal
Published tank capacities on one scale. A full fresh tank is about 500 lbs of water — roughly 24% of this plan’s 2,062 lb cargo capacity, before you load anything else.

These graphics are generated from the same verified record that builds the table above, and are published under this site’s own licence — nothing here is traced from, or derived from, a manufacturer drawing or photo. Where a figure is not published for this plan, the graphic that would need it is omitted rather than estimated. The full record is in the published dataset.

What it takes to tow this

Built from this floorplan’s verified weights. We publish the trailer side only.

Minimum tow rating your vehicle needs14,095 lb
Published dry pin weight2,095 lb
Loaded pin weight, typical range2,114–3,524 lb
Minimum in-bed fifth-wheel hitch capacity14,095 lb towed / 3,524 lb pin
The pin weight above is dry. It is the figure the manufacturer publishes for an empty trailer. Loaded — with water, propane, batteries and your gear — it runs higher, which is why the range row uses loaded weight. Sizing your truck off the dry number under-budgets your payload.
The arithmetic that actually binds. Open your driver’s door and read the payload figure on the yellow-and-white sticker — that number is specific to your truck as built. Subtract from it: loaded pin weight (use the range above), every passenger, everything in the bed and cab. What is left is your margin. Payload, not tow rating, is what most half-ton owners run out of first.

We do not publish tow ratings for specific trucks. A single model can vary by thousands of pounds depending on engine, axle ratio, cab, drivetrain and package — the only authoritative figure is the one on your own door jamb. Loaded pin percentages are industry convention for fifth wheels (15–25% of loaded weight), not a measurement of this unit. Hitch classes are not used here as a rating: SAE J684 covers trailers to 10,000 lb GVWR and does not define Class V, and capacity boundaries differ between manufacturers — read the rating stamped on your hitch.

03 The Wildcat floorplan family

Wildcat is Forest River's mid-profile affordable-luxury fifth wheel — a step above the brand's own value-mid Arctic Wolf and a step below its premium-mainstream Sandpiper. Six of the most distinct 2026 floorplans are profiled here in full. The 36FUN on this page is highlighted; each other plan links to its own page.

FloorplanNominalSleepsNotable
32LIVE36 ft4Rear living + kitchen island + front bedroom, lightest and shortest, lowest GVWR
33CHEF38 ft4Rear kitchen + front bedroom, couples who cook and work remote, lowest pin
402BEDS42 ft8Two queen bedrooms + two full baths, dual entry, unique family plan
36MB43 ft10Mid-bunk + loft family plan, fireplace, longest awning, highest pin
35CRIB43 ft8Rear bunkhouse + front queen + two full baths, tallest in the line
36FUN43 ft8Rear king master + front bunkhouse suite + two full baths, dual entry
37GALLEY43 ft6Front kitchen + king suite + bath-and-a-half, galley-and-entertainment
37PUB43 ft4Front living + kitchen island + bath-and-a-half, the front-living sibling
35FL43 ft6Front entertainment/living + rear bedroom, biggest cargo capacity, four slides
37BEST44 ft10Bunk beds + bath-and-a-half + dual entry, heaviest, longest, highest GVWR

Wildcat is Forest River's mid-profile affordable-luxury fifth wheel — a step above the brand's own value-mid Arctic Wolf and a step below its premium-mainstream Sandpiper. Ten of the most distinct 2026 retail floorplans are profiled here in full; only two Dealer Stock Only plans (34CRIB, 35FUN) are listed on the hub but not profiled. Every plan is built on a 2-inch vacuum-bonded aluminum-framed sidewall structure with a one-piece molded fiberglass front cap, a PVC roof membrane with a lifetime warranty, residential fiberglass roof and floor insulation, a heated and enclosed underbelly with 12-volt tank heat pads and sectioned ABS armor, seamless roto-cast holding tanks, 4-point automatic leveling, a 50-amp service, a 35,000-BTU furnace, an 18,000-BTU ducted air conditioner (a 45,000-BTU three-A/C system is standard on most plans), a 60,000-BTU tankless water heater, a 16-cubic-foot 12-volt refrigerator, a 5,000-BTU electric fireplace, a 60-gallon fresh tank line-wide and a 200-watt rooftop solar prep. Hitch weight, UVW, CCC and GVWR are published per plan; the published GVWR equals UVW plus CCC exactly on every profiled plan. The numeric per-axle GAWR is not separately published for Wildcat. UVW is a factory estimated average; real loaded pin weights run higher — always weigh the loaded coach and confirm against your truck's payload and rear-axle ratings. Wildcat is badge-engineered as the Cardinal under a sister badge.

04 What owners & reviewers report

Rear king master + front bunkhouse suite + two full baths

A private rear king master at one end and a bunk-and-queen suite at the other, each with its own full bath — two real sleeping zones on one coach.

Dual entry doors

Two entry doors serve the split-bedroom floorplan — separate access for the two ends of the coach, useful for a multi-generation crowd.

Theater seating, island and fireplace in the middle

The shared mid living room carries theater seating, a kitchen island, an entertainment center and a fireplace — a real common space between the two sleeping zones.

Awning size not yet published

Forest River has not yet published an awning size for the 36FUN on the factory floorplan record; it is flagged here and should be confirmed on the specific unit.

SOURCING — ownership notes to be expanded with cited threads from owner communities & forums per the data plan

05 How it compares

↔ Cross-shop
Wildcat 35CRIB

The other two-bath family plan — a rear bunkhouse and a private front queen instead of a rear king master and a front bunkhouse suite.

↔ Cross-shop
Wildcat 402BEDS

The two-bedroom plan — two separate queen bedrooms and two full baths, also dual entry, instead of a king master and a bunk suite.

↑ Step up
Sandpiper (Forest River)

Forest River’s premium-mainstream full-size fifth wheel a tier above — a richer construction and equipment package at a higher price.

06 Loading it for a trip

This floorplan carries its water comfortably. A full 60-gallon fresh tank is roughly 24% of the 2,062-pound cargo capacity, leaving the 36FUN with a usable gear budget even when you tow full.

Weight budgetFigureWhat it means
Cargo capacity as published (CCC)2,062 lbEverything you add: gear, water, propane, batteries, food, people’s belongings.
Fresh tank filled (60 gal × 8.34 lb)−500 lbWater is the heaviest thing most owners add, and it is added first.
Cargo budget left with a full fresh tank1,562 lb24% of this plan’s capacity is spent before a single bag is loaded.
Per sleeping position, water aboard195 lbA rough share of what is left across the 8 berths this plan sleeps.

The published dry pin weight of 2,095 pounds is 17% of this floorplan’s 12,033-pound dry weight. Fifth-wheel pin weight rides in the bed of the truck, so it comes off payload rather than off tow rating — and it rises with the trailer as you load it, not in proportion to what you put over the axles.

Nothing above changes the ceiling. Loaded to its 14,095-pound GVWR the 36FUN is towing 2,062 pounds more than its 12,033-pound dry figure, and that is the number your vehicle has to be rated for — not the brochure weight.

Tank balance is generous here: 60 gallons of fresh against 76 grey and 76 black, so waste capacity keeps pace with supply and the fresh tank is the constraint that ends a dry stay.

07 Where this floorplan sits

Ranked by GVWR, the 36FUN sits 5 of 10 in the Wildcat line: 14,095 pounds against a line that runs from 13,500 to 15,498 pounds. That position is the useful thing to know, because the plans immediately either side of it are the real alternatives.

Either side of it in the same line: Wildcat 37GALLEY is 15 pounds lighter at 14,080 lb GVWR; and Wildcat 35FL is 20 pounds heavier at 14,115 lb GVWR.

Comparable fifth wheelsGVWR (lb)Dry (lb)SleepsLength
36FUN14,09512,033842 ft 9 in
Cardinal 36FUN14,09512,03342 ft 9 in
Blackthorn 2990MK14,18010,86435 ft 0 in
Cougar 364BHL14,00011,6251039 ft 0 in
Eagle 370FB14,00011,905540 ft 3 in
Avenue 32RLS13,99510,500434 ft 11 in
Model Z 267013,99510,691729 ft 11 in

Against the 36FUN: the Blackthorn 2990MK is 85 lb heavier and 8 ft shorter; the Cougar 364BHL is 95 lb lighter and 4 ft shorter and sleeps 2 more. Those are differences in the published numbers only — what they cost, how they are built and how they live are separate questions each of those pages answers on its own terms.

Those are the nearest fifth wheels from other lines by weight — one per line, picked by proximity on that figure and nothing else. They are listed so the same tow vehicle can be checked against real alternatives, not because they are equivalent inside; layout, build and price diverge sharply across that group.

For scale, the Wildcat floorplans profiled here run 10,363 to 12,698 pounds dry and 36 to 44 feet of exterior length across 10 plans. Where a floorplan falls in that spread usually says more about which vehicle can tow it, and which site it fits, than the layout name does.

Every profiled floorplan in this line, with the full weight table, is on the Wildcat line hub.

08 Common questions about the 36FUN

How much does the 36FUN weigh?

It leaves the factory at 12,033 pounds dry, and its manufacturer-set loaded ceiling (GVWR) is 14,095 pounds. Real towing weight lands between the two and depends entirely on what you load. Use the GVWR when matching a tow vehicle; the dry figure is only useful for comparing floorplans against each other.

How much can the 36FUN carry?

Cargo carrying capacity is 2,062 pounds. That is the whole budget: water, propane, batteries, gear and everything you bring. Filling the 60-gallon fresh tank uses about 500 pounds of that.

What is the pin weight of the 36FUN?

The published dry pin weight is 2,095 pounds. It is measured empty; loaded, it runs higher, and it comes out of your tow vehicle’s payload rather than its tow rating.

What size tow vehicle does the 36FUN need?

Your vehicle needs a tow rating of at least 14,095 pounds — this floorplan’s GVWR — and enough payload left over for the hitch load, passengers and anything in the bed. This site does not publish tow ratings for specific vehicles, because one truck model varies by thousands of pounds across engine, axle ratio, cab and package. The figure that governs is the payload sticker on your own door jamb.

How many people does the 36FUN sleep?

It is rated to sleep 8. Rated sleeping positions include convertible furniture, so count the beds against how you actually travel rather than against the number.

What are the tank capacities on the 36FUN?

Fresh 60 gallons, grey 76 gallons, black 76 gallons. Tank sizes set how long the floorplan can sit away from hookups, and the smallest of the three is what ends the stay.

How long is the 36FUN?

Exterior length is 42' 9". Measure against your site length and your storage before committing — the exterior figure is the one that has to fit, and it includes the tongue or pin box.

Every figure in these answers is read from this page’s verified specification table. Where the manufacturer publishes nothing, the question is not answered rather than estimated.

09 What this page publishes, and what it does not

This catalog tracks 18 specification fields per floorplan. Named sources publish 17 of them for the 36FUN. The rest are not shown, because the alternative is reading a figure across from a sibling floorplan or from what the segment usually does — and a number nobody published is worth less than an admitted gap.

Not published for this floorplan: awning, tire size (a tire description is published, a size is not). If you find one of these in a manufacturer document for this plan, it belongs on this page.

The completeness figure at the foot of this page (93%) measures the same thing on the full field set: it is a measurement of how much this floorplan’s manufacturer publishes, not of how much research went into the page.

Values on this page carrying an asterisk were derived by arithmetic from published figures, or come from a single source, rather than being printed directly by the manufacturer. The flag travels with the number into the downloadable spec sheet.

How every figure here was sourced and checked is set out on the methodology page.

11 NHTSA safety record

This floorplan belongs to the Wildcat line, and NHTSA holds 20 recall campaigns and 56 owner complaints against that line. They are separate records and are not added together — a recall is a manufacturer-confirmed defect with a remedy; a complaint is one owner’s account, which NHTSA does not verify.

What to look at on a used one. Across the 56 complaints filed on this line the most-reported components are tires (27%), structure (18%) and wheels (18%). That is where owners of this family have had trouble, so it is where an inspection is worth the time.

Recall coverage is not complete — our harvest of NHTSA’s recall API ran 1,556 queries, of which 0 failed and 242 returned an explicit zero. A line can still be under-reported where NHTSA files a roster under a parent name, or where a match rests on the wording of the recall rather than its model field. Complaints come from the complete bulk file but are unverified and self-selected: a high count tracks how many units a line sold at least as much as how well it was built. Check a specific VIN at NHTSA before you buy. Full tables are on the Wildcat line page.