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Gulf Stream Ameri-Lite 279BH

Travel trailerbuilt 2011– (in production)Caution build tierCommon on the used market
WHAT ONE COSTS
$37,600MSRP today

Still in production. A used 2023 would run roughly $19,900.

WHAT IT WEIGHS BEHIND YOUR TRUCK
~7,202 lbestimated as towed, for 2 people

dry weight 6,210 lb + fresh water (23 gal, full) 192 lb + propane + battery 200 lb + gear for 2 600 lb. Brochure dry weight omits water, propane, batteries and your gear; this estimate doesn't.

You want a tow rating around8,005 lb (10% margin)
GVWR (the sticker maximum)7,810 lb
Tongue weight, loaded~939 lb (13%)
Cargo capacity1,600 lb
WHICH TOW VEHICLES IT FITS: 63 OF 95

Judged the way the app judges: estimated loaded weight against each vehicle's rating less a 10% margin, per model year, because the 279BH's published weights changed mid-run.

VEHICLETOW RATINGVERDICT
Chevrolet Colorado / GMC Canyon (2.7 Turbo HO, tow pkg) '23-267,700 lb2019–22 model years fit
Chevrolet Colorado / GMC Canyon (2.8 Duramax) '15-227,700 lb2019–22 model years fit
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 1500 (6.2 V8, max tow) '19-2613,300 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 2500HD (Duramax, max tow) '24-2622,500 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 2500HD (Duramax) '20-2318,510 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 2500HD (Duramax) '11-1918,100 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 3500HD (Duramax DRW, gooseneck) '20-2636,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado / GMC Sierra 3500HD (Duramax DRW, gooseneck) '11-1923,300 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado 1500 (max tow) '14-1812,500 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Silverado EV (4WT) '24-2612,500 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Suburban (5.3 V8, max tow) '21-268,300 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Chevrolet Tahoe (5.3 V8, max tow) '21-268,400 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Dodge Durango (5.7 / 6.4 Hemi, tow pkg) '14-268,700 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford Expedition (3.5 EcoBoost, tow pkg) '25-269,600 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford Expedition (3.5 EcoBoost, tow pkg) '18-249,300 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-150 (3.5 EcoBoost, max tow) '24-2613,500 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-150 (3.5 EcoBoost, max tow) '15-2013,200 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-150 (3.5 EcoBoost, max tow) '21-2314,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-150 (3.5 EcoBoost, max tow) '11-1411,300 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-150 Lightning (max trailer tow) '22-2610,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-250 Super Duty (6.7 diesel, gooseneck) '20-2222,800 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-250 Super Duty (6.7 diesel, tow pkg) '17-1918,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-250 Super Duty (6.7 diesel) '11-1616,600 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-250 Super Duty (6.7 HO diesel, gooseneck) '23-2623,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-350 Super Duty (6.7 diesel DRW, gooseneck) '17-1932,500 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-350 Super Duty (6.7 diesel DRW, gooseneck) '20-2237,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-350 Super Duty (6.7 diesel DRW, gooseneck) '11-1621,600 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-350 Super Duty (6.7 HO diesel DRW, gooseneck) '23-2638,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford F-450 Super Duty (6.7 HO diesel DRW, gooseneck) '23-2640,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ford Ranger (2.3 EcoBoost, tow pkg) '19-237,500 lb2019–22 model years fit
Ford Ranger (2.7 EcoBoost, tow pkg) '24-267,500 lb2019–22 model years fit
GMC Hummer EV Pickup '22-267,500 lb2019–22 model years fit
GMC Sierra EV '24-2612,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
GMC Yukon / Yukon XL (5.3 V8, max tow) '21-268,400 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Jeep Gladiator (3.6 V6, max tow) '20-267,700 lb2019–22 model years fit
Jeep Grand Cherokee (5.7 Hemi) '11-217,200 lb2019–22 model years fit
Jeep Grand Cherokee L (5.7 Hemi) '21-267,200 lb2019–22 model years fit
Jeep Grand Wagoneer (Hurricane, max tow) '22-269,850 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Jeep Wagoneer (Hurricane, max tow) '22-2610,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Land Rover Defender '20-268,201 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Land Rover Discovery '17-268,201 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Lexus GX 550 (tow pkg) '24-269,096 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Lexus LX 600 '22-268,000 lb2019–22 model years fit
Mercedes-Benz Sprinter '19-267,500 lb2019–22 model years fit
Nissan Armada (3.5 twin-turbo, tow pkg) '25-268,500 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Nissan Armada (tow pkg) '17-248,500 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Nissan Frontier (3.8 V6, tow pkg) '22-267,150 lb2019–22 model years fit
Nissan Titan (5.6 V8, tow pkg) '17-249,760 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Nissan Titan XD (Cummins diesel) '16-1912,710 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 1500 (3.0 Hurricane, max tow) '25-2611,610 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 1500 (5.7 Hemi eTorque, max tow) '19-2412,750 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 1500 (5.7 Hemi, max tow) '11-1810,620 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 2500 (6.7 Cummins HO) '19-2620,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 2500 (6.7 Cummins) '11-1817,980 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 3500 (6.7 Cummins DRW, gooseneck) '13-1831,210 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 3500 (6.7 Cummins HO DRW, gooseneck) '25-2636,610 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Ram 3500 (6.7 Cummins HO DRW, gooseneck) '19-2437,090 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Rivian R1S '22-267,700 lb2019–22 model years fit
Rivian R1T '22-2611,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Tesla Cybertruck '24-2611,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Toyota Sequoia (i-Force Max, tow pkg) '23-269,520 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Toyota Tundra (5.7 V8, tow pkg) '11-2110,200 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
Toyota Tundra (i-Force Max, tow pkg) '22-2612,000 lbfits, loaded, with 10% margin
The 32it doesn't fit

These verdicts assume 2 people aboard with typical gear. See the margin for your truck and your crew →

THE SPECS
Length32.5 ft
Height (incl. A/C)11.1 ft
Width8.0 ft
Interior height6.7 ft
GVWR7,810 lb
Dry weight6,210 lb
Dry tongue weight810 lb
Cargo capacity1,600 lb
Sleeps10
Slide-outs1
Axles2
Fresh water23 gal
Grey water33 gal
Black water33 gal
Air conditioning13,500 BTU

A missing row means the maker never published that figure: unknown, not zero.

WHERE PEOPLE SLEEP
  • 1× Front queen bed(Permanent)60×80
  • 4× Rear quad bunks(Permanent)—
  • 1× Jack-knife sofa bed(Convertible)—
  • 1× Booth dinette bed(Convertible)—
HOW IT'S BUILT: 0/5
WallsWood frame + siding
FrameWood
RoofStandard
UnderbellyOpen

Gulf Stream (Caution tier): Ameri-Lite is Gulf Stream's price-leader line - wood studs, fiberglass batt insulation, aluminum siding and a one-piece vinyl roof - and it collects the water-intrusion and warranty complaints typical of the budget tier.

YEAR BY YEAR: WHAT CHANGED
YEARSGVWRDRYMSRP
2011–187,810 lb6,210 lb$37,632
2019–227,810 lb5,273 lb$37,632
2023–7,810 lb6,210 lb$37,632
  • 2011Introduced
  • 2015Introduced
  • 2016Hitch weight 710 lb, then 730 lb from 2017
  • 2019Body shortened to 32 ft 3 in
  • 2023Back to 32 ft 6 in; hitch weight to 820 lb and dry weight up to roughly 6,200 lb
  • 2025GVWR published at 7,810 lb with 810 lb hitch weight
FINDING ONE

Common: usually several for sale within a day’s drive. Why: Gulf Stream is a volume manufacturer; 16-year production run; still in production. Estimated from build volume and production span, not a count of live listings.

OUR TAKE

Ten berths at 6,210 lb dry, but only 1,600 lb of cargo capacity - load it for a family week and you are already at the limit; GVWR is dry plus net carrying capacity and matches the 7,810 lb figure listed independently, and the MSRP is an aggregator floorplan price rather than a Gulf Stream publication.

OTHER AMERI-LITE FLOORPLANS
134BH · 3,900 lb · sleeps 4134RD · 3,900 lb · sleeps 214RE · 3,800 lb · sleeps 215TH · 3,980 lb · sleeps 316RBT · 3,840 lb · sleeps 316RD · 3,930 lb · sleeps 2177BH · 3,830 lb · sleeps 5178RB · 4,000 lb · sleeps 3189DD · 3,850 lb · sleeps 518QB · 3,500 lb · sleeps 420RBS · 7,387 lb · sleeps 4221RK · 7,560 lb · sleeps 4228SB · 5,730 lb · sleeps 622RSD · 7,490 lb · sleeps 4the whole line →
Find one for sale

Live listings for the 279BH on the big marketplaces. Each search opens pre-filled with this exact floorplan:

RV Trader ↗Camping World ↗FB Marketplace ↗Google ↗

Inventory varies by site and day. Slim pickings? search the whole Ameri-Lite line ↗

Is the 279BH your #1, or just a spec sheet?

These are the facts. Whether it beats the other six thousand rigs for you depends on what you care about. Set your priorities as sliders, switch on your hard limits, and watch the whole market re-rank around them. Every exclusion explained, every margin shown.

See where it ranks for you →

Data compiled from manufacturer spec sheets, retrieved 2026-07.